The North Korean's prepare for war.

Having dusted off the Korean's from their hiding place in the loft they are in need of some repair and reorganisation.
The non-slip basing material in the storage boxes it turns out is not so non-stick and rather ineffective so a number of the vehicles will need a slight touch up and a bit of a make over, The vehicles are based on plasti-card bases might be fine be fine but the infantry on 2cm sq bases is a little on the small side.

A quick order from the guys at warbases and I have a bunch of bases designed for FOW, but perfect for giving the infantry a larger surface area and a size that I can see and pick up.

Having decided to follow the rest of the gang at the club and use the latest rules from Great Escape Games. Seven days to the Rhine rules. The infantry are broken down into sections or platoons and support elements, so with this in mind I opted the Flames of War style medium bases for the infantry  whilst the smaller bases are pressed into service for the support elements such as ATGW, Mortars and the like.

That looks a lot more organised.
I have a couple of motorbike and sidecar combinations these will be used for recon elements in the North Korean scratch force.

They already look better and hopefully some sharp sand and a touch of dry brushing will bring them to the table rather quickly.

Crooked Dice - 28mm Visitors - V The Original Miniseries - The return.

Having played out a couple of encounters between the Visitors and African militiamen in Zikanga I had a couple of gaps in the Visitor faction that I wanted to fill. Images of other fellow gamers playing V are still a little hard to come by but Twisted Pinnacle has provided inspiration for a couple of conversions from the Crooked Dice Range.

First up more Visitor Shock Troopers.

The Visitors attempt to integrate with the local populations of earth so if they are going to be garrisoned in the Zikanga region I figured I would need some local looking troopers so I have added in a couple of black troopers with a couple of head swaps from the original blister packs.

Human sympathisers - Visitor Youth Programme. In the original mini series they appear to be used as as a PR exercises, so I figured let's extend this to guard duties and general patrols, besides it gave me a chance paint up the minion dog section.

The Officer has a Visitor cap and glasses to integrate him into the Visitor forces. Not suere yet whether he is a reptile or a mammal...

The contrast in colours will separate the various troop types and the dog team will come in very handy in keeping the locals in order.

Finally a security trooper armed with a blaster rifle and a Visitor scientist with a briefcase full of secrets or perhaps a hamster snack...

The full Visitor Faction.

Considering the original blister pack was only 8 figures I now have a 23 figure strong collection with Shock Troopers, Security Troopers, Technicians and Members of the youth programme that should be more than enough for most secenarios.

Now if only Crooked Dice were to produce a landing craft :-)

And remember they are our friends.........

Idle hands are the devil’s workshop - Red Phoenix Project

Whilst working my notice I suddenly found that I had more gaming time than I would normally have. Bad news when you start thinking about new projects or those mothballed from years back even before this blog existed.

Whilst clicking through the numerous wargames items on e-bay I end up back at the fictional invasion of South Korea by the North, a couple of days later I find myself the owner of the new rules by Great Escape Games and Larry Bonds book plus a second hand copy of Korea 1995 by GMT Games more eye candy and inspiration than a desire to play the board game itself.

Somewhere in the loft is a North Korean and South Korean Battle group packed away. One of those projects that I could not quite bring myself to sell off. Good job as with a few tweaks they can make a fresh reappearance on the table top. I did find a box of shame, all the unfinished troops, vehicles and buildings mostly Time Cast Buildings and GHQ Micro Armour from the first time around.

Plenty to do in the weeks ahead without laying out a single penny..... Result.

Whilst I dig out the old collection, rebase the infantry and complete the unfinished buildings, some light reading and turning the US and Soviet forces into forces for the Korean Peninsula. 

 Coming soon Project Red Phoenix....

The Pearl of the Antilles. - The Haiti Campaign - The Battle of the Sugar Field - 9th August 1791

Jean - Charles a name given to him by his plantation owner peered out from the sugar field looking across the estate, an estate that had for so long been his home if you can call 25 years of slavery and imprisonment home. But free he was now and he was not going to let the Spaniards return him to a life of slavery.

