Napoleonic Black Powder

I have had a bit of reawakening interest in Napoleonics recently.

It started when I picked up the latest Charles.S. Grant, Peninsular War book, 'Wellington Invades France 1813-14' at Carronade. The usual format of these books is a concise history, clear order of battle and excellent colour plates. These are usually in campaign dress, or scruffy Peninsular that few of us actually paint our table troops in. In this volume there is a useful couple of chapters debating what the units actually looked like.

I had the pleasure some years ago of touring these battlefields with the historian Ian Fletcher and the photos brought back some memories. This is a very interesting campaign that we rarely see on the tabletop. Shame, as this is the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Toulouse.

The second reason is that our summer holiday in July will be a visit to the island of Vis (Lissa) in the Adriatic. This was a British base in the latter part of Napoleonic wars and the site of a naval action in March 1811. More on this as I start my research, including Malcolm Scott Hardy's book 'The British and Vis'. I also picked up some Warlord commandos at Carronade in anticipation of some WW2 raiding, as it was a British and Partisan base in that conflict as well. No surprise that there is still a cricket club on the island!

This all transferred onto the tabletop yesterday at the club. I dusted down my British and French in Egypt armies for a two a side Black Powder game. Again, largely inspired by Charles Grant's two volume study of these campaigns. The British line held firm on the right, but crumbled a bit on the left when a better coordinated cavalry, artillery and infantry attack did the job. Black Powder gives a fun game yet retains the feel of a Napoleonic battle and rewards historical tactics.

Donnybrook

I picked up a set of the League of Augsburg's latest rules, 'Donnybrook' at Carronade. These are skirmish rules for the period 1660-1760.

I am not a big fan of their rules so far - I just couldn't get into Lily Banners and so they have gathered dust. I don't think the same will happen with these.

The rules system is very simple with shades of Saga and can certainly deliver a fast paced game in an hour or so. The layout of the rules is straightforward and the QRF was good enough to play straight from it after just one read through the main rulebook. The rulebook is a very nice piece of work, plenty of eye candy, army lists and scenarios.

The three main unit types have ability levels of 6, 8 or 10 and they fire and engage in close combat based on D6, D8 or D10 - needing a six or higher to hit. Modifiers are kept to the minimum with as many special rules for weapons as you want. Each force is led by a character, supplemented by junior officer characters. There are some cracking special features for these in the army lists.

It's a card driven activation system, with a card for each unit and character, plus a reload and reshuffle card. I tend to find these a bit too random (as in Sharp Practice) and I am obviously not alone as the rules leave these as optional.

My test game was Hauptmann Eugen's Austrian regulars on a raid against an Ottoman block house defended by Bosnian militia led by Ahmed Aga. Some skirmishing in the woods on either side followed by a somewhat reckless charge from our hero Eugen and the dragoons. They were sent packing and that was game over for the Austrian's.

Good game and these rules are certainly worth a go if you like this period.

Life and Death in the Balkans

'Life and Death in the Balkans' is the family story of Bato Tomasevic. He was born in Montenegro and he tells the story of the region through the eyes of his family.

It starts from the wars of liberation against the Turks and the occupation of Montenegro by the Austrians in World War One. Between the wars his father was a police officer and spent some time in Kossova before returning to Cetinje.

He takes up his own story during the Second World War when Cetinje was occupied by the Italians and then the Germans. His sister Stana was a communist and he joined the Partisans at age 13. He fought the Chetniks and nearly died during the vicious fighting.

After the war he studied law at Belgrade, became a diplomat and married his English wife. He survived the Munich air crash that took the lives of several Manchester United players. Later he looked after foreign visitors including Denis Healy and Hugh Gaitskell. He ran a short lived TV station before it was consumed by the conflagration of the Balkan wars of the 1990's.

This is not just a remarkable story of the author's own life. It gives a real insight into how the turbulent events of Balkans in the last century impacted on his family. Highly recommended.

 

 

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Romans, Brits and odds and ends

With the Bannockburn project and Carronade out of the way I have been focusing on finishing some other projects.

First up are some command bases for my Imperial Romans to take on the Dacians.

Then some heavy weapons for the Brits in Malaya. Mortar, HMG and a command base plus medic.

And finally the 15mm houses I picked up at Carronade produced by Games of War Terrain. Very like the battlefront range with removable roofs and room for two Flames of War bases. They come ready painted, so I just gave them an ink wash, rubbing off the excess to give that more lived in look.

Carronade 2014

The poor weather helped bring out the crowds at today's Carronade show at Falkirk.

