Salm-Kirberg Hussars.

I've given the Italian Wars project a bit of a rest for the present, largely because the last two units I have to paint are Landsknechts! Instead I'm choosing to work on small additions to existing projects. First up are four unreleased figures from Trent Miniatures which I've chosen to depict as the Salm-Kirberg Hussars, a French loyalist unit in British pay during the Flanders Campaign of 1793-95. In Black Powder terms they will be a Small Unit in our games, one of several colourful such ones I've already recruited ~

The sources, both visual and written, which I've found do not entirely agree as to small details like sash colours and plumes, but I chose largely to follow the Knotel plate, though I did take a few minor liberties in execution!

As Phil might say, "They will do!" At least they will for me, if not anyone else. Next on the painting desk is a WWI 4.5" howitzer and crew. I hope to finish that this week, although with shorter painting sessions and therapeutic walking it may take a bit longer!

Baldinus vicit Imperatoris

Or more properly The Glorious Death of Pompus Maximus, late Emperor. This week’s game here in GHQ saw a Late Roman game in our ongoing tale of Pompus Maximus and Baldinus and their struggle for the Imperial throne sometime in the late C4th. As usual we played out the game using our in house version of Neil Thomas’s Ancient and Medieval rules. The game swung this way and that, as they generally do with these rules we find, before a decisive moment ended the contest. A few pictures to convey the sense of the game. Next week, hopefully, a SYW game using Black Powder ~

The army of Pompus Maximus was cavalry centred, Heavy and Cataphract on

the left wing, Light cavalry and Horse Archers on the right. Two units of 

Dark Age infantry, supported by a unit of Heavy Arches, a unit of Light

Infantry and a bolt thrower held the cente.

The army of the rebel Baldinus was infantry heavy, with Dark Age Infantry,

Warbands, Heavy Archers and.a Bolt Thrower. His cavalry, all Heavy, was

concentrated on his right. You will note above the heroic Pompus right in the

action! Bit of an error of judgement on my part that!

I took my eye of the game as I concentrated on the cavalry action on my left.

Suddenly I found my infantry had fled and Pompus Maximus was fighting for

his life! Although he fought valiantly no units could come to his aid. Despite

reducing the enemy to half strength Pompus eventually succumbed and with

his untimely death the army fled. "Hail Baldinus!" Perhaps not...

Crossing the Po

For the second week on the trot Phil kindly agreed to come over to GHQ so we could have a game as I continue my rehabilitation by getting back into normal activities as much as I can. I suggested combining our completed Italian Wars bases and trying out Neil Thomas’s Renaissance rules to see what changes we might like to make. We managed to make armies of thirteen units a side by combining our bases. Each side had an objective to seize in addition to trying to destroy the enemy army. The Florentines had to seize the farm in the Papal deployment area, while the Papal army had to seize the bridge over the Po in the Florentine deployment zone. The pictures will I hope capture the colour and drama of the unfolding action in a battle which went right down to the wire ~

The Florentine army deploys mostly to the right of the Po river bridge. The

bridge is defended by a unit of mounted crossbows and a (very) large gun!

The Elmetti of the Papal army, supported by a unit of Halberdiers and another

of swordsmen, seize the high ground on the left. The artillery covers the 

approach to the farm. On the army's right the main force is focused on the 

objective of the bridge over the Po.

The Elmetti dominate the Florentine's right flank, supported by the swordsmen

and Halberdiers. The right flank advances with determination to seize the

bridge.

The Florentine Gendarmes are strangely inactive as the rest of their army

advances steadily against the Borgia foe.

Screened from the enemy by units of crossbows and handguns the pike and

spearmen advance steadily towards the enemy.

With the Florentine Gendarmes still inactive, the swordsmen and the

Halberdiers close on the Florentine shot.

In the distance the Papal army moves against the bridge,while in the

foreground the battle rages for the centre.

Having seen off the Florentine shot, the swordsmen rashly engage the still

stationary Gendarmes, supported by a unit of Elmetti!

