Seasons Greetings and Cunning Plans

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and I am hoping you are planning a big New Year of gaming!




What a year of gaming it has been, the Goulburn Valiant Stormer's Club has grown and regularly has two or three game tables going at any one time, Highlights of the year included;

Rhino rejoined the club after a 8 year Hiatus with a bang, building multiple armies and having a blast gaming with us again, it has been a real pleasure.
Tarty and Ralph for reintroducing ancients to the club with the most excellent Ancient rules "Impteus" and my first taste of it in our Argentoratum refight.
The Late Roman Campaign.....finally someone has some armies so I had an excuse to paint my Late Romans, Germanics and Sassanids.
a few fun Pulp games always a laugh and a great way to get the creative juices flowing, I must say that "Carry on up the waazoo" was the funniest thing I have played in wargaming for a very long time........accents were compulsory......
And Finally the loss of a fellow Club Member and gamer Ross Skimmer, came as a great shock to us all, we played several memorial Rapid Fire Games in his memory. He will be greatly missed by all.

A big thanks to the boys for a most enjoyable year of gaming, laughs, cunning plans and coffee at the GVS!

I went back and looked at my goals and aspirations at the beginning of 2012, I didn't even come close to achieving what I set out to do, mainly sidetracked by the clubs Fall of the West Project and campaign and other shiny new releases by figure manufacturers!!!!

2012 Goals and Aspirations

1. AWI 8 batns British and Germans based for British Grenadier (Perry and foundry)(24 fig batn) (NIL)

2. 7YW buildings ready for casting in resin (Done two of five planned)

3. FIW British 5 batns to complete (front rank)(32 fig btn) (Part done one)

4. French 7YW 8 btns to complete, French 7YW 5 regts of cavalry, French Guns (Front Rank, crusader)(32 fig btns, 24 cavalry, guns) Part done 3 btns, two cav regts and guns

5. finish Pontic Army, imitation legionary's, two pike blocks some light Infantry (foundry and gripping beast) Completed, but not all photographed, must do this after I rebase in Feb....

6. Sassanid heavy cavalry and horse archers (A and A minis) (30 cav) Part done, horse harnes are completed just ding the individual jammies, horse archers basing now and should be up by Friday, next week as i have run out of tufts.......

7 French 1805 Napoleonic (continue the refit and rebasing, finish the heavy cavalry division and another Infantry Division Elite minis)(72 cav, 270 inf) NIL done, on the backburner till at least July 2013

8. 1809 Austrian napoleonic (a divison perhaps maybe plastic)(240 inf) Nil done

9 1812 Russian napoleonic (plastic perhaps!)(240 inf) Sold unpainted to Rhino at the club.

10 Russian 7YW (Sash and sabre) inf brigade, Gren brigade, arty and light cavalry (32 fig btns, cav 24) Completed 2 batns of 42, part done the light cavalry and arty.

11. 20mm modern germans (60 inf, six buildings) Completed, and done 10 veh also for them.

12. 28mm Baron Wars (60 odd cav and 180 infantry) started the first units

13 Hanoverain 7YW (Wartime)(140 inf) Part completed two btns, this needs attention!

14 20mm ww2 Germans (continue my refit) still going, did build 21 plastic kits though and resorted them a few times, completed some artillery and pak guns, completed 3 vehicles also.

15 continue refit Napoleonics and 7yw still happening, re-basing and touch ups as the need arises.


But I did go through my three period blogs and ended up with a reasonable effort, and I know I don't photograph everything so I will only list what I counted that was blogged at least......


So final numbers that were blogged

218 ...........28mm Infantry figures painted
45 .............28mm Cavalry
162............20mm Infantry
15 ww2 vehicles
1 aircraft

So this year I have many plans.........

