Joy and Forgetfulness

From the Work Bench - Air Samarra

2012-01-27T14:59:00.001-08:00

The above is a snapshot taken with my camera phone. As regular readers are aware, I painted up a Britain Islander for Donogh as a Christmas present. The idea being that the aircraft AS-1 would the flagship aircraft of the Samarran state carrier, Air Samarra. Samarra being of course, the fictional African state that Donogh will be fighting over later in the year at a large game run by the Green Machine club in Kildare.

Do not concern yourself dear reader, this post does not mark a sea change in the subject matter of this blog. We shall be back to horse and musket presently. But for those of you whose tastes run to the grubby and plebian 20th century, the figures above are for you. As every airline afficianardo knows, you cannot have an airline without air hostesses. The two examples are courtesy of Mr Kurpowski of the United States. I believe they were Soviet weather girls in a previous life, but I think you'll agree they make superb air hostesses. Mrs Kinch and Cousin Basil advised on the uniform, which is rather fetching if I say so myself. Though Cousin Basil's interest gave me some pause - it's not too far of an interest in soft furnishings...
The chap in the man of destiny pose in the middle is a Liberation Miniatures African dictator who has taken up a new career as an airline pilot. I added aviator sunglasses made of greenstuff and a Comrade Bob style leopardskin hat. The uniform will also feature a lot more gold. I'm not entirely happy with the sculpting on the hat and glasses, but I think a lick of paint will improve things.

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Rolica - First Position

2012-01-26T04:08:00.000-08:00

General Du Gormand fraternising with the enemy, as is his wont

A fortunate set of coincidences meant that the brothers Von Casey and General Du Gormand were available for a game last week. It was a short notice sort of affair and with that in mind, we played the first scenario from the Command & Colours: Napoleonics books, Rolica.

Rolica has a wonderful "world turned upside down" feeling about it. The stereotypical Peninsular battle involves the redcoats clinging to a hill while the French pelt them with columns, a caricature to be sure, but not unrepresentative. Rolica on the other hand, is a holding action on the part of the French General Delaborde. Wellesley has advanced on Lisbon and the French are desperately hoping the reinforcements will show up so that they may face the British with something like equal numbers.

With that in mind Delaborde picks a strong elevated position and decides to fight a delaying action. He holds the ridgeline until such time as he sees that his position has been outflanked and then retreats in good order to a second holding position. It's a curious thing, a battle (admittedly on the first half of a battle), where both sides achieved their objectives. Delaborde bought himself some time and kept his army together in the face of larger numbers. Wellesley faced the French for the first time that century and pushed them off their hill. He also didn't lose to an army that had a habit of victory in his first independent command against a European foe.

This is something I've noticed, particularly when writing Kriegspiels. In the absence of written game objectives, players can often be satisfied with what would seem to be quite ambiguous results. I've run games where both players achieved their stated objectives and because they didn't realise that the other fellow also believes that he's won, they can end the game feeling rather uppish.

But back to hard pounding.

The French army band, lacking the jingling Johnny.

(figures by Strelets, painting by Mark Bevis)

The scenario calls for two British objectives to be placed at the rear of the French position. This was an excellent opportunity to show off some of my French ephemera, like the Strelets army band displayed above. I really like these fellows, mainly because I love brass bands and I recall what a treat it was to have the Garda band playing at our graduation. Anyone who has ever doubted what the fife and drums were for should see the electricity that ripples through a body of men when marching to music.

The Brothers Von Casey in dastardly consort.

Never has William looked more like a man of destiny

General Du Gormand and I retired to the front room, leaving the Brothers Von Casey in possession of the field for the planning stage of the battle. Our initial hand of cards was a very strong one, including a card called "Le Grande Manoeuvres". This allowed us to move four units a distance of four hexes. Powerful, but it would leave them open to an immediate counterattack as being fagged out from their exertions that wouldn't be able to battle. Our plan was to use this card to advance on the left to threaten the undefended French objective and force the Frenchers to weaken their line.

French foragers at the rear of their position, no doubt laden with the loot of plundered homes and churches - in this instance marking a second objective

(figures by Strelets, Irregular and Uwe Wilde, painting by Mark Bevis)

One of the disadvantages of the French army in Portugal was its weakness for looting. A major sore point of the Convention of Cintra, the rather shameful treaty signed shortly after Rolica (though there were several battles to go), was the French were allowed leave with their property, including the loot which they'd taken from the Portuguese. I ran a very successful Kreigspiel a few years ago about a group of British junior officers escorting a convoy of French wagons to a port to be sent to France.

General Du Gormand moves the British left

It helped somewhat that due to poor operational security on the part of the French, we knew that they felt that their right flank (marked by the band at the rear of the house) was safe as we would be unable to threaten it for several turns. How wrong they were...

The British centre-left advances while the French warm their guns

(pipe by Petersons of Dublin, cigars by Jose L Piedra of Cuba)

The bold move on our left continued, while the French pummelled our centre with long range artillery fire. This move did not have the effects they were hoping for and led to a rethink. In the foreground, you can see the speakers which were providing musical accompaniment, a selection of marches by the band of the French Foreign Legion and the band of the Coldstream Guards.

As redcoats begin to threaten their left, the French players grow pensive and begin to rethink

As the British flanking maneuvre began to develop, the French realised that their right flank was hanging badly in the air. The choice had to be made to attempt to shore up their right or to launch a spoiling attack somewhere else?

As the redcoats close in the French band suddenly

remember how to play "The British Grenadiers"

The French horse advance on the right

and it all looks a bit grim for our Portuguese brethren

But faint heart never won fair lady and the French launch a counterattack that could turn the tide of battle. Two battalions of French line move forward, supported by a squadron of Chasseurs a Cheval to threaten the British right, held by the undoubtedly brave, but somewhat inexperienced Portuguese troops. The Portuguese colonel is in two minds, to receive the charge in square, whereupon he will be slaughtered by musketry from the French foot or to try and stick it out in line and be ridden down.

A hard choice.

To be continued...

From the work bench

2012-01-23T23:23:00.001-08:00

Spanish Hussars in the works

One of the great advantages of our hobby is that it offers continuous occupation. There is no point in a wargamers life when there isn't something that wants doing. The trick is of course, to make sure you have the right job for the moment. I had a long old day yesterday and needed to turn my hand with something relatively undemanding.

Sticking together three units of HAT Prussian hussars was just the ticket. These chaps are wearing mirlitons and while the horse furniture isn't an exact match for Spanish hussars, it's close enough. I'm not normally a fan of HATs mounted offerings, but because these chaps are slightly smaller than my usual Zvesda/Revell/Italeri cavalry - I think they will look the part.

They will form the nucleus of my Spanish light cavalry. Next step a coat of PVA and spray and off to Mark.

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Can you tell what it is yet?

2012-01-22T23:03:00.000-08:00

I find the wearing of hats while wargaming a pleasant addition to the hobby. Living with an actress who keeps costumes on hand also helps. With this in mind I've accumulated a number of hats, helmets and other paraphernalia - mostly Eastern European.

I was given this by a friend last year and very handsome it is too. Sadly, I have no idea what it relates to or what sort of kepi it is as it was found in a charity shop.

Any ideas, gentlemen?

The War Collection

2012-01-21T04:40:00.000-08:00

€25 very well spent

This arrived the other day. I often watch movies while I'm painting, which might seem counter-productive as gifted and talented* though I am, I don't possess a second pair of eyes. I think the trick is to pick films that one has watched many times before and loves. Then you can look up for the good bits and then get back to the matter at hand.

Regular favourites include Zulu, Master & Commander and Khartoum. But I've also been very keen on British war movies of the 1940s and 1950s.

In which we serve

(though once described as "In which we sink", I still love it, well played Captain Coward)

The Battle of the River Plate

(brilliant film)

The Dam Busters

(once described by my father as

"one man, a ping pong ball and a bucket of water versus the nazis")

The Cruel Sea

(cruel indeed, but gripping)

The Colditz Story

(I went to several boarding summer camps, no wonder this was a favourite)

Ice Cold in Alex

(worth waiting for)

I was Monty's Double

(haven't seen this one)

Went the Day well?

(love this film, which has been described as The Archers meets Straw Dogs)

Cross of Iron (bit of an odd one out here)

The Wooden Horse (haven't seen this one)

They who dare (haven't seen this one)

The Way Ahead (haven't seen this one)

Films that could have been in the collection, but weren't.

The Third Man, Sahara, Bataan, A Matter of Life and Death, The Hill, 633 Squadron, Cockleshell Heroes and Sink the Bismarck!

Is there anything that you would add to the list?

*And did I mention handsome, lissome, strong, funny, brave and with an excellent singing voice? And modest too.

Spanish Guns & Gunners

2012-01-19T04:30:00.000-08:00

SHQ Spanish Gunners with an ESCI gun

When I worked in the book trade I dealt with an elderly man who had served on Monty's staff during the Normandy campaign. I never met him in person as he was too frail to travel, but we spoke several times over the phone. I recall two very particular things.

1) The abuse that he heaped on me for sending him "The Full Monty" by Nigel Hamilton. I never knew elderly men knew such words. He had ordered it I hasten to add.

2) He always maintained that Eisenhower could have ended the war in six months if he hadn't tried to maintain a broad front.

I feel that in some ways I'm emulating Eisenhower's mistake as at present, I'm attempting to complete an order of battle for the Spanish army, while finishing off my Waterloo armies and struggling though my Indian and Cold War projects. It may take a while, but I have no doubt that we'll finish in Berlin.

SHQ Spanish Gunners

These are lovely little figures. They're very simple with clean lines and with very little flash. A few seconds trimming with a craft knife was all that was required to get them ready to go. I'll be packing them off to Mark shortly, but there was one problem, I had no guns. Fortunately, my researches indicated that the Spanish used Gribeauval system artillery, so I could use my surplus French guns. The first one picture above, shows an ESCI Guard Artillery gun.

This chap here required a little bit more thought. Despite being under the impression that I had many guns tucked away somewhere, I could only put my hand to one. However, there was a carriage spare from my ESCI box and I was able to wed that to a spare barrel from a Zvesda set.

It has come to my attention that regular readers of this blog have laboured under the misapprehension that General Du Gorman is a drunken, treacherous, cheese eating sybarite, whose moral turpitude is only matched by his devilish good luck.

I was shocked to learn that certain people could get such a wrong impression and wish to issue a full retraction on behalf of this blog and on behalf of the Internet in general; to anyone who may have read this blog and mistakenly assumed that General Du Gorman was a gin sodden, right wing oaf, whose professional life is devoted to the pursuit of a fraud so transparent as to make the Hitler diaries look like a piece of innocent fun and whose many tabletop victories are the result merely of treachery, underhandedness and happenstance.

An artists impression of General Du Gorman,

a mere scribble that cannot possibly hope to do justice to

the radiant inner light of man himself

What makes this misunderstanding all the more shocking is that General Du Gorman is in fact an angel who walks among us, whose sweetness and generosity makes a dark world light and shines as a beacon of hope to all his people, everywhere. A simple abstemious man who might have a glass of sherry at Christmas on returning home after entertaining the children at the orphanage with a puppet show, pausing only to mend a broken doves wing on his way.

A HAT gun from their French Horse Artillery set

I should also mention that General Du Gorman came across a HAT horse artillery gun that he had forgotten about and brought it over at last nights game. This meant that I won't have to buy another box to get that final gun. It also means that my Spanish artillery will have a suitably hodge podge appearance. On the whole I think I can write this one as a victory.

So with the Spanish artillery cobbled together and ready to go off to the painter, it looks like cavalry is the next thing on the agenda.

French Guard Grenadiers a Cheval by SHQ

2012-01-18T05:03:00.000-08:00

Le Gros Frere

I've been working mustering forces for Waterloo for quite some time now. The Anglo-Dutch forces didn't present much difficulty, though I will have to reorganise my filing system to take account of the influx of Dutchmen. However, I did have to grapple with the problem of French Guard Heavy Cavalry or specifically, the Horse Grenadiers of the Guard.

These are not available in plastic, so I had to look at the available figures in metal. I've had good experiences with Pete and Ray at SHQ and they didn't disappoint. When there was a problem with my order, they rectified it immediately. Sterling service.

French Guard Grenadier A Cheval at rest by SHQ

The figures arrived and as you can see they are virtually flash free. There are unfortunately two flies in the ointment*. Firstly, the command pack contains two officers and a chap with an eagle and therefore lacks the trumpeter who usually graces my French cavalry units.

Secondly, as you can see above getting the chaps to sit their horses properly is a bit difficult and will require some work with a craft knife and file. I was thinking about my own experience of riding and thought maybe that the rider could be rising in his stirrups. But then, the whole squadron can hardly be doing that!

That said, I am happy with the figures themselves, which have a pleasing heft and solidity that I expected of this most iconic of Napoleonic corps.

*I recently came across the origin of this particular phrase while reading Ecclesiastes. It was a strange, touching someone across an ocean of time moment.

Review: Command & Colours Napoleonics: The Spanish Army - Part One

2012-01-14T23:43:00.001-08:00

The 1808 Spring Season Look - We're calling it straw for socks

I must say I was very happy to finally get my copy after what felt like a very long wait. My credit card was charged in early December, but a call to GMT confirmed that it was unlikely to arrive in time for the big day.

It was around that time that Gorman started referring to the designer as "The Borg that stole Christmas."

This may not be a portrait of Richard Borg

But it turns out it was worth waiting for.

What you get in the box is a bag of blocks familiar to owners of the basic game. These are unstickered and I remember the purgatory of having to sticker the chaps from the first game. I think I might ask cousin Basil and Mrs Kinch to lend a hand on this one. One change that has been made regarding the stickers is that additional markings have been put there to help distinguish between troop types, light infantry units are marked with a hunting horn for example. It is unlikely that I'll be using the blocks very much, but they are perfectly serviceable if you like that sort of thing.

The terrain tiles are flimsy enough, though this is not a major concern for me as I will not be using them. In a normal board game they wouldn't be an issue, because most boardgames only

see a dozen plays or so. However, Command & Colours games see a lot of use, the number of Memoir 44 games I've played certainly numbers in the thousands. I think the poor quality of the hex counters will be an issue for players who use the game out of the box.

The guts of the game is the rulebook and scenarios, but first of all the Spanish army.

Manuel was considered one of the better dragoons in the Spanish service

The Spanish army as depicted in Command & Colours Napoleonics are a pretty rum lot. They are equal to British troops in melee, but their shooting is poorer than the Portuguese, which is saying something. Also when are forced to retreat they have to retreat twice as far. This can have devastating consequences as it makes it easier to break formations of Spanish troops apart and means that when they are unable to retreat they will take casualties.

There isn't much good to be said about the Spanish army, except that there are a lot of them.

So, poor infantry, skittish cavalry and so so guns. What do the Spanish have going for them?

Leave my country. I'm axing you nicely.

Well, the Spanish Guerrilla rule for one thing.

The Spanish Guerrilla rule revolves around Guerrilla Action tokens. The Spanish player begins with a number depending on the scenario and will most likely pick up another one or two during play. The Spanish player may spend one of these token to negate one card played by the French player. There is a one in six chance that this will fail, but if it does not the French player discards the card that he just played and draws a new one, which ends his turn.

This may not sound like much, but bear in mind that only nineteen cards are played in the average Command & Colours Napoleonics game. With such a low number of card plays, a single card be jolly important. Not only that but the Spanish player is allowed to cull that card from his opponents and then immediately take another turn of his own, effectively two turns in a row.

And as any Command & Colours Napoleonics player can tell you, two turns can be a long time to stand in front of even poor musketry or guns. In addition players frequently build plans around certain powerful cards, the Spanish player can monkey wrench that very effectively.

It is also important to note that in certain of the scenarios, the Spanish players has access to more effective Swiss or British infantry. God have mercy on any French infantry that are held immobile in front of them.

Spanish Generals will have to learn
to pick their moment and their opponents well

In conclusion, I would argue that the addition of the Spanish Geurilla rule makes the Spanish army an extremely interesting one to play. The player is going to be able to count on frustrating one and possibly more of his opponents moves, ideally at a key point in the game. This advantage is significant, but fleeting and a skillful player will have to pick his moment well because his unreliable army will have only a very short time to make use of it. It will also make playing the Spanish a death or glory matter, suited to gamblers or the opportunist.

Will you be able to pick the right moment to paralyse your opponent and will you have the right cards in hand to make best use of that paralysis?

Intriguing stuff. I look forward to playing it.

The second half of this review will cover the scenarios included in the expansion.

Intriguing stuff.

It's here!

2012-01-11T10:30:00.000-08:00

My new toy just out of the box

In what was without doubt, the greatest relief since Mafeking, my copy of Command & Colour Napoleonics: The Spanish Army arrived today. I haven't had a chance to do much more other than look at the rulebook and the scenarios.

On first impressions, things are looking good. The Spanish Geurrilla Command rule makes the fragile Spanish army playable against the all conquering French. There are some interesting scenarios, particularly some very cavalry heavy engagements. I'm in two minds whether I will collect all the figures required for these, but that's a matter for another day.

