Latest victims of the floods!!

Disaster has struck at the Westerhope Wargames Group Headquarters(ie "The Garage"),after unprecedented rainfall over the last few days,our "club room"(ie "The Garage") has sprung a leak,forcing me to empty some shelves of boxes,and having to store them on the Wargames table,so I'm afraid we won't be playing on Thursday-how will we cope??

The culprit-it's actually next door's garage roof that is the problem,my roof is ok.but the walls adjoin,so any water accumulating on their roof seeps through into my garage!!

Boxes of figures stored,temporarily, on the wargames table-only a couple of boxes were damaged,and soaked(my solo modern stuff,so no real problem!) but just in case of more water coming in,I moved a lot of my Ancients.

A portable heater being used to try and minimise the problem-the Welsh flag which can be seen hanging like,well,a wet flag,might have to go!

Trying to dry out one of the damaged boxes,using the kitchen radiator-aren't wives understanding at times like these-NOT!!-"I hope that doesn't mark the wall","can't you use an older teatowel?","why don't you just throw the box out and get a new one?"-etc.etc.-ho hum!!

On a lighter note,I am getting through Brian's Normans(or should that be Norman's Brians?) at a good rate,and only have one more Infantry unit to do now.This is a shot of the completed cavalry unit,flocked today.

Battle of the Dyke-Marlburian.

Before I start the report on the game we had today,you are all,no doubt aware that the news on everyone's lips today is that the "Chippendales" have reformed.........................

And here they are!!-bloody hell,more like the "Chipmunks"!!!! I don't know how some of them get let out by themselves!!-Alan is wearing a nice hat!!

The scenario and map-Brian was in charge of the Scots,Alan in charge of the Irish,Paul in charge of the Bavarians,Dave in charge of the Anglo/Prussians,whilst Graham and I looked at each other from opposite sides of the table,on horse back!!

Brian's impressive attack on The Dyke is met by a fierce volley from the Irish-Alan was outnumbered so asked Paul for reinforcements,and was duly sent them!!

On the Allied right flank,I was tasked with holding the flank against Graham's French cavalry-we were evenly matched,so I would have to rely on my "superior" dice throwing(big groan!!)

In the centre Dave is advancing on the Bavarians,who,curiously,backed away-moral victory to us-hurrah!!

Dave's Prussians are holding the line,whilst the "English" are trying to out-flank the Bavarian line-in the background Brian is still fighting the Irish.................

Brian is beginning to get the upper hand in this shot,and the Irish are being pushed back,but Paul is looking tense!! as Alan points to a very important bush!!!

The cavalry battle is in full swing now-in the background to the right,I have captured Graham's battery,however it looks like I will lose my squadron,as the French cavalry are pounding down on me!

Paul is till looking tense!,the centre of the field is looking calm,but not so on both flanks!!-come on commanders,get stuck in!!

My "superior" dice throwing is obviously telling in this shot,that's why I am going backwards!!!

One of Dave's "English" regiments is involved in a fire-fight,which,it must be said, did not go well!!-but on the far left,Brian is still making headway against the Irish-a very small hurrah!!

Oh no,that small hurrah has just been turned into a large "BOO"-the Scots have been bounced!!-this is now looking desperate-can Dave turn this game around by beating the Bavarians??

Both centres open fire!(not before bloody time!),but Paul was throwing the dice that I should have been throwing!!-My cavalry battle is almost over,and Brian's Scots are suffering from a very bad case of "Sporran Mange",causing them to turn tail and head for home!!-is this is the end?

"YES"!!-with denuded flanks,the Allies accepted defeat with total gentlemany grace,and blamed the Scots!!!!

This was a good game,certainly different,with the Scots involved,and enjoyed by us all.

Roll on Thursday-probably 4 of us,but as yet I don't know what period.

"A Spot Of Bother"-Britain 60AD.

Before Dave and Paul go back to work,we decided to have a game through the day.
Unfortunately Graham and Richard couldn't make it as they were having a large family gathering,so the "Fab Four" had to play this magnificent game on their behalf!!
I wanted to put on something special and different,and devised the following scenario......

We drew lots and Dave and I were the Roman commanders,whilst Paul and Brian were Barbarian commanders.

This is the table before any movement-Dave was in charge of Legio Phoenix-already engaged with Brian's Warbands,in the foreground.

This shows the initial fighting-and what a tussle it was!! neither side gaining any real advantage in the early stages.

Dave did well to maintain his Roman line,under considerable pressure from Brian-thrilling stuff!!

I am still in column of march,as Paul begins his attack-my objective was to defend myself,but also send what help I could to Dave-easy!!!!!

My Legion(Nova) is forming line against the inevitable assault from Paul's warbands,whilst in the background,Dave is fighting for his life!!!

Look at the "intense" looks on Brian and Dave's faces!!-I am still awaiting attacks from Paul,but the line is beginning to form nicely-if only Dave can hold on for another move or so!

