Sunday, 4 June 2023
Has IGOUGO had its day?
Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Making 6mm Flags: Size is not an issue
Printed Sources Wars of the Roses Flags (mentioned in this video):
Sunday, 28 May 2023
In defence of BIG Battles
Friday, 26 May 2023
Double Dial Counters from Foxtrot Charlie Miniatures
My order of battle stretches the size of the Battles way beyond the rules authors' design parameters, meaning my Battles will start the game with quite large Moral Values. I couldn't figure out the most elegant way of keeping track of Morale...until now.
These MDF Double Dial Counters from Foxtrot Charlie Models are exactly what I needed. There are 8 dials in a pack for just £10.75 so they were also a very economical solution to my requirements. The Dials come unassembled but were really easy to put together and can then be decorated as required. I decided to replicate the groundwork of my bases so they match my Wars of the Roses armies and blend in with the game mat I am using.
That's one more task off my to-do list and at a very reasonable price too. 👍👍👍
Monday, 22 May 2023
Partizan Video Report
Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Test of Resolve: First Impressions
Tuesday, 2 May 2023
Battle of Sodbury Hill 1471 - A War of the Roses 'What-If' game
The Order of Battle
Thursday, 27 April 2023
Lord Grey and Sir William Catesby - Yorkist infantry at Bosworth 1485
When the Analogue Hobbies Challenge came to an end in mid-March I knew my painting mojo would drop off a cliff. I had a load of little administrative-type projects that had backed up and I had a few books that 'needed' to be read after the frantic effort of painting for three months. However, I also knew I was close to completing my Order of Battle for Bosworth - even though I added a few more units at the last minute. So I have been trying to get some painting done, despite all the distractions that inevitably compete for time. All of which is the long-winded way of saying, I have completed some new Yorkist companies for my Bosworth project!
First, we have the Retinue/Billmen and Archers of Sir William Catesby of Ashby St Legers. Catesby was a councilor to Richard III and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He was captured at the Battle of Bosworth and subsequently executed at Leicester three days later. This wasn't only about punishing Richard's supporters because Henry Tudor, now Henry VII, also confiscated Catesby's estates, including Ashby St Ledgers (although this was later restored to Sir William's eldest son George). Interestingly a descendent of the family, Robert Catesby, was central to the Gunpowder Plot some 120 years later.
Next, we have Sir Henry Grey, 7th Lord Grey of Codnor with his Retinue/Billmen and Archers. Sir Henry was initially a Lancastrian but switched allegiance to Edward IV. He maintained his loyalty under Richard III and even managed to retain royal favor with the new king Henry VII. Sir Henry is best known as Lord Deputy of Ireland, a role in which he was a notable failure. The most interesting fact I have found with regard to Grey is that he was keenly interested in alchemy, and obtained a licence from the King for the transmutation of metals, on the condition that he must inform the Crown if he succeeded in producing gold. Needless to say, he failed in that endeavor too.
I have also been working on some little side projects, namely buildings for this period. I have decided to represent towns, villages, and churches in 2mm so they are in keeping with the ground scale I have in mind. (A typical infantry base has 12 figures on it representing about 150 men, so a double base company is about 300 infantry.) If I used 6mm scale buildings a village would be just one or two houses and I wanted a village to look like a village with multiple buildings, hence my decision to use 2mm models. I have used some medieval buildings from Brigade Models but I also bought a different range from Irregular. Crucially I wanted a windmill to represent Dadlington Windmill which played a part in the retreat and rout of the Yorkist forces following their defeat.
Sunday, 23 April 2023
Review of Salute 2023
Salute 2023: A pictorial review of the games
Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Salute 2023 Blogger (& Vlogger) Meet-up
I'm going to be at Salute 50 on Saturday and, as usual, I will be loitering near the center of the hall at about 1pm for the 'traditional' Blogger meet-up. I thought I would widen the parameters a little this year to include those of you who also have a Vlog...ie a YouTube Channel. Salute is a busy show with thousands of visitors, so randomly bumping into people you know or follow online isn't a very efficient way to meet up, hence the time and the map below!
Normally people gather for half an hour to say hello, swap stories and brag about their show bargains! So if you get time between eagerly spending money or playing in the many participation games, pop along to the area indicated on the map at about 1pm for a quick chat.
Sunday, 16 April 2023
Fistful of Dice Mechanics
Sunday, 9 April 2023
Where do you buy your books?
