Story of a show game 2 - The scenario

The Panzer Division will watch from the sidelines whilst the infantry slug it out

The scenario for CRISIS 2018 is called Brahms & Liszt. It is set in 1713 on the south-eastern frontier or, north-western if you are Turkish! This is twenty years after our previous show effort of 2018 at TACTICA which also involved Imperial forces racing to over run the French in the German Grand National 1693.

Prussians, Saxons etc in action on the Rhine 20 years before (Tactica 2018)

Unlike the previous effort which used The War of Three Kings and was a participation game, Brahms & Liszt is a Donnybrook tale in which a little vignette is played out in front of the main forces. Lined up against each other are a large Imperial cavalry force which is on the offensive and an Ottoman infantry force protecting prepared positions.

Jolly Friars with  their religious and kunst treasures - regrettably acquired by the enemy.

The Ottomans have once again been acquiring plunder and this time it happens to be in the shape of treasures belonging to Holy Mother Church. Friars attempting to spirit away the priceless artifacts before the heathen horde can get its sacreligious hands on it have been intercepted and captured by Janissary patrols. The Janissaries under Selcuk Gul have holed up in a captured village in the No Man's Land between the two main forces.

The Friars and their loot, watched closely by Janissary guards. 


Detachments of Imperial infantry have been tasked with recovering both the friars and their treasures before Selcuk Gul  manages to present his spoils to his commanding general.

Opposing officers in charge - Selcuk Gul and the inebriate Captain Liszt

The Imperial commander has assigned two officers; the fastidious Brandenburger - Captain Brahms and the dissolute Hungarian - Captain Liszt to pursue and repossess the missing monks and treasure from The Turk. The beautiful drunken colonel is a Warfare Miniatures model as yet unreleased and part of a set of personalities which capture the flavour of the period.

Prussian Veterans - four musketeers with flintlocks rated as Donnybrook 'Elites' (some of our new Prussians P04 & P05)

Brahms and Liszt command three detachments of Prussians, one of Danes and another of Saxons. In total including officers, sergeants, musicians and ensigns they have just under 40 men with which to overcome the enemy. All are on foot despite the majority of the main force consisting of cavalry.

Warriors of the Ottoman Orta which has captured the Imperial treasures

The Janissaries of Selcuk Gul are seasoned campaigners and have been ruthless in their acquisition of the enemy's treasure which consists of religious artifacts, gold, works of art and wine. Before making the final run for home and the safety of their own lines the detachment has stopped at an abandoned village to rest, clean their weapons and eat. Signs of pursuit have been noted and it has been decided that if a fight is to be had, the village is as good a place as any to defend. There are 29 men in the Janissary raiding party all from a single Orta.

The lands are being ravaged by both armies and villagers are fearful and vengeful!

We are using Donnybrook for the game and on the baseline of each army a selection of larger static units will watch the action. If anyone wants to throw a few dice at the table, as usual we will happily accommodate that.


Will these precious items be recovered or are they bound for a palace in Istanbul?

The game has a 12 turn limit with the Janissary objective simply being to fight off the Imperial pursuit. The Imperialists must escort the treasure wagon away from the village and prevent any further attempts to capture the loot and friars.


This will be a tough nut to crack - the Janissary garrison will defend till the last!

Of course on the way, there will be the usual Donnybrook shenanigans!