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Author Topic: Run to the mill historical badassery  (Read 439 times)

Offline Mathi Alfblut

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Run to the mill historical badassery
« on: August 08, 2022, 08:09:42 PM »
Let me tell you a story. It will not be a wall I promise you. You have all heard about that lone viking that defended the bridge at Stamford bridge. You have heard about the 700 thespian militamen that defended Thermopylae and died to a man, with some support from a bunch of showy spartans.
What?!
You have not heard about the 700 thespians, which was basically all men from the town of Thespia that could wield a spear.
Oh my... You will be so sorry when I get back to you! :icon_exclaim:

But I will tell you the story of Boman.

The year is 1702. The place somewhere in Poland. The swedish king Karl XII is down there with the army fighting against Poland and Saxony. But at the moment the army is in n area that is believed to be relatively safe. The king and a few officers rides out on a small recce. Really it is mostly just an excuse the get out a bit. Nothing serious.
The party is escorted by a single lifdrabant named Boman.

Lifdrabanterna or drabantcorpset was a handpicked cavalry force, at the most 200 men but due to casualities they never had that number. Not anyone could replace one. The selektion process was rigorious and on parwith modern special forces. All had to be officers of at least the rank of leutenant and have a sterling record. A private in Lifdrabanterna had captains rank in the rest of the army and could therefore be detached to take temporary command of other units if needed.

Besides being over the top and really keen with the blade they acted as spearhead unit for cavalry charges but also fought dismounted if need be.
They were also the kings closest bodyguards.

While riding around and enjoying the view the small party suddenly encounter 500 polish cavalry which is a total suprise.
To be continued...
Oh, and remember GW made it personal, not you!

Offline GamesPoet

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Re: Run to the mill historical badassery
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2022, 08:36:29 PM »
I look forward to reading more. :icon_cool: :::cheers:::
"Not all who wander are lost ... " Tolkien

"... my old suggestion is forget it, take two aspirins and go paint" steveb

"The beauty of curiosity and creativity is so much more useful than the passion of fear." me

"Until death it is all life." Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Offline Mathi Alfblut

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Re: Run to the mill historical badassery
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2022, 09:25:21 PM »
No expenses were spared on the lifdrabant unit. They got the best firearms money could buy, purchased from Europes best gunsmiths. But their rapier was swedish made, and in thise days the swedish steel was already among the best there was. And the blade of the drabants was the 1701 pattern rapier. When I say rapier do not think this was some flimsy thing. The swedish military rapiers had to be good at both cut and thrust.
And some fencers say the 1701 pattern was the best cavalry sword ever! In the world.
The rapier was in many ways considered the main weapon for the swedish cavalry. Well, to be fair it can almost be considered the main weapon the swedish army as a whole. By the early 18th century the swedish tactical doctrine was extremely aggressive. It was a development that had started already during the 30 years war in the 17th century but in the early 18th century it was extreme. The infantry was to fire a single volley at almost point blank range and then charge in, musket in one hand and rapier in the other. The cavalry sometimes did not even bother firing their pistols but went straight in with cold steel.
And the drabants was the most keen of everyone, reasoning that taking the time to fire the pistols before contact reduced the momentum of the charge. And they were very good with the blade.

But the king also made sure the drabants were weell dressed  . The cost for the uniforms of the drabants was large enough to equip four regular cavalry regiments!
Gold trim was everywhere together with lace. The lace alone weighed two kilo (ca four pounds)!

Even the most flashy pirate captain would have felt totally ourdone by a lifdrabant.

So the drabants were blinged out to the max and could live up to it.

But back to Poland 1702.



Oh, and remember GW made it personal, not you!

Offline Mathi Alfblut

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Re: Run to the mill historical badassery
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2022, 07:02:36 PM »
The swedish king and his mates really wanted to chill out in peace and tried to hint this by moving away from the poles. But the poles failed to read the situation and followed, despite the swedes trying to maintain their standard social zone of 100 meters or more.

But the poles kept on failing to get the message and presisted with following the swedes. As the swedish party crossed a smal bridge, drabant Boman reined his horse and stoped. He probably rolled his eyes as he dismounted, muttering about people not being able to read the room and giving him trouble.

For certain he felt that in fairness, the rapier should be enough. But he was probably a bit miffed and decided the poles had it coming. So he decided to make a point
He reached out and drew his two flintlock pistols from their Sandler holsters. With a pistol in each hand he turned towards the approaching poles.

Picture the scene. A force of 500 cavalry approaching on one side and on the other a lone man on a bridge, dress in blue, yellow, gold and lace with a black tricorn hat. And a huge cavalry pistol in each hand waiting for the enemy to close. The scene is set for a badass last stand. Question is will Boman take any poles with him?

You do not get more warhammer than this. The swedes of the day were basically real life sigmarite fanatics. And the foremost were the lifdrabants. So it was going to be another case of a lone defender buying time for others to escape.
But this was not to be the case.
It turned out even more awesome.

The poles stoped and just stod there, Boman daring them to come at him. But not a single soldier dared approach him. Most likely they looked at him and realized that come hell or high water, Boman was not going to go down before taking some people with him. And no one wanted to be the one to eating those barrels of lead.

So it was that 500 men did not dare to face the lone bodyguard. And when Boman was certain the king had gotten away safely, he re-holstered his pistols, mounted and rode after the king.
Several years later Boman was made a noble. However, thst was not for this. Facing down 500 enemy soldiers was just part of the job for a drabant. So the conclusion is he most habe done something even more badass that facing down 500 enemies all alone and by his sheer presence scaring them away.
Maybe he strangled a dragon with his bare hands or something. If a dragon would even dare taking on a lifdrabant one on one. Somehow I doubt it.

« Last Edit: August 09, 2022, 08:59:18 PM by Mathi Alfblut »
Oh, and remember GW made it personal, not you!

Offline GamesPoet

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Re: Run to the mill historical badassery
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2022, 12:13:03 AM »
Great story and well told, thank you! :icon_biggrin: :icon_cool: :eusa_clap: :::cheers:::

By the way, is there a link to a picture of this or these dude(s) :icon_question:
"Not all who wander are lost ... " Tolkien

"... my old suggestion is forget it, take two aspirins and go paint" steveb

"The beauty of curiosity and creativity is so much more useful than the passion of fear." me

"Until death it is all life." Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Offline Padre

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Photobucket has now re-destroyed my pictures, so the first half of my collected works thread is no longer working again. To see my website version of the campaign thread, with fully functioning pictures, please go to https://bigsmallworlds.com/

Offline Rowsdower

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Re: Run to the mill historical badassery
« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2022, 04:26:19 AM »
Jokes on that Russian Dragoon officer. If i was a cavalry man, the last thing i'd want to wear is a white coat

Offline GamesPoet

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Re: Run to the mill historical badassery
« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2022, 07:00:05 AM »
Thank you Padre! :icon_cool: :::cheers:::
"Not all who wander are lost ... " Tolkien

"... my old suggestion is forget it, take two aspirins and go paint" steveb

"The beauty of curiosity and creativity is so much more useful than the passion of fear." me

"Until death it is all life." Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra