The Forgotten Army?

Recently Phil and I have been discussing our various lesser used collections and when they last saw any action on the tabletop battlefield. Checking back via my and Phil's blogs we found that somehow collections had not emerged for five years or more! Subconsciously serendipity was perhaps therefore in play when I chose a Burma 1943 game using Bolt Action Mk3 for our next encounter here in GHQ. Phil as 'Orde Robinson' commanded the British and Imperial force in a counter attack against a hastily prepared Japanese defence. To further complicate matters 'Ono Onomoro', my Japanese alter-ego,has fewer dice than units in his command, only 12 matching those of the British-Imperials. As ever now the blathering is over, an annotated photomontage carrying you down into the action ~

Gurkhas guided by Burmese Scouts enjoy no terrain penalties and form the right of Orde Robinson's attack.

British troops from The Forgotten Army advance cautiously either side of the jungle roadway.

One squad comes under fire from a Japanese sniper team. The shot misses and they charge in! The outcome is inevitable...first dice lost!

Ono Onomoro's defence line is stretched taught. This squad, supported by a HMG, must cover two possible avenues of attack in his centre.

A second squad covers the main approach along the jungle roadway. In relative terms they proved the most valiant of Onomoro's troops.

In contrast his extreme left comprising his sole infantry gun never fired a shot in anger!

Having dispensed with the sniper team and the entrenched anti-tank gun the Flamethrower team clears the courtyard of Japanese troops! Three dice down now!

Just for the record: lost in action without firing a shot in anger. Wiped out by mortar fire!

"Banzai!" A desperate charge is initiated to take the attacking British squad in the flank. If successful the initiative will swing back to Onomoro.

Almost too late the third squad is moved onto the right flank where another British squad has been advancing unopposed. A brisk firefight ensues!

"Banzai!" Vicious hand to hand fighting takes place in jungle so thick one man can barely see another!

Onomoro's heroes are triumphant, the British squad is destroyed, but his losses cannot be sustained in a second combat.

The remnants are overwhelmed and the Japanese line split wide open!

One light tank makes a Kamikazi charge to fill the gap but is destroyed by anti-tank rifle fire! It's all up for Onomoro, who falls on his sword to minimise his disgrace!

Well, there you have it, that's a little seen collection given a run out. No idea when its turn might come around again. Time now to get ready for the next game with Paul...

Odin's Wolves

Included in the latest Red Cross package - see previous post- was a frame of Games Workshop Dire Wolves. There are two of them on the frame, each of four parts. Even old 'Ten Thumbs Bickley' can manage that, assembling the two of them without William's assistance! They are big beasts as you'd expect and are depicted in full cry, closing in on their selected prey! Aly thought they would make fine representation of Odin's Wolves, Geri and Freki, in The Saga of Bicca Biccasson. Here they are for your eyes only ~

The pair on scenic bases with added snow effect.

Geri, in full pursuit of the happless Bicca?

Freki, ready to pounce on Bicca's mortal remains?

Painting the two figures might have been tricky given the poses, so I first spray undercoated them and then fixed each to a 60mm x 3mm circular base. When they were firmly fixed the next task was to add rocks and my usual basing texture. After that had all set Painting could begin!

Each wolf is first painted all over with Foundry Equipment Black shade. When dry and hardened off successive light dry brushing of Slate Grey shade, Boneyard light and Arctic Grey shade pick out the marvelous details of the sculpt. The mouths are lined using Madder Red shade, in one case the visible tongue picked out in the mid shade. The fangs and teeth are Boneyard mid shade, highlighted with Boneyard light. The claws are just Boneyard shade. Their eyes are Madder Red shade, picked out with a spot of Bright Red light. Their bases are my usual wash of Crafter's Acrylic Country Maple, decorated with a little static grass, a clump or two and some snow!

As I now have a copy of Dragon Rampant we must try and get this game out on the table in GHQ sometime. You have been warned...

"The Deserving Poor?"*

As I mentioned in my previous post, there was more to report following the exchange, in Bugman's at Warhammer World in Nottingham, with Aly receiving my Late Romans in exchange for moolah; namely the receipt of what I have dubbed a further 'Red Cross package' of figures surplus to his requirements ~

The opened package on my painting desk, to give you some idea of the box's dimensions. 

