1st Belooch Battalion, Bombay N. I. and Rowbottom's Mosstroopers.

When I started re-basing my Indian Mutiny collection I came across some packets of figures I'd never got around to painting . I believe the figures were bought when Foundry used to do deals - so that shows how long I've had them !.

It's nice to be able to pick a brightly coloured unit to paint and these are the 1st Belooch N.I.who remained loyal to the British .

Early in the Mutiny the British forces lacked cavalry and solved this problem by using civilian volunteers and the displaced officers from the mutineering Indian regiments.

Here are a selection of Foundry mounted officers representing 'Rowbottom's Mosstroopers' as featured in George McDonald Fraser's - 'Flashman in the Great Game' , which I am rereading at the moment . I was shocked to find it was first printed in 1975 ! - that's 40 years ago ! but still a brilliant read !.

We've Been To Corrie Street.

It's very rare that I post an non-wargaming article but this is a bit of self indulgence , at the weekend myself and Mrs K had a trip out to the old Granada TV studios in Manchester to visit the former set of the long running series ' Coronation Street' . The program has moved into a new mock up of the famous street and the public are now able to take guided tours around the old site. 

Mrs K is a great fan of the series (and secretly perhaps I am as well) and as the set is to be demolished next year for a housing development she thought it was time to visit it . Granada sold the site to pay for the new bigger set. I must admit I was impressed by the whole thing - the guided tour was very well done and one was then free to walk the hallowed cobblestones at will . 

The Kitchens outside the world famous 'Rovers Return' - all the proprieties are empty the interiors are mocked up inside a studio , on the tour you get to visit the interior of the pub - but sadly not take photos.

The taxi firm 'Street Cars' run by Steve McDonald .

Rosamund Street viaduct , the distant houses are a large poster on a building wall to give a clever sense of depth .

Myself outside Roy Cropper's cafe - my wife sees noticeable similarities between me and Roy (!?)- an inability to answer a question with a simple answer of yes or no instead of a long diatribe of the reasons for the answer and of course Roy is passionate about model railways - myself being interested in toy soldiers . I find Roy a character of great integrity which sadly I cannot rival.

The Kabin run by Norris Coles ( my wife also points out that I can be as nosey as this character).

Dev's corner shop - note the difference in brick work on the upper storey were the property was rebuilt after a tram crashed off the bridge and into it causing mayhem in the street. The attention to detail was very impressive throughout the set to provide continuity to the story lines.

Mrs K about to enter the Underworld factory , they have the interior of the factory in the studio.

Kevin Webster's garage tucked away in the corner .

The back alley behind the terraced houses , very atmospheric . I'm not a great fan of soap operas - can't stand the abrasive unhappiness of 'Eastenders' nor the unbelievability of 'Emmerdale' but the quiet northern humour and characters of the street have always captivated me , It's been running since 1960 - 55 years - it was one of the first television programmes I can remember seeing (in black and white) when we first got a television . A right grand day out ! 

Lion Rampant Scenario 'A Taxing Afternoon'.

This is the second of the 3 scenarios I'm playing using 'Lion Rampant' both sides have to collect revenue from six markers which have a random value . Richard De Montfitchet's retinue have set up nearest the camera and has swapped one of his units of mounted Sejeants for mounted Men at Arms and a unit of crossbowmen for a unit of Bidowers . He has boasted to destroy the opposing unit of Men at Arms .

Ivo Tailebois's force has 2 units of foot Serjeants , a unit of bowmen , mounted Serjeants , a unit of Bidowers and mounted Men at Arms , again he has not made any boasts .Both sides move forward to dominate the centre of the table .

One of the 'Taxation' markers .

One of  Richard De Montfitchet's mounted Serjeants get to the first marker and manage to leave the table with the token.

Ivo Tailebois's Bidowers sneak up one the other flank near the hermitage.

Brother Cadfael who hoping for a quieter life is robbed (taxed)!.

The mounted forces in the centre charge and counter charge .

After initially driving De Montfitchet's Men at Arms back they rally and manage to defeat Ivo Tailebois's unit and kill him - so fulfilling his boast !.

