Saved By The (Dinner) Bell

Last Saturday I once again attended the Hinton Hut to refight a scaled down Waterloo. I played Wellington and Ian was Napoleon. Umpiring was left in the capable hands of Charles, who also played a significant role when pre-game he presented Ian with a splendidly painted Congreve rocket and crew.

The role of the "Nebelwerfer" was considerable. 

Victory conditions was for Ian to occupy both Hougoumont and La Haye Saint plus have one infantry unit on the ridge. 

British line looking towards the farmhouse

A lot of Frenchies

Who begin to advance immediately on Hougoumont

The Nebelwerfer, saviour of the Allied army.

First contact and Hougoumont falls. Not a good start for the Coldstreams.

While the Allied infantry on the left flank withdraw behind the ridge the 95th Rifles deploy the other side of the farmhouse in anticipation of the major assault forming on my right.

The French advance on my right.

The poor old Belgians who were not allowed to move from their exposed position until turn 2 were absorbing casualties from the massed artillery facing my left.

The Coldstreams reform and retake Hougoumont.

The French columns are taking casualties everywhere as the advance.

And then the French columns and light cavalry start advancing on my left.

The French heavies move up behind the depleted columns attacking my right.

The British cavalry move up to stop the French cavalry.

The only British cavalry victory of the whole game. The Blues beating the French Chasseurs. 

That is a lot of cavalry, they made excellent targets from nearly everything.

The French are still however causing casualties among the Coldstreams.

The Allied cavalry go in on the right...

...and the left

They fight left...

...and right

And lose every single round. The Brunswickers could not even beat a disordered French infantry who had lost their colonel. Ponsonby dies rallying them to prevent a rout.

Oh dear...

In better news the KGL in the farmhouse and the Nebelwerfer cause sufficient casualties to rebuff the attack on the farmhouse by two Old Guard infantry units. Huzzah!

The rout of the British cavalry on the left.

With the Middle Guard preparing another assault on the farmhouse.

The French columns are finally stopped with heavy casualties before they could occupy the ridge.

The British infantry in square - most units did not receive a single casualty.

The Coldstreams make one last gallant stand at Hougoumont, the casualties were so high the unit would be removed from play next turn leaving the objective empty.

And the Middle Guard eventually overpower the KGL in the farmhouse. Retreating columns can be seen at the back.

It was at this point (turn 7 of  a possible 8) that the dinner bell was heard, much to my relief. Also to my relief was the fact that I did not lose Picton which breaks my run of bad luck with him.

Both buildings would have been occupied by the dastardly French on turn 8 but the ridge was mine, so while I cannot in all fairness say that I won, it is the first time of my four visits that I have not lost!

An excellent game, great company, beautiful figures and legendary catering once more from Mrs S.

Poor Old Picton...

 On Thursday I played a marvellous wargame at Stryker's "Hinton Hut" using his magnificent collection of vintage 20mm figures. The refight of Waterloo can be read in full here (with loads of extra pictures to boot).

The opening of the battle with reinforcements off-table.

The French came on in the same old style and as I was playing Picton, I met them in the same old style.

And just like Picton I shuffled off this mortal coil (this time while supporting the 11th Light Dragoons morale throw!)

I now have the record of an unbeaten streak of defeats while leading Ian's toys!

My thanks to Ian, Tony, Nigel and Goya for a fantastic game and to the excellent catering provided by Mrs S.

5th Italian Line Infantry Regiment

It has been a while since I posted anything as frustratingly I started feeling unwell back in November last year. After months of feeling awful we discovered I had an underlying health condition which sadly is not going to go away. 

While I have no immediate plans to meet my ancestors I am having to get used to some pretty strong medication. I am not 21 anymore.

So, planning ahead I have begun drastically streamlining my collections of unpainted figures and kits which will never be finished in three lifetimes. 

Instead I will concentrate on the one dearest to me, starting with my 20mm Napoleonic figures. 

These figures are RSM95 figures (the original range sold as Pax Britannica in the UK back in the day). 

These are their French infantry/ Guard infantry painted up as the Kingdom of Italy 5th Line Regiment, based on the painting guide from the Haythornthwaite/Chappell "Uniforms of the Peninsular War".

The officer is the ADC figure with a shako head swap. The figures have had a few animation tweaks to add a little more interest.

I have given them the old "Republican" flag as I seem to recall reading the roll out to troops in the Peninsular was a little sluggish. Still my favourite figure sculpts (as I may have mentioned before!).

Next up, French infantry.

A Grand Run Thing

 Last week I had the pleasure of attending The Hinton Hut to play a four handed Napoleonic wargame hosted by Ian using his fantastic collection of 20mm Hinton Hunt figures. For a full break down of the battle, including the infamous "typo", Ian has posted an excellent 3 part breakdown of the battle here.

For my part I will post a few pictures to give a flavour of the days events.

The Guards - who secured my first victory points.

