A Brief Encounter in the SYW

I felt well enough for us to play a smallish SYW game here in GHQ on Tuesday, with Phil leading the Allied army as Lord Rawnsley, in our first meeting since before Christmas! I put out about a half of my collection on a table top battlefield largely free of terrain features for a simple encounter game ~

Although Phil won the dice roll-off for the initiative his army showed little inclination to advance, his first infantry brigade order producing a Blunder! The Brigade advanced but one move though, his 6 being undermined by a 1 for the number of moves on the enemy. The French, lead by the largely incompetent Comte de Merde, on the contrary advanced with splendid Gallic elan, right onto the enemy's guns!

Volleys crashed out in the second Turn, as Lord Rawnsley steadied his men in the face of the intimidating French advance! Disorder resulted for the two leading French units, with one being flung back Shaken and exposing their supporting unit to further withering fire in the following turn.

Although the Grenadiers De France threw back their opponents, on their right flank another unit fared less well with a second Irish unit being Broken by a combination of Closing Fire and the bayonet in the ensuing Hand to Hand combat. 

Lord Rawnsley's right was held by a battery of 12lb guns supported by a rag tag of Hanoverian cavalry. Although his Lieb Garde were forced to retire his remaining units were able to first hold off and then repulse the Hussards de Bykli, their supporting Dragoons showing no inclination to come to their aid!

Despite more success in the centre the French found it impossible to capitalise significantly as Disorder gripped their leading units preventing rapid exploitation of opening gaps in the British lines.

Suddenly in Turn 5 we realised that both the French infantry Brigade's were Broken! With that realisation the Comte de Merde was obliged to quit the field, conceding the victory to Lord Rawnsley. In fact losses were about equal at this stage, but more concentrated for the French and rendering their army Broken. The French cavalry left much to be desired both in elan and in combat. The British infantry was Steady as you'd expect, absorbing losses across the board without loss of cohesion. French successes were notable for their failure to be exploited due to Disorder.

No complaints though, a thoroughly enjoyable start to the gaming year here in GHQ despite being given a thumping. On to Olaf's HQ next week all things being equal and a WWII game with Battlegroup.

Tumbleweed here in GHQ?

 

Not a lot of action seen at either my painting desk or across the tabletop battlefield here in GHQ since the onset of the New Year and my bout of "There's a lot of it about!" Finally though things are moving towards what passes for normal here! I've picked up my brush a little more each day over the past few days and have progressed the last of my Late Roman legions, I'm over half way through them now so I'd hope to show them to you later next week. Games wise I'm less sure what's happening: I'm waiting to hear from Paul and Phil to see what their plans could be now I'm on the up.

Still no LBMS transfers news from Victrix, so my Saxons/Goths can't be processed next as I'd hoped to complete the Late Roman collection's refurbishment. In their stead I've sorted out a unit of Great War Miniatures French Voltiguers of the Guard for my Crimean War collection, which incidentally you might have seen featured in the latest addition of Wargames Illustrated. If there's still nothing on the transfer front by the time they are done then I've a unit of Dixon Miniatures Pennsylvania sharpshooters to add to the already overstaffed ACW collection! Mad, I know but I just fancied them! There are still two Confederate and one Union infantry regiments in the Lead Pimple too!!!! They've been there two years about I'd think...

I'd rather hoped to be painting more of Matt's Footsore Vikings too, but again the lack of shield transfers has pushed them, and the Dark Age Welsh, down the batting order! To finish though on a positive note I'm due over at Wargames Illustrated HQ on Thursday for a photoshoot of my Saga of Bicca Biccasson project. The pictures will I hope accompany a short piece I've had accepted about the project in a future issue, perhaps March or April given the lead in production times.

A Second Christmas Gift to myself

Towards the end of last year I mentioned that I'd ordered two items from Caliver Books as a Christmas gift to myself. These were a copy of Midgard, which I went on to blather about, and also the Wargamers' Annual 2025, which I made no further mention of at the time. If you'll bear with me now I'd like to put that right in this post.

I must admit to a fondness for this very Old School concept, a Christmas annual for wargamers of my vintage I'd guess, a nostalgic throwback to Christmas annuals of childhood! In fact I own the full set, including the Summer annuals that featured for a number of years, and often enjoy dipping back into earlier iterations. But this year's has given me cause to pause and reflect more than usual. The fact is that the first article was penned by Peter Nicholson, one half of The Iron Brigade (with Kevin Calder), who sadly passed away unexpectedly towards the end of the year, while the last article was by Tim Hall on his experience in dealing with a large Wargamers' bereavement sale. Obviously Peter's estate must include a large element of figures, terrain and books which perhaps his family have little idea of either value or avenues of disposal? 

