Fighting with an addiction .

 

There has been not much "proper" wargaming over the last couple of weeks as I have been playing a series of games using various C&C boxed board games . Now I'm not by nature a boardgamer - I once lost the entire Army of North Virginia whilst playing a Gettysburg game against my wargaming colleague 'B' , but I am a great fan of the Command & Colours system which uses blocks instead of little card chits (SO less fiddly with my chunky fingers) . The problem (?) is once you have a game set up it is so easy to just set up the next scenario and play it . There is also a very good solo system which helps the games move on quickly .Sadly the games are not very photogenic from a blogging point of view - back to figure gaming in the near future .

Pimping my Artillery .

 

There was a posting on the Wofun Facebook group about adding 3D barrels to the Wofun MDF artillery which are avaiable from www.cornwallmodelboats.co.who do various gun barrels for model ship models . Here we see the original madel and one of the new metal barrels.

I carefully removed the old barrels and glued into place the new ones . 

A comparison shot between the old and the new ones . I think they look much better , I was impressed that the barrels which seem to be made of a brass coloured metal where only about 80p each and may consider replacing more of my artillery barrels with them.

Wargaming on the Silver Screen .

 

I came across this photo on the interweb , it's of Edward Woodward who played the role of Callan in the TV series who seems to be firing a Britains cannon , the figures are 54mm (?) , I've not seen it before but I assume it's from the TV series ?

Work in Progress.

 

Slowly getting back to normal after our holidays , not much gaming going on as the garden has turned into a jungle in our absence and there are other small but annoying tasks about the home to do . Have started on the above wagon for my Lion Rampant WOTR's project. It is from the Perrys , very nice but being metal very fiddly to put together , luckily the canvas canopy is made from resin so it cuts the weight down a bit . I drilled through the MDF base and into the bottom of the wagon and inserted and glued a long pin to help fix it to the base securely (hopefully) . Got the wagon and horses painted but need to finish off the bases and paint the foot figure. It's main role in the games will be as a objective marker for either side to defend / capture, I'm NOT going to do all the complecated traces etc from the wagon to the horses as this will be used in the rough and tumble on the tabletop. I've just noticed I've put the horse bases in the wrong order for the picture the ridden horse goes nearest the wagon . Hopefully I will get this model finished and onto the tabletop for a game this week.

Intermission

Not much done on the wargaming/painting front as we've been away for a weeks holiday to Anglesey .

The weather was cold and blustery - but we didn't get wet ! , a windswept Mr K dressed for the season .

The scenery around the coast is always spectacular .

Mr and Mrs Walker made a breif apperance - the howling wind was whipping up the sand whilst taking this shot , so it was their only photo of the holiday I'm afraid. Normal service will resume soon........

 

Riders of the Purple Sage *

We have been on holiday to Anglesy and whilst visiting Holyhead my wife popped into a Charity shop (I waited outside with a whinning dog - who hates us not being together whilst we are on holiday) , when she came out she said "there are some of your 'little men' in there"(as she persists in calling my miniature figurines - toy soldiers). So handing her the dog lead I went inside and found some 54mm figures of various sorts ! , I chose these three because they are unusual - first up Buffalo Bill ! 

Wild Bill Hickok , perhaps not as good a portrayal as Buffalo Bill maybe.

Bronco Billy Anderson - not heard of him , but he was an early cinema star of  Western films . I've just cleaned them up and glued their arms in place and am looking forward to painting them as they are a very different than the 28mm plastic I have been painting of late. .Finding things in Charity shops is a matter of luck and having a wife that can spot 'little men' ! 

*1912 Western novel by Zane Grey.

 

The final batch - odds and sods.

 

Some of the Perrys Men at Arms with the odd Mercenary body thrown in .

Archers for Richard Duke of York's retinue - sadly this close uop photo rather shows up some of the mold lines I failed to see whilst painting them up .

Richard Duke of York (father of Richard III) , the splendid flag is provided in the Perry box . Time to get these figures onto the tabletop ...........

Toy soldiers in art No.16

 

I found this postcard on the internet, it shows a small French boy dressed as a Turco (?) with a selection of toy soldiers and a cannon , interestingly it also has the reverse side with the message , it was posted on the 6th December 1914 - unfortunately my French is of the 'Del Boy*' variety so I can't translate it .

*Only Fools and Horses - BBC sitcom character.

Personalities for The Cousin's War .

 

Warwick - 'The Kinge Maker' , these are a mixture the Mercenary sprue and the Men at Arms sprue.

John Clifford 9th Lord of Skipton .(Butcher Clifford)

The murder of Rutland by Lord Clifford at Wakefield - think Clifford may have been a victim of Tudor 'Black Propoganda' - it is thought that the Earl Rutland was killed in the battle.

Toy soldiers in art No. 15

 

Found this illustration in a book I'm reading , it's by Gioacchino Toma and portays Piccoli Patrioti (patriotic children) and was painted in1862 . The children are obviously fans of Garibaldi as they are firing on what seems to be a Papal flag and there is a print of Garibaldi on the wall behind them . The kneeing lad seems to be firing a cannon ! - I wonder how many accidents were caused by the use of real gunpowder ? . It's hard to make out what type of toy soldiers are being used.

Another one I found , no toy soldiers but the yoiung patriots are gazing at portraits of Garibaldi and I think Victor Emmanuel II - by the same artist ?

The Cousin's War - even more figures done.

 

I got a box of the Perrys Mercenaries to add to the various forces for my Lion Rampant armies.