2013 plans not necessarily in order

1. Sassanids finish the beggars, been putting them off as the jammies are tough to do and I want to do a top notch job.
2. Late Romans only a few more units to go, two units of cav and three units of Inf, this army has ended up twice as large as I intended, but that is what happens when you have club campaigns.....and finally someone has a army to play against!
3. Large scale 54mm and 75mm medieval, Greek and Roman figures (just for the cabinet....and maybe a painting comp.....) been dying to get to these for some time and this year I plan to finish a bunch of them.
4. Lewes Royalists, Greg (unlucky general) and I are building towards the goal of doing this at 1 to 15 in 28mm.....as a participation game in 2014 .........crazy but true. Been going overboard on the research which will be posted on Project Lewes next year as I progress.
5. Rebase my Republicans, Imperials, Pontics, and Celts to Impetus, a large job, a possible easter project.
6. Paint the rest of my WOTR army, more cav and billmen, and possibly rebase to impetus!
7. AWI British, close to my heart, I know I promised to do these last year on my 18th century blog "Fine and Dandy" but as no opponents have popped up yet ( I suspect they are awaiting the Perry plastics......) they have taken a back seat.....
8. Continue my 7YW French, British, Russians and Hanoverian's, lots of painting and lead in the cuboard for these too.
9. Continue the refit of my 20mm Germans, lots of vehicles to paint 30 plus, my 9th SS (for Arnhem) Lufwaffe fld div, and fallshirmjager need lots of work to bring them up to speed.
10. Start my Greek wars army. I have a large unpainted Immortal army to do, and I want to really go to town on the conversions, based for impetus also.
11. Napoleonic French refit and paint more for the Australian Napoleonic Congress!
12. Continue making masters for my 7YW building range, have a thing for Dovecotes at the moment......
13. Napoleonic and Dutch wars ship completion. I have a bunch of these to complete, damn rigging is painful for me.
14. WW1 1/72nd aircraft, I still have a number of these to complete.
15. French 20mm ww2, I have a number of figures and some tanks to paint and refit, trucks and guns to paint to complete this 1940 army.
16. Spanish and American Dreadnoughts, something I have had laying around for some time.
17. ECW complete the final three units and two guns... A project that has been on the go for 4 years, I doubt 10% of it has been officially photographed and blogged(some has been in battle reports) ....the display cabinet shelf is full so no new purchases required...unless someone brings out something that takes my fancy.....a great spectacle army for my Birthday parade in March I think!

So all I can suggest to myself is to ...............get cracking!!!!

cheers
Matt

Auxilium Palatina Raetobari (Raetovari)

Raised by from the defeated Alamannic tribes from the Nordlinger Ries, north of the Danube, they apparently spoke a Etruscan  dialect.  This unit was based in the east and fought in Julian's Persian Campaign.

Again finished some weeks ago, this unit has also seen a few battles already and so far behaved very well. The second last Auxilium Palatina unit before I start painting the Legio and Limatani. 

Cheers
Matt

Liebster Blog Award

Like a lot of other gaming bloggers I've been nominated for this award and would like to thank to gaming buddies of mine Mike of Satrap Miniatures and Greg of Unlucky General via his Blog Project Lewes (of which I am the yet to be built Royalist side) for the nominations. A nice little pick me up before Christmas. There are a bunch of Wargame blogs out there that need some recognition, with less than 200 followers.

The rules are:

- Copy and paste the award on your blog, linking it to the blogger who has given it to you.
- Pass the award to your top five favourite blogs with fewer than 200 followers by leaving a comment on one of their blog posts to notify them that they have won the award and list them on your own blog.
- Sit back and bask in that warm fuzzy feeling that comes with knowing that you have just made someone's day.
- There is no obligation to pass this onto anyone else but it is nice if you do.

The blogs I'd like to nominate are all members of our club, and as Australians I have decided to stay local:


Richard's M lovely 20mm ww2 blog, just sensational pieces of work, Richard and I get together to roll out our ww2 figures not often enough

Working on the Lead Mountain


Richard T also from Sydney, a very fine painter, a Napoleonic and a ancient gamer of renown......and someone who introduced me to Impetus rules.

Tartys Tin


and finally Greywolf, a supurb artist who has a healthy interest in wolves and naked females, Guy is more of a individual figure painter but does have a few armies floating around


Greywolf's Last Valley



Keep up the great work guys!


cheers
Matt

Equites Dalmatae Passerentiaci

Equites Dalmatae Passerentiaci "Dalmatian Sparrows" Vexillatio Comitatensis

Another unit off the table, some weeks ago, I have a new job so a little behind in the posting department, these have already seen action twice and performed quite well both times, even managing to run down some shot up heavy Sarmatians cavalry in one of the campaign games.

Again A and A miniatures for my eastern Roman army, the casualty is from Foundry I think.

"Why don't he write"

cheers

Matt

Auxilium Palatina Constantiani

Auxilium Palatina Constantiani

Raised by Constantine, originally under the command of the Magister militum praesentalis I stationed in Thessalonica (Macedonia). The unit was moved to campaign with Gordian III in Persia in 244 and was almost destroyed at the battle of Misiche. Another unit of Black Tree Design figures, the most challenging shields so far, in the end I got sick of trying to get them perfect.

cheers

Matt

Auxilium Palatina Salii

Auxilium Palatina Salii

One of the more famous Auxilium Palatina units, the Salii were raised from Frankish tribes, from the region south of the Meuse river and the Scheldt river. Again Black Tree design figures with hand painted shields.