I will definately be taking another unit of Swiss in French service as I already have three and it would be churlish to deny the Spanish their most untypical, but glorious victory at Bailen. I shall also have to invest in two units of Swiss in Spanish service for Bailen as well.

But what I'm really looking forward to is Albeura, what a scenario!

I can still remember reading Richard Holmes and John Keegan's "Soldiers" as an eleven year old. Imagining the powder smoke and the dense fog rolling over the battlefield while Colonel Inglis, his shirt front spattered with blood, lies beneath the colours, his voice ringing across the battlefield.

"Die hard 57th, die hard!"

Storage

2012-01-10T08:32:00.000-08:00

The humble A4 document box, the workhorse of my miniatures storage

The arrival of a new batch of figures has forced my hand and off I went to Tesco to get some more document boxes. Tesco are definately the spot to go to as they are significantly (40-50 per cent) cheaper than going to a stationary store. I base my figures with magnetic signage material to that they could be stored in tool boxes. However, I found that the tool box itself didn't hold as much as I'd like and it was also very heavy. There were mentions in the wargaming press of gamers using A4 box files lined with steel paper. I'd never seen it myself, but I ordered some steel paper from Magnetic Displays and I haven't look back since.

The stuff that makes it all happen

I've realised that my previous system of two regiments per box may be unrealistic. Firstly because it doesn't tie in particularly well with how I use the majority of my figures and secondly because it means that there is empty space in my boxes that could be used to hold additional figures. The boxes were organised to hold two Charge! regiments and associated hangers on, while I generally play Command & Colours Napoleonics these days.

I would shift from fitting six units per box to eight. This would substantially reduce the amount of boxes required.

The Finished product,
with some John Cunningham Sepoys in evidence

The net result is that there is going to have to be a reorganization of the collection, which is not necessarily a bad thing. I'm also going to have to start a set of box files for my Cold War Collection and the Indian Collection.

The long term plan is to dress the boxes up, but I think I'll need a wargames room that has a solid floor and some solid shelving for that first!

Memoir '44 - Campaign Day

2012-01-09T07:40:00.000-08:00

Picture by Icecream

The Memoir '44 Campaign Day was excellent fun. We had six players and we managed to play the whole thing in the time allowed. We started at around noon and finished proceeds including a break for lunch at about six. We played the Operation Barbarossa campaign from the Memoir '44 Campaign Book Number 1.

The Pripyet Marshes, where I threw a game away because of careless use of artillery

The Operation Barbarossa campaign is split into three parts, each corresponding to a German Army Group so far as I can see. Each player played four (or in one case five) games against the same opponent. Reinforcements were drawn from a common pool, but needed to assigned to specific players for the first two games after which they could be redistributed.

Each round of games needed to be finished before the next one could begin, but other than that everything carried on at a decent clip.

Army Group North have finished their game and watch Army Group Centre pummel their Soviet counterparts

Each round of games needed to be finished before the next one could begin, but other than that everything carried on at a decent clip. The differance between this and Overlord is that there are no "quiet sectors", everyone is engaged all the time. The other differance is that an Umpire is really not needed, so I got to play for once.

The Siege of Kiev

I also used the Air Rules for the first time in a long while. They were interesting and didn't come to much in our games, though they proved very powerful over at Army Group North. At the end of the day, I was 1-3 to FeldMarshall Von Fatz. Kiev was a very hard fought, I think I fought too far away from my guns.

On other aspect that didn't help was that the Germans were able to attack sooner and managed to dodge the worst of the Russian winter due to a chance card. A typical shabby Nazi trick!

The Little Armoured Train that could

Sadly, though my armoured train was definately the most valuable player, he simply couldn't be everywhere at once. I attempted to defend too far forward and I didn't make best use of my guns.

All in all, a good days gaming and definately worth repeating. Unfortunately, this appears to be the only campaign written in this style. I guess we'll just have to play it again, once we've dug out the 6mm figures.

Memoir '44 Barbarrossa Campaign

2012-01-06T06:03:00.001-08:00

No time for a proper post today as I'm busy organising a gaming day tomorrow. The usual motley crew and I will be playing the Barbarossa Campaign from the Memoir '44 Campaign book (pictured above).

The campaign is a set of linked scenarios divided in three main threads, following the German armies as they advance in the North, the Centre and the South. We hope to do the whole thing in a day as split over six players, each player will only have to play four or perhaps five games each.

Urrah Pobieda!

First we shall have the naming of the parts...

2012-01-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

Laying out my Soviet forces
(click to embiggen)

To-day we have naming of parts. Yesterday,
We had daily cleaning. And to-morrow morning,
We shall have what to do after firing. But to-day,
To-day we have naming of parts.

"Naming of the Parts" by Henry Reed

I've always liked this particular poem as it reminds me of my teens spent taking FN Fals apart until I could do it my sleep. I imagine I could still do it now. I doubt I would manage the Bren gun, but I always found it and the GPMG rather more difficult. Our platoon sergeant had a mania for making sure the pieces were in proper order and set out correctly. It is the sort of thing that proper platoon sergeants worthy of their salt.

In the spirit of laying out and setting out correctly, I have set out the figures I shall need for my first Force on Force scenario "From Afghanistan with Love" from the Cold War Gone Hot scenario book.

Soviet Forces

Bonegruppa

3 BMP-2

3 x Squads each consisting of

Rifle Team
2 Riflemen with AK-74
1 Grenadier with GP-25 UGL
1 Gunner with RPK

Gun Team
2 Riflemen with AK-741
Gunner with PKM
Gunner with RPG-7

The scenario is essentially a straight up attack/defence bash. NATO forces are in retreat and the remnants of a platoon have been bypassed in a small hamlet. The Soviet commander has realised that the hamlet lies on his line of supply and has sent a platoon of Motor Rifle Troops to clean them out.

The Bonegruppa refered to above is Soviet tactic that became popular in Afghanistan. The idea behind it was that the infantry would dismount from their vehicles and attack on foot, supported by gunfire. Typically the vehicles would be used as a flanking or blocking force, if my recollection of "The Bear goes over the Mountain" is correct.

Infuriatingly, I have discovered that as well as lacking the appropriate vehicles (S&S, I think), I am short two Soviet riflemen with grenade launchers. You can see their spots marked with "?" above. It must be said that I found laying out the troops needed for a scenario like this quite useful as it concentrates the mind wonderfully in a way that simply writing a list does not.

The Beleagued British
(click to embiggen)

British forces

Unit 1
Leader with SLR
4 Riflemen with SLR
1 Gunner with 84mm Carl Gustav

Unit 2
Leader with SLR
5 Riflemen with SLR
1 Gunner with Bren Gun

Unit 3
Leader with SLR
4 Riflemen with SLR
1 Gunner with 84mm Carl Gustav
1 Gunner with GPMG

Unit 4
Spotter with SLR
Sniper with Lee Enfield

The Soviet figures are all Elheim sculpts from their beautiful Cold War range and the British troops are Liberation miniatures from their Falklands range. I've made some minor changes to the British figures with green stuff.

I'm not sure how this laying out business would work with larger forces, but it's not without its charms.

1st Line Battalion Brunswickers

2012-01-03T15:57:00.000-08:00

In long shot, the black horde advances towards the garden

I've always had a soft spot for the Brunswickers and I knew I was going to have to get some for my Quatre Bras-Waterloo scenarios. These are SHQ figures painted by Simon Bennison and with a flag from Rofur.

The Colour Party, drummer, ensign and captain

I very rarely have flags with my units, but I didn't have an NCO figure so an ensign it was going to have to be. My second Brunswicker unit, not counting cavalry shall be made up of Hinton Hunt rankers with an SHQ colour party, but more of them anon.

The footsloggers sans colour party

The Brunwickers get a bit of a rough deal in Command & Colours Napoleonics. They're rated as Portuguese troops, though they retreat twice as far when hit. Though I think this may have more to do with rating them against the rest of the troops on the field rather than the Pork and Beans per se.

The last thing many Frenchmen ever see

Nevertheless, I am very fond of them and I hope that once my SHQ Grenadiers A Cheval arrive, I'll be able to play the last two scenarios in Command & Colours Napoleonics. I'm looking forward to it - I've even set aside in a special bottle of port (a gift from a very good friend of mine) in honour of the occasion.

The Twelve Days of Christmas rolls on...

2rd January - As requested, Cancer Aid UK.

Pile of kit - 1/72 Cold War

2012-01-01T18:39:00.001-08:00

A small pile of stuff for my Cold War project

Mrs Kinch managed something unheard of this year, she got me toy soldiers for Christmas, specifically Airfix's Modern RAF set. The story of how this came about is of no interest to any other than the participants, but suffice to say it heralds a new chapter in our relationship. The kit comes with a Scorpion AFV, a Harrier GR.3 and some RAF ground crew. There is a scenario featuring a Spetznatz attack on a forward harrier hide in the opening weeks of World War III in Ambush Alley Games latest offering, "Cold War Hot" and I'm planning on building up towards that scenario.

Or I would if I hadn't already worked out that so long as I was willing to substitute BAOR troops for Dutchmen and invest in a trio of Soviet BMP-2s, there is a scenario that I should be able to play almost immediately called "From Afghanistan with love."

This is the rigorous approach to project management that you'll always find at Joy & Forgetfulness.

The second Airfix kit is another Harrier GR.3, which I picked up for the Spetnatz raid. This rather helpfully comes with glue, paint and brushes as well as very detailed painting instructions. Given that I know as much about painting aircraft as I do about experimental brain surgery, this is no bad thing. For ease of storage however, I chucked the kit in the RAF box and cut the painting instructions out. The brushes look useful and in my experience the brushes that come with Hornby products are well worth the few extra shillings.

The few figures scattered about on the RAF box are some of Liberation miniatures new Urban Meltdown British. These are chaps in donkey jackets and jeans armed with SLRs? They came about because of Mark's rather excellent Winter of '79 blog. As a life long fan of "The Sweeney", I had to have them, not only because they're lovely figures, but also because they will allow me to do a British version of the "Wolverines!" scenario in the "Cold War Hot" book. This is a Cold War fantasy which bears an uncanny resemblance to a certain movie.

The remainder of my Cold War goodies

The above contains the remainder of my Cold War goodies, about a platoon of British Army of the Rhine from Liberation. I've posted pictures of these fellows before. There's a Chieftain that I picked up for a song with some magazine or other and a collection of rather wonderful Elheim Soviets, who will be doing duty against the BAOR and possible the Wolverines. Though I imagine my fellows will be Eton Rifles or perhaps the Mad Dogs, led by Lt. Peter Silk and Bill Savage.

The advantage of this project is that I have most of the things I need. My shopping list at present consists of

1. 3 Soviet BMP-2's (for the Wolverines and the "From Afghanistan with Love" scenario)
2. A civilian figure with a GPMG and two more with RPGs (for the Wolverine scenario)
3. A few modern buildings, though I think I should have most of these already. I should be able to rustle up the remainder using these chaps.
4. A Samson commander vehicle and two RAF regiment landrovers (Harrier Raid)

This is a relatively small amount of kit to assemble and paint. I'll also be doing all the painting myself due to the small numbers required. I think it would be to take a part work approach the project as a whole, rather than trying to do everything at once which is what I usually do.

I can hear Mrs Kinch beating dinner into submission in the kitchen and cousin Basil enthusiastically stripping on the stairs, so I best be off.

January 2nd - The Salvation Army New Zealand Canterbury Appeal

The Christchurch folk have a hard year of it, a very small token indeed.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T18:09:00.000-08:00

A drummer of the First Dublin Volunteers, a specially commissioned figure
(as always click to embiggen)

I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.

I haven't found the time to blog of late, but we've been having a wonderful time. I was working over Christmas which was quite busy, but I had a few days off afterwards which were a welcome opportunity to spend some time with Mrs Kinch.

My handed over my drummer figure yesterday, the recipient was gratifyingly pleased with the results.

Mrs Kinch's cousin Basil, newly on the strength
(as always click to embiggen)

In other news, Mrs Kinch's cousin Basil will be living in our spare room for a while. He's a good sort and we share a taste in movies.

Cutting a dash in profile
(as always click to embiggen)

This was probably the most challenging piece of painting I've ever done. The white uniform was very tricky. I must thank Stokes for his assistance, though I discovered that his technique using black lining and a grey basecoat doesn't really work on such a large figure. However, I found his advice about using a tan undercoat covered by successive very thin coats of white, to be very effective. The trick I think with larger figures is to forget about highlighting, as the figure is so large that natural light does the work for you.

A rear view
(as always click to embiggen)

Painting the lace and the chevrons on the arms in red were particularly difficult as mistakes were very hard to cover up. I painted the drum separately and then pinned it to the rest of the figure.

In the meantime, my pledge to make a donation on each of the Twelve Days of the Christmas is going well, though I'm beginning to run out of charities. Any suggestions can be left in the comments below.

25th December - Temple Street Children's Hospital
26th December - The Capuchin Day Centre
27th December - The Salvation Army

28th December - Kathryn Casey Memorial Fund
29th December - Jack Vasel Memorial Fund
30th December - Peter McFerry Trust

31st December - Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
1st January - Our Lady's Hospice, Harold's Cross

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T23:52:00.000-08:00

My favourite Christmas music

I've been off the radar of late as this is a very busy time of year.

This is our first Christmas in our new home and it's wonderful. Mrs Kinch has worked very very hard to make it as good as it can possibly be and I can't tell you how happy I was to arrive home to her, bearing our first Christmas tree over my shoulder. The cats have been enjoying a feast of low hanging baubles.

Another treat was being finally able to open a wedding present from my Mother in Law*, a beautiful hand painted Nativity from Germany, a country which celebrates Christmas very well. It's on the pianola in the hall and I'm eyeing it with definite plans for expansion. I forsee a sort of triptych arrangement for next year, with three painted backdrops. That said, thus far it is one of only three cribs in the house. Plans for expansion indeed.

It's been a very surprising year and I can't begin to list the things we have to be thankful for. I've weathered another year professionally, without being found out as the fraud I sometimes feel myself to be. Mrs Kinch (mainly her and her father to be honest) and I have managed to turn what was a real fixer upper into a home. Admittedly, a home that has some way to go - but a home nonetheless. There are a hundred and one other things, but I won't go into them now.

I'll be working over Christmas, but I'm due some time off afterwards, so you'll hear more from me after.

Firstly, Christmas is a wonderful time, but not for everyone. If like me, you're bad with money, I recommend thinking of a small discrete unit of money. For me it is the price of a gin and tonic, it could be the cost of a cup of coffee or a packet of chewing gum. Try and think of something that you buy everyday. There are twelve days of Christmas, try to give that much every day of Christmas. I won't advise you where to give it, there are plenty of homeless shelters, charities and other organisations that could find a good use for those few coins. There are some sacrifices so small, that it is shameful not to make them. Pick something different everyday. It's a good feeling.

I guarantee you'll get greedy for it by the end.

Secondly, for those you who like to drink at Christmas, I raise my glass to you. However, I would beg you to please stay off the roads. Delivering bad news at Christmas is never easy, it can certainly spoil the day of the deliverer. Receiving it is far far worse and can blight lives for years, if not longer.

I missed the Messiah in St. Patricks this year as I was working.

But this is still good.

Lastly, Mrs Kinch, Sisi, Sir Harry Flashman VC and I all wish you a very, very Merry Christmas, be it sacred or profane, and hope you all enjoy a peaceful and prosperous New Year.

*She and my wife are very much of the opinion that setting up the tree and the cribs are "boy jobs".

Muskets at the Movies #1: Glory

2011-12-20T17:04:00.001-08:00

Some scenes from Glory

Given that movies and wargaming were a topic of discussion recently, here is the first of what I hope to be a series of posts about "great wargaming movies".

Glory is a 1989 film set during the American Civil War. The film follows the exploits of the 54th Massachussets, a regiment raised from mostly from free blacks in the North. The film follows the regiment from its founding to the assault on Fort Wagner. It is a strong ensemble piece, the cast are superb, Denzel Washington crackles and Mathew Broderick gives a wonderfully understated performance as Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, a white abolitionist, who is offered command of the regiment. I think one of the tricks that were missed in this otherwise magnificent film was that Gould-Shaw turned the job down, only to sleep on it and reconsider.

Glory is full of good things, not least James Horners haunting score sung by the Harlem Boys Choir. I challenge anyone to hear that beautiful, soaring music and remain unmoved.

From the point of view of battles there are a couple, but they are not what shines about the film. The fight in the forest is well shot, but as any student of horse and musket warfare will tell you that bayonet charges rarely crossed blades. At the same time, if the mechanics are wrong - the emotional pitch is right. The mixture of terror and savagery is breathtaking.

The assault on Fort Wagner is a fine piece of cinematic story telling. It vividly illustrates the dangers of escalade and the tendency of troops to bunch under pressure until driven on by a "Big Man". The ditch at Fort Wagner could be the ditch at any siege, full of confused, struggling men waiting for direction.

