David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Sunday 29 September 2024

Le 26me Infanterie de Ligne

Completing my small french Brigade are the 26me d'Infanterie de Ligne.They are figures from Great War Miniatures of course, sourced from North Star along with their flag. The bases are 80x50x3mm from Warbases as ever, with my basing texture mix from Woodlands Scenics Fine and Medium Buff Railway Ballast, washed with Artist's Acrylics Country Maple and vegetated with static grass and clumps from Great Escape Games. Perhaps I should start billing them all for the free advertising?😉
As with the Roosians I found getting on all the basics colours seemed to take much longer than for the British figures - kilted chappies excepted - but getting the highlights done seemed to take no time at all. It's probably an illusion caused by all the area to be covered with French Blue! Up
I'm expecting to host Dan from Wargames Illustrated early in next month for a photoshoot. He will take the usual humongous number of pictures in order to find about ten or so for the magazine to accompany a piece I've written. Oh, and perhaps a few more for the web page and Farcebook. Me? I'll be holding up the sky again! 

My final addition to this part of the Crimean War project deserves it's own mention: the two figures for the French Brigade's Command stand. 
As I've mentioned previously, Great War Miniatures did not make a Higher Command pack in this part of the range, an omission alongside artillery. I have sourced the figures for my Command base from Foundry's Maximilian Adventure and Old West ranges. A different style of figure, but they meet the need at present. Of course, if Dave and Aly should decide to expand the range along those lines then I'd be in! Finally, the French Infanterie de Ligne Brigade out on the table in GHQ ~


Wednesday 25 September 2024

Just A Quick Word.

Life constantly has a way of surprising you I've found down the years. Only last weekend I mentioned that there was no game planned in GHQ this week. Scrub that then: fellow Saddlers Season Ticket holder Simon turned up on Monday for a game, just because he saw my blog post! We played a small late medieval Italian Wars game ~

I would describe Simon as a good friend and a once in a blue moon wargamer! Needless to say Simon ran out victorious in five turns using Hail Caesar. I'll not mention my dice throws for now...🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲
Just a short while ago you might recall I mentioned that I had been using illustrations found through web searches as painting references for my Crimean War French infantry as I was reluctant to pay northwards of £40 for the book on French Uniforms sold by Caliver Books. That prompted a message from Aly Morrison asking if I'd like a copy as he had two. It duly arrived on Tuesday morning while I was over at Phil's for our weekly game. Oh, I must mention, Aly wanted nothing for the book, it was a gift! Marvellous folk in our wonderful hobby!
As I mentioned marvellous folk and Phil, here is the man himself surveying our C3rd Romans v Goths game. I took the Goths as ever, they are nearest the camera in that shot.
By Turn 2 the Goths were just getting stuck in after initial hesitation, apart from their Warband infantry who just wanted to hang around!
By Turn 4 the Goths seemed to be getting the upper hand, Roman units were being held or pushed back and losses amounted to just a few Light Cavalry.
Come Turn 5 and the tables are turned dramatically. In one decisive combat I score 2 hits from 13 dice. Phil save's them both. He inflicts 7 hits from 7 and I loose 6! I roll 4 for my morale check and three Goth units go south! Two Broken Brigades, game over with the Goth army broken! What can I say....?🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲
Finally, an update on grandson William: reorganisation of rooms has given William his own bedroom. His first priority apparently a wargames desk 'like Grandad has'!
And on the desk? The 15mm WWII tanks and vehicles he's working on at present! For ten years old I think he's doing marvellously well, but then I'm hardly neutral on this...
To finish: last weekend Matt's family were up in London celebrating Arthur's 12th birthday. Arthur and his mom Sarah were at the Spurs v Brentford game, but Matt and Reuben were sightseeing, here at the Imperial War Museum. Another WWII buff in the making I think! As I said, life's full of surprises...







Sunday 22 September 2024

At the Half Way Mark!

The third regiment for my French Infanterie de Ligne Brigade are the 26me. The figures are from Great War Miniatures, along with their flag, from North Star. I've managed to paint twelve figures of the 24 which will make up the regiment so far. With no game in GHQ this week I thought I'd post a sort of 'Progress Report' to avoid folk fearing I'd gone AWOL! 