I just noticed I have a few repairs to be done to skin!!!! Also need to add tufts when i pick them up in a week or so..

cheers

Matt

Transtigritani Auxilium

Finished the first of the Auxilium units, this unit may have its shields swapped to become a different Aux unit after doing a little study I found out that Transtigritani Aux and the legio Transtigritani (pseudocomitatensis) were raised from Persian exiles, so the figures should be a little darker skinned...........All of the figures are from Musketeer and BTD, shields are hand painted.

cheers
Matt

Equites Promoti Seniores

Equites Promoti Seniores

Another cavalry unit off the desk, these guys have been sitting around half finished for some time, so I decided to hand paint some shields for them, add the draco, spears, finish the skin and clothing highlights, and do the eyes, I am very happy with them. The Black Tree design late Romans are quite good, I think i will get another two units of these to act as medium cavalry and do some more  heavy's with A and A .

cheers

Matt

Greuthungi Ostrogothic Pirates

In the campaign I was awarded 20 (impetus) points of Ostrogothic Pirates to help me raid the Roman eastern territory's on the black sea, so of course I needed some unit to represent them! So I hunted around my spare fig box and came up a little short with a few BTD archers that would be suitable. Alas I had no warband types, so I trundled off to the cardinals house of wonders and sure enough he had some spare dark age figures I could use. The old glory miniatures are from the viking pack (I think) and were castoffs........so I ended up with the infamous bard figure, so what better figure for a leader!!!!!

cheers

Matt

Lanciarii Iuniores

Lanciarii Iuniores

Next unit off the desk this week Lanciarii Iuniores, I used a mix of armoured and unarmoured Musketeer and Crusader miniatures in this unit. All hand painted shuiled with a GB draco, which i intend swapping with a Vexillum soon, I have armed them with a Lancea and two 'subarmales'-light lancea. Speidel suggests that they may of had up to five lanceae each.

A few interesting arguments continue about the actual role of the lanciarii. Brian Campbell believes that lanciarii were associated with the 'sacer comitatus' ("sacred retinue") and was part of the small mobile field force accompanying the emperors, he also argues that the lanciarius ranked above a legionary, but below a guardsmen.

Phil barker suspects that the are light armed troops that performed the skirmishing of a Legio and later in the period were formed into their own troop type.

Speidel argues that there were two types of legionary in a legion and uses Arrian description of two types of longchopohoroi - fully half of the regular legionaries, who throw their weapons overhead of the other half. Arrian's legions in Cappadocia (XII Fulminata and XV Apollinaris) deployed in 10 rank deep formation, ranks five to eight were armed with lancea, nice was archers and ten was horse archers to counter the Alan Cataphracts.

Duncan Head suggests imperial Roman lanciarii had their origins in the republican Antesignani.Duncan also notes that a similar split among the legionaries can be found in a papyrus detailing donative records of Legio II Traiana in Egypt ca. 300 AD, from which it appears something like 45% of the men mentioned are lanciarii.

cheers

Matt

German heavy cavalry

Goth Heavy Cavalry 

Another addition to the Late Roman army some German Heavy cavalry a real mix of ranges, gripping beast, foundry, old glory on gripping beast horses (I think?), the shields are a mix of hand painted and LBM dark age transfers. The Draco is from the WF plastic Saxons I think..... I will be using these in my Frank, Goth, Alamannii and Roman armies

cheers
Matt

Halani Sagittarii

Some Alan Or Goth horse archers off the table this week who will no doubt get use in my Roman and Sassanid armies. I am very pleased with the result of their stripey pajamas, The A  and A range captures the movement of the horses well, again I have based them in a circulus cantabricus.

Only five more bases to go of horse archers, which I ordered from A and A last week and my Sassanid army will be nearly ready for action!

cheers

Matt 

Late Roman Sagittarii

Roman Sagittari

A few more late Romans off the desk additions for my late Roman army in the east. A mix of 28mm A and A, Black Tree and Crusader miniatures. They will join my Impetus army that forever grows. 

cheers

Matt

Roman General and Bucellarii

Roman Bucellarii

One of several units off the table this week my general for my late Roman army with his private bucellarii. The shields are a mix of hand painted and LBM transfers.

The General is from Black Tree Design, his horse is A & A, the remaining horses are gripping Beast, the std bearer is foundry and the remaining figures are Gripping beast, the draco is BTD but with a wire pole.

cheers

Matt

Sheaf Hall ECW BatRep

Greg (unlucky General) finally came up for a game before he returned to work this week, as I was hosting  the game I elected to pull out my ECW collection that doesn't really get much table time and put on a Scottish vs Royalist game. We used the well tested WECW rules

My Scot Army consisted of
Maquis Montrose  143pts
Army std 100pts
Col General Lord Gordon 53pts
Gordon horse 7 strong  158pts
A McColla 120pts
Macollas Lifegaurd 108 pts
10 Scot dragoons 112pts
1 light gun 55pts
1 Scot steady tercio of 32 228pts
1 Irish Tercio of 32 468 pts
3 Scot 25 figure clan units each with a Highland gentleman 429pts

