Normal Services Will Be Resumed As Soon As Possible.

Sadly my old computer has finally given up the ghost and gone to the great techno graveyard , I'm having to use my sisters to post this and hopefully will be getting a new one shortly - till then they will be a short intermission ..............

Finished ! .

Well I've finally got them finished ! - I had to wait till I'd got some more brown 'Bastex' too finish off the bases , that's the last of the Austrian cavalry done and gets over my phobia of painting Hussars - see - http://tonystoysoldiers.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/manning-up-and-doing-worthy.html.

The uniform is of the 2nd Regt. of Hussars Archduke Joseph . This gives me a total of 36 figures for this regiment - Austrian Cavalry units were very large compared to other nation's .

To celebrate their completion I painted up a Brigadier to lead them - this is a 'Front Rank' figure slightly bigger but matches the Foundry figures not to bad ! . This leaves only one Austrian Line Battalion and a French Chasseur a Cheval to paint up .

Franco-Prussian O.S. Game - Capture The Railway Crossing (Part 2).

This is the second half of my O.S. FPW  game , the French Zouaves being Veterans past their morale test with ease even though they started taking heavy casualties from the Prussian Jaegers who being in skirmish order received very few in return.

With the wargaming 'day' of 8 moves going on and evening coming the French Chasseurs De Pied had a choice to make - either retire (because of the Prussian Hussars to their flank) or advance and smash the advancing Bavarians before they came into action ? . I diced for it and they advanced quickly !.

The Zouaves were shot to ribbons by the Jaegers but held on rallied  by their Vivandiere Marie Ann ! 

The Bavarians being 'Green' caused only a few casualties as the Chasseurs a Pied charged in , but managed to draw the melee .

The French reserves finally appeared - but to late ! as the Zouaves broke at last and the Prussian Hussars moved menacingly to the rear of the now cut off Chasseurs a Pied !.

The Hussars charge in to the rear of the Chasseurs a Pied who rolled a '1' and were cut down without a chance to surrender - an infamous act by the Prussians ! (boo hiss !).

As night fell the Prussians were in possession of the railway and the French Mitrailleuse was knocked out by the last shot of the Prussian gun .The French advance Brigade was more or less wiped out so a victory to the Prussians . I was so pleased with this game I've decided to continue playing with  a game which will start the next day when both sides will get reinforcements . 

Franco-Prussian O.S. Game - Capture The Railway Crossing (Part 1).

Having been messing about with the Old School rules for the Franco-Prussian War I decided to try them out and so set up the table . The object of the game was to capture the railway line/road crossing , Don Featherstone recommended that you dice for the number of moves - which I did and came up with 8 moves - the forces would meet mid-morning. The Prussians are nearest the camera the French on the other table edge.

The initial Prussian force comprised of a Hussar Regiment and Battalion of Jaegers and a gun and crew . They will be reinforced by another Brigade of Infantry which will arrive dependent on a dice throw.

The French force comprises a Battalion Chasseurs De Pied ,a Battalion of Zouaves (count as Veterans) and a Mitrailleuse .They will also be reinforced by a Brigade of Infantry who will arrive on a increasing dice score. 

The position of the armies after the first move .

The Prussian Hussars moved around the French right flank and were met with fire from the French Chasseurs and the Mitrailleuse .

The Prussian Jaegers deploy into skirmish order and swing round to engage the French.

The Hussars took casualties and having lost 3 models had to take  a morale test and fell back one move , but rally next move.

The Jaegers move forward as the Zouaves deploy into line and the Mitrailleuse moves up to support them.

The Prussian gun opens fire on the Zouaves which combined with the shooting from the Jaegers inflict heavy casualties - which means they have to take a morale test - being Veterans and getting a +1 to their dice score they are only forced to halt for one move.

The Prussian reinforcements arrive - a Battalion of Bavarians and one of Wurttembergers both counting as 'Green' troops .The position of the units at the half way point in the game - on the far left the Prussian Hussars have dismounted and are firing into the flank of the French Chasseurs, the Zouaves and the Mitrailleuse are facing off the Jaegers and in the foreground the Prussian reinforcements arrive . The French Brigadier is now beginning to wonder where his support is !? . Part two of this report to follow. 

Publish And Be Damned .

As soon as I put up the Old School Franco-Prussian War playsheet I noticed I'd forgotten several things that should have been included - I'd missed off artillery ranges 1'- 6" and dice throw thereof , mentioned saving throws for skirmishers but not said who could skirmish and no mention of the French Mitrailleuse ! . So here is the amended sheets - hopefully without anything missing this time ! (fingers crossed !)

O.S. Franco - Prussian War Playsheet.

I've been trying to sort out a crib sheet for the Donald Featherstone Horse and Musket Rules I use for my Spencer Smith FPW figures and 'A' called round the other night to test out some modifications I've been toying with . This is the latest playsheet - which makes sense to me but not necessarily other people . I've made the Prussian artillery slightly more efficient and toned down the number of casualties . 

I have used a simpler Hand to Hand and a modified morale system . My units are 20 infantry figures plus 2 officers and 10 cavalry and 2 officers , guns have crews of 5 figures ( I ignore morale for artillery crews - it's was just easier ) . The basic rules are of course the classic ones from Featherstone's 'War Games'.

A photo of our test game in progress - note 'A' has not removed his coat - my wargaming room is renowned for it less that balmy temperatures - although the rumours that the British Antarctic Expedition used it are a training ground are unfounded !.

A French gun and crew take aim , Spencer Smith 30mm figures. (click on photos to enlarge).

A Blast From The Past !.

Just came across this on the Internet , very much a period piece and looks so dated now - look at the dress of the spectators . I wonder what rules they were using ? - hopefully NOT Newbury rules ! . Ah the waves of nostalgia ! (click on photo to enlarge)