an 1813 'meeting engagement'

This time round the French will need to use their craft, skill and have some luck!

Here are the planned forces:

FRANCE Napoleon I ~ Emperor of France CIC 2 Aides de Camp 4 Battalions of Imperial Guard Infantry (Guard Class 6) 2 Battalions of Line Infantry 4 Squadrons of Chasseurs a Cheval (Elite Class 5) 2 Batteries of Horse Artillery Cavalry Reserve: Marshal Murat 6 Squadrons of Dragoons One Battery of Horse Artillery III Corps: Marshal Davout 2 Aides de Camp One Foot Battery 2 Batteries of Horse Artillery Second Division: General Friant 3 Battalions of Line Infantry 2 Battalions of Line Infantry 2 Battalions of Line Infantry Third Division: General Gudin 3 Battalions of Line Infantry 3 Battalions of Line Infantry 2 Battalions of Line Infantry VI Corps: Marshal Ney One Battery of Horse Artillery First Division: General Marchand 3 Battalions of Line Infantry 2 Battalions of Line Infantry Second Division: General Gardanne 3 Battalions of Line Infantry Independant Cavalry formations: Beauharnais ~ Viceroy of Italy 4 Squadrons of Chasseurs a Cheval General Grouchy 4 Squadrons of Dragoons

RUSSIA Baron Levin Bennigsen ~ CIC 2 Aides de Camp 3 Batteries of Horse Artillery 4 Squadrons of Cuirassier (Elite Class 5) Artillery Reserve: Baron Lowenstern 4 Foot Batteries The Left Wing: Count Tolstoi One Aide de Camp 3 Battalions of Pavlov Grenadiers (Elite Class 5) 2 Battalions of Line Infantry 3 Foot Batteries Left Wing Cavalry: Count Pahlen III 6 Squadrons of Dragoons 6 Squadrons of Cossacks 6 Squadrons of Cossacks 4 Squadrons of Dragoons 2 Squadrons of Hussars 2 Squadrons of Hussars 2 Squadrons of Uhulans The Center: Baron Sacken One Aide de Camp 3 Battalions of Line Infantry 2 Battalions of Line Infantry 2 Battalions of Line Infantry Count Essen Division: 3 Battalions of Line Infantry 2 Battalions of Line Infantry 2 Battalions of Line Infantry General Zapolski Division: 3 Battalions of Line Infantry The Center Cavalry Brigade: General Galitzen 4 Squadrons of Cuirassier 6 Squadrons of Dragoons 3 Batteries of Horse Artillery The Right Wing: Count Tutchkov One Battery of Horse Artillery 4 Battalions of Jager Infantry 3 Battalions of Line Infantry 2 Battalions of Line Infantry General Kamenskoi Division: 3 Battalions of Line Infantry 3 Battalions of Line Infantry Detachment General Bagvout: 4 Squadrons of Hussars One Battery of Horse Artillery 2 Battalions of Line Infantry 2 Battalions of Line Infantry

I am looking forward to seeing these forces in action!

Discussion of scales:

One of the other blogging sites was chatting about the various scales that thier minis were in (as the writer appeared to have different manufacturers).

The Miniatures Page has a very good discussion about all of this:

All About Scales

For my own part I like the more traditional 25mm scale for painting, I had gotten into much 15mm stuff, but found that the bigger 25mm's were easier to paint (even in quantity), they stand-up better to rougher handling (as the crashed box of minis, just enroute to a convention, did not have any damage to any minis!), and have moulds available so that I can produce what I want in the Napoleonic range.

What are your views?

Learning all the time...

I had seen images of Russian infantry, supposedly from the 1701 period, about 14 years ago in a art gallery in Santa Maria, on the Azores part of Portugal.

I did not recall the artist or the exact depiction but did recall the year (due mostly to my 'trek' fascination most likely).

The Russian troops were fighting against Swedish cavalry, the Swedes were in tans, browns and blue (light blue). The Russians were wearing primarily red, including long jackets or overcoats that had no lapels at all...I had thought them similar to the Cossack coats of the Napoleonic period.

