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Post by The Viceroy (AdminM) on Feb 5, 2015 17:55:20 GMT
The Miloslavsky issue a declaration of grievances:
1. Sofia has been falsely imprisoned by a resentful and respectless minor, her displacement as regent compromises the agreement by which Pyotr became Tsar;
2. Prince Galitzinee has been forced to enter into hiding as a result of Pyotr's persecution of the Miloslavsky;
3. Pyotr has been searching Miloslavsky lands and properties for the afore-mentioned Prince, the Miloslavsky believe this to demostrate significant neglect of his Paternal responsibilities.
They demand the reinstatement of Sofia as regent and the abdication of Pyotr.
To back up these demands, Pavel Khilkoff, who conned his way into a command, is stirring up Miloslavsky favour among his troops. He has been joined by Galitzinee who sought refuge with the general. Upon the event of the declaration of grievances, Galitzinee joined Khilkoff and they declared the withdrawal of the Army of Poland from Naryshkin control. Not all of the troops agree, the cossacks and hussars decide the leave the army and head to Moscow to seek a new deployment.
The rest of the army is also heading to Moscow, but for very different reasons.
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Post by Pyotr Alekseevich on Feb 5, 2015 18:41:03 GMT
Pyotr and General Gordon declare Pavel a traitor and enemy of the crown. All who side with him will be considered guilty of treason and shall be punished most brutally. The Dragoons and militia cavalry within the army of Moscow are deployed to scout Pavels position and to damage his supply chain through raids and ambushes.
The Preobrazhensky Lifegaurds, along two regiments of loyal militia occupy the Miloslavsky properties in Moscow. The patriarchs and leaders of the rebellion are arrested and held within the walls of the Kremlin. The Lifeguards then accompany Pyotr and the Army of Moscow as it deploys for battle in front of the city. Pyotr deploys the army as follows:
6,000 line infantry are deployed by regiment forming the centre of Pyotrs line. The Lifeguards are deployed to the rear forming a reserve and Pyotrs personal guard.
Hussars and Ulans are deployed to the flanks ready for an encirclement if needed.
The irregulars (aside from 2,000 suppressing revolt in the city) are held as a reserve to be committed if battle is joined.
The Field guns are all deployed into a Grand Battery on a hill behind the centre of the line.
Behind the army is visible the spires of the Kremlin and Moscow's great buildings. Pyotr has sent irregulars to slip into the ranks of the enemy army in order to create discomfort amongst the soldiers at the betrayal of their Tsar. The irregulars spread word of the Tsars love for his men and how he is furious at their being mislead and lied to be the treacherous Pavel who secretly wants to place himself on the throne.
Ivan lies upon a litter next to Pyotrs horse and Gordon. They are clearly visible by their standards and Pyotrs unusually tall frame. Pyotr hopes that seeing their great capitol and seeing Ivans support of Pyotrs rule will convince the army to surrender and to turn over Pavel and Grenizilee.
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Post by Pyotr Alekseevich on Feb 6, 2015 11:36:45 GMT
Pyotr was furious, his right hand kept squeezing the hilt of his sabre and he was itching to kill the traitors...
"I wouldn't do that if I was you sir." Gordon had been watching the young Tsar getting angrier and angrier.
"Why the hell not?! I am the damned Tsar and those swine have betrayed me! I will have their heads on spikes around the walls of the f***ing Kremlin!" Pyotr was beginning to raise his voice.
"The men in that army are mindless peasants sir. They still love the Tsar and the church. Use that, take your revenge on the men who have led them here. If you fight that army we will win, but you will be short an army in a time when foreign powers are getting stronger." Gordon wasn't even looking at the Tsar, he was gazing across the battlefield towards the ranks of the enemy army.
"I suppose you are right... You know, I have an idea."
Without another word Pyotr galloped off towards his brothers litter. Ivan had been reclining and reading his bible, surrounded by Churchmen. Pyotr pulled alongside him, his snorting horse kicking earth and mud into the air as he came to a stop.
