Preparing for Ligny 1815 - French Cavalry

It took a while but I've rebased all the remaining French cavalry needed for the game.

Chasseurs a Cheval (Domon's division) I'll be using three of the four units, On the left my old Airfix version and to the right from HaT


My Guard heavy cavalry, all four units will be used. Front left Hinton Hunt Gendarmes d'elite, rear Grenadiers a cheval (a mix of HH and Newline). Right front is Hat's version of the Grenadiers backed up by the Empress Dragoons from Italeri.


Hussars (Soult's division) again only three units will be used. All Airfix with head swaps, etc. On the left the 11th Hussars and on the right the 1st and 2nd Westphalian Hussars


Finally the lancers (Subervie's division) yet again only three units will be used in the game. On the left Esci Vistula Legion lancers and on the right Hat 3rd and 5th Line Lancers.

Preparing for Ligny 1815 - Prussian cavalry rebased

More rebasing ready for the game, this time my Prussian cavalry. Generally it all went well, until I got started on my old Dragoons that are converted Airfix cuirassiers (back right). They were falling of their bases so I gave them new bases. Then one horse split down the middle and guess what, after years of having loads of spares I had no cuirassier horses to replace it! So a replacement had to be found. The whenever I worked on them an odd rider would fall off. This wasn't to bad as they could be refixed, but the collateral damage to the paintwork needed fixing as well. I also spotted a horse starting to split, but a dose of superglue seems to have fixed that. Overall it would have been nearly as quick to have started with new figures.

Subsequently I have bought some more Hat Prussian Dragoons as a long term replacement.

Preparing for Ligny 1815 - the Cuirassiers

Two weeks to go to Gauntlet so my attention is now firmly fixed on getting everything ready for the Ligny game running over the weekend. Since some of the troops I am using have seen a lot of action they are beginning to loose all the flock on the base or come off entirely, so I am rebasing as many units as possibly.

First off is Milhaud's IV Cavalry Corps represented by two Black Powder brigades of 3 units each.

Relief of Gloucester 1643

As is traditional on the day after Phalanx the Gentlemen pensioners gathered in Manchester for a big game. This year it was set in the English Civil War and presumed that the Royalists actually tried to stop the Parliamentary relief of their siege of Gloucester. I declared my allegiance and was allocated command of the Parliamentary left wing cavalry.

Preparing for the off, Nick as King Charles looks fetching is red, while Phil surveys the task ahead.


The die gods of war with with me and the first rank of Royalist horse were defeated. I followed up with one regiment, but the rest of my wing decided to wait a bit first.


In the right centre our foot got stuck in, while our left centre infantry decided that they would maintain their alignment with my cavalry.




Eventually the rest of my cavalry decided to join the scrap and my run of luck continued


All but one unit of Royalist cavalry were driven from the field and even that one decided to leave rather that meet it's obvious fate.


Meanwhile the infantry fight over the hedgerows continued, but on our right our cavalry also drove off Rupert and his boys!


At that point a Parliamentary victory was declared and we adjourned for tea and to celebrate Davis's birthday with a very fine cake.

For those interested the rules were modified Pike and Shotte with a changed move sequence and combined foot unit of pikes and muskets.

David's version of events on the other end of the table can be found on his Wargame Amateur blog

Phalanx 2015 a few show pictures

A quick trip across the Mersey to my local show in St Helens.

Action starts with the battle of Liverpool between Stanley and Molineux. We managed to run this game five times on hte day.


1866 game


A force on force Russian front game next to us Hungarian tank and Romanian infantry!!


Ypres 1914


More WW2 Action,


Sword and Spear fantasy - nice corner piece


Fire and Fury ACW action, nice to see the original rules being used.




Back to the War of the Roses fought with Poleaxed




Dead man's hand


Alex and Steve from SOGG (It was Alex's first wargame show!)


Ancient Greek naval action using Kallistra tiles (must get my triremes out for a game sometime)


More fantasy


Some tempting medievals on the Tumbling dice stand


My haul, I'm particulary pleased with the Napoleonic books pictures up cheap on the B&B. Note the clump foliage so I can make more vines and the weapons needed to complete my winter Hungarians and Italians.

Big game - last few pictures

A couple of pictures from the Waterloo game, player using a version of poker





My winnings from the Charity auction

The WW1 Erhardt armoured car is certainly my favourite. I must be a glutton for punishment as I bid on and won the maize field components so I'll be continuing to build terrain!

Overall the auction raised nearly £800 for a military charity (as yet undecided)

Big Game - Husky 1943 - part 4 Lentini

I kept a slightly closer eye on what was happening on the Lentini table

German initial dispositions


The Commandos take Ponte Malati


Monte Pencali provides an excellent position for OPs


Still quiet!


British armour emerging from Sortini


and from Melilli



British reach the German forward defence line


Seems like trouble lurks round every corner


Refreshed by ice cream the Commandos await the Germans next move.


Italian reinforcements arrive


It's slow going for the British main force


Slowly pushing forward


The last Stug(?) lies in wait


All quiet in Lentine and Carlentini


British infantry trudge forward, who decided they didn't need MT?


Position at the end with the Commandos just off-picture still holding the bridge

Big Game - Husky 1943 - part 3 Primasole bridge

Some hard gaming and much laughter from this table. Here are my pictures in the order I took them. I can't really comment except the British paras were eventually eliminated.