The Sands of the Desert are Red with Blood...

Earlier this week I received a custom sized Tiny Wargames Desert Mat via Dan at Wargames Illustrated. I’ve had in mind to acquire one of these for a while now, having been impressed with the overall look of the mats I saw in August at The Other Partizan. As Jon was due on Wednesday evening for our regular monthly game I set up a Sudan War game, which collection has not seen over much Table Top time of late. I decided we’d use Black Powder as the rule set, so it was necessary to look into the Blood on the Nile supplement for ideas of how to rate the units.
The scenario sees three Imperial columns advancing on the Mosque at El Pend-Ha, where the leader of the revolt in the area, the Barmy Bhykli, is rumoured to be quartered. Of course, he is far from alone, being escorted by numerous Beja and Nile Arab units. Lord Walton took command of the Imperial columns, personally accompanying the most easterly column and communicating with his subordinates by heliograph - on a Dx6 throw of anything but a 1 that is! The game ebbed and flowed as BP games usually do without either side gaining a decisive edge. As usual, a few pictures to tell the unfolding story of the battle ~

"Oh, My Beloveds, do not fear the bullets of the infidel!"

The Nile Arabs and Beja Camelry sweep forward to attack

Lord Walton's column.

Baggara cavalry sweep across the dunes to confront the 

Imperial Cavalry column on Lord Walton's right flank!

Red with the blood of the square that broke!

The Naval contingent flanks their Gardener gun, which was to

repeatedly jam throughout the game, a great bonus to the Beja

in its line of fire!

With the Imperial cavalry column stalled in the dunes, more

Beja tribesmen surge forward to bolster their fellows.

Lord Walton's Column, or rather its remains, are bolstered by

the arrival of a Highland battalion from the Centre column.

Meanwhile, the Nile Arabs surge forward and the Beja Camelry

move to flank his line.

We called it a draw after eight turns as it was clear the Imperial Force could not win, especially as their western column of cavalry was Broken and most of the eastern column had routed, leaving the main centre column to bear the brunt of the Mahdist attacks. Turning to the Mahdists though, their Baggara Horse were blown and the Beja camelry stalled, so any further fighting would depend on the depleted ranks of Nile Arab spearmen and on the Fuzzy Wuzzy! Needless to say, their chances were not good against steady Imperial infantry so they wisely held their ground!

Lord Walton takes stock of his deteriorating situation.

Arabs surge forward while the Imperial infantry wait full of

apprehension.

"Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar!" The Imperial Cavalry Brigade

is Broken and the Mahdist left is secured.

A stand-off in the center, Beja riflemen hold the wadi, with 

Camelry securing their right flank and keeping the South

Staffordshires at bay!

Monday should see a second Desert cloth themed game, this time pitting the British against Egyptians in the theatre of the Anglo-Egyptian War. Can Lord Rawnsley do any better than Lord Walton? We shall have to see, as Bhykli Pasha prepares the Egyptian plan of battle...

A wonderful gift incoming!

I received this as a gift from Jon before our recent Sudan game! A Foundry Miniatures (very) limited edition mounted knight in Maximilian armour. Isn’t he just splendid? He will make a fine subgeneral for my Italian Wars project ~

Of course, he probably has more value, left as he is in the original packaging, to some collector but I have no interest in that side of figure collecting, so he will be painted up later in the Autumn and join the ranks of the Papal States army.

AWI Additions ~ the 43rd Foot

My latest figure additions are a unit of Foundry Miniatures AWI British Line Infantry in firing pose, painted to represent the 43rd Foot with white facings. I chose these because I had the flag in house so I saved a few pounds. Back in the day when I started my AWI collection I bought two Army Deals from Front Rank at Salute, when it was still held in Kensington Town Hall. I added further units from the same manufacturer over time until the collection reached a state which suited the scale of our games. Fast forward a few years and Perry Miniatures began to add an AWI range, following on from the range started for Foundry, of which this unit is an example of the latter ~

My expanded collection now includes figures by Foundry, Front Rank, Perry Miniatures and a few Old Glory. When I decided further expansion was needed for the bigger gaming area in GHQ2 I chose to add two units of American Militia and two of British Infantry from the Foundry range. This is the last of those four units. The flags are ones I downloaded free awhile ago, now sold by Warfare Miniatures I think.
I still have two units of Continental Infantry from the same manufacturer and some Perry Miniatures British Light Dragoons. I've started on the first Continental line, the 4th Virginia, and I hope to work on completing at least those next month and see if I can get an expanded game in in December. We shall see...
What I have noticed though is that the combination of arthritis in my right hand and the cataracts developing in both eyes has meant that my finished work does n't really stand up to close examination, as you can see from the pictures. But, the process still brings me some pleasure and on the table I don't think anyone will really notice, so ‘Onward and Upward!'

