Castles in the Sky- Balkan Uprising Campaign

[Easy E]

Greetings Fellows,

I have been experimenting with my own rules for an Arenef style game called Castles in the Sky.  I was unsatisfied with Aeronef, Leviathan, and Imperial Skies, and decided to try my own hand at the genre.  To help facilitate this, I have been playing a slow burn campaign set in the time of the Balkan Wars prior to World War I. 



In the Castles in the Sky timeline the Martian Invasion of 1878 was thwarted by microbes, and the resulting technological boom led to many great discoveries.  One of which was the creation of the Airship.  This was akin to the launch of the HMS Dreadnought and revolutionized naval operations.  Existing navies were made obsolete almost overnight with the discovery of the Airship and a new Naval arms race began.  Great Power diplomacy is in full swing and power politics at the edge of empire is the order of the day.  Flying warships have a big part to play in this world. 

I will be using paper templates for this campaign that can be found here: https://app.box.com/s/964ajr19syofzhl6ne89cs558jcdb4ys

Free trial rules are here: https://app.box.com/s/7mxcrmboh3xf1gypnv79fqi35mcqzce8

You can get a starting Brief on my blog here: https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2017/01/castles-in-sky-campaign-set-up-balkan.html

Unfortunately, Photobucket ate one of my early test battles, so no pictures but you can get a feel for the game here: https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2016/12/castles-in-sky-battle-report-raid-off.html

Let's get this Campaign started!     

[Easy E]

Raid at Novi Pazar
Per the campaign rules, the Ottoman Empire has chosen Defensive while the Balkan League chooses Offensive to start the campaign with.  The Balkan League will be the attackers in the Raid scenario after the scenario was determined per the campaign rules.  A raid scenario does not allow Battleships for the Attackers.  The Attackers get 25 Armor points, and Defenders get up to 50 armor points.

The Balkan League has tasked Captain Rozhestvensky with the Oleg to lead the assault force to attack an Ottoman force led by Captain Hassan Rami Pasha in his Heavy Cruiser.  The Ottomans are moving their airships away from being in the pocket dividing Montenegro and Serbia.  With the outbreak of the Balkan Uprising the Balkan League allied force on the Raid sortied out from Montenegro to engage the Ottoman airships.

The Russian ships in the Balkan League managed to get the drop on the Ottoman Forces as Montenegro had only recently declared war and word had not been officially communicated to the Ottoman fleet.  Therefore the initial sighting of the Russian ships did not immediately raise the alert with the Ottoman fleet.  However, as the Russians moved closer Captain Hassan Rami Pasha became suspicious and ordered his crews to prepare.




Forces

The Balkan League Raiders- 24 Armor pts
·         Oleg                                                       Captain: Aleksey Rozhestvensky               Command: 2
Class: Bogatyr                                    Category: Cruiser                             Armor: 7

·         Rurik                                                      Captain: Nikolai Ushakov              Command: 1
Class: Azova                                       Category: Cruiser                             Armor: 7             

·         Kondor                                                 Captain: Nikolay Konovalov         Command: 3
Class: Krasnoye                                 Category: Gunboat                         Armor: 5

·         Sova                                                      Captain: Vladimir Greig                  Command: 1
Class: Krasnoye                                 Category: Gunboat                         Armor: 5

The Ottoman Forces- 27 Armor Points
·         Basra                                                     Captain: Hasan Rami Pasha                          Command: 2
Class: Barbarous Heyreddin                 Category: Heavy Cruiser                                               Armor: 8

·         Mecidiye                                             Captain: Medvid Reis                                     Command: 1
Class: Hamidiye                                         Category: Cruiser                                             Armor: 8

·         Trakya                                                   Captain:  Piri Pasha                                          Command: 2
Class: Midilli                                                Category: Light Cruiser                                  Armor: 7

·         Barbaros                                              Captain:  Murat Pasha                                    Command: 2
Class: Berk Efsan                                      Category: Torpedo Boat                                                Armor: 4

Based on the scenario, I chose to limit the Ottoman Alliance force to Ottoman only units and did not deploy the Battleship for the defenders.  This will limit the chance for Experience for the Defenders, but also reduce the number of ships that can be damaged.

Mission
This is a straight up battle where both sides are trying to cripple the other fleet.  It will last 6 turns, and then the attackers that are still able to will immediately disengage.  The force that has the highest remaining armor value at the end of the battle will win.