The red uniforms for regular Russian infantry was a point of discussion between myself and one or two other gamers, both of whom insist that the Russians only ever wore GREEN as thier primary infantry coat colors, from the 1650's onwards according to one.

I have found the written account that I have been looking for:

Russian Regiments 1700

In this document, a translation from a Russian text, the writer says:

These new regiments received coats of the so-called Hungarian pattern, which was introduced in Preobrazenski and Semenovski regiments in 1699. The Ordinance of January 20, 1700 made this pattern obligatory for the whole army. Today, only two such coats exists and both are now in Stockholm Military Museum. One coat is red and evidently belonged to officer or NCO, the second is a blue soldier's coat. The coat was about 1 meter long with Polish-styled cuffs and small stand-up collar. The officer's coat was decorated with horizontal tab made of metal cord or lace.

and

Regiments raised in Moscow received coats of five colors: red, blue, brown, green and dark green. We know regimental coats of seven regiments: Gordon - dark green, Gulitc/Mevs - blue, N Balk - red, Ungorn and I v Verden - green, Fliverk - dark green, Polman - brown. Coat colors of the other regiments are unknown. Both dragoon regiments received green coats.

The red coat was mentioned twice, as an 'officer coat' (something that carried on into the Napoleonic period as guards officers had red overcoats - usually blurred to a dull brick or even pink like color by the time the troops reached Paris) and as the first color of the infantry regiments.

Red is an easier color to make in quantity, since the Russians would have had little time to get the uniforms ready to face Charles XII it seems very plausible that RED was the color of choice, at least until 1704, when more 'western' european style uniforms would have become available in quantity.

Because of this find I am sticking with my plans to do the 'russian flavored' opponents to the Duchy of Mieczyslaw in RED.

Some fantasy fun.

One thing about Hordes of the Things that I like is how fast the games play.

It allows for a tournament to actually be played out in one day, with everyone getting in some action.

It can also allow for a campaign to have some forward progress in only a single day.

Today we played out three years of a campaign of four players, with most of the players having painted minis!

It was a bit of fun to see the machiavelli in everyone come out...

I was able to sack one players capitol, with a lucky seige in a fall turn after beating off one of the other players whom had come to break the seige!

Then, in retaliation for seeing my forces in the lead, the other two players declared wars on me and in one year I was reduced to only 2 cities and lost a major field battle at my own capitol. So now I am another players underling...sigh.

Some tense moments and I was able to participate in a few battles.

Instead of the usual "center" city being a freebee, we decided to make it belong to a dragon, that must be driven off each season or finally defeated to capture the space. I liked this idea as it made the combat actions more focussed and allowed for quick games.

Here are a couple of shots:

The Dragon facing the game's current leader (in the one year he went to go and try is luck against the beast).


My Kelmyn host against a cobble-together army of David D's 'from the woodlands'.

I look forward to another few years of the game and then some real Napoleonic action at the Candle Dragon Inn later on the 13th of May.

More linkages!

It seems that the MarauderS and Mieczyslaw is getting around in Grimsby.

While setting up my new computer system (using it now to enter this information), I came across an entry in MiniatureWars.Com for not only MarauderS and Mieczyslaw, but also many other of the 18th Century circle.

I was poking around the MiniatureWars.Com entries and came across this link:

Commanders

For generating fictional army commanders.

Not only is it entertaining and humerous, I can see a way that it could be put to good use in a tabletop setting ... now if only I could get Bluebear on side.

I will also be adding a link to the MiniatureWars.Com location.

Lonely vigil ~ or opportunity to 'catch-up'?

My last game sunday, which I had planned for about a month, was to be a SHAKO meeting engagement and discuss plans for a 'north poland' 1807 campaign plan.


sigh


no players came.


I busied myself with final cleanup of the 'snow' from Eylau (while a real snowsquall kicked up outside the window!) and then I decided to get the force mix prepared for an 'on the road' game I have planned in May. Once that was done I re-designed the tricorne blue coated Prussians I have as the forces of Mieczyslaw (see the Duchy of Mieczyslaw page for details).

