Last night we had a full turnout for this fascinating game.
This is the scenario and table before any movement-Brian and Paul were British and Rangers,whilst Dave and Graham were french and Indians-I was referee,because I have damaged my knee!!
Move number one,and both sides are moving to contact-I had stipulated that the regular troops couldn't begin to fire on each other until they were both in position(just like history!) however the irregulars could,and did!!
Top photo shows Graham,employing the time-honoured tradition and tactics of the Woodland Indians,by making them queue,in an orderly fashion, to be shot by Paul's Rangers!!!!!
Bottom photo shows how it should be done-skirmishing in the woods,using stealth and cover to minimise casualties-Dave and Brian kept this up for a couple of moves,until Brian's Rangers got the better of the Indians and they retired(it's good being retired!)
Two shots of the Regulars forming up,ready to open fire.............................
BOOM!! both sides opened fire,with devastating volleys,however Dave had weakened Brian's guards regiment,with artillery fire,and with a couple of very good dice throws,killing an officer as well as creating lots of casualties,and the subsequent morale check saw them retiring(I'm not even going to say "it's...!)-this was a blow to the British,but Paul had reserves in hand-hurrah!!
In a reversal of fortune,on Paul's flank,Graham's Indians have now forced his Rangers back-what a tussle!!
On the other flank,Brian has forced Dave's Indians back,and he is attacking the fort!!
But what of the regular troops slugging it out in the centre??
Well,the strain of combat,forced the French Guards to flee!!,and one of the central regiments also took to their heels,leaving an ugly hole(!!) into which the British were preparing to advance,so the game was given to the British!!-this was not a complete victory,though,as the Fort was still in French hands!!-good game "boys"
Roll on next week,when Paul is arranging a 7YW game,and the week after that,Paul,Dave and Graham will be staging a grand Napoleonic game!!
My 15mm ECW project is now well under way,and I thought I just might show my attempt at painting these "little devils",from bare metal to finished item!
This is my latest Royalist regiment-20 figures,on their painting bases,and ready to go!
It must be mentioned that I have a strange painting ethos-I look at a figure and work out how FEW colours I can get away with,without it looking too "crap".
The above three photo's show the remarkable amount of detail on these tiny figures-there's no way I could paint it all in!!
After painting the faces and hair(same colour!) I have blocked the main clour in,ie green,and now for the clever(??) part,as far as I am concerned!!!
I have painted hats,boots,muskets,pikes,scabbards and cross belts all the same colour,ie brown!
saving me an awful lot of time and effort!
Brown complete,on with a flag,and almost ready to be based,just a touch of gold and a splash of red,and we're off!
Based on a 100mm by 30mm card base,ready for flocking..........................
Flocked and totally finished!-because of this fast(and crappy) painting technique,I can knock one regiment out per day-I know,I know,it shows!!
Now onto the game preview for Sunday..........................
This is the scenario,we haven't played this period for some time,mainly because we haven't got the correct figures for the French and British! but our Marlburian figures will have to do.
This is the table as the "boys" will see it as they arrive on Sunday night-we will pick sides on the night!
Apart from the fort,this settlement will also be an objective for the British!
Roll on Sunday.
Last night Graham,Brian and I had an all-tussle,kick and rush type of Ancients game,and it was a "cracker".
I had set the game up as a 4-hander but as only three of us turned up,I took on the role of Roman commander,controlling 2 full legions(not an easy task!!) whilst Brian and Graham took control of two lots of German tribesmen-my objective was to cross the river,the German objective was to stop me-simple but effective!!
This is the table before any movement-Romans on the right,Brian's command to the front of the photo,Graham in the background.
This is Brian's view of the 7th Legion advancing-because some of his troops were behind a barricade,and I had to advance uphill,I put the fighting ability of this legion as "high"-but they still had a hard job of it!!
We're off!! Both Graham and I advanced to contact asap,and,being out-numbered,I was quickly flanked and driven back,but as the main lines contacted,the tussle was much more even,neither side gaining a real advantage early on.On the other flank,Brian and I contented ourselves with some skirmishing,stones,javelins and arrows flying all over the place!!