Set-up
This battle will take place in the air over an ottoman pocket of territory near Novi Bazar.  This is represented by a 6x4 table.  The brown hills are Altitude 1 while the grey hills are Altitude 2.  Airships at that altitude or lower will crash into these hills if they attempt to move over them.  The hills also block LOS at those altitudes.  There is no cloud cover.

The Ottoman’s are moving at mid-speed at Altitude 3 and 4.  Their column is led by the Trakya, followed by the Basra, and then the Mecidiye.  The Barbarous is shadowing the column to the port side of the Basra.

The Russians are in two columns approaching from the west.  They are the Kondor and the Oleg and then the Sova and Rurik.  They are at full steam and altitude 4.         



The rest of the battle can be found here: https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2017/02/castles-in-sky-balkan-uprising-raid-at.html

Enjoy!  Let me know what you think....

[Landlubber]

This looks really cool--just need more time to read through it!

[Easy E]

I hope you enjoy once you get the chance......



Castles in the Sky- Balkan Uprisings Campaign- Breakthrough at Salonica

With the land war bogging down around Salonica, the Ottoman League has decided to throw their weight into a battle over the front lines.  Members of all the Ottoman League nations have assigned vessels to the attempt.  As Salonica is the flashpoint of the campaign, the Balkan League has their assets operating in the area.  When word arrives from scouts on the ground of the assembling enemy fleet the Balkan forces quickly move to intercept them.  A showdown is inevitable in the skies over Salonica.

Forces
The Ottoman League
Ottoman Empire
Sultan Mehmed II- Fatih                            Captain: Seydi Al Reis                     Command: 3- Flagship
Class: Sultan Osman-I Evvel                         Category: Battleship                       Armor: 9

Basra                                             Captain: Hasan Rami Pasha                          Command: 2
Class: Barbarous Heyreddin         Category: Heavy Cruiser                               Armor: 8

Mecidiye                                             Captain: Medvid Reis                                     Command: 1
Class: Hamidiye                                 Category: Cruiser                                             Armor: 8

Barbaros                                              Captain:  Murat Pasha                                    Command: 2
Class: Berk Efsan                              Category: Torpedo Boat                                    Armor: 4

Austro-Hungarians:
Prince Eugen                                      Captain: Anton von Sterneck                      Command: 2
Class: Tegethoff                                               Category: Battleship                       Armor: 9

Bravo                                                    Captain:  Anton Pock                                      Command: 4
Class: Huszar                                      Category: Destroyer                                       Armor: 6

Italians:
San Bartolomeo                             Captain: Paolo Revel                                       Command: 1
Class: Vettor Pisani                          Category: Armored Cruiser                          Armor: 8

Total Points: 52 Armor Points

The Balkan League
Russians:
Poltava                                                 Captain:  Pyotr Senyavin               Command: 2 - Flagship
Class: Imperatrista Mariya            Category: Battleship                       Armor: 8

Oleg                                               Captain: Aleksey Rozhestvensky               Command: 2
Class: Bogatyr                               Category: Cruiser                             Armor: 7

Vityaz                                                    Captain: Georgy Vysotskiy           Command: 2
Class: Bogatyr                                    Category: Cruiser                             Armor: 7

Albatros                                               Captain: Feliks Golokov                 Command: 3
Class: Krasnoye                                 Category: Gunboat                         Armor: 5

Sova                                                      Captain: Vladimir Greig                  Command: 1
Class: Krasnoye                                 Category: Gunboat                         Armor: 5

French:
Brennus                                               Captain: Theo Aube                        Command: 4
Class: Charles Martel                      Category: Heavy Cruiser                               Armor: 8

Primauguet                                        Captain: Jean de Vienne                               Command: 4
Class: D’iberville                               Category: Cruiser                             Armor: 7

Total Points: 54 Armor Points

This attack and defense are so important, each fleet has their admiral present for the battle.

The Mission
The Ottoman forces are trying to force their way past the blocking Balkan League ships.  If successful, they will be able to target and attack key Command and Control and Logistic centers behind enemy lines.  This could cause the Balkan attack to crumble.

The Ottoman’s timed their attack to occur during a storm lashing the area.  The clouds for the storm are at Altitude 3, and anyone below the cloud cover is considered in the storm.  The normal rules found in Castles in the Sky apply.

