The 7th, the Royal Fusiliers

The latest figures to complete their journey across the painting desk and muster into GHQ joining their comrades are the 7th, the Royal Fusiliers. These are Great War Miniatures of course with flags from North Star and bases from Warbases as ever.

They are a mixture of packs in both coatee and greatcoats and are in an advancing or attacking pose to give a little variety to the look of the British element of the Crimean War project.

I had two more British infantry regiments on the holding area of the painting desk, the Earl of Ulster's regiment and the Perthshire Volunteers. Hearing that metal price rises had forced Griffin to raise casting prices to their customers I reasoned that it would not be long before others felt they must do likewise and prices to customers would rise accordingly. With that in mind I sent off an order to North Star for some more British figures - Highlanders advancing/marching and Line Infantry charging. You are entitled to ask why at this juncture! Simples really; I want to have three regiments for the two Brigades of the Highland Division and three regiments to add to the Light Division. This will make the British army in the Crimean War games more varied in look in future tabletop games. Next under the brush are the aforementioned Perthshire Volunteers. The figures are in Firing Line so not so many on each base! 

Meanwhile I've been cleaning up the French infantry in the Lead Pimple, starting with the Zouaves now that Phil has kindly changed some heads on Foundry officer figures for me! So far I have cleaned up four regiments of French with two more still in their blisters. The hand doesn't do too well after a session cleaning up and as it makes painting later too painful so I have to space out the process over days if I want to get any painting done! I've also ordered some Eagle flagstaff tops for the French from Front Rank/Gripping Beast to collect at Partizan, along with a gun and crew for the Italian Wars.

Action at Passing Waters

 Once more the week has rolled round and Tuesday morning saw Phil and I meeting up in GHQ for another game. For personal reasons you need not trouble yourselves about we had decided on a smallish game set in the F&IW using our cut down Black Powder rules adaptions. Basically in small games we ignore Brigade morale, simply allocating 10 VPs to each enemy unit Broken and 5 VPs to each Shaken when the 12 Turns are completed. Of course if all are Broken before that juncture then the result is clear! The table at the onset of hostilities ~

Major Robinson took command of the Crown's forces: the first Brigade made up of Militia; ad hoc Homesteaders; and a Light Gun. The second Brigade of British Light Infantry; Colonial Infantry; and a large unit of Robinson's Rangers. Alphonse de Bykli commanded the French: four warbands of First Nations Paddoquoi; Coureur de Bois; Frontier Militia; and companie Franche de la Marine. The Crown had the Initiative and chose to move first. On then to the action ~

Lt de Rumforde urges his men forward past the cornfield to engage the advancing Colonial infantry!

Two Paddoquoi war bands remain to defend the village from surprise attack. {Failed command rolls of course!}

Robinson's Rangers have disembarked from their canoes on the far bank of Passing Waters to flank any French moves to cross Muddy Brook.

Warbands of Paddoquoi warriors advance boldly towards the Rawnsley Homestead intent on mischief. The Frontier Militia are rather more cautious...

Lt de Rumforde's stout men face off with Robinson's Rangers across Passing Waters while Alphonse de Bykleigh has pushed the Companie Franche de la Marine forward onto the rocky outcrop.

The hastily gathered homesteaders of the area clash with the Paddoquoi war bands. Fierce fighting rages at close quarters as more Paddoquoi hasten to the scene.

A nasty surprise awaits de Rumforde's men in the shape of a smart volley from the Militia deployed in the homestead's kitchen garden.

Two more war bands of Paddoquoi warriors have crossed Passing Waters to find themselves confronted by the British Light Infantry and Robinson's Rangers. 

Back on the other bank the homesteaders have defeated the first war band who flee unexpectedly as their morale crashes.

Finding time to catch their breath they reform just as the second Paddoquoi war band crosses Muddy Brook intent on taking scalps!

The Paddoquoi warriors are not daunted by the volleys from the Lights and Rangers moving swiftly through the woodland to attack.

They emerge into the clearing 'whooping and hollering' but the Lights are unmoved, giving them a devastating close range volley!

Despite the fire the Paddoquoi close with the Light Infantry. This will be a desperate struggle it seems.

The Colonial Infantry have been transported by canoes along the Passing Waters and form up on the far bank where Muddy Brook flows into the Waters.

