Figures are Footsore miniatures. They will fit into any of my late Roman and dark age armies nicely.
Cheers
Matt
Sunday, November 10, 2019
28mm Dark Age skirmishers
Completed two units of archers, one for late Roman -Alan archers and a generic Archer dark age base.
Figures are Footsore miniatures. They will fit into any of my late Roman and dark age armies nicely.
Figures are Footsore miniatures. They will fit into any of my late Roman and dark age armies nicely.
28mm Aulerci Diablintes tribesmen III
More naked Victrix Tribesmen off the painting desk this weekend, another Aulerci Diablintes heavy foot unit ready to fight off the roman invader!
I managed to assemble the whole remaining 180 Victrix miniatures over the last three weeks, predominantly undercoated they are now awaiting paint over the remainder of Autumn and winter?
I am not looking forward to painting the clothed figures in plaid, but have settled on some contrast patterns, that I have made recipes for over the last three days. I have also mass based the shields and started cuting out the LBM transfers.
Cheers
Matt
I managed to assemble the whole remaining 180 Victrix miniatures over the last three weeks, predominantly undercoated they are now awaiting paint over the remainder of Autumn and winter?
I am not looking forward to painting the clothed figures in plaid, but have settled on some contrast patterns, that I have made recipes for over the last three days. I have also mass based the shields and started cuting out the LBM transfers.
Cheers
Matt
28mm Alan warlord
This Footsore command miniature has been sitting around for some time awaiting completion as I wanted a hunting or war dog on the base, after a desk clean up today in preparation for clearing for the Autumn painting projects, I headed up to the third floor and seeked out my 28mm spares box and found a suitable Warlord Miniatures war dog. I then finished the dog off and added it to the completed the command base.
This commander will lead my Alan warband. The Alan's were based in Aurelianum (modern Orleans) capital from 406ad and controlled lands along the Loire, Sarthe and Mayenne rivers. The Romans and later the Franks used them to put down rebellions in the west including Armorican massif (Brittany) and famously defended their capital Aurelianum against Atilla the Hun. Later at the battle of Challons in 451 the Alan and Goth cavalry break the Hunnic centre.
Cheers
Matt
This commander will lead my Alan warband. The Alan's were based in Aurelianum (modern Orleans) capital from 406ad and controlled lands along the Loire, Sarthe and Mayenne rivers. The Romans and later the Franks used them to put down rebellions in the west including Armorican massif (Brittany) and famously defended their capital Aurelianum against Atilla the Hun. Later at the battle of Challons in 451 the Alan and Goth cavalry break the Hunnic centre.
Cheers
Matt
Friday, November 8, 2019
28mm Dark Age Breton Coloni Infantry II
Breton Coloni Infantry II
The latest off the desk some more Breton Coloni infantry for my Kingdom of Domnonée dark age army 4th to 11th century, although this unit could double as Maine/Anjou or saxon pirate raiders also.
"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™
Cheers
Matt
Friday, October 25, 2019
Saint Crispins day
On a cool misty autumn day 604 years ago a small English army knelt in prayer on Saint Crispin's day, awaiting the outcome of the heralds parley.
For several weeks the English army had been on the move, harassed by the French, now it was time for a stand near the village of Azincourt. The French western army had finally caught up with them.
Soon violent battle would begin and flower of French Nobility would be laying dead upon the plowed fields. One of the greatest victories of the 100 years war would be over, and a period of English dominance would begin.
Words made famous by Shakespeare's play Henry V.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say “To-morrow is Saint Crispian.”
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say “These wounds I had on Crispin's day.”
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
I hope very soon to make a pilgrimage to the new museum at Azincourt. I was lucky enough to have visited London tower for the 600th anniversary and seen the grand Perry display, then attended Henry V at the Barbican.
The image above I use on my blog header and sums up that early morning.
Cheers
Matt
Battle of Neville's Cross 1346
This week we hosted two Australians at L'Hotel de Hercé, "Baron" Ricson and Doc Smith, we had quite a full tour schedule but did put aside a wargames day in the petite Salon.