So, looking back at my three criteria for a good movie, how does Glory measure up?

1. Does it work as a story, does it entertain?

Glory offers a gripping narrative. There are fine performances throughout. The struggles of the 54th with army bureaucracy are dramatised well. Mrs Kinch, not a fan of war movies, watched the whole thing and pronounced it excellent if terribly upsetting.

2. Sense of time and place.

This is more of a mixed bag - Ed Zwick tries very hard, but there are a couple of clangers in there. The whipping of Private Tripp is one that I found very hard to understand as I have never come across any other description of flogging in the American armies of the time. There's the usual issue with well fed reenactors, but on the whole it's OK.

3. Wargaming

There's a good portrayal of an escalade and a short nasty action in the woods. The battle of Antietam is evoked in an attack that fails, but as I said earlier the real meat of the movie is in the pre and post battle scenes. There is a chilling scene set in a field hospital where Mathew Broderick is being treated, the only scene of its type I have ever seen on film.

Glory is a film that is worth watching and will certainly fill you with enthusiasm for the period. It remains one of top five favourite films. I heartily recommend it.

Newline Royal Horse Artillery

2011-12-17T09:41:00.000-08:00

An Officer type

I've been using Revell Foot Artillery figures with an ADC figure as a substitute for Horse Artillery for quite some time. However, sooner or later I was going to have to get the right chaps on the board and finally, he they are.

This fellow is a Newline British Light Dragoon, who has had sword-ectomy and is now serving as the officer in charge of this particular gun.

Gunners, they wore fancier hats back then

These are Newline chaps again, I only actually needed two per gun, but it would be a silly waste of figures not to have a full (ish) crew for each piece. They are nice little figures and they don't look too out of scale with the rest of my collection.

The ensemble

I only needed two units of Royal Horse Artillery, no doubt once my ambitions become fixed on another big game I'll hanker for some more, but in the mean time these will do.

With the addition of these guns, all that remains to complete my British collection (at least until I decide I need something more exotic) is some Lifeguards. I think I hear the Revell set calling.

Military Dress of the Peninsular War by Martin Windrow & Gerry Embleton

2011-12-15T23:20:00.000-08:00

A very well chosen gift from an old friend

This is a very handsome book and representative of a type that seems to have been relatively common in the 1970s, a glossy, well researched military hardback. Lawford's "The Cavalry" or "Last Campaigns of Napoleon" would be good examples of the breed. The above was published in 1974 by Martin Windrow & Gerry Embleton, men with distinguished pedigrees in the field.

I've been meaning to blog again for a while, but simply haven't had a chance in the Christmas rush.

There is something of a story behind this book as I had intended to buy it some months ago when an old friend and I traveled to Hay on Wye for a book buying trip. I had admired it, but thought better of it, thinking that I had much the same information spread across Ospreys and a dozen other books. I had seconds thoughts after leaving and when that same old friend found himself in Hay again, I commissioned him to pick it up for me. He claimed that he couldn't find it and I believe him, but whatever happened - I was handed this book on Monday and I've been dipping into it ever since.

The book itself is broken up into eight chapters, which comprise a potted history of the Peninsular War, but the real meat of the work is taken up with the one hundred illustrated figures and the selection of period illustrations. The figures are wonderful and are drawn with verve. I have a large collection of Osprey's, but these are a cut above.

The period illustrations are a mixture of old reliables and some that I have never seen before, particularly the work of the Dighton brothers. They were cartoonists who I hadn't heard of before, but their portraits and sketches are full of character.

Gary Embleton's work is the main draw of course and I shall look at some of those figures in a little more detail.

No. 35 - Trooper, Spanish Line Cavalry, "Del Rey" 1809

I love this picture, there's something wonderfully composed about it. The Spanish cavalry did not often cover themselves in glory, but this chap has a nonchalance that I find charming. He's probably incompetant, but I'd imagine he's good company.

For an explanation as to the unusual head gear, I think I shall turn to the text.

"The bicorne with the usual red bow shaped cockade was normal dress, but the mitre shaped forage cap illustrated here is taken from a contemporary print.. So, indeed is the unusual manner of wearing it! The head is pushed into the soft crown of the cap, so that the rear of the front flap becomes a long peak shading the eyes; the normal opening is at the back."

I think modelling that particular 19th century baseball cap in 1/72 is beyond my skills.

No 34. - Capitaine, French 5ieme Dragons 1809

What a shocking set of bags. This French dragoon is a far cry from the modestly accoutred fellows available in plastic. Dragoons made up the majority of the French cavalry in Spain.

Apparently saroual trousers (a sort of a wide baggy trouser of North African extraction) were popular. I think mucking about with a spot of green stuff may be in order.

No 77. - Dragoon, French 17ieme Dragons, 1812

I actually have only one unit of dragoons in my French army and I couldn't tell you what regiment they represent, mainly because I painted them following the instructions on the back of the Italeri box and not considering that more research might be required.

One of the baffling things about Italeri's French dragoons is that there are a number of troopers who wear fringed epaulettes. I have come across reference to certain elite companies wearing epaulettes, but they were usually worn with a bearskin or colpak. This left me with several dozen troopers that I didn't know what to do with, but Windrow swept in to the rescue.

"The only controversial point about this uniform is the illustration of white fringed epaulettes. Most dragoons wore plain green bastion shaped shoulder straps piped in the regimental distinctive, but in 1807/08 some regiments adopted the epaulettes shown here and various sources maintain that the 17ieme was one of these."

So there!

A very interesting book that has rekindled my interest, ground down by work, household chores and all the other mundanities of life.

Wargames Illustrated: The Death of Nelson

2011-12-06T15:52:00.000-08:00

Nelson decides to have a lie-down

I will be back up and about in four and a half hours, but Mr Sleep is not at home to Mr Kinch at present, so I decided to do some work on my current modelling projects. Next on my list is a gift for Mrs Kinchs grandfather, a man who is fond of all things Royal Navy. The piece is one from Wargames Illustrated's Moments in History collection, specifically the Death of Nelson. I've seen a variety of pictures of this scene, which was a popular one. This piece specifically reminds me of an etching, I think after a painting, that my mother had in a school book. I'm sure a glance at google would give me a name, but I think I'd rather look for the book.

Due to a review of Royal Navy manning policy,

the position of "kissing Hardy" will be filled at a later date

There are few if any problems with flash. The piece itself was delivered in a blister pack and shipped very quickly from New Zealand. It is cast in 28mm and while I rarely, if ever, have anything to do with "the Devil's scale" - it is a very nice piece for all that. I've test fitted all the pieces and they fit with only minor trimming and fitting. My plan is to paint the pieces seperately. I'll mask the holes with blu-tack, now that I've set up Nelson, and spray the piece white. Once I've painted the great man himself, I'll add the other elements. I have learned some things since assembling that diorama of Gordon of Kartoum.

Those damned chevrons

Work continues apace on our friend the drummer, damn his fiddly, fiddly eyes. For those of you having difficulty noticing the differance between this picture and the last I posted, I have added the red piping to his chevrons and his waistcoat. This was a very awkward job as it required a steady hand. Trying it while still keyed up after work was probably foolish, but I can probably fix the mistakes later.

Painting white over red presents no difficulties. None what so ever.

Thinking about film

2011-12-05T18:38:00.000-08:00

The Redcoats advance in Barry Lyndon

A scene that launched a thousand 18th century wargames

I watch historical films rather differantly than I do other films. They must scratch different itches to please me. The first criteria is whether the film itself is any good or not, whether it works as a piece of storytelling or entertainment. I have enjoyed books or films that are light on story*, but they are damned few and far between.

The second criteria is that subtle that almost indefinable sense of time and place. I recall listening to Peter Weir talk about the casting of "Master & Commander" when he described hiring extras from Eastern Europe, because he felt that they had 19th century faces. Would it have made a difference if he had cast Americans in those roles. I don't know, but if that's what Peter Weir needs to do, then so be it. There is the candle lit world of "Barry Lyndon". These are films that evoke in me a genuine feeling of time travel, of having looked back into a past that is at once alien and familiar. Certainly the art direction has a great deal to do with it as does the choice of music, casting also plays a part, but I can't say exactly why some films have "it" and other films do not.

It is not necessary that a film must score highly in both criteria to be good, I thoroughly enjoyed "The Brothers Grimm" and "The 13th Warrior", both of which are hokum, but remain entertaining pieces of storytelling. However, I've found that my favourite films tend to be those with offer an immersion in a time not my own, rarely a pretty one, but compelling nonetheless; an antidote to this lousy modern world.

Then of course, there is there is the wargaming itch to scratch. I love films with battles, ideally big ones and yet one of the finest films ever made, "The Duellists", contains only a few skirmishes. I can usually count on Sergei Bondarchuck to leave me thinking, "Oh, so that's what it must have looked like." But he is dead now and others must feed that appetite. Some day someone will make a film depicting a black powder battle from an infantryman's perspective - it will be full of gun smoke and the protagonist will be ridden over by every bloody fool with a horse.

So, the perfect film must have enormous battles, be wonderfully cast, well acted, beautifully written and rigorously historically accurate (ideally down to the actors snaggly teeth); does such a paragon exist?

We shall see.

What films scratch your wargaming itch? And no unnecessary rudeness in the comments about the "The Patriot" please.

*The Plague, Ulysses and possibly some of Beckett are the only things leaping to mind at present. I'm a man of the "great storytellers", the 19th century English popular authors.

Drummer update

2011-12-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

Drummer on the right

(click to embiggen)

Progress on my drummer continues slowly, but steadily. Mainly slowly. The effects of multiple washes of white are slow to materialise, but I think I'm beginning to see some improvement. I'm doing the red, and there is a lot of red, with thinned down Scab Red from the GW stable. Thanks due to Mr E on that one.

My other two short term projects arrived from Wargames Illustrated today. They're both kits from their Moments in History series for Mrs Kinch's great uncle and grandfather.

French Horse Artillery

2011-12-01T16:44:00.002-08:00

Newline Designs French Horse Artillery

I've been extemporising Horse artillery for the last while, using an ADC figure and two chaps from the foot batteries. As a stop gap, it sufficed and there was little doubt as to which were the horse batteries and which the foot. But it rankled, so I have just mustered two new gun crews into the French service. These are Newline Designs figures and are a touch small, but they do well in units on their own. I had toyed with HATs offering, but wasn't convinced by the sculpting. I also wanted each horse battery to have at least one mounted gunner so that the difference between horse and foot batteries would be clear.

Up close for a whiff of grapeshot

My readers are all no doubt familiar with horse artillery, but in case Tim Gow has had a sudden rush of blood to the head and momentarily forgotten anything that doesn't have a jet engine on it.

Horse artillery are simply put, batteries of artillery where the gun crews ride rather than walk. The idea behind them was that they would provide fast mobile firepower where it was needed. Foot batteries, which typically carried a greater weight of metal, were more powerful, but couldn't be relied upon to get to the key point quickly. Horse artillery, sometimes called "flying batteries", though I've only heard this used when referring to the American arm, were most numerous in French service. They were expensive to train and raise as they required more horses then a foot battery and men who could ride as well as shoot. The first batteries were raised in 1792 under General Mathieu Dumas.

Sadly, this is not Alexandra Dumas father, who was the rather more imposing Thomas Alexandre Dumas. But the French artillery and horse artillery especially certainly shared his aggression. Paddy Griffith covers the "artillery charge" in passing in his Osprey on French Napoleonic Infantry tactics, but essentially it boiled down to getting in close and shooting fast, delivering murderous close range fire to rupture the enemy line.

We will never see a horse artillery battery in action in earnest, but to give you some impression of the speed, precision and dash of these men, have a look at this footage from the Royal Tournament in 1985.

Stragglers

While Command & Colours Napoleonics gun crews (at least as I organise them) come with only three crewmen and a gun, that seemed a rather scanty number of gunners. The Newline Design packs came with more figures than I needed, so should I ever need more crewmen (I won't say a full crew), these fellows are waiting in the wings.

I suppose that these pictures are part of a larger project to document my collection of figures, for my own satisfaction and so that I can insure them. I posted (as I usually do) a link to my blog entry on the subject to The Miniatures Page recently and received some interesting and not so interesting responses.

The discussion spiralled out of the bounds of reason and decency shortly there after and considerable time and energy that could have been more profitably spent calculating how many angels may dance on the head of the pin or perhaps ironing the undersides of cats was expended on the subject of whether it is right or proper to murder someone who is burgling your home. For a variety of reasons, I shall not go into my position on the subject here. I can only steal another man's eloquence.

"It is a big step to take another human life. It is never to be done lightly. I know of men who have taken life needlessly in other conflicts. I can assure you they live with the Mark of Cain upon them."

Drummer - work in progress

2011-11-27T15:57:00.000-08:00

Brown moleskine trousers, very fetching

I haven't had much chance to work on anything hobby related over the last few days, mainly because the house has been demanding attention. Getting our heating fixed is a definite priority. As to why it is broken? Well, therein hangs a tale...

...which does not concern us now.

As you can see I've started making some very timid steps with my new large scale project. I read Stokes's article on painting white uniforms in the Wargamers Annual 2012, available from Caliverbooks, and asked the author a few questions online. The idea is to paint the uniform grey and use that as a sort of blacklining. Then paint a basecoat in tan, which you then cover with thinned down white paint.

Everyone is wearing white this year

I was skeptical about the grey undercoat, mainly because I've found that it, much like shading, doesn't do large scale figures much credit. So I started as you can see above with a tan basecoat on a test section of the figure. I then gave that a quick coat of very thinned down white. The result looked dirty and a bit blotchy, but the technique calls for several coats, so I expect that result will even out once its had another lick of paint.

And that is a problem for another day as I'm up for work in four hours. Goodnight.

Thinking the unthinkable

2011-11-24T18:40:00.001-08:00

A Newline Designs French Pioneer,

a touch more expensive than your typical infantryman

Human tragedy is regrettably my stock in trade and while violence is generally one of the most memorable aspect of many incidents, there are plenty of other sources of hurt. When I worked for the Church I dealt with a Canadian couple who were visitors to Ireland. A hand bag had been stolen from the lady which she was understandably very upset about. But what upset her the most was that it contained the last picture she had of her son alive. The money was immaterial, there were some things that cannot be replaced.

Paddy Griffith told me once that his home was burgled in the early eighties, toy soldiers were taken. What stung most of all was that the burglar was obviously not a casual criminal, but a fellow traveller. The key point being that the collection was mostly made up of Airfix plastics leavened with metals. The humble Airfix soldiers were left, but the more expensive metals were torn from their bases. Not the sort of fine distinction made by the typical second storey man.

I know that I would be gutted if my collection were stolen or damaged. But while my men are full of associations for me and are irreplaceable, if they were lost I would like to fill the hole somehow. I was reflecting on this while investigating a burglary some time ago. I was making notes in my notebook, establishing the likely point of entry and mentally working out which members of the parish eleven were not behind bars at present and therefore were likely suspects, when the house holder began to list off what property had been stolen. She did this with such aplomb that I stopped taking notes for a moment and began to evaluate her claim critically. By a curious coincidence it happened that very little of this property, much of which seemed to be particularly valuable, could not have its existence independently verified.

After work I applied the same logic to my own home. Mrs Kinchs jewellery and some of my rarer books are recorded on the house insurance, but beyond that there is nothing beyond the usual contents insurance. My collection of toy soldiers which has absorbed so much time and trouble, to say nothing of money, is not listed. I have visions of dealing with a hard nosed insurance assessor who will treat my claims as to how much my collection is worth with some skepticism.

But how much is it worth? Some collectors make astonishing claims as to what such-and-such a figure is worth, but travelling down that route could be problematic. I decided to approach the problem from a rather more prosaic angle - how much would it cost me to replace?

I buy most of my figures from the UK so I'll be working in pounds sterling for this exercise. Through a variety of means I have fixed on the figure of twelve pence as the cost of a plastic infantryman.

Outfitting him with magnetic basing, static grass and such adds approximately another three pence.

Painting him is the largest cost. My own painter does the job at a very reasonable 85 pence per man plus ten percent to post him. So 93.5p for uniform and kit.

Which means that the final figure is per infantryman is £1.08.5.

A unit for Command & Colours Napoleonics which consists of -

16 Other ranks

1 Subalterns

1 Non Commissioned officer

1 Bandsman

1 casualty figure

Cost £21.70 not including the cost of a metal sabot base.

This simple calculation suggests that the end result will be a considerable sum and that therefore the exercise is not without merit.

Even so the very idea of losing my boys makes me nauseous.

Sword of Stalingrad

2011-11-23T02:50:00.000-08:00

The Eponymous Sword

In 1943, a sword was presented by Winston Churchill to Josef Stalin. It was forged at the order of King George VI as a recognition of the heroism of the people of Stalingrad. A sword forged at the order of a constitutional monarch given by a Tory to totalitarian, who claimed to represent socialist.