Sunday, 2 April 2023
Storage or Display
Saturday, 1 April 2023
Battle of Le Truc 1569 - French Wars of Religion Battle Report
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These Pike and Shot units look so good in 2mm. |
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After a short deployment phase the game begins |
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The Huguenot line facing toward the Catholic army |
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Manouver was difficult but not impossible with these rules. They key was timing it right. Next game we will all have a better idea of how to move more effectively. |
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The lines start to get close together. |
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However on the flank things aren't go to plan for either side (but its the Huguenot army that comes off worse) |
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Huguenot reinforcement begins to arrive but may be a little too late to change the outcome. |
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The final positions in what was a very enjoyable and challenging game. |
Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Bosworth Battlefield Tour
Just a brief follow on from Sunday's video where I discussed my recent trip to explore the Bosworth Battlefield site. I mentioned that I had a car tour planned out because I would never be able to walk the whole site. If you are interested in replicating my little tour of the site I have attached a copy of my route and itinerary.
Sunday, 26 March 2023
Lay of the Land
Sunday, 19 March 2023
My D&D Origin Story
Friday, 17 March 2023
The French at Bosworth: Philibert de Chandee & Bernard Stuart
My Revised Order of Battle for Bosworth. The units indicated in yellow are yet to be painted but as you can see, the majority of the project is completed. |
Sunday, 12 March 2023
Mark TWO Eyeball
Wednesday, 8 March 2023
Random Terrain. No thanks!
Sunday, 26 February 2023
Cavalier Show Report 2023
Hard times
Friday, 24 February 2023
Norfolk's Battle at Bosworth
Sunday, 19 February 2023
AI and Solo Wargaming
Thursday, 16 February 2023
The Battle of Bavai August 1914
It has taken me a few days to bring myself to write this post. I've been too busy crying into my sauerkraut with the muffled cries of "das ist nicht fair" occasionally being heard. But I'm jumping ahead of myself, so let's start at the beginning of this sorry tale.
Over the weekend five members of Posties Rejects came together in the shed-o-war for a WWI game using Stuart's early war rules and his massive 6mm collection. Ray and Mark played a small British force tasked with holding back a numerically superior German offensive led by myself, Surjit, and Steve. Sides were determined as usual by picking from a metaphorical hat (bits of folded paper tossed on the table for us to scramble over!) and then the British players were taken out to see the battlefield and be introduced to their mission objectives. The German players sat and waited...and waited...and waited. We could only assume one of two things. Either they were crying into their warm beer over the situation they were handed by the umpire or were arguing between themselves about what to do. After the battle, we found that it was both, so potentially a good start for the German players.
Order of Battle (lifted from Ray's Blog post for this battle, Don't Throw a One)
British2nd Corps 5th Division BEF (C/O Ray, 2ic Mark)
13th Brigade
2/Kings Own Scottish Borderers
2/Duke of Wellington’s
1/Royal West Kent’s
2/Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
14th Brigade
2/Suffollk
1/East Surrey
1/Duke of Cornwall’s LI
2/Manchester
9 Batteries of Field Artillery
2 Batteries of Heavy Artillery (off table)
5th Cavalry Brigade – attached
2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys)
12th Lancers
20th Hussars
1 Battery of Horse Artillery
1 Ambulance
1 Field Hospital
Germans
1st Army 3rd Corps (C/O Lee, 2ic Surjit, 3ic Steve)
9th Brigade
8th Grenadiers (3 Battalions)
48th Infantry regt (3 Battalions)
10th Brigade
12th Grenadiers (3 Battalions)
52nd Infantry regt (3 Battalions)
11th Brigade
20th Infantry regt(3 Battalions)
35th Fusilier rget (3 Battalions)
12 Batteries of Field Artillery
Additional units attached
3rd Uhlans
3rd Jagers
1 Battery of Horse Artillery
Engineers and Pontoon Bridge
1 Ambulance
1 Field Hospital
The Action
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The starting positons with virtually no British on the table and lots of German units primed and ready to attack. The Brits don't look very happy. |
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My troops in the center were destined for some hard fighting. |
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On our right flank, Surjits Brigades move forward but some are pushed back by accurate artillery fire from the Brits. |
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On the left flank, Steve's engineers are taking their time building a pontoon across the river, but the infantry Brigades under his command are sweeping forwards and keeping pace with mine. |
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My Brigades push forward, largely foregoing a chance to fire their rifles in favor of the extra movement. But there were some strong points that needed to be overcome. |
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But of course, that wasn't the case. Dismounted cavalry and a machine gun stood in their way. Steve weighed up the possibilities and decided his lance-wielding Uhlans would charge... |
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Meanwhile, in the main town, a single British Brigade knows it cannot possibly hold its ground when the German offensive reaches it next turn. |
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Over on the left flank, the Uhlans charge the dismounted cavalry and push them back easily. |
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The fight on our right flank grinds on, but British defeat here can only be one turn away. |
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Moments before these two knew they had lost and had faces like slapped arses. Then Stuart announced. As you can tell, Ray was very happy with the result!! |