Denique Triumphus Haztrubal Bicca!

Phil came over on Tuesday for our usual weekly tabletop battlefield run out. This week he'd requested a Hail Caesar game and we settled on a Punic Wars encounter between Coronus Cunctator and Haztrubal Bicca. It turned out to be a brisk encounter over 5 Turns in about an hour and a half.  Brisk even by our standards of late! Phil took on Coronus Cunctator and yours truly Haztrubal Bicca. As you've come to expect now, a photomontage carrying you down into the action, though a rather brief offering by our usual standard ~

The view from behind the Carthaginian starting line. Haztrubal has deployed his Veteran Lybian infantry in his centre with his elephants to the fore accompanied by Light Infantry skirmishers. His Spanish are to his right and his Celtiberians to his left.

Coronus has the Legio VI and the Allied Etruscan Legion in his centre, clearly intending to push through Haztrubals centre one the Velites have dispensed with the elephant threat. His left has all his Roman cavalry screened by Cretan archers and Balieric slingers. His right has mainly Light Infantry and cavalry stiffened by a Celtic warband.

With the initiative in his hand Coronus pushes Legio VI forward to engage the elephants while his left wing skirmishes with Haztrubal's Spanish. The Etruscans don't move, perhaps intimidated by all the pachyderns. 

Despite the Etruscan's lethargy Legio VI press confidently forward to close with the enemy. Surely the Velites will make short work of those lumbering beasts and their supports?

On Coronus's left the Roman cavalry drive back their Spanish foe causing much disorder in the accompanying Infantry. This is compounded by the fire of his slingers and archers.

The elephants stamp all over the Velites and crash into the Principes. A short and bloody fight transpires and the remnants of the Principes flee!

Amazingly on Haztrubal's right his Spanish cavalry survive the Roman's onslaught and begin to push the enemy back.

Legio VI are broken by the battle-mad elephants and the survivors flee the field! Suddenly Haztrubal senses the fates may have decided in his favour!

The Elephants are free to turn in on the flank of the embattled Etruscan Allied Legion, pinned as they are by Haztrubal's Southern Italian Allied hoplites.

On Coronus's right it has all gone to pot! The Celtiberian cavalry smash into and over his lightl Infantry skirmishers and drive back his Numidian cavalry!

It's all up for Coronus in Turn 5 as the Etruscans are first driven back and then destroyed by the hoplites supported by the Lybian veteran Infantry. 

A first win for Haztrubal and the Carthaginian army since they were brought into being during Lockdown. The game was short and brutal, for which I must truthfully praise the 'dice gods who smote Phil's dice most delightfully!!!! Still great fun followed by a bacon sarni, coffee and fruit cake. After all, we all surely remember the old maxim: an army marches on its stomach!!!

"Peace! impudent and shameless Warwick..."

Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, otherwise known to posterity as 'The Kingmaker'. I couldn't really organise a Wars of the Roses collection without including some elements of Warwick's forces, after all he was a major player in the unfolding events, at least until his death at Barnet in 1471. 

I was unfortunately struck down by a lurgy in the middle of last week which rather interrupted my painting flow. Such disruption means that I've only his first Retinue command stand completed, as yet ~

I plan on fielding two retinues bearing Warwick's colours in due course. Currently I'm working on the archers for the first Retinue's base of Bows, using Eureka Miniatures archers supplemented by a lonely Perry Miniatures command figure. As I've mentioned before, archers seem to take me forever to complete, so much detail on the figures. Do wargames figures really need this level of detail I wonder? Perhaps that is a subject for a future reflective blog post, not tried one of those lately? In the meantime its on with those archers...

"Fight to the last gasp..."

...though the Bard somehow omitted to add "...if the money is right that is!" If that is the case then you can rely on these mercenary pikemen to bolster you battle lines...'if' that is. This latest addition to the collection will add a little variety to the look of the Yorkist force most likely, but being a mercenary unit I'd not rule out them plying their trade for Henry's cause rather than for Edward's!

The figures are mostly from Perry Miniatures with an added banner bearer and nonchalant billman from Crusader Miniatures. The standard is from one of Pete's Flags Italian Wars sheets I had while the cross of Burgundy banner is from a Wargames Foundry free download, I think. I don't often get to use my mauve triad paints, so these mercenaries were an ideal opportunity to splash them on where I could.

Next to endure their spell under the 'Brush of Doom' will be a third Yorkist Retinue, one of two I plan to represent the forces of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, otherwise the Kingmaker! It will be a while before they will be along for viewing, archers seeming to take me forever to complete somehow compared to other types.

Boom! Boom!

A short post today reassuring my loyal reader that my Wars of the Roses project is moving along still, despite the occasional hand and eye and lurgy issue. I've managed to complete another light artillery piece and crew, this time using figures from the venerable Wargames Foundry {ex-Citadel?} Medieval range. I thought that a couple of the figures from the set didn't really fit with this piece, so I've put them aside to add to the Bombard base - the last set I plan to paint for the project! The base of course is from Warbases, as usual ~

This gives the collection two light artillery pieces which are capable of featuring for both the Red Rose and the White, as game scenarios dictate. I rather like the look of another Light Artillery set I've seen on Ebay,  so warchest permitting I may add that at some point. Meanwhile its on with a base of mercenary pikemen! Oh joy! Oh rapture!

"Prepare you, Lords, for Edward is at hand, ready to fight."

