2019 - A Year in Review

Well another year draws to a close.

I lost track of the painting tally but it felt like a good year on the brushes, I'll put this down to the launch of the Haitian campaign which drives the painting queue as the games started to creep up in size, it's now been ongoing for a little under 12 months, which is most definitely a record. Based on previous campaigns which seem to fade away after a couple of months.

I did not get as many games in as I would have liked but I suspect that is true of every gamer. But I did make progress on a number of projects and started to clear out some of the lesser collections that not seen game time in many a year or were simply to few in number to put on a reasonable game.

As is customary in the blogosphere I have taken a look back over the past 12 months broken down by the four seasons. Frankie Valli and Vivaldi would be impressed :-)

January - March

The quarter started well with the kick off of the Haitian Campaign, I had press ganged a number of club members and others to play the part of the various factions and players set about hatching their evil schemes. 

Fuelled by players demands for extra troops a number of new units entered the table.

Ghost Archipelago continued to generate some fun games, with Atlantians, Pirates and Marines all fighting for the treasure hidden amongst the jungle ruins.

Marched finished with a Haitian outing at Hammerhead which generated plenty of interest amongst fellow gamers and gave me a target to finish more regulars and artillery.

April - June

A new project which rather surprisingly was finished in year for once, a trip down memory lane taking me back to the 1980's with Crooked Dice's not 'V' the mini-series.

Originally available through their kickstarter when they released 2 blister packs which honestly was not enough, but with a number of head swaps the Visitors are up to 20 strong. Enough for most games although I do need to tweak the flying lead rules a little more.

Although Diana is perhaps the most unluckiest leader being killed or wounded in every game played. Lets hope 2020 brings her a little more luck.

Meanwhile the Haitian Campaign hots up with multiple clashes in the North of the Island with both French and Spanish forces clashing with the Slave armies. 

July - September

The summer and back to another old project with the start of Red Pheonix the North Korean invasion of the South Korea driven largely by the launch of the Seven Days on the Rhine rules, I have yet to get a game on the table. But it was good to get the Infantry rebased in readiness for the first outing hopefully January.

The Wyvern Club were lucky enough to be invited to Keith Flint's Cotswold Wargaming day a fantastic event with plenty of games on offer and a bunch of friendly gamers to share ideas and inspiration with. I had the pleasure of meeting Stuart Asquith and was fortunate enough to win the game of the day.

Sadly Stuart passed away a few weeks ago, a real loss to the hobby but it was great to meet one of the stalwarts of the hobby before his passing.

October - December

Winter is coming..... More Haitians leave the painting queue, this time in the shape of the latest releases from Trent Miniatures, lets hope that 2020 brings some extra reinforcements to this excellent range of figures.

Meanwhile as the year draws to a close. Something evil begins to infect the land, the Witches are back and the Darkness is rising. Thanks to Rick Priestly's new Warlords of Erewhon Fantasy rules. 

The Elizabethan Zombie project is back on..... with extra's for all sides in the forthcoming conflict.

Game of the Year.

Well what a choice.... could it be the Haitian Sieges, the Death of Diana (again) or the Russian WW1 outing?

It has to be the Zombiefest set in the Worcestershire countryside. Fought over 2 nights it saw Britain over run with Zombies and the local constabulary fighting over scraps with the Birmingham Bikers.... 

 

What to expect of 2020

Having had some fun games with the Warlords of Erewhon rules you can definately expect an expansion of the Elizabethan Project, with both Spanish, English and the Army of Darkness lined up.

I have started to clear out some of the lesser projects which have never got off the ground, its amazing what you find in various boxes which were tucked away as the wargames butterfly came calling. I have enough Foundry bare metal to complete 2-3 extra Tudor units, but with a January sale on and paypal funds burning a hole in my pocket the London trained bands might finally enter the table along with more Spanish cavalry...