Set-Up
The Ottoman League set-up on a long board edge in a wedge formation intent on smashing their way past the Balkan defenders and to victory.  The attack was spearheaded by the Ottoman flagship the Sultan Mehid-II Fatih/  To the flagship port was the Italian San Bartolomeo, the Austrian Prince Eugene, Bravo Destroyer, and Barbaros Torpedo Boat.  The Starboard side is the Mecidiye and the Basra.  They are mostly at mid-heights going full speed, but above the cloud line.

The Balkan League defenders are split into two groups.  They appear eager to close the center gap and cross the T of the Ottoman attackers.  On the south side is the Russian Poltova flagship, followed by the Brennus and the Sova.  On the North side is the Vityaz, Primauguet, Oleg, and then the Albatros.  They are also at various altitudes, but they are move much slower to try to time their T-cross appropriately.



You can read the full battle here: https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/search?q=Salonica

[Easy E]

Salonica has fallen, but the ground campaign has begun to turn into a grind.  The Turkish defense has been stiffening with each step the Balkan League troops take.  Ottoman forces have been coming across the Aegean to bolster the defenses, and the Balkan League must find a way to stop this flow of fresh troops.

The Balkan League forces have a new admiral after the death of Admiral Senyavin at Salonica.  He was killed when his flagship the Poltova exploded during a short range gunnery duel with the Ottoman flagship.  The new Admiral Pavel Ivanov is not deterred by the drubbing his fleet took above Salonica and orders a fresh Offensive into the Aegean (Admiral Ivanov has a Command rating of 1?  Gulp!) .  Admiral Al Reis of the Ottoman League force is also confident after destroying so many Russian ships aligned with the Balkan League.  He also orders his forces back on the Offensive, despite failing to breakthrough at Salonica leading to the loss of the city.

Both forces have begun to fan out across the Aegean.  The Balkan League is trying to capture and destroy troop ships, while the Ottoman League is trying to stop these attempts.


Per the rules for Campaigns, both sides choose Offensive strategies.  Admiral Ivanov rolls up a Patrol mission where the Balkan League is the attacker.  This will be a 6 turn engagement with any classes of ship up to 25 Armor points.

Forces

Balkan League
To ease pressure on Russian assets, Admiral Ivanov has ordered the allied ships to take a stronger role in these Aegean patrols.

French:
Brennus                                               Captain: Theo Aube                        Command: 4
Class: Charles Martel                      Category: Heavy Cruiser                               Armor: 8

Primauguet                                        Captain: Jean de Vienne                               Command: 4
Class: D’iberville                               Category: Cruiser                             Armor: 7

Greek:
Georgios Averoff                             Captain:  Sofoklis Dousmanis                    Command: 3
Class: Vettor Pisani                          Category: Armored Cruiser                          Armor: 8

Total= 23 Armor Points

Ottoman League
Prince Eugen                                      Captain: Anton von Sterneck                      Command: 2
Class: Tegethoff                                 Category: Battleship                                       Armor: 9             

Bravo                                                    Captain:  Anton Pock                                      Command: 4
Class: Huszar                                      Category: Destroyer                                       Armor: 6

Volta                                                     Captain: Ludwig Brommy                              Command: 1
Class: Huszar                                      Category: Destroyer                                       Armor: 6

Total= 21 Armor Points

Looks like a rematch between the Prince Eugene and the Brennus from Salonica!

Mission:
This battle takes place south of Thasos but north of Lemnos in the Aegean Sea.  The Balkan Fleet is attempting to locate any troop ships on route to the mainland, while the Ottoman League forces are attempting to locate and eliminate any Balkan League ships in the area.

This battle will be a relatively straight forward affair with both sides trying to eliminate the other as they come across the enemy.  There are no complications and the battle will take place on a 4x4 table. The fleet with the most Armor points left after 6 turns is the winner.   

The Brennus is the Balkan Command ship, while the Prince Eugene is the Ottoman League flagship.  No ships are in squadron. 




http://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2017/03/castles-in-sky-balkan-uprising-campaign.html

[Easy E]

The Ottoman League has decided to put their naval forces towards securing and reinforcing Thasos in order to threaten the flanks of the advancing Balkan land forces.  Admiral Al Reis is eager to try and relieve pressure on the ground troops in Europe while more Turkish reinforcements cross the Dardanelles to relieve them. In the meantime, Admiral Ivanov of the Balkan League wishes to continue their aggressive push to the Dardanelles and achieve a key objective in the war effort.

