Assaye and "El Cid" game

On Saturday,Dave "popped" around to show me his Assaye collection,to date,with a view to putting them on the table so we could look at spacings etc.before the game,to be put on at "Carronade" in Falkirk on 7th May 2016.The collection is not complete yet,but is well in hand for the deadline of end of April.
Dave also brought along a most beautiful model fort/town which he bought on E-bay,which could fit into a dozen periods,but which he thought would look good in Sunday's game featuring the armies of "El Cid" and the Moors.

A map of the battle,a young Arthur Wellesley,commanding the "British" and Allied troops,achieved a great victory over the Indian army,but it was a costly victory,leading to Napoleon calling him the "Sepoy General".

Young Arthur with ADC,beautifully painted and based by Dave,with Sepoy troops in the background-strange pose!!

This shows the first completed Brigade of "British" troops c/w bullock drawn gun-very impressive,the figures are from Redoubt Miniatures,and are a "big" 28mm.The figures require basing with stones,flock etc. and flags,which Dave sources from America!!

This photo shows the Indian brigade fully painted,one of two to be done for the game,and a completed cavalry unit behind-this army is so colourful,especially the command figures.

Another "cracking" paint job by Dave,of an ADC-the whole project is going to be great to see.

How good is this model??-the detail is superb!!-the only draw back is that our bases wouldn't be able to stand on the narrow walkways,so I made a template to fit around the walkways!!
I believe that Dave paid a fair bit of cash for the model,but it was worth every penny!!

Now onto the battle we had last night,6 of us turned up,there should have been 7 but our old mate,Michael,who was down from Aberdeen for the week-end,had to go back home,as his wife had taken ill-we wish her well(and her Father,who was also taken ill!!)

The top photo is the scenario and the bottom photo is the table before any movement,featuring the Fort/Town.
Myself,Graham and Dave were the Spanish,whilst Brian,Richard and Paul were the Moors.

Paul was defending the Town against Dave's attacks-and as usual his "demon" dice throwing denuded Dave's infantry of Officers within three moves!!!-how does he do it??

The "Black Guard" have appeared on the ramparts to gloat at Dave's demise!!-doesn't the template work well?

Brian and I both commanded cavalry,on the flank,and clashed almost immediately-we fought several melees before he eventually won the flank,but my infantry did a bit better against Richard's posted on the hill in the background-hurrah!!

In this shot,Graham is advancing against Richard's Cavalry,which he managed to destroy after an exciting battle lasting most of the game-he then advanced his infantry against Paul's flank-great stuff!!

The "misery" continues on Dave's flank,as his infantry are being held by lighter types,and now Paul has brought the "Black Guard" out of the town to complete the victory!!-woe is Dave!!

Graham's cavalry are doing a grand job of driving Richard back,leaving the flank open for his infantry to march to victory(??)

Although my cavalry are heavier types,Brian has out-numbered me,and things are not looking good(again!)

My infantry are now fighting for their little tin lives-the flank is lost,our only hope is that Brian and Richard don't combine their forces and turn on our centre-they wouldn't,would they??

Yes,they bloody well would,and did!!! It will just take someone to point out that the Spanish are beaten......................

The job has fallen to Richard to do just that!!-It must be said at this point that I have never seen such blatant "gloating" as I saw in this game(by both sides,however!!)
A good game played in good spirit-well done lads.

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.