Snapphane

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kingscarbine
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Snapphane

Post by kingscarbine » Thu Sep 19, 2013 3:03 pm

"During the Scanian War, a pro-Danish guerrilla group known as the Snapphane fought against the Swedes."

"A snapphane was a member of a 17th-century pro-Danish guerrilla organization that fought against the Swedes in the Second Northern and Scanian Wars, primarily in the former eastern Danish provinces which in the course of these wars became southern Sweden.
The term snapphane, which was used as a pejorative term by the Swedes to describe the pro-Danish rebels, was originally a word for gangs of bandits that lived in the woods. When Scanian peasants started to organize into battle groups that fought the Swedes with guerrilla methods, they were called Snapphane too.

Due to the movement's support of the Danish invasion during the Scanian War, Swedish authorities fought the snapphanes brutally, and if one was captured, he was usually executed and the corpse was impaled and shown where the locals could see it and be intimidated to obedience. Another common method was execution by having them broken on the wheel. The ruthless Swedification policy was reportedly so effective that when a Danish invasion army landed in 1709, in the wake of the Battle of Poltava, the local support they faced was marginal."

Looks like an interesting conflict to wargame. Is there any info in English about the guerrilla warfare in Scania during this time? I would like to try a few skirmish scenarios. The Brigade Games Pilgrims look perfect for snapphanes.
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obriendavid
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Re: Snapphane

Post by obriendavid » Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:28 pm

This description sounds perfect for Donnybrook which should be out soon.
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kingscarbine
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Re: Snapphane

Post by kingscarbine » Fri Sep 20, 2013 8:13 pm

Yes, I've been told that Donnybrook is THE rules for "la petite guerre". Lots of possible scenarios from raids and ambuscades to storming redoubts. Looking forward to see them.
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Redmist1122
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Re: Snapphane

Post by Redmist1122 » Sun Sep 22, 2013 7:18 am

@kingscarbine,
Mmmmm...Pilgrims from Brigade Games...just took a look at those figures, very nice! Looks like a buy on payday. Thanks for the recommendation and possibilities for Donnybrook.
Greg P.
Tucson, AZ, USA
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