Christmas Greetings!

With no hobby related activity worthy of record planned between now and New Year's Eve it seems an appropriate space to wish all the Followers and many anonymous visitors to this blog

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS 

and

A PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS 

NEW YEAR

The usual 'End of Year' musings will probably appear nearer to the end of the year, for those of course who are interested in my ramblings...

20th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry

My real passion, if I can say I have one as a wargamer, has been the American Civil War almost since I first got into this hobby. In my time I have owned three collections of both factions in the conflict: a 15mm Minifigs collection; a 25mm Minifig collection; and, lastly, a 28mm Dixon Miniatures collection. Even with my larger table in GHQ Mk2, I have more figures than can be accommodated in any game, so why I have bought more figures is a source of some concern, but buy three more regiments worth of Infantry I did last year! Madness, I know... Of course they are all Dixon Miniatures, quite simply in my view the most characterful and comprehensive range on the market, I just enjoy painting them! Well, one of those three new purchases has had its moment in the sun and reached the painting desk! A Union Regiment, the 20th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Flags From Redoubt Enterprises ~

The 20th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, known as the "Harvard Regiment", served in the Union army in the ACW. The regiment gained its nickname because the officers of the 20th were young Harvard graduates. In addition some of the private soldiers had attended Harvard. Perhaps it’s most well know member as far as wargamers are concerned was Oliver Wendell Holmes, later a Supreme Court Justice. The 20th was organized in August 29 to September 4, 1861. After training they left for Washington DC on September 4. They would fight until the war's conclusion; being mustered out on July 16 and discharged July 28, 1865. With the exception of First Bull Run the 20th participated in all of the major battles and many of the smaller battles fought by the Army of the Potomac from Balls Bluff on October 21, 1861 through the Seven Day’s, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Petersburg and finally theAppomatox Campaign.

Painting is restricted just now by caring for Sue and necessary domestic duties, compounded by the pre-Christmas crush. I'm pleased to say Sue is progressing well! In the circumstances I'm pleased to have completed these. I've also just started some Foundry SYW British infantry to represent the 23rd Foot.

British Blustering and Posturing!

Things have been a tad hectic here in GHQ this last week or so. Sue was rushed to hospital two weeks ago with acute appendicitis, operated on, cared for in New Cross and finally discharged to my care last Wednesday. Needless to say painting and gaming with little metal chaps was not a high priority. But, Sue is making good progress post surgery and so I felt able to host Phil this Monday for our regular game. My choice was a SYW game, which I would have played with Jon but for the aforementioned medical incident! As ever, a photomontage to try to convey a sense of the unfolding action ~

Lord Rawnsley oversees the deployment of his army for the

coming action!

Le Comte du Merde similarly directs the French deployment.

A rash charge by the Scots Greys sees them routed by the 

Mestre de Camp regiment! A significant action in the game's

outcome withhindsight!

Lord Rawnsley's failures in early Command rolls handed the

initiative to du Merde's forces.

French cavalry secures the infantry's right flank allowing

unopposed deployment into firing line.

The British Horse Guards and Horse Grenadiers were very

loathe to enter the action. This exposed the British infantry's

left flank to the threat of French cavalry.

The French mass for an attack as the British hesitate!

The Cuirassiers du Roi advance on the hesitant British cavalry.

The British infantry is pinned by the threat of the French and

refuses its left flank brigade.

British cavalry finds itself outnumbered two to on the army's

left flank and has no appetite for the struggle, leaving the

infantry stranded.

The French Guard and Line Infantry Brigades advance in close

support of one another.

Lord Rawnsley decides to withdraw from the field, feeling his

position is hopeless.

Vive Le Roi! Vive du Merde! The French claim the field of

Battle as the British army quits the field in good order!

As I’ve previously stated, I was mulling over a new project for 2019, the WSS was in pole position in my thinking. In the end I settled for an expansion of my SYW collection as I couldn’t face two whole armies it seemed! I have reinvested the funds raised by selling on my Vietnam War 20mm game, so no overall hit to the warchest, as yet...

Continental Light Dragoons

The 3rd Light Dragoons to be precise. Added to my AWI expansion project over the last week or so of disrupted hobby activity. These are the Perry sculpted Foundry figures, a part of my lost and replaced mail order from late October time. I really like the figures I have to say, they are nicely animated and paint up really easily. Oh, and they were not covered in endless fine vent runs! Unlike some I have bought of late from their own company. You may guess by now this is one of my pet hobby hates. Here they are, ready to join the fray ~

I recently took advantage of Foundry’s 'Buy 16 Get 6 Free' Christmas Sale to buy, amongst more SYW figures, two more British infantry units. They will go into the Lead Pimple for next year sometime. Meanwhile, back to the ACW with a unit of Dixon Miniatures Union Infantry, the 20th Massachusetts with Flags by Redoubt Enterprises...

