Reconnaissance in Strength

On Thursday last week Paul and I met up in GHQ for our first game of 2025. As the Wars of the French Revolution collection was at least partly out on the table I had decided to reuse the two forces, with a few additional units, and transpose the action to Northern Italy. Paul took command of the French who were making a reconnaissance in strength at the urging of the newly appointed commanding general, one Napoleon Bonaparte. I commanded the Austrians, who were representing the main army's vanguard. The Austrians were drawn up in a defensive posture around the small church of San Philippi. The French entered from the opposite base line ~

The game is limited to only six turns: if the French have not either beaten the Austrians, or got at least one fully formed unit off the table at the Austrian end, then the Austrians have the victory. We were using Black Powder Mk2 rules of course. Giving nothing away at this point the game went to the wire ~

As you can see in this picture, the main thrust of the French attack in the first two turns was against the weaker Austrian left flank resting on an area of thick woodland. The French Horse Artillery were soon into action in support of the attack, as were the Austrian Light Cavalry, which you can see in the first picture.

The battery of French 12lb Foot Artillery took longer to get into position, mixed up as it became with the French main attack on their right and the swirling cavalry melees in the centre.

The French pressed their attack on the Austrian left once the guns came into action, while their cavalry were driving the Austrian attack back in the centre protecting the attacker's flank.

The French attack on the Austrian right flank was initially less successful, although they did rout O'Donnell's Freikorps and in close quarter fighting destroy the Austrian battery of Light Artillery. The Austrians counterattacked gallantly as you can see in the following photo ~

It all came down to Turn 6 as the battle reached it's climax. On the Austrian right the position was being congested vigorously, with the French having little chance of breaking through. 

In the centre, although their cavalry had the upper hand overall, the French Dragoon Brigade had been routed. Again the French had no prospect of the breakthrough they needed to claim a victory.

On the Austrian left though the French had finally managed to make the breakthrough when the Grenz finally routed after a gallant defence, their loss seeing the Brigade become Broken and leaving the way open in Turn 6 for the French to claim a notable victory as their Infantry brigade matched off the table, flanking the Austrian position. The Austrians would have no choice now but to disengage and retire on the main army. More to come with this I think... In the meantime a few closeups which Paul has provided from the pictures he took at various points in the action.

The Austrian grenadiers are thrust into the action as the French overrun their supporting battery of Light Artillery.

The Hungarian infantry join in the counterattack as the Grenadiers are swiftly routed by the vigorous French assault columns.

On the Austrian left flank the French infantry assault columns drive off the second element in rout, breaking the Brigade.

The Austrian cavalry have been driven back in Disorder, despite several minor victories earlier in the battle. They could only watch on helplessly as the left flank crumbled.

Lead by their band and screened by a battalion of Legeré the French Demi-Brigade advances with colours flying confident of victory!

Despite minor victories against the French Hussards and Dragoons the Austrian cavalry were never able to land a decisive blow and break the French centre.

They may look imposing but they failed to deliver the telling blow!

Once again, Black Powder Mk2 delivered the game that was asked of it. Fortunes ebbed and flowed but in the end Turn 6 saw the French swept to victory as the Austrian morale wavered and then broke on their left leaving the impotent cavalry brigade threatened both to its front and left flank! The French were through and in the army's rear!

A Late Roman Frippery

When I received the last pieces of my order from Footsore Miniatures last month for Matt's Dark Age Welsh I also found two complementary figures were included, as there had been some mix up over the shields included. I gave Phil the one warrior figure as it fitted nicely with his Romano-Britons and I kept the female civilian for myself as I had an idea for a small vignette to liven up the tabletop battlefield! While plodding on with the French Garde Voltiguers for my Crimean War project I have also been working on the two figures for this vignette ~

The female figure is from their Gangs of Rome range and depicts a fishwife while the bored looking sentry was left over from my latest Late Roman Legion and is a venerable Wargames Foundry figure. The two figures seem to compliment each other nicely in both size and style to my eye. The sentry's shield transfers is from LBMS, you might remember them! The small base is from Warbases as ever. While it won't win any prizes I'm quietly pleased with how it looks on the tabletop battlefield, and as an added bonus it has reduced the Lead Pimple by two figures!!!!