Strange bed fellows indeed.

In addition and perhaps more importantly, it gave its name to the Memoir '44 scenario pack for Stalingrad which played last night. We were having too much fun and it completely slipped my mind to take pictures, but we got Boomer, Ceire, Andrew and Oisin around the table and played through the Rats in a Factory scenario twice. The results were a very comfortable Soviet win (17-9), followed by an equally comfortable German win (8-17).

The Soviet Command rules, whereby the OC Soviet forces must choose his cards a turn in advance, are very frustrating and time and again as Soviet OC, I found myself trapped in a decision cycle that was just that little bit too slow.

The City Fighting rules were interesting and like all Borg rules were all the better for being seasoning, rather than a main meal. These are a deck of special cards that are played in conjunction with the normal Command cards and that all players to do special things like moving troops through sewers, bring on reinforcements, call in airstrikes or give a bonus to troops who are assaulting a built up area.

Intelligent use of two of these cards were key the first Soviet victory as they allowed the Soviet artillery to put some stick about.

A great night, I had forgotten how much I enjoyed playing games with Andrew.

Drummer 1st Dublin Volunteers - Mr Johnston - Part 1

2011-11-21T16:53:00.000-08:00

A rather ham fisted photograph of a rather special figure

There are some debts that can never be repaid, but it behooves us to try. Mrs Kinch's uncle rescued us when we were in dire straits some years ago. He's a man who appreciates a large scale model soldier. I had purchased some 120mm figures for him a while ago, but when I saw this, I knew I had to get it for him.

This is number 8 of 200 specially made resin figures made to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Irish Model Soldier Society. Mrs Kinch's grandfather and great uncle were founder members, but Mrs Kinch the uncle hasn't attended in years. The figure is a drummer of the 1st Regiment Dublin Volunteers. These were territorial troops raised during the 18th century to stave off Frenchy while the proper redcoats were off in America. A muster of the Volunteers was painted by Dennis Wheatley and the figure was modelled on one of the men pictured. The chap in question has been identified as a Mr Johnston, who later became a porter at Carton House. The picture currently hangs in the national gallery.

I took the pieces apart and gave them a wash with warm soapy water and then trimmed each piece with a stanley blade. I must say this was a great deal easier than my last effort. The resin cut more easily, the detail was finer and the model required hardly any filling at all.

Mr Johnston, ready for undercoating

You'll notice I've placed a small blob of blu-tack at Johnston's waist. His drum attaches by means of a pin and I thought it best to mask the hole so that when I do glue it in place, I won't be gluing it to paint and I should therefore get a strong joint.

With most of the work that was so time consuming with my last figure done, I'm looking forward to launching straight into painting.

Command & Colours Napoleonics: Rolica 17th August

2011-11-19T09:54:00.000-08:00

Gorman helping in his own inimitable way. We discovered that we were short a few impassable hills just after laying out the field, so I rambled outside with some foam, quickly did the business and we were back in action within munutes, the scent of spray paint assailing our nostrils.

General Du Gormand glass of Argintinean plonk close to hand surveys the battlefield.

For those of you unfamiliar with the battle of Rolica, I shall summarise. Both Spain and Portugal had risen against the French invader and he was having a hot time of it. The British had landed in Portugal at a spot called Mondego Bay. They were led by Wellington or plain old Wellesley as he was at the time and began to march on Lisbon, pursuing a French force under Delaborde.

Wellesley was very keen to get weaving because he was due to be replaced by more senior officers being sent from England. Delaborde took up a strong position by the village of Rolica and was booted off it on the morning of the 17th of August. He fell back in good order and took up a second position, again on a ridge line, but one that could only be approached by several steep ravines.

So there you have it; an almost complete reversal of the traditional Peninsular battle. The outnumbered French sitting on a hill while the British come for them with the bayonet.

One of the ravines, the British infantry have to advance on a narrow frontage towards the enemy position. The hills marked with stones are impassable.
The view from the French lines. Gorman held is cavalry reserve back until late in the battle and punished my Portuguese troops with them. Note the use of foam offcuts to mark impassable hills. I must come up with a more elegant solution.
The advance continues. The French ration their cards while I spend mine trying to advance of a broad front. Getting the guns forward proves almost impossible.
Cat stops play. Sissi surveys the advancing redcoats. Despite her Austrian background, I can't help but thing she is rooting for the French.
Sissi lines up a shot. Traditionally French general acoutre their female "ADC"s in hussar uniforms. General Du Gormand falls down on the job again.

You there! Dress that line!

Sergeant, take that man's name!

And that's quite enough of that.

As my forces inch forward, Du Gorman continues to pummel me with gunfire chipping away at my infantry.
The guns in question. The British infantry start to close on the French position, bloodied, but unbowed. The French infantry are still fresh though.

Finally, the redcoats close the distance after a great deal of punishment. But will they have sufficient strength to take the position?

Even as I ponder this the French left begins their counter-attack.
Musketry crashes up and down the line. Some Frenchmen fall and the issue hangs in the balance.

With the infantry fight in the centre still in doubt, the French cavalry begins to move forward ready to take the centre column in the flank before the troops on the right can come up.

Frenchmen are falling fast in the centre, but will it be enough?

As the Kings Royal Halberdiers arrive at the mouth of the ravine, they are greeted by the sight of bodies everywhere.

The counter-attack develops completely now, the French line smashing the heads of the British columns.

And it's all over., With the centre column destroyed, the French advance to contest the mouths of both ravines and their cavalry (off camera) pick off a Portuguese regiment to take the game 6-5. Close, but no cigar.

This was a good game and the second of two Rolica scenarios we played. General Du Gormand (his choice of female companion not withstanding) was a canny opponent, who played his hand well and made careful use of his artillery to weaken units for infantry counterattacks. His use of the cavalry at the end of the battle was devastating.

In retrospect, I think I tried to advance on too broad a front and I should have been willing to endure a certain amount of waiting to get my guns up. I relied too much on Gough style Tipperary tactics.

Revanche!

Surprise!

2011-11-18T11:31:00.000-08:00

The fruits of my avarice.

(as always click to embiggen)

I've been in something of a brown study of late and as a result there has been damn little blogging, though certainly not for any lack of things to blog about.

At last count the list included.

- the second half of my how to make rivers tutorial.
- pictures and battle reports from my ongoing Napoleonic campaign.
- pictures and battle reports from Gaelcon.
- a scenario I've been working on.

But none of those are going to be covered in this post.

Mrs Kinch and I haven't seen each other for three days as she's working days and I'm working nights, so when a parcel arrived a few days ago, she put it in the wargames room for me. As I'd been sticking to a relatively strict eat-work-sleep routine, I didn't see it immediately and it was a real treat to find it this morning. A surprise on Christmas morning sort of treat.

Pictured above are some Falcata Spaniards which I received thanks to the good office of Clive Smithers of "The Lone S Ranger". I stayed up after work this morning sorting them and working out how many units I could muster using them. The Falcata figures are little gems which I've blogged about before. Keen readers of Foy's Prometheus in Aspic will already be aware that these wonderful figures have recently been re-released.

Those who aren't keen readers of Prometheus in Aspic have some explaining to do.

How to make a hex river, part one (fixed)

2011-11-14T08:30:00.000-08:00

There are plenty of tutorials, some of them very good, on how to make rivers for your wargames table. I have a slightly trickier task as my river sections need to fit within a hex system. To that end, I've started making straight sections using MDF bases from Products for Wargamers.

I've posted about this before, but not a step by step tutorial. My apologies for the repetition, but this hopefully this will make the process easier to follow.

These are cut exactly to size and fit the hex perfectly, making curves is going to be a little trickier though.

I use standard Vallejo model paints for my river bed. The darker blue gives an illusion of depth and using a particular brand out of the pot means that I don't have to rely on matching things by eye, which is a particular problem when mixing paint by hand.

Paint the base Prussian blue but make sure to go out a little further than you expect to. There is no difficulty covering some paint with filler, but you can run into problems if there is a gap between the blue of the "water" and the river bank, so don't be stingy.

Then mix a few dabs of blue-grey with your remaining Prussian blue and dab along the side. This will lighten the edges and give the illusion of depth. Do this as quickly as possible, ideally before the Prussian blue has time to try. I find using an old brush and stabbing directly down on the paint surface the best way to do this.

(I have broken my heart trying to fix the above picture,
but to no avail. It shall have to lie as it is.)

Then using a plasticard offcut or a piece of card, add filler to the side of the base being careful to ensure that there is no gap between the paint and the miller. Also run a straight edge along the sides of the base so that no filler is protruding over the edge as this can dry and make it more difficult for your section to line up.

Allow to dry and we'll get to the next bit in part two, which will include making bends and "water".

Remembrance Sunday

2011-11-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

God of our fathers, known of old—
Lord of our far-flung battle line—
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

The tumult and the shouting dies—
The Captains and the Kings depart—
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

Far-called our navies melt away—
On dune and headland sinks the fire—
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe—
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard—
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding calls not Thee to guard.
For frantic boast and foolish word,
Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!
Amen.

For those as have prayers to spare, please think of this young man.

An experiment with river making

2011-11-11T16:27:00.000-08:00

I have done quite a bit of work on my terrain of late. I have sufficient trees for my purposes for quite a while. I also have plenty of buildings. All the remains are rivers and hills.

My hills, while they are not pretty, are perfectly functional for the time being - but my rivers are a disgrace. Chopped up felt will not do - so I've decided to start work on something a little better. Above is five inch by two inch MDF base from Products for Wargamers which fits my hexes perfectly. I chose MDF as previous experiments with card warped badly and cutting the pieces to size consistently would be troublesome.

The wonderful thing about hex systems is that they are modular. Unfortunately because they are modular, they need to be exactly right.

To the MDF I added some of my usual basing filler. I painted the river with Vallejo prussian blue and lightened the sides to give an illusion of depth. The riverside is Vallejo khaki with a white highlight. I'll add static grass and other brush later, but in the meantime I set to work on something else.

Woodland Scenics have a product called Liquid Water, which is available in my local model railway stop. I'm sure it's good - but I balked at the €26 price tag. I decided to try my own experiment with some distinctly more affordable PVA glue. I placed two strips of plasticard at either end of the river section. Each one was coated in vaseline so that the PVA would not adhere to it and I filled the section with PVA.

The plan is that the PVA will dry clear and provide a suitable water medium. If that is the case, I will be able to make a dozen or so river sections that can be assembled in a variety of ways and with some rocks, fallen trees and the such like. I will have to work out a way of producing consistent 30 degree bends.

The PVA after being left overnight. This is still tacky to the touch, but I think it will dry clear though it is taking longer than I expected to do so. If this works, I forsee a lot of river making in my future.

There’s a regiment a-comin’ down the Grand Trunk Road

2011-11-09T14:15:00.000-08:00

The Battle of the Boyne by Jan Wyck

Pictures of Salamanca will have to wait until official war artist Donogh McCarthy RA finishes with his ten shilling paint box, but in the mean time I must mention a project young Gorman and I have taken on.

Traditionally there is a charity auction at Gaelcon and they've become rather well regarded internationally. I did my bit at the auction for a charity close to my heart.

In addition, young Gorman and I volunteered to walk to the Boyne battle site, a distance of some thirty one miles, and play on the anniversary of the battle a wargame of the battle.

Probably before one or both of us collapses of a coronary.

I've done a little bit of route marching, though Gorman has had little call to, I think the training for this one will be of interest. Johnny Cunningham has said that he'll help us with the figures required.

This will be a interesting July.

Should you wish to make a donation, you may do so here and please mark it "Battle of the Boyne Walk".

Dambusters

2011-11-06T15:44:00.000-08:00

Johnny's Lanc has had part of its tail shot off, but is swinging into position to drop a bouncing bomb.

Very long hours at work and domestic demands have meant that there has been no blogging of late.

Gaelcon was a success despite considerable obstacles, not least the flooding of the venue four days before the convention was due to begin. The Gaelcon committee and staff worked tirelessly and they accomplished something special.

I ran two games over the weekend, my Command & Colours: Napoleonics Salamanca setup and a Space 1889 LARP. Both went well and I'll post details in the fullness of time.

More Lancasters over a somewhat circumscribed "Tirpitz"

Johnny C made his way over and I had a good time introducing him to the Irish convention scene. I wasn't entirely sure what he'd make of it as there is comparatively little historical miniatures wargaming in Ireland, but he seemed to have a good time and gave us a very good writeup on his blog. It was good to see him and we gave of our best at Salamanca.

Johnny also met our newest addition Sir Harry Flashman VC, who I suspect sensed a kindred spirit.

The view from one of the Archie positions as J for Johnny begins its run

The idea was that a group of Lancasters, Mousquitos and British submarines were to make their way into a German held fjord and destroy the dam at the end. The fjord also happened to hold the Tirpitz, a heavy water factory, the Tirpitz, a hydro-electric facility and a Karl Gerat as well as a not insubstantial amount of Archie.

A long shot, showing only one half of this magnificent board

My attempt did not go particularly well, but I think you'll agree the photo reconnaissance was rather good.

20mm Nostalgic Revival

2011-10-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

Johnny & General Du Gourmand during his last visit

Work has been demanding of late, long hours have meant that I have seen little of Mrs Kinch of late. This is always trying - but there has also been some very good news.

John Cunningham has started his own blog - 20mm Nostalgic Revival.

I met John through the Plastic Pelisse Blog in 2009. I saw his sepoy figures listed on the blog and got in touch. Too much Sharpe in my youth perhaps. There followed a correspondence which led to a very rewarding friendship, the purchase of more figures and a visit earlier this year.

I would recommend having a look at John's blog - particularly as he's started putting up photos of his extensive collection of 20mm figures.

Review: Commentaries on the Punjab Campaign 1848-49 by James Henry Lawrence-Archer

2011-10-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

During my trip outside the Pale over the weekend, I spent my time profitably; reading the above title which I picked up from book depository for a tenner. Leonaur came up trumps again - this time serving up a book about the second Sikh War, a subject which I only discovered a few years ago and which has fascinated me ever since.

A dull fellow would say that he can download the book for free, but that's the sort of thinking that would have left Kinch bereft and staring at his empty hands on the train, so we'll say no more about it. Books; physical books, things of paper and paste board are a joy unto themselves and fie upon those who say differently.

Curiously, the publisher has removed the subtitle (which can be viewed on the online version) which indicates that this volume is quite humbly only offering itself as an addition to Thackwell's "The Second Sikh War". The author served in the 24th Foot during the war and wrote it to put right some points where he felt Thackwell had either wandered off the point or made an ass of himself.

According to an article I found online, the author was a Masonic gentleman who was comissioned in 1840 into the 39th Foot and retired on half pay in 1869 having served extensively in India. He wrote on orders of chivalry, history and antiquarian topics.

What you get for your tenner is a two hundred page perfect bound book. The author's observations take up the first ninety pages, while the second half is taken up with primary sources, despatches and the like, all of which are of interest.

To begin with there are the maps, which are very poor. They are obviously copies which have been rather inexpertly enlarged in such a way as to make the legend almost impossible to read. Poor show Leonaur, I have come to expect better of you. A wise reader will print out copies from the digital version or will be sufficiently familiar with the battles already.

Which brings me to my second point, because this book is an adjunct to Thackwell's history - the author assumes a familiarity of the campaign that the general reader is unlikely to have. Though I can't imagine many readers of this book being unacquainted with the Sikh War.

The author is very critical of Lord Gough, who he felt was more lion than fox; relying too much on the bayonet as the weapon of decision and not making full use of his artillery. I've often heard this criticism repeated and in some ways it is quite reminiscent of the criticisms of Grant during the American Civil War. The criticism may have been merited, but it is hard to replace a general who wins.

Curiously for a book billed as an eyewitness account, there is very little use of the first person in the text which is for the most part limited to general observations on the campaign. Where the narrative really shines is in the chapters on the Battle of Chillianwallah. The authors regiment took part in a controversial charge during this battle and lost one of its colours, which would leave anyone with a great deal of explaining to do. The authors observations on jungle fighting in the horse and musket era also repay study.

In conclusion, this is a book for the Sikh War completist only and useful mainly for the chapters on Chillianwallah and for the collected dispatches.

A good weekend

2011-10-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

Most the pictures from the weekend will have to stay offline to protect the guilty, so I'll leave you with this stock image of a no doubt ravishing hand model plying his trade

It's been a jam packed weekend. I made my annual trip outside the pale, where I attended the 30th birthday of a very good friend. This was great fun. We were in a pub with saw dust on the floor, there was a chap with a guitar and the entire pub sang along.

It was a bit like being in a Bord Failte ad.

On a completely unrelated note, there should be a word for the sense of melancholy that possesses one when it is discovered that a friends dog has torn a perfectly triangular hole in a favourite pair of trousers.

Mrs. Kinch has made noises about darning it, but I am skeptical.

The trip back was uneventful and I read "An Eyewitness Account of the Second Sikh War" on the train. Much like the curates egg, it was good in parts, I'll have to post a review later.