Our participation game was Bannockburn 1314, based on the less well known first day of the battle. The challenge was to break the Scottish schiltrons. Of the various attempts, it turned out pretty even and Robert the Bruce survived all bar one attempt by de Bohun to kill him in single combat. A number of players who had not tried the Hail Caesar rules liked them.

Here are a few pictures of the game.

Below is Gloucester's advanced guard crossing the Bannockburn to be faced by Robert Bruce's division.

Earl of Moray's division guard the flank approach to Stirling

Clifford's flank attack comes through the woods

Moray's division close up

Bruce's division close up

 

Bannockburn 1314 was not the only GDWS game on show today. The Battletech lads got into the anniversary spirit, well sort of, with their Battle of Bannockburn Bog.

I expected lots of Bannockburn games this year at the Scottish shows, but this was the only other display at Falkirk at least. In 10mm.

For me, the stand out game was Gleaming Katanas, Japanese warfare in 28mm. The culmination of two years work in Brian Phillip's painting cabin. The use of Black Powder style group bases means a lot of effort can be put into the bases, that are all individual vignettes.

There were more games than ever at this year's show. Here are a few more that caught my eye.

I do like trains in an ACW game.

No idea what this was about, but eye catching!

English Civil War, lots of figures, like that

Kirriemuir club's Thracians and Macedonians. Nice figures and quality effort with the terrain

The battle of Trafalgar Square - Thatcher v Scargill

54mm Napoleonics, always eye catching

The traders certainly did well out of me. Some more fine buildings from Caliver's new range as well as a few books. Well more than a few actually. Reviews when I get around to reading them. A whole village of very good value plastic 15mm houses, ready painted, for around £12 a building. Lost their card and they aren't listed on the show website, but no doubt someone will remind me. And finally, Warlord tempted me with Chindits, Commandos and sundry Italian armour.

Overall, a very good day and as always full credit to the hard work of the Falkirk club.

 

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The Thief's Tale

The Thief's Tale is the first in the Ottoman Cycle series by S.J.A Turney. The author is probably better known for the Marius series on the Roman army. 

This is as much a crime thriller as historical fiction. The action takes place in Istanbul in 1481 when two Greek brothers, Skiouros and Lykaion, are conscripted into the Janissaries and taken to the city. Skiouros escapes into the Greek quarter and vanishes among its streets to survive as a thief, while Lykaion remains with the elite corps and becomes an Islamic convert. The brothers loosely keep in touch, but their fates become linked when Skiouros picks a pocket that leads him to a plot to kill the Sultan.

I found the the first Marius book a little hard going, but this is a great read. The story is fast paced with several twists. The description of Istanbul in the period is also very good. I have already downloaded the next in the series and might even give the Marius series another go.

Bannockburn - the game

I am pleasantly surprised to be ahead of schedule for a show with no last minute painting. Well another unit of knights but that really is it.

These are a few odds and ends. Some Crusader longbowmen that have been gathering dust and you can never have too many of them in an English army. Although they are not likely to see much action at the Bannockburn game with all those eager knights getting the way!

In front of them are some casualty markers with a clever number mechanism courtesy of Warbases. Excellent firm this, always prepared to produce what you want at a very reasonable price.

I have also drafted the handout for our participation game at Carronade. An historical explanation of the first day of Bannockburn and the rules we intend to use. Just a draft these as we will be testing them at the club next Sunday. Looks like a fun game and so, if you are going to Carronade, stop by and see if you can achieve what Edward II couldn't - can you break the schiltrons?

Hereward: The Devil's Army

This is the second in the series written by James Wilde about Hereward who led an English revolt against the Norman conquest from the Fen country in East Anglia.

This isn't a revolt, or for that matter a region of England, I know a lot about. So I can't vouch for how far the author deviates from the history. However, it's a good story well told with all the essential elements of a good historical novel.

Our hero battles with Normans from a relatively safe base in the Fens, somewhat more treacherous than they are today. There is treachery, romance and even a temporary alliance with a Danish army. We also get to see the other side of the hill through the eyes of an English collaborator in the Norman camp.

I enjoyed the first in this series, but for some reason found the second a little harder going. Not sure why as it has good reviews and it may be that I read it sporadically without really devouring the characters. It would make a good skirmish game using Saga rules.

More Scots

Two more Schiltrons of Scot's spearmen for the Bannockburn project. One more left to base and that will be enough for our Carronade participation game. Still some bits and pieces to do, including more longbowmen and knights. However,  for once I feel actually ahead of schedule and might actually get some gaming in over the Easter break.