When I complete the remaining twelve figures I will just need to paint the figures for the Brigade's command stand to round off this part of the the Crimean War project. As I mentioned in an earlier blog post you might recall, the equally small Guards Brigade will be waiting until next Spring to reach their time on the painting desk, all things being equal. Meanwhile, I have a short piece on my Crimean War friparies in the new issue of Wargames Illustrated if you are minded to buy a copy.

In anticipation of events I have two additional Late Roman units spray undercoated ready to start after those. They are a Light Cavalry unit and another of skirmishing Light Infantry. Both are from the Foundry range of figures sourced from Colonel Bill's, along with some extra infantry figures. Phil kindly provided me with some spare LBMS transfers for most of their shields. Starting out with the painting of these two units will hopefully mark the onset of my 'Ancient Autumn & Winter' schedule!

Friday 20 September 2024

Le 3me Chasseurs à Pied

Following on from the first Line infantry regiment for the French part of the Crimean War project come the 3me Chasseurs à Pied. The figures are of course from Great War Miniatures, via North Star. I found a useful illustration as a source on the web, as you do ~
I used this chart, together with three re-enactment photos I also found, to guide my painting as I'm not inclined to pay the prices for the specialist publications such as Partizan Press offer for such a small project as this.
As the figures are in skirmish line poses I used only five or six figures on each of the three bases to convey the appearance of a unit skirmishing in advance of the main line. The bases are from Warbases, as ever. Some pictures giving a closer look now, for those of a strong constitution!
Usefully that arrangement has resulted in two officer figures left spare which can help to populate my Brigade and Higher Command bases in due course. Next started to complete the small French 1st Brigade are a unit of infantry, wearing kepi not shako, as the 26me Infanterie de Ligne. I would hope to have painted them by the end of September all things being equal. The small Guards Brigade of Chasseurs, Voltigeurs and Zouaves will have to be patient in the Lead Pimple awaiting their turn under the brush, the Autumn and Winter seasons are earmarked for Ancients - to match the painter you might say...👴🏻


Wednesday 18 September 2024

A Close Affair...

...somewhere in northern Italy. For the most recent encounter between Phil and yours truly here in GHQ we decided to look out Italian Wars collections and play out an encounter battle using Hail Caesar V.2 between my Papal army of Cesare Borgia and Phil's Florentines. As usual the game would conclude after 12 turns if no result was forthcoming, night having fallen - or rather Sue serving lunch! As you've no doubt come to expect by now, an annotated photomontage to carry you down into the action ~

