Noble mounted Breton Kingdom of Domonée III

Breton Noble Cavalry III

Off the desk finally this week my noble Breton cavalry unit, lovely figures from Footsore 28mm Picts range. Quite happy with my plaid, possibly should of had the same coloured cloaks for each noble so I kept to the northern part of Domonée Amorican kingdom plaids. The final cavalry unit for my 5th to 7th century Bretons.

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™

cheers

matt

Republican Roman vs Carthaginian battle report

Stategos Phillipe travelled up from Laval for a visit this week, for a game and a visit to see my progress on the renovation of the Salon de Guerre. We had decided on a historical match up of my Scipio Africanus based army vs his Hasdrabul. Phillipe has only played Advanced Impetus five times and had downloaded it in French now so had a better understanding of the terms and finer details of the game.

Philiipe organised his WAB based miniatures for Impetus, we elected to have a simple meeting engagement rolling for terrain we ended up with four woods, Phillipe placed his newly finished Elephant was having its first outing. I also had six units of my newly completed Gauls on the table. I placed two legions on the table plus extra two velites and two light cavalry and two FL Gauls to deal with the elephant and slow down his cavalry. Attaching my general to a unit of Triarii.

Phillip elected two veteran and two regular pike, plus two light cavalry, two heavy cavalry, elephants, two FL Gauls and lots of skirmishers and some fate dice. Leaving his general seperate from the units.

Turn 1
I won the command phase and elected to advance the whole centre and held back my cavalry on my left, just coming within javelin range everything released, but only one hit, first blood to me! Phillipe reposte, he advanced with his skirmisher line loosing  javelins at close range and caused a loss skirmishers a full base, plus casualties on another. His Numidian cavalry double moved flanking my lights and in a hail of short range javelin, the  "taxi de la mort" (cab rank of death) removed a whole base of my light cavalry. 1st round to Phillipe!

Turn 2 again I won the command phase and advanced again, this time my right flank skirmishers finally done some damage, two bases hitting the elephants, and one base taking out two skirmisher bases, I advanced my infantry but double moved my large unit of Gauls so they could threaten the left flank of the Carthaginian army amazingly they passed the discipline test. I also advanced my left flank light cavalry, to threaten his numidian cavalry and his heavies, I managed to get a strike on his heavy cavalry, but only a disorder. Phillipe reposte, he launched his infantry line forward, his Numidian cavalry decided to hurl javelins at point blank range the large Gallic horde, causing 2 casualties, he then charged his heavy cavalry into them, causing another loss, however my return caused one in reply also, we both passed morale so a stick. His skirmishers whittled away all of my left flank skirmishers and caused disorders on my heavy infantry, his Numidian cavalry on my left, caused casualties on my light cavalry leaving it with one remaining point.

Turn 3 again I win the command phase, I elect to engage my whole line, and effectively use pilum and my manipular formation, breaking and destroying two units, and the follow up catch another one, my Gauls win their round of combat against the cavalry who run, catching them and the poor skirmishers who happened to be behind them, my remaining skirmishers manage to kill the elephant. Phillipes' army centre collapses, and he elects to consider defeat........his army breaks and the remains of his men withdrawing to fight another day.

The lonely pike unit on his right

Just before the destruction of the left flank 

Good points were taken away, if used effectively light cavalry can be good "taxi de la mort" javelin armed, always get stuck in with elephants, otherwise skirmish armed javelins will whittle them down at point blank range. Skirmishers shoot 360, can move diagonally without penalties so can engage targets from the side at point blank. Large units of Celts are tough, but can be whittled down with light infantry or cavalry. Stay outside zone of control for point blank firing on other shooters, unless they are disordered. Republicans can be tough, if they roll well for the manipulation formation can be devastating.

Things to do, make more disorder markers!

Aulerci Diablintes tribesmen VI

another unit completed over the weekend, the second of my clothed tribesmen. A few new combinations of plaid, pretty happy with my results on these Victrix miniatures.

Viking Traders.....raiders!

Viking Raiders!

For those on the Lead adventurer forum you will know about the Christmas trader present swap each year, you list your wants and then you are partnered up and you send a gift to your secret Santa. I have participated for three years and this year I received this unit, fully painted!

 So this week I based them up, what a excellent gift that is fully appreciated. I still have a command vignette to base also then they will all be ready. I would highly recommend anybody who is a member join in this great idea on the Lead adventurers forum.

These trader Vikings will join my impetus Viking army and hopefully will do sterling service against my Franks and Bretons.

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™

Cheers
Matt

Aulerci Diablintes tribesmen V

Off the desk this week some of the first clothed Aulerci Diablintes, quite happy with my  plaid on these, two more units not far behind.