It was a useful exercise and prepared the way for a faster start to future games.

I am still doing the repairs to the damaged units (pinning needs drill work time and focus, not going to do that when tired as I will only end up hurting myself).

Later I got a note from one of the possible players saying that he did not come to the game as setup takes so long and the 'rules' are complicated and that game play is slow and since the rules are not well known he thinks that he is being 'hosed' (tricked for those readers not familiar with Great White North slang). Nuts I say, I have fully painted minis and all the fixins for the same experience as one can get at the best of most game conventions. I admit that it is Napoleonics and that 25mm scale takes some time to get the minis on the table...this allows for players to make their own decisions, otherwise the complaints would be all about not having any choices!

I dunno, I feel that I shall have to bend with the prevailing winds for a while and play some 'fantasy' games...sigh.

I was hoping to find at least one other player that wanted the tabletop events to be more than just 'filling time'.

Any thoughts from others out there?

Connections are good!

Sorry to have not posted so much here recently, but since the convention I have had precious little time to collect my thoughts and present them here.

I was swamped with three work situations coming to an end all at the same time, thus needing video work to be processed as fast as possible (eating all my processor time and making sitting at the computer typing in more words less appealing).

The next week was spring break and we had 4 extra young people around all the time, though it was fun connecting with them and challenging some new minds.

Finally this week started with surgery for my wife and I was left doing double-parenting for a few days while she recovered, adding to that was a need to do a book display with her that was not noted to me earlier and so we were rather rushed in getting it all together and hauled out on the morning in question.

Enough excuses, that is now done.

I have been contacted by Dennis, whom did the A.C.W. game at Salute (see pics below) and since he may have time to get away this summer we may finally have him guest host at my game table! YAYYY!

I shall have an opportunity to showcase another keen miniature gamer to the other gamers here and perhaps challenge their contention that I am just a lone nutcase!

Anyway the snowfields are all cleaned now (and I have a pile that looks like a zamboni just tossed it out from the arena) and the troops are all re-flocked for summer pattern. From all that action only 4 mounted troops are damaged, 3 of them commanders (one was damaged during painting so came as no surprise when the join gave way). There were no infantry units damaged! 4 of the 'disorder' markers are also in need of repair and are sitting now on the painting table awaiting my attentions.

Sadly they will need to wait at least another week...sigh.

I still have company taxes to process and then a new computer system to get organized along with re-designing my offices so that my eldest son gets to share the desktop.

Wheee!

In two weeks I will be SOOOO ready to get back to casting and painting projects!

SALUTE Convention 2007

I was at the sunday games that were part of the 2007 incarnation of the Trumpeter Gaming Society convention known as SALUTE.

Saturday is normally the 'big day' at these events, but as I understand Friday had a very active and well done PRIATES game that managed to win the best of show award and will 'represent' SALUTE at ENFILADE in Washington State coming in June(? = not sure of the dates).



Anyway I was pleased to be able to game with Dennis Chin, an avid Civil War buff and keen gamer. We teamed up to emote the actions of the Confederates during the battle of MacPhereson's Ridge; a part of the opening moves from Gettysburg.



We did not loose the battle, as was the historic case, we also did not outright win.

At best it was a draw, with the the Union Iron Brigade coming away unbloodied and holding a vital forested area on the important ridgeline.



The rest of the days' games included another Pirate run; hosted by Gord Colter.



A Lord of the Rings "Legends of the West" game in 25mm, hosted by the best of show winners the North Shore Gamers.



A gigantic seige game of Warmaster (10mm minis) that started on Friday of the Convention and only ended about 20 minutes before the Civil War game I was in ended...the castle defenders managed to hold on, with two breaches in the wall! Hosted by Adrian.

A aerial Dragon combat game, with clouds and gold nuggets; hosted by Lisa Smedman.