Skirmishing done,now in with the sword and spear!!-this looked spectacular,and lasted a few moves before my superior training(and generalship?) started to come into play,and the defences eventually fell,and I gained the flank,in the last move!!!
The fight between Graham and I continues!!! but I am aware that he now has "spare" warbands bearing down on my exposed right flank,where two cohorts have fled-oh dear!!
Graham has,indeed, taken advantage of his "spare" warbands,and is giving me hell!!-I think all is lost on this flank(10th Legion too!!)
Two final shots showing my 7th Legion capturing the defences-because I had won one flank and lost the other,a draw was decided to be the fairest result-although it must be said the,theoretically,because I had crossed the river,I had won!!!!!
This was good game,and I enjoyed it,as did Brian and Graham-well done to us all.
Better late than never,our battle last Sunday was based in the Sudan.
This is the scenario,Brian was in charge of the Naval Brigade(on board the train at the start of the game) he had options of where to place his troops-he chose hill"B". Graham was in charge of the Egyptians inside the "Junction", and I was in charge(?) of the Egyptians inside the "Fort" and a brigade of British troops coming onto the board behind the "Fort".
Dave was in command of the Dervish hordes,whilst Paul commanded the Haddendowah troops, of which he had 4 more warbands coming onto the board from point "X" on the map(move 4).
Top photo shows Dave's initial attack on the fort,bottom shows Paul's troops heading towards the "Junction"
The Naval Brigade is leaving the train and heading towards hill "B"-why didn't Brian get the train nearer the hill??
These two photo's show my troops under severe pressure from Dave's Dervish!!
However at one point,to stop one of his units from retiring(it's good being retired!) he put his CinC into the fray,got him killed,and the whole of his force had to take morale-some failed,and some held-just!!-oh how we laughed(except Dave!)
Graham is doing a grand job of defending his position,against overwhelming odds!!
Isn't this a nice view from Brian's hill?-the whole battle is unfolding in the plain below,and Graham is screaming for help and fire support!!!
Graham's defence is collapsing,and the Haddendowah are in!!-Brian was cajoled into helping Graham by firing into a warband that was attacking the side wall-however,and it's a big however-it was deemed that Graham would also have to take casualties from Brian's fire-he was NOT a happy pussycat!!!
Over on my flank,I have got my lancers into all sorts of bother,but my infantry are standing firm,but the "Fort" has fallen-oh dear,how sad,never mind!!
Oh look,let's give them a big cheer,here come the Naval Brigade!!-too bloody late-both positions have fallen,and the Dervish/Haddendowah have been declared the winners!!!
One final shot of the "Junction"
As usual this colonial game was fast and furious,and good fun.
No-one came up with an idea for next week,so am I to suppose we won't be playing??
It would be nice to see some WW2 action,15mm or 28mm,or Napoleonics or ACW!! come on boys,give me some help.
A couple of readers asked if I would post some photo's of my 15mm Warrior Miniatures English Civil War figures,so here goes:-
Top photo is the Parliamentarian army,I have used most of the figures supplied,but still have a few Musketeers left over.Bottom photo is a detail of one of my regiments-9 pikes,1 standard bearer,2 officers and 8 musketeers,making a total of 20 figs.,and I have 4 regiments,plus........
An artillery piece,with 4 crew,and 9 cavalry figures-in the background you can see a Brigadier figure with 2 standard bearers,on for the green brigade and one for the russet brigade-not bad for the price!!
I have done exactly the same for the Royalists,and I have used the free flags from Warflags 25mm range for both armies.
Final two photo's-I am quite pleased with the results,but have had to adapt my "never great at the best of times" painting technique to suit these little devils!!
Top photo is the army that is sent(look at the price!!) and bottom is the extensive range that Warrior do-very impressive!
I get this publication sent every couple of months,and if you haven't already got onto it,you're missing out on hundreds of inexpensive books covering every conceivable period in history,including lots of wargaming ones.
Now for a conundrum.................................
I received this book in the post two weeks ago-I didn't order it,and don't know who did-it has been paid for(£4.51!)-I have asked friends and family if they sent it,but have no clue as to who did.It is a translation from Spanish to English,and contains some interesting illustrations(while not exactly accurate),but is a good read/reference for anyone studying the Zulu War. Can anyone out there enlighten me??
