Autumn Skirmish from my bit of heaven!

Yesterday I was at a small and local show. So I shall do a show report later, but first the loot. Not the biggest haul I grant you and Only 1 "Impulse Buy" . I say Impulse buy as it was pre-ordered but following the show I am not sure it is needed. Oh well I am sure It shall find a home in a project at sometime.
Here's what I got.

• Spray Varnish. I had nearly run out so as easy to stock up at the show as to get anywhere else.
• 4 Pots of Paint. All replacement colours except the Purple. Ony the 2nd Purple I have bought in my life and the first one (an old GW one) dried up in the hot weather.
• 50mmx50mm mdf Bases. Yes I do need these and not for cavalry as has been suggested. Ray dis ask and I said I need them for Medic stands. (See later in the week)
• And a Victorian Photographer. (This now turn out to be an impulse buy as I scrap some plans and move forward with others.

Things arising: Well this is out of Order. But following the show I was relieved to be left with a feeling of wargaming Brotherly love. But also some disappointment. I did have plans for games at shows next year but they have been quashed. However I do have New ideas. Victorian Photographer is no longer needed, but back to the 6mm scale which I love!

The games:


Medway wargames Society
Dave and Paul
Playing a 28mm Fantasy game

15mm Dragon Rampant.
This is my kind of game.
Would have quite happily swapped.
"The Old Guard"

Another game I would quite like to be involved in.
28mm Crusades "Soldiers of God "Rules
I forgot the club name
 

A Roman Skirmish game
Sorry I forget the rules and the club.
28mm if that helps at all.
(Think Broken Legions but not sure)

Maidstone Wargames Club
28mm WW1
Much more Info on "Whisperin Al's Blog"
I say this without checking as he was one of the players.

28mm Skirmish wargames Club.
North Africa 1918 French Foreign Legion against Berbers
Using their own rules.

"Privateers of London club
For once NOT doing a naval game which they tend to.
20mm, Unknown rules.

Milton Hundreds Club
(You meet in Sittingbourne so why you do not call yourself the
Sittingbourne Wargames Club, I do not know)
15mm Team Yankee Rules.

Herne Bay/Whistable club.
20mm WW2 Using Rules of Engagement (I think)
Larry and Dave
2 nicer wargamers it is hard to meet.



Gravesend (I think) put on a couple of games
Blood bowl or the right
and "0mm Rapid Fire (I think) on the left.

Our club Game. Yes it was 28mm Napolionic (A period I dislike because of the way others feel it is both important to get the details right (You cannot use that figure as it has the wrong colour buttons, they were Brass and not bronze!). You get the idea!

28mm Black Powder rules French vs Prussian

My start area
Peter and Alex opposite me
Graham on the right

Bob and later Gary were also playing French.
All tarrain and Troops were supplied by Tim

I got of to a good start and all my units could move in my first turn.
And then the Dice gods failed me!
I had about 3 turns in a row of doing nothing!

See Positions exactly the  same for me.
Luckily  Peter opposite was also luck with the dice.
And while he was at times able to shoot the Majority
of his Landwere did about as much as my French
Which is to say NOTHING!

Finally able to move my Hussars they charged the Skirmishers.
Which held!
Not sure that would have been a real life outcome but the dice gods hate me at times.
Nothing else to say.

 Overall this is about as far as I got with the game. partially as the show was winding down and partially because I lost interest.

Napolionics... Hmm I would rather play tiddly winks.

Thanks for looking More in 2 days as I work on some terrain and some Gruntz specialists. very tempted to get side tracked, thinking Renaissance Italians! But do not hold me to that!

All the best and thanks for looking!

Chosen Men (Trial game)

Yesterday at the club we had a game of "Chosen Men" the Osprey rules. Tim provided everything, troops terrain rules etc. So All I had to do was turn up and play. Firstly let me say I do not like Napoleonic's so I am always going to be a bit sceptical so take most of what follows with a pinch of salt. 4 played (Matt and Bob (as the French) Grahame and Myself (as the Prussians and not as Matt insisted on calling us "the Vile Huns!")

It was all 28mm size and did look nice, But I am sorry not my thing at all period wise.

Most of the Battlefield
Me on the Left, Grahame or the right.

My troops
" Line Infantry Units and 1 Landwier

Grahams troops
3 Line units and a Skirmisher Unit
 

I was opposite Matt
BOB sat down diagonally opposite me
he chose NOT to face me.
The Rotter.