The other discovery of the weekend was Hobby E Tac. This is a glue that Woodland Scenics produce to complement their range of do it yourself tree armatures. I'd used standard PVA before and it was workable, but it still wasn't quite the thing. It generally took a while for the clump foliage to stick and it didn't always do the job. I'm usually suspicious of proprietary glues, I think because of Games Workshop, but I purchased this stuff on a whim and it is splendid. While I generally had to apply small amounts of foliage at a time with the PVA and allow the PVA to dry inbetween applications. The Hobby E Tac speeds the process greatly as it only requires one coat and it grips the material immediately, forming a stronger bond.

I got the last of the trees that I need for the big game finished in an evening. All that remains is to prettify the bases and they're ready.

Definately worth a shot.

Hinton Hunt Tirallieurs of the Young Guard

2011-10-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

Tirallieurs, two units of sixteen each on their new bases

I was lucky enough to be part of a consortium that bought some Hinton Hunt figures relatively recently. This was organised by the ever reliable John Cunningham. I haven't had a chance to sort through them as much as I would like, but I was working with these chaps tonight because I need two additional units of French Light Infantry for the scenarios I'll be running at Gaelcon.

These fine fellows are Tirallieurs of the Young Guard, though I'll confess that John had to identify them for me as my knowledge of the Guard is very limited. I'll be rating them as line troops for my purposes at least until Gaelcon and I'll be adding some HAT figures to make up the requisite officer, musician and sergeant. They were painted by the collector John bought them from and the paintwork is in very good condition. From examining the bases it seems clear that these are veterans of many a shot torn tabletop as several of the cornflake packets in question are priced in old money.

The chaps on their original bases, not the greatest of pictures,

but not bad for a camera phone in the middle of dinner

We had friends over for dinner and afterwards over the grapes and cheese, I pottered about cutting bases (though Sheelagh* helped). I then tore the veterans off their card bases and based them singly on 5/8 squares of plasti-card. I'll add filler and magnetic bases later. This is where having a tray helps.

Little and often, that's my new mantra.

So they'll be rebased, but otherwise I wouldn't touch these veterans. I only hope they serve as long on my table as they did on their previous masters.

*Curiously enough, I can often enlist female help if the job involves "colouring in" or "cutting out".

Bases from Products for Wargamers

2011-10-11T16:09:00.000-07:00

A Woodland Scenics Tree Armature on a Products for Wargamers 40mm base

I used up the last of my Games Workshop 60mm bases a few days ago and I realised that I would need some more trees.

A count of my current crop reveals that I have 15 properly based specimens in various states of completion, which leaves me rather short of the 22 I will require for my upcoming game. I'm very taken with the Woodland Scenics tree armatures, so I think I might extent my forestry by investing in some more. I have plenty of lichen and clump foliage lying about so that should fill the gap nicely, though I'm torn between buying a bottle of Hobby-E-Tac, which is some sort of special glue for the purpose, and continuing to use PVA. The PVA hasn't been an unreserved success, but we shall see. I think the main determinant will be whether the model shop has it in stock when I go in for the armatures.

Products for Wargamers 3mm laser cut bases in 40mm and 60mm for the princely sum of £2. Take that Games Workshop!

But on the bases.

I called to Games Workshop to pick up a bag of 60mm bases, when I was told by the greasy oik behind the counter that they no longer stocked them. I was of course welcome to buy a bag of "mixed round bases". This cost about a tenner and had two 60mm bases in it along with a variety of stuff that I didn't need. I cast about for a replacement and again Jim at Products for Wargamers provided. He supplied my wants with all speed, including bags of 40mm and 60mm bases laser cut from 3mm MDF. He even managed to extract sense from emails sent by a customer whose brain was addled from working nights.

Jim made me a selection of bespoke MDF bases for another related project in indecent speed. More on that later.

The service was swift, the product excellent and the price more than fair. A loud hurrah for Jim Moore of Products for Wargamers and the last one to build a forest is a rotten egg.

Little and often

2011-10-11T03:37:00.000-07:00

Foam offcuts, marked out with a felt tip

I have a busy few days ahead of me as I'm behind on my paper in work, mainly due to my recent bout of Spectrox Toxemia, which knocked me for six for a little bit. With that in mind, I've been trying to make sure that I do some work on my Napoleonic game or my larp for Gaelcon every day. This is to prevent the mad rush at the end, which sometimes extends into the convention itself and generally spoils the fun of the thing.

Busaco is a rather hill heavy battle and I soon realised that my current stock of hills simply wouldn't cut it. I had hoped to make large single piece bespoke hills, but soon realised that these had several problems.

1. While they would look better they would be single use, pieces that large are a great deal more expensive than the offcuts I've been getting for a handshake.

2. It's harder to tell where the hexes are on a larger hill.

3. The single pieces aren't modular. You are tied to a specific setup.

Electric carving knife, terrain maker, for the use of

So I marked out my offcuts and set to work cutting them out. This was quick work and I managed to get it done in about twenty minutes between Mrs Kinch going to bed and the first demand for a cup of tea.

The electric carving knife is not as precise a tool as a hot wire cutter, but I don't have one of those.

Maybe I should get one of those...

The end result, hills!

Twenty minutes later, the war room was covered in hills, foam offcuts and all manner of other stuff. Spraying them will have to wait for another day - but I'm glad I have another little job out of the way.

Strelets Napoleon in Egypt

2011-10-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

Bonaparte being dastardly in the middle east

by the rather talented Jean-Leon Gerome

Like all wargamers I am a butterfly rather than a beaver, but these caught my eye the other day and I came over all enthusiastic. I can't imagine they'll be available this year, but they certainly put me to thinking odd fevered dreams of camel mounted hussars, back badge day and charging mamelukes.

Heady stuff.

And just goes to show what a wonderfully rich period we are living through in terms of the hobby.

French Line Infantry

French Light Infantry

British Line Infantry

Command & Colours Napoleonics: Spanish Expansion News

2011-10-06T17:35:00.000-07:00

The Second of May 1808 or The Charge of the Mamelukes

by Franciso Goya

This painting commemorates the Spanish people's rising against the invading French army. I think it points to the grimness of the situation and the bleakness of Goya's outlook that this swirling, stabbing, stamping melee is the most presentable of his war pictures. Any one wishing to fully understand what a jolly chap he was should investigate here.

As any regular reader of this blog well knows, I've been on tenterhooks awaiting the new Spanish expansion for Command & Colours Napoleonics. While hither to fore I've always held that the Peninsular War was a purely Franco-British affair, I have come around to the understanding that Johnny Spaniard may have taken a hand now and then.

I've already begun mustering forces for my Spanish armies, but I was handicapped somewhat by the fact that while I have a rough idea of what the Spanish army presented in the scenarios will look like, I had no exact information. But thanks to Tony Curtis at GMT games, I now have an exact block count, which will make the job of raising the appropriate units all the easier.

Spanish Units

Line Infantry - 12 units (48 blocks)

These should present no problem, I'll use my HAT Guerrillas for the time being supplemented by Falcata chaps in bicornes. Anyone short of Spanish infantry can look forward to what looks like a real treat; HAT have a line infantry set that looks splendid indeed.

Light Infantry - 3 units (15 blocks)

I shall have to go scurrying to my Osprey to find out what Spanish light infantry look like, but I should knock at least one unit out the Valencian kilt wearing light bobs in the HAT Spanish Guerilla set. Dressing all one's light infantry in skirts might excite some comment.

Grenadier Infantry - 2 units (8 blocks)

Clive is sorting me out with some Falcata Spanish Grenadiers. Great big hats with massive bags on them and mustaches that would make Tom Selleck feel inadequate. Capital fellows, the grenadiers.

Militia Infantry - 3 units (12 blocks)

I have a motley assortment of HAT Spanish Geurillas, they'll cut a dash before they cut and run.

Leaders (4 blocks)

I have two mounted Spanish officers from Falcata sets, so that's a start.

Light Cavalry - 7 units (21 blocks)

So far as I can make out, the Spanish fielded a variety of hussar units. I think I shall have to look at the Zvesda Prussian hussars as a possible match, this will require further study.

Heavy Cavalry - 5 units (15 blocks)

I'll use dragoons for these, probably HAT Prussian 1806 dragoons with bicorne.

Cuirassier Heavy Cavalry - 1 unit (3 blocks)

I know that there was a squadron of Spanish guerilla cavalry that used captured French cuirrassier kit. Depending on what scenario they appear in, I'll have to look into this further.

Foot Artillery - 3 units (9 blocks)

I have no clue what I shall use for these fellows.

French Units

Line Infantry - 4 units (16 blocks)

I have more French infantry than I could shake a very large stick at, so I can't think I'll need some more. Unless these fellows are German allies or something.

Grenadier Infantry - 2 units (8 blocks)

Uwe had some lovely French grenadiers on his blog recently. They were Guard Grenadiers, but a fancy hat is a fancy hat.

Light Cavalry - 2 units (8 blocks)

I don't have any proper French hussars, which is a problem - though it would be fitting to have the two regiments from Conrad's "The Point of Honour" on the strength.

Light Lancer Cavalry - 1 unit (4 blocks)

At last, I get to use my Zvezda Poles. It seems a shame that there is only one unit.

Heavy Cavalry - 4 units (16 blocks)

Dragoons, dragoons and then more dragoons. It seems only fair as they did the bulk of the French horse work in Spain. The Italeri set has yet to be bested.

Guard Light Cavalry - 2 units (8 blocks)

I have no idea what to use for these chaps as I am always clueless about the Guard. Off to check the Osprey I think.

I really am greatly pleased by this information. I think the Spanish cavalry are the most pressing concern, but I should be in good shape by the time the expansion comes out.

Three cheers for Tony and GMT games!

Zvezda European Thatched Country House 1/72

2011-10-01T17:29:00.000-07:00

A view of the house, please forgive the rather poor light.

It's been pouring down here of late, much more of this and

it'll be collect two of every animal and build a big boat time.

(as always click to embiggen)

Another sample of Boomers good work. This is the Zvesda 1/72 scale cottage or as they call it European Thatched Country house. This seems fair as I can't imagine this particular structure in the British isles or even France, there's definitely something of Mitteleurope about it.

A side view, I think Boomer did a rather good job on the paintwork

(as always click to embiggen)

I picked the kit up from a local model shop. I think I paid somewhere in the region of €12 for it, but it retrospect it was a poor choice. That's quite a bit for a plastic kit and while it is nice, I know Boomer almost had a nervous breakdown putting it together. Each wall is made up of smaller sections which need to be glued together and then assembled. I can see no sensible reason this should be so, particularly when Italeri and Pegasus have produced such excellent plastic buildings without this particular feature. While the model maker does not actually have to build the place brick by brick, it's not far off it.

A view of the interior. Not the subsections.

(as always click to embiggen)

Unfortunately the building is just a little bit too small to fit an infantry unit inside, but it does fit in a hex relatively well. I've used it in Spain, mainly because I'm a hack who has little regard for verisimilitude - but I shall attempt to rectify this grievous error and use the more Iberian looking Italeri buildings in future.

Appealing to the floor - where do you expect to find this building?

In short, a nice building and Boomer did a very good job on it, but not to be recommended.

Strelets French Field Hospital

2011-09-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

Strelets French Field Hospital from their now defunct French Army Camp set

I bought these figures ready painted from Mark Bevis of Micromark along with the rest of the set. They are quite crude and not as good as the current run of Strelets work, but they paint up well and Mark has done a good job here. All I did was dolly up the base a bit, though I may trim it later to reduce the footprint.

There are Memoir '44 rules for Field Hospitals, which are as follows.

"Hospital: An ordered infantry unit on a Hospital hex may recover lost figures, as long as no enemy unit is in an

adjacent hex, by applying the exact same procedure as a Medics & Mechanics Command card, but rolling 6 dice

instead. The unit cannot move or battle this turn, even if it is healed."

I think that might be a little generous and I think it reflects Provosts or MPs rousting out men who've carried wounded back to the hospital and sending them back to the line rather than Lazarus like recoveries. There's plenty of anecdotal evidence of straggler clustering around hospitals in the blackpowder period.

On the other hand, being next to an open air operating theatre where men are having their legs hacked off probably isn't too good for your spirits, so there is an argument for making troops more brittle in close proximity to one. How about this for size.

"Hospital: Whenever an infantry unit takes casualties, take one of the removed figures and place them in the hospital hex. These are straggler figures. An ordered infantry unit on a Hospital hex may recover lost figures, as long as no enemy unit is in an vadjacent hex, by applying the exact same procedure as a Rally Command card, but rolling 6 dice. The unit cannot move or battle this turn, even if it is healed. The replacement figures must be taken from the stragglers. Units in a Hospital hex do not count for supports."

Stretcher bearers, a duty traditionally performed by bandsmen

Field Hospitals are rarely feature in wargames. Funny Little Wars is the only set that I can think of where they appear and I suspect that may have had something to do with the author is an Army chaplain. Chaplains, if they are anything like the clergymen of my social circle, spend more time than they would like in hospitals.

Our hospitals and accident and emergency rooms are often bloody, but they certainly cannot compare to the squalidness and the horror of triage on the horse and musket battlefield. We're all familiar with the idea of amputation, but I've never come across a better evocation of the reality then Ed Zwick's Glory. This is clip , though it lacks gore, is not for the faint of heart.

The bloody business, the surgeon calls for his blades

I'm reading War and Peace at the moment and was put in mind of hospitals when Count Nikolai Rostov visits one.

"Close to the corner, on an overcoat, sat an old, unshaven, gray-bearded soldier as thin as a skeleton, with a stern sallow face and eyes intently fixed on Rostov. The man's neighbor on one side whispered something to him, pointing at Rostov, who noticed that the old man wanted to speak to him. He drew nearer and saw that the old man had only one leg bent under him, the other had been amputated above the knee. His neighbor on the other side, who lay motionless some distance from him with his head thrown back, was a young soldier with a snub nose. His pale waxen face was still freckled and his eyes were rolled back. Rostov looked at the young soldier and a cold chill ran down his back.

"Why, this one seems..." he began, turning to the assistant.

"And how we've been begging, your honor," said the old soldier, his jaw quivering. "He's been dead since morning. After all we're men, not dogs."

"I'll send someone at once. He shall be taken away—taken away at once," said the assistant hurriedly. "Let us go, your honor."

"Yes, yes, let us go," said Rostov hastily, and lowering his eyes and shrinking, he tried to pass unnoticed between the rows of reproachful envious eyes that were fixed upon him, and went out of the room."

Tolstoy probably saw his fair share of hospitals during his service in the Crimea and the Caucasus. I don't doubt that then as now, it was better not to be there.

Spanish/Portuguese Infantry

2011-09-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

Hat Spanish Geurrillas, painted by Boomer

I've been building up my Spanish forces for a while now while we've been waiting for the Command & Colours: Napoleonics Spanish expansion, which apparently will be with us in late November. Even after pre-ordering I very much thought that I'll get my copy before Christmas, which curiously enough will mean that I'll get it at around the same time as I got Napoleonics last year.

These are all HAT chaps from their Spanish Guerrillas set. They are all in round hats and a variety of differant uniforms. I took the decision to paint them up in red and brown as it leaves them relatively flexible.

The chaps advancing through the garden, officer and musician from Kennington

If my Ospreys are correct, the Almeria Regiment wore this uniform from 1808 to 1811, while Mina's first regiment of Alva wore something very similar with white gaiters. The homespun brown and black round hat combination was also worn by Portuguese militia units towards the end of the Peninsula war. Consequently, they'll be doing duty as Spanish and Portuguese line infantry for a while. Eventually of course, I'll need to organise proper Portuguese line infantry, but these will do for the time being.

An American officer from Kennington's 1812 range,

he seems a reasonable match to some of the Portuguese uniforms I've seen

The Almeria Regiment was a two battalion regiment organised in 1808 from the third battalion of the Zaragoza regiment and the Volunteers of Granada. They took part in the defence of Barcelona in1808 and were heavily in Catalonia and Aragon.

They were wiped out by the French in fighting Taragona in 1811.

An American bugler from Kennington's 1812 range,

painted up as a gallant Spanish/Portuguese

Don Francisco Espoz y Mina had three battalions of uniformed guerrillas in his band, all of whom wore the black round hat and brown coats, but with gaiters and a colour coded facings red for the first battalion, green and yellow for the second and third.

The Ordenanza chaps were probably happy enough to have any uniform at all, but Rene Chartrand states that their uniform jackets were brown faced in a uniform colour.

This approach probably doesn't do much for the purist, but it allows me to bulk up my forces quickly and get games on the table.

Attribution: Most of the above was cribbed from the relevant Osprey's, both of which were written by Rene Chartrand.

Why I like Overlord

2011-09-25T23:36:00.001-07:00

A Hinton Hunt General Murat, as flamboyant as his real life counterpart

(click to embiggen)

(thanks to Clive of Vintage Wargaming)

In a recent post I described Overlord for Foy, but due to pressures of time and to avoid writing a small novel as a blog entry I just stuck to describing what Overlord is and how it is played.