Ian's Prussians advancing neatly in support on my left.

And those pesky French-types determined to spoil our strategy.

The Young Guard marching to the base of the hill before marching back again. A French version of The Hokey-Cokey perhaps?

My rather rash decision to buy some time slowing the Austrian advance resulting in a severe bloody nose for the British Light Dragoons.

And all the while the Emperor and his Old Guard sat still and watched! 

Just to thank Ian, Tony and Nigel for a fantastic game and the first class company. Plus Mrs Stryker for keeping us all fed and watered the whole day!

Some More Shiny Napoleonics

 Finally I have something to show. Not one but three units for the Classic Napoleonic Collection.

First off and still using black undercoat we have the Brunswick 1st Line Battalion. Tradition of London figures and flag from Warflag.

While I was at it, time for some artillery. Tradition once more for the Brunswick crew and artillery piece is from Hinchliffe.

Finally, the first of the French Line infantry; and yes, you've guessed it, Tradition of London 25mm figures once more. This time with a light blue undercoat which really has helped speed things up with my poor old eyes.

I have noticed a couple of spots that need cleaning up but this is two days work so I am impressed with my output for once.

The Napoleonic  thread will continue for the next few posts even though I should be painting additional Perry Union troops as I have received intelligence that following his besting at Bryson's Crossroads my Southern nemesis, Neil, has been busy reinforcing that darn Reb army.

Finally On the March Again.

It has been a while since my last post caused by general stuff plus difficulty with the old eyes again. Hopefully tomorrows laser surgery will fix the worst of that problem. 

Continuing on with shiny Napoleonic's I give your more Tradition of London 25mm figures in the form of the Grenadiers of the French Imperial Guard.

These fellows were undercoated in black and with their delicate detail were the devil to paint. I will be using alternative colour undercoats in the future I think; but as the next batch are Brunswickers I will persevere a little longer with the black. 

 My old Merit trees have had a bit of a refurbishment following Aly Morrison's recipe found here.

Oversize flag (I know-but they are my toys!) from Warflag one again.

Marching Boldly Into 2022

With 2021 now officially history it is time to look forward to my plans for the next twelve months. Firstly one project sitting on the backburner is a collection of classic 25mm figures I have been amassing for a few years now. Here is the first unit, all figures are Tradition of London 25mm with flags printed off of the Warflag website.

This collection is intended as a replacement for the Airfix Waterloo Project which I have decided is a stretch too far and really not achieveable. To be honest all collecting will be governed by two overrding factors. Firstly I returned to the working world in November meaning the seven day weekends are a thing of the past (my daughter's decision to go to University this year was the major factor in this!). Secondly it is a matter of eyesight. Since the operations it is safe to say my eyes are not what they were but I am experimenting on ways to make it easier. For now though I leave you with my best wishes and hope 2022 will be one to remember - for all the right reasons.

Broadside, Saturday 4th December 2021

Yesterday I attended my first wargames show since 2019 with my club, the South East Essex Military Society (SEEMS), at the Broadside show in Kent. I must say it was a most fun and friendly event which reminded me of the shows of yore. We put on a Peninsular Napoleonic game (using Neil's toys) playing two linked scenarios. I did not take pictures of the other games as we were very busy chatting at the table.

The French had decided to make a nuisance of themselves and sent a not inconsiderable force to investigate the strength of a local fort. In scenario one the British occupied a a hill overlooking the plain and sent news of the French deployment. The French simply had to push the British off the hill to win Day One. Numerical superiority and British reinforcements arriving in dribs and drabs made for an easy French victory.

Two units of skirmishers ready to take on the pesky French.

However the British had a secret weapon. I was the French C in C.  

My advance was a muddled affair with the dice gods leaving me with units failing their activation rolls meaning the units arrived piecemeal. Also my "great idea", to post a battery just out of range of the British in an attempt to tie down two British was folly. At the end of the scenario I discovered my heavier guns outranged the British by 12".

It's a shame the Voltigeurs are being shot to pieces, Pierre. But we are safe!

The farce continued as my advancing columns took fire from that blasted hill.. At least my second battery did some damage.

Incidentally, those Dragoons are some of the best painted Hinchliffe figures I have ever seen.

By the end of the day the hill was still stubbornly occupied, the disordered advance units created a log jam for those behind. All I, as C in C, had was a headache and a burning desire for red wine, baguettes and onion soup!

Merde!

Day Two  was based upon the British retiring overnight to their village stronghold. I did not take any pictures and the matter was inconclusive as by then we were pretty much chatting away to all and sundry in the best atmosphere I can remember for many a year.

The lull before the storm(ing).

The rules were "Rebels and Patriots" with an on-line unofficial extension for the Napoleonic period, "Flags and Eagles". I thoroughly enjoyed it; so much so that I bought a few boxes of Perry Austrians to pit against the French juggernaut. The infantry figures are glued up and the undercoat is on. First results next weekend!