Blunders

 Dave duly arrived on Tuesday for our planned First Carlist War game, again using Black Power II rules once again taking command of the Isabelino forces in the role of Generalissimo Juan Cornetta.

The Carlists would again be defending the approaches to the city of Rawnsla against the approaching Isabelino forces hoping to capitalise on their steadfast defence in the previous game.

Now who was to know that this game would see two game records, namely five yes five blunders and so many failed order rolls by Dave that I certainly lost count, to make matters worse we were once again trialling half movement rates! By the time the Isabelinos had shaken out into some semblance of an attack the fire coming from the Carlists had took its toll first one and then two Isabelino battalions breaking which broke the Spanish brigade leaving the equally tardy British Auxiliary Legion the vain hope of carrying the Carlist position, with no choice but to withdraw.

Below are some photos and comments of the action or inaction perhaps😉

The Isabelino Spanish brigade deploy.

The Carlists await their advance.

All quiet on the Carlist left, and long would it remain so.

The Carlist centre and right still waiting.

The Isabelinos advance! Finally.

Fire is exchanged as the Isabelino advance gets sort of underway.

The Royal Marines second rocket explodes in situ, there is a pattern emerging here 

The British Auxillary Legion lead the way.

The Carlists are ready and waiting.

The Isabelino attack starts to get into gear.

British Auxillary Legion lancers move up to support the line cavalry.

Turn ten and the Isabelino brigade breaks leaving the Carlists in control of the goats and the road to Rawnsla.

Although we did not really get a feel for how the half movement panned out we did not feel it would work without changing the firing ranges too, this would we feel slow the game too much. We may try limiting moves to two and a unit only being able to move once and fire next time.

TTFN & KBO

 

Holidays

 Has I mentioned in my previous post, on our way home I planned to do a slight detour to take in Attack! at Devizes.

It is at a local school so the show is split over several rooms which makes it look not very busy but it certainly seemed busy to me. It had a nice mix of traders and games, several you don't see in our neck of the woods, a modest spend by yours truly but see later.

Some games which caught my eye

Below, 28mm Arnhem, Oosterbeck western flank perimeter by Hereford Old Guard.

Pyrrhus  V Romans by Skirmish Wargames.

West Country smuggling, 28mm by Combined Oppos.

Show loot

Now the holiday bit you can skip so you do not get bored, but they are mostly military related.

Tintagel

The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Museum, Bodmin

We popped into Devizes town for lunch these caught my eye, a turreted spire, 15th century houses and the town lock up.

On returning home this order from Perry Miniatures I ordered while away were awaiting me, hence the modest show spend.  

A First Carlist War game is planned for Tuesday, stand by for that, until then......

TTFN & KBO

Contrasts

You know how it is when you get new toys, I couldn't resist doing a trial.

Apart from a couple of horses previously, my first foray into contrast paints too.

Many thanks to Matt Bickley for the advice and tips and the kind donation of extra figures to the Emperor's cause.

Base colours on

Undercoat GW Wraith bone, warn your wallet of the hit.

Shako and other black bits - Black Templar

Musket - Wildwood

Pack - Gore Grunta Fur

Great Coat - Basilicanum Grey

Coat - Leviadon Blue

Piping and collar - Blood Angels Red

Non contrast

Flesh Vallejo - Cork Brown

Vallejo - Oily Steel for the musket.

Vallejo - Brass for, well the brass bits.

Vallejo - Medium Blue for the pompom 

Below hit with Army Painter Strong or Soft Tone to ones liking, in this case Soft Tone.

Here he is below highlighted up where deemed appropriate in his case the colours below were used

White bits - Vallejo Silver grey, Ivory or Off White to taste 

Coat - Vallejo Prussian Blue

Musket stock - Vallejo Mahogany Brown

Greatcoat - Vallejo Basalt Grey

Flesh - Vallejo Game Color Dwarf Skin and Model Color Dark Flesh.

Below the finished figure

I have decide on a 40x50x3mm base this keeps the frontage narrow and the depth allows firing figures not to have the musket sticking out too far

Written down it all seems rather long winded but over the weekend I completed twelve foot and three mounted figures using Contrast paints.

How do they compare to my normal layer method?

Spot the difference above a mix of Contrast and Layer. The "painted and on the table three foot away" maxim applies I think.

No game next week I am away in sunny, one can wish, the outlook is not good, Cornwall. I am hoping to detour to Devizes on the way home to visit the Attack show.

TTFN & KBO

Commanders

While I was going through the First Carlist War "extras" box I unearthed a Carlist command group, part of a Christmas gift from Dave. A tad rude of me not to have painted them yet I thought, so after completing the two skirmish units featured in the last post I set to.

I don't think we ever found out the manufacturer or if we did I have certainly forgotten, any ideas Dave?

En Avant!

General de Brigade, Pierre Bauduin, killed leading an attack on Hougoumont at Waterloo.

A freebie figure from the 2015 Partizan show I painted a while ago.

He will be leading a brigade on foot (unlike the real life Bauduin who lead the attack on horseback)in my new project, though somewhat earlier and more southerly.

My new project was inspired by Dave's new endeavour and reading Warwick's campaign reports using his Soldiers of Napoleon rules on his Move to Contact blog. I am revisiting the Napoleonic period having previously had a French army in 15mm many years ago and a half hearted attempt at a Russian army in 25mm just before that.

It begins

I have also, much to dismay of the war purse, stocked up on some GW contrast paints to help speed up the process, encouraged and given some handy tips from Dave's son Matt who gets stunning results on his Napoleonic armies.

Also on order is a copy of Soldiers of Napoleon together with the new Peninsular supplement.

Wish me luck.

TTFN & KBO