Elven Safety

There can be no doubt that Middle Earth is a dangerous place. There are hordes of rampaging orcs and goblins, trolls, giant spiders, ring-wraithes, etcetera that pose a great danger to life and limb. However after going to see the first part of "The Hobbit" last night, I realised that there is a much more insidious danger lurking in the land.

But to start on a positive, it was good to see that Rivendell has had a damn good sweep. I was greatly concerned that throughout the “Lord Of The Rings” trilogy, the amount of fallen leaves lying around last homely house, combined with the spray from numerous waterfalls, constituted a serious slip hazard. I can only put this down to the fact that in the relatively peaceful times before the War of the Ring there must have been more time available for domestic chores.

But the real reason for this post is to highlight the total lack of health and safety considerations in Middle Earth civil engineering projects. Why is it that none of the races of Elves, Men or Dwarves have considered it prudent to build parapets on their bridges? It seems that the Dwarves are the worst culprits in as much as their bridges in such places as Moria and Erebor are built with such large spans over such deep caverns. Surely the number of accidents from the citizenry accidentally falling over the edges must far outstrip casualties from orc raids? At least the orcs and goblins have rope bridges that provide a hand hold.

And don’t get me started on the number of steep stairways without handrails or banisters………………….

Lighting At Wargames Shows

The original post was heartfelt but scored 0/10 for tact (which will come as a great surprise to those who know me).

A Comprehensive Treatise On The Availability Of The Perfect Set Of Wargames Rules

They don't exist.

Starting again

I've just deleted two posts on play testing Augustus to Aurelian on the grounds that I'd made so many mistakes that it could have given the wrong impression of the rules. I'll try to start again over the weekend and put up a post that will give a better idea of the rules.

Augustus to Aurelian

Actually having a day off today so I've put the Romans and Palmyrans out to give these rules a go. After one false start, I'm starting to get the hang of them. I'm taking pictures of all the moves so the  next update should be a walk through of the rules.
So far I like the look of them and with it being a card driven system with extra cards to "seize the day" at any time , it is a lot more challenging to decide when to actually activate a command.
Basically the casualty system is the same as Hail Ceaesar, with "Stamina" being called "Outlook". The combat system is more complex than HC with 5 armour classes cross indexed to Shooting/Combat ability and then shifted down or up differing numbers of columns depending on circumstances. Passed tests reduce excess casualties to the "Outlook" level just like in HC.
What we have is a cross between the Lardies' command activation mechanism with bonus opportunities to activate and the Black Powder/Hail Caesar/Pike & Shotte casualty mechanism

And that reminds me, I've just finished my US Company HQ for IABSM:-

Hoplites look better with shields!

Transfers arrived from LBMS so I've had a go at finishing the Victrix test figure:

It took a while but...............

Finally finished the 50th Foot for the Vimeiro scenario:-

I'll have to crack on with the rest now I suppose.

I've also just bought "Augustus to Aurelian", Phil Hendry's rules for wargaming the Roman Pricipate's wars which is sold by the Lardies and uses a card driven command system just like IABSM. I have "Middle Roman" and Palmyran armies which fit into this period so I'll give it a go solo before I inflict it on anyone else. Hail Caesar is fine for me and gets a good game in on a club night, but for games that can be set up at home and left out until finished, I like to use a set that's a bit more period specific - just like Black Powder versus General De Brigade.



August 1st - Revolutionary Battle at the Clerb

Dave put the game on: Austrians defending against the French.

More on Dave's blog here:-

http://thenorthumbrianwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/italy-1795.html

The end for 15mm Flodden?

Looks like this project is going to end in tears. The Feudal Castings line has been acquired by Sgt Major Miniatures in the States after QRF sold them. They are the only decent 15mm line I've seen for this period and now look as if they'll cost a packet from the US of A.
I'm not sure I've got a viable army for "Pike and Shotte", I'll have to do a "Stock Take". If not, there'll be some EBay sales to fund the Peninsular and Greek projects
http://theminiaturespage.com/news/talk/msg.mv?id=1182417297

γνῶθι σεαυτόν

Know Thyself, that's what was inscribed above the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. When I saw the Victrix 28mm plastic hoplites, I knew myself too well, I knew I was always going to get some.

I have Xyston Greeks in 15mm - but no spears and having to drill 15mm hands to take a wire spear is not much fun.  They are also £3.50 for a packet of 8! The Victrix Greeks are £22.95 for a packet of 48, or £3.82 for 8, spears included and are easier to put together than the Xyston are to drill out.

So I got a couple of sprues off EBay to have a go, and this is the first test figure. I base coated it in Tamiya Buff and gave it a wash of Vallejo Smoke which brought the detail out. I splashed some paint on, lined the cuirass yoke and then gave it another wash of smoke - not a lot of effort really and I haven't painted a 28mm figure in at least 10 years, probably more:

Anyway here is the figure without its shield as yet:

I sense the inevitable!

50th Foot

8 More to go plus 4 skirmishers:

An  Swedish (and therefore highly suspect) analysis of the Thirty Years War game we started last night can be found at:

http://scottyswargaming.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Friday the Thirteenth

An inauspicious date to be christening a new table, but here it is set up for tomorrow night's Thirty Years War game using Pike & Shotte.

General View

Imperialists lurking behind fortifications

Swedes

The pics taken by IPhone and are a bit grainy.

More TYW / ECW Cavalry

Rubbish picture, but another 2 small and 1 standard units of cavalry based and in movement trays (Terrain Warehouse) for Pike and Shot.
Must get on with the 40th Foot now!

First Go At 10mm

Not a unit, just a command stand to see if I could paint the little beggars or not. This is for Zurlauben's  Regiment and one day (maybe) I'll get back to this and do the Boyne. The figures are the old Pendraken range, and this project is on the back burner.