The good Baron wanted to play a medieval game based on his Scottish heritage and Wednesday was the anniversary of the battle of Neville's Cross. I have quite a large collection of late 13th and early 14th century Scot and English armies, with a wide range of manufacturers miniatures in the collection, primarily Claymore miniatures, with a mix of Old glory, in the Scot army and Claymore, old glory, Crusader, Foundry, Mirliton, Anteluvian, and fireforge in the English army. We used Advanced Impetus rules, I find they work very well especially if you like a result in under three hours of game play, both players were relatively inexperienced playing the rules but quickly picked them up.
We set up historically, with the English closest to the castle and city, and the scots at the top of the valley on a small ridge line. The English won the opening roll and advanced, the opening round of archery from them was quite devesating, causing casualties along the Scot skirmish and archery line. The infantry line advanced twice, passing the woods on the left flank, the Scots then launched set ambushes of light javelin and highlanders. In the second round the English continued to advance and in this round the English longbow drove back the scots to their own lines, the return fire from the scots lights done more damage removing a whole base. Turn three the English won initiate again, moving the line forward and manoeuvring around the woods in the centre, and charging the Scot lights in the woods, who fell back. Turn four the scots won initiate, the archery doing very little damage, so decide to advance off the hill and attack the disordered English line, some success but not enough, the English the new elected to engage the scots, who now were disordered on thier right, so not in schiltron, and great murder was done, only the kings base did not recoil. Turn five seen the English left flank crumble under the scotish onslaught and things were looking up, but the resulting combat on the English right seen King David captured and the whole Scottish army leave the feild as a result.
The good Baron wanted to play a medieval game based on his Scottish heritage and Wednesday was the anniversary of the battle of Neville's Cross. I have quite a large collection of late 13th and early 14th century Scot and English armies, with a wide range of manufacturers miniatures in the collection, primarily Claymore miniatures, with a mix of Old glory, in the Scot army and Claymore, old glory, Crusader, Foundry, Mirliton, Anteluvian, and fireforge in the English army. We used Advanced Impetus rules, I find they work very well especially if you like a result in under three hours of game play, both players were relatively inexperienced playing the rules but quickly picked them up.
We set up historically, with the English closest to the castle and city, and the scots at the top of the valley on a small ridge line. The English won the opening roll and advanced, the opening round of archery from them was quite devesating, causing casualties along the Scot skirmish and archery line. The infantry line advanced twice, passing the woods on the left flank, the Scots then launched set ambushes of light javelin and highlanders. In the second round the English continued to advance and in this round the English longbow drove back the scots to their own lines, the return fire from the scots lights done more damage removing a whole base. Turn three the English won initiate again, moving the line forward and manoeuvring around the woods in the centre, and charging the Scot lights in the woods, who fell back. Turn four the scots won initiate, the archery doing very little damage, so decide to advance off the hill and attack the disordered English line, some success but not enough, the English the new elected to engage the scots, who now were disordered on thier right, so not in schiltron, and great murder was done, only the kings base did not recoil. Turn five seen the English left flank crumble under the scotish onslaught and things were looking up, but the resulting combat on the English right seen King David captured and the whole Scottish army leave the feild as a result.
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Rapid Fire battle of Bréville 1944.
The table has had its first outing, although all of the tiles require more work. Hedges, trees, airbrushing the fields, some pigments, the roadside weeds, crop fields, water puddles and ponds and road connections to be completed on the whole twelve boards. So a lot to do
Visitors Cookie and Mick from Perth Western Australia stayed with us on their way to visit the grand white Chateaus of the lower Loire with their wives. They also booked in a rapid fire game with me, giving me the chance to bless the table for its first outing.
We played a scenario I wrote for the 9th parachute regt defending against the german counterattack by the 857th Grenadier Regiment at Bréville 8th June 1944. The British Commandos were on the left on hold/support orders, the 9th Parachute regiment held the high ground south of Bréville to the woods south of Chateau Sainte Come on hold/defend orders.
Cookie who played as the Germans elected to slowly advance using the two battalions of infantry to capture the village and advance on the left with a single Stug and on the right with a single Stug in support, the allies used off table fire support from HMS Arethusa 6 inch guns, frustratingly the radio failed to contact the ship for the first two turns, and only really came into effect later in the game.