The Florentine and Landsknecht pike finally get to grips with the enemy,

while in the distance a unit of Borgia handgunners advances on the bridge.

The push of pike takes centre stage now, but the Halberdiers take the 

Florentines in the flank to swing the outcome. More Borgia units move on the

bridge on the right.

At last the Florentine Gendarmes engage the Elmetti! The outcome was

largely underwhelming for Phil's cause I have to say.

In the final moments of the battle the Florentine pike and their Landsknecht

allies are destroyed and the Florentine army is broken. The bridge is firmly

in the hands of the Papal army, resulting in a victory for the Borgia cause!

The game lasted about three hours, punctuated by lunch, and demonstrated to our satisfaction that Neil Thomas's Renaissance rules would suit us well, although we already have made the first adjustments and additions to the basics. The colour and spectacle of the armies on the tabletop battlefield have inspired us to press on with the project. Next week though we plan a return to the C5th struggle for the Roman Empire between Pompus Maximus and Baldinus.

Landsknecht Command Element

As my army of the Papal States will have a number of mercenary Landsknecht elements I thought I ought to include a Command Element for them. In addition, these are the first figures I’ve completed since my hip replacement operation last month. There are six figures on the base: two Steel Fist Late Medieval Foot Knights and four Warlord/ProGloria Landsknecht figures, including an odd looter picked up with the light gun set at Januarys Table Top Sale in Penkridge.

I’m taking a break now from the Italian Wars project and have located two small pieces for other projects: a 4.5” Howitzer and crew which will do for both the Great War and the VBCW; four Hussars by Matt for Trent Miniatures, the Salm-Kirkerg Hussars. That should take about two weeks at my current pace.

Biccles Bites the Dust

There is a long story behind Phil's second visit to GHQ in two days, but we'll stick with the short version: Dianne's car is broken down on our drive so Phil has run her over to work, just up the hill from us, and so spent the day here while waiting for the mechanic to fix the car, which he did not manage today, needing to order a part! So Phil will be here again tomorrow at some point, with Dianne, to hopefully collect the fixed car!
We passed some of the day trying out Wings of War, the WWII version, which I had picked up from a previous year's Penkridge Tabletop Sale for £20. I've bought a few extra planes over the elapsed time and Jon kindly gave me on of the mats to play over. So, Flying Officer Bicclesworth versus the vile Hun, von Robbensahn! We played three games, slowly absorbing the basic rules as we went along.
First blood was to Phil, shooting me down in turn two! Three damage chits drawn, total 17! My Spitfire went down in flames! The second game was rather more cat and mouse, but eventually the hero of the RAF sent von Robbensahn to his doom in his flaming M109! For the third and deciding game we swopped sides, Phil taking the Spitfire and myself the ME110 for a change of game. Despite neither of us exactly setting the world aflame my rear gunner had several hits on the Spitfire to only one on the ME110 when disaster struck. I misread a card and flew off the edge of the table into the sunset, handing the deciding game to Phil! We enjoyed ourselves as you can probably see from the picture Sue took of us. {Note the squadron moggie, FO Phoebe, on duty outside by the way.} We hope to play a game in GHQ next week, but what it is will depend very much on how I am after the weekend...

Despair at Fort Desperation

Three weeks on from my discharge after the hip replacement operation  Phil and I met up in GHQ for a second try at the Black Powder F&IW game, with Phil commanding the British and yours truly the French. We employed the same modifications and additions to the rules as in the previous game, mainly to test out their possible inclusion in other periods we play using them, though the British added some support from a Great Lakes sloop. The French won the initiative dice off, at the third attempt, and proceeded to fail all Command rolls in their first turn! Pretty much the story of the whole game from my perspective. The game lasted 15 turns in about 21/2 hours and the following pictures capture the flow rather nicely I feel ~

While the irregulars and the Paddoquoi warriors make their opening move the

French regulars and artillery do not enter the table! In contrast the British 

seize the high ground blocking the route to the fort!