The second Paddoquoi war band rushes the reformed homesteaders despite losses and disorder. The fighting is bitter with no quarter asked or given!

Worn down by fighting the homesteaders' morale collapsed and they flee from the Paddoquoi, a first success for de Bykli's forces.

De Rumforde's men have fallen back in Disorder after volleys from the Colonial Militia to be replaced by the Frontier Militia just as the Colonial Infantry form up below the rocky outcrop.

The success of the Paddoquoi warriors is short-lived. The Colonial Militia drive them back from the Rawnsley Homestead...

...while on the far bank of Passing Waters the other war bands are driven back to their canoes as their morale fails!

The Crown's forces are in the ascendancy having cleared the far bank of Passing Waters and driven back the remaining Paddoquoi warriors from the Rawnsley Homestead.

Its all up for the French at the end of Turn 12. They have 15 VPs to the British 45 VOs, a clear victory for Major Robinson. Rawnsley Homestead has been saved from destruction and plunder and the way is open to the Paddoquoi village. A fun game lasting just two hours and delivering lots of twists and turns along the way. Just what the doctor ordered!

The Crimean War Project Progress Report 2

As I promised in an earlier blog entry here is the review of the Roosian part of the project. This part is not quite as extensive in units as the British part already reported on, but still a considerable number of figures given that most of the battalions are larger in total figures if not bases. I painted my first test figure, Ivan you might recall, back in the middle of last year ~

Ivan,  a lonely test figure. But not for long...

...soon being joined by the first addition, an officer of course. You can never have too many command stands I've learned down the years!

Ivan was not lonesome for very long once I got underway! 

I tried to arrange the figures in three ranks on each base so that the columns of Roosian infantry would look dense and hopefully more threatening to the eye. I ought to get around to naming my regiments now they are done though!

The first Roosian infantry regiment to muster into GHQ.

A second command base. Officers everywhere it seems!

Once I had worked out the painting sequence it proved a little quicker to move the figures forward. The picture shows how I tried to set the figures on the bases to suggest depth and density of formation.

Another officer! Mostly harmless personages in my experience.

Some skirmisher bases from a Rifle Battalion.

Grand Duke Biklovic and staff ~ well I'm mostly expecting to be the Roosians in games.

The rest of the Rifle Battalion added later.

The third Battalion of the first Roosian infantry regiment. I realise only one flag of the four was carried into action but it just looks better with two I think.

A battery of Roosian guns...

...I borrowed two figures from the crew sets and an officer from the High Command pack to make a naval gun crew as I had a spare 64lb gun.

The fourth battalion completed the first Roosian infantry Regiment.

Onward then with the second regiment, the Jaegers...

...followed quickly by the second!

Apparently trained to fight just like the Line infantry, so based in the same way using marching poses.

To alleviate the tedium, a fripary utilising spare Roosian infantry casualty figures and a TAG Roosian Orthodox priest.

Warlord Games Roosian battery. The guns look very odd to me, but they were a gift so I painted them up!

More officers! Well, I hadn't painted any for a while!

On a roll then, a Command Stand for the Jaeger regiment using a spare Dragoon trumpeter.

The third Jaeger battalion, this time using Firing Line posed and so based in two ranks not three.

The fourth Roosian Jaeger battalion completed the regiment and used the remaining Firing Line figures, so also based in two ranks.

The Roosian infantry regiment deployed at Arzov, screened by Rifle Battalion figures based as skirmishers.

The Roosian Jaegers in action also at Arzov with the fourth battalion drawn up in line forward of the other three battalions.

I'm not sure how many Roosians I have painted to get to this stage, but the battalions average about 27 figures from memory. The two regiments then total about 212 figures I'd think. Add to that the Rifle Battalion, guns & crew, officers of course, the fripary and the High Command and it must be well over 250 figures or so. 

There remain some Roosians still lurking in the Lead Pimple in the form of Foundry Cossacks and a Perry Miniatures Cossack cart and on the painting desk some Great War Miniatures Dragoons which I've actually put paint on so they are underway! Meanwhile I've started the Royal Fusiliers, mostly in greatcoats and advancing/charging poses for a change! I've even ordered some more Great War Miniatures' figures and flags sheets from North Star!