Army of the Rhine - Ombre de Turenne VG+
Manufacturer: Red Sash Games
Product Line: War Games Professional Red Sash Games
Type: Box Set
Code: RSGLW014
Copyright Date: 2020
Product Description:
Army of the Rhine is the fourteenth volume in Red Sash Games’ Lace Wars series. This game is the last in a set of four dealing with the War of the Grand Alliance (1688-1697). This war, sometimes called the War of the League of Augsburg or the Nine Years' War, was the second of the three great wars of Louis XIV. As a young man he waged the Dutch War to expand France’s borders. That was a war of aggression. As an old man he fought the War of the Spanish Succession to put his grandson on the throne of Spain. Despite the King’s ultimate aim, that was a defensive war. The War of the Grand Alliance was Louis’ war of middle age – a war of grinding attrition involving nearly a million men. There was not even supposed to be a war, only a demonstration of France’s power. France was engaged in a long process of securing her eastern and northeastern frontiers. Louis felt his prestige was on the line when some of his German neighbours – specifically the Elector Palatine and the good burghers of Cologne – refused to give him what he wanted. A strong message needed to be sent. Also, by taking military action the French would put heart into the Turks, who were fighting a losing battle against the forces of the Holy League; keeping the Ottoman Empire in the game would ensure the Holy Roman Emperor could not support the minor powers who were the real object of King Louis’ wrath. But, things did not go as planned. The French tried the ‘shock and awe’ approach and only succeeded in making the Germans angry. The Rhine front was vital for several reasons. The valuable territories of Alsace and Lorraine were recent French acquisitions which the Empire wanted back. Also, the Moselle River gave access to the French heartland and needed to be secured. On the other hand, the German lands along the Rhine were some of the wealthiest in the Empire and greatly at risk from French incursions. And yet, no major battle was fought on this frontier in all the ten years of war, and after 1689 no major sieges were conducted, either. But the theatre remains an interesting one because it showcases the routine of war in the closing decades of the 17th Century. The generals who commanded here were skilled veterans who either got their start under Turenne and the Great Condé, or fighting the Turks under the banner of the Empire. They knew their business. In consequence, neither side could gain enough of an advantage to risk the chaos of a big battle. This was a war of manoeuvre and attrition. The French made it their aim to subsist at German expense whenever possible. To protect their own lands from the same treatment, they laid waste vast tracts of land along the German side of the Rhine, forcing their enemies to base themselves far from the river. Both sides also made extensive use of the spade, constructing fortified lines tens of kilometres long, in a foreshadowing of the trenches of the Great War.
In Army of the Rhine, you will have a chance to change history – and even if you cannot, perhaps you can win enough glory to write your name in the history books. The Rhine Valley is far from the eyes of both Sun King and Emperor, but you will be pitted against a worthy opponent – Frank versus Teuton, yet again. As the French, will you pursue an offensive or a defensive strategy? Although Versailles is far away, you bear a heavy burden of responsibility. The Sun King will not be pleased to hear that Alsace has been pillaged, or that the Württembergers have failed to pay the Contributions he demanded last year. Will you then risk battle? You may also be forced to play nursemaid to the Dauphin, the King’s eldest son. He is a good man, and brave, but not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. If his reputation needs patching up, expect to be ordered to lay siege to some massive fortress. On the other hand, if Versailles decides to pursue diplomacy, you will have to secure and ‘rationalise’ the frontier. If you fail in your task you will lose the respect of the Sun King and the Court ladies, and what is worse, the Parisians will mock you mercilessly. IF you disobey… it does not bear thinking about. As the Allied commander you lead a motley collection of troops. They are nearly all German, but that means very little. In the Empire, a prince only contributes greatly to the Cause if he expects to be greatly rewarded; otherwise, he will contribute as little as he thinks he can get away with. And, because the princes have the option to aid either Emperor Leopold or King William of England, they can play the one off against the other without being accused of letting the side down. Vienna may tell you to expect 30,000 men from Brandenburg, only to learn their Elector has chosen to fight in Brabant this year, because King William paid him in advance. And as for expecting help from the Emperor himself, forget it. French passivity in the face of your outstanding defence of the frontier last year has given him the excuse to siphon away yet more resources to his neverending Hungarian war.
Components:
- Five map sections representing the lands along the Rhine from Switzerland to Guelderland.
- 1680 die cut counters representing the forces of the French and the Grand Alliance. Scale is Battalion – that is, the playing pieces represent battalions and regiments.
- Rules, charts, tables, and display cards.
- A historical commentary.
Please review the condition and any condition notes for the exact condition of this item. All pictures are stock photos. The condition of the item you will receive is VG+ - unpunched. Our grading system is listed below for your perusal.
Grading System
Our Grading System
To ensure a smooth transaction, please review our grading system below as well as the Shipping Information tab before bidding. Be sure to review the exact condition (and any condition notes / incompleteness notes located next to the title and description) before purchase. All pictures are stock photos unless otherwise specified.
SW Shrink Wrapped. Still in the original factory shrink wrap, with any condition visible through shrink noted. For example, ?SW (NM)? means shrink wrapped in near-mint condition.
MINT Perfect. Brand new.
NM Near Mint. Like new with only the slightest wear, many times indistinguishable from a Mint item. Close to perfect, very collectible. Board & war games in this condition will show very little to no wear, and are considered to be "punched" unless the condition notes "unpunched."
EX Excellent. Lightly used, but almost like new. May show very small spine creases or slight corner wear. Absolutely no tears and no marks, a collectible condition.
VG Very Good. Used. May have medium-sized creases, corner dings, minor tears or scuff marks, small stains, etc. Complete and very useable.
FAIR Very well used, but complete and useable. May have flaws such as tears, pen marks or highlighting, large creases, stains, marks, etc.
POOR Extremely well used and has major flaws, which may be too numerous to mention. Item is complete unless noted.
More Condition Details
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Miniatures
come unpainted and unassembled, unless specifically noted. Assembly is required for most miniatures and model kits.
- Boxed Items are listed as "code/code" where the first code represents the box, and the second code describes the contents. When only one condition is listed, then the box and contents are in the same condition. If a book is listed in the same fashion, the first code represents the cover, and the second code the interior. For example a boxed game listed as VG / NM indicates that the outer box is in Very Good Condition, while the contents are in Near Mint Condition.
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Boardgame Counters
are punched, unless noted. Due to the nature of loose counters, if a game is unplayable we will send you the parts or it may be returned for a refund of the purchase price.
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Shipping
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