I Have Been To....

OK I pinched the title from another blogger....

No painting this week as I  have been dog-sitting for a week "in foreign parts".  This does not, however, mean that I have been idle on the wargaming front.


Saturday 18th July - Halifax shop where I purchased:

Caesar 105 - Goblins

The 'strap-line' is "You could resist Goblins no longer!" I cannot deny it.  Will be added to my growing Fantasy collection.

Strelets 0024 - French Light Infantry (Crimean War)

The box art shows zoaves & other light troops in equal numbers.  Inside were 9 of the former and 35 of the latter - this will teach me to check the PSR site before buying.  The lights will, no doubt, be given to Ian.

Caesar 011 - Assyrian Chariot

Another contribution to my growing Assyrian army.


Wednesday 22nd July - Burnley Wargames Club:

Not that easy to find but worth the effort.  A friendly group where I got roped into playing a Napoleonic scenario using a modified version of "Fire & Fury" rules.  Thanks for the warm welcome lads and hope to see you at Recon.


Thursday 23rd July - Pennine Raiders (Halifax):

Seems that the wargames club had been taken in by the Raiders after they lost their former premises.  The Working Mens Club soon filled up with a variety of games including Fog Renaissance, Warhammer Ancient Battles & 40k.


Saturday 25th July - "The First Colonial Soldiers"

My neighbour had taken in three weighty volume by authors Weiner Drenth & Jonathon Riley.  Haven't had time for more than a quick flip through - bit disappointed that there are no colour plates but you can't have everything I suppose. 

Subtitled "A survey of British overseas territories and their garrisons, 1650-1714" they should provide plenty of information about the Renaissance period. 

Volume 1: the British Isles, Europe, Asia and Africa covers - the Channel Isles, Isle of Man, Dunkirk, Tangier, Gibraltar, Minorca, West Africa, East India and the Spice Islands.

Volume 2: the Americas and the Caribbean part 1: New England and the Middle Colonies.

Volume 2: the Americas and the Caribbean part 2: the Southern Colonies and the West Indies.

I have another book to read first before I can get down to a serious look-see but in due course dear reader..........

Mae Cymraeg yw dod

The Welsh Are Coming!

Some additions to my Medieval forces - Welsh archers & spearmen plus a couple of crosbowmen.  The Welsh archers on the left are painted in a livery suitable for 'continental adventures'.  Welsh spearmen and right side archers are for 'home' use.  The xbow are more general-purpose as they are not French (and therefore not usuable for the Wars of the Roses).

Renaissance progress

On the left - mercenary pikes

On the right -  Wallachian or Moldavian warband

Whilst sorting out a box of items I came across some 3/4 painted DBA-RRR figures.  Unfortunately the explanatory note was missing - so an hour was wasted working out what these figures were.  Seems that I had planned 'Dutch Rebellion' and 'Transylvanian, Moldavian & Wallachian' armies.  Missing units are - 1 x Cv (Dutch) plus 2 x Lh (TMW).  Luckily I can make them up from my supply box.

Hopefully, when time permits, I will finish the painting and start on the missing units.

7 Years War

No DBM this week as we were on our second 7YW period scrap using 'Age of Reason' rules.  This time it was American War of Independence.  The battle turned on a charge by American dragoons on a line of Legion skirmishers - said skirmishers fled along with their supporting dragoons.  From that point on the British side collapsed.  As a re-fight of Camden it was not historical.

The previous week my right-wing cavalry were destroyed by the enemy horse with the infantry on both sides doing little.

Chris & Al seem to like these rules and for infantry they are fine giving a reasonable result.  For cavalry it's another story - very lengthy procedures plus a dominence of the battlefield.  I don't know enough about the general period to say if this is historical or not but certainly in the American theatre cavalry were not usually very effective.

On the other table was an interesting board/miniature game - Spartacus.  Four players took the part of Lanistra (gladiator school proprieters).  Everybody seemed to enjoy it, even the spectators.