Marmont - The Balkan Marshal

The Napoleonic Wars podcast has been running a series on Napoleon's Greatest Marshals. The format involves guests pitching for one of the Marshals, the panel discusses and listeners are encouraged to comment and vote. The latest edition features a series of underdogs, as pitches are heard for Oudinot, Poniatowski, Grouchy and Marmont.

I delivered the pitch for Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont, Duke of Ragusa, or the Balkan Marshal as I prefer to call him. I admit, something of an underdog in this contest, but I argue that the predominant Anglo-Centric view of the Napoleonic Wars often ignores events outwith the Peninsular. Marmont was a more rounded professional than most of his contemporaries, To use a cricket analogy, he could bat at number 5 and still bowl the opposition out. Perhaps the most educated and cultured of the Marshals and one of the few to write a thesis on the art of war. A talented strategist, understanding the art of command and the movement of troops. His military, diplomatic and administrative skills make him the premier Marshal of France. He also has the best portrait!

For those not familiar with Marmont, here is a short biography, as we were asked to pitch qualities rather than simply tell a story.

Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont, Duke of Ragusa, was born in 1774 into an army family. His father was a former officer and a member of the petite noblesse, but like many of that class, he adopted the principles of the Revolution. His father made him learn mathematics before entering the artillery. Here, he met one Napoleon Bonaparte, serving together at Toulon.

Marmont became Bonaparte's aide-de-camp, stuck with him during his disgrace and accompanied him to Italy and Egypt, winning distinction and promotion to general of brigade. In 1799, he returned to Europe with him. He was present at the coup d'état of the 18th Brumaire and organised the artillery for the expedition to Italy, which he commanded with great effect at Marengo. For this, he was at once made general of division. In 1801, he became inspector-general of artillery and, in 1804, grand officer of the Legion of Honour. In 1805, he commanded a corps at the great manoeuvre of Ulm. 

The peace with Austria gave France new territories in Dalmatia. He took possession of much of Dalmatia despite a powerful Russian force with a small army and occupied the Republic of Ragusa. For the next five years, he was military and civil governor of Dalmatia, and traces of his rule still survive in public works and memory. In 1808, he was made Duke of Ragusa. In the 1809 campaign, he advanced from Dalmatia and defeated Gyulai's corps in the Battle of Graz before marching to support Napoleon at Vienna and in the Battle of Wagram. He got his Marshals baton after that battle.

After Massena failed in Spain, Napoleon turned to Marmont for another independent command. He outmanoeuvred Wellington in the relief of Cuidad Rodrigo. He was defeated at Salamanca. But he was wounded early in the battle, along with his deputy, and command went down to Clauzel. After recovering from his wounds, he served in the 1813 campaign, commanding a corps at  Lützen, Bautzen and Dresden. He then fought throughout the great defensive campaign of 1814, fighting a skilful retreat. At this stage, he and others recognised the game was up, and he led negotiations with the Allies. 

He stuck to his oath to the Bourbons and didn’t rejoin Napoleon at Waterloo. He also voted in favour of Ney's execution. He held many posts during the restoration and was major-general of the guard on duty during the July 1830 Revolution. Although he disagreed with his orders to put down the revolution, he did his best but was overwhelmed. Charles X initially ordered his arrest, but he left France with him. He wandered Europe, even becoming the Austrian appointed tutor to the Duke of Reichstadt, the young man who had once for a few weeks been styled Napoleon II. He died in Venice in March 1852, the last living Napoleonic marshal.

And if you don't subscribe to podcasts, here is the pitch in a written format.

Hi. My name is Dave Watson, and I am pitching for Marshal Auguste Marmont, Duke of Ragusa. For me, the Balkan Marshal is an obvious choice, but he is perhaps something of a challenge in this project. When most English-speaking Napoleonic buffs think of Marmont, they immediately think of Salamanca. That battle may not have been his finest moment, but I would ask you to look at his record more broadly. 

Marmont was born into an army family and entered the artillery. Here, he met one Napoleon Bonaparte, serving together at Toulon. His early military service highlights include:

• Bonaparte's aide-de-camp in Egypt, winning distinction and promotion.

• Organised the artillery in subsequent Italian campaigns. 

