A Desperate Defence!

To end the year's gaming here in GHQ Phil and I decided on a return to the Sub-Continent and to our Tales from Pendawar imagination games, pitting Lord Rawnsley and the forces deployed to the Pendawar Presidency against the rebellious and cunning Typoo Bykha, the Tygre of Pendawar! The scenario I developed sees Typoo with very much a scratch force caught napping by Lord Rawnsley's bold advance. In 12 Turns Typoo must prevent Rawnsley exiting one Regular Unit through the gates of the Old Red Fort, while also avoiding outright defeat if possible! As usual, an annotated photomontage follows hopefully capturing for the reader the tension generated by both General's attempts to wresting a win to end the year ~

Lord Rawnsley deploys his small Light Cavalry Brigade supported by his Light horse Artillery to cover his left flank. Scouting has not revealed any enemy to his front and he is hopeful of getting behind Typoo's right flank.

His main thrust will be by his two infantry Brigades, the Pendawar Presidency's Brigade on the left, his Regular Brigade on his right. They are supported by elephants drawn 12lbers. His objective, the Old Red Fort, can just be seen in the far distance.

Typoo has been caught unprepared by Rawnsley. Hurriedly he has mustered whatever forces are locally available. He has one stroke of fortune in that Rawnsley's scouts have not been able to penatrate his right flank. The Great Gun of Bhyklabad and the Voluntaires de Bykli are not quite alone...

Bhurpa hill tribesmen are luckily in the area. Gold changes hands and they mount their hardy hill horses ready to join the fray...at least for now.

Typoo's best chance lies in directly opposing Rawnsley's infantry advance in terrain which favours his bands of fanatical Badmash and more Hill Tribesmen. They have few muskets but many wicked looking two handed swords and the like!

The Hill Tribesmen are sent by Typoo to protect his left flank, where a break in the inhospitable forest may allow formed infantry to turn his flank.

What Rawnsley's scouts have failed to detect are elements of the Raja's Guard ~ his foot and mounted Household Guards and Heavy Artillery on Typoo's right blocking any planned attack in that area.

Typoo is heavily out gunned and outnumbered, so decides attack is his best option. Coordination of such a motley force is of course a serious problem, but every check to Rawnsley's advances buys Typoo more time.

Discovering too late that his left flanking move is opposed, Rawnsley deploys his Light Horse Artillery to drive off the enemy gunners. The Pendawar Peacocks stand ready to take advantage while the 20th Light Dragoons protect their flank from surprise attack.

Typoo sends elements of the mounted Hill Tribesmen attack the advancing Native Infantry. Although Disordered by ragged closing fire they charge home! Sadly they cannot break the Sepoys and fall back!

Their losses were not in vain though as a band of Typoo's fanatical Badmash smash into the fragile Sepoy line, which breaks under the whirlwind attack!

Buoyed up by bloodlust the Fanatical Badmash rush headlong into the South Essex who fail to deploy into line. Vicious hand to hand fighting sees the South Essex Broken. Rawnsley's attack is breaking down all too soon.

Threatened by the Badmash's victories the Heavy Artillery withdraws towards safety on the left flank leaving the wavering Native Infantry unsupported as they press their attack.

The Voluntaires de Bykli drawn up in Firing line emerge from the undergrowth blocking their line of attack. Despite being outnumbered Typoo's defence is proving resilient and frustrates Rawnsley's plans at every juncture.

A firefight between the Voluntaires and the leading elements of Rawnsley's infantry proves drawn out and indecisive. Losses mount slowly for both sides, losses Typoo can sorely afford.

Despite his considerable numerical advantage Rawnsley just cannot get the breakthrough he seeks. The dogged defence of the Voluntaires is aided now by the Foot elements of the Raja's Household Guards. 

Despite successes against the Native Infantry the Badmash fanatics are caught exhausted by the Pendawar Native Grenadiers. They have little fight left in them and are destroyed in a brief but bloody fight. Rawnsley is at last making progress towards his goal of the Old Red Fort.

His Heavy Artillery can now deploy ready to support the final attack which Rawnsley hopes will break Typoo's resistance and open the route to victory.

Typoo throws the last of his reserves in the centre in a mad, headlong attack to break the advancing enemy. The mounted Hill Tribesmen fail to charge home!

And the remaining Badmash fanatics are beaten and driven off in route. Typoo has lost his first Brigade and his centre is open to attack.

Rawnsley's attempt to turn Typoo's left flank has not gone as well though. The Hindoostan Regiment has been caught in column by will charging Hill Tribesmen.  They regulars fight with grim determination, but cannot drive off their foe!

In an extended melee the Hindoostan Regiment are steadily driven back. Rawnsley is spared from defeat though as the heavy fighting in the centre finally sees a second of Typoo's Brigades Broken, and with it his resistance crumbles. 

It is Turn 10 and Rawnsley has two remaining Turns to exit a Regular Unit through the Old Red Fort and claim a decisive win. His nearest unit needs five moves in two turns. The dice roll and, would you believe it, a Blunder? One move to the right ends their and his chances of reaching his objective and claiming a hard fought win. So, despite loosing his army, Typoo claims a Draw by preventing Rawnsley achieving his objective. A desperate but enthralling defence indeed and a splendid day's wargaming with Phil to end the year here in GHQ!