Both commanders of the fleets choose Offensive for their Strategy.  The scenario will be a Raid, and the Ottoman League rolls the d6 to determine scenario as the attacker.  The Ottoman League (since they are leading the campaign) rolls up a Bombardment scenario.

Forces:
In a bombardment scenario, each side fields up to 25 armor points.

Ottoman League[/u]

Ottoman Empire:
Sultan Mehmed II- Fatih                                               Captain: Seyid Al Reis                     Command: 3- Flagship
Class: Sultan Osman-I Evvel                         Category: Battleship                       Armor: 9
Experience: 5

Trakya                                                   Captain:  Piri Pasha                                          Command: 2
Class: Midilli                                        Category: Light Cruiser                                  Armor: 7
Experience: 7

Austro-Hungarian Empire:
Sankt Georg                                       Captain: Rudulf Horthy                                  Command: 4
Class: Kaiserin                                    Category: Armored Cruiser                          Armor: 8
Experience:

24 Armor Points

Balkan League

Russian Empire:
Imperator Pyotr                                               Captain: Pavel Ivanov                     Command: 1- Flagship
Class: Imperatrista Mariya            Category: Battleship                       Armor: 8
Experience:

French:
Brennus                                               Captain: Theo Aube                        Command: 4
Class: Charles Martel                      Category: Heavy Cruiser                               Armor: 8
Experience: 4

Greek:
Georgios Averoff                             Captain:  Sofoklis Dousmanis                    Command: 3
Class: Vettor Pisani                          Category: Armored Cruiser                          Armor: 8
Experience: 5

Ground Target:
Armor 7- Free

24 Armor Points

Mission:
The attacking Balkan Ground Forces had managed to over-run a radio tower formerly used by the Turkish Navy.  It was behind enemy lines and would be difficult to assault using conventional means.  The Balkan League Admiral Ivanov was using the tower to broadcast signals to help co-ordinate his fleet in support of the ground troops.  The Ottoman Admiral Al Reis decided to launch a daring raid to try and destroy the radio tower and its broadcasting bunker.  The radio’s destruction would hamper the Balkan League fleet’s ability to press the attack on the Dardanelles and respond to the Ottoman advance in the Aegean.

The Ottoman admiral thought the raid was so important that he decided to personally lead the attack with his Flagship along with his only bomb equipped warships.  Once the raid was detected by the Balkan land forces, the only Balkan League forces in a position to respond were the newly repaired Brennus and Georgios Averoff and Admiral Ivanov’s flagship.       

The board is covered by clouds at an altitude level of 4.  To represent this, cloud banks have been added to the board.  However, the whole board is covered at altitude 4.  The Pyotr is the Balkan League Flagship with the Sultan Mehmed- II Fatih as the Ottoman flagship.

The game is played on a 4 by 4 table.  The Ottoman fleet has 6 turns to destroy the installation.  It is located 13inches in from the Balkan board edge on the West side.  It has an armor of 7.  The Ottoman forces come in from the East at maximum speed and mid-altitude.  They are making use of the clouds to cover their approach.  The Russian flagship is relatively low and looking to cover the radio tower while the two other Balkan League ships try to cross the T on the attacking Ottoman’s.




http://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2017/08/castles-in-sky-balkan-uprising-raid-on.html

[Easy E]

It has been a few months since I played Castles in the Sky and I have returned to it to continue the Balkan Uprising Campaign.  This hiatus from the game has been great, as it allowed me to come back to the rules with some new eyes and give me a chance to kill some of my babies.  Castles in the Sky was intended to be a game of flying battleships fighting it out across the globe.  That being said, I wanted to capture a bit of the feel of WWI naval battle.  Therefore, not every ship can beat every ship, and these big flying beasts can take a pounding before suddenly crumpling under fire. 



Castles in the Sky- Raiders of the Storm- Balkan Uprising Campaign

After the Ottoman League’s victory destroying the Balkan Leagues main radio relay, the Ottoman attack on Thasos proceeded as planned.  The Balkan League fleet was unable to coordinate a counter-attack and the landing went in unopposed.  Thasos fell quickly back into the hands of the Ottoman forces.