• Commanded a corps at the great manoeuvre of Ulm 1805

The peace with Austria gave France new territories in Dalmatia, where I first came to appreciate Marmont in the research for my book on the Napoleonic Wars in the Adriatic. He took possession of much of Dalmatia with a small army despite a powerful Russian force. For the next five years, he was military and civil governor of Dalmatia, and traces of his rule still survive in public works and memory. He introduced the rule of law prison reform and abolished torture and flogging (playing to Zac here!). He created schools and colleges. Most South Slav historians agree he ruled well, and streets were named after him until WW2. He was liked despite having to finance the cost of the French administration and fund war reparations.

The Illyrian province's appointment was challenging, given the geography and the different religions and nationalities. His staff included interpreters speaking seven different languages. Marmont learned Croatian and sponsored a dictionary. He also built effective diplomatic relations with the Bosnians and Ottomans.

His Balkan campaigns may not be well understood in Britain, but they weren't a sideshow to Napoleon. Writing to his brother Joseph, then King of Naples, he said, ‘Corfu is so important to me that its loss would deal a fatal blow to my plans. The Adriatic would be closed, and your kingdom would have on its left flank a port where the enemy could assemble to attack you. You must regard it as more valuable than Sicily. Mark my words: in the current situation in Europe the worst misfortune that can happen to me is to lose Corfu.’  

Militarily, Marmont performed brilliantly in Dalmatia, making what John Elting calls "a remarkable 300 mile march through frequently roadless country, scattering two Austrian forces, but clinging to his independent status..." He fought in challenging conditions, with two successful incursions into Bosnia to defeat Ottoman forces and deter raiding. The Austrians struggled to do the same.

In the 1809 campaign, he advanced from Dalmatia and defeated Gyulai's corps in the Battle of Graz before marching to support Napoleon at Vienna and in the Battle of Wagram. After that, he got his Marshals baton, although his detractors pointed out that Napoleon said, "Between ourselves, you have not done enough to justify entirely my choice." That was a bit ungrateful, although it may reflect the fact that Marmont had a detached command for most of the campaign. He delivered independently when others operated mainly under the Emperor's supervision.

After Massena failed in Spain, Napoleon turned to Marmont for another independent command. He outmanoeuvred Wellington in the relief of Cuidad Rodrigo. Yes, he was defeated at Salamanca. But he was wounded early in the battle, along with his deputy, and command went down to Clauzel. After recovering from his wounds, he commanded a corps in the 1813 campaign. He then fought throughout the great defensive campaign of 1814, fighting a skilful retreat. At this stage, he and others recognised the game was up, and he led negotiations with the Allies. 

He stuck to his oath to the Bourbons and didn’t rejoin Napoleon at Waterloo. He held many posts during the restoration and was major-general of the guard on duty during the July 1830 Revolution. Although he disagreed with his orders to put down the revolution, he did his best but was overwhelmed. He died in Venice in March 1852, the last living Napoleonic marshal.

Why does Marmont not get the recognition he deserves?

• In the English-speaking world, there is no biography. His memoirs were published in French after he died in 1857, and there is a long, out-of-print 1968 French biography. In any case, we are obsessed with the Peninsular War and Waterloo in Britain, and Marmont excelled in less fashionable theatres of war.

• Bonapartists hated him because they claimed he 'betrayed' Napoleon in 1814. And he didn't return to the fold in 1815. This showed superior political judgement and honoured the oath he had just given the Bourbons. In French, the verb "raguser"—derived from his title, the Duke of Ragusa- was a household word in France that meant "to betray".

• The Royalists also disliked him because they claimed he did not put down the 1830 revolution. 

In conclusion, he was the most rounded of the Marshals. To use a cricket analogy, he could bat at number 5 and still bowl the opposition out. Perhaps the most educated and cultured of the Marshals and one of the few to write a thesis on the art of war. A talented strategist, understanding the art of command and the movement of troops. His military, diplomatic and administrative skills make him the premier Marshal of France.

There is more on Marmont in my book The Frontier Sea.

Russo-Turkish War 1768-1774 - on the tabletop

 I started this project in 28mm after reading Brian Davies' excellent book on the war and Simon Sebag Montefiore's biography of Potemkin. I began with the North Star range, which include the distinctive Potemkin helmets. I have added some of the new Claymore Castings Russian SYW range as not all the units would have converted to the new regulations. For now the project is completed, although I am planning to add some more Ottomans to my 6/8mm armies for the larger battles.

North Star 28mm Russian's with the Potemkin helmets

For over a hundred years before this conflict, the Russian tsars had gradually expanded their southern borders at the Ottomans' expense. They established military colonies on the border, with support from the Cossack hosts. Empress Catherine II took advantage of the weakened Ottoman Empire and the end of the Seven Years' War to assert Russian power. If this sounds familiar in a modern context, it should!