"Brother you must take more time, what would happen if you were to fall from the mighty steed?" Ivan chuckled to himself at the thought of his younger brother sprawling into the snow.
"I would be so lucky. Ivan, the people need to see us united, the two Tsars and the Church together and strong. Do you want to see thousands of good Orthodox men murder each other today?"
"Why of course not, what with those heathen Swedes burning churches, the Orthodox faith needs unity above all. Why do you ask?" Ivan had closed his bible and was staring intently at Pyotr.
"Because we alone can prevent this."
Some half our later Gordon was gob smacked to see Pyotr, Ivan and a group of priests (including the damned Patriarch) walking in procession to the middle point between both armies. Gordon snapped his fingers and was handed a telescope. The two Tsars were taking the Divine Liturgy in front of the army. Gordon could not believe his eyes "That boy has bollocks the size of cannon balls!" he exclaimed, leaving some of his aides shifting uncomfortably in the saddle.
Pyotr was nervous, but he would not show it. As the Liturgy finished he rose to his now almost frostbitten feet, holding his brothers hand, and called to the army in front of him "My countrymen, my kinsmen! Why do you march upon your capitol with arms in hand? What evil have I done to you? I stand here with my brother who is my guide and mentor, with the Church on our side to ask you to return to your homes. Listen not to the malicious lies spread amongst you by men who would betray their god and their Tsar! Men who would have Russia for themselves and crush you under their heel! When the enemy is murdering good Orthodox women and children in their homes and churches you march upon your Tsar and countrymen with evil in your hearts! Give unto me those who would betray us, those who have mislead you and would see you cast unto the flames of hell for betraying your faith! Give them to me and we shall lead Russia to greatness as defenders of the Orthodox faith!" Pyotr waited for the response, there was little chance of escape if his plan failed.
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Post by Pyotr Alekseevich on Feb 7, 2015 13:28:51 GMT
*Cough*
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2015 14:38:15 GMT
The men of the army of Moscow look out into the distance, they see a mass moving towards them without actually getting any nearer, they shrug and continue to stand station... youtu.be/fFufoOgCMW8OOC: currently at my grandmothers, she doesn't have internet aside from the occasional 3G signal I get, I'll have the result up for you tomorrow evening when I get back. In the meantime, sharpen your bayonet, get your club ready and mill about in general. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2015 20:52:43 GMT
OOC : For the sake of narrative simplicity, Petyr’s forces are labelled Loyalists.
Kilkoff was disheartened to see that the gates of Moscow were being held by a resolute loyalist army, he had expected them to refuse to fight for the jumped up git. He has no choice now, should he withdraw he will be hunted down and defeated elsewhere, this attempt will be the best chance he has to defeat Petyr and insight mass support for a victorious Prince Galitzinee.
Kilkoff, like Petyr, deploys his 6,000 line infantry in the centre of the line, supported by 12,000 irregulars on the flanks of the infantry. On the whole, Kilkoff has deployed a wider and deeper line. Unfortunately for Kilkoff 2,000 of his irregulars refuse to fight, and have barricaded themselves in their part of the camp citing their unease of using potentially lethal force against Petyr. The other 2,000 are sent to take a wide wheel and assault the grand battery. His cavalry are deployed behind the main army to act as a mobile reserve. His artillery is drawn up into two batteries, one made up of howitzers, the other: field guns.
Petyr’s appeal to the rebel army falls on deaf ears, those who have committed to the fight are those who have committed themselves to the Miloslavsky cause. After Peter’s speech is sounded off with the sound of hooves as Kilkoff’s militia cavalry move in for a swift kill. Petyr is therefore immensely fortunate that the commander of the Cossack contingent that defected from Kilkoff’s army anticipated Kilkoff’s opportunism. The Cossacks throw themselves in the way of the militia cavalry and hack their way into a protective ring around Petyr. Not one to miss out on an opportunity, Kilkoff orders the infantry to open fire on the chaos unfolding in front of them, with little care for what remains of the militia. Petyr and Ivan are rescued, but with heavy losses to their Cossack rescuers. Meanwhile, the artillery of the opposing sides roar to life as they engage in counter battery fire with one another.