Return to the Wars of the French Revolution

On Monday Phil and I met up in GHQ for our prearranged weekly game. We had settled on a smallish Wars of the French Revolution battle pitting the French, commanded by Phil, against the Austrians, lead by yours truly. The rules would as usual be Black Powder and the game length set at Ten Turns. Each side had three Brigades: Light Infantry; Light Cavalry; and Line Infantry respectively. The French had two batteries of 4lb guns to support their attack, the Austrians one battery of 12lb guns. The French would receive a fourth brigade as reinforcements in Turn 5. Their objective was to command the higher ground on either side of the road bisecting the tabletop battlefield north to south.  As you've no doubt come to expect, an annotated photomontage follows which hopefully will carry you right in to the unfolding action ~

On the Austrian right the Hungarian infantry advance to the crest of a low ridge. The French 10th Demi-Brigade de Ligne is slow to pass through the farm in support of their artillery deploying on the low rise to their right.

On the Austrian left O'Donnell's Freikorps, supported by Grenz and a lone line battalion, advanced and give an ineffectual volley against the massed columns of French Legeré.

In the French centre the Light Cavalry Brigade moves forward to engage their Austrian opposite numbers supported by their Horse Artillery battery. In the distance the foot artillery is making heavy going as it attempts to reach the higher ground in support of the Legeré.

French Hussards and Austrian Hussars clash! Sabres flash, flesh is rent, the mass of cavalry swirls around seeking to throw back their foes.

The Austrian morale collapses as they get the worst of the action and they break and flee to the rear, all cohesion gone! First blood to the French!

On the Austrian left a second ineffectual volley from the Freikorps fails to halt the columns of French Legeré! It's down now to the cold steel of the bayonet! A second battalion is moving up to flank the Freikorps.

On the Austrian right the leading battalion of the Demi-Brigade crashes into the Austrian infantry. Fighting is fierce but indecisive at first.

In the centre a second cavalry action unfolds. Despite being out numbered the smaller unit of Emigre hussars crash into their larger

French counterparts and inflict serious losses on them.

The French Hussards' morale breaks and they flee for their lives. All along the Austrian front their army is standing steadfastly against the Revolutionary French!

Back on the Austrian left the Grenz have moved swiftly to prevent the Freikorps being flanked. Again though their ragged volley fails to halt the columns of Legeré who crash violently into their thin line. Fighting is raging all along this part of the line with only the understrength battalion of Line to support the Austrian effort.

The Freikorps are broken by the French and flee to the rear. The Grenz are now isolated and face a numerically superior enemy. If the Line do not throw the rampant French back the Austrian right will be turned.

In the centre the Grenadier battalion finds it's advance on the French Horse Artillery suddenly blocked by enemy cavalry. They form square hurriedly in an attempt to deter the charge!

The French Hussards charge home as the Grenadiers fail to give any closing fire as they lack sufficient time in their haste to deploy into square. The outcome of the ensuing melee is almost a foregone conclusion...

The Grenadiers suffer immense losses and becoming Shaken so it is no surprise that their morale crumbles and the Square is ridden down. Despite their victory, in the face of two steadfast Line units the Hussards do not risk a Sweeping Advance and opt instead to Rally Back.

On the Austrian right fighting is intense and casualties are mounting on both sides. Which side will break first may determine the outcome of the whole battle as the French look for their expected reinforcement to shore up their attack in this sector.

The Austrian losses mount and the battalion is forced to fall back both Disordered and Shaken! The French attack the Austrians supporting battalion with renewed belief!

The whole Demi-Brigade presses home the attack. There are no reinforcements available to shore up the line, they must hold the position at all costs.

On the Austrian right the Grenz are Shaken, meaning the Brigade is Broken. They and the understrength Line battalion must retire leaving the Austrian centre flanked. In an attempt to break the French centre before they are overwhelmed the Austrian and Emigre Light Cavalry move forward en masse. If they can throw back the French the battle may yet be won.

The Austrian right has not only held, but has repulsed the Demi-Brigade and driven them off Broken by losses and falling morale. The Austrians sense victory is within their grasp.