Happy Blogversary!

Well, who would have thought I could keep up these aimless rambles for seven years? Not me, that’s for sure! But, notwithstanding all that, here we are seven years down the line... I wonder how much time I’ve spent on this and related activity that might have been used differently? Well, I guess I can’t know that and it would only depress me more if I knew anyway. I’ll keep going while I think there’s some point to it, for myself or for visitors, but I do wonder sometimes if it has any real validity as an exercise. As ever, views are always welcome...
Meanwhile, a few favourite pictures from past years might be a good way to cut off pointless rambling ~

Or not, as the case may be...

The Attack on Castello San Phillipe

For our regular Monday game here in GHQ, and the first in December, Phil and I settled on an Italian Wars game using Pike & Shotte rules for only the third time as I’d recently painted up four new Command bases. It was also a good excuse to see my Palazzo and all the related buildings and extras out on the table for the first time. The game saw Phil’s Florentine’s attacking the Papal held town of San Phillipe and attempting to sack the castello. As ever, a few pictures to illustrate how the game panned out ~

Castello San Phillipe and its town environs defended by the

forces of the Papal States.

Florentine forces gather, albeit rather slowly, for the attack to

commence. The Heavy Ordnance opens fire on the defenders!

Florence's finest, though they were not to live up to the

epithet during the battle!

After initial hesitancy the Papal Gendarmes and Elmetti

advance to confront the enemy.

A strong defensive line has been established by the defenders.

Masses of mercenary Landsknechts advance on the defenders

A view along the road to the battle. Cesare is leading from the

rear I see! The shame!

The battle is hotting up now with many of the defending force

being Disordered by handgun and crossbow fire. The pike

do not seem at all keen to engage their foe!

Despite suffering losses in combat, the Papal Gendarmes and

Elmetti sweep the enemy before them! On their left flank the

battle turns against the Florentines!

At last the Disorder is cast off and the infantry begins to go on

the attack as the Florentines falter!

The Garrison of Castello San Phillipe look on as the Papal

force presses forward on the Florentine centre.

All is up for the attackers in Turn 8! The Florentine left is 

broken and the centre is driven back. San Phillipe is saved

once more!

Pike & Shotte gave us a fast flowing and enjoyable game and

may in time supplant Neil Thomas's rules as our go to choice

for the period, we shall have to see.

The figures are from our joint collections and include items from Foundry, TAG, Casting Room Miniatures, Perry Miniatures, Dixon Miniatures, Essex, Hinchliffe, Warlord Games/Pro Gloria, and Steel Fist. I was never one for mixing manufacturers much in the past, but this just seems to add to the splendid Renaissance look of the armies to me. Bases were made for us by Warbases of course while they also provided the bulk of the MDF kits I used to kit bash the various buildings. Other components came from Sally Forth, Sarissa Precision, Charlie Foxtrot, Supreme Littleness Designs, Grand Manner, and Iron Gate Scenics.
We hope to revisit the Italian Wars early on in 2019 giving Phil a chance to add another unit or two perhaps to his Florentines. As for me, I've called a halt to Papal expansion and am back to painting extra units for our AWI games, the 3rd Continental Dragoons at present as I've had the dismounted versions for 20 years but never got around to adding the mounted versions! Typical wargamer I suspect, my attention wandered off to something newer and shinnier!

Loyalist Militia for the AWI

I have been working on a new unit for my AWI collection recently using the Foundry figures I recently purchased. I wanted a generic unit to represent the Loyalist Militias who rallied to the Crown’s cause to supplement my more organised Loyalist and British Regulars in my force. I wanted a rather motley appearance, with a nod to both uniformity and local supply, so I chose a mixture of American figures from three packs: Command; Uniformed Militia marching; and Minute Men marching. I chose a brown faced red uniform for the uniformed figures, painting all those first, then turning to the  Minute Men figures in more civilian dress, though I did try to make a nod to uniforms in the shape of red waistcoats where I could. For their Colour I ordered a ‘Make your Own’ version from Flags of War, a red field with the motto ‘God Save The King’ - a very hard choice for a life long republican! Anyway, here they are, see what you think ~

Loyalist Militia ~ a Standard Unit in Black Powder

A 'Make You Own' colour ~ from Flags of War

Mixing Uniform and Civilian dress

And again, a mix of dress

I had four figures left over from the Command pack but no other figures, so as I’d missed Warfare due to illness I decided to treat myself to some figures from Perry Miniatures to make up another American unit. I chose Firing Line figures, one pack in uniform coats and one in Hunting Shirts. In addition I ordered the Mounted Officers in cut down coats and three packs of Volunteers of Ireland, the latter whose flag I also had bought from Flags of War. They are all cleaned up and spray undercoated white now, ready to take their place in the painting queue!The Lead Pimple never seems to diminish these days you know, strange that...