The contents viewed from above. On first opening the box looked to be packed with many bags containing bare metal castings.

That proved to be only half the matter though. Hidden away beneath this veritable mountain of bare metal was a further box. On opening that second inner box 100 fully painted figures were revealed, carefully rolled into yards of bubble wrap! I felt rather as Lord Caernarfon or Howard Carter must have felt, I saw beautiful things! I am not often lost for words - ask my family or friends - but I was genuinely struck dumb! These figures had been painted I've been informed  by Mark Hargreaves of Over Open Sights. They are Empress Miniatures, formerly Tusuba, for the Russo-Japanese War. 

The painted figures alone have given me three Japanese battalions of infantry and a machine gun set, while for the Russians there are two infantry battalions. It seems now that I shall have a new project after all...

Two Russian infantry battalions.

Three Japanese infantry battalions together with a machine gun & crew.

Sorting through the myriad contents of the bags of bare metal castings was a complex task, as I know next to nothing about the history of the Russo-Japanese War,  the organisation of the respective armies, nor the figure range(s) themselves. As initial searching seem now to have revealed these include:

Russians ~ High Command; Field Gun & crew; Machine gun & crew; Cossacks - both mounted and dismounted; mules and mule handlers; a Band; casualties and medical staff.

Japanese ~ High Command; a number of infantry command figures; a flag sheet (which anoyingly I've misplaced!); mule, handlers and ammunition carriers; casualties; infantry marching and command - these latter might be Oshira figures, as they have separate heads and full back packs to add and are slightly larger sculpts?

Certainly this is all well beyond an outstanding gift you'd surely have to agree and a magnificent foundation for a new project for the new year! Now you see why I was lost for words...

As a postscript: there was also a large number of Perry Miniatures Agincourt range figures for my son Matt and, perhaps with evident serendipity, the Henry Tudor command set which saves me buying it as I'd painted Richard III, himself in an earlier Red Cross parcel! The Wars of the Roses project was not finished after all...

* The destitute deserving of help from their betters. A Victorian concept for those unfamiliar with it. Used in a lighthearted way of course.

A Farewell to...

...the one true Emperor Pompus Maximus, the usurper Baldinus and the rump of my Late Roman collection ~

I negotiated a price for them with Aly Morrison which was fair and acceptable to both of us, giving me welcome funds to reinvest in our wonderful hobby. Bearing in mind the number of periods we can play here in GHQ with my many collections built up over the last 50 or so years they will perhaps see more tabletop battlefield action in their new home. So, PompMaxImp moves on to pastures new: battles untold and victories without number lie before him and his battle hardened legions, seen here for one final time on the tabletop battlefield in GHQ ~

Time and Tide wait for no man it is said, so I shall look forward to new thrilling tales of these and their fellows previously sold on to Aly as the year unfolds. There is more to report on this exchange, but that must await a further post after some reflection.

To finish for now then, a gentle reminder to readers that two other collections are available if any reader is interested, as previously outlined, at the right price.

At Last!!!

Well, here we are then, at last some might say under their breath, the very last of the metal figures dredged up from my Lead Pimple for the Wars of the Roses project.  They are three Perry Miniatures standard bearers which I have repurposed into a small command vignette for the Burgundian mercenaries serving in the Yorkist cause ~

 The central figure with raised sword needs no fiddling to pass as Jean the Timid, as their commander will be known to posterity, while simply adding a war axe from the Agincourt range to a second makes a passably posed MAA,  leaving the third figure as intended to bear the Standard. The Standard I sourced after a Web search for Burgundian flags and banners; it was labelled as a Company Standard,  but it will do for me as Jean's personal Standard! They are merely 'Toys in a game' you should remember. Now, unless I order any more figures, that is that! I still have no firm ideas for what to tackle next and nothing prepped for painting either. It's a most odd feeling I have to confess...

A Return to Bhyklabad

For the first game of the new year here in GHQ Phil and I settled on an Indian Mutiny game using Black Powder as the rule set and the game length set at 12 Turns. As you will have come to expect by now, an annotated photomontage follows, hopefully capturing the flavour of the unfolding events on the tabletop battlefield here in GHQ ~

An overview from behind the H.E.I.C's Army lines at the onset of hostilities. The Mutineers and their rag tag allies are largely unseen by the British.