And now to the rather more interesting question of why Overlord is such fun.

Command & Colours is a simple system. It is designed for speedy play and it succeeds admirably in that goal. But by the nature of the beast, there are omissions, morale is folded into the combat system, the cards are by necessity an abstraction, but all for all its faults it is a good game that demands tactical skill, rewards adherence to the principles of war and forces players to make choices.

One of the advantages of the simple rule set is that not only is it easily learned, but that it quickly falls away in play. I've internalised the rules so thoroughly at this stage that I can just play, focusing on what I want to do - rather than wrestling with the rules or trying to remember modifiers. That could be said of any game once you've played it often enough, but based on my own experience and with the honourable exception of Little Wars, I have never found a ruleset that was so friendly to beginners.

A Hinton Hunt Davout - out looking for Bernadotte

I have played more games of Command & Colours with more people, with less set up and more willingness on the part of the players to play again than any other game. Some of these players are people who would not otherwise play wargames, others are people who didn't play wargames when we started playing Command & Colours and have now branched out. I can count the number of times I've been short of someone to play with on the fingers of one nose.

All these factors conspire to eradicate two of the perennial problems of the wargamer.

1. Not having anyone to play with.

2. Not being able to finish a game because of time constraints.

A Hinton Hunt General Nansouty - this little metal fellow is likely prove a more pliant subordinate then the usual Overlord player and somewhat less sarcastic

These two factors make regular Overlord games possible, because a game with six players can be finished in under two hours and because the rules are so simple to pick up, it's not difficult to find six chaps who are willing to play.

And it's this broad base of players that make Overlord such an interesting experience because as Commander in Chief you often find yourself having to make judgements very early on about which sections of the battlefield are going to be important and where you want to put your strong players versus your weak players. Play often enough and you'll start thinking in terms of defensive and offensive players, who is lucky and who is not as well as who will grow petulant if not given enough cards or attention. Our lead brigadiers and plastic brigade majors are singularly pliable and trustworthy subordinates, Overlord on the other hand introduces an element of man management into the game.

One of my favourite games of Overlord was Donogh's Champions Hill game from Warpcon a few years ago. We played the scenario three times and on the second occasion I was the Commander in Chief of the Federal forces. In brief, the situation was as follows, the Rebels held a strong defensive position along a long rise with a road running behind them. We outnumbered them, but not massively so. I had been a Field General on a losing Federal team the previous day and I was determined not to repeat the experience. Our Commander in Chief led with a very loose rein and allowed his three subordinates to pelt the Rebel position with piecemeal attacks which the Rebels defeated by juggling their forces to create local superiority and hammering our attacks in detail.

There was no way I was going to allow this happen. I came up with a plan for a slow, careful advance on a broad front in order to rupture the Rebel defence by exerting pressure all along the line. I explained my plan which was accepted with much nodding of heads. This seeming acquiescence went out the window once battle was joined. The player on my left flank, lets call him Sickles for the sake of argument, advanced rashly and began to take fire from Rebel batteries, while the rest of the army was shaking itself out of column and into line.

I told him to pull back and he advocated making a rush for the guns. I starved him of cards until the rest of the army was in position, during which time he took casualties and grumbled a bit. I gave him his head a little so that he could clear out Rebel sharpshooters ahead of his position, but watched him carefully to make sure he didn't over extend himself.

Once the right wing had moved up and were in position to begin the assault, we advanced all along the line and shattered the Rebel defence. It was an exhausting experience, but incredibly rewarding not least because I had to keep the centre and right wing commander focused on the long game rather than chasing short term goals. The commander on the left required careful management because I'd no desire to offend him, but I was damned if I was going to let him throw the game away*.

Along the way we had to cope with muddled orders (a lack of the appropriate cards), a traffic jam on the approach roads and Steve's spirited counter attack on the Rebel right, but we did it in the end and I have rarely savoured a tabletop victory more.

There have been other great moments, not least

- standing over my pal Andrew, yelling "You will attack!" Eventually he did, it didn't win us the game but it certainly tore the guts out of a Rebel victory and made their position considerably less rosy in the next campaign game.

- nominating Steve to draw cards for us (because he's lucky) when the US Marines got hung up on the beaches during our Guam campaign and were facing total ruin. Steve managed to draw "Their Finest Hour" three times in a row - a 216,000 to 1 shot - and saved the day.

- turning my back on Savage for two turns and returning to discover that in the best traditions of the cavalry he'd charged forward with his Soviet tanks, seized the objective and was making the Germans pay bitterly for failing to occupy their own defensive position promptly. That prompted some pretty speedy rethinking of the plan I can tell you!

I find that this additional human element incredibly rewarding and I think it adds a great deal to the experience of playing a wargame, both as a game and as a social occasion. That isn't to say that element isn't achievable with other game systems, simply that Command & Colours supports it better than most.

I have yet to find a better way to get a group of friends around a table and playing games while still having time to chat and I've never had a more challenging wargaming experience than trying to convince three rugged individualists to all pull in the same direction at the same time.

*Not least because I've done as much myself as anyone who played our Antietam game can testify to.

Latest arrival

2011-09-21T06:16:00.000-07:00

On a non-wargaming related note, here is some footage of our latest

arrival; Sir Harry Flashman VC. He's just all tuckered out.

You get some strange looks at the vet with that name I can tell you.

Ordenanza

2011-09-19T08:34:00.000-07:00

Ordenanza advancing through the garden

(click to embiggen)

We had a wargames evening the day before yesterday and managed to get five games in over the day. These were mostly Second World War engagements and we finished one Overlord game (albeit with only four players) of the Market Garden scenario.

I would have pictures up, but the cable for my camera seems to have gone walk about.

We did however get a Napoleonics game in, though one that ended poorly for the redcoats. It was the first Busaco scenario in the book and featured a unit of Portuguese militia. I had forgotten about these chaps and subbed in the Irlanda at the last minute, but thinking about it afterwards they were a very poor choice.

The above are HAT Spanish geurrillas which I'm using as Portuguese Ordenanza. The Ordenanza were a home guard of sorts and were called out in times of national peril. Made up of every able bodied male, they had no uniform and were were armed with a mixture of firearms, pikes, scythes, slash hooks and like manner of improvised weapons. If I recall correctly they were mainly useful for eating up provisions and murdering their officers for suspected treason, which they did with a regularity that makes for depressing reading.

In fact you can read about it here and here.

My Ordenanza are all armed with firearms as I haven't found the time to convert any chaps with pikes and I will probably be using them as guerrillas once the Spanish expansion arrives.

Overlord

2011-09-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

An Example Overlord Board

In response to Foy's question, a brief outline of Command & Colours Overlord. I say Overlord because that's what we call it, the Ancients version is called Epic and the forthcoming Napoleonic version will be called Le Grande Bataille or some such similar Continental nonsense.

Well in brief - Overlord is a Memoir '44 variant game. The idea is that the players combine two sets of the basic game and set the boards side by side.

You can find the rules here.

Above you can see an example board set up for the battle of Prokhorovka. You can see that the three sections of the normal board are now six. The game can be played with six players, but ideally you should have eight, divided into two teams of three or four.

An Overlord game in full swing, in each case the Field General in the centre is playing the Commander in Chief.

In this case, Siskey the Commander in Chief, on the Soviet side is standing up to get a better view of the field

These teams are made up of three "Field Generals" and one "Commander in Chief". If you've six players, the Command in Chief also takes one of the Field General spots. Each Field General is responsible for a section of the battlefield. On the enlarged board, the two sections on the left (what would have been the left flank and centre section on the normal board) become the left flank, the two centre sections become the centre and so on.

The Commander in Chief draws a hand of cards, typically eight to twelve. He may give out up to three cards every turn, but only draws two at the end of his turn. He may give out those cards in any combination he wishes, one to each general, two to one and none to the others or however he wishes.

Cards are divided into two types, section and tactics cards. In Memoir '44, section cards are green, tactics cards are grey. For Napoleonics, we sort of determined which was which as we went along, but basically if a card does not refer to a specific section (left, centre, right) we treated it as a tactics card.

Field Generals may play one tactics card or two section cards (one in each of their sections).

I have been criticised as a somewhat "hands on" Commander in Chief

In the rules as written, the Field General must then play those cards, but we leave it their discretion. A Field General may choose to ignore the instructions of the CinC, but may find himself short of cards thereafter!

In Memoir '44 there is a rule called "Taking the initiative", whereby a Field General who find himself without cards can roll a die and move a unit of the type indicated. However, on a flag he must retreat a unit and on a grenade symbol a unit (selected by the player) must take a casualty. We've always deemed this overly punitive and used to allow a player to roll a die in each section, while discounting the flag and the grenade results.

For Napoleonics, I've taken a different tack and use the following rule.

On a turn when a Field General has not played a card, he may activate any unit attached to or adjacent to a Leader.

The Special Deck that comes with the Memoir '44 Overlord set

Normally we use a standard deck of cards with some changes to how the cards play. Days of Wonder did release a special Overlord deck with the changes on them, but for Napoleonics as it was our first game we just played with a standard deck and made up house ruling on the fly, based on what we'd previously done with Memoir '44.

Here's a quick list.

Section Cards

Scout cards - Played as written, but a Commander in Chief may pick up one additional card per Scout played. This is the only way he can prevent his hand size being eaten away.

Probe & Attack Cards - Played as written.

Assault Cards - Move a number of units equal to four plus number of Generals in the section.

Forward - Play as probe, but this card may be given to any Field General.

Flank Attack - Play as probe, but may be given to Field General commanding the right or left flank.

Similarly Coordinated Advance and Recon in Force, though Recon allows you to draw an extra card much like a Scout.

Tactics Cards

Bayonet Charge, Bombard, Cavalry Charge, Fire & Hold, Force Mach, Give them the Cold Steal (sic), Leadership, Le Grand Manoeuvre, Short of Supply. - Played as normal.

Counter-attack - played by the Commander in Chief directly from his hand, counts as whatever card it replaces.

First Strike - played by the Commander in Chief directly from his hand and immediately replaced. Doesn't not count as a card play.

Elan - played by the Commander in Chief directly from his hand. This is the only card played this turn. Each Field General rolls four dice and moves accordingly.

Rally - played by the Commander in Chief directly from his hand. This is the only card played this turn. Commander in Chief rolls dice equal to his hand size and distributes them as he wishes.

And that is a very short description of Overlord games, I think I'll go into why I like them so much in another post.

Roster Systems, Casualty Caps & How I do it.

2011-09-12T16:51:00.000-07:00

Another picture of my Irlanda regiment painted by Mr E

Now based to match the rest of my collection

(click to embiggen)

Bob over at Wargaming Miscellany has been mulling over the possibilities of roster systems, casualty caps and other means of marking casualties in games. I hate casualty caps as I think they look awful and they cut at one of the main reasons I play games with toy soldiers in the first place; the beauty of the thing.

I dislike rosters, but it's an irrational aversion- there are plenty of games that make good use of them. The slips of paper always manage to migrate onto the table though and spoil the look of battalions of toy soldiers marching across the table.

The regiment deployed in full

(click to embiggen)

This collection of figures represents a unit made up of four blocks in the regular game. The sixteen men in the first two ranks represent one block, with the officer, NCO and drummer representing one block each. Astute observers will recognise this organisation from a popular old school wargaming classic.

The unit has taken one casualty and the drummer is removed, but with three "blocks" left the regiment still has plenty of fight left in it

(click to embiggen)

I use a visual roster system for my Command & Colours units which is based around three key ideas.

Point One - I wish to keep the greatest number of toy soldiers on the board for the longest period of time. I love the sight of them in serried ranks. It's one of the reasons that I enjoy playing with 20mm figures so much. They're big enough to be recognisable but still small and cheap enough that they can be used en masse.

Poor old Sergeant Darcy has copped it, reducing the regiment to a strength of two blocks

But what sort of dull fellow would humble those proud plumes with casualty caps?

(click to embiggen)

Point Two - The "visual roster" must be clear. Ambiguity in a game is fine, but it must be designed ambiguity. I may not know what cards my opponent is holding is fine, but having the playing piece working against you because it is unclear what the represent is a recipe for disaster. Not least because it can easily escalate in an accusation of cheating and there is nothing corrosive to the atmosphere of fun and good fellowship that I consider the hallmark of a good wargame.

A Frency bullet has ended another proud Jacobite line. Lieutenant O'Connor has been cut down, leaving the regiment teetering on one block, but with sixteen figures still on the field

(click to embiggen)

Three - the beauty of the figures must not interfere with the speedy playing of the game. I enjoy games, so much so that I want to play lots of them. I did once have grand plans for developing a system whereby the officer and NCO figures were placed around the unit in order to communicate to both players whether it was advancing, falling back, loading, etc. It was a nice idea and would have looked interesting. However, the added complication would have added significantly to the playing time without making the game play much more interesting.

To say nothing of the potential for confusion.

Speed is also one of the reasons I am so taken with my black metal plates, because the cut down the number of hand movements required to move a unit significantly. I don't mind taking time over decisions which are the interesting part of a game, but physically manipulating the playing pieces should take as little time as possible.

Alas! The Irlanda has been wiped out, leaving only Duggan, the casualty marker behind

(click to embiggen)

This approach is no more valid than any other, but it is the one I have adopted and I think my reasons are clear. My posting has been a little sparse of late as work has made rather more demands on my limited brain energy than usual, but I do have the inestimable advantage of having been asked some very interesting questions in the comments section of this blog which should provide the spur for a post or two.

But until then, goodnight.

Busaco

2011-09-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

Busaco, the calm before the storm

The chaps came over last week and we got a game of Command & Colours Napoleonics in. It was our first time trying the Overlord rules and rather than using any of the variants used based on Ancients, we used the Overlord for Memoir '44 and adapted them as we went along.

The chaps look over the field of battle,

From left to right Minion for Hire, General Du Gorman, Savage, Mr E & BRO

A brutal and licentious soldiery

The Battle of Busaco in 1810 was in many ways what could be considered a typical Wellingtonian battle. The Duke was retreating from the French after the fall of the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida. The Duke hid his army behind a hill while the French under Marshall Massena pelted it with columns. The columns made some progress until they were driven back by a British counter-attack. Ney hearing gunfire and assuming the attack had been a success, battered his troops to pieces in another attack and eventually the exhausted French withdrew.

You can read a proper account here.

Our game didn't quite work out like that

The French push forward on the right

French push forward on the left

The French attack on the left withers under an Allied counter attack

Mr E looks away in disgust as his counter attack falls apart

The Frogs mull over their assault while General Du Gourmand (Massena) turns to drink for inspiration

Mr E (Pack) turns to BRO (Wellington) for help with his disintegrating right

But to no avail, Savage with a typically Gallic gesture appeals to

General Du Gourmand for cards on the right

Savage pauses to put the boot into the British right

With the British right crushed and the left driven in, the redcoats slink away leaving the field to the Frog eaters

We played the Busaco scenario from the CCNapoleonics website. This is essentially the two scenarios from the basic book stuck together to form a whole. It was a lengthier process then we expected taking about two hours playing time, but it didn't flag at any point and the players were all engaged.

My main concern was a desire to test out a new wrinkle in the command rules. Most of the C&C games have a "taking the initiative" mechanic which involves rolling a die and moving a unit of the type indicated on the die. I have experimented with a rule which allows a player who does not play a card to activate a unit attached to or adjacent to a Leader. This seems to work well and it did mean that the players were thinking very carefully about where to put their Leaders.

I had anticipated adding a rule allowing each Leader to "lend" an activation to an ADC figure, but the players felt that in a six player game this was an additional complication that took more time than the added value warranted. After watching them play, I agree.

The score line of 7-13 was rather harsh on the British as a few lucky cavalry charges allowed them to pick off several weakened units while screening or withdrawing their own one or two strength units. The general feeling was that the scenario was relatively balanced and the game was closer than the score line indicated. However, I am going to have to work on some bespoke hills and sharpish if we're going to play it at Gaelcon.

Sniper

2011-09-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

To the left

To the right

Shoot it up, shoot it up, it's alright*

Falklands sniper painted at last. I tried to think of something clever to do with the cape, but ended up painting it in DPM after all. I'm beginning to think that this chap isn't actually a fully qualified marksman, but a gifted amateur who due to unforeseen circumstances at the beginning of the Russian/Volgan invasion got his hands on a snipers rifle and had to quickly jury rig the rest of his kit.

The face paint was copied from an illustration in "Basic Battle Skills" and everything else was just sort of made up as I went along.

Note that like all soulless killers, Mr. Sniper is a ginger.

*With apologies to Claphams finest, the Stereo MCs.

"God is not on the side of the big battalions,"

2011-08-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

", but of the best shots."

It turned out that I needed a British Army Sniper for the Top Malo House scenario in the Force on Forcerulebook. Not having one to hand - I cast about for a suitable replacement. As it happened the British Army were still using a variant Lee-Enfield in the early eighties, so with the addition of a bit of greenstuff, aCeasar Second World War British Commando sniper became a Falklands/Cold War era sniper.

