A frustrating task !

 

I thought it was time that I did some more figures for my 54mm ECW project. Now I have been putting off gluing up some of the pikemen as it is very difficult to glue the pikes into the figures hands . As the figures are a rather stiff plastic and the pikes a very bendy one I ended up using super glue as the polystyrene glue doesn't seem to work. Well after a very frustrating hour and a half I've got them done , my finger ends are covered in glue as is my cutting board - what a b****y faff !- I remember why I put off doing them , anyway they are done and I will get them undercoated tomorrow .

Sir Jackabus Wooley (Mark II)

A couple of years ago I converted a figure to represent Sir Jack Wooley the leading light in the Parliamentary cause in Borsetshire ..: Sir Jakabus Wooley 'A Fyne Martialle Man' (tonystoysoldiers.blogspot.com) The conversion was not a success, after the figure had lost his arm and head twice due to accidents I decided to have another go . Altogether a more compact but slightly boring figure- but without detachable limbs.

 

Dismounted Horse for Borsetshire.

Powering through painting the 54mm Replicants , these are some rather dramatically posed dismounted cavalry figures which will make a good 'Forlorn Hope' for actions in Borsetshire.

 

'Warts and all'

Have finally got around to painting my 54mm Replicant figures. First up is 'Old Noll' - Oliver Cromwell himself who may end up visiting Borsetshire in the future .

 

Proverbs 26:11 *

I realise with shame that it has been quite a while since I visited the Greate Civile Warre in Borsetshire and thought to remedy this by painting up these figures which I got last year . They are Replicant 54mm and will portray dismounted Dragoons .

These are also Replicants, dismounted Cavalry this time and will make a spirited 'Forlorn Hope' unit.

These rather nice figures will make personality or unit leaders , think the blue chap is a portrayal of 'Old Noll' . I hope to get these undercoated and painted up this week and perhaps a return to the conflict in rural Borsetshire. 

*Even as a dog returneth to its vomit - so a fool returneth to his folly.

 

 

The Actione at The Ancient Churche of Perivale .

The game started with the two units of Shotte moving up through the woods , however this is when things started to go wrong , one unit rolled a double one - thus failing it's activation but also triggering another dice roll which ended up with them retiring !

Josiah Grundy lead his Forlorn Hope up the lane but came under fire from the Royalist muskets .

The Shotte continue pushing up through the wood to threaten the enemies flank .

Pargetter's Horse appear to save the Royalist day ! galloping to reach the crossroads . 

Emerging from the wood the Shotte receive a heavy volley from a unit hidden behind the hedge - they fail their morale test and flee the field ! - Oh dear things are not going to plan for the Parliamentarians !

Cardinal Pointe and Lady Aldridge decide the best plan is to retire down the lane back to their coach .

Having failed numerous activations Wooly's Horse finally make it to the lane , whilst the Dragoons having reached the hill sit and take no further part in the action .

They clash with Pargetter's Cuirassier's , there followed a series of inconsequential melees with no clear winner .

So with the allotted number of turns having past the game came to an end . The Royalist personalities having got away it was judged a success to the Royalist force . A strange little game notable by the unwillingness of both forces to get to grips with each other and the number of 'double ones' rolled - 4 in total, which caused one unit from each side to 'quit the field'and others generally behave badly ! . I do like these rules, I think they reflect what happened in the Civil War - with so many skirmishes where none events . We must wait to see how this Actione at Perivale reflects on the situation in Borsetshire .

 

The Celebration of the Finding of Saint Ruperte's Nose .

Hearing that Lady Gennifer Aldridge is to accompany the Spanish Ambassador Cardinal Pointe to celebrate the Feast of the Finding of the Nose of Saint Ruperte * at the Anciente Churche at Perivale Sir Jakabus Wooley leads a force from Felpersham to try a cease them and prevent the 'Popish Idolitary' . 

The Partie arrive at the Anciente Churche of Sainte Ruperte at Perivale .