The war started with the Khotin campaign of 1769 in modern-day Ukraine. An attempt to storm Khotin failed, but the siege was eventually successful, and the Russians moved into Wallachia (modern Romania), capturing Bucharest. The Russians consolidated their success in 1770 with a major victory at Kagul in August, forcing the Ottomans to flee back across the Danube. The Russians also sent a fleet into the Mediterranean from the Baltic, which stirred up revolts in Greece and Dalmatia. The Ottoman navy was more effective on the Danube, making it difficult for the Russians to cross the river until they developed their own flotilla. The war became a war of outposts, straining both sides and their finances. A peace treaty was signed in 1774, which created an independent Crimea, moved the border further south into Moldavia, and allowed the Russians to gain key Black Sea forts. 

You can see from this outline that the war offers a range of wargaming opportunities. The Potemkin helmets are nice, but a Russian SYW army will do fine if you don't want to collect a one-off army. It could be a challenge anyway, as it looks like I got the last of the range that has gone from the North Star site. The war of outposts in Wallachia suits the 28mm figures and rules like Rebels and Patriots. The Greek and Dalmatian campaigns can add some additional colour. There are also naval actions suitable for Black Seas, including the Battle of Chesma 1770 and a Middle East prelude to the later Revolutionary Wars campaigns in Egypt and the Levant.

Some of the Claymore castings 28mm range

Light Artillery from Claymore Castings

These are uniformed Don Cossacks, but irregular types were also used.

I got all the units onto the table for a game of Rebels & Patriots on Sunday. It is usual to downgrade Russian shooting and upgrade their melee capability for this period. However, the Ottoman troops shooting was certainly no better, so I left the Russians as per the standard R&P line infantry and downgraded the Janissaries shooting and upped their fighting to 'aggressive'. This gave the Janissaries the edge in combat, so long as they don't lose too many figures before they charge in. I am going to try a few more permutations in future games.

The Russians deployed. 5 infantry units, artillery and Cossacks

Here come the Janissaries

It ended badly for Potemkin, with this final stand on the hill.

Battleground Show

 I was at the Battleground wargames show in Middlesborough yesterday, thankfully mostly dodging Storm Burt. It was held in a new venue, Middlesborough Sports Village, a significantly larger sports hall with good parking and easy to find. The catering struggled with the numbers; otherwise, it is a good venue. There was plenty of room, possibly aided by the weather, which perhaps put some folk off travelling. Entry is also free. And the cupcake stall was superb!

There was enough room for 33 traders, 25 games and five living history groups. Battleground is one of my favourite shows because it adds reenactors and three historical talks to the usual wargames show. I picked up some more sci-fi infantry for Xenos Rampant at an excellent price, bits of scenery and a German memoir of the Gallipoli campaign that I hadn't seen before. 

It was nice to be at a show that I wasn't running a game at, which meant I had time to chat with the traders and players. With one eye on the weather, I left a little earlier than planned, but there was plenty to keep anyone engaged for the day.

There were some very good games, several of which I hadn't seen before. Here are a few examples.

Andy Callan was running his new Matchlocks game with Covenanters.

A Cold War game in 15mm, with the largest Soviet helicopter I have seen on a tabletop.

Black Seas. I do like the mat.

French Indian wars

A Vietnam skirmish game based on Hue.

This 10mm Malplaquet game attracted much attention on my BlueSky feed. The LED cannon fire was a nice touch.

Rorke's Drift in 28mm.

The Schlieffen Plan 1914 on a big scale.

Blitzkrieg 1940.

The East India Company - Living history.

A good day out and well worth the journey. Thanks to Pendraken for organising.

Durham and the Prince Bishops

 I was in Durham today en route to Middlesborough for tomorrow's Battleground wargames show. I haven't been for many years, and its main attraction, the cathedral, isn't a typical reason for me to visit.

However, Durham is a bit different because it was the home of the Prince Bishops, who were ecclesiastical and temporal leaders of the region in medieval times. Possibly the most famous, at least in Scotland, was Anthony Bec (or Bek), who served as the Prince-Bishop of Durham from 1283 to 1311. His dual role made him one of the most influential figures in northern England during his time, as he was Edward I's right-hand man in Scotland. 

Bek was just as happy deploying the mace as the crucifix. Taking part in Edward's campaigns in Scotland, the bishop received the surrender of King John I of Scotland at Brechin in 1296 and led one division of the English army at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298.