With the loss of Thasos in the Aegean and so close to the mainland, this essentially put pressure on the frontlines as the Balkan forces attempted to break through to the Dardanelles and push the Ottoman’s out of Europe.  However, Admiral Ivanov was still aggressively pushing eagerly trying to achieve Russia’s goal of access to the Mediterranean.  The Ottoman League Admiral Al Reis was also buoyed by their recent victory.  Both Admiral’s decided now was the time to go on the Offensive.

Both Admirals chose their orders, and revealed them to be Offensive.  Admiral Al Reis rolled the dice and found that the next scenario would be a Raid, with the Ottoman’s again attacking.  They rolled up a scenario and it was to be a Raid, and Admiral Al Reis coordinates his attack to occur during a storm again.

Forces:

Ottoman League- 21 Armor Points
Sultan Mehmed II- Fatih                                               Captain: Seyid Al Reis                     Command: 3- Flagship
Class: Sultan Osman-I Evvel                         Category: Battleship                       Armor: 9
Experience: 15- Disciplined Crew

Barbaros                                              Captain:  Murat Pasha                                    Command: 2
Class: Berk Efsan                              Category: Torpedo Boat                                                Armor: 4
Experience: 7

Italians:
San Bartolomeo                                                Captain: Paolo Revel                                       Command: 1
Class: Vettor Pisani                          Category: Armored Cruiser                          Armor: 8
Experience: 12- Airship Handling

Balkan League
Imperator Pyotr                                               Captain: Pavel Ivanov                     Command: Flagship- 1
Class: Imperatrista Mariya            Category: Battleship                       Armor: 8
Experience: 6

Pallada                                                  Captain: Matija Yumashez            Command: 1
Class: Bayan                                       Category: Cruiser                             Armor: 7
Experience: 2

Albatros                                               Captain: Feliks Golokov                 Command: 3
Class: Krasnoye                                 Category: Gunboat                         Armor: 5
Experience: 5

Kondor                                                 Captain: Nikolay Konovalov         Command: 3
Class: Krasnoye                                 Category: Gunboat                         Armor: 5
Experience: 3

Sova                                                      Captain: Vladimir Greig                  Command: 1
Class: Krasnoye                                 Category: Gunboat                         Armor: 5
Experience: 6

French:
Brennus                                               Captain: Theo Aube                        Command: 4
Class: Charles Martel                      Category: Heavy Cruiser                               Armor: 8
Experience: 14- Blow Smoke

Primauguet                                        Captain: Jean de Vienne                               Command: 4
Class: D’iberville                               Category: Cruiser                             Armor: 7
Experience: 13- Marksmen
 


Mission:
After the success of the Ottoman Raid on the Balkan radio tower Admiral Al Reis wished to keep the pressure up on his enemy.  He received word that the Balkan Fleet was beginning to amass near Salonika in order to begin their own operations.  Admiral Al Reis quickly assembled a strike force of nearby craft in order to launch a Raid to disrupt the Balkan plans to assist operations near the front.

The Ottoman Forces skirted the Aegean at low altitude to avoid detection.  They then loitered over the horizon until a forecasted storm rolled into the region.  They simply followed the storm in and began their attack.  The Ottoman Forces would be out-numbered but they put their faith in surprise and a quick strike.

The Ottoman’s  must do more damage than they take.       

Set-up:
A storm is raging across the board at Altitude 5.

The Balkan League is placed in column heading towards one of the short board edges.  The Russian Flagship leads the way with the French Heavy Cruiser acting as the rearguard.  Between these two solid pillars is the rest of the fleet.  Therefore they form a rough line:

·         Imperator Pyotr
·         Albatross
·         Palada
·         Sova   
·         Primauguet
·         Kondor
·         Brennus

They are travelling at speed 3 and altitudes of 6.  This puts them above the storm.

The Ottomans are approaching from the rear of the Balkan column at Altitude 5, through the clouds.  They are closing at Speed 6.  Their column is:

·         Sultan Mehmed Il-Fatih
·         San Bartolomeo
·         Barbaros



You can read the rest of the report, get a game break down, and links to the rest of the campaign here: https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2018/06/battle-report-castles-in-sky-raiders-of.html

[Ruckdog]

Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed the report. Interesting to read that you are having some challenges with balancing friction. I really like the idea, so I hope you're able to work the kinks out of it .

[Easy E]

The Ottoman ground forces have been pushing their way back into Europe. They have planned an offensive to re-take the Greek city of Salonica. The generals had requested the aid of Admiral Al-Reis to support the attack with a heavy bombardment of the Balkan lines. Admiral Al-Reis was reluctant to help, but an order from the Sultan overrode his objections.