Its back to the Bard's blessed words for this post. In between working on each Retinue, usually around 24 figures, I like to intersperse smaller figure groups. The previous post featured the Bills of Sir John Savage, stiffened by the man himself and a couple of MAA for a total of 11 figures. This time its a base of 8 figures for Edward IV and his Household, getting down and dirty in the action leading his troops ~

The figures are from Perry Miniatures supplemented by a lonely Crusader Miniatures figure, as I wanted Edward IV to have both his Standard and an heraldic Banner so he would stand out on the tabletop battlefield. [The Royal Standard will be on the Yorkist army command base, when I get around to that.] The flags are from Pete's Flags of course and the bases from Warbases as ever.

Next to roll off the painting desk after enduring its time under the Brush of Doom should be a light artillery piece and crew, from Wargames Foundry this time. Then it should be a mercenary pikes block, but that's a way ahead right now...

Sir John Savage

A while back now when I first mooted this small project Phil gifted me a figure, a stout noble in full plate standing legs akimbo. We both thought it was venerable Front Rank offering, but further research reveals that it is in fact a free figure given on the door at Partizan way back in the day! He represented Sir John Savage it seems. I also had a few odd MAA figures in the Lead Pimple so I married two of them with him and put them in command of a motley crew of Foundry {formerly Citadel?} billmen. A kind of C15th Dad's Army called out to defend their village perhaps? His heraldic banner I put together from a net search. Sharp eyed readers will I'm confident have noticed that its smaller than the Pete's Flags offerings,  a conscious decision on my part so no-one confuses my poor efforts with his outstanding products! So here he and they are for your viewing ~

I'm currently working on a base of figures for Edward IV and his Household. They are well advanced, so I'd hope they would be along over the weekend sometime. After them in the queue are a light gun and crew and then a more substantial grouping of mercenary pikemen. The latter will be a slow job for me I fear looking at the grouping...

Перед стенами Севастополя

'Before the walls of Sebastapol' for the non Roosian speakers amongst us! It will though require a good stretch of your imagination to bring this table to the Crimea. The Vauban walls will I hope stand in if you squint a tad! 

The Allies are risking a first assault on the walls, lead by the Guards Brigade supported by the Highland regiments. The Light Brigade are on hand to hopefully counter the indeterminate number of Roosian cavalry thought to be in the vicinity. Hopefully supporting their allies are a Division of French foot, comprising a Line Battalion and a Guard Light Battalion. The Allies have deployed as many heavy guns as they can to support their attack, even bringing the 64lb guns from HMS Pinafore ashore! On to the action then...

The walls of Sebastapol if you will bristle with Roosian guns and the glinting of many Bayonets catching the sun's rays...

Never mind the cossacks! Business is business after all, a few roubles to be made today.

The garrison of this section, a regiment of Jaegers, assembles awaiting its orders. One Battalion is already on its way.

Roosian gunners anxiously await the order to open fire!

The British army's encampment is a hive of activity. The Guards Brigade moves out smartly while gunners open fire on the distant walls.

The Heavy Mortar maned by the Royal Artillery is tasked with harassing the Roosian gunners.the 

The Jolly Jack Tars of HMS Pinafore prepare their 64lb guns hoping to batter down the walls.

The Rifle Brigade moves forward, hoping their fire will take a toll on the Roosian gunners.

The Roosian gunners don't seem over concerned by the fire though!

The Guards' Brigade make a splendid sight advancing with drums beating and colours bravely flying in the breeze.

The Roosian Commander, Grand Duke Byklovic, has sent forward the 4th Battalion to flanknthe Guards' advance.

Greek Volunteers and Cossack Scouts and artillery skirmish with elements of the Rifle Brigade and the Shore Party of HMS Pinafore. 

Roosian fire has disrupted the Guards' approach to the assault. Despite this, the Guards prepare to assault the walls!

No significant of the French yet, despite the assurances of D'Merde! They must hurry as the British assault faltering. 

The French! And just in time! A Brigade of Guard Lights hurls itself forward, the very embodiment of élan!

At last the heavy mortar of the Royal Artillery finds its range! Gun and gunners are blown to eternity, just as the Guards' assault goes in too.

The French are here in numbers now and advance boldly despite the rumours of Cossacks on their flank.

They press forward on the outnumbered Jaegers who are only too aware of their fellows fleeing past their flank!

Despite bold Roosian deployment the British assault has gained momentum. The guns are Disordered by constant bombardment and the defence falls on the Third Jaeger Battalion. 

The Guards raise their colours on the ramparts of Sebastopol! It was premature though to celebrate victory, as a determined counter charge bybthe Second Jaeger Battalion drove them back off the walls.

The walls of Sebastapol are back in the hands of the Roosians! Who are also deploying rapidly on the plain to counter the French. Those Cossacks are really needed though right now!

Despite the failure of the British assault, the French (out of shot) have driven off the Roosian Jaegers sent to block their attack on the gates. Confusion reigns in the Roosian Command and a hasty withdrawal hands the Allies are victory.

The elderly Lord Rawnsley with his Staff receive news of the victory from Captain Nolan.

We had a few problems with the scenario along the way,  mainly trying to combine the Black Powder rules for defending/attacking obstacles and buildings. We got it sorted in the end, though the French victory decided the outcome before a final assault was needed.

The 'Cossack Fear' rule worked well in delaying the French. Cossacks 'appeared' randomly on a Command roll of <7 but needed to pass a second roll in the subsequent Turn to charge any available enemy flank. This only happened once! The threat though did delay and confuse the French wonderfully!

It was all over in Turn 7, another really Gripping Black Powder game full of the unexpected.