The 2014 Campaign Year.

Just been re-reading what I wrote about this time last year , some of it has been achieved and some not. The casting up and painting - and playing with my 40mm SYW  armies has continued apace and I have been looking through my 'lead mountain' and have a box of unused figures that will be melted down and cast as more 40mm figures. The Allied army will have more artillery / limbers and another British unit - 18th Foot (Royal Irish) , the French/Saxons some more cavalry, I also fancy doing some Engineers and wagons for both armies which would be useful in many scenarios . My 40mm Imagination (Balkans) have not had much of an outing, but I plan to slightly enlarge the cavalry units and provide more dismounted cavalry figures - and play with them more ! . The Napoleonic collection has been mostly rebased but has NOT  been used this year - sigh !, I MUST  get to grips with this period and start using them. The 54mm Armies have not been used as I lack scenery for them and a puppy and the weather have made playing outside with them impractical . I am looking forward to the next years gaming and will continue to report on my progress (hopefully) Here's to 2014 ! 

Merry Christmas To You All !.

 

 

Wishing all of you out there in 'Blogland' a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year and thanking all of you for your support over the last year - here's to the next , Cheers Tony.

Early Christmas Present.

 

'A' alerted me to the above book on EBay - 'Shambattles - for boys of all ages' , it was on sale with a American bookseller and I got it for a very reasonable price . I have been aware of these rules for a while and was interested to see them 'in the flesh' , they are very simple rules which involve drawing maps and then manoeuvring toy soldiers about to capture the opponents city . It comes in three levels of complexity - Lieutenant, Captain and General , it was published in the U.S.A. in 1929 and seems to be a half way house between H.G. Wells and Featherstone , it uses a six sided spinner instead of D6  and artillery templates for firing guns , combat is based on scores on the spinner . The rules are I believed reprinted in one of John Currys 'History of Wargaming' Project books.

Tools Of The Trade.

 

I was passing a Charity shop today and happened to notice in the window a 'Dice Tray', I've been after on of these for ages and at £5 (with dice) I thought a snip !. We've all done it - rolled the dice and one always rolls on the floor and disappears from sight and requires about 10 minutes on your knees trying to find it ! - no more !, all dice will now be rolled in the official house dice tray !. Also in this photo are my leather dice cup - which I believe was designed to hold a wine bottle (!?) and an ancient ruler which I got given free at a Northern Militaire Wargaming Show about 20 + years ago (It's 15 years at least since it's demise as a show ) and has outlasted several extendable tapes.

Revenge Of The Saxons (Parte Two)

 

The Armies deploy , the Allied Jaegers threaten the French right but the French Hussars drive off the Allied Carbineers ( I forgot to photo this triumph).

 

 

But here's the result ! by the time they had reorganised the game had ended .

 

 

The Hanoverian Legion Britannique forms a line .

 

 

The French/Saxons move up , the Saxon Garde are covered by the French Chasseurs De Sombreuil .

 

 

A closer view of the Chasseurs.

 

 

The Legion opens fire at long range on the deploying Saxons .

 

 

The Chasseurs charge the Jaegers and the Hussars charge the right flank company of the Legion. - both melees are won by the Allies !.

 

 

A closer view of the action on the left flank.

 

 

The Leib Garde Grenadiers form up under heavy fire .

 

 

With the threats to their flanks seen off the Allies turn their attention onto the Saxons .

 

 

Although they gallantly return fire the Saxon Garde suffer heavy casualties and are forced to retire as the other units of their force are scattered . A victory once again for the Allies ! . The French High Command are now thinking that the Saxon LeibGarde are one of those unfortunate units that will never triumph on the gaming table ! - we will have to see !?.