Prussians Garde

Well it's been over a year since I have done any painting on my classic Napoleonics. So this morning I dug out some figures and got them ready to go.

I have had some original HH Prussians Grenadiers for a while but not enough for a full 24 figure unit. However I have been  fortunate to be given a bag of 30 DK versions. The DK figures are not as crisp as originals and are slightly smaller.

The original figures have been painted to a reasonable standard so and I have decided to do a paint restoration rather than a full strip and paint. 

I will use 8 of the DK figures and will paint these to match the repaints. I will make one of these into a standard bearer. I am not sure if I will do a hand painted standard or use a printed one.

For the drummer I will use a Lamming figure I got with the painted Hintons. He will get a paint restoration.

Battle of Barosa 1811 - shiny DBN

This afternoon Tim W popped over for a game of DBN. We played the battle of Barosa using the scenario from the DBNwargaming website and my shiny 20mm Napoleonics.

The British attack and advance towards the distant hills. The terrain slows the British movement and the French decide to deny the British space and advance their centre and left to meet them.  The ravine, shown by the brown card and stones, hampers the British advance.

Solid British infantry push forward through the Pine woods. I dont have any Pines so had to use my old Merit Adler trees instead.

The British initially hold back their right which consist of 2 battalions of elite infantry supported by some less effective Spanish troops. The British also send some rifleman down the ravine to support their advance.

The Riflemen shield the advance as the battle in the centre and French left rages. 

French cavalry supported by infantry hold the high ground. The high ground is worth 2 Victory Points to the French. Each destroyed unit is worth 1 VP and the first to 7 VPs wins.

The British left holds fast and is able to push back the French left removing the French threat on that flank.

The French attack in the centre looks imposing however British musketry proves effective. Both sides take casualties and a battalion of French combined Grenadiers charge and overrun the unsupported British gun line. 

The British now launch their attack on the hill . Both sides have lost 5 units and the British have their best troops in the final push.

British musketry proves telling and as the volleys hit home the French lose 2 more VPs and victory goes to the British.

Another fun and closely fought game of DBN.

DBN - Plancenoit

It's been a while since my classic Napoleonics have had an outing so I got them out and played a quick solo DBN game using the Plancenoit scenario from DBNwargaming.

I used 50mm unit frontage so increased the table size to 30 by 30 inches and used 1.25" = 100 paces.

The Prussians opened the game with some effective counter battery fire with the first shot causing 2 hits and a shaken status on one of the French guns. Both French guns were destroyed by the end of turn 3.

With the French artillery destroyed their left wing is made up of a single unit of Hussars.

Plancenoit is defended by a unit of Alberken infantry. A detachment defends the cottage which represents the church.

Bulow pushes forward his troops in massed columns.

The French cavalry attack a unit of Prussian Light Cavalry.  Both units have 2 hits and are shaken so its winner takes all. The French win and get a breakthrough charge and hit the  leading unit of Prussian attack column who are able to form square and drive off the French cavalry and then destroy them with musketry.

On turn 6 the Young Guard reinforcements arrive and use a good CAP throw and STMs (Strategic Moves) to quickly reach Plancenoit.

Its turn 9 and the Prussians close on Plancenoit ready to launch an assault next turn.

A unit of Guard arrives on Turn 9 and moves up.

On turn 11 the Prussian assault goes in. The first column fails to break in. The second is however successful and takes Plancenoit.

On turn 11 the French Old Guard counter attacks. Both units count as in being in bad going. The French are on a 4 the Prussians regulars a 2. The French roll a 4 the Prussians a 6. The melee is a tie. Both sides take a hit and a the units are locked in a desperate melee. 

In Turn 12 the Prussians are able to take the Church ( a strongpoint in DBN). However even though the Old Guard are shaken they beat the Prussians regulars and recapture Plancenoit. On the final French turn the Young Guard storm and recapture the church. 

A french victory but it was close.

Another fun game of DBN.

Charge Rules

I use the Charge rules for gaming with my classic Napoleonics. Yesterday I went to Vapnartak in York for my first Wargame show in 2 years. It was busy however there was sufficient space as there were no large demo games or the bring and buy.

The show was predominantly a trader show. I has gone along to catch up with LAOW forum members with nothing much on my shopping list other than some MDF bases.