Like any army in the field this one has a large and cumbersome baggage train.

Remaining civilians take what cover they can as the two armies' final preparations for the coming action are put into effect.

The Raja of Bhyklabad has no love for the Ferengi and has thrown in his lot with the Mutineers lead by the old reprobate Bhykli Singh.

Lord Rawnsley has drawn up his army in three Divisions, each a balance of Company troops - native and European- together with his stout hearted Regulars. Though outnumbered he is far from downcast, his upper lip never trembled!

Bhykli Singh has drawn up his forces also in three Divisions. He will command the Sepoy regiments in the centre, leaving the Raja to command his right Division and the Bhurpa Chieftain, Mustapha Bhlunda, to lead the Bhurpa hill tribesmen making up his left Division.

Both armies enjoy mixed fortunes in the opening moves, though Rawnsley's forces make better progress. The Raja sends his Household Guards to counter a thrust by Rawnsley's 17th Lancers, supporting them with his antiquated War Elephants!

The Lancers clash with the Raja's Guards. In a brief but bloody action fought in narrow village streets the Guards are destroyed! Bhykli Singh sees his right in early disarray!

While the Gordon Highlanders and the Company's European regiment and the RHA struggle into position they are assaulted by a rag tag of Badmash!

A brief but bloody struggle sees the Badmash badly shaken! They fail their Morale check and flee the field! (Two 1's never did anyone any good!)

Although the Raja's Household Guards are driven off in route the Lancers find their path soon blocked by his War Elephants! All is not lost on the right yet!

The Gordon's under Colonel Calder see off the Badmash and steady Rawnsley's centre for now. The Mutineer Sepoys are nowhere to be seen though!

To Rawnsley's consternation a group of Bhurpas suddenly appear and charge the deploying RHA battery. Surprised their ragged close range firebfails to check the charge and a fierce hand-to-hand combat ensues which sees the RHA Battery overrun and the gunners butchered to a man!

At last Bhykli Singh manages to motivate his Sepoy regiments and they move reluctantly towards the oncoming enemy. His forces are very disjointed and in some immediate danger of being driven back.

The War Elephants amble forward on the 17th Lancers, forcing them to retire rather than risk a charge! The situation on Bhykli Singh's right somewhat unexpectedly stabilises.

As Rawnsley's infantry struggle into position they are assaulted by a second group of Bhurpas.

Disordered by a volley from the European regiment to their front the Bhurpas cannot close with their target who now deploy into line and deliver a shattering volley! Bhurpa morale fails spectacularly and they flee the field. This buys Rawnsley valuable time to consolidate his position and prepare his attack.

All is not going his way though as a volley from a Sepoy Battalion and cannister fire from Mutineer artillery shatters the Gordon's who flee despite their Colonel's untreated!

Bhykli Singh's position is looking rather more promising as the battle enters its next phase - we'd stopped for lunch you see! The War Elephants and supporting rabble of Badmash have seemingly secured the village and with that his right flank, while the Raja's heavy artillery supports his centre with regular salvos. 

Both armies and steadily getting into position to bring on the climax of the contest. While Bhykli Singh has the numbers Rawnsley is quietly confident his men have the edge in quality.

More Bhurpas has surprised a battery of the Royal Artillery, whose ragged closing fire first halts the charge...

...and then shatters their will to fight and sees them flee in Disorder! Bhykli Singh's ongoing problem has been a failure for his men to carry out his orders, resulting in piecemeal attacks rather than coordinating his superior numbers at crisis points.

Finally Rawnsley sees his Gurkhas work their way into the village on the War Elephants' flank. They pour a devastating volley into the closely packed pachyderms!

Bhykli Singh's centre is still very slow to obey his orders (🎲🎲) but all is far from lost as nightfall is ever closer - its Turn 11!

Sadly for him though, despite the centre holding he sees both flanks broken suddenly leaving his army unable to continue the fight and bringing Rawnsley the victory!

It was a hard and closely fought action for both armies but in the end quality won out over quantity, aided somewhat by a disparity in putting orders into action.☹️ Once more Black Powder delivered a finely balanced and unpredictable game testing both commanders and their armies to the limit! What more can any of us ask of a game?