Mad as a bucket of frogs!

On Wednesday I went over to East Stoke, near Newark in Nottinghamshire, specifically to visit Wargames Foundry and spend some money on figures. You would be entitled to ask me, why? It’s not as if I don’t have anything to work on in The Lead Pimple after all. In fact, at my present rather reduced output of between 30 - 40 figures in a calendar month I worked out I had enough to occupy my painting time until July 2019!
But then I don’t suffer from any delusions about my own approach to the hobby, I’ve always been prone to look either for new periods to dabble in - the VBCW being a prime example - or worse still to expand existing projects far beyond the figure and unit capacity of the table in GHQ - the ACW anyone? In fact, one constant in the past 45 years of being a wargamer has been the constant churn of out with the old and in with the new, though the arrival of GHQ as a dedicated gaming room in 2004 has somewhat ameliorated this trend.
So it no surprise to me that when the budget allowed I was off to shop! This particular expedition had its origins earlier in the year when Phil and I revisited my SYW collection. More cavalry was an obvious development, either by reducing units from 12 figures or by adding new units. I should perhaps confess that the collection itself began entirely by accident, though Phil was indirectly to blame! I had decided to dabble in the First Carlist War with the then new Perry Miniatures range, I’d worked it all out and was ready to splash the cash. Then Phil showed me his latest painted figures! You’ve guessed of course, the First Carlist War range in question! So, effectively on the rebound, I turned up at Foundry with cash burning a hole in my wallet and was seduced by the splendid range of French and British figures sculpted by Rob Baker. I bought the bones of both armies there and then and have added steadily to them over the past few years.
Now, the range itself is to wargamers as Marmite is to toast affectionados, but I’m firmly in the pro-range camp as I feel the figures on painting really capture the mid C18th look of military men stout in heart and body! Whatever, I added to the armies on this visit: French Line Cavalry, destined for Orleans; French Fusileers, destined to be Regiment Clare for my Wild Geese; French Mounted Officers - you can never have too many Commanders after all! For the British: Grenadiers in mitre to stand in for the 23rd Foot; British Dragoons, for the 6th Inniskillin Dragoons; and more Mounted Generals! They won’t be reaching their day in the sun until next year, but in the meantime, here are some I finished earlier ~

Like me, you will have to wait until next year to see the new units hit the table. In the meantime, back to the 43rd Foot for my AWI collection...

Marching to Glory...or Not!

For what turns out to be our last game here in GHQ this month I chose a War of 1812 setting and borrowed a scenario loosely from Steve the Wargamer - see his post on Abundance Farm, from the sidebar blog link section. Two equally balanced forces are tasked with capturing abundant supplies located in a farm on the table edge. Both enter down the road on the opposite corners of the table to the farm edge. Phil commanded the American forces and yours truly the Anglo-Canadians. Each side had two Brigades of Foot and were supported by artillery. In addition each side had one unit of cavalry. The rules used were, as is usual for us now a days, Black Powder while the figures were Foundry from my collection. We set the game length at 10 Turns and allocated Victory Points to features on the table, ranging from 1 for the entry point, through to 3 for the hills and for the crossroads, to 6 for the farm itself. As is my wont, a photomontage follows to tell the story of the unfolding game ~

Abundance Farm is occupied by the Paddoquoi war party in Turn 2.

The Anglo-Canadian forces advance on all fronts: the Regular Infantry on the

farm, the Militia and Fencibles on the right flank, supported by the Light 

Dragoons and an RA 6lb gun.

American Light Dragoons are Shaken by fire and nervously await their

supporting Infantry from Scott's Brigade.

The Paddoquoi are joined by the 4th Foot and their combined firepower is too

much for the US Sharp Shooters who fall back Disordered.

The American Light Dragoons are routed and the Infantry forced into square

by the British cavalry. The 2nd US Artillery is left exposed!

The American left flank collapses and the Anglo-Canadians prepare to go on

the attack. Columns of Militia and Fencibles at screened by the Glengarry

Light Infantry.

