Tudor English and Scots

These have been hanging around for a long time. I've decided to do two Basic Impetus armies and this is the start.

Essex Early Tudor Billmen

Essex Early Tudor Archers

Feudal Castings Flodden Scots

(Sadly no longer available in the UK)

Franco Prussian Game at Mick's

Really enjoyed a fantastic game with Dave and Scotty at Mick's last weekend. Scotty has a report on his blog here and there were a lot of figures on the table:

Scotty's Blog - Franco Prussian Report

And here:

Dave's blog

I'm still a bit upset about this..........

Those who know me recognize how impartial an umpire I am when it comes to Peninsular War games. This impartiality is reflected in the fact that I believe that a good set of Napoleonic rules should still allow someone who is a total newbie to them to to win with a British army at the first time of asking without any undue effort.

So I was (still am) quite upset by the result of our Vimeiro Hill scenario with General De Brigade. Not only were the British unable to hold the hill, but the 43rd and 52nd regiments were forced from the table. 

I had been gearing up to this game for a long, long time. It took a lot of effort, it was a labour of love and it was going to result in mangled French columns routing from the table to the accompaniment of loud British Huzzah's as I umpired impartially from the sidelines.

It didn't quite go historically ......................................

No pics from during the game - too much table clutter - so here are the final scenes of what is left of the British - sob.

British Centre

Acland's Brigade just doesn't quite get there in time to fill the hole left by the 43rd and 52nd, but the smoke in the centre background shows where Fanes' Brigade had forced a  French Grenadier brigade to retire.

British Extreme Right

The French unsportingly brought up a 4 Pdr battery to canister range. 

British Centre

Acland's Brigade is all that's left on the hill (except for 1 British battalion on the extreme right)

Overview of the table

British artillery surrounded by the Gallic Hordes 

Fane's Brigade

The 95th, 60th and 50th blow away two battalions of French Grenadiers just outside of Vimeiro

British Right

Lost for words now

Actually I really enjoyed it and I think Dave and Scotty did too. It was Scotty's first game with the rules and in fairness the future stalwarts of the Light Division were the the victims of some atrocious dice. Next up will be the action from the other end of the battlefield - the action at Ventosa - where I impartially hope for a different result.