Quo Vadis ?

I've been busy painting up more figures for my Garibaldi period project inspired by the recent games I and 'A' have been playing . But I'm now think I've got enough and there is no need to go further buying and painting more figures . I have 4 units of 'Redshirts plus a gun and crew, 2 units of Sicilian 'Picoloti' and this is about all I need for Garibaldi . The Neapolitan's will have 6 units of infantry a battery of artillery and 2 squadrons of cavalry which seems enough to give a good game to take on the revolutionaries . I've always found it easier to start projects rather than to finish them and call a halt !.

Been doing a lot of reading up of this fascinating period of history and am tempted to enlarge on it . But which protagonists to pick next ?  - Austria , France , Piedmont or the Papal State ? , each has its virtues , but having done a French army for the FPW they are the least likely candidate . The Austrians would be different and Irregular do some very cute figures , the Papal States have a quirky little army and both could fight the Piedmontese . Hmm !? this will take some thinking  of ! . 

Attack on the Mule Train (Parte the Seconde)

Originally posted 4/12/12

The Scheither Carbineers suffer heavy casualties and are easily driven off by the French rearguard.

The Allied attack on the centre also is roughly handled !

The Grenadiers take hits from the French line infantry and the Chasseurs and with the Hussars forming up to their rear they decide discretion is the better part of valour and retire !.

Colonel Scheither rallying his Jaegers decides to call off the attack as casualties are mounting and the French are almost untouched by his attacks .

Voltaire is triumphant !. The Allies put up a rather poor show overall , their attacks were poorly coordinated and the French drove each one off easily . In fairness to Col. Scheither I diced randomly for the position of the attacking units and these probably lead to the trap being sprung to early and the French being easly able to cope with them . Scheither retires to lick his wounds and plot his revenge !.

Another Artillery Limber And Team

Originally posted 27/11/12

Having cast up and painted a limber and team for the French several weeks ago I thought it was time the Allies got one as well.

This gun is manned by Scheither's Frei Korps and there seems to be no information on the gun and limber carriage colour - so I decided to paint them a dark red.

To get the wheels to cast right I have had to do extensive work on the mold, drilling air holes were the spokes are as these frequently miscast.

Normal Service Is Resumed - Or Back To O.S. SYW.

Originally posted 25/11/12

After my deviation into killing Zombies (damned hard as well it was, played 6 games and did not win one !) I am returning to a 40mm SYW  game , the French column is moving a mule train carrying the pay chest for the local garrison . It is protected by 3 Companies of the Regiment Du Roi , a Company of the Chasseurs De Sombreuil and the Hussars Bercheny. They have to reach the village in the top left hand corner of the above photo . The Allies have dispatched a raiding force of cavalry and light infantry to capture the mule train.

The precious bullion on mule back carefully guarded .

 Voltaire and his faithful manservant 'Wee Jocky' are accompanying the column . Here he is lecturing his servant on the correct method of moving through enemy country.

However the Prussian 'Black' Hussars have other ideas !. Too be continued ......

Test Run For OS Table .

Originally posted 14/11/12

Having got the table painted up I thought I would try it out with a 40mm SYW 'Charge' game.

The French Regiment Du Roi advances encouraged by its Major.

The French gun deploys to support the Light infantry fight off the Allied Jaegers.

The French cavalry reform to counter the Allied cavalry's flank attack.

The British 20th Regiment of Foote march for the exposed French flank covered by the hills . The figure bases don't quite match the table but are close enough for now. Just for the record I counted up how many figures I have cast up so far ( I know this is a bit sad !) and came up with a total of 132 foot and 54 mounted plus 2 guns and limbers. 

The Lead Regiment.

Not a illustration of the author as a young man ! . Rather dated and a bit twee , but I like a poem that rhymes !.

The Invasion of Sicily 1860 - or How to Kill off Garibaldi .

I decided to set up a game to play with my newly painted toys , it was to be an meeting engagement between the invading force of Garibaldi and his 'Thousand' and a force of Neapolitans sent to intercept them . The Garibaldini will come on at the point marked with the red arrow and the Neapolitans the white one . I took the part of Garibaldi (well I have a beard - and a red tee shirt !) and 'A'  took control of the Neapolitans .

The forces moved quickly down the road and Garibaldi deployed his Sicilian skirmishers and then a series of failed command rolls meant they would not leave the shelter of the stream bed . 'A' started to move aggressively down the road .

Although the Neapolitans had a poorer command system they got lucky and deployed into line and brought their artillery up to support it .

Trying to save the situation Garibaldi called on the first Battalion of Redshirts to follow him and charged the enemy line - in a protracted melee they lost heavily and I managed to get Garibaldi killed ! - sigh ! - it went down hill from then on .......

