SAD NEWS

I have not put up many reports in the past month as my close wargaming friend Hugh Wilson died suddenly at the beginning of April.  Hugh was recovering at home from an operation on his knee when he suffered a DVT.  It was completely unexpected.  Hugh was 55 and one of the younger members of our gaming group.  I cannot recall him ever being ill.

Hugh is a great loss to our gaming as he staged and built the terrain used in some of our best ever games as you can read in my blog reports.

He was a very good friend, a great enthusiast, who will be very sadly missed.

A happy Hugh presenting Bart with a wooden spoon at one of his games.

Bart Zynda  has written a report on this sad news with photos of many of Hugh’s gaming tables see

http://asienieboje.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/very-sad-news-bardzo-smutna-wiadomosc.html

28MM MORE NAPOLEONIC REINFORCEMENTS

In the past 2 months I have added more troops to my Napoleonic collection.  I have completed the brigade of Kleve-Berg infantry as supports for my French army.  I also added another brigade of 4 battalions of Russian infantry plus a regiment of French hussars.

I bought the figures ready painted from South Africa and I added some more shading and rebased them.  The Russians were my official birthday present from my wife.   The French and Berg flags come from Warflags whilst the Russian flags come from the excellent Napoleon rules Russian flag download.

French 9th Hussars

Kleve-Berg infantry

Petrovsk infantry with 1803 pattern flag

Chernigov or Sevsk infantry with a 1813 St George's flag

28MM Muskets and Tomahawks Weekend

This weekend I was away at Kirriemuir for a meeting of the League of Gentlemen Wargamers. I organised the French Indian War games which used Muskets and Tomahawks.

On the first day we had 6 2 player games setup and on the second day a single 6 player a side game on a 24 ft long table.  Overall it proved to be a French victory.

The games identified that we lacked certain troop types and that has given me another project for the coming year.  It was all very enjoyable - here are some photos.

View of the escape scenario game

Settlers must die scenario

West end of the big game - Kevin and Charles Snr

View over the big table - Steve Rimmer surveying the position

Peter Henderson's superb scratch built French fort

My British fort - by Stronghold

Outer defences of the British fort

French Indian amphibious assault on the outer defences of the British fort

Angus Konstam has written a fuller report on his blog at
http://www.edinburghwargames.com/Journal%20116.htm

28MM BLACK POWDER: PORTUGAL 1810

Here are my photos from Wednesday nights Napoleonic game set in Spain using Black Powder rules.  I came up with the scenario and supplied all the 'French' and Portuguese troops while Hugh Wilson supplied the British infantry  and all the terrain.  The table we used was 12ft long and 5ft wide.  Dave O’Brien, Dave Mitchell, Ian Carter and Hugh commanded the allied troops while Bart Zynda, Tim Watson and I took charge of the French.

View from north of the field

The British had 8 line battalions incl 2 veterans, 2 rifle detachments, 3 Portuguese militia battalions, 2 light cavalry regiments and 2 guns.  The French had 12 line battalions incl 3 veterans, 2 light cavalry regiments and 4 guns. 

Portuguese militia defend allied far left flank

The French made some amazing command rolls in the centre which allowed them to quickly close with the enemy and break some British regiments. It looked as if the battle could be over by move four .  However eventually the Allies started to make more of a fight of it and slowed up the French on both flanks but could not stop them claiming a victory.

Bart has written a report of the game on his blog
http://asienieboje.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/road-in-spain-droga-w-hiszpanii.html#comment-form

French centre hits home on the British lines

Action on the British left- after Portuguese militia lose the flanking farm

Scottish Battlefields Trust Show Prestonpans 20 February

On Saturday I went to the Scottish Battlefields Trusts first wargames show held at the Gothenburg pub in Prestonpans. Enjoyable small show with some good displays.

Possibly a unique venue as the Gothenburg has it's own micro-brewery. Recommend the porter and 80 shilling.  Here are photos of  some of the games. Will be back next year.

ECW Game

ECW Game

Warriors from the Gododdin game

Flodden game

Border Riever game

VAPNARTAK 2016 YORK

I went with Falkirk Wargames Club to Vapnartak at York on Sunday. An enjoyable day but it is long coach trip. Met lots of friends at my first show of the year. Here are photos from 3 of the games - Battle of Prestonpans 1715, the Alamo and the Siege of Bokhara in the Russian Civil War.

Battle of Prestonpans in a very developed East Lothian 

Cockenzie harbour

Bolshevik armoured train and Mongol auxilaries

Bolshevik Gotha over Bokhara railway station

Blue mosque of Bokhara

The long perimeter of the Alamo.

The Chapel at the Alamo

20MM RAPID FIRE: LISSJANKA 1944

On Thursday I played a 1944 Eastern Front Rapid Fire scenario at the SESWC.  It was the Lissjanka scenario from
http://www.worldoptions.com.au/fourpipers/…/lissjankarf2.pdf

It proved a bloodbath and a draw. Luckily the Soviets go first in the game and I managed to decimate the leading Panther unit with my Pakfronts first volley.   I provided the Red Army (sadly I forgot my Sturmovik) and Bart provided the Germans.

Pakfront faces massed German armour

Soviet armoured reserves - Frontline resin T34/76s

Bart's burning Panthers

Here is the Red Army OB all regular

Elements 5th Guards Tank Corps

20th Tank Brigade

HQ T34/76, BA64 a/car

1st, 2nd & 3rd Battalions each 2 x T34/76 (AT3)

1499th Anti-tank Artillery Regiment

16 figures, 4 x 76.2mm ATG, 4 x medium trucks

Motor rifle battalion (test @ 20 casualties)

HQ CO + 3 figures, ATR, car
1st, 2nd and 3rd Companies each 8 figures, medium truck
HW Company 12 figures, MMG, 82mm mortar, 57mm ATG
37mm AA, 3 x medium truck
Gun Company 3 figures, 76.2mm ATG, medium truck

Sturmovik 2 x 37mm, 2 x light bombs