A ship to Scutari 1853
1853, London. Russia has marched into the Danubian Principalities, and day after day the papers say Britain and France will side with the Ottomans. You are a young woman learning the work of a hospital.
Historical background
In July 1853 Russia occupied the two Danubian Principalities, Moldavia and Wallachia, claiming to protect the Christians of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans declared war in October, and after the Ottoman fleet was annihilated at Sinop in November, Britain and France declared war on Russia in March 1854. The allies landed in the Crimea in September, won at the Alma and laid siege to Sevastopol; the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava came in October and the Battle of Inkerman in November.
When The Times correspondent William Howard Russell reported the horrors of the military hospitals, Florence Nightingale led 38 nurses to the barrack hospital at Scutari, across the water from Constantinople, arriving in November 1854; among them were Sisters of Mercy from Bermondsey in London. Sanitary reform and the tale of the Lady with the Lamp captured Britain. Sevastopol fell in September 1855, and the Treaty of Paris ended the war in 1856.
Who you are
You begin as a 24-year-old woman learning the work of a London hospital. You have neither land nor sword, but you have your hands and your courage. Ellen Doyle, a Sister of Mercy from Bermondsey, Pennell, an obstinate purveyor, and Sergeant Tom Hartley of the Rifle Brigade are the people of this life.
The current of history: The Crimean War
An invitation called "A ship to the Black Sea" arrives, and through the stage that leads to the fall of Sevastopol you decide where to stand. You may even take ship for Scutari.
Sides you can take
- Allied side Help the war effort of Britain, France and the Ottomans.
- Russian side Side with the Tsar — a long road for someone starting in London.
- Field hospital Care for the wounded under any flag — the place that suits this scenario best.
Tips
Questions and answers
How close is this scenario to real history?
Russia's occupation of the Danubian Principalities in 1853, Sinop, the entry of Britain and France in 1854, the Alma, Balaclava and Inkerman, the siege of Sevastopol and its fall in 1855, Russell's reports, Nightingale and her 38 nurses, the Bermondsey Sisters of Mercy, the Scutari hospital and the Treaty of Paris in 1856 are historical. The starting map, realms, real historical figures and the major events of the current of history follow actual history. You and the companions, rivals and loves around you are fictional people who could have lived then, and once you start, history may diverge according to your choices and those of the AI rulers.
What station do I start in?
You start as a 24-year-old common woman living in London, learning the work of a hospital. You have no land.
Is it free? Can I play right away?
Yes. Crown & Plough is a free browser game with no account and nothing to install. The "Start in this scene" button on this page opens the scenario's intro screen directly, and progress is saved automatically in your browser. It works on phones too.