Meanwhile, somewhere in New France...

Back with us once more from 'Taffystan' and ready for a game Paul ventured into GHQ to play a second version of our recent F&IW game. This time the British and Colonial force would be following up their victory by raiding into French territory. Paul would command the French, as the Comte de Gornalé, and I commanded the British in the character of the stout Colonel Bykleigh, second in command to Lord Rawnsley. As usual a photomontage will take you through the unfolding action and hopefully give a sense of how things panned out ~

Stockbridge tribes warriors leave their temporary campsite intent on raiding their Paddoquoi enemy. (Figures from Galloping Major of course lead by a base of Redoubt Enterprises figures.)

The Rangers travel by canoe along the river. The first Stockbridge tribes' war party crosses by the ford.

The French are roused from their sleep and begin to fall in ready to march off and defend the village. The small 3lb gun is run out at the edge of the village enclosure ready for action.

In true sneaky fashion the Paddoquoi war parties ambush the Rangers. Despite their surprise they land from their canoes and get straight into a fire fight with the Paddoquoi.

While the Rangers' firefight continues the first Stockbridge tribes'war party burns one of the outlying homes. ('Un point' to the Crown's forces!)

On the French left the Compagnies Franches de la Marine and their Irregular supports advance on the fence line ready to repel the British Regulars. 

The Light Companies are thrown forward to harass the French who have somewhat rashly sent their own Irregulars beyond the cover of the fence line.

Behind the cover afforded by their Light Companies the Regulars prepare to deploy into a firing line.

One company of Rangers, supported by the second Stockbridge tribes war party, engages the second Paddoquoi war party. The second Company of Rangers having driven of the other Paddoquoi rush forward and attack the French Regulars! Madness?

On the French left a fierce exchange of fire has as yet produced no clear outcome despite Disorder and worse afflicting the British Regular infantry.

The shattered Paddaquoi war party flees from the Rangers despite a second regiment of French Regular infantry marching to their support!

Amazingly, despite being Shaken themselves by losses already sustained, the Rangers volley breaks the French before they can get into line and prepare to fire! (At this stage Paul's dice were looking increasingly fragile!)

With the entire French right destroyed it looks all up for the French. In celebration the British Provincial infantry fire the second outlying home.

The Comte de Gornalé flees the field leaving the villagers to a far from certain fate. 

Already the Stockbridge warriors have fired the first if the village homes and more must follow with little if any defence remaining. 

Paul conceded defeat in Turn 8, dispirited I'd think by one of the worst runs of dice throw results I've ever seen, and after such a promising opening as well.

There it is then, a second triumph for King George's men and confusion to his enemies! Time to clear it all away now ready for the next game in GHQ...

Brunswick 'Battalion guns'

When I made my initial order to North Star for their Crusader Miniatures Prussians I included two packs of artillerymen alongside the musketeers and grenadiers. At that point I had thought to build a small Prussian Brigade for my Allied army. Plans change though I've learned to my cost down the years. Having browsed the net for the umpteenth time I came across some flags for Brunswick SYW infantry which took my fancy. The thing was though that in the SYW it seems that Brunswick fielded no Field Artillery, merely battalion guns crewed by the small cadre of artillerymen. Guns were 3lders, 2lbers, and two howitzers. In the Lead Pimple I found two Front Rank pieces which could do service as a 3lber and a howitzer, rather fortuitous that! So, here is my small Brunswick artillery contingent added to the force ~

As I had the figures I've painted them all up and used bigger bases than for my British battalion guns. My thinking was that they might also double as Prussians if noone objected to the gun carriage colour. The thing is, I found no information on the colour Brunswick guns were painted so I used British Gun Grey from Foundry. Similarly, the uniforms are not entirely correct for Brunswick artillerymen, having no laced button holes and sporting a pompom on their tricorns but for me they will do. (You are free to differ and freak out of course!) 

Just the converged Grenadier regiment to finish now and I shall call the Brunswick force done. In the meantime I've started the Footsore Saxon slingers for a bit of light relief. More on them as and when.

Well,Well,Well.

Or rather just one Well. It's the Grand Manner 'Colonial Village Covered Well' which I must have bought sometime last year in one of Dave's periodic raw resin sales. I do like his pieces and have a number of them as scenic ephemera for various periods but do think them on the steep side of 'ouch!' for pricing. 

As a part of my break from painting SYW figures and given that GHQ is set up for a second F&IW game this week I thought I'd rescue this from its place amongst the Lead Pimple and get it painted. Like all Grand Manner pieces it looks a tad on the large side when you are painting it, but in situ it fits in just fine as I hope you'll see from the photos. So, waffling over, here it is ~

I chose to paint it in a warm sandstone colour, using the Foundry Rich Butternut triad. The woodwork is Spearshaft Shade washed with Brown Leather armour wash.

A couple of in situ pictures follow on now with 28mm Foundry figures dotted about for effect and to give a better sense of 'scale' ~

Firstly, a closer view of the well with two figures in close conversation.

I think the piece fits in quite well with my scratch built and Warbases buildings and scales well with the 28mm figures too. Sadly it seems that Grand Manner may be closing as I have heard that  Dave may be finally retiring. Let's hope they may re-emerge later in the year perhaps...

Karl Willhelm Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

Even though the Brunswick contingent of my SYW Allied army is small I wanted it to have its own command base to represent Karl Willhelm Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. And here he is with his staff ready to serve whenever called upon ~

His figure is from Wargames Foundry's Prussian Freikorps Officers pack while his two staff figures are the venerable Front Rank SYW figures, one British one Swedish if I remember correctly ~ 

I'm working on two guns and crew to accompany the infantry regiments as battalion guns now, then I've the converged Grenadier regiment to finish for the Brunswick contingent in my army, but I need a bit of a break from them I feel. I've some Late Saxon slingers from Footsore to add to the skirmishers for the Saxons of the '1066 & All That' collection ready to start next and then we'll see if that refreshes my mojo for the grenadiers.