Tim's article is timely there perhaps, but also in a wider context relevant to those of us with veteran status and decent sized collections. I know I've blathered on about this issue more than once, but I felt the article in question had a wider application so I invite you to get hold of a copy if you need the benefit of Tim's advice and experience in either planning or dealing with disposal of a wargames collection.

To end though on a more cheerful and positive note, I continue to recover from my bout of "Theres a lot of it about!" and have managed some painting in short sessions. Some Wargames Foundry Late Roman/Arthurian infantry, of which more in due course I'd hope. 

Tempting Fate?

It seems that I spoke too soon when I settled on the title of the first blog entry of the new year! I have been struck by a serious bout of "There's a lot of it about"! The result is four days pretty much spent asleep in bed feeling like, well, you know I'm sure... Although I feel a little better there's not much prospect of any hobby activity in the coming week for any number of reasons combining with health. Luckily I finished these the last of my Late Roman cavalry additions right at the end of last year ~

Two bases of Late Roman Heavy Cavalry first of all. As you'd surely expect they are from Wargames Foundry's venerable range, with a mixture of shield transfers from the now defunct LBMS - I believe Victrix intend to sell the shield transfers for other manufacturers' ranges, though if/when they do then I fully expect to be ripped off by a price increase. Call me a cynic if you like, but there you go. Bases are from Warbases as usual ~

As ever I was wont not to waste the odd figure remaining in the Lead Pimple, so I've mounted him on a base as a single figure. He can be either a commander of a Division in Hail Caesar or a Champion if we give Mudgard a run out with my Late Romans.

I need to lie down now after the effort of typing the entry. More hopefully in a day or three when I feel more human.

Things can only get better?

For the first post of 2025 I find myself needing to report on the last game played here in GHQ in 2024, a Punic War three hander with William and Phil leading the Republican Romans and the Allied Etruscans respectively, leaving me to lead the Carthaginian army once again. A few pictures I managed to take during the hurly burley of the battle which hope will give a sense of how the game played out. Rules were Hail Caesar of course! On to the action ~

Viewing the field of battle from behind the Roman lines, Republican Romans on the left, Allied Etruscans on the right, Carthaginians in the distance.

The Carthaginian centre comprised the elephants, Celtiberian warbands, Numidian skirmishers backed by Haztrubal Bicca's veteran Heavy Infantry.

On the Roman left flank Billius Secundus deployed his Medium Cavalry screened by many Small Units of Cretan archers.

The Roman centre comprised two Legions with their Velites ready to skirmish with the elephants and their screening Numidian Light Infantry.

Both armies hurried to close with each other. Velites and Numidians exchanged volleys of javelins and casualties mounted along with Disorder on the Carthaginians.

Spanish Light and Medium Cavalry on Haztrubal's left find themselves facing a storm of arrows and slingshot from the Allied Etruscans' right.

On Haztrubal's right his Celtiberian Heavy Cavalry clash with Secundus's Mediums and come off second best.

Loosing the Hand-to-Hand combat results in a Morale Test. With two 1's the result, they Break!

The second group of Celtiberian Heavy Cavalry fare better in the early exchanges, the Romans are Shaken but survive to fight on!

The Numidian Light Cavalry supporting the struggling Celtiberians are thrown forward against the victorious Romans. Haztrubal's attack is coming unravelled all too quickly.

The Numidians suffer the same fate as the Celtiberians at the hands of the Roman Medium Cavalry! Haztrubal's right is Broken and his centre is stalled by widespread Disorder. 

The Spanish Cavalry on Haztrubal's left are Broken by missile fire and an Etruscan cavalry charge. The victorious Romans sweep behind his centre and take the Allied Greek infantry in the flank! It's all up for Haztrubal's cause, again! He can only watch the destruction from alongside his veterans who Blundered off the table in Turn 2 and struggled to get back in time.

Billius Secundus enjoying his victory over Grandad Haztrubal Bicca!

You may have noticed that Phil has made some very Old School movement and range sticks. In practice so much less fuss to use than a tape measure twinned with Arkwright's Till!

I can only trust that in the coming year those capricious 'dice gods' will show some favour on my dice throws. They most definitely didn't favour me in this game at all! Next week, Lurgi permitting, we are planning a SYW game here in GHQ.

Forward March!

Well, it's that time in the yearly cycle once more when bloggers old and new attempt a review of their year on the hobby front and look forward to the coming campaign year. Here at Tales From GHQ things are no different, so without too much blathering on here are my reflections on the past campaigning year and my 'Vague Aspirations' in regard to the coming year.