The cathedral is a magnificent example of a Norman church, particularly the ceiling and stained glass windows.

No one knew if Bek's tomb was in the cathedral, so I couldn't kick it! He is listed on the wall plaque.

The cathedral might be familiar to Harry Potter fans, as it was used in several films.

There is a fine chapel for the local regiment, the Durham Light Infantry, and a stone outside lists the VC winners.

The museum is also worth a visit. It houses a 17th-century edition of Bede's history, an important, if less-than-objective, primary source for early English history. They also have a rare falchion sword. No photos are allowed in that section, but you can read the story here.

The Norman castle has been built over, although you can see the outline. It is used by the university today and must be a great place to study history.

The market square has a giant statue of Charles William Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry. As Charles William Stewart, he was a cavalry commander in the Peninsular War, both under Moore and Wellington. He didn't get on well with Wellington, which was hardly unusual. On his return, he had a diplomatic and political career. His statue is here because he later became Earl Vane and Viscount Seaham of Seaham in the County Palatine of Durham.

Durham is an attractive city to walk around, with several decent bookshops and tea rooms. I may have made a few purchases! A quick half with an old pal who now lives there and on my way. I am looking forward to Battleground tomorrow.

Warden of the Queen's March

 This is the latest in my Nigel Tranter reread project. It covers the period when Mary Queen of Scots was the Queen Regnant, Scotland's first and only female ruler. The story is told through the eyes of Sir Thomas Kerr of Ferniehirst, a loyal supporter of the Queen and Border laird in the Middle March.

Mary I was Queen of Scots from 14 December 1542, although in practice only from her return to Scotland in 1561 until her forced abdication in 1567.

Mary returned to Scotland in 1561 after her first husband, King Francis II of France, died. This marked a turbulent period in her rule, as she sought to maintain Catholic traditions in a Protestant-majority kingdom. In 1565, she married her first cousin, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. The marriage deteriorated due to Darnley's behaviour and political ambitions. Darnley was murdered in 1567, a crime that implicated Mary's third husband, James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, whom she married shortly afterwards. This led to widespread scandal and rebellion. Mary was forced to abdicate in favour of her infant son, James VI of Scotland (later James I of England). After escaping and losing the Battle of Langside in 1568, she fled to England, seeking protection from her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I, but was instead imprisoned. This is where the book ends, but Mary's story then became part of the history of England and didn't end well!

Thomas Kerr was a historical figure, even though Tranter had made him a little closer to the Queen and events than he may have been. With notable historical hindsight, he advised against many of her worst mistakes, not least her choice of husbands! While there was relative peace with England (Mary was in the line of succession to the English throne), there were several rebellions. The Protestant Lords effectively ruled Scotland, and when Mary deviated too far from their position, they had the military power to depose her. Her final poor decision was fleeing to England when, despite the defeat at Langside, her cause was far from lost. The Marian Civil War continued anyway, but that is another story in which Thomas Kerr played a significant role.

Langside is a suburb of Glasgow today, and there is a large monument to the battle.

There is also a rare Balkan link in this book. Tranter has Thomas Kerr travelling to Dubrovnik, seeking medical aid from the Knights of St Lazarus for the Queen, who may have thought she had leprosy. She didn't, although she probably did suffer from a range of illnesses, including  Gastric ulceration, Porphyria, and Anorexia nervosa.

Langside is a complex but interesting battle, which I should have a go at on the tabletop.

 

Croatia Under Ante Pavelic

 This book has been sitting in my reading pile for a while. A book I should read, but anything to do with the Ustaše is bound to be a grim read. Robert McCormick's book looks at the Ustaše leader from an American policy perspective.

Ante Pavelić (1889–1959) was a Croatian fascist politician and military leader, best known as the leader of the Ustaše, a far-right ultranationalist organisation. Founded in the 1930s, the Ustaše advocated for Croatian independence but promoted an ideology of extreme nationalism, anti-Serb sentiment, and fascism. Pavelić led this movement, aligning with Axis powers during the war. He was the Poglavnik (leader) of the NDH from 1941 to 1945. Under his leadership, the Ustaše carried out a campaign of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and forced conversions targeting Serbs, Jews, and Roma, leading to the deaths of hundreds of thousands.

After the Axis defeat in 1945, Pavelić fled Europe with assistance from Vatican-linked networks (known as 'ratlines'). He lived in exile in Argentina, Spain, and other countries, avoiding prosecution for war crimes. In 1957, Pavelić survived an assassination attempt, probably by a Yugoslav agent in Argentina, but suffered severe injuries. He died in 1959 in Spain, likely from complications related to the attack.