The forces of Darkness are likely to be bolstered by the Kickstarter from Fireforge Games which finally came through a year after my initial pledge and some random purchases on e-bay. I was bored one night and set myself a goal of winning stuff for under a tenner.....

I quite fancy a sword and sandal outing... The Infamy Infamy rules from the Two Fat Lardies sound good but I want to make use of my desert terrain rather than their setting of Northern Europe, so am tempted by New Kingdom Egyptians. With a release date around Salute it will give me time to draw up some forces and their opponents likely to be Hittie's rather than the Sea People.

Keeping with the Egypt theme the box of shame has thrown up a number of spare figures from the Perry twins which will complete the French Infantry for Egypt and if the e-bay auctions are a success perhaps some camelry is on the cards to bolster Napoleon's command.

That should be enough to keep me going, but time permitting there is always, more for the South Koreans, Water Margin, Russo Japanese War..... etc, etc will it every end :-)

Have a great New Year and may you always roll high.....

Merry Christmas

Well that's work wrapped up until the new year a chance to relax and start the plans for 2020 with a couple of new projects planned and expanding others.

Merry Christmas everybody thanks for stopping by and commenting over the past 12 months. I hope you all get the toys you have asked for and get some gaming time in.

Best wishes

Stu

War of the Roses - Wyvern Christmas Game.

The last game of the year of at the Wyverns.

Christmas. A time to bring families together so why not a multi-player game set during the War of the Roses in the pleasant land of Borsetshire County . The people of Ambridge will not be pleased.

The old lord has died without issue, two of his cousins feel they each are the heir and gather their supporters around them. One of the ‘supporters’ is also a possible heir and he feels slighted by the other two ignoring them. Another supporter is an old comrade of the former lord and feels the heirs aren’t worthy and wants to see them tested in battle then he’ll choose.

So the scene is set, with each player controlling a similar strength retinue, who would show their hand first? Who would be the leading heir?

Troops gather at various points on the able each with their own sealed orders.

Whilst most of the forces contained both bill, bow and foot knights one of the faction had to show off by coming on to the table mounted with lance and spear. 

Players move into position and arrows fly as cousins come to blows in the centre of the table. The mounted knights throw their lot in with one of the cousins.

A band of mercenaries enter the table in the pay of one of the factions but which one? Communication is limited to face to face but who would risk getting into handgun range to find out who they were paid by.

Clearly I was the winner having secured the manor house :-)
Despite my cousins disputing this to the very end......

 

All the factions came to blows as the evening drew to a close.

The local villagers rushed into the melee but are ridden down by those flaming knights.

A great evenings gaming with no clear heir but one of the blood line was killed who knows what will happen when it comes to the funeral?

We used the Warlord of Erewhon rules with multiple coloured dice for each factions. They worked really well for multi-player games and has given me the nudge I needed to dust off my extra Tudors.

Saturday Paint Table - Yet more Haitians.

Just a short post today as pressure is on to venture into the loft for the numerous Christmas boxes. Deck the Halls etc, etc....

These are the latest releases from Trent Miniatures more rebellious slaves armed with knives, swords and axes. They come with a number of extra limbs so you can vary he weapons.

Some nice poses and very useful to bolster the masses that can do some much damage in hand to hand within the Sharp Practice rules.

Meanwhile prep continues on the Fingoes from Perry Miniatures Cape Wars range. A couple of tweaks, largely removing feathers and the like and they should be able to double up are more insurgents for Haiti.

Will they get completed before the start of 2020?

I have started cleaning up a couple of other extra units purchased from e-bay over recent weeks.
More on those in future posts.

Battle around Janow, Lemberg, Galicia 1914 - Mud & Blood

Back in 2015 we started a short WW1 Campaign.

See the earlier battle here.

Events Previously.

Early Austro-Hungarian advances into Russian Poland had been made from Galicia northwards to the city of Lublin. During the advance the Austro-Hungarian First Army met and drove back the Russian Fourth Army around Krasnik on August 23^rd.