So infantry move 4" a turn
I must admit I dithered with the Unit in the middle
and could have played them better in the first few turns

As Predicted Matt initially sought cover
Behind a hedge. But as he found it did not provide much protection
Decided to advance

On the Right Grahamwas fighting a good fight and
Bob was sufferng

Coming out from behind the hedge, Matt's troops
very quickly closed the ground and decided to see how the
melee combat worked.
It worked well for him and erhm.. not quite as well for me!

My Landweir were driven back and then slaughtered.
(Not one survived)
Creating a hole in the line.
But my unit now in the trees
 were able to bring a devastating fire on Matts
troops that had not charged

On the left matt's line unit was reduced to a single officer
I refused to shoot a single officer with a whole unit
It strikes me as the act of a Cad.

Graham is fought to a stand still by Bob
And that wall is the contest of SEVERAL melees by both sides.

With the hole in the line
Matt tries to encircle Graham.
And Graham is forced to give up possession of the wall

Towards the end of the game.
Bob throws first one unit and then the next
at Grahams troops
All the skirmishers from both sides are down to but 3-4 figures each

A big scrum in the right with all the surviving units
(except mine and one of Bobs) Involved
Both me and Bob were engaged in killing anything else trying the join the fight
which was very successful and nothing over 1/3rd strength got into the action.

 

Conclusion: Whether it was a plan well executed or lucky dice roll need not be worried about here. The result was Clear. The Prussians were able to fight of the continued French attacks and as a result we won. Yes another win for me! I know I know this winning is becoming a bad habit.

Thoughts on the rules. Yes they worked, were they what I would call a skirmish game NO> We had 12 men to a unit and 7 units on each side. Some may say this is a skirmish but not for me. I have seem FAR to many people playing Napoleonic's were 12 figures represents a whole regiment, and not a squad or section. Tim put far too many officers in the game. In the end Melee there were at one point MORE officers fighting than men. To me the balance seemed wrong. But as it was his first game getting the balance right was always going to be tricky.

A fun day and I will try the rules again, but the whole period is not one I enjoy. So perhaps I am bias. Sometimes you come home from the club full of enthusiasm unfortunately I cannot claim this was the case this time. I am not complaining you simply cannot like every game. That would prove impossible for me.

But a fun day and nice guys and a chance to roll some dice. Maybe next time though I may sit the game out if at the club, obviously not at a a show (which I know will be next!)

First try

Yes my very first try of painting French Napoleonic's in any scale. So pleas point out anything the is wrong. So I can get better. I do not need anyone to get super fussy. If they look all right simply say so. IF you want to talk about the thread count of the linings then kindly find another victim.

Pedantic rivet counters are invited to keep their own council. Just generally do they look suitable for the wargames table?

Having Never painted French before I really did struggle to get these close to being right but I do realise I may have made a god awful gaff. So if it is glaringly obvious please point it out.

The figures are 28mm VICTRIX plastic and I have started the next 4 as well. Tim wants them in units of 12 for a game so any quick help would be appreciated.

Empress Maria Theresa

 Well something a little different, not a leather stocking in sight. Nor a gun, sword axe or other weapon of war. Back in 2013 when I entered the Analogue Painting Challenge, Kawe of Westfalia Miniatures offered each participant a limited edition figure. And here is mine painted up. I received it during the Salute show and at the time though "I have no use for this!" But then I got thinking. Yeah I know It's dangerous. Now I don't know who this figure was in real life, I am sure I could do the research but lets be blunt I am just too lazy to do so!

The figure is 25mm and not 28mm but that is not an issue because people all come in different sizes in real life and it is not uncommon to see people of 5 feet tall and those of 6 feet tall stood in close proximity. So undaunted I set about splashing some colour on her! Given that modern dying techniques were not used prior to 1846 I went for a Peach or coral pink for her gown with lighter pink for the lace and trimmings. Simply because I saw this shade of pink on "Poldark TV Series" worn by "Verity" in one episode, and if the colour was acceptable for the BBC I knew it would be OK for me as well. That may sound like a weak solution but it works for me.

So what will I use the figure for? Well I think it will go in my 3 Musketeer collection, but it could equally well go in with Settlers in the Americas used against my French Indian wars Indians. So not of the greatest use to me but another figure done and dusted, varnished and put away.