In the meantime, the Balkan League fleet was also assembling near the city. With the Balkan ground troops being slowly pushed back, Capt. Aube counselled Admiral Ivanov that the next obvious objective for the Ottoman’s would be Salonica. Therefore, Admiral Ivanov began to mass nearby to help repel the ground offensive and attempt to smash the Ottoman League forces in a decisive battle.

The stage was set for one of the largest air clashes of the Uprising.




The Ottoman League has seen their lead slip in the last battle, but they are one decisive victory away from winning the campaign. They still have a strong lead and seem to have the edge in resources. Admiral Ivanov of the Balkan League has been given clear instructions by the Tsar to try and achieve the Russian dream of access to the Mediterranean via the Dardanelles at any cost. Both Admirals reveal their strategy for the turn, and the Balkan League is Offensive, while the Ottoman’s switch to the Defensive.

Forces

Balkan League: 48 Armor Points
Russian
Imperator Pyotr Captain: Pavel Ivanov Command: Flagship- 1
Class: Imperatrista Mariya Category: Battleship Armor: 8
Experience: 6

Pallada Captain: Matija Yumashez Command: 1
Class: Bayan Category: Cruiser Armor: 7
Experience: 2

Albatros Captain: Feliks Golokov Command: 3
Class: Krasnoye Category: Gunboat Armor: 5
Experience: 5

Kondor Captain: Nikolay Konovalov Command: 3
Class: Krasnoye Category: Gunboat Armor: 5
Experience: 4

French
Brennus Captain: Theo Aube Command: 4
Class: Charles Martel Category: Heavy Cruiser Armor: 8
Experience: 13- Blow Smoke

Primauguet Captain: Jean de Vienne Command: 4
Class: D’iberville Category: Cruiser Armor: 7
Experience: 13- Marksmen

Greek
Georgios Averoff Captain:  Sofoklis Dousmanis Command: 3
Class: Vettor Pisani Category: Armored Cruiser Armor: 8
Experience: 5

Ottoman League: 48 Armor Points
Ottoman Empire:
Sultan Mehmed II- Fatih Captain: Seyid Al Reis Command: 3- Flagship
Class: Sultan Osman-I Evvel Category: Battleship Armor: 9
Experience: 13- Disciplined Crew

Basra Captain: Hasan Rami Pasha Command: 2
Class: Barbarous Heyreddin Category: Heavy Cruiser Armor: 8
Experience: 6

Turgut Reis Captain: Abdul Kadir Command: 1
Class: Resadye Category: Battleship Armor: 8
Experience:

Austro-Hungarians:
Prince Eugen Captain: Anton von Sterneck Command: 2
Class: Tegethoff Category: Battleship Armor: 9
Experience: 8

Bravo Captain: Anton Pock Command: 4
Class: Huszar Category: Destroyer Armor: 6
Experience: 5

Italians:
San Bartolomeo Captain: Paolo Revel Command: 1
Class: Vettor Pisani Category: Armored Cruiser Armor: 8
Experience: 13- Airship Handling

Mission:
The Balkan League will be the attacker in a Fleet Action between the two fleets near Salonica. The board is covered by a layer of clouds at Altitude 3. This battle will last 8 turns, and then the fleet with the highest remaining Armor points is the winner. Severe damage counts as a -1 to armor points.

Set-up:
Both fleets are set-up on opposite board edges. The Balkan League is to the west, while the Ottoman’s are arriving from the East. These are the long board edges respectively. The Ottoman League has brought a number of their heavy hitters to the party, including their latest reinforcements in the form of the Turgut Reis a Resadye class battleship.

The Russian gunboats, the French cruiser, and the Greek cruiser are on the extreme left flank of the Russian force, acting as a smaller flotilla. The Greek, Captain Dousmanis is placed in command of that wing of the fleet. They are moving at altitude 3 for stealth. Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet is center right on the board, and arriving in echelon with the Imperator Pyotr leading the way. Their slanted approach should allow them to get broadsides in early. They are at Altitude 5 and Speed 4.

The Ottoman force is stretched across the board with the battleships anchoring their right steaming forward, and looking for the right time to make the turn into line of battle or alternatively use their better armor and guns to simply close and Melee with the Balkan Fleet.



You can read the results here: https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2018/12/battle-report-castles-in-sky-balkan.html