After the chaos surrounding the Cossacks, Kilkoff’s centre breaks into an impromptu advance. It is only through the line infantry’s example that Kilkoff’s irregulars refrain from an all-out charge on the prepared positions of the loyalists. Seeing Petyr’s life imperilled made the loyalist centre demoralised, this is not aided by Kilkoff’s decision to redirect the artilleries’ attention away from the grand battery and towards the centre, which comes under substantial artillery pressure. After an exchange of volley fire, the still numerically superior Miloslavsky foot break into a charge, hoping to force several breaks in the loyalist line. Unable to assist their comrade, the Miloslavsky artillery opens fire on the grand battery once again.
Despite reinforcement from the Army of Moscow’s irregular infantry, Petyr’s line begins to crumble. It is only a charge by the lifeguards led by Gordon which eventually drive the rebel forces back through fierce hand to hand combat. The fate of the enemy centre is sealed when the loyalist cavalry wheels round and cuts of their escape. The Miloslavsky army either surrenders or is cut down. Kilkoff leads his dragoons in a last attempt to rescue his infantry and to rally them into continuing the fight. Despite this, the rout continues. The last of the Miloslavsky foot is defeated in the attempt to seize the grand battery is likewise foiled by a charge by the loyalist hussars who cut down the loosely formed irregulars in their droves. The Miloslavsky guns are subsequently abandoned as their attendants flee the scene. Kilkoff was killed in his attempt to rally his men around him, Prince Galitzinee is found sobbing by the guns.
Casualties:
Loyalists:
4,000 irregulars killed or wounded
3,000 line infantry killed or wounded
100 Preobrazhensky lifeguards killed or wounded
500 Cossacks killed or wounded
30 field guns destroyed
Other units did not suffer casualties that are worth noting, primarily due to the lack of serious cavalry competition.
Miloslavsky Army:
3,600 Line infantry killed or wounded, 2,400 captured.
4,600 irregulars killed or wounded, 1,400 captured, 2000 still holed up at camp after refusing to commit to battle.
1000 militia cavalry killed, wounded or otherwise fled
400 dragoons killed, 600 captured
15 field guns destroyed, 185 captured after being abandoned by their crews
100 howitzers captured after being abandoned by their crews
Peter has triumphed, he may now choose what to do with Prince Galitzinee and how to proceed with the 2,000 irregulars who refused to join the fight.
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Post by Pyotr Alekseevich on Feb 8, 2015 21:17:16 GMT
Pyotr was pale, a mixture of incandescent fury and terror gripped him and kept him quite silent. He was covered in blood and bore several cuts on his face and arms. He was gripping a heavy log which had been on the ground when Pavels cavalry had charged them. Pyotr had grabbed the log and clubbed several riders from their horses, smashing their skulls into mush as they sprawled on the ground. Gordon was picking through some of the corpses and still had his sword drawn.
"Pyotr, why don't you drop the club? The traitors are dead, we have won." Gordon looked worried at the state of the young Tsar.
"I will never be without this club. I was a fool Gordon, I thought I could avoid this battle and almost paid for it with my life. I will never be fooled like this again." Pyotr stared intently at the corpses.
Several men came rushing over, dragging the sobbing Galitzinee between them. They threw him down at Pytors feet, the sobbing wretch began to beg for his life. Pyotr stared at him before swinging his club and knocking the man unconscious.
"Take this traitor to the Kremlin. He is to be held with the other traitors of the Miloslavsky family." Pyotr grabbed a horse and swung up into the saddle.
Pyotr rode off to the encampment where the 2,000 irregulars had barricaded themselves. He offers them their lives in return for them being conscripted into the Line infantry. This is their penance for marching with an army of traitors.
The remaining troops of each army are to be consolidated into full regiments and returned to their original positions. The Officers of the army of Poland are all executed as punishment. They are replaced with loyal men from the army of Moscow.
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