Well I was pleasantly surprised to find an old copy of the Athena Charge booklet for the principle sum of three pounds.

This is a slimmed down version of the full Charge rules using smaller units and half scale measurements and was published in 1981.

On the back page there is useful play sheet.

However what is most useful are the Napoleonic amendments and I am  pleased to have copy of these.

On other matters I have almost finished rebasing my 15mm North Africa collection. Italian tanks, artillery and Bersaglieri motorcycles are now done.

Those men on grey horses are terrifying

I have had a squadron of Scots Greys on my painting table for a while now.  So this weekend I took a break from my 15mm WW2 and finished them off.

I got these original Hinton Hunt figures a few years ago and the previous owner had made alterations including docking the tails.  They needed a bit of work particularly on the swords which were fragile. The trumpeter was made by a transplant from a Newline figure.

I decided that I wanted a variety of grey horses.  I googled different images and then painted each horse trying to match the pictures. 

The figures themselves took some to complete. The detail was hard to see and  the red, yellow and white needed multiple coats of paint to build up the depth of colour.

I have another 6 figures undercoated awaiting their turn in the painting queue.

Ayton Wargaming Weekend

I have been away this weekend in East Ayton, near Scarborough, for a weekend of wargaming with the LAOW 

I arrived on Friday and joined in an ACW game using a set of rules based on the Perry's Firepower set.

I commanded two union brigades and faced three brigades of rebels. 

My first brigade looks across the field at a mass of yelling rebs intent on overthrowing our lines.

My second brigade had already been in action and retired to recover and reform. I managed to rally some of the men and re order the ranks. Before sending them forward into the cauldron of combat.

The Confederates were massing their third brigade to take the theimportant crossroads in the centre of the table. But for some unexplained reason the brigade failed to move forward any further failing 3 activations in a row.

On Saturday morning I put on a game using my classic Napoleonics using the classic Charge rules, with a few of my own amendments. The game featured the French facing a combined Anglo-Prussian army. Although out numbered the French had a central position and had the opportunity to beat the British before the Prussians could force a defile and capture the village in the valley.

The game played fast and furious with the Prussian initial attack on the village being thrown back. The Russo German legion slowly advance through the hilly woods.

The French bombard the British, successfully destroy one of the guns, and slowly advance. The British launch the Lifeguards in an attempt to slow the French however the French stand firm and easily repel the British Cavalry.  

In the centre the British Fusiliers move forward and are supported by the Brunswick Cavalry who clash with a regiment of French Dragoons. The melee see saws backwards and forwards before both sides fall back to recover. 

The British Infantry are still holding the ridge and with the French Infantry strength reduced Bonaparte decides to break off using his still intact cavalry to cover the retreat.

After a spot of lunch I spent the afternoon playing a 24 point game of DBN with Alex T one of the authors of the rules. The game was an 1813 engagement between Austrians and French.

The game was set up with the Austrian  attacking the French. The French had garrisonned a built up area and non linear fortification. As this was only my second game of DBN I decided to attack both.

The dice gods were with the Austrians who successfully captured the BUA and NLF  and turned and destroyed the French right.  The French quickly reached their 12 unit loss break point and the Austrians claimed a victory.

Sunday morning dawned cold with a touch of snow. We gathered and set up the group game of shiny toy soldiers using the 'A Gentlemans War' rules.  In all we had 12 players and we werre split up with our own00 section of table and opponent. 

The game was set as an invasion of Albion by a coalition of various european armies, both real and imaginary. I was on the side of the invaders and was up against Mr H, seen here in the green shirt.

My forces deployed at the start of the game.

The British slightly outnumbered me so I decided to play a bit more defensively rather than my normal aggressive tactics. My brave boys take up their positions ready to pour murderous fire  on the British.

The Brotish lead unit of Scots win the prise for the best troops on the table with those rather natty looking trousers.

My initial volleys damage the advancing Scots and the Post Office rifles seen with the white pith helmets in the background.

The British are however able to deploy their Infantry and either the extra numbers start to take a heavy toll of my army.

With the British cavalry successfully defeating my cavalry on the flank it was time for me to concede.

In all a jolly good weekend.