Dave is adjusting his positions in this shot,but Brian has broken his line in the centre,and is sending more warbands against the frail Roman line-will it hold until I can send support??

YES!!! as a cavalry battle begins to develop in the centre of the table,Dave is "Heroically" holding on-hurrah!!

This is my far left flank,where Paul has been "messing" me about until I detached two cohorts to assist Dave-he then attacked-the swine!!! My centre cohorts and cavalry are engaged,but this turned out to not favour the Romans(ie I was getting hammered!!)

In this shot,Dave's cavalry(in the Red) are beating Paul's cavalry,but mine are getting pushed back into my cohorts!!-this is not looking good for the Romans.

This photo is taken from the Barbarian side of the table,and clearly shows the state the Romans are in-I blame Dave!!!!

With the Romans looking in all kinds of disarray,and Brian looking rather "pained" we had to accept defeat,but not dishonour(!!)
A "cracking" game,and well played with the usual "hoots" of laughter and crude banter.
Roll on next Sunday-we'll be playing through the day again,and probably a large Marlburian game,involving all six of us.

Battle of "Wamberg-Bamberg" 1756.

The "Super Six",Brian,Graham,Paul,Dave,Richard and I had a spectacular Seven Years War game last night,involving Austrian,Prussian,Russian and Hanoverian troops.

This is the information the "lads" were given,we drew lots,and Paul ended up as the Prussian commander with Graham and Brian  his sub-ordinates,whilst I was Austrian commander with Richard and Dave as my sub commanders.
But first let's get the silly photo's out of the way.............................

There now,that's better!!-With that "wig" on I think Brian has more than a passing resemblance to Dolly Parton!!!

We are just about to start the game in this shot-Paul and I had to give objectives to our sub-commanders,which were to occupy and hold the villages,and to advance in the centre and give the enemy hell!!-simple but effective!

Brian and Richard both move into Wamberg,and a "ding-dong" (doesn't that sound Christmassy?) tussle took place for most of the game,with infantry being sucked into the village.

Meanwhile,on the other flank,Graham and Dave are both contesting Bamberg village-this looked great,the Green of the Russians contrasting with the Red of the Hanoverians.It was swings and roundabouts for most of the game,and nail-biting stuff too!!

The open ground on the Austrian left flank was ideal Cavalry country,and soon both Richard and Brian were moving their respective cavalry forward to try and gain an advantage,and out-flank the enemy.

With Paul concerned about his right flank,leading to un-characteristic inactivity,I led my white-coated Austrian infantry forward,and a massive fire-fight ensued!!! Paul is a renowned good(lucky!) dice thrower(we all know one) but on this occasion I managed to come out on top!!!! Although not without taking a lot of casualties from his Gun Battery.

Richard's cavalry are pushing onwards towards the Prussian lines,but a well placed gun battery took horrendous casualties off his leading Cuirassiers and forced them back-what a tussle,and great wargaming!!-the village is still being fought over!!!!

Come on Richard,you can do it!!-the fire-fight was so close,you could almost smell the gun-powder!!

Graham has thrown everything at the village of Bamberg,but the Russians are holding out,and the Russians would hold it until the end of the game-hurrah!!

In the centre,a combined Austro-Russian assault is proving to be successful,and the Prussians are in trouble,and then.........................

Dave launched a magnificent,and winning, cavalry attack on Paul's flank-hurrah!!!-with the centre gone and Bamberg still in Russian hands,and Wamberg still being contested,the Prussian commanders admitted defeat!!
This was a splendid game,played in the best of wargaming spirit by everyone-well done lads!!
We won't be playing before Christmas,but hopefully we'll get a couple of games in over the holidays,so best wishes for a Happy Christmas,and a Peaceful new year to you all.
One last photograph,entitled-"How could you not love that little face?"

Easily, comes the reply!!!-Have a great Christmas,Ho,Ho,Ho!!!

















































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Painting update-Normans

Apologies to everyone!!-we weren't going to have a game last night ,because of "Christmas Nights out" but because I couldn't contact Brian in time,he turned up,so we had a little "knockabout" of an Ancients game-I took the usual "million" photo's to put on the blog-and have lost them all-bloody technology!!
So instead,I'll bring you up to date with what is happening in my paint box!!

Because Brian can't paint at the moment,he has kindly "donated" his Warrior Normans to the club,and I am "ploughing" my way through them-this is the first unit,ready for flocking.

Same unit in "situ"-the figures are good,with just enough detail to satisfy my painting technique-basically I paint over any detail I can't be "arsed" to paint in!!!

None of my figures bear close scrutiny,but "en masse" and applying the three foot rule,they pass for wargames standard.

This is the second unit(light infantry) well on its way to completion-only the shield patterns and flesh to put on!!
We are having a game on Sunday,and it should be a "full house" of 6,so I am thinking of a 7YW game,involving Prussians,Austrians,Russians and Hanoverians!! and could be described as follows...............................

Can anyone guess which "nutter" in our club sent me this "bawdy" card????
Roll on Sunday.