Garden Wars - Hot day conflict part 2

Continuing from the earlier post, by turn 8 the French spearhead had cut across the bridge and almost reached the beaches where British infantry were just starting to land...

The first phase of the battle was certainly done and the French boys were pleased with the results, most certainly they did not consider the loss of the Dragoon division of much import, they had traded the Dragoons for two battalions of Russians and a full battery of artillery.

Now a slowing of the French happens, while the infantry divisions come to grips with each other, the Russians were pounding the columns moving now into range, the first salvos from the Siege artillery were also having effect, now that they had turned to face the left flank and had the Guard cavalry in canister range!

Orders had also reached the Russian Hussars whom were rushing to the new 'center' of the field.

The flank turned, now the Russians were reacting to the situation

The Hussar division executed its orders perfectly, striking from the far side of the river and applying pressure just as the Guard Cavalry was smashing through two Russian squares and spiking one half battery of foot artillery.

French Hussars face no opposition until across the river

The situation on the far side of the church was desperate for the Russians and they were to all ultimately be broken up by the charge of the Empress Dragoons.  Guard heavy cavalry - OUCH!

French Guard cavalry is just too powerful, even for steady squares!

The French plan was just one turn too slow, or the Russians sacrificed just enough to slow them down, as the British light division began its landings.

British battalions start landings

For ground gained, this was the French 'high water mark' - as the Chasseurs a Cheval were blown, tired, had casualties and were facing a steady British square with another line coming up behind.  The Chasseurs wisely chose to turn back and fall hard upon the Russian HQ driving it deep into the center of the field.

French spearhead reached to just short of the beaches

This was now into turn 10, and the British cavalry started landings, on the farther beach, with no artillery the French could not do anything about these landings.  The nature of the battle was now shifting as another full division was about to land here after the cavalry had cleared off.

British Light Dragoons land on the second beach, well beyond French range.

The French and British spearheads were at one another now.

French and British spearheads, as close as they would get this time ...

 The tide was turning, ever so slowly for the Russians favor.  The French cavalry spearhead would have to recover and take refuge behind the church from the relentless pounding it was taking from the massed Russian batteries and siege artillery.  Now the Hussars were moving, further orders had reached the Russian Grenadier formation and the Cuirassiers.  The next stage of the battle was about to start ...

Russian Cuirassier Division

 The long French columns of infantry had now started to come clear of the woods, though battered by the Russian guns they were still moving....

French infantry columns come out from woods gap

The Russians continued to deliver fire into the columns as they formed up to advance.

Russian cannon deliver a pounding to French units

The French cavalry had no choice other than seeking cover behind the church from the massed artillery batteries and siege guns.  All formation of horse now had some casualties and or were blown from continued charges.

again a view of scale with my 6 year old in the distance

sheltered by the church the French cavalry would need time to rest before taking on any further action

While the French horses rested the British Light Dragoons were riding hard for the edge of the mangrove forest and the center of the now Allied line.

British Light Dragoons

Meanwhile the rest of the British beachhead was consolidated with half of the brigade forming square to hold off any opportunity charges by the nearby French cavalry...

British beachhead held by squares and rifles in the mangrove woods

The British view of the French cavalry

The area around the Church was definitely in French control, though they would have to pay for holding it with many more horsemen as the Russian massed batteries and Siege artillery were in canister range.

the Church region

Russian massed batteries and Siege artillery firing

Meanwhile by turn 11 the French columns had become exposed from the woods gap to the fire from Russian foot batteries with attached infantry.  The approach to the lines would have to be paid for....

Russian infantry support artillery laying down fire into the woods gap

emerging from the woods line these French columns would have to weather the canister storm

From the Russian right, the Hussars had emerged into the center of the field, now to threaten these advancing French columns and provide much needed cover for the exposed massed batteries and the moved headquarters.

Russian Hussars streaking into the center in front of the Grenadier battalions

Russian headquarters in some disarray after fleeing from French Guard Chasseurs

It was here, at the end of turn 11 that the players all melted from the heat.  One young player had slightly scalded his fingertips with the metal bases, they had become so hot in the bright sunlight!

Here then is the view of the field at the moment we stopped, the score was 2-2, with each side needing another 10 battalions or squadrons defeated to win/lose.  At the moment the French are in advantage in the ground having invested the Russian left flank.  Though slow to respond the Russian army was moving and would be in position to threaten the 9 battalions closing in on the center right.

The field as of the end of turn 11, where we left it.

Who do you feel would win this battle?