"Follow Me!" American infantry charge forward but are met with withering

fire from the 4th Foot and the Paddoquoi, while the 10th Royal Veterans are

hurrying to their support.

An overview of the battlefield: the Anglo-Canadians hold the farm while on

the nearby high ground the Glengarry Light Infantry skirmish with elements

of Scott's brigade.

The 10th Royal Veterans advance to take the battle to the retiring Americans.

The American left has collapsed and though the 1th Royal Veterans' attack

has been repulsed, the Anglo-Canadian's grip on Abundance Farm and all its

wealth of supplies is like iron!

The American's concede defeat! Their Regulars fared badly against the Militia

and Fencibles while their own Militia never made it into the fight!

A grand game I thought, perhaps coloured by my victory! It is true that Phil's Command Rolls were frequently poor and mine not much better, but I felt my own tactics more likely to win the game, drawing in his Regulars with my weaker Militia and Fencibles, leaving my own small Regular brigade and Paddoquoi support to seize the objective. No doubt Phil will pop up in due course with a different perspective on the flow of the action!
Next up in GHQ should be a WWII game with Jon, using Rapid Fire!2, on the first Wednesday of October. In the meantime for me its back to painting the 43rd Foot for my AWI collection. Foundry figures of course. Eight finished so far, leaving 13 to do, plus 4 Light Company figures if I get that far this month!

Palazzo Progress Report #3

When I wake early some mornings I like to use the quiet time for hobby related activity. I do find though that on occasions the old eyes are not up to figure painting, so the Palazzo project (and associated other Italian Wars buildings) are a suitable alternative subject to occupy the time usefully. So, I’ve managed to progress the Palazzo project a little in that I have painted the base colours on the walls and pantile roofs: Crafters’ Acrylic Golden Brown for the walls and Foundry Madder Red Shade for the pantiles (& for the large windows on the tall tower) ~

In addition to the Palazzo I’ve got two other buildings in progress for the Italian Wars project: one large and imposing building made from Warbases’ Modular Buildings range, enhanced by a Supreme Littleness Designs’ Ornamental Window; the second made from the central section of the Charlie Foxtrot tall Italian tower, with the spare resin roof Colin kindly sold me, serving as a stand alone defensive tower. I’ve got as far as texturing the walls on both of these buildings and adding the Wills pantile sheeting where needed but need a new pot of Golden Brown before I can start painting them ~

I’m aiming for a decent wargames table standard with these, to match the four already completed. Frankly I know both my limitations as a modeller and in respect of the time I’m prepared to spend on such projects, so I cut my coat according to my cloth so as to speak and am generally content with the process and the end product.

Progress, of a sort anyway...

I’ve turned from MDF construction for the moment and back to figure painting. I wanted to let myself down gently from the riot of colour in the Italian Wars project so I turned first to some Trent Miniatures Austrians I had in stock, left over from my earlier 28 figure units. In all I could muster only eight figures, so I decided to paint them as Grenze Regiment Number 4, putting two figures on a 40 x 40mm base and giving me four bases for a Small Unit in Black Powder terms. Now, I realised that the cuffs were the wrong cut, but I will accept that deficiency in my games as the overall look of the units will be fine on the table during games and that is after all the only point to painting anything! My friends, of course, will be too polite to notice or comment anyway.  So, no more waffle or wittering, my take on Grenzer Regiment No 4 ~

I’ve also completed a small mule and muleteer vignette for the FRW project, both pieces from Foundry. If you squint you’ll see it’s a Roman era mule, but then it will do for me. Both pieces in Ian’s gift package I mentioned earlier in the summer~

On the theme of useful bits, but this time in more than one setting, I’ve finally got around to painting my Warbases Hay Cart and Hay Load. ~

I was over in Swadlincote on Sunday last weekend, visiting long time friends Ian and Ann who we met pretty much 50 years ago to the day as it happens. Ian’s not a wargamer but does enjoy painting 28mm figures, vehicles and such and builds splendid dioramas, so I enjoyed seeing his excellent work and received an unexpected gift in the shape of some VBCW Footsore Gardeners! In addition, Ian has kindly offered to paint some Warlord BEF British Infantry for me over the winter! I thought you might like to see the Gardeners ~

After these I feel I can take on a larger unit in figure terms, so back to the AWI next, where the Lead Pimple contains significant numbers of new units by Foundry and Perry Miniatures. First up a further British Line infantry unit I think. More later in the month on these I hope.