Border Reiver

Today was Border Reiver at Gateshead International Stadium.  Myself and Graham(aka dad) and our fearless leader John and Dave all made an appearance sadly Paul was saddled with work (booo) and Brian was out of commission with a poorly knee.

 This is the first time I have been to this show last time I was at one it was still at the Metro Radio Arena with all its associated darkness with traders and display games all needing to bring their own lights to be able to see properly. I am pleased to say the new Stadium venue is alot better with ample room and excellent lighting and they opened the cafe this year ( im told in previous years it was just a burger van outside ) which was doing a roaring trade.

Anyway enough waffling onto the show. There were a good number of display games including this humongous space marines vs chaos featuring 3 massive Titans it looked very impressive. 

This AWI game was put on by the guys from Falkirk District Wargames Club. All thouroughly nice chaps they all had plenty of time for the people watching taking time out to   explain what was happening and have a general chat

This Blood Bowl game looked the part loads of nice touches in and around the stadium including LED lighting

This game recreated an SAS attack on a german fighter base.

This Wild West participation game was a hit with the kids and had a good deal of interest 

Another one from the Falkirk game 

This downed dropship scene looked stunning

This ACW game looked the part and the on board labels helped follow the units and objectives easily

We all enjoyed the show and all came away with something new from paints to figures plenty to keep us busy hehe.

Painting update

It's probably obvious to most of our regular guests that I am now surrounded by a group of fanatical figure painters.

Recent weeks have seen gardens neglected, grandchildren lost in uncut morasses and left to fumble for the way out. Cries to grandad are left unheeded ........... Ammmm painting me bloody Germans!

Hedges are sprouting so high that Newcastle Airport are advising helicopters to raise their minimum height by 100'. Westerhope never looked so shabby!

Brian and John have had an equivalent of a paint brush arms race where every time you step into the garage it's like standing in an art class .............. masses of new figures , all painted and based at a breakneck pace. New periods are sprouting faster than paparazzi around the royal baybee

Germans......... Dacians .......... Egyptians and Hittites

(who are these people and has Tony Blair gone to visit them recently?)

David is a different animal ! With immense talent and technique, he has finished a Seven Years War Austrian commander for me and it's bloody great!

(I know , over the top......... but I still want him to do some more figures!!)

 

 

Meanwhile back to my enterprise

 

 ...........  I have acquired a tin of gloss varnish from Brian (most gratefully received ......all for free! ) and decided to ensure my family left me all by myself on a bank holiday Monday by filling the room with vapours.


Here are the results on my Austrians,

These guns and crew were bought off e bay and touched up a bit then glossed. Not a bad buy!

 Hopefully some progress reports of further schemes.        Oh and great English Civil War game Brian! loved the panic result where John lost some infantry , the cheques in the post.

English Civil War Battle of Newark 1644

Last night Brian had devised a Game based on the Battle of Newark 1644,and pitched Paul against myself in what turned out to be a very good and exciting game.
We threw dice and I ended up as John Meldrum commanding the Parliamentarians,and Paul was Prince Rupert commanding the Royalists.
The objective was for the Royalists to get over the bridge,and I had to stop them-simples!!

From move number one it was mayhem all the way!! All commanders had to lead from the front,and were subject to shit,shot and shell!! needless to say our commanders were falling like flies,in fact my whole left flank became a leaderless rabble within two moves!! In the photo above,one of my infantry regiments is fleeing,and the cavalry (luckily out of shot) is being "molested" by the Royalists!!

Oh,Oh!! the cavalry,of which I spoke, can be seen being "molested",this whole wing collapsed,my cavalry fleeing,my infantry fleeing- " a horse,a horse,my kingdom for a horse-or I would settle for a good dice throw!!

What a bloody mess!!-however,my head did not go down,and I fought back,with a charge against Paul's infantry in the centre,and was victorious!-hurrah!!

This shows my right flank,where,I was having a bit of success! My cavalry are now "molesting" Paul's cavalry and forcing them back,I have held my infantry back until my cavalry were winning,I will unleash them any moment now!!!

