A long overdue update

I owe you people a few posts, lots of pictures and some battle reports.

Real life hasn't prevented me from gaming every week but I have been too busy to write up some posts for you. Sorry.

Rich came up with a lengthy 15mm game which lasted 6 or 7 weeks and then suddenly finished when a victory condition was met. French win. I have some pictures of it right here;-

The Russo Prussian force in the foreground must exit the road at the far end whilst fending off the attentions of the French menace.
Both sides had increasingly more kit so this one kept growing. 

Lilliput Lane church - St Clement of Danes I think?
French arrive to spoil the day for the allies.

The Allies on the march.

More marching and a VAST bridge!!! 

A good panoramic shot - there's loads of space here.

Battle intensifies.

The Allied rear guard is attacked.

We then played the assault on the Raevsky Redoubt scenario straight from the General de Brigade rule book. That lasted two weeks and was far more fun than I ever expected anything from Borodino could be.
This is nothing to do with our mega Borodino game report which I will eventually finish writing up - when I summon the courage! This scenario had smaller units than we would usually use so looked a little odd at times, see what you think. Here's how it looked;-

Looking south along the Kalotcha stream, Grand Redoubt on the left - obviously!

Saxon, Westphalian and Polish heavies massing to the French rear.

Russian infantry on the reverse slope of the Semenovskaya heights.
The Russian cavalry reserve is still off table.  

Raevsky alongside his eponymous redoubt. 

Rich prepares his retreat and rout counters. French infantry massing for the big push. 

The Russian reception committee. 

French about to splash through the stream into a wall of canister fire.

More of the same.

"Witness the power of this fully operational Death Star!" 

The southern end of the Russian line.

The attack on the Grand Redoubt from the French side. Foot batteries fire in support with off table Grand Battery fire for three turns too. Ouch.

The French attempt to turn the northern flank of the ridge. Those skirmishers were a proper nuisance.

Russians at the southern end of the ridge with nothing to do...

...until these wankers turn up. Fuzzy picture.
Tony wishes us "Good Morning" by signalling in the ancient English way.

It seems I had to cook for myself that night; looks like a balanced selection and a huge knife!  

The height of the action in panorama. This is more like it. Several turns later and the French are up on the ridge having broken a few battalions.
Cossacks arrive to stabilize the situation, phew.  

Frenchies on my ridge - bah!

More Frenchies on my ridge - double bah!

Those skirmishers coupled with constant artillery bombardment whittled away at my mighty six gun 12lb battery.

Russian 6lb foot battery blowing chunks out of the French line emerging from the stream.

Here comes the French Heavy Cavalry Reserve Corps with horse battery - gulp. 

Can this lot hold off the rampant heavies? 

The action in the centre hots up, but some Frenchies are retreating now. 

The southern front. Russian cavalry have arrived - top right, with more on the rear table - top left.

  

Polish and Westphalian heavies ford the Kalotcha stream. 

1st and 2nd Westphalian Cuirassiers urged on by their general. 

Saxon von Zastrow and Leib Garde Cuirassiers with horse battery.
Possibly the finest body of horsemen in the Napoleonic Wars?

Although this looks very powerful for the French the attacks faltered and ultimately failed leaving the Russians in possession of the field and their precious redoubt. Not even Luke Skywalker could destroy this Death Star.

French ADC sounds the Retreat as the attack is called off.
Napoleon would have to find another road to Moscow.

This proved to be a very relaxed fun game; stress free and easy going. It was also quite a small one so we got it over with in two weeks. It also served to inspire me to get more things done for our Napoleonic collection which is a good warm feeling to have inside.

In other news...

We have been looking at Dust Warfare as a pick up game for about a year and finally took the plunge with club funds. It's silly and bloody and lots of fun involving alternate WW2 with a big fat dollop of sci-fi thrown in too. You may get the odd sniff about it but as any heretic non Napoleonic post usually bombs here I'll be careful not bore you!

Chris and I have had numerous lengthy basing sessions which are nearly complete. Just need some tufts of grass and that floristry stuff he likes glued on and hey presto.

Newly painted toys? Plenty of these! We haven't been idle over the winter. Tony has painted up a Saxon Brigade with supports. We have taken delivery of more Austrian infantry, cavalry and generals including Grenzers and jaegers. The Prussians have received a boost with more cavalry and four new batteries plus a line battalion and three of Guard. There is more on the way too. I'll sort out a photo session for each of these for you.

Various people are painting stuff for me this year, on the way are a Pole Brigade plus supports, 2 Portuguese battalions and battery, many more Austrian cavalry and three batteries, seven Prussian battalions and one battery, Neopolitan Guard and Corsican Tirailleurs. Better make some money! On the other hand I have stuck to my promise and not bought any new toys and no wargame mags yet this year. I don't miss either!

I have bought 3 new red steel tool boxes ready for the above.

Three of Halfords finest, all different and all three on sale - everyone's a winner baby.

Plans for the rest of 2014

We have plans for two consecutive one day games this summer and maybe something massive later in the year. Tony and I want to try a game with ALL the toys! Now that could be Brits and Prussians v French or an Austro Russo Prusso alliance v all of our French. For the latter we'll need at least one more player, possibly Tony Laugton who I suspect secretly fancies himself as a Marshall of France...! We'll see.  

Hopefully this mega post makes up a little for my absence this year.

Very best wishes, JJ