To make things worse the next Redshirt unit was shot to pieces as it tried to cross the bridge  and its Commanding Officer was killed as well .

The Sicilians finally move forwards and halt further Neapolitan advances - but it was to late !.

A Neapolitan eye view of the conflict .

The Author removes yet move of his troops to the 'Great Filing Box in the Sky' , 'A' took great glee in handling the camera at this point ! .

The Blogger puts a brave face on it !. Well a disastrous day for the Unification of Italy - but a good wargame ! , the 'Black Powder' rules worked well and the game was played in about 2 hours . I believe Garibaldi was only wounded and is now trying to muster his depleted forces to have another go at the Neapolitan oppressors .

Garibaldi Extras .

Been under pressure to get some more of the Garibaldi project done , 'A' is calling around for a game this week so I buckled down and applied paint to metal . I needed some more of the Sicilian volunteers that rallied to Garibaldi's 'Thousand' , these are described as wearing peasant clothing and I've struggled so far to find some suitable figures that match the stature of the 'Irregular' figures I'm using . They also have to look 'Sicilian' - I found that Foundry do a small range of French Revolutionary figures and so I ordered a couple of packets - I think they fit the bill and look suitably peasant like and revolutionary . 

They also had a figure representing 'Marie Ann' , who I've painted up as that often overlooked female Italian revolutionary Figga Roule , seen here inspiring the peasant forces .

To oppose these figures I have painted up another Neapolitan unit - the  1st Battalion Foreign Carabineer Regt.

I've also done a limber and team for the Neapolitan Artillery .

And even one for the Garibaldini - I hate doing limber and teams - they are such a pain to put together as the manufacturers NEVER seem to have any method of fitting the horses to the limber -But I think they are very attractive when present on the table . So that's everything sorted out ready and the table and scenario set up , the battle report will follow soon. 

The Author at Play.

 

The writer relaxes in his gaming room only to be interrupted by his spouse 

'Got a Ticket to my Destination' (Part2)

The Red forces close in on the railway station and the fleeing Baron Smirnoff.

Both sides start accumulating suppression points (the Red unit nearest has got 3 - hence the marker) -this lessens their effectiveness and can lead to them routing .

Red Cavalry !

They charge in and destroy the 'White' riflemen .

The Baron's bodyguard 'Big Ivan' shoots it out with the Red forces leader.

He charges into the Red infantry !

And causes them to turn tail single handedly - help by good dice rolling by himself and very poor morale roll by the Reds.

The Red Commissar attempts to rally them - but fails !.

'Big Ivan's' luck runs out .

Then in the nick of time - Chinese Cavalry sent by General Feng Shui to save the Baron arrive , I had decided that they would appear on move 10 - if the Baron survived that long.

They deploy and advance on the Red forces.

Fearing a International incident the Red Army withdraws in the face of the Chinese force. Well actually they had taken heavy casualties and about a third of their force had run away . General Baron Smirnoff  had survived - for the time being - and has joined the private army of the Chinese Warlord Feng Shui . But the Red Army have sworn to eliminate him !. The rules worked as well as I remembered and are ideal for solo play , each unit has a stats card and are drawn randomly , shooting is done by the figure using a D10 + or - factors and casualties can be either - killed,wounded or suppressed . A good simple set of rules with lots of cinematic action .

"Sitting on a Railway Station"

Been continuing my clear out of wargaming detritus and whilst reorganising my box files full of figures came across my Copplestone Miniatures RCW 'Back of Beyond' collection - I was aghast how much of this stuff I had painted in the past and had not played with for a long while . So I decided to set up a small game using my old favourite rules 'Triumph and Tragedy'

General Baron Smirnoff and his party are fleeing from the advancing Red forces and in an attempt to leave the country and reach China have made it to Railway Station No. 7 where they hope to catch a train to take them to their destination . 

The Baron , his mistress Olga and the Head of Security Boris Chekov (no relation) await the train - the railway staff cannot understand were it is and are less than helpful in suggesting an arrival time .

Railway Station No.7 . The Baron has with him 2 units of 'White' infantry and a group of Chinese bandits who are in his pay . 

The Baron and his party are forced to stay overnight in the Railway Station as they await the train and the troops bed down in the surrounding huts .

Little do they know that the track has been cut by the Reds and as dawn breaks a party of Red Guard sneak up to the station to capture the Baron. 

However the Chinese Bandits are alerted and open fire on the advancing Reds .

However as the rest of the Barons force tumble out of their beds in response to the shooting more Red infantry move up in the cover of the ruins , will the Baron ever catch his train ? will help come in time to save him ? or will the Reds capture him ? - all will be revealed in the next episode !