The Woodsmen fail to each their objective and the Regulars are able to

refuse their flank! Their Light Company hurry to cover the flank but are

attacked by a band of Paddoquoi.

Settlers from the lakeside village defend their homes from French Canadian

militia. For several turns neither side could hit the barn door!

At last the French Regulars enter the table but fail to deploy into firing line!

Yet another awful Command roll! The artillery blunder forward so cannot

fire! The Woodsmen are unable to break the Regulars and the Light Company

sees off the Paddoqoi! Sacre Bleu!

Just as the Paddoquoi war party lands to attack the village HM Sloop Achilles

rakes the landing area with canister. Mon Dieu!

The British Regulars are 'Shaken' so the French rush in with the bayonet!

"A Moi! A Moi!" Now as a result of the Hand-to-Hand combat they are

'Shaken' as well! Merde!

Both sides must test Morale. Both fail and Route! The British leave the table,

and the game, but the French may try to Rally! The Light Company are routed

by the Woodsmen while along the waterfront the Paddoquoi are holding their

own against Robinson's Rangers and the settlers.

In Turn 14 it looks all up for the British, the way to the fort lies undefended!

Mais naturellement de Bykli fails his Command rolls allowing the rallied 

Light Company and a Company of Rangers to enter the fort!

Turn 15 sees the French Regulars rally, but too far from the fort to effect the

outcome. While the Paddoquoi war party has seized the village elsewhere the

French cause est perdu! From a French win to a British triumph in one turn!

C'est le Guerre mes amis!

I was shattered after about two and a quarter hours of play, but also elated to have played a game much sooner than I thought possible before the operation! I've also been able to start some short painting sessions this week and have almost finished a Command base for my mercenary Landsknechts in the pay of Cesare Borgia and the service of the Papal States army. Phil will be here tomorrow again and we hope to have a go at Wings of War, the WWII version. Now, time for my nap I think...

The Attack on Fort Desperation

For the first, and possibly only, game here in GHQ in May Jon and I played a French and Indian War game. We used Black Powder for the rules with two adaptations: firstly, you could give orders to each base of figures as well as to units, with each unit having its own commander under the CinC; secondly, units which routed could try to rally on a -2 in the next turn and a -1 in the turn following. After that, Routed units left the table. Both adaptations worked smoothly we thought and the game swung back and forth over 10 Turns before a clear winner emerged. I took a few pictures to capture the essence of the game which I hope will let you see how it all panned out ~

The defenders of Fort Desperation push out to engage the enemy. Local

settlers support the Regulars in the fort. The Light Company heads for the 

high ground.

French woodsmen emerge from cover in front of the Lights. The artillery

engage the partially concealed French Regulars. Robinson's Rangers make 

their appearance to bolster the defenders.

The Rangers move off  swiftly to engage the Padoquoi Indians who had 

landed further up the shoreline.

The French Regulars crest the hill and are engaged by the British Regulars.

The local settlers have fled and the Light Company has been forced back but

more Rangers are hurrying to secure the flank as more Padoquoi emerge from

the woods.

The British Regulars and the Colonial gunners drive back the French but

Disorder is beginning to effect the efficiency of the defenders.

The Padoquoi warriors have been driven of by the Rangers to give the hard

pressed defenders a short respite.

The Rangers and the Light Company find themselves out numbered by the 

enemy Militia Woodsmen and allied Padoquoi warriors. A crisis has been

reached for the Defenders of Fort Desperation.

Although the British Regulars still hold Fort Desperation the settlers and the

Rangers have fled the scene leaving the French under Colonel Le Blanc to

claim the victory.

Although I had originally hoped to play out the game with Sharp Practice 2 as the rules I found I was too preoccupied with my coming hip operation and fell back on our favourite Black Powder rules instead with the additions noted above. The game went very smoothly and the rules proved versatile enough to cope with our changes. I've left the game out on the table in GHQ as I hope to play it again with Phil when I'm just a little stronger in the hip department.