Richard, Duke of York

Regular readers of the blog will know only too well that I've been working on adding two more Command stands to the Wars of the Roses project. The first of these features Richard, Duke of York, whose overweaning ambition to the throne of England may be said to have been one cause of the wars. The base features three mounted figures: Richard himself and two knights; one who bears his heraldic Banner and the other his personal Standard. The figures are from Perry Miniatures of course and the base from Warbases, while I sourced the two flags via a Web search. {I'm pretty sure the Standard was originally on a Perry Miniatures' flag sheet while the Banner looks like it might have been originally from Freezywater Publications?} Not a great deal more needs saying about these for now, so here they are ~

The figures for the second Command stand I mentioned at the start are already enduring their moment under the Brush of Doom too. That second base will comprise two mounted knights and one foot knight and will represent John Clifford, 9th Baron Clifford, "The Butcher". More to share of those before the weekend I would hope, all being well of course! 

Meanwhile here in GHQ the tabletop battlefield is all laid out ready for a return to action in Pendawar, pitting that stalwart British Gentleman, Lord Rawnsley, against the cunning and devious Typoo Byka, the Tiger of Pendawar! More on that too in due course.

Thomas, Lord Roos

Here we have what would have been the last of the bases/units for my Wars of the Roses project, a base of Foot Knights/MAA representing the Household of Thomas, Lord Roos, as the focus of this entry. The base boasts two banners, those of Lord Roos and of his son, and are from Freezywater Publications. The figures are from Perry Miniatures and the base from Warbases as usual. There's really not a great deal more to be said about them by now if I'm honest is there?

My order to Perry Miniatures came last weekend, despite the expected pre-Christmas postal trauma, so the mounted and foot figures for the two additional Command stands are cleaned up, spray undercoated and fixed to temporary MDF bases ready to risk exposure to the Brush of Doom. First up is Richard, Duke of York, to give an alternative Command element to Edward. Hopefully I'll be able to show you this base next week sometime... At present though William has commandeered the painting desk to process a few of his WWII figures!

Commissions of Array

At last the final retinue of figures for the Yorkist faction in my collection has passed beneath the Brush of Doom and mustered into GHQ, just in time to join its fellows in Winter Quarters! It is comprised of the troops gathered by three lesser Midland nobles under the Commission of Array granted to them by Edward. They comprise my by now standard bases of Bows and of Bills, together with the smaller Command base of four MAA. The latter can be added to the front rank of the troops in hand to hand combat for the look of the game if you like. Here they all are for your delight, or otherwise, firstly as they will combine for action on the tabletop battlefield here in GHQ ~

Then in potentially alarming closer shots featuring each individual noble's array ~

The figures are all by Perry Miniatures, from their Wars of the Roses, European Armies and Agincourt ranges. The Banners are from Freezywater Publications and the bases from Warbases as ever. 

The last figures for the project are a base of MAA for the Yorkist faction, currently undergoing their turn under the Brush of Doom. I say last, but that's not strictly true as I have ordered some more mounted Knights/MAA recently, with a view to adding two further Command stands and a base of mounted MMA. As it happened I found I had some unused Standards and Banners in the Lead Pimple, so it was a case of waste not, want not! After all this is surely every wargamer's maxim: no project is ever really finished after all...

Lieutenant Bicclesworth of the RFC!

Sue and I were out to a pre-Christmas lunch today with Phil and Di. Not wishing to miss a chance for a game beforehand Phil suggested a Wings of War game, The Dawn Patrol, pitting Bicclesworth of the RFC  against the cunning Hun Ace, von Röbensahn. A few in game photos to record the duel for posterity ~

Bicclesworth spys the Hun not in the sun! He primes his guns and swoops into the attack!

Von Röbensahn is no slouch and cunningly manoeuvres his Focker away from Bicclesworth's blazing guns!

Throwing his Sopwith Camel left and right Bicclesworth scoops down guns blazing towards his nemesis!

The two Fighter Aces roar towards each other! Canvas tears and wood splinters but our hero survives with minor damage.

Both planes are damaged resulting in manoeuvre difficulties, for Bicclesworth's Camel for one Turn, for the Focker of von Röbensahn for the rest of the encounter!

Skillfully manoeuvring his Camel Bicclesworth closes in on the Hun! Can he get the drop on von Röbensahn and finish him off?

He's on the Hun's tail! Dakka! Dakka! Dakka!

The Hun is made of stiffer stuff! Despite bits of his Focker flying off left, right and centre he throws his craft into a tight turn taking advantage of Bicclesworth's manoeuvre difficulties.

Nothing daunted our hero wrests back the initiative! Roaring down on his foe's exposed flank, guns blazing, Bicclesworth sees his opportunity to end this dogfight!

Keeping his nerve and firing his guns eagerly, Bicclesworth sees his target burst into flames as he roars by!

