Thursday 21 December 2017

Work has begun on the ACW reinforcements.


As promised, I am showing all the reinforcements I ordered out of the bags. In fact, flash has been removed, there was very little of it, the bases filed flat, all washed and scrubbed in soapy water and finally stuck onto lolly (Popsicle) sticks. Last night I hand primed them, it has been to wet and damp outside to use a rattle can.


All the guys laid out ready for painting.




Dismounted Union troopers and horse holders.



Mounted Confederate troopers, enough for five regiments of nine figures, to be split in a 4 and 5 on 30 x 30 mm bases,



Dismounted Confederate troopers and horse holders.



Mounted Union troopers, exact same numbers as the Confederates.



Finally, the generals for both sides. I miscalculated here, I could have done with more flag holders, I only have a total of six. Baccus are fine if you contact them, which is what I will do in the new year and request a pack of 15 standard bearers. They will supply any pose you wish, to the same amount of figures and price of a standard pack.


They will do the job for now, as I really need a Union VI Corps commanders base for my ongoing campaign. I shall probably use all of them for the Union, as I do have enough Confederates for now.

Tuesday 19 December 2017

ACW reinforcements arrive.


Probably my final update on this blog before Christmas, so season's greeting to all who read this, and even to those who don't.

My small Baccus order arrived this morning. It will allow me now to create some cavalry regiments for both sides on 30 x 30 mm bases, something I don't currently have. I was also a bit light in cavalry anyway, so these new boys will solve that problem.

I took the opportunity to order a command pack for both sides too, I needed some more divisional and corps commander stands.




The Corps flags will be placed with the Corps Commander, rather than the Stars and Stripes for late war era battles.




Sorry for poor photo quality, I will show them when cleaned up and ready for painting. The two command packs.



Dismounted cavalry and horse holders.



Mounted cavalry, enough for five regiments of nine minis each side.


As I am currently fighting a mini-campaign, the reports are over on the TtC Blog page. These guys will get bumped up the painting queue as I need the smaller sized bases for showing column.

Thursday 14 December 2017

On the painting desk from now until April.

I am now back home in the city for winter, and I now have access to my mancave once again. However, the large table has been disassembled as it was too large and heavy for wargaming, it was originally built for a model railway. With that out of the way, I now have a 5' x 2' 6" folding table. Though obviously smaller, it is far more practicable for this small room. A 6' x 4' piece of MDF or similar, will be purchased, and it can sit on top of the table for larger battles when required. At other times the table is both my paint station and computer station.

For the next three and a half months I shall be concentrating mainly, but not exclusively, on 28mm figures. I ordered the Conquest Games Normans to do battle with my Anglo-Danes and Vikings.




I went for a single box of Archers.


Two boxes each of Knights and infantry, that should give me all the troops I need. I also want these guys to double up as early crusaders, to battle against my Saracen army. I am not sure which way to go for basing yet, either singly the same as the Vikings and Anglo-Danes, or four infantry figures per base as the Saracens.



I am currently working on the 4 point Viking warband from Saga, these are the metal figures to go alongside my already completed plastics. I also have a 4 point Anglo-Dane set to paint up as well.



I can now also return to my Imagi-Nations project, I still have one cavalry and three infantry regiments to paint, as well as metal command figures and gun limbers from Front Rank.



With thoughts of a much smaller area once I return to the coast in April, I ordered a 10mm Marlburian British starter army from Pendraken. It all comes in one bag, with a couple of artillery pieces, limbers and crew, in a smaller bag. I have already cleaned these guys up and am very impressed with the sculpts. I need to order both mounted and dismounted dragoons and some mounted officers as they don't come in the starter bag, nor do any figures in the shooting pose.



Having now seen the quality, my next order will be the French starter army with the required extras as mentioned above. This will be my project over the summer to build the basis of two Wars of the Spanish Succession armies. Other nationalities will be added in due course.


Finally, I am awaiting delivery of an order from Baccus. I was very short of cavalry for my ACW armies, as well as officers for basing as Divisional and Corps commanders. The cavalry will be based on 30 x 30mm bases as opposed to the 60 x 30mm I currently have. This will allow for column on roads etc. much as I did with the infantry I completed last winter. I hope to do some work on these over the winter to enable me to take them all back with me in April. The 6 and 10mm are ideal for the small space I have available during the summer months. All the 28mm will remain here, for use over winter months.

Monday 23 October 2017

C&C Napoleonics - Eylau Plateau, Russian Rearguard 7th February 1807.

For my first dive into the Russian Army expansion, I have selected this interesting looking scenario.

Historical Info: Marshal Soult's IV Corps, along with elements of Marshal Murat's cavalry, reached the plateau before Eylau in the early afternoon, and immediately attacked. Prince Bagration's rearguard put up a stubborn resistance, repulsing the initial attack. Marshal Augereau and the French Guard arrived later to join Soult. Bagration's force was forced to retire in good order back through de Tolly's troops who were defending Eylau. The delaying action allowed the Russian artillery under Bennigsen to deploy in a defensive position on the heights beyond Eylau.

This is a seven victory banner game, both sides have five command cards, and the French move first.
A special rule exists for this scenario, the French claim an instant victory if they occupy any Eylau town hex at the start of their turn.




A mixture of hills and frozen lakes, dominate the table before the village of Eylau which consists of two spaced out building hexes as well as a church hex.



The initial deployment of the armies.



The Russian now make a pre-battle Mother Russia roll which can give reinforcements, as laid out below. Hopefully it is readable.