There were also a number of commercial sellers and another room that was filled with 25mm Warhammer (not sure if 40K or Fantasy, but 20+ gamers busy in three rows of tables.

All-in-all a good day of game!

Just some more bravado.

I promise to not put more of this on the blog (other than the special effects methods).



The award for BEST PRESENTATION at Dak-Kon XII : BADLANDS 2007

I want to thank all the players that have come to the table in the past 6 months in preparation for this game. Most notably Jeff, Pete and Alex!

Success.

I had the plan to put on the best show that DakKon had ever seen for a miniatures game.
I had the plan to continue to expand my Napoleonic 25mm collection.
I had the plan to continue to play out the bicentennials of the height of the Napoleonic period (1807 has EYLAU and FRIEDLAND).
I had the plan to win the best table display for DakKon.

I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER!

While I did not get as many players as I had hoped for, I got at least enough to make it happen and one or two others whom came in and out enough to make it interesting.

I would have had a better turn out at a minis based game event like SALUTE in Vancouver, but I will take what I got here.

Essentially I was the solo miniatures act for DakKon this year, one which sported more RPG events than any before and I was very pleased to learn that Paul won the best GM award (it was his first year in a competitive environment ~ he is a good GM and the atmosphere is different when in competition).

So the tale:

Minis prep and table stuff you know, since I have blogged about it before (and sorry about taking so long to get this out on the blog, but three boys under 8 and work demands took precedence ~ oh and my wife's parents decided to visit the week before, leaving on the Saturday of the event ~ more stress I did not need).

The table set-up, went inside the time as planned, my difficulty was in not having an assistant whom could be out beating the bush for getting the starting players.

It took a lot more time than I had anticipated to get the players, then it was time to get them organized and understanding the Order Of Battle ~ so that they would know what they were working with.

Orders writing actually took less time than in past playtests, since my new play aids worked to perfection and had the players understanding the troops under their command faster and easier than in the past.

There were takers for the French and La Grande Armee, but no interest in the Russian commands. I had to turn to a convention runner to 'write' the Russian plans (essentially position the troops ~ since moving seemed a bad idea with the French having at least 2 flank forces out there...).

Troops went onto the table in exactly the same time as the playtest and from there the turns went really quite fast.

The only delays came during the planned 'breaks' when I pulled out my dry ice and did the 'special effects' that wowed the crowd.

Ok, so on to the pics:

A long view of the field from the French Left, Russian Right.

Here (seen in the foreground) a formation of French Hussars (in blue) did yeomans duty in breaking up Russian counter attacks and managed to not only chase away two groups of Russian Dragoons and a battery of foot artillery but was still on the table to join in a Grand Charge organized by Murat some 10 turns later!


Murat and his ADC had sent off two formations of Chasseurs and One of Hussars to thier doom at the top of the hill on the Russian center right. Not one unit came back and neither of the Russian Squares had been broken either. The Imperial Guard artillery was then directed to begin blasting these squares, too little too late though as the Russians were leading by a score of 6 to 1 once the French Cavalry Reserve had a chance to get re-organized on the French Left. While on the French Right and Center Soult had begun to surge forward, into Russian Guns which managed to destroy all of 2eme Division of IV Corps. While new orders were drafted for Augerau and VII Corps was sent hard into the Russian Left Center (at the angle in the town of Serpalten).


In the Center, the Russians directed mortar fire into the Guard Grenadiers inside the city of Eylau, setting the city on fire, which managed to force the Guard out into the open. Then the Guard was subjected to concentrated artillery fire from 3 Foot and 2 Horse batteries. Even under this withering fire coming in for nearly 90 minutes, before a greater blizzard blinded all guns, the Guard did remain on the field, though battered and retired back alongside the burning Eylau, using the buildings for cover.


General Grouchy was pressed into service as the Reserve Cavalry force commander as early on General Lasalle was put out of action during the first advance of the cavalry on the French Left. Here he is seen leading the return of the Cavalry, just moments before Murat marshalled the cavalry into a Grand Charge!