Sir Brianne Aldridge thought it prudent to send a 'Goodlie Force' with them in these troubled times from His Regiment of Foote , as an after thought he also dispatched Twoe Troopes of Pargetter's Horse to reinforce them .

Which is just as well as Sir Jakabus's force appears - even before the Church Service can start ! , Companies of Shoote sneak up through the woods 

Sir Jakabus leads Twoe Troopes of His newly formed Regiment of Horse , whilst a Troope of Dragoones circle the wood on the left to cut the roade .

Meanwhile Josiah Grundy's 'Roaring Boys' forming a 'Forlorne Hope' seek to attack the Churche down the lane ** , Grundy is carrying an 'Infernal Device' to burn the Anciente Churche down !

The site of the forthcoming actione , Pargetter's Horse has not appeared yet - it is hoped they arrive to prevent any unseemlyness ! 

*this festival no longer appears on the list of recognised C.of E. celebrations 

**a report on the state of the roads in Borcetshire in 1635 reports they are 'narrowe foule and badly overgrowne ! .

 

Sir Jakabus Wooley 'A Fyne Martialle Man'

I've got around to painting up Sir Jakabus Wooley a worthy opponent to Sir Brian Aldridge . Wooley learnt his career fighting in Germany and quickly rose to prominence serving under Gustavus  Adolphus , he was presented with a Marshals Baton personally by Gustavus which he is seen brandishing above ..

In the Felpersham Fine Arts Gallery there is an oil painting that is traditionally thought to be Sir Jakabus Wooley although there is no direct evidence for this and strangely for such a prominent person there does not appear to be any other contemporary portrayal .

 

The casting down of the Greate Edifice of Beelzebub* .

With a greate crye Josiah Grundy leads his 'Roaring Boyes' forward against the Royalist fortifications, but are driven back by the garrison .

Nigel Pargetter leads the Horse forward on the right flank .

On the other flank the Royalist Shotte is driven back by the Dragoones , who then open fire on the advancing pike .

Colonele Danby leads the Pike forward under fire from the Sconce .

They too are repulsed as the sleeve of Shotte maneuver to open fire on the enemy . The Dragoones keep up a telling fire on the now halted Pike blocke.

The fire from the Shotte is telling and drives the Garrisone from the earthe workes .

Seeing an opportunity Josiah Grundy leads his Boyes into the empty earthworke ! , Henri Viscount Turenne leads a counter-attacke 

But a spirited defense by the 'Roaring Boyes' and a goode curseing by Ranting Josiah scatter them and the Forte is taken for Parliament (having a unit in good order inside the defense wins the scenario) 

 The Shotte and Pike have taken heavy losses on the Left and the Horse making no progress against the enemye Right, Nigel Pargetter has no option but to quit the Fielde . To make matters worse as they are retiring they are subject to a Sermone from Josiah Grundy . An excellent game! , although Nigel Pargetter was a bit unlucky as his cavalry kept failing their motivation rolls and the Pike and Shot took heavy casualties on the left and never rally got into action .

* Once again I am indebted to the University of Felpersham (TUF) and Miss Goodbody for finding this pamphlet commemorating the battle, at the bottom left you can just make out (click on the photo to enlarge) Jos Grundie Felpersum , presumably the author ,, Josiah was always one for self promotion . 

 

 

The Assault on the Greate Sconce at Loxley Barrett (setting the scene)

Having driven off the Royalist forces Col. Danby continues his march on Loxley Barrett to capture and waste the fortifications there.

The Parliamentary forces appear through the morning mists . On the left a unit of Dragoones , the main force 2 units of shotte and pike from Colonele Danby's Regiment of Foote . Leading the way is a Forlorne Hope with Josiah Grundy leading a unit of his 'Roaring Boyes' especially recruited by him and highly motivated by his religious fervor ! (unfortunately he has forgotten to provide them with any ammunition for their gunnes - thus they get an added advantage in hand to hand)

The 'Great Sconce' has a garrison of Shotte under the command of the Frenchman Henri Viscount Turenne .

In Loxley Barrett there is another unit of local Militia armed as Shotte .

There is also a unit of  pike from Sir Brianne Aldridge's Regiment . 

