Tales From GHQ
David Bickley's Wargames Blog
Monday 21 October 2024
Pompus Minimaximus & Others
Friday 18 October 2024
Late {Very Late} Romans...and Others!
My usual painting routine has been much disrupted by the 'Lurgi' which struck down both Sue and me. As a consequence of this situation it took much longer to process the two units of Late Romans I'd prepared for their moment under the brush. The figures are the venerable Foundry figures, a mixture from the Late Roman and Arthurian ranges. I bought the figures from Colonel Bill's last month, some cavalry and rather more infantry figures. The first unit are Light/Unarmoured Cavalry ~
Whilst the second are a unit of skirmishing Light Infantry with javelins ~
For both units the shield transfers are from LBMS, kindly passed on by Phil as he had spare capacity. The bases are from Warbases as you'd expect. Next up should be figures for the command base of Pompus Minimaximus, the rightful successor of Pompus Maximus, so cruelty deposed by the usurper Gornalus. I've also got figures for a second command base in the queue along with another Heavy Cavalry unit of eight figures. My hope is to process all of those by the end of this month {DV}.
On an unrelated tack and while I was feeling sorry for myself on Monday I received a parcel in the morning post.
It contained my Kickstarter pledge for Matt Bickley's Vikings from Footsore Miniatures via Sarissa Precision.
It was only 14 days late, which as Kickstarters go seems to pan out as pretty much on time! Of course the figures are beautiful, small works of art each one. I hope to work on them over the winter along with more Late Romans and my Pyrrhic Wars army. Wish me luck!
Wednesday 16 October 2024
Roosians, Everywhere!!
As most of the Crimean War collection was still out on the table in GHQ following Dan's visit last Thursday Phil and I opted to play a straightforward encounter battle using the figures and terrain as is. The game would see Phil swap to command the Roosians and yours truly to command the Allies - this being the debut game for the small French brigade. As usual the rules in use were Black Powder MK2 and the game length set at 12 Turns as is our habit. Frankly after The Other Partizan on Sunday and ongoing issues on Monday I was too tired to take detailed notes for the usual annotated photomontage, so here are just a few pictures for you to enjoy, or not...
The Allies advance, not the French sadly!Ponderous progress by the Roosians!
The action hitting up with the Allies trying to punch through the Roosians centre. Neglecting the flanks proved a mistook!
The Roosian centre looked vulnerable, the Allies just can't exploit it!
Enfin, Les Bleus join in the action!
Too late the Allies appreciate the danger developing on their right flank.
The French making little progress on the Allied right.
The Allied right under heavy attack. Defensive fire was really poor!
And there we go, the Allied right begins to crumble!
The centre joins in the wobble!
The French flee and the Roosians have turned the British flank! Despite driving back the Roosian centre the Allied army is Broken and retires from action in Turn 8. Merde! Needless to say I continued my run of defeats, six on the bounce now. The French you ask? They refused to move until late in the game and then headed post haste for the rear Broken!
Sunday 13 October 2024
Down, but not out!
I have been to The Other Partizan at Newark Showground today ~
As a result I have learned that I'm not as over the Lurgi as I thought I was. I think I spent a good half of my time in the show sitting talking with Kevin and others on the Iron Brigade's table! Or again, perhaps it's just age which has caught up with me...
Anyway, whatever the cause I didn't take as many pictures as I'd hoped. I thought you might like to see them anyway, starting with the Iron Brigade's ACW game, small but beautifully presented. The size of game achievable on a home or club night ~
A couple of pictures now from the Boondock Sayntes game set in Africa for a change ~Thursday 10 October 2024
Not Lies, but exaggeration?
They say that the camera does not lie, and that may well be true in general, but in my experience it can most certainly exaggerate! In question are a series of photographs which taken today here in GHQ by Dan for Wargames Illustrated. They will accompany an article I've written on the processes involved in getting my Crimean War collection together over the past months, an article which will appear I'd guess early next year due to the long lead in times for a print publications. Here are three photographs I took earlier this morning under the normal GHQ LED lighting,with most, but not all, of the collection laid out on the tabletop battlefield ~
A general view of the table viewed from behind the Allied lines.The Allied army organising itself for the imminent battle.The Roosian hordes pour forth for battle, their artillery emplaced on the higher ground behind their front line.
