Friday, 20 December 2024

Haitian Revolution - Haitian Flag Bearers and Commanders

 


I've been busy these past few weeks trying to tidy up my paint desk in readiness for the Painting Challenge that starts tomorrow. 
I started painting these months ago hoping to use them for my Haitian Revolution game at Broadside in June. But in the end didn't need them, so they were pushed to the back of the queue


All 4 figures are from Britannia Miniatures, which are available from Andy at Grubby Tanks.


I had to do a little conversion work, chopping off some heads and replacing them with black heads from Trent Miniatures range. I found an image of what the Haitian flags probably looked like and printed these off myself.


I also painted another 4 figures from Britannia, but this time holding the French flag!


So we could end up playing a game with 4 units of former slaves on each side fighting each other??


I also painted a few commanders for the Haitian's These are once again conversions of Britannia Miniatures, using Trent heads.



I quite liked the idea of having a figure with a red bicorne like the image of Jean-Jacques Dessalines. I suppose I should have painted white trousers????




Lastly 4 French Commanders from the Britannia range, these of course still have their heads in place.
So you can see just what you can do with just a little conversion work.


And that's it for todays post!

Wednesday, 11 December 2024

Retreat From Moscow - A New Project!

 


Well well well, here we go again, another new project..............The Retreat From Moscow. But this time I'm doing it as a joint project with BigLee, he's doing the Russians and I'm doing the French.
But what rules will you be using?


Sharpe Practice 2 is the answer. I bought the first version a long time ago and could never really understand them. So I bought the revised 2nd version again a number of years ago, wishing to use them for my Haitian Revolution figures, but again found them a difficult read. I seem to learn rules better if I'm playing them, rather than trying to read them and take in what I'm reading??? 

Is anyone else like this?


Anyway, BigLee went to a Lardy Day earlier in the year and played a few games of Sharpe Practice, then in passing said he enjoyed the rules and will be buying a copy. 
That was my lightbulb moment!


So I said, do you fancy doing a joint project using Sharpe Practise for the Painting Challenge?
I felt Lee's eyes light up through the phone, I suggested the Retreat From Moscow as its different from anything I've painted before because of all the snow.


I wanted to paint up the Russians, as I've just done loads of French for the Haitian Revolution, but Lee wanted them as well. So for some reason unknown to me he ended up with the easy to pant Russians.


As we were talking Lee, being the weak willed chap he is had already ordered some figures, although I must admit I followed suite soon after.


So the first figures we both bought were a French and Russian army from Muskets and Tomahawks bought from North Star.


Very sensibly for me and Lee, were both known for getting carried away buying stuff at Rejects HQ, we decided on a small army of 8 units each.




Unfortunately we both ignored the original plan after seeing the Perry's luvvly figures......

It only took a few days...


My 8 unit army is now upto 15 units.

Yes I know, I just can't help myself!!

So look out for some Retreat from Moscow figures from both Lee and myself starting from the 21st December when the Challenge starts.

“Vive la France!”

Monday, 9 December 2024

Mad For War - 2nd Anglo-Dutch War - 1/1200 Scale Ark royal ships

 


Looking back on my posts, I seem to have missed posting the last of my 2 posts on my Dutch ships from Barry Hilton's Ark Royal Miniatures.


As you can see we have the 44 gunned Stad Gouda, the 26 gunned Schakerlo, the 26 gunned Schiedam and lastly the 26 gunned Overijssel.


Lastly the bases are once again from Warbases.




Tuesday, 26 November 2024

into the Dark Side - A Star Wars Legion batrep

 


Yes you read that right.......Star Wars!!!

What the hell is Rousell doing playing Star Wars, he's a purly historical gamer??? I hear you shouting...

All I can say id "Steve made me do it!"

Reject Steve has only been a Reject for a few years, he joined our merryband after seeing us putting on a game at Broadside, we invited him down to Reject HQ for a game and now we can't get rid of him?

And what does he do for his first ever game in the Shed as an umpire......he drags us into the Dark Side..


Steve has had a game planned for a couple of week, we didn't think he'd go so big!


Steve placed Dan and Postie on the Rebel side, Dan is a Star Wars Legion veteran while Steve has gone over the basics with Postie. Me Lee and Surj had to pick out the hat. Luckily for me I picked out the Rebels side to join Postie and Dan. The rules are a tad complicated if I'm being honest, but I suppose you get used to them the more you play, as per normal.


Poor Surj and Lee had to try and work out what the hell was going on, thank gawd I had Dan on my side!


Postie was on our right with Luke and Leia, Dan was in the middle with a purple haired lady called Sabine, (what a tough nut she was to crack!) And I was on our right with the Mandalorian, Lando and two Robots!


The Empire had the big bad boys out. Surj had Darth Vador and Bobba Fett, Lee had the Emperor and a few other characters, who's names I can't remember, Soz!


