Pre-view of game for 1.9.19.

As we ran through our Border Reiver game last Sunday,and didn't want to post any photo's-to dilute the surprise!!!  I thought,because I'm suffering from blogger's "need to blog syndrome",that I would post a preview of Sunday's up and coming game.

This is the simple scenario,not showing too many troops-I have picked sides, the "boys" will find out what they command on Sunday.

Top photo shows the Korean camp under attack from the Russian vanguard,bottom photo shows the main Russian army approaching!

Top photo shows the camp,bottom shows some of the newly painted Korean auxiliary troops.

These three shots were taken last week,and show Russian Engineers,bought from "Ebay" by Paul,middle shot is of Brian's on-going 15mm ACW project,and bottom is a 28mm plastic gun and crew,also painted by Brian-there's so ,much going on in our small club,it's a wonder we get around to playing all the periods we collect!!-but long may it continue.
You'd better prepare yourselves for the next photo's-are you sitting down????

It's equivalent to that infamous photograph of "The Hole In The Wall Gang"-fine legs on parade too!!!
Roll on Sunday.

Battle of Aq'Bat(akbat!) 1176 AD.

Because Graham is sunning himself in far off distant climes,it fell to myself,Paul,Dave and Brian to fight this awsome battle based in the "Holy Land".

Top photo is scenario,bottom is the table before any movement.
I commanded the Crusader infantry,Paul the Crusader cavalry,Dave the Saracen cavalry,and Brian the Saracen infantry.We made our plans,wrote our initial orders,and off we went!!

My left hand infantry are advancing towards Brian's Saracens,but my right hand infantry are awaiting some damage done by my Catapult(only had four shots,but managed to hit with three of them!!) against the troops in the town.-In the background,Paul is getting himself into a right old mess,his plan was to form a wedge and attack Dave's Camp,but timing was a bit out!!
We had discussed before the game started,that the Saracen light horse archers were going to be a massive threat,and Paul was going to get a unit of crossbows and a couple of Cavalry units onto the flank and prevent any Saracen moves against the left flank-Store this plan for future information!!!

Paul is desperately trying to form his wedge,with a crossbow screen to his left-to the far left in the background you can see Dave's horse archers moving in an out-flanking manoeuvre!!

In this shot,Dave has instigated a charge by his heavy cavalry,Paul has counter-charged,and all hell has broken loose-both Dave and Paul are moving their elite guard cavalry,complete with commanders(!!!) into the fray-you can tell what is going to happen,can't you????

As the infantry advance towards contact on my left,Brian did something extraordinary,and moved his town troops out of the town!!!-can you spot something happening in the background?

Remember the plan of the crossbows protecting the flank??-well,they've managed to get themselves surrounded by the horse archers,and are slowly,but surely,getting wiped out!!
This left Dave in a great position,on both the flank and rear of Paul's Cavalry-oh dear!!

Both Paul and Dave's heavies are battling it out,and it was swings and roundabouts,until the Saracen guard cavalry beat the Grand Master's cavalry back,forcing(??) Paul to send his King(yes,King!) into the fray-please Dave,don't throw a 5 and a Kill dice!!!!!!!

But,of course, he did!!! and the short lived tour of the "Holy Land" by the king ended in a pool of blood,forcing the whole Crusader army to test morale,which it failed !!!!!!!,just as..................

Top photo shows my left hand infantry beating Brian's,and the bottom photo shows my right hand infantry beating Brian's and entering the town,which should have heralded a Crusader victory-however,my morale was tested and failed!!!!

Dave,trying to suppress a Gloaty Grin, looks on as the Crusader Army leaves the field of battle,and heads for home!!
This was another great game,enjoyed by us all,roll on next week,when we will be play-testing the game we are putting on a t Border Reiver on the 7th of September.

Depression,then Elation!!

Why is he depressed?-I hear you ask!!,well,today my wife and I booked and pre-paid for our funerals-ho bloody hum!!-I know it's inevitable,but.....................,and to cap it all we are also going to get our wills finalised this week too-ho bloody,bloody hum!!!
Anyway,onto elation-I have been painting and repainting some figures,reflecting the diversity of my wargaming!

I have re-painted these old Bill Lamming (and some Gauls I can't identify!) Germans and re-based them-chunky figures,but quite appealing in their own way!!

These are Roman Marines(?) given to me by Chris Charlton-I have never seen any reference to helmets like these before,but Chris assures me they are authentic!-I don't know what make the figures are,but I didn't enjoy painting them!!

These are additions to my Plains Indians and US cavalry set-up-Gatling guns from HINDS figures c/w crews from Warrior.

Perry's Medical team,painted for the Zulu Wars-I must work on the bases though!

Perry's stretcher party,again painted for the Zulu Wars,the drummers were also Stretcher bearers,so Red uniforms seemed ok to me-the range is actually their Sudan Range-and very nice too(the range,not my painting!)
Well,it's now Captain Morgan time-my anti-depressant!!

Battle of San Sebastiano 1706.

Last night,as there was only three of us(Paul and Brian are sunning themselves in exotic places!) ie. Graham,Dave and I,I changed the planned game (Romans vs Dacians) to a smaller 18th century affair.

This is the scenario,I commanded the Spanish,Graham commanded the Austro/Dutch army and Dave commanded the British.

The Austrians had a hard task storming the town,and they suffered heavy casualties before they eventually drove my Spaniards out,who retired (it's good being retired!) back across the bridge and river.

Dave is surveying his British advancing against my left flank,who had been ordered to retire(it's good...) and draw the British onto my waiting infantry and cavalry-but, like all of my good plans,it didn't quite work out the way it should have!!
In the background you can see Graham's Dutch attacking the hill dominating the town.

Graham's attack was met with some furious volleys from my defending Spanish.

As my Spanish flee back across the bridge,Graham's Austrians stroll through the abandoned town.The rest of the table was ablaze with action,as you can see!

The inevitable cavalry clash!! I actually got the better of the melee,and drove the Dutch cavalry back-hurrah!!-this forced the Dutch infantry to adopt defensive formations-another hurrah!!

Dave's British have crested the ridge,and I am giving him "hell"-however he is giving me even greater "hell" -oh dear!!

The Austrian general has "boobed"-by sending his infantry across the bridge,where they were trapped,due to the ongoing cavalry melee,and I have an infantry regiment on his flank-would I shoot into his flank and discomfort him?????

You bet I would!!-and did! This volley caused so many casualties that Graham decided to fall back(notice I didn't say "retire"!) across the bridge,so the threat to my flank was taken away.
However,the rest of my army was in tatters,being shot to bits by superior troops-the Dutch have driven away my troops on the dominating hill,and the British have destroyed any chance I had of holding the far left flank,so all is lost!!!

Two final shots,the top photo shows the sorry state of my right,and the bottom photo shows the sorry state of my left!!
For a small game this was exciting and full of action from move number one,until the final move(13 I think!)
We don't know what we will be doing next week(the holiday hombres are still away!) we may be at Dave's house or at mine-roll on next week though.

Graham has been painting some Napoleonics,and brought these up to let us see-Hanoverians,Dutch/Belgians, Nassau and French Chasseurs(Guard) infantry........

It just remains now to get them onto the table!!