The Austrian high command had failed to appreciate that the main Russian offensive was to be made in the direction of Lemberg (Lvov) in eastern Galicia. Here Austro-Hungarian forces had been thinned to meet commitments in Serbia and to support the advance of their forces into southern Poland.

The Russian Fifth Army supported by the Russian Third Army advanced to Lemberg where they encircled and defeated the Austro-Hungarian Third Army. Russian forces began entering the outskirts of Lemberg.

However all was not going Russia’s way as its supply lines had been severely stretched and the advance was called to a halt whilst supplies were brought up to the front.

Whilst awaiting resupply the Austro-Hungarians  launched a counter attack to the south of Lemberg. Elements from the Russian Fifth Army defending on the outskirts of Lemberg were able to halt the advance. The bridges at Lemberg were held and this counter attack repelled.

The Fifth Army dug in defensibly around Lemberg. Ammunition and food had been resupplied and morale was high after the defeat of the Austro-Hungarians only days before.

The Fifth received orders to advance North of Zolkiewskie, a small hamlet on the outskirts of Lemberg, where the 255 Highway runs through.

Elements of the Austro-Hungarian Fourth Army had circled around and were attempting to block all Northern supply lines into the city.

After fierce fighting around the north of Zolkiewskie the Russian Fifth Army again defeated the Austro-Hungarian Fourth Army keeping the 255 Highway open to resupply.

The Russian Orders are as follows.
Fresh orders have arrived instructing you to advance North West through Janow a suberb of Lemberg and into the countryside beyond. Austro-Hungarian forces are massing for another counter strike to retake Lemberg.

You are to advance to this location and reconnoitre the area. The strength of the enemies’ forces must be established and reported back to High Command.

Take the fight to the enemy and secure the area to the North West.

Round One and the enemy cavalry appear at the far end of the road, the Russian artillery is deployed to counter the advance. Shot and Shell sends them heading for cover first blood to the advancing Russian forces.

On the far right the back and forth of the hedge row begins. The Austro-Hungarian blind forces the sailors to unmask. 

Out numbered 2:1 the defenders poor fire into the advancing sailors who charge the hedge line driving the Bosnian's into the woodland with numerous shock.

Whilst beaten backwards they had held the line long enough for additional blinds to come on the table and bolster the right flank.

Switching to the left wing the Russian blinds (OK French stand in's.) were massing behind the hedge row, Bosnian infantry and Machine Guns had seized the low stone wall and further troops were coming on behind them.

Sh*t or bust after a number of turns with both sides probing the line, battle is joined. Gambling on breaking the Austro-Hungarian line in one strike, the Russians threw all of their main force and reinforcements on the right flank rushing forwards towards the stone wall.

Despite a number of Russian companies slowed by killed and shock, others were able to drive the defenders from the wall at the point of the bayonet over running the Machine Gun team and driving the Bosnian infantry backwards with several shock points.

On the far right the German reinforcements who had moved through the woods charged the sailors who were holding the hedge row driving them backwards. The Sailors gave ground but inflicted a number of losses on the fresh German units.

Whilst the Germans had reversed the initial assault by the Russian sailors, the front had crumbled on the left not helped by the appearance of the Russian cavalry, who charged down the retreating Bosnian's and breaking the line.

Game over.

A great days gaming with plenty of twists and turns along the way.

The Too Fat Lardies Mud and Blood rules give a great gaming experience with over 100 figures on each side fought to a conclusion.

Let's hope we can get the next game in a little quicker than 4 years next time......

Haiti - Spanish Officers

Finally managed to get these off the paint table, they must have been hanging around since the summer. Having painted up a couple of Spanish units in recent months, these two Front Rank officers will represent Brigadier Joaquin Garcia y Moreno and one of his senior commander in the campaign. 

Whilst browsing the web I spotted this plate the other day.

I quite fancy a unit of Dragoons with a couple of head swaps to create some of the black forces but honestly can't face any more cavalry right now.....