There is no respite to be had though as the French reinforcements arrive opposite the battle-worn Austrian right. With no hope of reinforcements and seeing their cavalry advance in the centre Broken the battle is lost!

Stirring music from the French Demi-Brigade's bandsmen and the loud cheering of the victorious French all along the line announces a great victory for their commanding general. He is spared an appointment with the guillotine...for now at least. As ever Black Powder gave us a splendid game where fortunes ebbed and flowed unpredictably until the Austrian morale finally collapsed. Look out for more from the Wars of the French Revolution here in GHQ in the coming days.

Sir John Hawkwood

 This figure is one of the Wargames Illustrated Giants in Miniature. He represents Sir John Hawkwood, famous Condottieri commander of the White Company in C14th Italy. I received him from Dan in return for the most recent Quick Fire! piece which he included in the magazine last year. I have painted him up to serve as Sir Daniel Faulconbridge, a commander for my small Papal Guard for my Borgia Pope, Alexander VI, in our Italian Wars games ~

If (or when) my next submission - see previous blog entry - makes in into print then I shall hope to receive the new Giants in Miniature figure (sculpted by Matt Bickley), Giovanni Della Bande Nere - Giovanni of the Black Band - who when painted up can then join the ranks of my mercenaries! 

His image can be seen adorning the cover of the February issue of Wargames Illustrated, in shops and superstores by the end of this month I'd assume if you are not a subscriber.

A Trip Out...

...finally!! After almost two weeks of being confined to quarters following my bout of "There's a lot of it about!" last Thursday Sue and I went over to see Dan at Wargames Illustrated HQ in Attenborough, Nottingham. The reason for our invite was that Dan wanted to take some photographs of my figures to accompany a short piece I have penned on my Saga of Bicca Biccasson project.

Dan and I spent a pleasant couple of hours chewing the hobby fat and both Sue and I learned a little more about the best techniques for photographing figures correctly. I hope what I learned might eventually lead to better photos accompanying my blog posts! After the photo session was successfully concluded the file of photos was emailed to a graphic designer, somewhere in sunny Spain I gathered, and by the time we had finished lunch at the café located in the Attenborough Nature Reserve the first rushes were back with Dan for comments and approval. When Sue and I arrived back in foggy Wolverhampton later in the afternoon I found I had a sample picture in my email inbox to look at! The wonders of the modern age, eh?👴🏻

So that you might get some idea of how the professionals can make even the most mundane painting efforts look acceptable, you might like to compare these two pictures: my quick snapshot of the photo booth with some of my figures set up on one of many pieces of WI terrain and an image just back from the Graphic Designer ~

Firstly my quick snapshot during a lull in proceedings, I think probably while Dan made us all a mug of coffee. The red pieces are wooden blocks of various dimensions to raise or lower figures in the rear of the terrain piece.

The same set up but photographed by Dan, who definitely has far more of a talent for this than yours truly, and having been worked on by the Graphic Designer. The sharp eyed may notice that the raven on the large rune stone has been removed for example. I'd hope we'd all notice the dramatic sky effect! While it may be true that the camera doesn't lie, it certainly can enhance the image and deceive the eye... It's almost modern day magic you might think?

I imagine that my piece may appear at some point in the early Spring, perhaps in the March or more likely the April issue, such is the lead in time involved in the production and publication of a print magazine. 

The Late(st) Romans

I've recently completed the last Roman unit for my Late Roman refurbishment project, all the venerable Perry sculpts from Wargames Foundry, some via Colonel Bill's (before he ditched shows!) and the rest from Foundry at The Other Partizan ~

The shield transfers are from the now defunct LBMS though they may one day be available again (come on Victrix, get your act together) and the bases from the ever reliable stalwarts at Warbases ~

I have several Saxon/Goth infantry still to do which will add two more unit bases to the army of Baldinus the Usurper or Gornalus. Without shield transfers being available - see previous moans above - they will languish in the Lead Pimple for now.

Instead I've started on some Garde Voltiguers for the Crimean War project, figures from Great War Miniatures via North Star of course. I must say that the larger and bolder sculpting is much more gentle on the old eyes and hand! More on these I'd hope in due course.