Now And Then

Way back in 1989, that's what I have written on base with initials I made this building. The base and walls are plywood coated in Polyfilla, no MDF those days, I am not even sure if it was a thing?

The garden wall I am not sure about, Gallia perhaps? The roof is off a farm building in the children's farm set, it was broken anyway, honest. The window and door frame is made with match sticks, the chimney pots and guttering are from Wills railway accessories. The gate is from a Tamiya scenery kit and the tree a good old K & M one.

It is rarely used these days, in light of my latest fluttering Dave suggested it could be used again, in a case of great minds..... Or? I had already got it out the loft with a view to sprucing it up.

Voila! 

It has turned out well I thought.

Until next time ........................KBO

Valour and Fortitude I

 When I first read through Valour and Fortitude rules my immediate reaction was that they didn’t appear to have much that Black Powder didn’t deliver in game enjoyment terms. On top of of this I had serious doubts about playing on a 6 x 4 table with the corresponding lower unit count and folk saying that they were quite bloody, but then seem to enjoy them, so after all they are free and with army sheets for the periods I game I felt we should give them a try.

This week I put on a First Carlist War game to try them out, Dave took command of the Isabelino forces while I commanded the Carlist forces.

The government forces.

The Carlist forces.

The Carlists win the initiative and begin their advance.

The Isabelino forces move off to attempt to get around the Carlist left flank, this will take time as the terrain is heavy going, it does however pin some of the Carlist battalions who must holdback to counter it.

Dave sends the British Auxiliary Legion in to pin the Carlist right centre and flank.

Meanwhile the Carlist left centre has come to a halt with having to counter the advance of the Isabelino infantry and heavy cavalry.

The Auxiliary Legion lancers having already forced the Carlist Ontario hussars to retreat of table play a Fate Card, surprise attack! They charge headlong into the Carlist remaining cavalry flank routing them.

A simultaneous attack by the heavy cavalry is repulsed by the steadfast Carlist Navarre battalion in line! Dave needing 3+ and rolling 1 and two 2s!

The Carlists were now hemmed in and threatened with two cavalry units and a horse artillery battery plus the approaching battalions from the right they threw in the towel.

What did we think of the rules? Well we both thought there was lots to like, I particularly liked that different levels of troops had different firing, melee and morale values, with BP one has to use separate rules to reflect this and remember to apply them. They are definitely intended for use with large multi player games, do they transpose to smaller two person games? The jury is out on this at the moment but we will give them another run out using my Triple Alliance forces in a couple of weeks time. By the way they do play fast we managed five turns in just under two hours not bad for a first game we thought.

Until next time……………KBO 

Another Mixed Bag

 Here are a few items I have completed so far this month for three different collections. First up a bit of late medieval colour in the form of some Italian Wars Italian sword and buckler men. Perry Miniatures figures, hand painted shields on a bespoke base from the ever obliging Warbases.

Next up some boring old World War II stuff, more for the 1944 partisan brigade in the form of a 50mm mortar and crew. Britannia Miniatures via Grubby Tanks on you’ve guessed it a Warbases base.

Finally for the War of the Triple Alliance a mounted command figures for each side from Perry Miniatures of course on bases from you know who. First up a Paraguayan, next a Brazilian.

Tomorrow will see the first outing of the year for the First Carlist War collection, when we will, yes I know I have said I didn’t know what it could offer that Black Powder can’t, Valour and Fortitude! We will see.

Until next time………………..KBO

Mixed Bag

 These are figures that I have completed the rump end of July and the beginning of this month. First up is the first four figures from the latest Empress Miniatures Spanish Civil War release.

Next up is another batch of Soviet partisans, again Britannia Miniatures from Grubby Tanks.

To finish off some Italian Wars additions, Dave kindly gave me this Wargames Illustrated Giants in Miniature figure who I have painted up to represent a character my fictional family Baldini family, Principe Fillipo Baldini and his faithful hound Jacamo from Steel Fist Miniatures.

Inspired by receipt of the above and Dave’s current output of Wars of the Roses figures I dug out this Perry Miniatures cannon and crew.

Back in the Italian wars vein I cleaned up a unit of sword and buckler men which are now under the brush.

 

A Question Of Scale

Saturday saw the return by my wife and I to the Battle of Evesham Medieval event after several years being missed due to coinciding holidays and once to the awful weather.

In conjunction with the event was the Barons War Wargames event, as you would imagine the majority of the games in display were medieval themed. There was also a healthy trade presence supported by among others Athena, Gripping Beast, Ironclad and Tiger Miniatures. The games were all of a magnificent standard as you can glean from the following photos of games that particularly caught my eye

A fictional Wars of the Roses battle.

Dr. Rob Jones was in hand demonstratin his upcoming skirmish rules 

The well deserved winner of best in show was this German Peasants War game.

Scaling up here are some reenactment shots from the event.

Well worth a visit, entry is free and if you take advantage of the events party and ride £10 entry to the wargames event was a modest £2.

Until next time.....................KBO