Returning Soon!

 I have been away for a while now but plan to resume soon. I have been studying for a PhD which has taken up rather a lot of my time and left me disinclined to write anything. However, it has given me ideas for new games and the wargaming hasn't been entirely neglected. Here is quick taste of what I've been up to; there may be full reports on some of these battles coming up! 

I have a new small table downstairs to distract me from my studies with ... well small games. This one involved little plastic pirate ships and sea monsters...

10mm Marlburians sauntered out a few times.

Here they are again - I quite liked the Old School aesthetic.

Up in the loft there has even been some Fantasy Gaming!

Those of a nervous disposition may wish to look away - it was all to encourage the young and ensure me a steady opponent in years to come - all to naught it seems but I did try!

More normal fodder but different period - Marston Moor 1644!

I painted quite a lot of these so there will be more!

Just to keep it fresh (and show off my extensive collection) I have bounced around many periods here some early WW2 Eastern Front action in the Brody Triangle.

I can't actually remember who won...

Sorry - more fantasy - Mordheim this time - Do shout out if any of this interests you and I'll do a post or two on it...

And, of course, there has been more of this kind of thing... Wagram refought with actual human opponents provided by the Yorkshire Research Group over two days.

 

Thann 1809

 The 1809 obsession continues. I was just about to move on from the events of 19th April when this popped up on a popular auction site:

I don't know if any of you recall this series but basically, Peter Heath was doing in the 80s what I am trying to do now - namely recreate historic battles in an accurate and hopefully enjoyable manner. He published a series of pamphlets detailing particular battles which were advertised in wargames magazines - I'd never actually owned any until now. This one covers all the battles of 19th April 1809 but I had already done quite a bit around Teugn/Hausen etc. so concentrated on the action just to the south where the Bavarians were deployed. In reality, Thierry was pretty much abandoned to fight the whole of VII Corps by himself but there were substantial Austrian forces nearby that only arrived late in the day despite their proximity. I included some of these troops otherwise it wouldn't have been much of a game. 

The table - Austrian V Korps are bottom left; Thierry's Brigade are in the centre around Kirchdorf and that's the Bavarians on the left approaching Biburg. I had to double the size of my Bavarian army for this battle - luckily had a few 'in stock'.

Starting Positions:

Thierry's Brigade occupies the high ground.

While the home team moves towards Biburg.

Turn 1:

A Bavarian General (probably Deroy) observes the enemy. (All figures converted from the Italeri Imperial General Staff set).

Biburg is occupied.

The Bavarians advance across their front - here Wrede orders up his cavalry and the heavy guns of the Corps Reserve.

                                            

                                            The Austrians seek to consolidate their position.
              

                    Thierry shakes out his force and establishes contact with Pfanzelter to his right.   

Turn 2:

Wrede moves up south of Biburg to intercept advancing elements of the Austrian V Korps.

 

Thierry remains out of range and so there is no action in the centre but Pfanzelter fires his battery to no effect.                   

.... And the guns of V Korps also echo across the valley but do the Bavarians no harm.

Turn 3:

The Bavarian left advances against Pfanzelter.

They move uphill against his Grenzer and overrun his sole artillery battery. Although the Grenzer prevail, the position is outflanked and the brigade seriously outnumbered. 

Pfanzelter opts to retreat, covered by his hussars whose sudden appearance panics the Bavarians who rout allowing the Austrians to draw off in good order.

                                        Wrede holds his position and dresses the line.

                              

                                    The Austrians move down from the hills to attack him.

Turn 4 (14:00)

The Bavarians face a dilemma; their units are smaller, so they will most likely lose a battle of attrition. Therefore they should attack and hope their superior morale drives the invader from the field but they are seriously outnumbered on their right and have been somewhat savaged on their left...

They go for it and move up across their whole front - here Wrede attacks, covered by his guns.

 Pfanzelter's brave hussars are overwhelmed 2:1 and the unit is wiped out.

Part of V Korps is thrown back and the Austrians lose a battery in front of Biberg.

Do I hear the Radetzky march? No - its not been composed yet but Radetzky has arrived and launches his uhlans in a bold flank attack. The Bavarians are sent reeling but the follow up is less successful so the uhlans fall back again.

Turn 5 - 15:00

The Bavarians continue to attack - forcing the Austrian right to change its facing.

Advancing uphill, Wrede's Division pummel V Korps and send them reeling. Just when it looks like the plan is working the V Korps reserve artillery arrives to save their comrades!

 

At Kirchdorf, Thierry's Austrians stand firm.

The revitalised Austrians turn the tables (and their guns) on Wrede's men!

Turn 6 - 16:00

STAY TUNED FOR MORE!

 

Country Life?

 No - this post isn't really about country living but this rather bucolic view is taken from the scene of my latest (well, only) wargame with actual people. In this delightful spot we refought the battle of Marengo using 30mm figures provided by our host, Ian Kay of Irregular Miniatures.

The French take position around the village of Marengo.

The Austrian right immediately moves to outflank them.

