Monday 18 January 2010

Battalion Guns Finished.

I set up a couple of battalions a side to take some shots with the battalion guns.




August von Bruckenheim appraises one of his new guns.










Saturday 9 January 2010

More new units prepared.

A shot from the last game.
Zvezda Prussian Grenadiers. The models are very nice but the separate arms are quite fiddly to put on and don't fit so well. I found that it is best to put the left arms on first and that it's not good to enlarge the holes on the torso to fit the tighter arms as they won't stay in place without glue. It is best to persevere pushing them into the holes as they will eventually fit in.

This will be a unit of Eisenburg-Essling Grenadiers. I know that the Grenadier units did not have colours and that the colours supplied in the Zvezda box are the incorrect shape and design but I thought I'd still use them as this is fantasy after all. I've got two ensigns so I'm going to use them both in this unit.
As for the uniform for this prestigious regiment I'm thinking of yellow coats, waistcoats and breeches with red facings and white gaiters.


The last squadron of Altstein Dragoons to the front with the spare Colonel used to command the Grenadiers.




Tuesday 5 January 2010

Prep. commences on some new units.

Italeri AWI French infantry will become Altstein troops in blue pseudo Prussian uniforms.
A firing line unit.

Note the battalion guns on the extreme right, these are Imex AWI artillery which have undersized cannons that I thought might do for battalion guns. Three crew or two crew
what do you guys reckon would be best?.


Tomorrow I'll cover this lot in PVA glue and if the weather ever warms up a bit I'll get them sprayed with black primer.

Monday 4 January 2010

Order cards in action.

I'm on a week's holiday so set up a version of a Table Top Teaser to try out the order card idea.
The Eisenburg-Essling forces arrive in marching columns.

The Altsteiners arrive to contend the pass.

The order cards are placed.

Von Essling advances boldly.

The cavalry clash.

The Jagers enter the town.

The Eisenburg Dragoons are routed by the Hussars! and the Jagers make an outflanking move.

The Grenadiers clash.

Von Essling is becoming cornered.

The Essling Grenadiers triumph but are still in danger.

The noose tightens.

Charge!, the guns are taken and the Essling Grenadiers defeated. Fritz von Essling is forced to surrender.
I reckon the order cards worked OK, on the downside they clutter the table till the moves are taken, but on the upside the planning of the moves seems more realistic with the limited options than just moving each unit where I wish.
I need some more for Fall Back Facing The Enemy, Fall Back In Haste , Rally Back and Rally In Place.

I'll try them again soon.
It may be better just to write an order roster after all .

Sunday 3 January 2010

Using initiative for moves in "Charge".

I find that dicing for which side moves first during the movement phase works quite well for solo games, I've never been a fan of written orders anyway but as an almost exclusively solo player written orders would be pointless. 

 However, I am attempting to refine the system to gain some of the feel of the written orders used in "Charge" and "The War Game". I have made up some order chits which will be chosen in initiative order and placed by the units before carrying out the instructions on the chits as a simultaneous move.

 The chits are as follows:-CHARGE, ADVANCE WITH HASTE, ADVANCE WITH CAUTION,WHEEL TO THE LEFT, WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, FORM LINE, FORM COLUMN, FORM MARCHING COLUMN, LIMBER UP THE GUNS, DEPLOY THE GUNS, MANHANDLE THE GUNS, DEPLOY INTO OPEN ORDER and EXTRAORDINARY ORDERS. 

 I printed these chits in a flowery old fashioned font for appearances. There are no move distances specified as these will depend on formation but the Advance with caution will be at a rate that allows shooting and the Advance with haste chit is at maximum possible speed with no shooting.
 I have no chit for a unit standing still, I will use a blank side or maybe make some. Shooting is also not specfied and is dependant on targets being available after moving and is left to the unit commanders rather than orders from the CinC. 
The Extraordinary Orders chit will be used for blowing bridges and the like!. I will try these out soon and report on their effect.

Friday 1 January 2010

Happy New Year - A Table Top Teaser

Well we had a bit of snow today which meant we had to stay at home instead of visiting my mother in law. Mmm... what else could I do?.

How about that non-campaign game ?. We went for a modified capture the bridge scenario from CS Grants Table Top Teasers book published by Battlegames.
The Eisenburg-Essling forces advance to take the bridge at Kronstadt.

But the bridge is being prepared for demolition.


The Altstein infantry prepare to defend.




A pensive looking Little Ted ponders his next move.
Little Ted has been quite upset lately since he heard that some wargamers make thatched roofs from a mixture of teddy bear fur and plaster.



After a brief cavalry battle the Altstein Dragoons flee over the bridge.


The pressure is building on the defenders.


Roll up the flank!.



Getting close.


The guns are saved.



The Altstein Grenadiers bear the brunt of the attacks.



BOOM!.


So near, yet, so far.

Oh dear Little Ted counts his casualties as he tastes bitter defeat.


(photography by my 13 year old son John Liddle).