I generally shy away from this sort of thing, but it would have taken so long to order an additional figure, it seemed ludicrous to wait. Unlike Ross, I can't simply make off with the lead from the Church roof and ramble home to cast up some extra hussars.

Outfitting him in a ghillie suit seemed a bit silly, so I added a non-regulation camouflage cape and scrim on the rifle.

Snipers are a law unto themselves at the best of times and while the cape has a rather Soviet look about it, it will do for the time being. I regret now that I didn't score the scrim on the rifle a bit more or take a picture of the back of the hood, which I was quite happy with.

Standard Bearers

2011-08-25T06:10:00.000-07:00

Spanish Standard Bearer by SHQ Miniatures

(click to embiggen)

I learned yesterday the faintly depressing news that Command & Colours: The Spanish Army has been delayed yet again. I console myself that Hat's rather splendid looking Spanish infantry are unlikely to be out by then anyway and that Gorman is no doubt already attempting to inflict some form of collective punishment on the local Chinese community.

Little and often appears to be a good rule of thumb when trying to get modelling work done, so I've have been chipping away at my Cold War project, basing trees and finishing standard bearers for some Napoleonic units.

Brunswicker Standard Bearer by SHQ Miniatures

(click to embiggen)

These are both SHQ figures. There were some minor moulding issues with the Brunswickers sword, so I added some greenstuff to complete the blade. The Spanish chap came with a flagstaff, but I've learned from bitter experience that white metal flag staffs rarely survive very long so I've taken to replacing them with brass wire. I made a hash of drilling the Brunswickers hand and had to add some green stuff fingers to complete the job. The Spanish fellow presented no problem once I had cut the original flagstaff away.

Slow, but steady.

Regiment Irlanda

2011-08-24T05:23:00.000-07:00

A private of the Irlanda regiment from an 18th century print

(A.K.Brown Collection)

The Irlanda in all its glory

(click to embiggen)

Mrs Kinch said that I was basically a mechanism for turning books and toy soldiers into happiness. I'm a mediocre painter and became I do most of my gaming in 1/72 I don't demand a lot of detail from my figures. However every so often I come across some figures that are so fine that they demand the attention of a skilled craftsman. As I've mentioned previously, I have some Falcata Spanish Infantry which I received from my pal John Cunningham. They're stunning sculpts and I knew that they were well beyond my meagre capacities.

Enter Mr E - a long time devotee of Games Workshop and Iron Kingdoms miniatures, who recently got sense and is now building a force of mercenaries in 1/72 to shoot things in the Middle East. He paints beautifully and very generously offered to paint the Falcata figures for me. I decided that they should be the Irlanda, which fits my accidental theme of collecting Irish regiments in foreign service.

The Irlanda were raised from Jacobites who travelled from Ireland to Spain after the Williamite Wars in the late 17th century. Though by the Napoleonic Wars, there were few Irishmen left in their ranks and most of the recruits were native Spaniards. You can read a little bit about themhere.

They also served under Zayas at the Battle of Albuera in 1811 and were disbanded in 1815. To the best of my knowledge they were wearing shakos and overalls at Albuera, but you would have to be a very dull fellow indeed to hold that against them.

Look at those plumes!

In fact, I will stop wasting your time with prattling and let the pictures do the talking.

Two privates, note the moustache on the chap on the right

(click to embiggen)

Two more privates, they are just fantastic, aren't they?

(click to embiggen)

A grizzled veteran ready to lead a bayonet charge!

(click to embiggen)

A second shot showing off his rather fantastic facial hair

(click to embiggen)

Bejaysus, they shot Gerry!

(click to embiggen)

Sergeant O'Mara keeps a firm grip

(click to embiggen)

Captain Marquez-Garcia carries on with his sword waving duties

(click to embiggen)

With the drummer boy bringing up the rear

(click to embiggen)

19th Century Boy

2011-08-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

I have two projects looming large at present - a large scale Napoleonics game and a LARP both of which are due to run in October. Blessed as I am with large amounts of free time, I've been taking a leisurely approach to both projects using the "not giving a damn" method. What I'm currently excited about is my little Cold War project, specifically the BAOR versus the Soviets around Hanover in the early Eighties.

Naturally as there is no deadline associated with this project, it's the one I'm most interested in pressing on with. I don't know why, put it down to the natural contrariness of human nature, my own mercurial temperament or what have you. The figures are already bought, what is really exercising me at present is the question of terrain.

Force on Force uses a small board, but typically takes place in a built up area so I shall have to make or buy some buildings. Many Cold War games that I have seen use buildings from the players Second World War collections and I'm not particularly interested in that. I was thinking about it last night and I've realised that what I really need to work on is.

1) One or two key buildings that tie the board down to a time and place. I was thinking a filling station and possibly bill boards, neither of which feature highly on Second World War boards.

2) Cars. Modern cities are build for the automobile. As Dashiell Hammet once wrote, "I bought a car so that I could read Los Angeles in the vernacular." This is not quite such an issue in Europe as it is in America, but the addition of several dozen toy cars of appropriate vintage would do a lot of the work for me.

But that's not really what I wanted to write about in this post.

I am old fashioned. I like corduroy. I smoke a pipe. I live in a house that was built in 1882. Mrs Kinch and I were married using the 1877 marriage service*. I like GA Henty, John Donne and Lady Butler. Mrs Kinch often refers to me as a "19th century boy" (see above).

On the other hand, I live in the future - I go to work in composite body armour and carry a chemical weapon. I get most of my news from a pocket device, which I also use as a notebook and a camera. I correspond daily with people from different continents. I just finished playing a wargame with a Japanese who lives a world away. I am in some ways absolutely in tune with this lousy modern world.

Last night, I started looking around googlemaps - trying to get a feel for the pattern of settlement around Hanover. I moved around the map and zoomed in and had a look around. I dropped a pin and tried to access Google Street View. I then discovered that I couldn't. I looked around and found that the German government had effectively knocked Google Streetview on the head. I was quite put out by this, I'm surprised in fact by how irritated I was.

I am still astonished by the idea of flying, but I'm put out when I can't navigate the streets of a distant city on iPhone?

My own expectations surprise me.

* "I plight to thee my troth," I still smile whenever I read those words.

Trees

2011-08-20T05:32:00.001-07:00

Woodland Scenics Large Birch with textured base

I've been messing about with trees of late in an effort to dolly up my wargames table. With this in mind, I have embarked on a tree buying campaign*. This has bulked out my stock considerably and I think I've hit upon some good rules of thumb.

1. Differing heights. Previously my trees came in two sizes, now while the bulk of the woodland is still made up of these trees, the greater variation in the height is much more pleasing to the eye.

2. Differing types. I now have some birch as well as my more generic deciduous. I have aspirations to a weeping willow and an impressive oak, but they may be a while in coming.

3. Stick them close together. The smaller the base of the tree the more playing space you have left on the table. However, constantly picking up fallen foliage is disruptive as well. I'm using old Games Workshop 40mm bases because they are big enough to prevent even quite large trees from falling over, but small enough that it can rub elbows with an infantry unit in a five inch hex without too much difficulty.

4. Dolly up the bases. I have in times past stuck my trees to card bases with blu-tack. This is perfectly serviceable, but doesn't look very nice.

On the subject of dollying up bases, I've found that it's an excellent way of going through old paint. The chaps above were glued to 40mm bases and then had a thin layer of filler smeared across them. This was roughed up a bit and small pieces of cat little pushed into it. This is then given a wash of watered down PVA to hold everything together.

Here you can see some smaller trees which have been fixed two to a base. These fellows are at the next stage of the process. The chap on the left has been given a base coat of brown. I used to be quite particular about using GW Bestial Brown for this, but any old thing will do. I usually use whatever Vallejo comes closest to hand. Flat Brown and English uniform on this occasion, I believe. The base on the left has had a pebble added and has had a coat of what I've come to call "Constables Snow". This a heavy highlight of white, which breaks up the brown on the base. I don't know why it works but it does. Savage advised me to do this and he's a graphic design and knows whereof he speaks.

Paint the roots to match the trunk, this is not always necessary, but the birches would look a little odd without it.

And above, the finished product. These bases have had the "Constables Snow" treatment and then a few dabs of PVA and some static grass added. I've found less is more when using static grass as too much makes it look like you're on the ninth hole. You can use the grass to cover up any little slips where the white has been too heavily applied. The key thing to remember that that there is usually very little greenery beneath trees because they block out the light, so don't go overboard.

I added a sprig of lichen for some colour and when some greenery fell of the chap on the right I just added it to the base with a dab of PVA. And the job is OXO.

Oh and finally, a chap on the internet wanted a better shot of Rupert, the bear, not the chap, so here you are. Probably nipping inside to see if there is anything left in the wine cellar.

*I did think about writing "...which has borne fruit." But I thought better of it.

Cold War News

2011-08-19T03:03:00.000-07:00

Captain Rupert and his trusty radio operator, Digby looking for trouble on the outskirts of Hanover, August 1984. (click to embiggen)

(Liberation miniatures with some green stuff additions, painted by Conrad Kinch)

Digby's getup is based on this iconic image of the Falklands war. I'm still trying to find the correct attribution. Could you drop me a line if you know?

Soviet Motor Rifle troops moving through the suburbs of Hanover, August 1984

(Elheim miniatures painted by Conrad Kinch, building by Conflix)

(click to embiggen)

Hmmm, is that fellow behind the window the section corporal?

(click to embiggen)

Maybe it's the chap posing for the Komosol poster

(click to embiggen)

I've been painting Cold War figures for Force on Force, though I think the buildings are going to present more of a problem as you need quite a few of them. I'd like to do something specific to the period and not re-use my Second World War stuff. This is not an issue that is going to vex me much as I have bigger fish to fry. I have two projects due in October, a LARP based on Space 1889 by Frank Chadwick and a large scale Command & Colours: Napoleonics game with multiple players. These are projects that come with a deadline and I'm really going to have to get my finger out designing scenarios and adding polish to what is already a relatively good looking collection.

It's been a while...

2011-08-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

The British Grenadiers take on the Swiss, poor Swiss - it was their first battle too...

It's been a while since I last posted, probably because I haven't had much to say. The last few weeks have been disappointing, personally and politically. Work has been by turns exhilarating and frustrating, but always exhausting. Poor old Mrs Kinch has broken her wrist and is in a bad way. But at the same time, Providence has been at work in myriad other ways and when I sat down to write this entry in something of a brown study, I began to count our blessings.

The list is a long one and I won't bore you with, suffice to say that Mrs Kinch and I have a lot to be grateful for.

But back to the wargaming -

Donogh and I played the C&C Napoleonics Scenario, The Combat at Redinha last week. This was a first outing for the British Grenadiers and Grenadier Guards and they were a credit to their corps. A full battle report to follow, but no doubt Donogh will beat me to the punch!

Nuanced stuff from the Galaxy's greatest comic

I've taken an interest in Force on Force of late and I am nearly finished painting a platoon of British infantry for a Cold War/Falklands scenario. I've also picked up some Elheim Soviets, who look suitably dastardly. Unfortunately, I miscalculated and I shall have to add some extra chaps in order to play the first scenario in the book. I intend to use my small forces to play through most of the scenarios in the book, though this will mean that the Soviets will undergo sudden and dramatic changes in troops quality as they will be rated as "regulars" in one game and "irregulars" in the next. I imagine the Soviets in the latter case being something akin the "Volgs" from 2000AD.

I've also decided that I need a plan for the rest of the year as idly picking at projects while fun isn't getting me anywhere.

Captain Rupert

2011-08-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been incredibly hectic and there's been damn little movement on the wargames front. However, I did pick up my paint brushes again and try my hand at painting Captain Rupert. His biography can be found here.

Note the early model wood furniture SLR.

And the famous bear and checked scarf can be see above. Not the most elegant sculpting job in the world, but passable for five minutes spent rolling blobs of greenstuff. The check scarf was done with a felt tip.

And a shiny six pence to the bright boy who can tell me who Captain Rupert* is based on or at least heavily inspired by.

*Disregarding the name which is a composite of two men who stay in the realm of the horse and musket like the sensible chaps they are.

Yet another new project

2011-07-31T09:14:00.000-07:00

Captain "Rupert" John Anthony Cunningham-Howard, late of the Royal Loamshires, now of the Irish Guards

It's official I have too many projects, far too many projects. I've taken to hoarding figures in a manner that knows neither sense nor reason. At present, I have in train.

Mostly finished.
- A British Napoleonic army, which will also be subbing for a British army in India 1800-1840.
- A French Napoleonic army.
- A German Second World War army.

Works in progress.
- An Austrian Napoleonic army. (many units based and undercoated)
- A Spanish Napoleonic army. (some painted units)
- Dutch-Belgian allies for the above.

In boxes, may never see the light of day.
- Some Very British Civil War scraps.
- A Crimean Russian army.
- A Crimean French army.
- An 1840 era Sardinian army made up entirely of Bersaglieri.
- An 1840s Sikh army.
- A collection of English Civil War stuff.
- A British Second World War Army.
- An American Second World War Army.

And this just the stuff in 20mm! Not counting 1/32 scale Little Wars figures or the 6mm collection.

I have of course decided that the only thing to do in this situation is start a new period

. Note scarf and bear

This is unusual for me because I'm working in tandem with some other chaps. Force on Force from Ambush Alley Games has become rather popular in my social circle and the forces required are reassuringly small. I have mustered a single platoon of British infantry so that I might shoot Gorman's East Germans in comfort. I tell myself that the collection will stop there and who knows, it very well might. I have decided that as there are only thirty or so figures involved it would be silly not to paint them myself.

I'm rather fond of them as they tote SLRs and Brens, which reminds me forcibly of my teens and early twenties when for several weeks a year I would slog up hill and down dale at the behest of the Irish Defence Forces. One disadvantage though was that the figures were a bit too uniform for my taste and there was no way to distinguish the platoon commander.

Enter Captain "Rupert" John Anthony Cunningham-Howard, late of the Royal Loamshires and now of the Irish Guards. I wanted a way to quickly distinguish him from the rest of the SLR toting hoi-polloi. I haven't done much work with green stuff, but this seemed well within even my meagre talents. The youngest son of a distinguished Roman Catholic barrister and confectionery heiress, he enjoys long walks, water colours and the poetry of John Donne. An enthusiastic rather than a gifted boxer, he took a first in Classics at Hertford College Oxford and speaks German, French and Greek. In his spare time he is working on a biography of Dante Gabriel Rosetti and never goes into action without a scarf and a bear.

For obviously reasons, he is considered something of an odd fish.

Something old, something new

2011-07-30T05:16:00.000-07:00

Memoir '44 online

It's been a quiet few days on the wargaming front - though curiously enough I've actually played more games of late then I have in quite a while. The problem however is that none of those games have involved moving toy soldiers around a table. I've been playing Days of Wonder's rather excellent online version of Richard Borg's Memoir '44. It's a cracking game and has all the virtues of the tabletop version.

There are two issues that playing this game raises.

1. Despite the fact that Memoir '44 is a very simple game, I have discovered that we have been getting some of the rules wrong since the game came out. I was very surprised by this. It did also put me to thinking that if a comparatively large player pool can get the rules wrong consistently for years, what hope is there for more complicated games?

2. Due to the vagaries of the online system, I find myself playing the baddies about 40% of the time. I do not find this as upsetting as when I play tabletop games. The deindividualising effect of the internet, perhaps?

In short, I recommend this game. The initial download is only 40 megabytes and the first twenty games or so are free. After that it works out at approximately 6 cents per game.

The other wargaming news is that the latest and it would appear the last issue of The Classic Wargamer's Journal has arrived. I really liked the journal and it was good while it lasted, but it seemed unlikely that a chap with Phil Olley's talents and the not inconsiderable demands placed on his time would be able to continue with a project like this.

That said, it was a great read while it lasted and I'm sorry that I won't see any more of Daryl Haselton's magnificent collection (those moustaches, my word!). I think Phil took the right course in calling a halt on a high note. It would have been shabby to let such a nice project fizzle out.

Which is not to say that the Journal may not be revived, but I doubt it somehow.

All that remains to be said is that Mr Olley's characterisation of me as twisted is a vile calumny, so base that it could only be uttered by a pragmatical canting Scotsman without the wit to see that my patience and forbearance in the face of Gorman's continual provocation is nothing less than Saintly.

In other news - the Spanish expansion for Command&Colours: Napoleonics has been delayed until November due to a problem with the printers in China. In the words of Gorman, "This may be the greatest crime ever committed by global communism."

Wood for the trees

2011-07-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

From left to right, two model trees given me by Donogh many moons ago, a birch by Woodland Scenics and lastly, a Heki Tall Deciduous

It's been a bit of a brown study today and in an attempt to shake myself out of the funk, I decided to have a look at some of the new trees that I got to dolly up my table. I've been admiring Ross Mac's tables for quite some time now and it finally struck me that his trees are a mixture of heights and types, while mine are rather more homogeneous.