A collection of Crimean friparies suggesting the Headquarters camp perhaps.
The regiments of Foundry British making up one Brigade of the Light Division ~ well they are smaller figures than the Great War Miniatures ones!
Under the protection of a Royal Artillery battery massed British infantry advances to the attack!
Massed columns of Roosian infantry march resolutely forward to engage the Allies
The Guards will advance!
The Allied right and centre move relentless forward on their Roosian foe!
Saturday 5 October 2024
Desolate Times at Fort Desolation
On the Eastern flank of the fort fenced pasture affords some minimal cover to any enemy encroachment on that flank.
The Militia are a mixed bunch! Women and a hound making up the number in this newly raised unit.
The second Militia units is more experienced and battle hardened, the men are well equipped and determined.
The first Frenchies are sighted moving cautiously under cover on the fort's Eastern flank.
The Paddoquoi warparties are moving forward rapidly on the fort's Western flank with the Compagnies Franche de la Marine in support.
The Rangers are making slow progress to scout the strength of the French incursion reported to the east.
The first of the Paddoquoi warparties reaches Running Brook while the Militia are still in a state on some confusion.
Finding the French closer than they thought, the Rangers form a firing line to stem the advance and alert the commander to the danger on this flank.
A ragged volley from the Militia Disorders the leading Paddoquoi warparty and buys the hard pressed commander a breathing space. The French Woodsmen have broken cover and advanced on the Rangers exposed line.
The Disorder temporarily halts the Paddoquoi attack on the Militias...
...but another warparty finds cover amongst the rocks facing the fort's gateway. Their fire is not overly effective immediately...
... although the artillery suffer the fort's first casualties.
The general situation as it is developing is stretching the defenders, unsure where the main attack on the fort will fall!
Then, marching briskly down the road to the north the defenders see the main attackers, the Compagnies Franche de la Marine supported by the Coureurs du Bois. Things look like getting very tight for the defenders!
The Militia though are acquitting themselves well, blunting the warparties' advance on that flank. Command issues have hampered the coordination of the attack and bought the defenders more precious time.
Emboldened by their unexpected success the Militia advance towards the Paddoquoi warparties stalled on the far bank of Running Brook determined to drive them off and move to aid the fort's defenders.
Ragged volley fire crashes out and it proves too much for the leading warparty, it's morale shattered the survivors flee for their lives!
The Ranger's situation though is less advantageous, Disordered and Shaken they are clinging on but are helpless to stem the French movement around the fort's flank.
While the fort's defenders are engaged in a life or death struggle with the French to their front they fail to spot the unit now to their rear trying to fire the fort!
Close quarter volley fire from both sides masks the efforts of the French party trying to set the fort's blockhouse alight. Flames will soon begin to lick along the dry woodwork if they succeed.
Striking flint on steel, the French struggle to light the wooden bunches they have brought with them for this purpose...
...while the hard pressed Provincials succeed in driving off the Paddoquoi warparty who charged them from the nearby rocks.
Almost too late the defenders realise the danger to the blockhouse structure and turn their fire on the French piling wood against the walls. Too late though as the first takes hold!
Winning the initiative throws the British see the first Regulars arrive to the fort's support, relieving the hard pressed Militia who have fought so well.
Sadly though the fire is soon burning strongly! Without rapid intervention it will burn fiercely out of control. The defenders, though relieved from immediate attack, now face a great challenge as a fierce fire is very difficult to extinguish.
The Rangers though cannot come to the fort's aid, finally breaking under mounting losses and fleeing for safety!
With the blockhouse now well alight the second British Regular battalion arrives to shore up the defense. A second attempt by the fort's defenders to extinguish the raging fire fails to halt its destructive spread!
The hard pressed and weary Militia thought their fight was over, when unexpectedly the Compagnies Franche de la Marine rush them across the wooden bridge spanning Running Brook!
The French do not need any help from their arriving Regulars now though, the fire is burning beyond control and Fort Desolation is lost. A resounding French victory in Turn 9, continuing my run of dismal form this year...