Tuesday 20 January 2015

My 3rd Victorian Bonus Round entry - Analogue Painting Challenge & Fran



I wasn't going to enter this round as I don't own any Victorian figures, but I was chatting with von Postie himself, who said he had a few 25mm Zulu Wars figures just sitting in a box. So I ended up flicking a little paint on the chap above.
Postie thinks its a Newline Design figure, but I've checked out their website and can't find him there? Anybody know where he comes from?
He is of course painted up as an Officer of the famous B Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot, the Royal Warwickshire regiment, later of course named the South Wales Borderer's.


 Not sure if you can still vote for this round or not, but if you want to try, here's a link to do so,
The photos I sent in for this round made my figure look like my 7 year old daughter painted the figure, see below!! So I took another couple of pics, he looks a little better me thinks???
The one thing I can't understand though, is why he's holding a sword and also got one in his scabbard??


Finally as some of you may already now, my pal Fran, The Angry Lurker has buggered 
off back home to Ireland today to start a new life.
 I've gotta admit he will be missed, it just won't be the same without the Miserable Fecking Git.



Friday 9 January 2015

RP No 163 NYW French La Marche Infantry regt


My last unit painted in 2014 and my 1st entry into this years Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. In fact its the first unit I've painted for myself in a couple of months!! These fine looking fellows are the regt La Marche and they earned me 42 points and pushed my up to the dizzy heights of No50 in the standings!!!


The regiment quite obviously is another of my Nine Years War French units, and are once again based up for the Beneath the Lilly Banners ruleset. The regt is one of the 6 French regiments that were sent over to Ireland and were present at the Battle of the Boyne. The other being  Forez, Merode, Tournasis, Famechon & Zurlauben (which I've already painted, here) The plan is to paint one more of these regts up, but I'm not sure which one yet, it really depends on which one has the best looking flag!

La Marche were commanded by Colonel Armand-Charles de Gontaut, the Baron de Biron, After they left Ireland, In 1691 they were posted to the Alps and Nice, then they were sent to Flanders were they fought at the Battle of Neerwinden.
The figures are from Essex minis and the flag is from the Warflag website.





Tuesday 6 January 2015

The 2nd Battle of Leignitz - A SYW bat rep


Back in December you may remember we put on a game for Fran, his final game before the git moves back to Ireland. Fran had the choice of game and chose a Seven Years War game using Age of Reason rules. You can see the batrep here.
Well, it seems we were a tad premature about Fran's last game, we have infact sneaked in another game before he buggers off!
Reject Richard suggested after the Battle of Leignitz game that we play it again on the same table using the same armies BUT using Koenig Krieg rules. Lee has already done a report on the game here.
So the game was afoot...............................


We had exactly the same people at the game, apart from our former Cavalry commander Tamsin


Richard and Postie both umpired the game, as Postie hadn't reffed the rules before.


Fran and the Austrians like in the last game had to set up first. their set up was very similar to the last game, with a few differences. The main one being their Croats, were no longer in 1 brigade. they were split and each acted independently. Which as we later found out was a right pain in the butt!
Fran also placed 2 units of Hussars on his right flank, while the rest went on the open left.


We the Prussians decided to have our main attack on our left, matching 4 ubits of Horse against Fran's Hussar's, including the Prussian Guard, (the 2nd unit in the line above)


The plan was very similar to the last game, Surg would attack the right side of the hill, in more of a holding attack, while my main attack would be on the left of the hill.


Prussian Cuirassiers


As we were outmatched in Horse, we decided to fight a defensively. Instead of going out all guns blazing, we'd form a diagonal line and force them to come to us.


Dave and John massed Horse
and Smithy's infantry.


Fran attached an artillery piece to a Croat unit, a very wise move!!


The Austrian defence. The unit on the left was our main target.


The 3rd Prussian infantry brigade.
Would perform a holding action next to the woods.


We matched the Austrian Croats and placed our Jagers to contest the woods.