Consquently, I've been working on adding some new types and basing the ones I already have. My trees have been blu-tac'd to pieces of card thus far and while it's perfectly serviceable, it doesn't look very nice. Major General Tremorden Rederring's Colonial Wargaming page was always quite firm on the point that bases should be as small as possible as the smaller the base, the larger the amount of playing area that was available. Sadly, that magnificent page is no longer with us, but it's influence lives on.

Three small birch trees, I picked these up in the model shop in Frome and I'm very pleased with them

I've used old Games Workshop bases that I had floating around as they are small enough to share a hex with one of my five by two inch bases, while wide enough to prevent larger trees falling over. The plan is to texture these bases and add some windfall to make them look a little better. I must resist the urge to go overboard with the static grass however, as a recent trip to the woods hammered home the point that the ground underneath trees is generally pretty brown because they cut out the available light.

A tall birch tree based and ready to have that base textured and possibly have some grass added

Another thought that crossed my mind was that the different types of trees could have different game effects. In the Command & Colours system games I usually play, wooded areas have the following effects.

- Block line of sight.

- Offer cover to units in a wooded hex.

- Prevent units that have just moved into the hex from battling.

It might be interesting in a War of 1812 or other scenario where there is a lot of woodland fighting to distinguish between types of wooded areas. Certain wooded hexes could have a lot of undergrowth and be impassible to artillery, while others are quite lightly wooded and only block line of sight. This could be drawn on a map, but it would make more sense to assign a set of characteristics to each type of model tree and then use those to indicate which area were heavily wooded or not. The side with the home field advantage, like Indians or the defenders in the case of a scenario where the attacker hasn't had a change to conduct reconaissance, would have prior knowledge of this. The attacker would have to use scouts or puzzle it out for himself. The important thing would be to ensure that the types of trees are clearly distinguishable.

Donogh's Contest

2011-07-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

Donogh is running a contest over at "Land War in Asia" to celebrate 200 posts. To enter you list your favourite posts and why you liked them.

The Bastion of Saint Conrad - This scenario is based on an incident from "The Three Musketeers" where the boys need to discuss a matter away from prying eyes and decide that the best place to do this is in the no-man's land between two warring armies. I chose this because I'm a huge fan of Dumas. I reckon this would be a good fit for Savage Worlds using Nostalgic Revival English Civil War figures with IMEX Pilgrims for the Pioneers.

Also it has my name on it. Splendid.

The Battle of Sacile - As regular readers are no doubt aware, I have a yen for Command & Colours: Napoleonics. This is something that I share with Donogh, though he is seemingly blind to the fact that the Peninsula is really the important theatre. He persists in dragging continental nonsense into it. In this case, the scenario is about the battle of Sacile in 1809 which was a set-to between Johnny Austrian and Johnny Crapaud. I like this mainly because it was an excuse to get some more toy soldiers, specifically HATs rather snazzy Austrian Landwehr.

The Battle of Sittangbad - An unusual take on the CHARGE! classic - this scenario is about an attempt to evacuate a base under pressure . I used to think Donogh's affection for Force on Force was misplaced, but after giving the game more of an airing, it's really begun to grow on me. I was surprised when he managed to make an 18th century clash work in contemporary Afghanistan. In retrospect I probably shouldn't be, as apparently Sittangbad was inspired by an action during the Second World War. Nihil novi sub sole and all that.

So in short, a good blog written by a chap with some dangerous ideas and some very unconvincing facial hair.

Back from Bath

2011-07-22T17:10:00.000-07:00

We're back from Bath - whole and refreshed and thankful for the much needed break. We trotted off with our good friends Savage and Tootsie for six days of recreation and for the most part we had a wonderful time. Mrs Kinch did point out that it was the first holiday we'd managed together in over a year and the time together was a gift.

Highlights of the trip included...

Savage in one of the "covered ways" up which the Cornish infantry charged towards the Roundhead lines. The Sir Bevil Grenvill* monument is to the right out of shot.

Having a tramp around the battlefield of Lansdowne - this was the site of a set to between Roundhead and Cavalier in 1643. This was a real treat because the battlefield has changed little since the engagement and we managed to view it at the same time of year, in conditions that were similar.

I have never taken much of an interest in the English Civil War, beyond reading Simon as a boy and having a hearty detestation of the Commonwealth. My sympathies are naturally with the Cavaliers, while Savage is a Parliamentarian. You will see Savage in the picture above in a characteristic pose not dancing, nor celebrating Christmas. Neither did he attend the theatre while we were on holiday. My smoking was also curtailed.

Parliamentarian swine.

What is wrong with this picture?

Also due to my posting while I was away, my friend Mike realised that I was in Bath and we managed to meet up for a pint in "The Volunteer Rifleman's Arms". A splendid establishment. It was very interesting to meet Mike in person as we had only corresponded before. A fascinating few hours during which we talked wargaming, writing history books, publishing, cartography and oddballs in the fraternity. We also met Mike's family, who gave us a warm welcome. We then changed pubs. Inexplicably, in a Mecca of cask beers, we managed to find a pub that served Guinness which Savage drinks when he can't get any turps. Unfortunately, it wasn't very good Guinness as is evidenced by the picture above.

This was a real surprise and something I'll have to repeat. A game next time Embree!

I had to stay quite quiet to get this shot of this little fellow, who is a common Marmoset, which seems something of a misnomer to me. I had imagined a common Marmoset would wear a flat cap, drink bitter and say things like "Eeee lad". Look at him, probably hasn't a days work in his life.

The highlight of the trip so far as Mrs Kinch was concerned was our outing to Longleat Animal Park. This was fantastic, even better than I remembered it. There had been big changes to the park since we were last there. You can walk in amongst the Meerkats for example, which is great. My camera battery ran out regretably quickly, so many of my pictures were taken on my phone, but expect a torrent of Meerkat videos.

The SS Great Britain (Mrs Kinch for scale)

We went on a day trip to Bristol which was mainly memorable for SS Great Britain museum. I hadn't been that keen on going and was mainly there to accompany Savage who has a passion for Isambard Kingdom Brunel that should worry Tootsie, were it not that the chap is safely dead and buried. The ship is a magnificent sight and is a credit to the team that restored her. She's held in drydock and you descend through a sheet of plate glass which represents the water line to inspect the hull. This area is kept at 20% humidity or less to keep the hull from rusting. What makes this an even more surreal experience is the fact that there is a layer of water on top of the glass, so that one looks up to see rippling rain falling on the water "surface" from underneath.

Recommended.

Mrs Kinch and I recently celebrated our three year anniversary. As it happens we went to Bath on our honeymoon and had a splendid cream tea in the Jane Austen exhibition rooms in 2008. I'm very fond of this particular meal and when we returned we were shown to a table right next to where we'd had tea on our last visit. I asked if we could be moved, the waitress agreed, but was a bit perplexed until I explained why. Needless to say she rose to the occasion as you can see above.

It wouldn't really be a holiday without some book shopping and I managed to substantially increase my collection of Henty's. I read "With Moore at Corunna" on the way home - fine, stirring stuff.

Taking communion at Bath Abbey was wonderful. A particularly pleasant and welcoming group of communicants made a stranger feel very welcome.

Savage and I also went on a trip to Frome on the good advice of Stryker. We were not disappointed. The Frome Model Centre is enormous, well stocked and staffed by pleasant and well informed staff who seperated me from my money with significantly less sting than usual. Savage picked up some Soviet Anti-Aircraft guns which will soon be gracing Libyan technicals, while I bought some Beech trees to dolly up my game boards as well as some ECW plastics.

Some rather excellant meals were eaten while we were away, but the palm must go to the Barrique Bistro. This restaurant looks slightly grotty on the outside, but the unassuming exterior conceal a real treat within. The food is best described as French tapas, small portions of classic French dishes served in little pots by some of the nicest waitstaff we'd met in a while. Very affordable too.

And that concludes "What I did on my holidays" by Conrad Kinch, Age 31 and one third.

*Respects were paid, Steve.

Communique from Bath

2011-07-14T03:54:00.000-07:00

Sadly, my looting has mainly been confined to bookshops...

We're all having a fantastic time in Bath - the ladies have had a few hard days shopping and lazing about being washed at a price that doesn't make me feel so bad about my toy soldier obsession.

Meanwhile I accompanied by my trusty batman, Savage, have been out exploring bookshops and tramping around the Lansdown battlefield. That was a real treat and the first time I've ever managed to see a battlefield in something like its original state. The whole expedition was made much simpler by a copy of "The Battle of Lansdown" by John Wroughton, which I cannot recommend highly enough. I picked up a copy in Toppings and read it overnight. It is an excellent guide, both to the battle and the ground.

The ladies have disappeared off to another spa and I'm busy booking tickets for Longleat. More upon our return.

A tray for today

2011-07-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

My tray - existing in its natural state of clutter

Today was a long day and it followed a day that had been very long as well. I become seized with a selfish desire to play after days like that, to do something hobby related. I'm too tire to do anything useful around the house or write or anything like that, but I can stick a toy soldier together.

As I have mentioned before I have started raising Dutch troops for the Waterloo campaign. The boxes arrived from Models2U the other day and I set to work with a will, washing and sorting the contents.

And damned if there weren't some RHA fellows in there as well...

First on the block are the Dutch gunners from Waterloo 1815. I was in a bit of pickle with these as they used French guns during the Hundred Days and they come with British guns. Fortunately, I went searching through my box of figures and came across a bag of old ESCI figures given to me by a friend who lost interest in Napoleonics some time ago.

Two gun carriages looking rather forlorn

A search through the bag yielded two French gun carriages, but only one tube. The tubes from the Dutch Artillery sets had very strange thick trunnions on them, which wouldn't fit and didn't look the thing at all. Eventually, I lighted upon a set of French Guard Artillery. I only need one of these, so I was able to sacrifice one of the tubes from the set to use with my Dutchmen.

Two Dutch guns awaiting crew

The tube took a bit of encouragement to sit right and I needed to trim the elevating screw a little with a stanley, but I think they look fine.

Two Dutch gun crews based up

Not having the mental energy to do much I else, I cut the Dutch gunners from their sprue and glued them to bases. That seemed like quite enough hard work for one night!

On a completely unrelated note - Joy and Forgetfulness will be having one of its periodic outages as Mrs Kinch and I are going on holiday. We'll be revisiting our Honey Moon haunt of Bath with a day trip to Bristol. Mrs Kinch is particularly excited about walking with Meerkats at Longleat.

We will have a car with us and any suggestions anyone might have for good game or book shops or anything in particular worth seeing along the way will be gratefully received.

Falcata Spanish Infantry & Products for Wargamers Steel Bases

2011-07-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

I recently came into some Falcata Spanish Infantry courtesy of my pal John C. They come in a very snazzy box with a cartoon cover. I should post a picture of it as it has a certain je ne sais qoui. In the mean time, you shall have to settle for some pictures.

And as Foy is so fond of saying, they really are nice figures.

There are 32 figures in the box, each with his own individual plastic blister and they include -

- an officer

- a sergeant

- a drummer

- a casualty

- a chap falling wounded

- an ensign

- a mounted Colonel

- a variety of squaddies in firing, loading, marching and advancing poses.

I've been able to put together a single Command & Colours: Napoleonics unit with these fellows, using the marching and the advancing poses in two ranks of eight. The officer, drummer and sergeant fill up the third rank and the casualty figure to mark the unit when it flees the field.

Frustratingly, the sergeant and one of the advancing chaps have decided to take French leave and are somewhere loose abroad the moors. I would blame the cat, but she's generally pretty good about not knocking figures about. Damn and blast.

Another recent arrival were some bases from Products for Wargamers, as recommended by Steve the Wargamer. Perhaps he is the Wargamer of the title, who can say?

These were bespoke steel bases made five by two inches. I had been very happy with the bases from Precision Wargame supplies. However, when Products for Wargamers were able to produce a similar product for little over half the price, I had to have a look for myself.

The bases are thinner than their compatriots and are galvanised rather than black enamelled, so they are not as handsome as the others. If you look at the picture above, you can see one in it's natural state. The base on the left is the same type of base given a quick spray of black enamel and a coat of varnish. I'm very happy with these and because they were cheaper, I was able to afford sufficient bases to base my entire collection.

That is assuming the collection doesn't get any bigger.

Twinkle, twinkle, little bat...

2011-07-05T06:48:00.000-07:00

How I wonder what you're at, Up above the world so high, like a tea tray in the sky!

I probably don't write as much hobby related material as I ought to - mainly because I'm no great shakes at the craft end of the hobby.

However, I do have moments of insight on occasion and this one relates to keeping the memsahib happy. While having a wargames room is a real privilege, particularly when you can leave a project out and do a little bit of work on it when you have a spare moment, there are times when it behooves you to spend some time with the old skirt swisher. I've taken to keeping a tray, liberated from my mother in laws, stocked with small jobs in my wargames room. The idea is that you can pick the tray up, march off to whatever your spouse wants to watch television or a DVD or some such and get a spot of work done while you're at it.

Thus allowing you some quality time with your armed forces while enjoying some quality time with your spouse.

As you can see my tray above is as cluttered as the average painting table. This evening job is basing, so the tray carries troops, 5/8 inch plasti-card, super glue, strips of magnetic material and filler for the job at hand. I keep it in the wargames room and bring it out whenever I feel like being social able.

Bon Anniversaire Cousin Jonathan

2011-07-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

Best wishes to the home of Chester Himes, Ed Zwick, James Ellroy, Westerns, sunny side up eggs, Long Island Ice Tea, biscuits and gravy and Lee Marvin. A little ditty from my favourite homosexual atheist.

Are we the baddies?

2011-06-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

They have skulls on their hats, but unlike the Brunswickers, these guys are definitely the baddies.

I've been eyeing the Quatre Bras and Waterloo scenarios included in the Command & Colours: Napoleonics scenario book for quite some time now. I had intended to field a mixed bag of Belgians, Dutch and Nassauers, but some practical considerations have come to the fore.

I play as much Command & Colors: Napoleonics as I can - generally with anyone who will stand still long enough. However, few of my friends and regular players are aficionados of Napoleonic uniforms. Consequently, I have had to make some compromises in the way I play the game - I no longer field units of British Grenadiers or Guards. I usually replace them with Highlanders because players who are not entirely au fait with the period often have difficulty spotting a shoulder wing or blue facings on a 1/72 scale figure.

My Waterloo Anglo-Dutch army will to muster some extra troops before it's ready to take the field. I need six line infantry units, two units of light cavalry, one units of light infantry, one unit of militia, one general and two units of foot artillery. These will represent the mix of Hanoverians, Nassauers, Brunswickers, Dutch and Belgians that were on the field. I had considered using a similar mix of figures to represent this polyglot force, but after play I think it might be fairer to at least have some consistency between troop types. It will make it easier for novice players to distinguish between them and I can add additional regiments as and when I wish.

I've decided that the line infantry will be Dutch, supplied by Hats offering, which gives me an admirable two units per box. The militia will be Dutch militia, that is Hat Peninsular British infantry with a paint conversion.

For guns, Waterloo 1815 do a Dutch-Belgian Artillery set. The guns will need to be replaced, something I can't pretend that I would have realised without plastic soldier reviews trenchant review of the set. But I have some replacement French guns that will do very well.

I've never been taken with HAT's cavalry figures, so I won't be fielding any of their Dutch light dragoons. In fact, I can't think of a single HAT cavalry figure that I've really liked. Their cossacks are passable, but more useful than attractive.

I have a unit of Brunswickers; they dress in black and they wear skulls on their hats*. I like to think of them as the rebellious teenagers of the Napoleonic era. How could I not? I'm also a big fan of Millais as it happens, but these fellows will not be taken into account as I'll only be fielding them when I feel that they won't confuse the situation for new players. Much the same can be said of the squadron of Kennington Dutch-Belgian Carabiniers that I ended up with.

Which brings me back to the problem of Light Cavalry and Light infantry.

The Light Cavalry are a more complicated question. I ended up with the Carabiniers due to a mix up when I ordered some Brunswicker Hussars at rest from SHQ, but didn't send them back because I liked the castings. I would like some Brunwicker Hussars, but I don't want to muster a unit from a range that lacks officers or trumpeters.

And who shall my light infantry be?

It is indeed a puzzlement.

*They are also quite clearly not the baddies - this is important.

Happy Anniversary!

2011-06-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

Mrs Kinch comes bearing a gift...

We celebrated our anniversary last week. It hardly seems like three years and we've come a long way since then and achieved some extraordinary things.

It did also lead to a rather odd conversation that Mrs Kinch had with a lady in a restaurant, "Oh so you're into leather."

I was very confused.

I certainly wasn't confused when Mrs Kinchs entirely apposite gift arrived today. A print of Lady Butlers "The 28th Regiment at Quatre Bras" which will be taking pride of place in my study as soon as it is framed.