The author takes us through this history, focusing on how the USA perceived him. He was largely ignored in the 1930s as the US left the Balkans to the British. However, they noticed his supporters were organised among Croatian migrants in the USA. Before the war, the Ustaše was a fringe organisation with minimal support in Croatia. His involvement in the assassination of King Aleksandar put a spotlight on the organisation in the USA, which included local groups called Domobrans (defenders) and a newspaper. 140,559 Croatians were living in the US and 52,208 Serbians. Most of these migrants just wanted to get on with their new lives, but a small minority raised funds for the Ustaše in the homeland. 

Hitler and Mussolini (who had protected him in exile) picked him to lead the puppet state. His programme of ethnic cleansing appealed to Hitler in particular. The British and others were astonished when Pope Pius XII received him, although the USA took little interest. That lack of interest only changed marginally when reports of the mass murder of between 330,000 and 390,000 Serbians came in, along with the establishment of concentration camps. Jasenovac was the third largest concentration camp in Europe, only one of five in Croatia. Ironically, German generals in the Balkans were more concerned about this genocide as it drove recruits into the partisans. 

The FBI took more interest in domestic Ustaše during the war but couldn't make any legal cases against their leadership stick. In Croatia, the NDH lost its limited public support and concentrated its resources around Zagreb. The destruction of the Croatian 369th Regiment at Stalingrad further underlined Pavelic's unpopularity. When Croatia was liberated by the partisans and the Russians, Pavelic fled to Austria, then to Italy, before taking a ship to Argentina and the Peron regime. Both the US and British authorities made little effort to catch him despite the Moscow Declaration of 1943 on war criminals. The Cold War was now influencing policy towards Yugoslavia; war criminals became a secondary objective.

The USA does not come out of this book very well. They did little to investigate war crimes when they happened and failed to arrest him after the war. This has implications for the present day when some Croatian nationalists commemorate him, arguing that he can't have been that bad as the US didn't arrest him.

Painting a Ustaše unit would be a step too far for me. But I built a Croatian Air Force Me109 kit with distinctive markings.

Colkitto!

 This is a somewhat obscure tome written by Kevin Byrne, which I picked up in a secondhand bookshop. It celebrates Clan Donald of Colonsay, 1570-1647. It is less obscure when I explain that the most famous clan member during this period was Alasdair MacCholla, the commander of Montrose's Irish Brigade, the best units in his army during the high point of his campaign during the Civil Wars.

 Colonsay is a small island (8 miles by 3 miles) west of Islay and Jura. I have never been, although there is a daily ferry (two and half hours) from Oban in the summer and a weekly flight in a light aircraft.

This book focuses on the period before that campaign and gives a fascinating insight into island clan warfare. Despite its remote position, the island was fought over many times, often as part of a broader struggle between Clan MacDonald, the former Lords of the Isles, and the growing influence of the Campbells. As the leader of Clan Campbell, the Duke of Argyll used his influence in government to promote the conflict as a national one, subduing rebels.

The battles usually involved reasonably small numbers of clansmen, although Spanish and English mercenaries appeared in some of the early clashes. The last full-scale clan battle was fought on 5 August 1598 at Traigh Ghruineart (Loch Gruinart Strand) on nearby Islay. However, most actions were relatively small and over more minor matters than national security. On 11 January 1616, one Duncan MacDougall had designs on the Prior of Oransay's daughter (priests often had families in this period). When rebuffed, he decided to gather his pals and sail over to ravish her. His plans came to nought when they discovered her remote village was also home to several hundred heavily armed rebels!

Many other such actions are described in detail before we get to the Civil Wars period. This includes the campaigns in Ireland, which preceded the better-known mainland campaign. Colonsay was laid waste during these campaigns, increasing the animosity between Alasdair MacCholla and the Campbells. This resulted in Montrose losing his best units at vital times. The feud with the Campbells was always more important than the Royalist cause.

After the disaster at Philiphaugh in 1646, Alasdair continued the fight in the islands. His father was treacherously captured and executed, although Argyll was to join him not long after during the Restoration. Alastair was murdered during the fighting in Ireland.

Outwith the Tourist Information Office on Colonsay, I doubt this book has a great circulation. However, it filled some gaps in my knowledge of the period and helped my Civil Wars project. Pikeman's Lament looks like the best set of rules for the small battles described in this book.