1974pts

Unlucky Generals English (my figs also)
King Charles 100pts
3 buffoons 60pts
army standard 103pts
Elite Regt trotters 11 fig 274pts
three vet Pike and shot blocks of 32 1212pts
2 Falconets 130pts
8 steady dragoons 128pts
32 clubmen 69pts

2076pts

The game kicked off we me losing the toss, therefore becoming the aggressor so I advanced on both flanks and in the center, I also set up my hidden unit McColla and his lifeguard in the Sheaf Hall itself, things looked onomous when Greg's guns both hit units in the first turn and managed to route the scot gun crew and kill two members of the gordon horse, Unlucky generals luck was turning.....

turn two
I advanced with the Irish on the right to within musket range of the Kings Regt of foot, The scots advanced through the middle of the town and the highlanders on the left. Gregs  artillery were still shooting well and hitting the Irish and the Gordon Horse again! The Kings Regt of foot move up to the hedge so they have some cover, and the Horse advance on the Highlanders.

turn three
I advanced again with everything, I open fire with McColla's bodygaurd killing a single Horseman,Gregs shooting from the Kings Regt sent more Irish to their maker, and the return fire from the dragoons and Astleys regt into McCollas manage to kill a member of McColla's bodygaurd, Gregs arty were also on target again killing another Scot Dragoon, they pass morale just!

Turn Four
I advance and fire my Irish shot, causing a single casualty to the Kings Regt, I divert one unit of highlanders through the village to threaten the Kings Regt flanks, my Scot pike block continues to the edge of the town and fires a volley at Astley's regt, McColla and his bodygaurd open fire on the Kings Dragoons killing one, I move my Dragoons to the right to help with the assault on the Kings Regt, my highlanders line up to receive the Kings Horse regt.

Greg , declares a charge with his Horse against the highlanders, they fail to get a single kill and lose the combat and flee, my Highlander units both chase but fail to catch him, this causes morale checks all over the place, Gerards regt  flees completly off the table in fear, the cannon and the clubmen along with the retreating Horse are all that remains of Greg's left flank. He also returns fire with Astley and the Kings Regt, both manage to wick off a few more casulties.

Turn Five
I charge my highlanders against the Kings regt, along with the Irish who fail too reach, my Gordon horse charge off chasing the Kings Horse off the table, I advance my Highlanders against the Clubmen on the left, remove McColla from his lifegaurd so he can join a Highlander unit, unfortunately on the right the Kings regt beats the highlanders, they recoil and run a long way taking the Irish and the dragoons with them, Greg decides not to follow up with the Kings regt.......still disaster on the right for me!

Greg decides to charge Astleys regt in the middle who beat the scotish pike and run the down and put them to the sword, the remaining members of McCollas Lifegaurd surrender.......my center now has collapsed

Turn six

I manage to rally the Irish, the Highlanders and the dragoons, the Highlanders on the left charge the clubmen and cut them all down, the cannon decides to flee at this site, the second Highland unit moves to attack Astleys regt in the flank, the Gordon horse charges the Dragoons who elect to fire and flee.....the charge fails to catch them. Greg reforms Astley regt, and adds the king to stiffen them, so they can face the coming highland charge, and manages to rally the dragoons.

Turn 7

I charge two units of highlanders into Astleys regt, rolling like a hero they cut down both front ranks, leaving only two pike to fight back, Montorse challenges the king and cuts him down, the remainder flee and are all cut down by the highlanders, the Gordon Horse charge and cut down the dragoons where they stand, the remaining flee of the table, greg rolls the panic roll and the Kings regt flee along with the remaining gun....A victory from the jaws of defeat to the Highlanders!

A good day out was had by all

cheers

Matt

(Seaxan áfiehtaþ) Saxons advant

I have finished some Saxons for Dave's Army, they will come in handy to fill in as Germans for our impetus Fall of the West campaign starting next month. They are from the Crusader Saxon range and a nice sculpts with lots of variants have a mix of hand painted and LBM transfers, and north star spears! Another three units are awaiting basing, then back to my Sassanids........lots of rebasing and some new units coming next week!

Cheers

matt

Sassanid Pushtigbhan (Royal guard)

Sassanid Royal Guard

Finally finished my Sassanian Shah's  guard unit, all the cavalry are A & A miniatures and the running roman is Foundry, based for impetus. I decided to use the mace armed figures to set them apart from the rest of the Savaran,  I have also painted them in a mix of colours, but sticking to a limited palette of red and  gold to link them all together. The shields are LBM transfers.

My Shah is in Royal Purple and rides a white horse, where as his men ride all black Nisean horses. At this stage I will stay with the banner I have given them until my LBM banner arrives, then this banner will bill presented to another unit!!

Only four more Cataphract units to complete my Sassanid Army, and yes I intend to paint them all as individual knights!

Sassanid cavalry 

Cheers

Matt