15mm Russo-Japanese - The Battle in the Pass & my new painting table!!

As some of you may have already read on Fran's blog earlier in the week, Postie put on a Russo-Japanese midweek game for me and Fran. It was a playtest of his new set of rules "The Tsar & Emperor", which are once again a mix of a few sets of rules and some of his own ideas. I must say it was great to see some of these figures out on the board at last. I painted nearly all of the figures on display during this game during my first entry into Curt's painting challenge the year before last, so its taken Postie quite a long time to get them on the tabletop!!!!
Once again apologies if I've missed any of your posts, I'll hopefully be back to normal soon???
At great expense I've equipped myself out with a new desk in my painting room, its not as big as I'd like but it'll just have to do at the moment. There's a Pic at the end of the post.

Anyway on with the game.......

We were both set up in road column and the aim of the game was to be in control of the

 two hills and the pass between the hills.

The 1st Japanese Cavalry 

Don't they look smart in their blue uniforms?

And here come Fran's Russians all dressed in white!

Two Japanese Artillery pieces and a Machine gun.

We haven't seen each other yet!

We'd both kinda made up our minds to charge our Cavalry forward at the first opportunity.

The Russian infantry column who were infact Siberian troops and were an inferior

 quality to their European counterparts. 

The Russian Cavalry preparing to charge.

Fran won the initiative and charged first, I decided to counter charge....

Things didn't go according to my plan, Fran threw well, I didn't. I was pushed back 

disordered and the next turn Fran charged again.

He was very dismayed when I was allowed to turn about and face his charge...

During the turn I moved up some infantry just incase I lost the Cavalry fight.

Which I did....again!!!

But Fran's next move was a voluntary move back with his Cavalry to move them 

out of my close firing range.

Fran started to move up one of the hills, it could only be climbed in the depression.

My machine guns makes it to the hill, while my infantry spread out and move towards the hill.

The battle unfolds.........

I started to fire long range with my artillery but couldn't hit a bloody thing!

Up the hill I go.

Fran continued along the defile on the hill, if he moved out of it he could be seen 

and become a target, so wisely he kept their heads down.

Fran's cavalry finally take a few casualties and flee the field. 

I tried to get into a  firing line on the hill and give fire.

My unit in the pass got shot up badly and soon fled.

Fran decided the time was right to move out of the defile, my machine

 gun and columns made him wish he didn't.

I think this hill is mine?

And there's where we had to stop the game. I had to go and pick up Brat No 3 & 4 from school. So the day was called a draw, there was still a hell of a lot of fight left in both sides. Not sure who would have one so I'll just say ME!

Contractual shitbag shot!

And finally my new painting table!!!

Peace and quiet at last...............