The force is Commanded by Nigel Pargetter who has managed to rally a Troope of his Horse and the remnants of the somewhat disgruntled Oxforde Horse .

I have made myself a couple of new over scale measuring sticks as I think playing on my bigger table needed speeding up and making a bit more dynamic . A report on the actual battle to follow soon .

 

Sir Jakabus Wooley .

I've decided I needed another Parliamentary Commander and here we have fresh from the wars in Germany, Sir Jakabus Wooley . He's a heavily converted plastic pikeman , with a Napoleonic hand and sword , a gunners head and masses of 'green stuff' .  Being if I remember rightly the father in law to Sir Brianne Alderidge there is definately going to be some ill feeling there ! . I'll hopefully get him painted next week .

 

A Secrete Conspiracye .

People have been wondering what Sir Brianne Alderidge has been up too ? . In the gardens of 'Greye Gables' a secrete meeting is taking place , the Spanish Ambassador  Cardinal Pointe has arrived to discuss the raising of funds for the Kinge's Cause by the sale of the Queene's jewelry and has chosen this secluded location to plan out the movement and sale of the jewelry . 

They wander through the ornemental gardens accompanied by Lady Gennifer Aldridge and Sir Toby Fairbrother . The plan is for Sir Brianne to transport the jewelry through Borsetshire to the Bristol Channel to take ship for Spain ..

Sir Brianne and the Cardinal move aside so they are not overheard .

Ooops ! .......

 

Colonele Danby writes a letter ...

 

I was lucky enough to see some of Col. Danby's original correspondence when I visited The University of Felpersham and am indebted to Miss Goodbody in helping me decipher the text , his writing is at times almost illegible and  strangely spelt with very little punctuation... . 

'I have the honore of reporting to my Lordes of the recent engagement on ye --------- we were marching to tare down ye Papist fortiphcations at Loxly Barret when our rightious waye was bloked by a suppirior force of the enemie We bravely engaged them our Dragoones causing their Horse to quit the field on the righte the enemie horse got amongs our shote on the righte but were bravely driven off the enemies pike rushed our lines but our shote played heavely upon them and casting downe there pike they flede the field abandonde thuse the rest of ther force lefte leaving the fielde of Honore to myselfe . One prisonere wetooke says the army was ccommanded by the malcontente ---- Pargetter Sire B---- Alderige being absente - whecence this devil is I now note - but up to GREATE mischefe I feare - I will continue my marche to tare downe the ediphices of popery ..

I have the Honore to serve youe furter 

Colonele Danbie'

It is interesting to get a first hand account of the action although some what misleading as both forces were similar in size . It is assumed this letter (this being a copy) was sent to Parliament in London , I hope to find out what Sir Brianne Alderidge has been up to soon .....

(My thanks once again to the staff of  TUF records department)

Actione on the Roade to Loxley Barrett (parte the seconde)

The action is growing hotte ! , Nigel Pargetter leads his Horse against the lefte sleeve of Shote .

The situation as the battle unfolds , the Royalist Shote advances to support the Horse as the Parliamentary Dragoones open a destructive firre on the righte .

The Cavilier Horse charge in but unfortunately they roll very poorly and it's a draw and they are forced to retire . 

Things start going wrong all at once !  , the 'Oxford' Horse make a bad morale roll (if you roll a double 1 something bad happens ) and are ordered to return to Oxforde at once so leave the Cavilier lefte open. . The Pkemen move across to shore up that flank but are caught in a cross firre from the Dragoones , fail their morale and flee the fielde ! .

Pargetter's Horse are forced to retire due to firre from the lefte unit of Musketeers , the Royalist Shote exchange firre with the enemy causing some casualties but with their lefte open to the Dragoones Nigel Pargetter is forced to call a general retirement leaving the fielde to Col. Dandby's force . The roade to Loxley Barrett is open and Col. Danby marshals his force to continue his advance . A good game with periods of nothing much happening,  then a dramatic outcome in the end , easy to remember rules , quick and simple - just what you want ! .