What are your thoughts about doing such a game in the garden?

There were only 2 confirmed casualties in the minis, one musket on a Russian infantryman was broken off and this French Hussar became separated from his mount.  The repair was done that night on the horseman, the loss of the musket is not critical.

only limited wear on the minis in this battle

Garden Wars - Hot Day Conflict

After the abortive start, where rain was the threat, we got started on a Garden Wars action on 7 July.

My eldest son had invited a friend to check out the minis experience and he chose to command the French forces.

16 Battalions of Infantry, including 2 Guard Class
7 Squadrons of Cavalry, including Guard Dragoons and Chasseurs a Cheval
4 Batteries of foot artillery and 1 &1/2 of Horse Guns

facing them were

Russian:

8 Battalions of Infantry, including 2 Grenadiers
11 Squadrons of Cavalry, with 1 Guard Dragoon, 2 Cuirass and 3 Cossacks in the mix
3 Batteries of foot artillery, 1 1/2 of Horse guns and 1/2 battery of Siege Artillery

Arriving on turn 8 (on the beach areas near the river mouth) British:

4 Battalions of Infantry
Squadron of Light Dragoons

Therefore initially there would be a French advantage until turn 8, when the British forces would arrive progressively until turn 14 when they would all be present and (potentially) able to engage in conflict.

As in the past, we used cardboard 'blinds' for the central and forward most position of the Divisions while they were outside of 'viewing' range, this time decided to be three yards, or 1 & 1/2 times maximum artillery range.

The French deployed with a tight column of Infantry with four divisions in columns to race towards the Russians through the two gaps in the forests.  One column of Guard Infantry was to press through the woods, arriving on the other side some time after the elite Guard Cavalry had pressed into the attack to capture the only bridge across a river that divided the battlefield.  On one flank they sent Hussars, to storm across the bridge.  On the other went a Dragoon Division, with orders to tie down as much Russian Cavalry as possible.

The Russians had not seen the threat to the bridges, and had deployed the Infantry to hold the woods line, and Cavalry to cover the open ground to the Russian right and keep open access to the large beach areas so that the coming British forces could have room to deploy.

The French Dragoons were the first to be detected clearly as the Russians had many cavalry formations covering the open right flank...

French Dragoons in a column of Squadrons in battle formation.

The French probe into the Russian right flank exposed nearly all the Russian formations who were standing still and came within the three yard range of view of this Dragoon force.

Russian Dragoons make ready to assault the advancing French.

First as a threat to the French Dragoons were Russian Dragoons, who began to react in preparation to strike at this column of squadrons, secondly a Cossack force began to move, also in preparation to fall upon the French, ideally after they had been mauled by Russian Dragoons.

Russian right flank, where French Dragoons closed in on three formations of Russian Cavalry

The French decide to strike first, rushing towards the Russian cavalry formations without pausing at all, leaving their field horse artillery far behind them ...

as a sense of scale this is what the right flank looks like with a 6 year old sitting in it

the view from the French Dragoon's perspective, you can just make out the Russian Dragoons in front of the boys knees...

Within two rounds of close combat there was nothing left of 2/3rds of the French Dragoons and they rolled a "2" for Divisional Morale, meaning that they were to retreat to their starting line.

Just after the first French Dragoon attack, Russians had lost all melees and were now in a position to crush the French Dragoon Division

The situation on the Russian left and center were much different.

French Guard Cavalry had run down the river and had routed a steady Russian Infantry Square!  Those French Empress Dragoons are really, really scary when used like this!

Further out to the Russian left, French Hussars were now making ready to storm across the bridge, this could take French troops into the edge of the British landing areas!

By turn 7 the French have reached firing range with the Russian lines

This was about when the heat began to tell on my young players, also the French 'wing commander', my eldest son realized that there was no way to stop the British landings.  This was when his confidence faltered.

I shall close out this posting with a to be continued ...

GARDEN WARS I - 2012

First posting after the return to the Garden Wars.

Hot HOT day, led to much drinking water and a premature wrap up of the game.

Full after action report to come.

Some Role play stuff

I have not been active in the Role Playing arena for about three years now, my time is more taken up by my business needs and keeping my family happy.

My oldest son is becoming more interested in RPG's and I have recently gifted him my hardback AD&D set (the ones from 1979-82) DMG, PH, MM, FF, MMII, Manual of the Planes, along with a whole bunch of my AD&D adventure notes and NPCs.  My wife has asked if I could consider game mastering with him and a couple of his friends, I have answered maybe; yet the problem is one of desire to tell a story and do so with active players.  While my son is keen to start, his 'finish' is sometimes non-existent. That coupled with the time commitment and a 'lack' of story telling desire on my part would make for a poor experience, in my view.