Hail Caesar!

Some figures finished and some others based this weekend.

First up some skirmishers for the Palymyrene army. Museum miniatures 15mm.

And some Essex Goths and Franks for the "Middle Imperial" Romans. 

That scenario again

I've finally got the table finished for the Vimeiro scenario. I've replaced the flimsy MDF I was using for the table with two 4X3 Plasterboard sheets and this means that I''ve been able to go back to using my old 12inch square 12mm chipboard terrain tiles for hills. In addition I've been able to produce variable contours using cut outs from cork tiles for the slopes. If you are sad, mad or retentive enough you can use a contour map of a battlefield to reproduce the main terrain features accurately. The wife reckons I am all three for actually having the idea!

So what's left on the figure front to complete the project?

8 AB Riflemen purchased painted from EBay that need a bit of detailing
12 Battle Honours RFA crew painted from EBay that need a bit of detailing
18 AB Rifles from scratch
16 AB Line infantry to complete the 50th Foot from scratch
6 AB Skirmishers
2 Lancashire Games infantry to complete the 9th Foot.
10 Essex line infantry to complete another battalion.
1 Brgadier

The AB and Essex are in separate brigades

So here are some pics of the table:

This isn't too clear, but there are 4 "contours" of cork tile placed next to one of my old 12mm deep terrain tiles

I'm quite chuffed with the resulting hill; forming the contours for the curves was a challenge. This hill is only 12mm high, but it looks spot on on the table.

Vimeiro

Miniature World Maker Vineyards 

View from the French left flank

I REALLY MUST GET MY FINGER OUT AND FINISH THE BRITS!!!!!!

US Armoured Infantry Platoon

No posts for along time, so I've resolved to put each new unit up as it becomes "table-ready". First up is a platoon for IABSM by the Lardies. I might put some decals on the 1/2 tracks at some point, then again I might not :)

General De Brigade - Vimeiro Hill Scenario 5

Overview of the French Army. The flash decided to go off randomly despite there being plenty of light. some of the pics are therefore a bit bleached.

 86th Line - 2 battalions of 36 + 18 skirmishers

 32nd and 82nd line - 4 battalions of 24 + 10 skirmishers

 Artillery and Grenadier Reserve. 1 Battery of 4 X 8 pdrs, 1 battery of 3 X 4 pdrs, 4 battalions of 24 grenadiers.

 The hill is made of toy stuffing under the mat. 1 bag (£3.75) made the whole hill. It needs flattening a little bit.

The mat needs a bit of an iron, but this was just to get a pic of the French and see if the hill would work. It's a lot cheaper and more versatile than the polystyrene I was going to use. It's also easier to store.

General De Brigade - Vimeiro Hill Scenario 4

Started work on the largest unit in the British force - 40 figure 50th Foot, "The Dirty Half Hundred". Black facings, white drummers jacket and cased standards.

General De Brigade - Vimeiro Hill Scenario 3

Well 1/2 the order has arrived from Magister Militum this morning so I have 1 vineyard instead of 2. As they reorder from Australia and need a viable minimum quantity, I could be waiting 6+ weeks. I probably won't have the British finished by then so it shouldn't make that much difference, bloody annoying though.

General De Brigade - Vimeiro Hill Scenario 2

French units and movement trays finished. Now to finish the British. Vineyards have been despatched  by Magister Militum so with a bit of luck I'll have all the terrain by the weekend.

General De Brigade - Vimeiro Hill Scenario

I've nearly got the French done for this scenario - oh so bloody close but not quite a banana. I'll hopefully have pics of them by the weekend..........possibly...........maybe..........perhaps........

2012 - The Plan

As part of the usual New Year resolution making twaddle, I've been considering the lead pile once more and have decided that this year's painting will be concentrated on my Napoleonic set up. I'll do this in conjunction with continuing to rebase the Thirty Years War Figures.

I've got the Light Division and the French 7th division for Salamanca at 1:20 for General De Brigade and was going to continue with specific Cavalry Brigades and other Divisions as per the orbat. I was also going to do the odd bit of terrain, but I need a coherent plan otherwise more sidetracking will ensue! Fortunately this has been provided by the latest scenario book for General De Brigade, "Wellington's Victories". It contains the following scenarios:

Vimiero 1808 - Vimiero Hill: This is the same scenario as is in the rules which is a bit naughty!

Vimiero 1808 - Action at Ventosa

Talavera 1809 - The battle for the redoubt.

Talavera 1809 - The Battle for the Medellin.

Busaco 1810 - Reynier's Assault

Busaco 1810 - Ney's assault.

Usagre - 1811 - Cavalry action

Villagarcia 1812 - Cavalry action.

Salamanca 1812 - Clausel's counter attack

Salamanca 1812 - The French rearguard

Vittoria 1813 - Assault on the Hill of Arinez.

Sorauren 1813 - Cole's Ridge.

Toulouse 1814 - Beresford's Attack

All the scenarios are of a sensible size (1 or 2 divisions) and recommended table size is 6X4 for 15mm, with a couple of  them using 6X5. The terrain is relatively simple and I think the maximum game length is 12 turns.

So the plan is to work through the scenarios and do the terrain at the same time. With what I have done already I have just a couple of guns and generals to do for the French for the Vimiero Hill Scenario, and I've got most of the Allies too. This leaves a couple of vineyards to make up and the hill,  which is going to be pink polystyrene blank pushed under a GW mat., and making some 24 man British Battalions up to 30s. I already have a village that should do for Vimiero.

This "master plan" should enable me to add to the armies and terrain  I have in  a sensible manner instead of going all out to produce vast divisions and cavalry brigades that probably won't get used (or painted for that matter do to the magnitude of the task). 

Well, that's the plan anyway!