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THE RUSSO-AMERICAN CONFLICT (1888-1905). by Kevin Payne The 1887 discovery of meteorite beds in coastal Alaska by an itinerant Russian merchant inspired the government of Tsar Alexander to look for reasons to renege on the Seward Sale of 1865. Finding no truly adequate ones, the ministers of the Russian Empire invented some, claiming that Russian Orthodox believers were being persecuted by American authorities. They further declared that if the Empire's concerns were not addressed, they would protect "the spiritual children of Holy Mother Russia". On the 1st of January (Old Calendar-the 12th by modern reckoning), 1888, a small Russian aero squadron which had ostensibly come to port in Kodiak as a means of lessening tensions took off in the pre-dawn hours to return home. But not long after leaving, the Russians circled back and attacked a U.S. aero naval patrol. They then bombed the remainder of American military vessels in port. Four days later, the Russian ambassador delivered a note to President Grover Cleveland from the Tsar, claiming numerous violations of the Seward Sale and announcing that Russia was reclaiming "our lands, a Russian patrimony sanctified with the blood of saints and martyrs, from the hands of treacherous heretics!" Cleveland, apparently unconcerned about the attack and the declaration of the Russian ruler, did nothing other than to instruct the Secretary of State to send a note of protest. That lack of concern lasted until reports of meteorite beds finally reached Washington, whereupon a small force was sent from the west coast to "stabilize the situation in Alaska and reclaim those resources which are American by right of sale." In the midst of the confusion, with a number of small battles occurring from Juneau in the panhandle clear up to Nome on the west coast, a fight inland from Sitka drifted east into British Canadian airspace. It happened that the Canadian military was conducting surveys in the area with Arethusa and Cossack (ironically enough) escorts, which responded forcefully to the violation. Neither American nor Russian nefs emerged from that fight. Great Britain issued a stern warning to both sides not to enter Canadian territory, and for 5 years British aeronaval forces patrolled the border between Alaska, British Columbia, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories with remarkable intensity. At least three clashes occurred between various combinations of the three nations' ships. When the conflict between America and Russia began to peter out in the mid-1890s, it was revealed that Britain had been protecting its own cache of meteorite sites. The Russo-American Conflict was never a large one, and never saw any major fleet action because no major fleet was ever dispatched to the area. No declaration of war was issued, though the meteorite beds changed hands at least six times in fierce ground fighting. But the 1889 discovery by Prof. Rennick of the process for converting R-Matter and the subsequent location in 1894 of appropriate resources in Siberia took much of the need for fighting away. The outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904 ended any further conflict in Alaska, though only a couple of minor clashes had occurred since the Spanish-American War of 1898 and subsequent military build up by Teddy Roosevelt in the territory. On a side note: the Russians quickly garrisoned the meteorite beds in early 1888 and two American attempts to take them back during the first quarter of the year were repulsed. Historians point out that the sudden loss of previously unknown R-matter bearing meteorites may have been a prime influence on President Cleveland with regard to inciting the Brazil Invasion. Others however counter that had Cleveland poured the resources of the southerly attempt into the Alaska conflict, Russia would have been quickly driven out and the resulting years of sporadic fighting would not have occurred, let alone the loss of life and humiliation of the U.S. in Brazil. Therefore they conclude that Cleveland, an intelligent man, would not have wasted his time on Brazil if he had been convinced of R-matter in Alaska, territory he ostensibly already possessed. SEWARD'S FOLLY REVOKED! (1888). A visiting "goodwill" squadron from Russia takes off to return home but instead turns about and performs a sneak attack on U.S. Kodiak Patrol #1 and the ships in port at Kodiak. RUSSIAN FORCES
U.S. FORCES: Kodiak Patrol #1
PROFILES:
TERRAIN The battle area should be at least 3 feet north/south and 6 feet east/west, with 2/3rds sea and 1/3rd land. Setup a coastline 1/3rd of the way up from the south edge of the game area. Kodiak should be about halfway along the coast. It has a small harbour area. Hills should surround the town and occupy much of the land. Houses may be placed around the harbour but are not required. An area about a foot square should be designated the U.S. aeronef base, where the three grounded U.S. ships are located. It should be no more than six inches northeast of the town. See map below. 
SET UP The Russians enter from the east edge of the board travelling at 3/4ths speed of the slowest Nef, moving toward the U.S. Patrol. The U.S. grounded ships may be placed anywhere within the aeronef field and should be clearly marked as on the ground. U.S. Kodiak Patrol #1 should be headed southwest along the coastline 12 inches from Kodiak. SPECIAL RULES 1. After the Patrol is attacked, it takes 1d6+4 turns for the grounded nefs to prepare to launch. At that point, roll 1d6. On the first turn after preparation is complete, the nef may launch on a roll of 6, on the second turn on a roll of 5-6, on the third turn on a roll of 4-6, and so on until the sixth turn, when it may automatically launch. 2. The Kentucky cannot take off. Its gas cells are depleted. Its guns CAN fire. Objectives:DETERMINING THE VICTOR The Russians must:
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