Brunswick infantry regiment von Zastrow

It took me longer than I had anticipated to complete the second Brunswick infantry regiment, mainly due to the domestic upheavals resulting from the bathroom renovation and it's aftermath. But, in the end here they be, infantry regiment von Zastrow ~

The figures are from Crusader Miniatures via North Star. One or two castings showed the effects of mould wear, but nothing too drastic. I find it irritating at best to clean up figures, so even small issues can lead to a major rant! To counter that North Star's Service is very efficient, the order arriving within the week despite Bank Holidays! The bases of course are from Warbases as ever while the flagpole finials are from Front Rank. The flags I sourced from an internet search and are conjectural, based on those from the 1770's, as none have survived (or have been located) from the SYW period ~

Next across the painting desk are several figures to form a command base for the Brunswick contingent representing the Duke of Brunswick and his staff. Watch this space, as they used to say.

The New Rawnsleigh Raid

At last GHQ is freed from storage duties and can once more host games with the completion of our family bathroom renovation. To celebrate Phil arrived to take on once more the mantle of his C18th alter ego, Lord Rawnsley, whose family rise to prominence after the Restoration of King Charles in 1660 in recognition of the stalwart service of his ancestor Marmaduke 'Gaylord' Robinson to king Charles II's father during the 'unpleasantness'. With Phil in command of the defense of New Rawnsleigh I took command of the French and First Nations forces as Alphonse de Byklé one of whose descendants would go on to serve Typoo Byka, the Lion of Pendawar, early in C19th India. The rules used were Black Powder 2 of course and 12 Turns was set as the limit for the French to burn New Rawnsleigh, defeating the British-Colonial forces would be a bonus. As is usual, a photomontage to give a sense of the unfolding action ~

New Rawnsleigh still sleeps as dawn breaks somewhere in the upper  Hudson Valley of the New York colony. As yet there is little indication of the day's unfolding events...

The British defence is divided into three sections. Only the Rangers in the foreground and the Regulars' Light Companies in the distance can move in Turns 1 & 2.

The Stockbridge tribes in the centre section start off table until shots are heard.

The French enter from off table on the right bank of the river, Coureurs du Bois, Frontier Militia and Compagnies Franches de la Marine lead the Regulars.

Paddaquoi First Nations warriors travel by track and river covering the French left flank. Or at least they were meant to...

The first shots rouse the British camp, where sergeants and officers struggle to get their regiments formed up ready to march out.

Each homestead is defended by its family, each a Tiny Unit in Black Powder terms, though with the option of combining with other homesteaders into Small or Regular units. The first shots are fired from this home and the action unfolds over 12 Turns.

The nervous citizens of New Rawnsleigh have a Light Artillery piece deployed on the main access track. In the distance the Stockbridge warriors have moved tentatively forward.

The British left, comprising Rangers, Provincials and Scots Grenadiers moves forward cautiously.

The warriors of the 'Praying Indians' seem unnaturally cautious. Perhaps they are not as loyal as Lord Rawnsley hoped?

One Paddoquoi war party attacks the Robinson House. The staunch defence by the men of the family and their hound throws the warriors into disorder. The Light Companies are hurrying to their aid.

The British left is looking solid, somewhat daunting even, though it's advance is cautious.

Equally tardy, the French form up into line ready to fire on the leading British elements, Robinson's Rangers.

Despite setbacks in orders being executed, the French raid is shaping up nicely. If only the Robinson House could be cleared of its defenders the route to New Rawnsleigh would lie open.

Still no sign of the Regulars as their exposed Light Companies come under attack by a second Paddoquoi war party. The Robinson House is still proving a thorn in the French side!

French volleys play on the Rangers but cause no losses, but do disorder them. If they are not driven off the French right may stall and the attack falter.

Indeed, the attack does fail with some elements being driven back in disorder and with mounting losses!

At last the Robinson House is captured but the second Paddoquoi war party now faces a regiment of British regulars while their Light Company fired into them from the cover afforded by the woodland.

As we paused for lunch - after all an army matches on its stomach they say - the French are feeling quietly confident as they fire the first house of New Rawnsleigh.

Such optimism may prove to be I'll founded as the right flank regiments need to rally and reform before going in once more on the enemy.

Some success comes for the French when fire from the Paddoquoi war party and the French Canadian Militia causes one regiment of British regulars to break and flee. The French are definitely feeling on the up!

The regiment's Light and Grenadier companies atone for their comrades by driving back the Paddoquoi war party! Another set back for the French! 

Still, the French look in pretty good shape and British losses are significant (one Victory Point for each base lost & one for each home set aflame)

While the Robinson House burns fiercely the French drive off the second British regular regiment. Surely a French victory is inevitable now?

Qu'est qué C'est? In Turn 12 the French fail miserably to drive home their advantage having been roughly used in Turn 11. The British make no mistake now: volleys crash about and the French right is shattered. The day belongs to Lord Rawnsley and to Robinson's Rangers.

A splendid and hard fought game going down to the wire and proving once more how versatile and adaptable the Black Powder rule system is. Ignoring the rules for victory and substituting our point for loss system kept the game flowing freely without distorting the outcomes in any way. I think the game is worthy of a rerun with just a few tweaks for interest, we shall see.