Aulerci Diablintes skirmishes

Another small skirmishes unit completed for my local tribe the Aulerci Diablintes tribe project, another 6 heavy infantry units and it will be complete, then I will move onto the Aulerci Cénomani (Le Mans tribe ) again using Victrix miniatures, based for impetus.

Cheers
Matt

Breton Domnonée Dark Age cavalry II

Breton cavalry II

A unit of medium Breton cavalry for my Kingdom of Domnonée project, another project from the 2019 pile that was partially completed and required a few steps to complete them. I am almost at a end for this army one more cavalry unit, a command and thirty figures. This will give me quite a large army for the 5th through to the 8th century and by swapping out some infantry and cavalry will stretch until the 9th century.

The figures in this unit are footsore with one converted gripping beast celt to make up the unit. Quite happy with the plaid on these.

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™

Salut
Matt

The Black Prince Edward III

Edward the III, the Black Prince

If you have been following you will know that this year I am adding to my Early 100YW armies using predominantly Claymore, Old Glory and selected Perry and Crusader miniatures, I have around 120 figures to add to my English, Scots, Bretons and French. 

In addition one of my goals this year I will also be building a historical 14th century chateau for my TTSFN (total Terrain System For Now) table.

Edward the Black Prince, a miniature sculpted by the Perry twins. Released by Warhammer Historical quite a long time ago. I painted it for the “Metal” painting competition on the guild Wargamers forum.


We visited the Poitiers battlefield last September and walked quite a bit of it. The signs need some work but happy to see it not completely surrounded by houses.

Nearby I would recommend visiting Abbaye Saint-Junien de Nouaillé-Maupertuis in the valley. A wonderful Fortified medieval Abbey with many stages of construction, much of the grounds are walkable. A book on the Battle and the Abbaye is available in French at the L'Hotel de Ville located in the Abbaye gatehouse.

"Wargaming History"™

Cheers

Matt

Confederate Marines

The last remnants of 2019 projects are leaving my table this week, first up a rebase and touch up of some Confederate Marines that suffered during our move from Australia to France. Basically highlighted and touched up the scratches and dings and re-flocked the base.

The figures are from the first corps range and are the only 28mm confederate marines I know of on the market. They were originally built for our clubs Atlanta campaigns.

A rare unit, as they mostly only acted in companies, serving the the ships and gunboats with the Navy. But they served on land was along with ex ship crews at the siege of Atlanta, they were formed into a unit and manned Fort Ogeechee, manning the guns and defending the bastions until the Atlantas surrender. The other battles that they served on land include Fort Fischer and at Drewy's Bluff after the scuttling of the Viginia-Merrimac. The last battle they served in was at Saylors creek, a battalion was formed with ex naval personnel and marines defending the James River fortifications.

The flag references a 1861 company flag, as I am unaware of any marine unit or dismounted ship crew ever carrying a flag on land and is hand painted. These chaps will join the sale of my ACW collection in the coming months.

Cheers

Matt

ref Marine Corps Gazette, June 1978 Col T.J Saxon

Lion d’OR cafe 20mm buildings part six

Completed my first piece of my 2020 list, a building this week, after discussion on Facebook about the name of a cafe that would suit all of the regions close to my house Normandy, Brittany and Pays de Loire. After a suggestion and the doing some follow up research I settled on the “Lion d’Or” which possibly refers to the Normandy and Maine/Anjou golden lion used by William the Conqueror and the Plantagenets in the region.

The building is from the Raventhorpe 20mm Normandy building range, the only additions I made were the paper sign on the side, the clear plastic glass from Christ card box, the curtains from tissue and the sign writing for the business sign and on the window with a brush.

Cheers
Matt

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a successful 2020, may the dice be with you!

Cheers

Matt

20mm Normandy cafe, what is in a name

Almost completed my 20mm Normandy Cafe all I need to do is name it. I need a name that will work for Normandy, Brittany and Pays de La Loire, so I can use it o on my table in any location. Thoughts guys? I have currently digging through my 1939 copy of the Blues guide to Normandy for inspiration.

Cheers
Matt

20mm Bombed out building

Chipping way at completing the 20mm buildings, this bombed out building has been in the painting stash for at least 3 years, very happy with my result though.

 

Cheers
Matt

20mm building boom

I have been working on so,e terrain this week, specifically 20mm bits for my Normandy and Arnhem tables.

Two Resin Houses, ( raventhorpe shop) one ruin and one plastic Faller I think model railway kit I purchased off eBay. First job was to remove the plastic roof and build an interior. Next to build a roof for the partly ruined building and the ruins I added sandbags. The Raventhorpe shop will be a straight forward build.

Chassuers de Fischer

Another unit rescued from my old 7YW blog “Fine and Dandy”. Hunters by Fischer, with Perry Mirliton for the drummers and officers.

Cheers

Matt