After the 1st move


John's Horse can be seen in the background, while Lee's Hussars set up next to the trees.


Fran's well placed skirmishers, kept up  a steady fire in our flank. So although I didn't want to I had to turn a regt of Cuirasseirs and charge the edge of the wood.


Things were going well, Lee had all his Cavalry waiting in line, It was going to be difficult for them to attack us without leaving a flank open somewhere.


Fran's Croats didn't stay around for the charge and buggerd off, I changed formation into column, so I could gain back some control next turn.


BUT....
Now here's where I need to tell you a little about the rules. Each turn you have to throw for iniurtiative, if you win, you may chose to either move a brigade or pass that movement onto your opponent. 
Now this was extremely important, as we kept losing the throws, so the Austrians basically moved and fired when they wanted to and forced us to move and fire when they wanted us to. 
This was extremely frustrating as you can imagine!!! 


Here's where Surj lost the plot and turned a Fusilier unit into the flank of the Croat unit in the woods??
Now I can understand why Surj did it, but for Gods sake the Austrians were only a move away from his now open flank!!!!!!!


We placed 2 units of Dragoons out in the open, to try and force the Austrians to attack them and hopefully damage them for the coming rounds of melee. The melee ensued the dice didn't go our way. But then we found out that the winner of a melee only loses 1 figure, while we lose the difference. The Dragoons failed their morale and ran off table, never to be seen again!


Things were going a little better over on the left flank, I moved two units up the hill and gave fire, before the Austrians could do so, as in the rules the Prussians can move and fire in the same turn.
The Austrians only need to lose 2 more figures and they'll flee.


The Guard Cuirassiers charged in, but had already taken heavy casualties due to that bloody Croats unit and the attached artillery!!!


John's victorious Cuirassiers turn and face the Prussian Horse.


What a mess!
My Hussars also charge as does Dave's Dragoons, who started the game at the other end of the table, but as they were in column and more than 15 inches from any enemy they could move 3 actions in 1 turn! Didn't know that one either at the start of the game!


Fir some reason Surj halted 
But I had a lucky die throw, I threw 3 dice and got 3 6's and Fran's heavy gun was no more!


Dave took a chance as it was the last move of the turn and moved a unit across the front
of Lee's Hussar, he was hoping to win the next first turn and charge the Cuirassiers.


But for a change we won the 1st turn
So Lee very eagerly charged, straight into Dave's flank!


Now it was our turn again for dodgy dice, my Guard Curiasseirs were wiped out, 
(Frederick would turn over in his grave)
This now allowed Fran to charge both his units at my Hussars
Damn it!


Lee sent Dave's Curiassiers packing and followed up, he hit another unit, but then threw bad in the melee, forcing him back through our other Hussars unit.
We were wavering....
then it was announced that we'd reached enough casualties to test for army morale.
Richard said Don't throw a 6....

And you know what I threw!

So that was the end of the game. I've gotta say I really enjoyed the game, the rules were very good, even better than I remembered, we last played these around 20 years ago??
The main thing I like is that you're kinda forced to play to the period, rather than the usual set of generic rules with bits and bobs added to them to make them fit.
I shall look forward to playing these again!


Thursday 1 January 2015

Happy New Year & the 2nd Bonus round


I feel a little like that this morning......
Wishing you all out there in Blogland a very Happy New Year.
I'm glad 2014 is over and look forward to a better 2015!!!


This is my entry into the 2nd bonus round (Mount & Rider)
It wasn't my planned entry, I started painting a couple of 15mm French
Generals for my NYW collection, then found I had no matching MDF bases.
So a quick switch to this fine looking fellow, who's one of Posties old unused  Reiver Castings
figures, afraid he's just a basic paint as I was running out of time.
He may or may not get a wash and brush up  at a later date???


He's up against some very stiff opposition, so if you haven't already you can get 
on over to Curt's Blog and caste a vote for your favourite.