The Attack on Fort Desperation

For the first, and possibly only, game here in GHQ in May Jon and I played a French and Indian War game. We used Black Powder for the rules with two adaptations: firstly, you could give orders to each base of figures as well as to units, with each unit having its own commander under the CinC; secondly, units which routed could try to rally on a -2 in the next turn and a -1 in the turn following. After that, Routed units left the table. Both adaptations worked smoothly we thought and the game swung back and forth over 10 Turns before a clear winner emerged. I took a few pictures to capture the essence of the game which I hope will let you see how it all panned out ~

The defenders of Fort Desperation push out to engage the enemy. Local

settlers support the Regulars in the fort. The Light Company heads for the 

high ground.

French woodsmen emerge from cover in front of the Lights. The artillery

engage the partially concealed French Regulars. Robinson's Rangers make 

their appearance to bolster the defenders.

The Rangers move off  swiftly to engage the Padoquoi Indians who had 

landed further up the shoreline.

The French Regulars crest the hill and are engaged by the British Regulars.

The local settlers have fled and the Light Company has been forced back but

more Rangers are hurrying to secure the flank as more Padoquoi emerge from

the woods.

The British Regulars and the Colonial gunners drive back the French but

Disorder is beginning to effect the efficiency of the defenders.

The Padoquoi warriors have been driven of by the Rangers to give the hard

pressed defenders a short respite.

The Rangers and the Light Company find themselves out numbered by the 

enemy Militia Woodsmen and allied Padoquoi warriors. A crisis has been

reached for the Defenders of Fort Desperation.

Although the British Regulars still hold Fort Desperation the settlers and the

Rangers have fled the scene leaving the French under Colonel Le Blanc to

claim the victory.

Although I had originally hoped to play out the game with Sharp Practice 2 as the rules I found I was too preoccupied with my coming hip operation and fell back on our favourite Black Powder rules instead with the additions noted above. The game went very smoothly and the rules proved versatile enough to cope with our changes. I've left the game out on the table in GHQ as I hope to play it again with Phil when I'm just a little stronger in the hip department.

The Great Escape...

...meets Forest Gump. As some of you may know from other social media sites I was discharged from hospital on Tuesday evening ~

I had intended to blog the French and Indian War game Jon and I played on the Wednesday previously, but I have seriously underestimated the shrinking of my horizons post surgery. My daily routine seems to revolve around walking, resting and eating, and that’s about it! I’ve got as far as uploading the pictures from the game, so perhaps next week, eh? In the meantime, if you are squeamish then look away now ~

Now, the question: who can link the pictures to the film titles explicit in the title and opening remark? No prizes sadly...

I’m for the chop this time!

All quiet on the GHQ front for a while now folks as my hip replacement operation is scheduled for tomorrow morning! I report in for 7.30am and the theatres start work at 9.00am, so I hope to be done for lunch and taking my first steps in the late afternoon.

All being well, hopefully, I shall be home on Monday and then it’s walking as much as possible for six weeks until I see my surgeon again. Keep me in your thoughts if you have a moment tomorrow morning please. As Arnold might say, “I’ll be back!”

Landsknecht Pike Block

I’ve managed to complete the first of my two planned mercenary pike blocks for my Italian Wars project. The figures are a mix of several manufacturers: TAG; Steel Fist; Warlord Games; Dixon Miniatures; Essex Miniatures; Tiger Miniatures; and Hinchliffe. You may well ask why? Simple really, most were a gift from Tim Hall of surplus figures. I guess the cost of the unit was about £5.00 at most.

The flags were found as free downloads on the web and represent the German city of Nuremberg. I’m pleased how well they turned out in the end I have to say, although adapting what passes for my painting style to older figures was a challenge, as was working out colours for the figures of these early Landsknechts. 

Painting has come to a standstill for now. I don’t anticipate picking up the brushes in anger for a couple of weeks now. When I do I have a second Landsknecht pike block, by Warlord Games, and a further Command Stand of Cesare Borgia and staff, on foot this time. Beyond these I will need some crossbowmen and handgunners to support the two Landsknecht pike blocks, but sourcing the appropriate figures will have to wait now. I’m hosting a F&IW game for Jon tonight, but won’t get around to blogging that before next week, so keep an eye out for ‘The Attack on Fort Desperation’.

Just Champion!

