Battle of Gorodetchna


First bulletin:

This was a first go with Fast Play Grande Armee rules and as such I may have messed up a few items on the first turn, particularly with the 'pulses' system.

As a first time using the system it also took longer than if I were to do a SHAKO game. Though there is no way to do SHAKO really at this scale of operation (yes I know that there are large battle rules ... they do not do justice to the grand tactical elements as I view them).

I shall be doing a full report tomorrow night, for now I wish to say that I like the rules as they contain many elements that are both freeing for players yet still keeping them 'restricted' in their options should the circumstances called for the restricting come about on the tabletop.

Speedy Conversion

This is one part of the minis system that I devised that I had hoped to take more advantage of sooner.



Now, though, I have found a new game system that I will take some time to examine closely.

I have switched over my 25mm Napoleonic minis onto bases for Fast Play Grand Armee.

It only took a few minutes to change them over once I had sorted out the commands and what numbers needed to be on what sized base.

Just as I did with Jeff's Tricorne Wars rules this conversion was fast and painless.

I am continuing to like the whole idea of *NOT* fixing the men onto the movement bases by gluing them on. The flexibility of the sheet steel, magnets and grass paper shows through again.

Now I must make the labels for the units in a Battle of Gorodetchna tabletop game I have planned for sometime in the next two weeks.

I have also been examining the painting plans for 2012:

Napoleonics:
Russians 100 more infantry in 25mm to permit me to have two full Divisions in Shako
Austrians (yes I am replacing the ones I sold last year) 68 Infantry and 12 Cavalry for a small command in Shako
French 68 Infantry to be done in the 1810-12 "White" uniforms - Yes there were French Troops in white, Bonaparte liked the Austrian uniforms, thought the looked smart on parade, then learned why their morale had so many problems during some combats in Russia. Blood really stands out on a white uniform, you can see it for 1000's of yards...

I am also in the process o acquiring some 400 minis that I will be painting for commercial sale at a local collector store in the Comox Valley, they will be from various science fiction genres like Dr. Who, Star Trek and Star Wars.

Age of Reason



It has been a long while since I had dealt with all the aspects of the Age of Reason rules and I wanted to run through them again before going into more troops actions or more complicated terrains.



So my eldest son had been asking me to get into a game ... today was an opportunity.

The new matchstick armies got their first field test and Alex got to learn all about using cavalry in the center of a Horse & Musket battlefield.

He started with them in the center of his formation, unhappy that he could not deploy the infantry even further to the flanks...

I chose to concentrate on my right and give a refused left wing.

The Cavalry choices got worse as he split them into columns just as my guns got into range. BOOM down went 1/3 of a squadron.



Further advances with the same cavalry came with a snap decision to charge at the same time as my right wing got close to his infantry.

My wing went into charge, then his infantry made it into square with a good roll. Sadly his cavalry was even further away than mine was and the charge fell short, leaving the horsemen disordered and within musket range...




It was at this point that Alex chose to depart the game, having an offer to go play outside in the sunshine. I think he also understands SHAKO better now and the rules shift caused some confusion. I pressed on to see what final results could be got.



The red forces (simulating France in the 7 Years War period), did not fare so well. A musket exchange went equal, except that the Red Army command was attached and suffered a wound, not critical but he did have to retire from the engagement. Then the charge failed to go, leaving the men disordered in the face of my ordered regulars. Not a total turning point for certain and the outcome was really no longer in doubt as the blue (simulating Prussia during 7 Years War) cavalry was now round the red flank and ready to pounce on the routed militia and disordered and wounded square on the far left of the Red lines.

Certainly a good first outing for these tiny troops.

Matchstick ARMIES



After a couple of weeks, part of the time searching out my painting materials again, I have put in a whole 4 hours painting.



$2 worth of matchsticks and maybe $2 worth of glue, left over base coat and cut up cereal boxes, micro amounts of paint (less than might go on one 12 man unit of 25mm guys). Some left over craft paper flags finishes them off.



One of the neatest parts of such little troops, three armies will fit into ONE box!



Now I shall get into the 'nitty gritty' of Age of Reason and see what results...

See all about these troops and other exploits on The Duchy of Mieczyslaw