The Germans advanced unmolested into the village, gaining good firing positions, the 81mm mortars pinned the advancing paras, giving the german infantry time to capture the buildings on the edge of the village. Para rifle and MG Fire managed to cut down a few, but not enough, the Germans managed to place two MGs in the buildings who created great gaps in the advancing paras, bogging the attack down, again the support fire failed to arrive to pin the Germans. On the left flank the german mortar fire and support from the Stug, the HE fire managed to cause casualties amoung the supporting commandos, who although dug in, lost a number of men, and a bad morale roll saw them retreat behind the ridge line, and not offering any fire support nor partaking in the remainder of the battle.
Finally the support fire arrived from HMS Arethusa, pounding the chateau to dust with all four rounds hitting, breaking the two german infantry companies within. In the same turn a para of the second battalion hidden on the edge of the woods managed to get a heroic roll and advanced from cover and fire his piat destroying the supporting Stug. Things were looking up for the Paras on the right flank. In the middle though the pinned paras suffered under the german machine guns and rifle fire, breaking two companies, leaving the third to assault the church. In the next turn the remaining British para managed to reach and enter the church, but then suffered from HE fire from the remaining Stug and accurate rifle fire, the para support company also suffered from the 81mm mortar, bringing the battalion test, which it promptly failed, the HQ coy, and support coy both leaving the table, giving the Germans a complete victory to the Germans and in command of the village.
An enjoyable but tight game, the poor morale and radio rolls really changed the tide in favour of the Germans, plus the accurate german mortar, HE and MG fire. Cookie was thrilled as it was his birthday also!
Stug waiting to pounce
Visitors Cookie and Mick from Perth Western Australia stayed with us on their way to visit the grand white Chateaus of the lower Loire with their wives. They also booked in a rapid fire game with me, giving me the chance to bless the table for its first outing.
We played a scenario I wrote for the 9th parachute regt defending against the german counterattack by the 857th Grenadier Regiment at Bréville 8th June 1944. The British Commandos were on the left on hold/support orders, the 9th Parachute regiment held the high ground south of Bréville to the woods south of Chateau Sainte Come on hold/defend orders.
Cookie who played as the Germans elected to slowly advance using the two battalions of infantry to capture the village and advance on the left with a single Stug and on the right with a single Stug in support, the allies used off table fire support from HMS Arethusa 6 inch guns, frustratingly the radio failed to contact the ship for the first two turns, and only really came into effect later in the game.
The Germans advanced unmolested into the village, gaining good firing positions, the 81mm mortars pinned the advancing paras, giving the german infantry time to capture the buildings on the edge of the village. Para rifle and MG Fire managed to cut down a few, but not enough, the Germans managed to place two MGs in the buildings who created great gaps in the advancing paras, bogging the attack down, again the support fire failed to arrive to pin the Germans. On the left flank the german mortar fire and support from the Stug, the HE fire managed to cause casualties amoung the supporting commandos, who although dug in, lost a number of men, and a bad morale roll saw them retreat behind the ridge line, and not offering any fire support nor partaking in the remainder of the battle.
Finally the support fire arrived from HMS Arethusa, pounding the chateau to dust with all four rounds hitting, breaking the two german infantry companies within. In the same turn a para of the second battalion hidden on the edge of the woods managed to get a heroic roll and advanced from cover and fire his piat destroying the supporting Stug. Things were looking up for the Paras on the right flank. In the middle though the pinned paras suffered under the german machine guns and rifle fire, breaking two companies, leaving the third to assault the church. In the next turn the remaining British para managed to reach and enter the church, but then suffered from HE fire from the remaining Stug and accurate rifle fire, the para support company also suffered from the 81mm mortar, bringing the battalion test, which it promptly failed, the HQ coy, and support coy both leaving the table, giving the Germans a complete victory to the Germans and in command of the village.
An enjoyable but tight game, the poor morale and radio rolls really changed the tide in favour of the Germans, plus the accurate german mortar, HE and MG fire. Cookie was thrilled as it was his birthday also!
Table overview
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