Battered Cavalry press-on across the French Center, in response to the call from Murat, and the Grand Charge was going to cross the center (under the cover of the hills from the fire of Russian guns) of the field to try and exploit the collapse at the left-center of the Russian lines.


Here along the French Right, before the arrival of Davout, as the French needed to hang on at all costs and not loose one more unit ~ otherwise the Duc d'Auerstadt & Marshal du Fer would only be arriving to see the entire French Army in retreat and provide the rear-guard.

The game was played out and hard-faught from 11 am Saturday 24 Feb, (first die rolls for artillery) till 1 am 25 Feb.

Score at end time was Russia = 14 : France = 6. Davout had arrived and was looking to deploy into the French Right. The Russian Left, under Count Tolstoy, had not yet been used and so was ready to react and press home into the fresh French troops...


It would have been great to have reversed history, but the outcome was not clear at the time we ended...one thing was certain the death toll was very, very high as this shot of the battlefield at the end amply demonstrates.

One other shutter-bug claims to have filled his camera's memory card (for the first time ever!), his latest email came in today says that he has 250 images from the event, and I managed to max out one of my computer drive partitions with all the images from the two digital cameras I had going and I have not yet reviewed the entire video that I have from the event.

The special effects were what put this game 'over the top' for the display purpose and it was loads of fun, and work, to put it all on!

Amendment and examples:

The amendment is the addition of light artillery battery being supplied by every Province (lesser or greater) that is not the Capitol Region (and thus providing the Ordonnance of Heavy or Medium artillery battery(ies).

Example, at start each player has one Greater and Two Lesser Provinces:
Capitol: 2 Medium batteries, Guard (or Elite - to start might be better) Cavalry (players choice of Heavy or 'other') and Guard (or Elite - to start might be better) Infantry (probably Grenadiers). The Capitol is also a Fortification.

Greater Province: 1 Heavy Cavalry, 2 'other' Cavalry, 1 Line Infantry, 1 Light Infantry = the Capitol is selected to be in the Greater Province and so no other artillery will be coming from here.

Lesser Province1 : 2 'other' Cavalry, 2 Line Infantry, and 1 Light Gun

Lesser Province2 : 1 'other' Cavalry, 2 Line Infantry, 1 Light Infantry and 1 Light Gun.

Giving a final force composition (for parade in the Fortification in the Capitol):
Guard Heavy Cavalry
Heavy Cavalry
5 'other' Cavalry
Guard Infantry
5 Line Infantry
2 Light Infantry
2 Medium Batteries
2 Light Batteries

Other possible combinations:
Guard Heavy Cavalry
2 Heavy Cavalry
4 'other' Cavalry
Guard Infantry
6 Line Infantry
1 Heavy Battery
2 Light Batteries

-or-

Guard Heavy Cavalry
5 'other' Cavalry
Guard Infantry
6 Line Infantry
3 Light Infantry
2 Medium Batteries
2 Light Batteries

by looking at the charts in the first posting other combinations can be found...

Wars for Arcadian Glory
(or some such thing)

Jeff, of Saxe-Bearstein, has coined the phrase Wars for Arcadian Glory as the name of a campaign of 17-18th century fictional Duchies, Princedoms, city and nation-states.

In connection with this plan I have been thinking about the consistency of the field armies and the territories of the player-controlled lands & peoples.

Since the concept is to have a non-map or abstracted country I need to define a few terms.

Capitol = Obviously every ruler needs a seat of power, such a place would be a cross-roads for supply and social center; providing logistical support and control for the army.
Greater Province = A developed region capable of greater support for war efforts.
Lesser Province = A somewhat developed region that has been under the administration of the Duchy for more than 2 year (or more or less to be determined by the time of the campaign start).
New Territory / Marche Land / Undeveloped Province = A set of lands new to the Duchy, either recently captured or ceeded from another player or 'discovered' thru exploration (such as was done with India, or parts of Africa, or the Spice Islands, or Colonies).