Today I have been sent an interesting article about this very subject, most certainly I agree with the appraisal that these are the attributes that belong to a good Game Master:

The Good GMs that I've played with have a number of things going for them:
- Fascinating Worlds
- Command of their Rules
- Fast Math Skills
- Natural Improvisational Acting Ability
- Passion for the Game
- Zest for Adventure (in and out of the game)
- Some inkling of what players mean by "Hero"
- A sense of Story
- The ability to Play Wicked on behalf of Evil NPCs
- At least a basic understanding of Combat Tactics
- Graciousness when confronting disagreement
- Sturdiness when confronting disagreeableness
- Descriptive Narration Skills
- Organizational Skills
- Tons of Imagination

That's a lot. And all of them help to make for the Good GM.

I would say that, today - right now - my "Zest for Adventure" is more out of the game world and IN the REAL WORLD - which is why I resist putting time into the RPGs.

One other cool link was shared, one filled with fantasy fonts for printing out stuff:

33 Fantasy True Type Fonts

At least one of these fonts may find its way into my activities in the coming months.

Rider conversions done

The heavy cavalry conversions are done now and I shall be mounting all onto the painting stands tomorrow.

Doing the sculpting with Tamiya epoxy putty, it does the job and is workable, yet not the same as when I have used green stuff in the past....

I really miss having a hobby supplier locally that I could count on to have things like 'green stuff' or piano wire....

Next Project : Dutch Infantry British & French Horse

Next up on the painting table are Dutch Infantry (to go with those Hussars - of course!) and to complete my Heavy Cavalry for the Fast Play Grand Arme Waterloo games that I want to run: British Heavy Dragoons and French Carabiniers.

1812 - 1815 pattern French Heavy Cavalry Uniforms for Carabiniers, as illustrated by Lilliane and Fred Funcken

Again I have turned to the excellent works of Lilliane and Fred Funcken for inspiration in the painting plans.

Illustration

This time I shall also be converting castings, Prince August puts out many fine molds and I love the fact that I can and have built huge armies of metal toy soldiers.  There is a challenge though with the variety - there are no molds of the 1812-15 pattern Carabiniers.  Nor are there any for the earlier pattern for that matter.

as 'cast' from the mold

 I have chosen to use the Cheveaux-Leger Lancers model to modify with some putty, to put on the plume (for the officers) and the cuirass that they wore.  I have also cut off the carbine from the casting and will be putting some cut down muskets into the gauntlet hand rather than the cast lance and pennant.

If I were to do an earlier Carabineer I would use the chasseur mold, adding only some to the bearskin hat to make the difference, as the uniforms were very similar.

A Russia Campaign Mappe

I have been fiddling around with the maps again and this time came up with a huge Russian Campaign Mappe.

Campaign Map of East Prussia, Baltic and Russia

I plan to incorporate the map into a Cyberboard game box.

The one here is a .jpg that has been compressed so that it would not take up too much memory space or take too long to load.

Two Centuries ago ... Russian forces escape

Prince Bagration as portrayed in Mosfilm's War and Peace by Sergei Bodnarchuk

Russian forces under the command of Prince Bgration, operating near Ochmiana, had realized the danger they were in over the past three days and slipped from the encirclement that Bonaparte had designed for them.

Fifth July found a letter from Jerome on Napoleon's desk, written from Grodno on the 3rd,reporting that his cavalry probes had found no trace of the Russians at Ochmiana apart from two weak detachments of infantry, and the Bagration seemed to be moving off toward Slonim and Minsk with his seven divisions.  In other words, Jerome had hardly advanced a yard, had consequently failed to pin down the enemy (his vital task if the trap was to be sprung properly) and had also taken 48 leisurely hours to inform Napoleon of his findings.  Once again the Emperor gave vent to his wrath.  "Tell him," he instructed Berthier, "that it would be impossible to maneuver in worse fashion ... that I am severely displeased that he failed to place all the light troops at Poniatowski's disposal for the purpose of harassing Bagration; tell him," Napoleon concluded scathingly, "the he has robbed me of the fruit of my maneuvers and of the best opportunity ever presented in war - all on account of his singular failure to appreciate the first notions about warfare."  So great was Jerome's fury when he received this tirade that after a further tiff with Davout a week later he decided to throw up his command and return to Westphalia.  He left the front in high dudgeon on July 14, and his formations were temporarily taken over by Marshal Davout.