The situation half way through the game .

Ivo Tailebois's archers drive off the Bidowers and capture the token , then retire of the table. 

At this point sadly I forgot to take photos as the action heated up , here we see Ivo Tailebois's units of foot Serjeants with their captured tokens retiring from the table . Although they lost their Lord - Ivo Tailebois's retinue carried off four tokens totalling 8 'Glory' points and  Richard De Montfitchet's retinue took two , totalling 3 'Glory' points - but he fulfilled his boast getting another 2 points . After two games Ivo Tailebois's  retinue = 8 'Glory' points and Richard De Montfitchet's retinue has = 11 'Glory' points . This leaves one more game to be played .

Lion Rampant Scenario 'The Messenger'

Ivo Tailebois's force moves onto the table heading for the opposite corner .

Brother Cadfael has decided to be escorted by a unit of Foot Serjeants - being less volatile that the Mounted Men at Arms  .

The locals look on with interest !.

Richard De Montfitchet's retinue moves to intercept the messenger.

The quick moving Mounted Serjeants try to cut the escape route .

Ivo's force moves down the road -

-but a unit of Men at Arms lag behind - they are hard to control under 'Lion Rampant'.

Ivo's Men at Arms impulsively charge a unit of Serjeants .

After a close combat they rout them ! .

To fulfil his boast Richard De Montfitchet challenges Ivo Tailebois to combat - which was inconclusive - but having carried out his boast he gets a 'Glory' point.

The javelin armed Yeomen move to stop a unit of Serjeants .

After a brief clash and a volley of javelins  the Serjeants rout ! 

Ivo and his Men at Arms spontaneously charge Richard De Montfitchet and his Serjeants .

Things go very wrong for Ivo and his men rout and he is forced to flee the field ! .

The situation is looking grim for the messenger and his escort , the archers guarding the rear are charged and finally scattered by a flanking force of mounted Serjeants . The other unit of Men at Arms finally move up in support , but it's to late .

Richard De Montfitchet's Geonese crossbowmen move up into range and proceed to kill off the mounted Men at Arms - who failing their morale test - flee ! - leaving  Brother Cadfael and his escort alone .

Taking casualties from the crossbowmen and failing their moral test they scatter into the woods taking the terrified Brother Cadfael with them ! . So a victory to Richard De Montfitchet and his forces, he gets 5 'Glory' points for winning the scenario and another one for carrying out his boast . Total so far Richard De Montfitchet = 6 - Ivo Tailebois =0. The next scenario is to be 'A Taxing Afternoon'.

Lion Rampant - A Series Of Linked Games.

Have got all the figures painted for this project and love the rules - they are becoming one of my favourite sets . So I've decided to play a series of three linked games as suggested in the book.

The two opposing commanders on the left Richard De Montfitchet who is counted as being strong and has boasted that he will challenge his opponent to hand to hand combat . On the right Ivo Tailebois who is gifted commander and not given to making boasts.

The retinue of Richard De Montfitchet , three units of mounted Serjeants , two units of mercenary Geonese crossbowmen and a unit of javelin armed Yeomen .

Ivo Tailebois's retinue comprises of two units of mounted Men at Arms , two units of foot Serjeants and a unit of Cheshire bowmen . 

The table set up for the first game which is 'The Messenger' scenario . Ivo Tailebois has to escort an important messenger - a certain Brother Cadfael who is carrying a dispatch to King Stephen from the Bishop of York which must not fall into the hands of the forces of the rebel Empress Maud . Tailebois forces are moving down the road right to left .and enemy has forces in the far left corner and a unit of crossbowmen nearest the camera . Too be continued.......

11th Bersaglieri Battalion .

Well thanks to the nice weather and the resultant Hay Fever I've got the rest of the figures done ! . It's my plan to use the Piedmontese orbat for the Battle of Castelfidaro which was fought against the Papal army in 1860 as my model for this force .

I've got another Line Battalion to clean up and spray and when that's done I will send another order off to 'Irregular'- I'm trying to be good and only ordering when I've got things finished so to keep the 'lead mountain' under control.