Lando, Cassian? and his pal the Robot


The Emperor and his guard, luckily for us, he moved very slow!!!


But they didn't!


I moved up some troops to try and gain some ground


Steve placed the big massive piece of terrain smack bang in front of my and Lee's troops, which helped me out no end, I decided to hide behind anything I could!


Dan in the centre faced the walker, whuch wasn't a nice thing for Surj to do to Dan... was it? So that made Dan's plans for moving forward very difficult.


The performing chimp!


Hang on a minute??
Where's my troops gone?
In a flash I lost the protection and our right flank.
Those dirty Stormtroopers hiding in those crates


Right, lets hide in hear then?


I raced my Sniper team up behind the barricades, while the Mandalorian and IG-88 waited for their turn.


A view from the side, Lee's 2 units of flying motorbikes v my Rebel walker.
But who would come out on top?
Talking of on top....Lee's Imperial Guard get to the top of the Scaffold terrain, before I get the chance to.


I manage to hit one of the bikes, but they have 2 casualties per bike!


The Rebels Walker did the damage.


The second unit of bikes close in on my positions.


Lee doesn't want to rick moving these forward.


My Sniper couldn't hit a bloody thing!


From the side again. I push Lando and Cassian up to maybe rush the steps next turn and have a go the the Guards on top.


Apologies, I neglected to take many pics of the other side of the table.
Posties troops can be seen behind the rocky outcrop at the top of the pick, with his speeder, speeding towards Surj's walker. Dan is doing his best to take cover in the town.


Darth Vader can be seen walking very slowly over towards the rocky outcrop, while Surj's troop follow and hold in the centre.


Oh dear!
I took a shot at the Guard on up top killed a figure but each figure has 2 lives, then he swatted my troop like a fly!


Postie got into a position where he could shoot the walker from the front and the Stormtroopers from behind.


My last unit on our right, my walker"


But I had loads of characters, including this bad boy (no name robot) apparently he defected from the Empire so they couldn't shoot him until I shot or attacked them. So as the bikes were going passed, he grabbed one and gave it a shake!


Chewbacca can be seen centre left, with a hand and foot of Han Solo. Darth Vador can be seen skulking among the palm trees.
Speaking of palm trees, Surj knocked them over at least 7 times during the game!!!
Clumsey sod!


Oh how we laughed, Steve wouldn't let Surj walk over the barricade, so he had to walk around it. He gave us a very descriptive act on how he could lift his leg up into the air, it was like watching my kids during a scene in a nativity play at school.


Mr Robot continues to shake the crap out of the bikes, the buggers had 3 lives each!!


My Sniper gets sniped, by the blurry Bosk!


The centre and right, its not looking good for the Rebel Alliance!


Din Djarin, the Mandalorian, has just about had enough and uses his rockets to jump up the top of the scaffold, unfortunately he's not got enough movement left to charge, but has a veritable arsenal of weapons at his hands.


He kick Empire butt, but only knocks off one figure, but the remaining three are severely damaged.


Mr Robot despatched the remnants of the two bikes, but our flank is very open.


IG-88 doing his thang!


Surj, Lee and Steve


My last remaining trooper and look, who's that making his way under the scaffold.
Steve said, " Don't go anywhere near him!"


Uh oh! Here comes trouble!

Please mind out for the Kent Berries though, they're really dangerous!


There were a few wimpers and shouts of that's not fair, when I charged in the Mandalorian and he hit on every dice!


Now you see them...


Now you don't!


We were only on turn 3 but it was getting late, so we knew the game was going to end soon. Dan charged out the purple haired she women, who spanked butt wherever she went. I can't remember his name, but she killed a rotter here. But Dan's left her out in the open???


Only 2 more bikes to shoot up!


Postie spent the entire game hiding behind the rocky outcrop.
I don't think Luke had his Weetabix this morning?


Here comes the Dark Lord. Once again Steve said "Don't go anywhere near him!"


Vader uses the force and gives Posties troops morale markers, instead of jumping over the hill and fighting the men.


Surj forgets about Luke and Leia and tries to rid the world of Sabine the purple haired banshee. He fired every unit he could at her, including Boba Fett. And every single time they missed or Dan Saved the hits.


But its all too late, the game had ended, time has run out. But who has won?

Look at their faces, I think you can guess??
A 689 to 603 win for the Rebels!

Conclusion

All joking aside, I will hold my hands up and say I thoroughly enjoyed myself playing Star Wars Legion. The rules blew my mind, though, there was soooo much to try and remember. I'm just pleased I had Dan on my side who knew what the symbols all meant and when best to use the masses of cards that each unit had.
10/10 and I'm already looking forward to another game. I hope Dan's on my side again though?!

Nice one Steve!