The other premise was regarding the field army and the size elements of that army, for instance I had thought the campaign should start with a field army of 50% of the maximum optimal size of the field army. I say optimal size since capture of the territory of other players should include the ability to press troops into service from those new lands.

For sake of argument I begin the discussion with a definition of Capitol regions giving 10%, Greater Provinces 20% and Lesser ones 10% of the overall field army strength. New lands only give 5%.

In definitive terms, I have tried to set-out what the field army should look like.
Basing my starting point on the one proposed earlier by Jeff:
2 x Medium Batteries
4 Heavy Cavalry (one Guard)
2 Cavalry
2 Light Horse

1 guard Infantry
8 line Infantry
3 jagers (light skirmish Infantry)

To set the regions contributions:
Capitol: permits 1 each of cavalry and infantry as Guard Class units. Produces artillery either 1 heavy or 2 medium batteries. The capitol is also a fortification...in case we use such things in the planned game.
Greater Provinces: produces 1 each of Heavy Cavalry, Cavalry, Light Cavalry, Line Infantry, Light (or skirmish) Infantry; or 2 Heavy Cavalry, 2 Line Infantry; or 2 Cavalry, 1 Light Cavalry, 2 Line Infantry; or 1 Cavalry, 2 Light Cavalry, 2 Line Infantry, 1 Light Infantry; or 3 Light Cavalry, 1 Line Infantry and 1 Light Infantry.
Lesser Provinces: produces 1 each of Cavalry, Light Cavalry, Line Infantry, Light Infantry; or 2 Cavalry, 2 Line Infantry; or 2 Light Cavalry, 2 Line Infantry; or 1 Light Cavalry, 2 Line Infantry, and 1 Light Infantry.
New Territory: produces 1 Light Cavalry, 1 Line Infantry; or 2 Light Cavalry; or 2 Line Infantry; or 2 Light Infantry; or 1 Line Infantry and 1 Light Infantry.

This way each player, having a Capitol, Greater and 2 Lesser Provinces at the start of the game will have a number of options to establish a character to their field armies.

Whis is needed is to determine how long or under what circumstances a New Territory becomes a Lesser Province and similarly how a Lesser becomes a Greater Province, each 'improvement' then allowing for a larger field army. Another point of discussion will be the connection of new lands (not conquered). Possibly also will be the 'garrison needs' for each province/territory.

Imperial Guard Blasted!

From playtest #2, I got to have three 'free shots' at the Imperial Guard!



Taking out 1/2 of the needed kills to send the Grenadiers and 2/3 of the needed Chassers a Pied to send them off the field!

Then close combat began and I handed over a battery to the Chasseurs and was certain to watch the better part of the Russian Right Wing evaporate.

Mercifully for the right wing, the game was called due to time constraints...but the action coming for the Dak-Kon convention promises to be very HOT indeed!

Dak-Kon convention information:
Dak-Kon XII : BADLANDS

The second play test has shown needed 'starter' player information, about army formations - like Corps, Division, Brigade and Battalions need to be defined along with their inter-relations, as well as the "Allied" versions of the same, Wings, Divisions, Inspections, Regiments and Battalions.

I also need to try and create a 1-page SHAKO 'starter' info sheet for those whom have never played a minis game, let alone one with 1000's of troops on the table.

Does anyone know of an online primer for these things (that I could 'nab' so as to save my typing time)?

I shall also have a one page summary of the events leading up to the battle in a blizzard...EYLAU!

More from Playtest #2 Day 1

The Prussians and Russians also got the feature treatment and their shots were of no less caliber!

All these pics were done with my wife's new camera (gift from her mom & dad = so that the grandchildren's pics would go to them often), I have only had this one opportunity to put the camera to use, and it has some great macro functions.

As these really close-up pictures should attest to!

These shots include:

Benningsen (or the mini I am using for him).

Bagration (again, just the mini planned).

Lestocq.

A Prussian Division Commander

Russian Artillery.

Pavlov Grenadiers.


and just for Jeff....


A Prussian unit (pressed into service for the Russians) wearing TRICORNES!
Tell me what you think of the effects?