"Now Maitland,now's your time,up and at 'em" my cavalry are threatening Paul's infantry whilst I have opened fire with my muskets,and will charge home to complete his discomfort!!
Although things are still not going too well in the centre and left flank,I was,at this stage,feeling a lot more confident (FOOL!!)

This is not a good picture,I used to have a flank here!! The Royalists are all over me like a rash!
If only I can capitalise on my success on the right,I might just get a draw out of this game.

Paul is too wily an opponent to allow me to rest on my laurels,and is pushing to cut me off from the bridge,and although I am still winning and pushing onwards on the right,the game seems lost!!

Yes,it is! Paul is sending his cavalry from the left flank,to support his beleagured troops on the hill,and I am doomed!!

This was a well thought out game-well done Brian,and well done Paul.
The next blog will be a report on "Border Reiver Show" which takes place on Saturday at the Gateshead Stadium.

Crossing the Rhine 100AD

Brian and I had a good game this morning,based on a large German force trying to cross the Rhine,whilst the Romans tried to stop them.

This shot was taken about move three!! My Romans are about to move forward to meet the rush of Germans,and both flank hills are being assaulted.Brian opted to make a full-blooded attack on my centre,whilst I  was observing where his main attack would be,and then launch a counter-attack!

This is my right flank hill,with my skirmishers retiring after having given Brian's troops a bit of a "bashing"-It didn't make any difference to them,they just kept coming!!
In the centre you can see the Germans about to charge my central cohorts.

Here they come! I have counter-attacked with the troops on my left flank hill,after the catapult,situated there,failed to hit anything-this was,I thought,a good move,and put Brian into a bit of a dilema.

The cohorts are getting stuck into the warbands in the centre,but Brian is pushing me back on the right hill.The Germans still have alot of warbands un-committed-Help!!

What a brawl!! the Romans are getting the better of the melee in the centre,however both my flanks are in peril,and the German cavalry are "lurking" just waiting to spot a weakness.

After a long,hard struggle,my Auxilliaries on the right hill have driven the Germans back,however my left hill is taken-my cohorts are prevailing in the centre,is the game up for the Germans?

YES!! the Germans,under their very able leader (Brian) will live to fight another day!
This was a very enjoyable game,and was in the balance for most of the time,-roll on tonight,when Brian has planned an English Civil War game for Paul and I.

Modern Game based on Georgians vs Russians.

Before I start this report,may I say,on behalf of all the "boys" in the club,many happy returns to Brian who has a birthday tomorrow, we hope you have a good day.

Well what can be said about tonight's game? I will be the first to admit that I know "zilch" about any period past the Colonial times,however for the sake of diversity,I decided to put on a Modern Game,featuring Tanks,Planes,Helicopter,Mortars,Bazookas, and Infantry squads!! I must have been mad!
It was pretty obvious from the word "go" that everyone else knew a million times more than me,resulting in a bit of a fiasco.
However,you can't win 'em all, so I'll just print some photo's and leave it at that.

From move one we were in trouble(Dave,Richard and I ) Brian,Paul and Graham decided to keep all their troops hidden (good tactics) and we walked right into all kinds of ambushes etc.
Having lost two of our five tanks in the first two moves just about sums up the whole game!!

We brought on a Helicopter,and couldn't hit a thing with either the rockets or gatling gun!!

Brian's mortar seems to have some sort of laser-guided automatic "hit" function,knocking out an infantry squad,whilst his bazooka team was knocking out two of my tanks!!

Mad Dog Murdoch (Dave) can be seen here holding his head in shame at missing all his targets with the Helicopter,whilst Graham and Paul appear to be "gloating"

Richard's squad attempting to capture a defensive position-NO CHANCE MATE!!

Well,there's always next week-back to periods I know and understand.
Happy birthday Brian.

Macedonians vs Persians 330 BC

Epic encounter last night as Paul and Brian (Macedonians) took on Dave and I as Persians.

