Wednesday 9 October 2019

Sassanid Persians v Byzantines TtS

Two commands there folks - bloody expensive these elaborate cavalry units you know.

 It was time for a revenge game.

You may recall dear reader that the last time I took on the Mighty Steve with his newly acquired ex-Martin collection of Early Byzantines, I was given a good old fashioned thumping!

Capital T - THUMPING!!!

It was time for me to stop experimenting with the list and my false sense of tactical ability and play to the strength of the army which is good cavalry and a few Elephants for good measure.

We both made up 130 point lists for our game last night and what was surprising was just how little you get for that in a Persian Army.  Steve asked me on more than one occasion whether I had gotten mixed up in my composition however the TtS OOB Generator is always an accurate measure for Luddites such as myself.

The Central command

The left flank was entrusted to these few...the unhappy few...

A smallish command however full of good stuff

The bad guys deploy opposite

Lots of bow armed cavalry and light horse here

My universal ancient carts - ideal for every third camp in any scenario and a fine holder of ammunition chits

Its very lonely on the extreme flank of an army when you are only armed with a flimsy bow and a few crooked arrows


A nice view of my empty chair here folks - position A one would suggest for what is about to unfold

Byzantine Foot and bow

A few nifty manouvers and the heavy lads are on the move

Into those cavalry as quick as possible...who promptly evade

However we maintain the pursuit

On the left and centre action is entered into quickly

Byzantine bow fire is effective early in the piece as is the Sassanid fire

Steve's cavalry ride off and force the lights to evade.  Persian skirmishers occupy the rocky outcrop and a lone Persian Bow unit unleashes a torrent of missile fire ahead at the enemy

Byzantine cavalry have destroyed the Persians and a unit of Zhendayan cataphracts has been forced to turn to meet the threat

The Persian light horse are doing exactly what I need them to do - survive!

On the right the Persian advance continues unabated

However the evading of the enemy cavalry is slightly frustrating

The bow are now destroyed and the lights in the rough are isolated

The Persians are scattered however holding on across all fronts - only three victory medals left

Finally the elephants catch their tormentors - however the fatal blow cannot be delivered

Perhaps a light infantry speed hump


On the left the Cataphracts are up against it...but surviving

Having destroyed the Byzantine deep spear unit attention now turns to the other unit of foot with general.  A rearming of lances, a charge into the lads and the battle is won.  Victory for the King of Kings Carlo I.
...and there was much rejoicing!

Great game, great bloke to play against and most importantly a lot of laughs.

Monday 7 October 2019

American Civil War Confederates

The lads are on the move trying to skedaddle those 'Blue belly's"
 
Just a couple of quick shots of an an army that's been sitting dormant for far too long.  Though we originally had plans to use Regimental Fire and Fury for these, we now think we may give Black Powder a run to see how it plays for the period.

A mix of Dixon, Foundry and Perry in these formations

I do enjoy the Dixon range and I know some people dislike them.  for me the range, variation and fullness of their ACW range is unsurpassed
Always love a battery of rebel guns!

Really need to get the boys moving on having a game as we collectively have a LARGE number of painted and based figures.

Wednesday 2 October 2019

Empires, Eagles and Lions and the artwork of Mike Gilbert


That's a lovely caricature of Mike himself there as the unfortunate General devoid of his mount



I have posted before on this blog about my genuine affection for the old Napoleonic journal "Empires, Eagles and Lions".  For the uninitiated, it was a small black and white magazine with a manila/buff cover put out by the New Jersey Association of Napoleonic Wargamers...and it was brilliant!

The editorial team and its contributors researched all sorts of obscure topics that were of great interest to wargamers, especially those like myself in far off Western Australia seeking additional uniform details, regimental compositions or accounts of battles, formations and tactics often from primary sources.

One of my favorite aspects of the journal was the genuinely entertaining and magnificent artistic turns of the late Mike Gilbert.  He would draw up nearly every front cover with a snapshot of an article in that months edition, an amusing incident in one of their wargames made immortal in "Friday Night at the Fights"  or the hilarious "Encounters of the most unpleasant kind".

Mikes cover above was inspired by his wargame where, as an Austrian General, he was certainly "up against it!"

Jean Lochets Editorial and his take on the front cover

Add caption




The journal is now well and truly gone however I still flick through my old ones often.  Great memories and a great talent.

Wednesday 25 September 2019

Austrian Staff Command sets for 1805-07


Austrian Staff sets comprising Elite Miniatures with a few Connoisseur officers on foot

The Austrians for this project of mine have been slowly being built up in the past few years.  As always, I like to have historical orders of battle complete with regiments in the correct facing and the right uniform.  I know its a bit OCD however I would be reluctant to put out infantry in shako headgear rather than the leather casket for a battle in this 1805-07 era.

I know...pretty expensive decision making process right there let me tell you!

These figures are a combination of my painting as well as Brad Smiths, who I picked a couple of mounted Generals off at Cancon many years ago.  He did a wonderful job on them.

Slightly different angle.  I do like the sculpting style of Peter Moreby and those old Gilder specials are wonderful

 
The dark Oberock looks great on this figure  - a command stand for the Grenadier Reserves!

Some of the Austrian forces being raised for the period

I do very much like Elite Miniatures animation

Some Grenzer up on the shelf as well as an old Nathan painted "Austrian meets Russian" command stand

Some additional cavalry

A Hussar regiment waiting for me to get my backside into gear and add another three squadrons...at least!

Not far away now from putting down the brush, basing materials and varnish and playing a few games of General D'Armee with all these lads.

Sunday 22 September 2019

French General and staff

The base is now securely in the wargames figure cabinet awaiting deployment sometime soon


Just a quick post today as over the weekend I finally manged to finish a command base for the 1805-07 project.  These are a wonderful set of figures from Elite Miniatures from their "Collectors" range painted for me by Nathan at Elite Miniatures Australia some time ago.

Love the ADC mounting up

Not the best photo but you can certainly see the character in the figures
Great job by Nathan painting these up

I have been working on some Austrian Command bases as well so some shots of them tomorrow I think.

Monday 26 August 2019

Interested in your thoughts...

Green on the left and natural straw brown on the right...now...which style to pursue?

Hi folks.

I have an interesting dilemma which I am keen to get some feedback on from the wargaming fraternity.

For my 1805-07 project as well as the impending Peninsular project for 2020, I have wanted to depict the figures in a somewhat "1980"s style "Miniature Wargames", "Wargames Illustrated" complete with the mounted Colonel on the different style command base etc.  For me this was the magic period of Peter Gilder Connoisseurs and Hinchcliffe armies with wonderful animated figures on nearly every colour plate.

Elite Miniatures Line battalion with green tufts highlighted yellow

The same unit in close up.

I have been tearing and cutting apart various mates to use as tufts and have generally left them unpainted.  However a recent experiment with some Vallejo Military Green and a dry brush of Humbrol yellow gave me an overall effect which I found quite fetching.

The brown colour doesn't look out of place though

Skirmisher bases once again showing the green on the left and the brown on the right

I do love this range of Elite Miniatures figures.  These are on a three man base for deployment in General D'Armee

Austrians in case you thought your eyes were deceiving you

A side view of a foot battery with the green tufts



I am generally torn on this one and so I am keen to see what other passionate wargamers may think.