Many students will embody fictional figures of the event, but key players on both sides are historical.

Santa Anna, Penateka Chief

Originally resistant to white settlement of Texas, the Penateka War-Chief Santa Anna has recently returned from a trip to Washington DC at the start of our game. Having seen the vast numbers of European settlers that lie on the other side of the frontier, he is now convinced that the German settlers in Friedrichsburg are the vanguard of the inevitable. He sees peaceful coexistence with this group of Europeans as the best option to ensure the survival of his people. Moreover, it seems that the Germans are unsympathetic towards the Anglo-Texians... The enemy of my enemy could become my friend.

    To that end, at the signing of the German-Comanche Treaty, Santa Anna negotiated to have one of the German settlers, Emil Kriewitz, live among his tribe. He also negotiated that he receive a substantial payment as compensation for allowing the settlers use of his people’s land. At the beginning of the game, Santa Anna has come with some of his tribesmen to Friedrichsburg to meet the German representatives and discuss the terms of this payment.

John O. Meusebach

John O. Meusebach arrives in Texas in 1845 in order to take over the direction of the settlement of Neu Braunfels (today New Braunfels) and manage the futher settlement into the Fisher-Miller Land Grant. An already difficult job is made even harder when an epidemic strikes the German settlers, on top of which the Adelsverein sends another 5000 settlers without any sort of financial support. Through diligence and hard work, Meusebach is able to stave off the threat of disease and even found a new settlement, Friedrichsburg (today Fredericksburg), between Neu Braunfels and the Fisher-Miller Land Grant. He entrusts the day to day running of Friedrichsburg to Dr. Schubert who proved himself during the epidemic. 

Events quickly take another turn for the worse, as Dr. Schubert, after forming a militia against Meusebach’s wishes, travels to the edge of the Fisher-Miller Land Grant and reports back that it lies in the middle of Comanche territory among some 40,000 members of the Comanche nation. Schubert’s running of the settlement itself also concerns Meusebach when he starts to notice that Schubert treats Friedrichsburg almost like his own little kingdom. The citizens also seem to be turning against Meusebach.

At the beginning of our game, Meusebach has returned in order to discuss terms of the recently signed German-Comanche Treaty. While in town, he hopes to regain what favor has been lost among the German settlers and if possible, set Dr. Schubert straight.

Kateumsi, Penateka Chief

Kateumsi - an ascending chief in a smaller band of the Penateka - represents perhaps the greatest threat to the existence of the newly founded colony of Fredericksburg. Where Santa Anna has changed his mind and seeks a peaceful resolution and coexistence with the German settlers, Kateumsi remains convinced that his people can never have peace as long as European settlers encroach upon Comanche land. And yet, there are a few benefits to the German settlers as he sees it: They have cattle and horses that will soon strengthen the herds of the Penateka. And German children are hard workers - they might make fine additions to the tribe when raised properly.

Dr. Schubert

Dr. Schubert is put in charge of Friedrichsburg after helping stave off an epidemic that threatened the German settlement of Texas. He is confronted daily with the dangers faced by the German settlers in Friedrichsburg, not the least of which is the relative lack of concern the Adelsverein seems to have for the wellbeing of the thousands of settlers they happily took money from and sent across the Atlantic to the Wild West of Texas with little to no support. To make matters worse, the land is not unsettled, as was promised. The presence of the Comanche threatens the security of the settlers in the eyes of Schubert. On an expedition to the Fisher-Miller Land Grant, Dr. Schubert claims to have seen “some 40,000 Comanche” standing between the German settlers and his employer Meusebach’s contractual obligation to settle the territory.

Schubert comes to the only conclusion that seems rational to him: Meusebach and his absurd ideas of German-Comanche integration have to go. He believes the future prosperity of Friedrichsburg will depend on him, the local Adelsverein militia he is leading, and their ability to defend the German settlers from the Comanche threat. Schubert must save his Friedrichsburg...