I did find here hard to paint but that is probably just my ineptitude and a better painter may have no problems at all. I found the face in particular a challenge but I think it came out OK so I am not displeased at all.

And finally my cousin has returned this week from a vacation in Australia. As such I was given a packet od Australian sweets to try. The chocolate outside was nice but I did not like the interior. I thought looking at the packet that it might be soft and chewy, but it was hard instead. And while I am delighted to have tried them I don't think I will ever again.

So that's a late post for me today as to be honest I was not expecting to finish the figure today at all. I am not sure what will be finished just yet but with luck I should have something finished in a couple more days. So until next time., take care, slap some paint on a figure or two or maybe play a game. All the Best from Kent, England>

Cheers Clint

It is all over now!

Firstly let me get my apologise out of the way. I am sorry this is a day late I just had real life get in the way and lost track of time.

This is the final turn of my first PPB Game and I will just write up the actions of the turn. Next weekend I will do a break down of what worked and what didn't. Victory points and a conclusion. So just hold on till then before offering congratulations and commiserations.

I also need to apologise to Lee as last turn I turned his ship the wrong way. Totally my fault as I turned it right instead of left that he ordered. It had no impact this turn but it so easily could have and Lee was very understanding and there was no speaking of walls and being lined up when the revolution came.

The turn sequence had the Spanish moving first and then the British shooting. This worked both for and against them.  Only one ship was able to shoot but it was sufficient in a David and Goliath way to make another ship strike it's colours.

So here is the final situation. It has taken nearly 6 moths to reach this outcome. And a really big thanks for all those that have followed it and more thanks to all the players for taking part each is very valued in their own way.

 Unicornico turns so that she has enough of the wind to move. While HMS Badger now back in British hands still does not have sufficient fighting crew to continue having struck its colours much earlier in the game. HMS Inconsistent (now in Spanish hands) is down to a single mast and in a bad way. But still able to sail.

 HMS Cutlass a frigate manages to get the only shot of the turn completely de-masts San Francis which can only turn AND does enough crew hits to render San Francis unable to carry on and she therefore strikes her colours. Just before she can fire back. (which would have hurt HMS Cutlass quite a lot).

 HMS Agamemnon Sails out of arc of fire and heads towards HMS Pachyderm and El Interceptor.

 Mecedes heads directly towards a shoal but is out of arc when Pachyderm gets the opportunity to fire so escapes this turn un harmed.

Captain Hadley sets himself up perfectly to Bow rake El Interceptor next turn. However El Interceptor is within one turn of escaping from the board with very little damage. So with all the Spanish ships of the line either escaped or captured and only two frigates and a prize left on the board I feel little choice in calling the game over.

Due to the damages and lost ships and of course prizes I have to acknowledge this as a MINOR British Victory. 4 or 5 weeks ago I would have thought it was going to be a Spanish Victory.

Well played everyone. I have had a blast sorting the game out and I will sum the game up next weekend.

All the best Clint

Turn 22 Results

Boy! is it cold up that garage! Yes it is that time of the week again for another turn. And as you can see from the turn sequence it did come out in a remarkable even way this time.

As aleways I have started with an overall shot than then worked from left hand closest the land towards the front and then anticlockwise but this time only as far as the front.

HMS Inconsistent gets underway with a single mast. This ship is now in Spanish control as the Spanish flag has been raised and the Union Jack lowered. 

 HMS Cutlass was able to cross the T and bow rake the "San Francis" All the while HMS Agamennon fired a full broadside into the poor ship. Which is still afloat despite a direct hit to the powder store. (Red Joker Damage card was drawn).

 Mecedes sails back across the middle of the table and with HMS Pachyderm with problems of her own may just make it to freedom and the merchant ships in the Med!

 El Interceptor makes exactly the right move and IF the cards are favourable next turn will bow rake HMS Pachyderm with a complete intact undamaged broadside at point blank range. (Needing 2+ to hit with each firepower factor and causing double damage.

 Unicornico facing directly into the wind issued no turn orders so simply drifted in the tides and currents while the drinks cabinet was re-stocked!

Just one lucky shot and it is all over for Lucky Lee. Or Lee could go for the ram!

Well folks that's it for another week. I shall issue damage reports to all the ships either later today or by midday Monday.

All the best folks and brace yourself for the new year!