Tactics: As the Russian commander, I have to protect Eylau to prevent a sudden death victory. Rightly or wrongly, I have assigned all the tokens on my right and centre before the village. The French will find it very difficult to reach the village with a head on assault. My left flank is weaker, but the French units will have further to travel. With the correct cards, I feel I can hold the village and destroy seven of the enemy for the victory.

As for the French. The Russians are too strong on my left flank, I shall feint against those forces. My main point of attack will be on my right flank and centre, the objective being to destroy seven enemy units, rather than try and capture Eylau.

A full report is on my You Tube channel and also posted to the Tabletop Commanders FB page.

A selection of photos from the battle.











The second scenario for Eylau is also posted on my YT channel, with a full photographic battle report.

In other news, I have backed my first ever kick starter. The Hundred Years War game of Joan of Arc. It is a hex board game with 15 mm plastic miniatures. Not sure how the game mechanics will suit me, but you do get a ton of minis which look to be superb sculpts. I have gone for the maiden pledge, which gives me one copy of the core game plus all the stretch goals.
I have also opted for two expansions, Big Battles and Siege. The former gives a lot more troops and the latter comes complete with a castle and siege engines. If I am not overly impressed with the rules, all the minis can. and will, be used for other rule sets.


Wednesday 9 August 2017

C&C Napoleonics - Ocana (Cavalry Action) 18th November 1809.

For my third and final test battle using the Spanish Army expansion, I have chosen the cavalry action at Ocana. Light, heavy and a single Spanish Cuirassier unit. The French also have two batteries of horse artillery.

In the real battle, our old friend General Milhaud encountered three Spanish cavalry divisions under the command of General Freire. General Paris' light division of hussars attacked, and cut the Spanish light cavalry to pieces, but were then forced back when the Spanish heavy cavalry reserves made a counter attack. Milhaud then led his dragoons and sent the Spanish cavalry fleeing from the field.

This was one of the largest cavalry actions of the whole Peninsular War, and with the Cuirasssiers fully engaged elsewhere in Europe against the Austrians, this action helped the French Dragoons establish themselves as the premier heavy cavalry in the Peninsular.




Excellent cavalry country.



Initial deployment of forces.

As the Spanish commander, I don't want to make the same mistake as my historical predecessor. I know my hussars are weaker in combat than their French equivalent, so would like to have my heavy cavalry in close support. I would also prefer the French to attack me, this way if they wished to use their horse artillery, they would have to order it forward.

Looking from the French perspective. I would like to move my horse artillery forward if possible, to harry the light cavalry. My heavies are already in close support, and I wish to keep it that way. Dependent on the cards, a swift attack on the enemy light cavalry, before their supporting heavies can get involved would be ideal.

This is a seven victory banner scenario, The French have six cards, the Spanish five. The latter also start with one Guerrilla token. The French move first.



End of Turn One. One unit each of horse artillery and hussars advance on the French right flank, bringing the guns into range next turn. The two Spanish generals attach themselves to units and a light cavalry unit on the extreme left flank advances into line.



Horse artillery will have a target as the Spanish flank unit moves into range.



The two Spanish generals attach to units of heavy cavalry.



Spanish hussars in line.



End of Turn Two. More organising, as the two French generals attach themselves to a hussar (Paris), and a dragoon (Milhaud). The horse artillery unleashes a salvo at long range and pushes back one unit of light cavalry on the extreme flank. The Spanish begin to move forward their heavy cavalry.



French generals now attached to units.



The horse artillery making a nuisance of itself.



The Spanish heavy cavalry move forward to support the lights. I am careful to leave retreat paths, should the French charge.



All quiet before the storm.



End of Turn Three. Disaster for the French! General Paris leads four units of hussars on a charge at the enemy light cavalry.



The left most unit attacked and forced the enemy back one hex, they followed up with a cavalry breakthrough, but only managed another flag. In the centre the hussars caused some casualties on two enemy light cavalry units, but took severe hits in return.


Spanish General Rivas, with his heavy cavalry smash into the weakened unit of General Paris, destroying it, the general perished with them.



Two victory points to the Spaniards.



The French hussars did cause some casualties.



The Spaniards play the Guerrilla token, which takes away the French turn.


General Burnuy and his heavies, smash the weakened unit of hussars, as do the light cavalry beside him. Both French units are destroyed.



The Spanish now on four victory banners, and most of the French hussars are now off the table.



End of Turn Four, and end of battle!



The French played the La Grande Manouevre card, which allowed four dragoon units to thunder forward up to four hexes, but not battle. The Spanish had the Give them cold steel card, which gave an extra die to attack any enemy unit in an adjacent hex. Buoyed by their success already, General Rivas charged and destroyed one full unit of dragoons, carried out a cavalry breakthrough, and smashed into a second full unit of dragoons. This unit was also totally destroyed.



General Burney charged General Milhaud's unit, destroying three blocks, the French failed to hit on the battle back. The icing on the cake, was the Spanish lights charging into Milhaud's sole remaining block, destroying both it and the general. Game Over.



A sorry sight for the French, the Spanish actually have eight victory banners, as Milhaud also counts. Final result was 8 - 0.


That battle ended much sooner than I expected, the French had lousy cards, the Spanish had cards everywhere they were needed, the playing of the Guerrilla token, to rob the French of an activation, and the amazing dice rolling, did the rest. Very enjoyable, if somewhat short.

Next up I shall crack open the Russian Army expansion, see what Ivan can do against the French.