This week - Review of LAOK and some new troops

I did not get to any games this week so I have added a new page with a review of  The Last Argument of Kings from Warlord games.  This is the first official supplement to Black Powder.

In addition I have completed basing up more troops that I had painted by Reinforcements By Post in Bangladesh.  There are some reinforcements for the upcoming 1812 Russian Campaign anniversary and the first elements of a long term project for a Prussian Army to help out in the 1813-14 anniversaries.  Bases are MDF from Warbases, Silflor tufts from Mutineer Miniatures, flags by GMB and Maverick.  Here are some photos:



Frontrank Polish Lancers of the Guard



Steve Barber Dismounted Russian Pskov Dragoons

  

Steve Barber Cossack horse artillery crew



Calpe Prussian 5th Dragoons Brandenburg


 

Calpe Prussian 2nd Dragoons West Prussia


 

Calpe Prussian Foot Artillery



Belgium August 1914

This weeks game at the SESWC was a 28mm WWI game. Colin Jack and I have built up a collection of early war figures for Germany, Britain, France and Belgium so we decided to try out the Contemptible Little Armies rules for that period. The figures are by Renegade except for the pluckly Belgians who are by Brigade.  Colin came up with a fictional scenario of a Franco-Belgian counter-attack in August 1914.

German infantry at edge of village.  MG in building on left.

The Setup
The game was fought across a 8ft by 6ft table. The Belgians commanded by Colin attacked on the left flank to take 2 low hills held by the Germans under Bart Zynda whilst I with the French attacked a village held by Germans commanded by Hugh Wilson.

Belgian grenadiers take the walled field

How the game played
On the left wing 4 units of Belgian infantry made good progress against the Germans who decided to advance to meet them head-on with their 2 battalions. The arival of a Minerva armoured car proved decisive and the Belgians pushed the initial Germans back, taking the 2 low hills and wiping out them and their supporting Mg and artillery. They then held their ground against a counterattack by 2 fresh German battalions.

French close on the village - just seconds from disaster

On the right I was not so successful. My French who were rated as Ferocious in attack suffered heavy casualties and 2 battalions were destroyed by mg and rifle fire trying to reach the village. One of the battalions of 18 figures was wiped out in single turn without ever causing any casualties. The situation was saved by the charges of the French Chasseurs D'Afrique and the Belgian Guides who broke a German battalion. Two fresh French battalions then advanced to renew the attack on the village. An attack by german cavalry was held of but with heavy losses. We concluded that the game was an allied victory....but at heavy cost.

Chasseurs D'Afrique charge home...sabre vs picklehaube

The Rules
They work okay if you like removing massive numbers of casualties. However you can always recycle the troops back onto the table as we did in this game..

TARGE 2011

This Saturday I went to the Kirriemuir Wargames Club's show Targe 2011.

Colin Jack, Hugh Wilson and I put together a 28mm display of the action by the Canadian forces at St Lambert Sur Dives part of the Battle of the Falaise Pocket. The inspiration for this game came from Colin buying a Corgi M3 halftrack which turned out to be Canadian. Further research into the unit it was from led Colin to produce the display. Colin provided the scenario and all the troops whilst Hugh and I supplied some of the missing terrain items. We actually played out the display using the Rules of Engagement - with late arriving support it proved to be a Canadian vistory.

Canadians in St Lambert

Here is a link to my flickr photoset from the show.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157628119552296/

My highlights from the show were the Border Reivers Dublin game set in the Irish Civil War 1922, the League of Augsburgs demo of the latter part of the Battle of the Boyne, The Iron Brigades ECW game and the Buchan Wargames Group very snowy game of Crossing the Berezina 1812.

Dublin 1922 - Free State troopers in action

The show had certainly grown this year - with a further room being used for displays.   I got some bargains at the Bring and Buy and stocked up on some necessities for the long winter months as Targe is my last show of the year.

My thanks to Dale Smith for all the effort he and his fellow club members put into it's organisation..

LOA - Williamite troops including the Dutch Guards

Link to the Targe website
http://www.kirriemuirwargames.co.uk/Targe.shtml

Refight of Brandywine 11 September 1777

This Saturday we refought Brandywine 1777.


Patriot militia engage the Hessians

I have added a specific page with a full description of the scenario, ob, rules used etc to the list of Pages.

My thanks to Hugh Wilson for providing the venue and building the vast bulk of the terrain we used.

My special thanks to Suzanne Wilson for providing the game specific etnic cuisine.  It was really great - boston bean stew, cornbread, sour dough bread and pumpkin pie.  Very tasy and much appreciated by the mob of 9 hungry wargamers.

Here also is the link to FlickR photoset with descriptions of the photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157628061558768/

Hessian Grenadiers break the Massachusetts who carry away George Washington...

Bill