Above are the scenario and basic battle map for our game,Dave was in charge of the "sortie" troops and mercenary hoplites,whilst I commanded the bulk of the Persian army,and cavalry.
Facing me was Paul in his role as Alexander,and Brian was Parmenio,commanding the troops opposite Dave-all was set for what turned out to be an Epic game-a mention must be given to Richard who turned up to watch even though he didn't have a command-enthusiastic or what!!

The vast majority of the figures used in this game are from Warrior Miniatures,including these Companion Cavalry.Paul used his cavalry to very good effect,blocking my superior numbers,and opening a channel,through which he charged,directly at Darius-great wargaming and true to history!

An imposing line of Persian infantry,however faced with a Phalanx,I wasn't expecting too much from them!

Brian's Thracian peltasts getting ready to move against Dave's axemen (sortie troops) Again these figures are from Warrior's ancient range,great figures,and very reasonably priced.

Action!! as Paul and I moved slowly towards each other,Dave and Brian were getting stuck into each other (ooh er!!) the ensuing melees went on for the whole game,with both side having success and failures,however,once again,"gloating" reared its ugly head>>>>>>>>>>>

Brian can be seen trying to stifle his laughter,whilst Paul seems to have gone "beserk!" You know you'll be sorry!!

The centres clash!! The phalanx has an enormous "clash value" and easily beat my infantry in the first round,however I did manage to salvage a couple of wins in the on-going rounds,and all in all we managed to fight each other into a stand-off situation.

The cavalry battle can be seen in this shot,Paul's tactics were wonderful to watch,he lured me into the corner of the board,away from Darius,then charged into the gap,and took on the royal bodyguard surrounding Darius.A lucky dice throw from me resulted in the attackers being thrown back,but not before they had reduced the bodyguards fighting ability somewhat!!
The rest of the cavalry battle swung both ways for most of the remainder of the game,but at last I was triumphant (but not gloating) and the famous companions were forced back.

On the fort flank,Dave's troops have been forced back too,but he regrouped them,came back in again and was successful,driving Brian's peltasts and Agrianians off the board-well done matey!!

The final shot,my central infantry are "retiring",however the flanks are both secure,and Alexanders position is tenuous to say the least,so the Persians were declared the winners.
This was an exciting game,action all the way,colour,good tactics etc. etc.

roll on Sunday,don't know what we'll be playing yet,but will be good!!

Dacians vs Germans.

Memo to Dacian commander-Omens are not good.Don't contemplate fighting Germans today.

Of course I took no notice of the memo,and suffered the consequences!!-Utter humiliation and total defeat!!
My Dacians had invaded Germania,and were intent on capturing a fortified homestead,the Germans had to stop me.
From move one we both advanced to the fray,I had sent 3 warbands onto my left flank to capture the fortified place,my centre was moving forward to engage the Germans placed on a hill,and my cavalry were hoping to catch the German cav. by standing still and waiting for my "fanatics" to move onto the flank,thus crushing the opposition!!

Initial moves: Germans moving off hill to try and outflank my advancing Dacians,whilst centre troops move to contact.

My good intentions are thwarted!!Germans moving onto my flank! in the background the cavalry are about to clash.

The centres are locked in battle,neither side getting any real advantage yet,I have sent one warband off to the far right to chase away some archers-I should know better!!

My best troops,on my left flank,who were supposed to be in the fortified camp by now,have been stopped in their tracks,by wild blue eyed,flaxen haired Germans,things are not going as planned!!

Hurrah,success! My cavalry are beating the Germans,and my "fanatics" are just about to complete the victory,but what of my left and centre?

Well,this shows what!! left flank completely destroyed,centre being pushed back in most sectors,game lost!!
this will teach me to take note of the omens!(what have the omens ever done for us?)
Although this was a good thrashing,I still enjoyed the spectacle of the game,loads of movement and correct tactics being used-I will of course blame the dice!!

Roll on tonight,Macedonians vs Persians.