Having been beaten a few days before the next engagement in the Pearl of Antilles Campaign is a further engagement between the Spanish and the slave army of Princess Amethyste in the north of the Island.

The battle is a fighting withdrawal with the Slave forces seeking to delay the Spanish by giving them a bloody nose before falling back.

The Spanish had learned much since their last encounter with Jean - Charles one of Princesses Amethyste's most trusted lieutenants. They knew the freed slaves would be waiting for them anywhere on the table, with numerous plantation houses and slave quarters. The enemy could ambush them from anywhere, but the Spanish had a one advantage they had recruited a local man who was able to show them the primary jump off point and a lightening strike would surely win this battle before it had started?

Using their exploring officer the Spanish are able to skirt the secondary deployment point generating a fixed deployment point on the flank of the slave army. The local man being able to lead the Spanish through the Sugar fields to within a stones throw of the primary deployment point.

Jean-Charles was forced to unmask his musket men to stop the colonial troopers now massing to his front.

The slaves fired a ragged volley at long range but were unable to stop the cavalry who charged into the defenders.

Jean-Charles could only watch as his 2nd section was swept from the field running back towards the tall grass and undergrowth.

Meanwhile the cavalry reorganised and edged forward, now within a few feet of the primary deployment point and victory. Jean-Charles called forward his remaining forces but with the cavalry so close many of his fighters were forced to deploy behind the main jump off point.

Finally some luck for the slave commander as he was able to call out a string of orders without Spanish interference. He ran from man to man urging his people to fight for their freedom rushing in front of the firing line, his troops fired catching the cavalry at close range and forcing them back from their so nearly captured prize.... But whilst securing a minor victory was rewarded by a shot in his rear.... charming..... His force morale slipped down to 4.... ouch.

Meanwhile aid was coming his way in the shape of the locals rising up and grabbing clubs, knives and any other improvised weapons to set about the on coming whites. The initial ferocious attack took out a section of colonials who were caught unloaded. The Spanish morale took a serious knock.

Whilst taking a number of casualties the unarmed slaves gathered their remaining men for a further charge only to be faced by a another full regiment of infantry all primed and ready to fire. Round after round was poured into the slaves as they were forces to fall back, their force morale slipping still further. Their issue compounded by Spanish artillery fire.

Sensing a minor panic in the Spanish ranks with the main body masked by the shattered cavalry.
Jean-Charles rushed forwards a large body of men each with barely a weapon between them but all keen on taking a Spaniard with them, but luck was not with them. Turn after turn would pass within a commander being triggered and without flags in the bag they had no opportunity to make their final charge.

Meanwhile the Spanish artillery was tearing holes in the slave ranks, the slaves morale waivered and then finally broke before the big choppers had a chance to set about the Spanish command.

A close run thing.....

Post battle report.
Casualties were very similar with the Spanish losing 17 to the Amethyste losing 18.
The difference of two on the force morale chart returns to men to the Spanish ranks they also capture a sack of supplies from the slave forces and seize the initiative.

However the Spanish have far superior medical facilities and manage to patch up all but 1 man who is killed and 5 walking wounded who will miss the next battle.
The insurgent forces see 7 dead and a further 2 wounded and are forced backwards.

Yet more Spanish - Trent Miniatures Black Militia

With the varnish just about dry the Spanish Black Militia make it to the table top for the battle between the Spanish regulars and the rebellious slaves of Princess Amethyste.

The full battle report should be up this weekend.

Some great castings from the guys at Trent, at the moment only enough to make up an Irregular skirmish unit, but eventually I will paint up the remaining 14 to give me a couple of militia stands.

Let's hope the curse of freshly painted figures can be broken... :-)

Next up.... something a little more modern.

The Spanish Army in Haiti - 1790 - 1802

With a change of job just around the corner, I seem to have a little more time on my hands in the evenings, which is good as the Spanish won't paint themselves, with a self imposed deadline of Thursday evening I wanted to ensure these were off the paint table.

Within the campaign setting they will be regulars in sections of 8. I have a couple of Big men to bolster the ranks with a couple of mounted figures to come later. As usual the Infantry are from Trent Miniatures, with Officers and drum from Front Ranks Spanish Range, they are a good match once painted and based.