It's all up for the Hun as his Focker spirals down in flames into No Man's Land! Perhaps Bicclesworth will get the DFC yet {Rather than the DCM or Don't Come Monday army late father's might say!} An hour of heroics and daring do, just what's needed to wet the appetite!

Meanwhile, back in the Officers' Mess, Biccleswoth is tucking in to a celebratory lunch of Fillet & Mushrooms in an Oyster Sauce!

Richard Fiennes, Lord Dacre

The last base/unit of MAA for the Yorkist faction has endured its time under the Brush of Doom and has mustered into GHQ in support of Edward's claim to the throne of England, though not quite in time for last Thursday's game with Paul it should be noted!

The figures are from three different packs by Perry Miniatures, the Banner from Freezywater Publications, and the base as ever from Warbases, static grass from Jarvis and tufts from Gamer's Grass via Great Escape Games ~

Not much more I can say about them at this point in time really! I have started on my last retinue for the Yorkists now, working first on the four figures for the small Command base and then the archers for the base of Bows. There will be more about these in due course once the final base of Billmen which I'm currently working on are completed. That will then leave just one base of MAA for my Lancastrians and all are mustered into GHQ! So as we stumble into the Festive Season some progress is being maintained, albeit in shorter sessions due to my eye issues. While I am still enjoying painting the figures for my Wars of the Roses project,  a part of me is quite looking forward to working on something different again! But first, the last base of Billmen needs my attention of course...

"This is the day, and this is the time!"

A second Wars of the Roses battle in a week! Paul was finally able to find a slot in his busy schedule for a game after an overlong hiatus. We agreed on a Wars of the Roses battle using Hail CaesarMk2of course, so I rearranged the tabletop battlefield and the forces after the recent tussle with Phil earlier that week. By way of introduction the opening positions of both armies: first the Yorkists under Edward, then the Lancastrians lead by Henry VI ~

The Yorkist Army of Edward, Earl of March.

The Lancastrian Army of Henry VI.

Both armies started out of bow and light artillery range of each other. Light Artillery may only attempt to move once at any point in the game, then becoming fixed in position. Archers are limited to three Turns of shooting, in this way suggesting resupply issues for both sides. The game must be decided in 12 Turns, before 'nightfall'! Now, as is my wont, an annotated photomontage carrying you down into aspects of the tabletop battlefield action ~

A {borrowed} prayer to the 'dice gods' might have been appropriate before today's battle is joined?

"Lord, you know how busy I must be today.

If I forget you, do not you forget me."🎲🎲

The Duke of Buckingham ponders the battle ahead and perhaps offers up his own private prayer.

Edward surveys his army, eager for the day's action to begin, perhaps hoping fortune may favour his cause this day.

Like a tightly coiled spring, the Yorkist host holds itself ready to throw all its might on the Lancastrian foe! Dice permitting of course!

Oxford's Ward looks to advance boldly on the Lancastrian left...but🎲🎲

Henry orders his Main Ward forward to close with the traitorous Edward. In the foreground the Commons attached to Buckingham's Ward nervously loose off their first arrows on the distant Yorkists of Warwick's Ward. 

Warwick's Household MAA clash with the Billmen and MAA of Sir John Savage early in the exchanges.

MAA of Clifford's and the Royal Household clash with the Retinue of Fauconberg and the knights of Edward's Household. Closing Fire has mixed effects on them, with those of Henry falling short of their target!

Warwick orders his Ward forward in a boldly aggressive move, feeling Buckingham's men are of poorer quality and may respond badly to the move.

Both sides are now in bow and light artillery range. Storms of arrows are loosed and shot exchanged, but still they both press on.

In a reverse of fortunes, Edward is wounded badly and lead from the field to seek aid. Will the Yorkists falter or will they double down on the fight?

Disorder is spreading in both armies leading to much confusion of the lines of battle. Henry boldly moves forward into the fray to encourage his men least they faltering.

De La Pole leads his mounted knights and MAA in a wild charge into the Prince of Wales' mounted men. The fight is brisk and bloody, Edward's men break and the Yorkists are in the Lancastrian's rear!

The confusion of a medieval battle and the difficulty of command and control seem evident in this photo!

Warwick's Vanward is making good progress against Buckingham. Events seem at this point to be turning in favour of the Yorkist cause.

On Oxford's flank things are also looking grim for Henry's Lancastrians. Losses are mounting and courage is failing it seems.

As Henry sees the MAA of his Household flee the battlefield he must sense that it will not be his day!

Only Buckingham's Ward is holding its ground against Warwick,  but with Henry's Main Ward and Oxford's Van Ward Broken the Lancastrian army must quit the field while it may. News of the victory will no doubt speed Edward's recovery from his grievous wound to good health.

Edward returns to survey the field and savour his victory! No doubt though that Henry will regroup and once more the clash of steel on steel will rent the air in a future battle.

For now though, peace is once more restored to this corner of the rural idyll of Old Englande, so sheep may safely graze again...

Both armies will move for now into winter quarters: lick their wounds, sharpen their steel, revise their plans and recruit fresh men to their cause. In the meantime games using Hail Caesar Mk2 will be superceded  here in GHQ by a return to Black Powder games in the coming weeks.