The French chose to weather the storm.

French hopes rested on the arrival of this lot from San Guiliano.

Here they are again in close up (NB - I didn't take any notes during this game and some of my pictures weren't very good but you get the idea!)

I commanded the Austrian left and here my troops begin a bold march round the French right flank- We were using un-adapted Volley & Bayonet rules and the moves are HUGE!

Meanwhile Marengo was subjected to a frontal assault.

 

... and the Grenzer began to snipe from the woods.

The battle in this sector soon became fierce with more units being fed in by both sides.

While in the centre Austrian cavalry sought to slow the advance of the French reserves. (we then had a nice lunch provided by Mrs Kay - for which; many thanks!).

Some Austrian units did suffer reverses but generally we felt that the odds were stacked against the French, Using strict V&B rules, they had trouble keeping their units under command, suffered heavily from the fire of the battalion guns embedded in most Austrian units and were completely finished off by 'divisional exhaustion'. 

By this pint of the game the Austrians had taken Marengo and suffered very few casualties. The larger units of the Austrians meant that they still had plenty of troops left whereas the French were pretty much finished. This was pretty much the result of the first stage of the battle historically but we felt that in this game the arrival of Desaix would have made no difference to the result.

The French general said had he known that the Austrian units were stronger and had better fire power he would probably not have tried to hold the position on the from stream but we all agreed that it was a pretty hopeless situation altogether and after lunch the result was never in doubt. Although disheartening for the French player it was interesting to try this early Napoleonic battle and great for me to get out and have a game with other people for once!

Cry Havoc!

 Sadly I am still too busy to do any actual gaming so will take this opportunity to share some of the stuff I have been up to. As usual, I have been painting lots and having crazy ideas. The latest thing that has enthused me, beyond the ongoing obsession with recreating the entire Napoleonic (and possibly Revolutionary Wars) on the tabletop, is the idea of doing some medieval skirmishing in 54mm. I have loved the period, the scale and model knights since I was a nipper - I may even have a picture somewhere of a mighty battle on my bedroom floor with such figures. 

Anyway, there has been a trend of late for skirmish wargaming that I do not entirely approve of. Some people's idea of 'skirmish wargaming' is just (as far as I can see) a normal wargame with less figures. This isn't what I am aiming for - I want to recreate the kind of scuffles that were historically fought between a handful of troops. These could be clashing foragers; troops of light cavalry, with their support, trying to ascertain their enemy's whereabouts or irregulars harrying lines of communication and supply. Much potential I feel.

The 'medieval' period is pretty vast in scope so I have decided to concentrate on two or three main areas where I believe there may have been small scale battles. The first will be the Anglo-Scottish wars of the 14th century, which featured a lot of cattle rustling and cross boarder raiding. The second will be the hundred years war period which featured a form of raiding known as the chevauchee which is ideal my purposes - this can also be expanded to include similar squabbles occurring elsewhere in Europe at the time; particularly Italy where Free Companies caused much bother. I also plan a force of Turks to be used against either of the forces raised above for various crusades. I am less sure of my ground here but feel there must have been attacks on caravans and scenarios around siege warfare (besides I've had the figures for some time and want to use them!)

For the 'blue team'! Airfix Medieval Foot soldiers - painted pretty much as they come. I chopped off the shield boss as they were quite rare by the 13th century and certainly by the 14th. Also tried to make the two handed sword less silly and obviously 16th century - whilst the figures for the medieval period are nice, the sculptors seem to have played fast and loose with the historical details. I bought these from the local newsagents in 1979 for 50p!

OK - the two on the left are a bit late for HYW but the chap on the right is spot on - all figures here are Irregular Miniatures.

These are all Scottish knights - they seem to be having a falling out! The figures are from those packs of 'Hero Knights' you can get in some toyshops and online - They are (I believe) copies of 1/72 Italeri crusaders upscaled. They paint up alright and a very cheap!

A mix here - Ralph de Warenne is a Britains knight with a repaint. The others are again Airfix - this time with a new sword replacing the, probably, mythical flail.

English knight - repainted Britains 'detail' with new sword.

Now this lot I am quite proud of! French knights; two repainted Britains, two are heavily converted from some Chinese made tat from Ebay - origins obscure. They are very thin, almost demi-rond and had what looked like Roman helmets. Bascinets were fashioned from Milliput and the figure on the left got a new shield from card - you'd never know! 

Well, you've got to have some of these! - Irregular, Airfix, Britians/Herald & Britains 'Detail'.

The opposition - Irregular, Italeri and a Britains kneeling archer with a repaint and a crossbow from the spares box. You can't really fire a longbow from a kneeling position so they will all become arbalesters.

Few more French knights - You need quite a few of these too really! - Irregular and Italeri.

We probably all had one of these! Britains Detail painted as Sir Thomas Kyriel - he was right at the end of the HYW so can probably get away with this late gothic harness! There are still quit ea few to paint - they are fun and look quite nice - I wonder if they will ever get used?