I have sourced a couple of players for a Shiloh game using the newly finished miniatures.
So I have hustled to also finish the tags set for the game.
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| I've included a few 'independent' units for other game play |
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| likewise with the Union forces set some 'independent' units for other game play |
Gonna be a fun Friday night, setting up and Saturday game action.
Hope that everyone has some last tabletop fun in 2024!
We have the first responder xmas gathering in December, this time it was early and I still had not found anything for the exchange ...
I stumbled upon these three little close matches to our gear, then decided to special convert them for use as proxies for our vehicles.
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| the finished product |
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| the starting point of the ambulance (I had masked the windows before I realized there were no starting pictures) |
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| Chevrolet po-po |
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| our "Rescue 22" is based on a Ford F350 (big cab) This was the closest equivalent in the same sales display. |
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| I got to work doing re-painting and manufacturing the back end for R22 |
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| the finishing touches went on about 24 hours before they were to be in the mix for the gift game |
So far I haven't had to stop in the middle of any painting, nor during a tabletop games event to respond to the tones.
Have a great new year everyone!
The grand army of the Republic has begun, this time with a big horseflesh run.
As in the past, with the horses, I have used the 'quick-paint' method, with inks in the feature.
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| freshly cast bare metal on the painting sticks |
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| black brush on base coat |
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| charcoal and blue undercoat |
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| top 'wet-brush' layer |
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| under color layer |
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| ink layer (you can see the inks I used in the top left of the image) |
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| black manes & tails |
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| beige manes and blazes |
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| greys and musket barrels |
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| yellow and red details |
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| mounted and matte coated |
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| on final bases |
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| fully flocked |
this represents the first half of the Union Cavalry on Day one at Gettysburg, I have the other in cleaning process now and expect to finish before the end of December.
Much was put on hold during my bride's convalescence from breaking her arm. All is on the mend now and I hope to have time open to complete these before the new year when a first responder course will be taking all of my spare time.
Over a couple of days in October, I had opportunity to set up the table and leave it, so that I could run a game over a longer period of time without having to clear it all away.
I would have post the data about this game in November, however the day I was to start working on this my bride took a slip and fall and did much damage to her left elbow, after a day in emergency, then overnight and surgery the next day for 6+ hours, she was able to recover in hospital for a few days.
Then return home.
I have been her arms for a few weeks now and shall continue to have much time taken up with these ongoing support tasks. Thankfully her recovery is progressing well.
With the delay explained, now onto the battle:
Scenario 2, from Scenarios for all ages, was a contested river fording situation. It reminded me very much of Maloyaroslavets, from the retreat from Moscow situation the French faced in 1812. This being the case I chose to make it a Russian defending the line, with French attackers.
Again as a solo game, I chose some cards to make the 'command decisions' of the two sides, the Russians came up the 4 of clubs and the French the 5 of clubs. Meaning that both sides were only going to have 'middling' plans with no real commitment to much at all.
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| My Eugene model had commanded cavalry many times after the first Maloyaroslavets game now out in a command stand again |
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| an even older generation Russian command figure was selected to take on the role of Baron Sacken for this encounter |
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| I used the ruined hovels for the 'built up areas' that the game calls for |
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| so ... the plans were terribly simple I was hoping that the French could get a toe-hold into the ground on the far side, enough so that the large force of infantry could storm across with their flank covered |
Once again I used a time-lapse system to capture all the action, which turned out to be a good idea, since I could not fully recall all the actions taken from just the still photos.
Reviewing it all via the editing process, I recalled that the French column did get across the river, in force, yet were all 'damaged' and fighting uphill into supported artillery. The damage may only have been a 'shaken' or 'disorder' yet it was enough to make the attacks just that little bit weaker ...
The coup de grace was the Russian Dragoon force riding down a French demi-brigade to a man, capturing their eagle and putting a total victory on the battle for the Russians!
Looking back I see it was last October 2023, when I managed to get in scenario 1, perhaps I'll be able to do scenario 3 in 2025?
Let me know if you enjoy this sort of content or if I could change it up some way more interesting.
No idea if I will get in another game before the new year, though I have some painting progress to report in the coming weeks, happy holiday season to everyone reading.