I'll be giving them a run out at the club tomorrow against the Teutonic Knights.

A bit of a mix of figures. Certainly Claymore Castings, plus Black Tree, Curteys and Front Rank from memory. The big flags are from Flags of War and the Earl of Lennox is from CitadelSix. A new firm to me. The foil banners work well, but I am not convinced by transfers for flags. The shield artwork is first rate, slightly spoilt by poor quality transfers that chip very easily. But they plug a gap in this period.

Salute 2014

My annual trek down to London yesterday for Salute and some footie in the afternoon. A vital three points for Fulham made my day!

The queue on arrival was mega but as I had an advance ticket it progressed quickly. Nice freebie figure this year that I might for once actually paint.

The trader fest was impressive with more alternative universes than I could imagine. I assume there is a market for all this, or I hope so as the effort, artwork and models are impressive, even if it isn't my thing.

I suppose my abiding memory of this year's Salute is the smell of MDF. It was everywhere with buildings and bases to models. I am not a big fan of MDF buildings, not enough depth for me, although I accept the upper end of the genre are pretty good.

A very good range of games and here are those that caught my eye.

 

Carlist Wars - Lots of very nice Perry's figures.

Punic wars in I think 54mm

Victorian steampunk

Quartarmain quest

WW2 Keren

This was an impressive MDF village

Painting competition

Demo for the new SAGA supplement. Problem with the printer meant not on sale. I picked up the dice though.

WW1

And again this time in Belgium.

Dien Bien Phu

 

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Opening shots of World War One

My Easter update of Balkan Military History is now complete with a feature article on the Austro-Hungarian invasion of Serbia - 'The Opening Shots of WW1'.

The first shots of the war were fired at Serbia and the people of Serbia paid a huge price for the murder of the Archduke Ferdinand. Suffering the highest casualties of any nation in the Great War.

The early war campaigns have received very little attention in English language histories of the war and I point to what reading there is including Andrej Mitrovic's book, 'Serbia's Great War'. Today's Independent newspaper has a particularly gruesome set of pictures of Austro-Hungarian atrocities during the war.

I am planning to expand my 28mm armies for the early campaign and some figures have arrived from Tiger Miniatures and Old Glory. Early war Austrian's are a bit of a challenge at present with Renegade Miniatures out of action, but I will be keeping an eye open at Salute this Saturday. Looking forward to the show, followed by an absolutely vital home game for Fulham at the Cottage.

My Austrian Hussars and Infantry in early war colourful splendour!

English and Welsh Longbowmen

When I started the army list for our Bannockburn participation game I realised that I didn't have enough longbowmen. I am a big fan of Front Rank figures and their offerings, if perhaps a little too well equipped for Bannockburn, were an easy decision.

Painting these made a change from Scots spearmen and I was delighted that the bows are part of the casting. Having wrestled with gluing a mace on the figure I am painting for Thomas Randolph for several evenings, this was a real pleasure! Skulking at the back of this unit are two English command figures. On the right is Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and to his right is a more generic figure that I will probably use for Robert Clifford. The church will become St Ninian's Kirk and comes from Caliver's Battlefield Buildings range.

English and Welsh longbowmen were an important part of English armies of the period, even if they hadn't reached the fame that they would achieve in the Hundred Years War. The technology and training were the same, but English commanders were not. At Bannockburn they forgot the lessons of Falkirk and charged the spearmen before allowing the longbowmen to soften up the schiltrons. Clifford, De Bohun and Valence were all at Falkirk, but it appears they had forgotten the lessons. 

Noble arrogance is the common explanation for ignoring the socially inferior foot soldiers, before impetuously charging unsupported. It's possible, but that doesn't explain Falkirk or an equally important battle in 1295, when the Earl of Warwick defeated Welsh spearmen at Maes Madoc with a well coordinated attack by archers and knights. There was a time gap, so they could have forgotten the lessons of these actions and Edward's army at Bannockburn was large, but of poor quality. 

A more credible explanation in my view is that the English knights camped on the Carse without their archers because they expected Bruce to withdraw. His advance on the second day of the battle left the English archers on the fringe of the action, rather than coordinated with the knights. 

This is a bit of a problem for war gamers refighting Bannockburn because an English commander knows how to win. This therefore requires some scenario planning to make it difficult for the English commander to use too much historical hindsight.

On the subject of archers, the Scots are often portrayed as being armed with lighter hunting bows. However, we know that the Scots also used the longbow, importing them via the Hanseatic ports. Their inferiority was down to smaller numbers.