~ Chandler D., The Campaigns of Napoleon p.776

HORSES Final view

Ready for action as a Division commader

One final look back at the latest horse project.

Polish Lancers all set for use in a SHAKO game.

Up next are more Dutch infantry (for use in Waterloo and as French stand in forces), British Heavy Cavalry and loads more Russian Infantry to do up some 1812 battles!

Horses Painting - flocking

Hussars and Cuirassier all flocked

 Flocking, which for my troops mostly means attaching a static grass material to the fender washer bases and blending all into one mass on the base stand from the cast minis.

I use a mix of Golden gel medium molding paste, brown and black paint and water.  It all gets spread on with a toothpick (normally for the smaller bases) for the large dragon base this time I used a putty knife then did the edges with the toothpick.  Once the paste is on I just dip them in a tub of the flocking material, leave dry ... as you see them here.

Dutch officers, Dragon, 24 artillerymen and Polish Lancers all flocked

Total time in flocking was 2 hours 30 minutes.  This included time to remove them from the painting sticks and clean off the bottom of all bases.  Sometimes this is fast, sometimes not - I had an easy time with these horses - not so much with some of the artillerymen.  So I am just counting all the time towards the horses.

TOTAL TIME 426 minutes, or 10 minutes 23 seconds per horse (not including riders or drying time).

Horse Painting - ready for gloss coat

All mounted and ready to get 'shiny'

 The cavalry were mounted and set for the gloss coat.

The Polish Lancers stand out even without the gloss coat

Gloss coating took a total of 12 minutes.  Another overnight period was needed before the flocking could be done.

Horse Painting - mounting riders

Cuirassier command now on horseback

 The combination moment had come, after another 2 hours of riders painting (and fixing) it was time to mount them on their horses.

The finished look is coming close

 The separation from the card 'painting stand' and mounting onto horseback took only 10 minutes.

These cuirassier models were very detailed

These were then left to set and dry overnight before the gloss coating would be done.

Total time to this stage:  264 minutes or 4 hours 24 minutes with 41 horses that works out to 6 minutes 27 seconds per miniature.

Horses Painting - basic level finished

Hussar and cuirass horses at the basic finished stage

 The cavalry were shaping up well now as the 'paint' layers were done on all of them.

Brunswick hussar horses at basic finished stage

 More time was to be used on the riders to finish up any errors or fix 'over paint' mistakes.  This is something that take up some time and when the rider is attached to the horse at the start, the correcting of these mistakes often generates more on the horse - meaning more corrections needed - and the cycle gets going.

Polish Lancers horses to basic finished stage

When dealing with very detailed models, like the cuirassier or the lancers in this set, such constant correction is a mad-house of fixing - fixing - fixing.  With the riders separate, I get to be sloppy in all aspects of the starting of the minis, indeed with the horses most of the work is done very very wet, intentionally.

Horse Painting - riders focus

Still on their 'painting stands' the riders take up good shape

The focus for cavalry in games, according to Bluebear Jeff, is the riders.  Certainly they take up more time in the process.

This painted stage was reached after a 6 hour long - one run painting session.

I tend to prefer this sort of focus zen time on the brushes to many short ones, as I get into a flow with the colors all over the palette and work from line to line of minis.

Having to do the metallic of the curassiers was a new challenge, one that I feel I did well with in this case.

Horses painting metal & stockings

Metal of the horse furniture, bits and bridles

 Metallic was the next major step on the horses, taking a total of 8 minutes.

This was followed by a further layer of shabraques - horse blanket - painting. Total 18 minutes.

With the stockings many of these horses are really done

 Then came another layer of shabraques painting, along with the stockings for all the horses, this time taking 12 minutes.

Truly standing out now with the blaze & stars on noses and the stockings are making these horses 'pop'

Horses painting - black manes & tails

The basic color layer on the Shabaques was done.  Black for manes and tails.

 With basic color layers done on those shabraques - horse blankets - that needed it I also did up the manes and tails.

The 'stockings' for some of the dark red horses were also painted in here.

Only another 20 minutes used up here on both actions, as I did the shabraques along with the riders, that they matched, and black flows very quickly onto manes and tails.

I have also done a few of the dark red horses with dark black extended stockings, as this has been seen on some of those breed.

Horses Inking stage 2

Second layer of inks now really brings out the details

The next 20 minutes were for another layer of ink, again a mixture of brown and indigo, very wet and watery...