I've been painting rather less of late, as I’ve mentioned before I know. I have though finished two more bases of figures for our Italian Wars project, another base of Gendarmes and a Champion base. The figures were part of the package of free stuff Tim Hall so kindly sent me. I soaked them for several days in a bath of Detol to remove the varnish and paint, then resprayed them with white Double Acrylic undercoat which I buy from our local Home & Motor Store. The flags are, as ever on this project, from Pete’s Flags and the bases from Warbases. The figures themselves are from Foundry, Essex and, I think, Hinchliffe but the codes on the bases were not clear to read so I may be wrong on the latter two. Anyway, enough waffle, here they are ~

I think the base of Gendarmes turned out better than I hoped once the figures were all painted up. Originally the Essex Champion was also on their base, but it just didn’t gel then as a unit, hence the decision to make him my army’s Champion. I’ve started on a base of Landsknecht pike now, with more of Tim’s generous free figures bulking it out. I hope to complete it before next Friday, but it will be close I think. I’ve finished four so far and have another sixteen to go!

The Battle of El Tubh

As I mentioned in the previous blog post, this week’s Monday game with Phil was again moved to a Tuesday due to my hospital appointment. The calm before the storm ~

For a change, I took command of the Imperial Force, landing from the  transport  vessels and supporting gunboats and attempting to defeat the forces of the Mahdi who were besieging the Egyptian garrison of El Tubh. The series of annotated pictures which follow try to tell the unfolding story of the battle, fought out over eight turns ~

The opening positions: Beja riflemen line the Wadhi as Imperial forces make 

their way ashore from the transports. The cavalry cannot disembark until the

infantry clear the area.

While the first assault on the walls of El Tubh goes in, the Black Watch

advance to the skirl o' the pipes, supported by the Gordons. The South

Staffords and the Royal Surreys are struggling ashore.

The assault nears the city walls despite fire from the Egyptian infantry and

artillery. On the banks of the Nile there is much confusion amongst the

troops as officers struggle to impose order - I failed all my Command Rolls!

The Royal Surreys move to clear out the Beja rifles from a farm, while the

Black Watch ready themselves for an assault from the Fuzzies!

Despite losses and disorder the Arabs drive the Egyptian regulars from the

wall. Its up to the irregulars now to turn the tide inside El Tubh.

Although the Black Watch hold off the Fuzzies they are broken by enemy

rifle fire and rout. Similarly the Royal Surreys are broken, having cleared the

far of the enemy! On the left flank though the Loyal Tandooris, supported by

the Yorks and Lancs, are hastening to the aid of the garrison.

As one Arab incursion is driven out of El Tubh, another succeeds in making

an opening on another wall.

The RMC are kept busy in the makeshift casualty clearing station in the

Sudanese fishing village. The Gattling and the Gardner Guns are playing 

havoc with the Fuzzies as they attack time after time!

The South Staffords are stiil trying to sort themselves out on the river bank - I

may have set a record for failed Command Rolls with them! However, the

Fuzzies have clearly shot their bolt and are streaming to the rear in rout.

In El Tubh the fighting is fierce and no quarter is asked or given! The 

Irregulars once more save the blushes of the Egyptian commander by driving

out the second Arab incursion over the river wall.

AfterAA  

After eight turns Phil called a halt, admitting he could no longer stop the Imperial forces relieving the garrison at El Tubh. Twice the Nile Arabs had breached the walls and twice they had been driven out by Egyptian Irregulars, supported by the artillery despite its heavy losses. I was pleased to accept the victory, having been sure in Turn Seven that I would probably loose. Once again the Loyal Tandooris distinguished themselves in action, but the least said about the South Staffords and their Colonel the better...

Next up here in GHQ a F&IW game with Jon next Wednesday, using Sharp Practice 2, the last game for some time as you will no doubt have worked out due to the hip replacement surgery on May 4th. I'm still painting Italian Wars figures though and hope to feature some completed bases later in the week. Pop back and check on them later.

Gendarmes

Painting has rather slowed down of late here in GHQ, a combination of the warm spell of weather and my mind being on two weeks hence and the operation. I have however managed to finish two bases of Wargames Foundry gendarmes which I bought late last year on a visit to their Factory Shop. As ever with this project the flags are from the brilliant Pete’s Flags and the bases from the wonderful folk at Warbases. I’m a great fan of Foundry figures and down the years I’ve always been well looked after but I wish I’d checked the horse castings while I was there as they were covered in seriously thick flash, between the rear legs especially. But I managed, so no great issue. Here they are anyway, one base matt varnished due to a warm Tuesday and one base still waiting varnish as I’ve used it all up ~

I’ve got all the basic colours on four more Gendarmes which I hope to finish in the next day or so. They were in the package of figures Tim Hall so kindly sent me recently and are a mixture of manufacturers, Foundry, Essex and Hinchliffe I think from the codes I can make out. It matters not a jot either way, they will soon be joining the ranks of Cesare Borgia’s army. In the meantime, next week’s Monday game will again be on Tuesday as I’ve a hospital appointment pre admission. I’ve set out the table this morning for a Sudan War game,using Black Powder rules, as is our wont of late, the Battle of El Tubh. Pop back later next week to see how it went!