The Spaniards whilst a major player in the region seem to be somewhat overlooked in terms of history and documented accounts, I suspect because they seem to be on the losing side in a number of the encounters. There may be some Spanish text but I have not been able to track down much.

Here's my take on events pulled from a couple of different sources for those interested.

Once the French Revolution reached Haiti shores it's impact was bound to spread across into the Spanish part of the island. As early as 1789 the governor of Santo Domingo, Don Joaquín García y Moreno, put his troops on alert when news of the revolution broke. Despite the events across the border there was no significant incursion into Spanish territory. The Spanish undertook a policy of watching and waiting hoping that the mutual destruction of the warring factions would allow them to regain their lost influence and power in the region.

When Spain and England declared war on France in 1793 the Spanish colonists stopped cooperating with the French. They supplied arms to the likes of Biassou and Louverture as well as offering asylum to rebel leaders, before to long Spanish troops were fighting the French alongside the rebel slaves. 

The Spanish abolished slavery to win over the black majority. However Louverture abandoned the Spanish and went over to the French as he believed they were more genuine in their desire to free the black majority. With the loss of the black rebels the Spanish started to lose territory to the French and Haitian loyalists. The Spaniards abandoned the frontier posts of San Rafael, San Miguel, and Hincha, and to regroup in the towns of Las Caobas and Bánica in the center of the island, and in Dajabón, Bayajá, and Montecristi, in the North. 

Las Caobas und Bánica fell to Louverture when news of the end of the war in europe reached the island in 1795 just as the Spanish were starting to fight back.

Peace was to be short lived once again Louverture crossed the border in 1801 and captured the city of Santo Domingo followed quickly by the rest of the island. Despite the promise of ending slavery to incite the local blacks to support him, he was to break this promise. 

Louverture only left Spanish territory when a newly arrived French expedition landed to retake the island.

So there you have it a potted history of the Spanish in Haiti - Let's see if they can do better in our campaign.

Mortal Gods - 1st Outing.

Whilst work on the Spanish continues at pace with a deadline of Thursday to get them tabletop ready, a rather fun distraction with Paul rolling out his fantastic Greek collection for Mortal Gods.

The mechanics are simple with each unit/character gaining a pebble, White for units and Black for leaders and heroes. You also have three Red omen pebbles which generate a positive or negative event card which can impact characters or battlefield events. Be careful though once all the red stones are drawn the turn ends.

Combat uses specialist dice with Swords for attack and Shields for defence, depending on your character you might get to use the pegasus symbol to aid you. You roll off attack dice vs defence dice but only if you burn your unt action (in which case you take your colour pebble out of the bag.) otherwise you roll against your armour, this is good as it can pin troops if they choice to burn defence dice to keep casualties down. As you would expect Hoplites are good in defence but skirmishers with no armour don't last long if caught.

Even on the face of it the weakest units have a chance my priest was caught by a unit of sneaky skirmishers but the gods were truly with him today...

As each unit/character comes with their own card which holds their scores and abilities this serves as a great aid to keep us newbies informed but also serves to track units that have been activated.

There is also a nice touch where if you bring units into a Phalanx their stats improve and you place a card over the top of your unit to record their new stats, the same occurs if your 3 man units is reduced to 1 man.

Mortal Gods had a good feel to it, a large scale skirmish, but the pebbles and the omen cards gave it that ancient slant. The units sizes are relatively small so a single box set and a couple of characters should give you all you need for an evenings gaming. The various units types give you plenty of scope to mix and match plus the cards for each set out on the side of the table means that we didn't spend all evening diving into the rule book.

Heroes are tough but are not invincible and if you are using them offensively they won't be able to command troops on the table which can slow your tactics down and hinder your morale.

Overall a good fun system which gives a good gaming experience, the danger is with on a few figures to a unit you could be dragged into thinking that's not to many to get a force together , so now I am spending time on the web tempted by Persians as I had a bit of a thing for the Peloponnesian Wars many years ago. The latest offering from Footsore miniatures does look nice just not sure about the detail on the uniforms to do them justice.