Beginning as ever with games played my records show I played in a total of 50 games over the year, both here in GHQ and over at Phil's Olaf's HQ in 'Darkest Rawnsley'. I failed to shake off my less than mediocre record throughout the year, winning only 20 and loosing 27! For long spells it seemed that those capricious 'dice gods' really did have it in for me! While I hope for an improvement next year experience tells me that I may be whistling in the wind in that respect. As tabletop generals go I am distinctly average, but I do put on a nice show I think by way of compensation.

Turning to painting next, records in my desk diary show that this past year I have just managed to achieve my modest target of two figures painted a day! I've completed 740 figures over the year, all in glorious 28mm size! Of course I recognise that even after fifty years of practice I am still really only a journeyman painter but I'm gratified that so many folk enjoy my modest efforts and take the trouble to say so. At the year's conclusion I can reflect on the undoubted pleasure painting still brings me, as well as the concomitant contribution to maintaining my mental health mostly in a good place... mostly.

'Back in the day' as the saying has it Phil and I would have attended anything up to twenty odd wargames shows in a year up and down the country. I've even attended two Historicons and two Cold Wars in the USA in days gone by. Since the Plague's malign effects contributing to the demise of many shows and in respect of advancing age taking its toll that total has sadly diminished drastically. This year I visited just four: WMMS, Hammerhead, Partizan and The Other Partizan. My experience at the latter brought home forcibly to me that I'm no longer as young and fit as I'd like to think and that I must plan my time more carefully at future events with that in mind. Sadly time marches on for us all!

As to hobby purchases, well as is usual I'd have to confess that it's been too much of course! Most recently these have been of Matt's ranges for Footsore Miniatures in the shape of his Dark Ages Welsh and his super successful Vikings Kickstarter. In addition I've an Aventine Miniatures Pyrrhic army lurking in the Lead Pimple, as well as a small Warlord Epic range Punic War collection. As I shall {DV} turn 75 in May next year a part of me marvels at the optimism - or stupidity - that all those suggest, while another part wonders at the pointless addition of even more stuff in GHQ! As well as all those, lurking in the Lead Pimple are French Guard infantry and Roosian Cossacks for the Crimean War project, ACW infantry units, Wars of the French Revolution Austrians Uhlans, Saxons/Goths for my Late Roman project and so on...

One unexpected purchase was a set of rules, the new much hyped Midgard. I got my copy from Caliver Books, along with the Wargamers' Annual, as a present to myself. It was slightly cheaper from them and I baulked at £10 for some coloured in MDF tokens. My reasoning was that I'd only play with Phil and he has the full monty as the picture suggests! Cheapskate or what?

Turning finally then to my 'Vague Aspirations' for the coming year I must start with painting the bulk of those! Easy to say that, but much more daunting in the execution I fear. We shall have to see where that takes us, but firstly I need to paint the last of the Late Romans I bought at The Other Partizan and the two Saxon/Goth infantry units! Other than that, health and circumstances permitting, I'd like to visit more Wargames Shows if I can: they give me a hobby buzz like nothing else really, meeting up with friends, chewing the hobby fat and seeing myriads of inspirational games staged by much more talented, and younger, folk! The life blood of the hobby alongside games with my friends! Of course I'd like to win a few more of those than I have this year as well! But, most of all, I'd like to see William continue to expand his interest in our wonderful hobby!

In our family we don't give Christmas gifts for Sue and me beyond chocolate and such. But each year I get a small box from John Aston with a few books he's sourced over the year and thinks I might enjoy. The prize find this year was this ~

That's it, really, thankfully just another typical year here for me and my fellow GHQ Irregulars! I do hope that you got to the end of all this blather without snoozing off! So, it just remains for me to wish you all 

A Happy New Year!

A Howling Addition!

My pre-Christmas order to North Star included a pack of Wolves from the North Star Menagerie range. Having experienced a tad of painters block in the run up to all the Christmas malarkey, while working through the Latest Roman Legion I showed in the previous blog entry, I found it useful to paint the five wolves and unblock my painting mojo! Here they are ~

Foundry Granite Shade washed with Black Armour Wash and successively dry brushed with the Granite Triad, finally lightly dry brushing the heads and chests with Boneyard Light. All that effort and they just look black, so Hel's Wolves perhaps? The same basing process as with the rest of the figures for The Saga of Bicca Biccasson project. Along with the rest of the project they may make an appearance in a future 2025 issue of Wargames Illustrated as I'm off to WI HQ in the middle of  next month for a photoshoot, having submitted a Quick Fire! piece about the project.

Next up though on Tales From GHQ the usual end of year blathering. Then hopefully more Late Romans as I struggle towards achieving my modest 'two figures a day' painting target!