Playtest #2 Day 1

WOW what a busy day!



With both tables set up I finnaly got to see what all my terrain efforts looked like fully assembled.



The general Snow effect is going to work out...not as well as I had hoped, but in general it should be good. Especially once I add the extra layer of thick and thin snow fall (only to be done at the actual event, otherwise I am wasting my materials).

After full setup I was then busied with unit photos.

This was when the image effects were at their best!







I am including some single shots featuring Napoleon Bonaparte (of course), Marshals Murat and Ney, a couple of artillery batteries (to show off the new base stands effects) and the French Imperial Guard Grenadiers.

Major work done!

The greatcoats and Guns are done!


At last the final French units and my first IMPERIAL GUARD infantry units are coming together.

By tomorrow night they will have their gloss and sealing coat done and I shall only have some flocking to do over the coming week.


ALL TROOPS FOR THE EYLAU GAME ARE READY IN TIME FOR PLAYTEST #2!

I have also heard from my primary game associate for the EYLAU game and he was called away for work at 5 am on Saturday the 20th, and so was unable to warn me of his departure...then too bagged to call me about the sunday etc.

At least until today.

Anyway I have 'nabbed' his table and can finnaly have all the components to put together at the playtest on February 10th (only 2 weeks before the big show)!

Enjoy the pics, I will post another full set after they are in 'full regalia' with flags and flocking.

Cheers

Playtest #1


bleh.

I wish that I had known in advance that my supposed partner in the EYLAU game was not going to be able to take part.

To date I still have not heard from him.

I went over early on Saturday with my table and all of my terrain parts, so that we could set-up the two table combination for the first time. He was not at home, no note, no call, no indication of what had happened or why he was unavailable.

So I dragged by materials back home.



I busied myself with the layout of the French Grand Armee, so that I could confirm that I had enough minis (the 'green gaps' you see in the picture are for the troops still under production). Hoping that my partner would call to inform me that I could come over or at least what was going on.

What did come was a call to get more firewood. (which we needed)

I set aside all the minis and materials for the next 5 hours and humped wood, splitting some and stacking it for use this week.

Returning to the table after dinner I was able to set out the map completely and got some troops onto it for the first series of some photos.



I have been working on the 'snow' imagery concepts, I am interested what viewers here think of the first attempt at scale and if you have ever done snow scenes before, what worked for you?







Sunday was an attempt to have a 'new' player veiw the materials and comment, sadly this person was also not able to attend.

So I busied the day with the 'labels' for the unit tags. I had planned on using 'sticky' printer paper, but remembered that I had 'magnetic' printer paper!

LONG LIVE MAGNETICS!

So I have printed out and attached to the metal unit and command tags a magnetic ID.

Cheers

Painting Progress




A two session update.

I have had opportunity to paint a couple of times since last posting and have the block colors and mid-tones all done.






I settled on doing the 4 greatcoat units as blue, green, black and brown. They will all have white trousers and belts when done, so that they will serve mostly as French, but as planned they will all have 4 different flag bearers.

Enjoy the progress shots.

Cards in-progress,

With 'daddy daycare' continuing to get in the way of painting, I can at least work on my computer & therefore get some of the support materials for the coming EYLAU game done.



I have designed a new card back, since the Russians were not part of the original Eagles game by Columbia Games (where I borrowed the format for the card backs from).



Along the way I have also been working on the card faces as well, in this example an image of Levin Bennigsen has been used. While it was a painting of the Russian general made later in life, it works well in the game context.

Other cards are still being designed, but since I have a few moments while my baby son is sleeping on my chest I thought I could post these.

Painting operations have been done on the minis, but only up to blocking colors, so I will not have all troops ready for the first playtest...sigh.

The Duchy of Mieczyslaw is launched.

Starting with some formative ideas, then leading thru some 'histories' I shall attempt to have my little 'imaginary' place ready to take more written actions in the 'tricorne' period by this summer!

Take a glance there every now and then.

Cheers