My 15mm Highland Clansmen of the period.

Bouncer's Blenheim

 This WW2 fiction is part of a series based on Gus Beaumont, an RAF pilot who flies a remarkable (probably a bit too impressive) array of aircraft in conventional operations and clandestine flights for SOE. I was attracted to this book because it involves operations in the Mediterranean during the early war period, including Greece.

Our hero was drawn into clandestine operations by the nascent SOE. He was to fly with 421 Flight, whose task was to give early warning of bomber raids and provide cover for the intelligence gained from ULTRA. There was such a flight, although established by Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, for just this purpose. However, the book gets slightly silly when Gus, a Pilot Officer, is told about ULTRA. Needless to say, this intelligence was kept secret, and a Pilot Officer certainly wouldn't need to know. Particularly one embarking on dangerous drops over occupied France for SOE!

Gus is then sent to Greece and flies Blenheim's in the bombing of Italian ports in Albania. 

I saw this Bleheim at RAF Cosford a few weeks ago.

He is tasked with crash-landing near Corfu to join the Greek resistance and ascertain their political leanings. While that was a concern of SOE in 1944, after Churchill's Percentages Agreement with Stalin, it is hard to imagine this being a priority in 1941. SOE worked with Royalist and Communist resistance forces during the Italian and German occupation. It is certainly not important enough to deliberately crash a scarce bomber and endanger the crew.

He escapes Corfu by capturing an Italian plane and flying it to Crete, narrowly avoiding being shot down by Gladiators. He then has stints in Palestine (meeting Jewish underground forces) and, finally, Malta.

It is not a bad story, with the action moving quickly and reasonably well written. However, the history is a bit irritating in places and probably not good enough for me to finish the series.

The Marchman

 The latest in my Nigel Tranter reread tells the story of Sir John Maxwell, Warden of the West March, during the middle of the 16th century. Tranter was based in eastern Scotland and wrote less about the West, so this is an unusual subject for him.

The West, Middle, and East Marches were on each side of the Anglo-Scottish border. The Maxwells were usually the Wardens of the West March, based in Caerlaverock Castle. The wardens of the Marches on either side of the border were entrusted with the difficult task of keeping the peace and punishing wrongdoers. 

Caerlaverock has a very distinctive design.

John Maxwell was the second son, so he would not usually have become the Warden. However, he married well into the Herries family (Deputy Wardens), and his older brother was less militarily inclined and died early, leaving only a child. This was a period of considerable conflict and weak rule in Scotland.

The period covered is similar to Tranter's book Rough Wooing, but it examines events from the West. You can read the history in my review of that book. Still, Maxwell was at most of the battles, including the victory at Ancrum Moor and the defeat at Pinkie. He was typically at the head of his border mosstroopers, some of the most effective cavalry in the Scots army of the period.

Maxwell was a strong supporter of the Crown against several noble factions that controlled the country without a monarch. It was also a time of religious fervour, with the reformation in full swing. Although inclined to support religious reform, he still supported Mary Queen of Scots when she returned to Scotland. The book ends before the later period of Mary's reign and abdication. So, it doesn't cover the Battle of Langside, in which Maxwell commanded Mary's cavalry and protected her afterwards.

National events punctuate the book, which is mainly focused on the duties of a March Warden. If you are interested in the Border Reivers, then this is a good read. I have been playing some of the more significant battles recently in 15mm, using DBA Renaissance, and for the typical border skirmishing, you can't beat Border Wars.

Targe 2024

 The Targe show is held in the small town of Kirrienuir in Angus. It used to be a full-scale show in the high school, but it is now more of an extended club open day in their normal venue. There are about a dozen, mostly participation games, an excellent bring-and-buy, and Dave Thomas with all the Perry Miniatures ranges and much more besides. There is lots of good chat about the game and related historical issues.

I took another GDWS Cyprus 1974 game in the 50th anniversary year. I love the puzzled looks when folk look down on the game, wondering how T34s and Marmon Herrington armoured cars get into the same army!

Blatant positional advertising!

Not for the first time, the Turkish Air Force saved the day.

There were participation games for everyone. Sadly, running a game meant no time to sample them, but these are the ones that caught my eye.

Sudan game that won the best in show.

Impressive Gladiator game - Arena of Blood

Post-apocalypse game

Pegasus Bridge

Chain of Command

Gangs of Rome in a construction site!

The show was busy, and it was well worth the trip. Thanks to Dale and his team for organising it.