A council of War! Herman von Bikel and his associates deliberate as to whether the payment has been enough to commit their mental to action!
All of the two infantry divisions he has placed in the centre and on his left. With the latter he plans to seize the high ground and threaten the Florentine right!
The third division, mainly made up of his Condietteri, he has placed on his right, again hoping to seize the higher ground and threaten the Florentine's other flank! 
The Florentine army is disposed pretty much in a mirror image of their foes! They win the Initiative and the battle is joined!
As the Papal left division advances towards the higher ground the Florentine army makes a cautious move forward. (Poor Command rolls all round in Turn 1!)
The Papal army's Condietteri secure the higher ground on their army's right flank, supported by the mounted crossbowmen. From this position they threaten the Florentine left.
The Florentine centre holds it's ground determined to do it's duty, threatened as it is to its front and right, with halberdiers and mercenary pike advancing in the centre and shot threatening from the higher ground on its right flank.
The Condietteri in the service of Florence move slowly to counter the threat on the left flank. In the centre of the Papal army's line Cesare Borgia surveys the progress of the battle from relative safety.
The advancing mercenaries find themselves without immediate support as the Florentine's sense an opportunity to score an early victory and thwart Cesare's plans.
The massed Papal Condietteri holding the Papal army's right flank sense an opportunity to charge their Florentine opponents. Victory here would bring an opportunity to roll up the remaining Florentine infantry.
The opportunity is too good to turn down! The leading units thunder down the slope! One Florentine unit is routed, but the second is more determined, leaving their opponents Shaken. Not the desired outcome at all!
In the centre battle is joined all along the line now as more pike arrives to support the assault, urged on by Cesare putting himself in harm's way!
The Florentine's artillery suffers severely from the galling fire from the Papal army's shot on the higher ground to it's right flank until it's morale breaks and it retires Shaken and Disordered!
In the Florentine's centre the fighting has intensified. Despite steadfast support from their own pike blocks the swordsmen are shaken by losses!
However, their compatriots fare somewhat better as the Papal army's second block of mercenary pike and shot fall back in Disorder having had the worst of the initial exchanges!
Despite some losses and with mounting pressure developing the Papal Condietteri are confident of victory on their army's right! Overconfident perhaps...?
In the centre, the struggle between rival units of pike and shot continues. Both sides are weakened by losses and the morale of some is dangerously Shaken in both armies.
While the centre is in the balance fighting between rival Condietteri begins to sway in the favour of the Florentine's. Victory here is vital to Cesare's plans to roll up the Florentine army from it's left flank!
Despite Cesare's confidence the morale of the Condietteri on his right has suffered irreparable loss. The Division breaks under the losses and falls back in Disorder! Disaster threatens the Papal army's centre if the Florentine Condietteri attack it from the flank!
Despite the developing threat, or perhaps rather oblivious to it, the Papal centre presses home it's advantage feeling victory in its grasp!
Too late it realises the threat to it's right! Despite breaking one Florentine Division it cannot finish off the second before the Condietteri unopposed smash into it's flank!
It's all up for Cesare in Turn 7! Victory has slipped away in two short turns, from apparent victory in Turn 6 to bitter defeat in Turn 7. The Florentine army's victory can now be recorded for posterity...
...though the butcher's bill in victory is still a bitter pill to swallow!
A splendid game we both agreed, though on Cesare's part through gritted teeth having seen the opportunity of victory evaporate like the morning mist in two brief Turns! A triumph for Hail Caesar of course and a dogged victory for Phil😉!



Thursday 12 September 2024

Nothing as yet...

...from the Footsore Kickstarter featuring Matt's Vikings, though that's hardly surprising given the August communication revealing that 15,000 packs - yes, packs not figures - were being cast and bagged to meet the final order. Herculean efforts are being made daily it seems to meet the deadline, of which they seem confident. As a Kickstarter newbie part of me still thinks I'll believe these when they pop through the letter box? 

Anyway, as the sculptor's dad I had rather naively hoped to get my modest purchase early in the release, also given that I was backer #50something. Such delusions of grandeur! It seems things don't work that way at all. So, with no fresh figures to work on I returned to tinkering with the four resin test casts and combining them on a small base for using with my 1066 & All That project. I thought you might enjoy seeing how it turned out ~

On other projects: the rebased Late Romans have had their textured bases washed with Country Maple; four units of Foundry Late Romans I sourced from Colonel Bill's and Foundry have been cleaned up and assembled ready for spray undercoating on the next dry day! Whenever that might be!!!! Turns out that was this afternoon! Oh, and the first base of Chasseurs à Pied have been finished for the Crimean War collection, parts of which feature in the October issue of Wargames Illustrated I believe. It's been a busy few days here in GHQ!

Saturday 7 September 2024

Le 19me d'Infanterie de Ligne

The first of my small French contingent for the Crimean War project, the 19th d'Infanterie de Ligne, are completed! I found some useful references on the net including this nifty chart of uniforms in 1855 ~

These are the first regiment to muster in to GHQ out of the planned and purchased six regiments. These figures are from Great War Miniatures of course, with their Eagle from Front Rank/Gripping Beast, flag from the North Star range for the Crimean War and bases by Warbases as usual! 
The Great War Miniatures French range is sadly rather limited, having no Higher Command nor Artillery. The former I have sorted to my satisfaction, the latter not so as only Foundry seems to have suitable figures and canon in their range. 
I'm not planning to add any cavalry though  Perry Miniatures  have some decent Chasseur d'Afrique packs in their Franco-Prussian range and Foundry of course have the earlier Perry efforts in their ranges. So, never say never... 
In the meantime I've started on my second regiment for the Line Brigade, the 3me Chasseurs à Pied, also by Great War Miniatures but this time in skirmishing poses. The first two are finished now, but progress may slow as I'm also working on texturing the rebased Late Roman collection ready for colour washing and then grass 'n tufting.