Here is a unit of Crossbowen - when they are in units of sixes they count as skirmishers. These units will be painted agnosticly so they can be used by either side .

Another unit of skirmishers , this time Handgonners , again painted so that they can be used by either side.

The Cousin's War - more figures painted.

So chugging away in the background of lost wi-fi , real life issues etc, I have been painting away at my Perry plastic WOTR's figures , here we have a unit of bowmen of the Percy retinue. 

And a unit of Billmen again for the Earl of Northumberlands retinue . They are in groups of 12 for the Lion Rampant rules which I will be using for this project.

 

Toy Soldiers in art No.14

 

Mrs K has just been to the doctors for a hearing test - I must stop using high explosives in my games ! , found on the interweb - obviously to do with our American cousins.

The Library in tidy mode (for now)

 

I've finally got my bookshelves (or more grandly - The Library) tidy , a veiw to the north . I now think I know where all my books are and although to the untrained eye it appears a jumble .

The veiw to the south , rather awkward trying to photograph them without clambering over the spare bed etc .The shelves are adorned with various knick-nacks , memorabilia and my collection of WW1 pilot/aircrew figures . I'm pleased to have got it done and slightly alarmed at the number books that have been taken to various charity shops , but I feel strangly cleansed and rather pleased.(click on the photos to enlarge and peruse the shelves)

A photo of the author as young man.

When I've been clearing up my library I have been checking the books for old photos etc , as I  have a habit of using them as book marks , I came across this one - It's of myself repairing the cobbles in the village of Dent - once in Yorkshire then reorganised into Cumbria (my boss who hated the place used to say nobody wanted the b***er !)(it's a long way from anywhere). It must be back in the 80s I think ?- Dent still had a Post Office then !, I remember they would'nt close the road and we had to lay steel plates to get wagons and tractors past , which also limited how much we could repair at a time as there was only me and my mate and a rather battered pick up. It took a long time and rained quite a bit as can be seen in the photo . I look rather Dickensian ! = Health and Safety was in it's infancy in those days ! . Dent is notable for it's cobbles and gets very busy in the tourist season nowadays .

 

End game.

Well I've managed to finish off my SYW game that has been delayed by various real life issues . The Prussian Cavalry drive off the remaining Russian Cavalry but due to the replacement lack lustre Brigadier they stall.

On the other flank the Russian Infantry manage to rally themselves and start to move forward. Yes we have got sunshine - nice weatherwise but not for photography .

The Russians get their act together and move forward to the attack - they are being harrassed by the Frei Korp .

And after - The leading Battalion breaks and flees crashing into the next one and that flees as well , a third one has to retire to try and rally it's casualties off. . Oh dear ! 

That ended the battle in favour of the Prussians , the Russians having lost half their units, the army morale broke and they are forced to retire . On the far left the Prussian Cavalry and Grenadiers are stalled, the forces in the centre took little part in the battle and on the near right the Russians were defeated by a combination of the constant snipping of the Frei Korp , effective Prussian Artillery cannister fire and the blundering control of their Generals . A great game which took longer to play than I expected , but the rules worked well and the fact that I didn't have to paint any of the figures was a bonus ! .

 

Well that didn't go as planned.

 

Well this weekend was going to be devoted to wargaming - it didn't go to planned !.My wife dropped me off to walk the dog and said - "don't do anything silly !" . Whilst walking the dog I slipped on a muddy patch and painfully pulled a muscle in my leg ! , OUCH ! - for a while I thought it was going to be a "go for help Lassie/Charlie" however I managed to right myself and mud bismerched managed to hobble home . I spent the rest of the weekend with my leg elevated and only got back to the game today.The Prussians Cuirrassiers crossed the stream, chased off some Cossacks and clashed with the Russians Dragoons.

On the other flank the Russian Infantry advanced but came under cannister fire as well as flanking fire from the Frei Korps which drove the first line back - when a unit recoils it disrupts the units behind it so this had a detrimental effect on the morale of the following units.

The leading Prussian Grenadier was broken by the Russian artillery and fled , The Cuirrassier broke a Russian Dragoon regiment but had to retire across the stream to reform , the Prussian Brigadier was also a casualty (his replacement is one ability worse - hence the green counter)

On the other flank the Russians got into a right pickle retreating through each other and driving down their own morale - Oh dear ! they need to get a grip ! , to be continued ....

*I did not tell my wife of my accident till she returned - she didn't say anything - but her look confirmed her opinion of my antics.

Whilst the Cat is away !

 

My wife is away this weekend , so I thought it was the ideal time to set up a Seven Years War game using my Wofun 2D plastic figures . Nearest the camera the Prussians and in the distance the Russians - a new army that I have been slowly building up over the last few months .I will be using the Honours of War ruleset .

Frederick consults with his Cavalry Brigadier . I have yet to win against the Russians - they have inferior Cavalry but the Infantry is as good as the Prussians - but their Command system is slow and rather antiquated.

Behind the Prussian Artillery looking towards the Russian lines.

The Prussian Grenadier Brigade who (hopefully)will be supporting the Cavalry with an attack on the Russian right.

Prussian Frei Korp who will be annoying the Russian left flank , the coin is to remind me if they have been activated - they are a small independent unit.

The Russian General Staff - facing the wrong way (for the sake of the photo) and getting very enthusiastic ! - the Green counter denotes this Brigadier is 'Dithering' (Oh dear)

On the Russian left a unit of Cossacks - an independent unit of 'Inferior' cavalry.

On the Russian right - a Battery of Artillery Hopefully I will be able to report back on how the game progresses over the next few days .