Fiasco - Leeds

So back across the Pennines to support the Lance and Longbow, plus a chance to do a bit of catching up, it was nice to meet some faces from the web.

I was too late on the B&B to pick up any real bargins, but found "Trobruk, the great seige reassessed" by Frank Harrison for GBP 3.00, which might help me with the big game next year. I also acquired some artillery from Hincliffe (2 x 75mm + 2 x 105mm) to bolster Brescia which I will command in the game.

Other acquisitions were the Osprey "Armies of the Ottoman Turks 1300-1774" and "French Soldier in Egypt" to give me more inspiration on my current projects and a Hobbyboss Aircobra for my Russian WW2.

Not much eye-candy at the show, but there was a nice looking RCW game using Red Actions and a pirate game using WSS figures that got me thinking of possible scenarios with my existing figures (plus a few purchases of course!)

As expected, in the L&L game, I lost playing Biocca 1522, but one unit of Swiss pikemen actually pushed its way over the defences and defeated a counter attacking pike block before succumbing to a flanking counter attack, so I consider my performance a success .It seemed quiet, but some of the traders seemed to be happy with their turnover.

Will

On the workbench - October/November

Running ahead of schedule for once, so what have I got planned?

• 2 units of TYW Imperial Cuirassiers (24 figures, using the Revell copies I got as a trade)
• 2 units of Polish Registered Cossacks (16 figures using the HaT Napoleonic Cossacks, again from a trade). These will be similar to the units I found on Wab-ramblings a very useful blog on the late renaissance in eastern Europe)
• French 22nd Chasseurs and French 7th Hussars bis for my French army in Egypt (16 figures)
• Mamelukes for the opposition (18 figures)
• Finishing off some TYW Swedish and Imperial Cavalry I had started a while back)

Will

Macedonian Successor Elephants

The last planned unit for this month. These are lovely figures from Hat, and it first all went well, the elephants stuck together fine with ordinary polystyrene adhesive. I've been very careful to insure that the HaT figures are really washed well after getting some that were really greasy. It was the figures that went wrong, unlike the elephants there are no pegs or anything to locate the figures onto. At first they seemed to stick OK, of course once painting got really underway a couple of them fell off. So it was out with the hot pin to weld them into place.



The next challenge was the pike as the one provided was bendy and would have really failed it I had glued it. So it was out with the florists wire heat it up over the candle and position carefully so it welds itself into place. This normally works on the first attempt, but with the extra soft Hat plastic it took two attempts for most figures and three for a couple.


Overall they painted up OK

Will

Sorry to see them go

After 30 years service, I have parted with my Hinton Hunt Napoleonic Russian cavalry. Over the years they fought in many actions, but their weight was always a constraint. They were originally bought to provide cavalry to go with my Springwood Russians ready for a club refight of Borodino. With the release of most of the Russian cavalry in plastic I gradually built up a second cavalry force and tended to use them instead. They consisted of the following units all 20 figures strong:- Akhtyrka Hussars Kiev Dragoons (HH Prussian Dragoons painted as Russian) Ekatarinoslav Kuirassiers Don Cossacks (Blue tunics) Bug Cossacks (Green tunics) Some close ups You'll be sadly missed guys, hopefully you are going to a good home Will

GWP no more?

Well, I tried to access the Gentleman's Wargame Parlour last night with no luck, then I heard that it had been closed down. I'm not sure what happened, but it was a great forum with a lot of great guys, really inspiring figures and scenery, etc. plus I was looking forward to the big game next year.

Keeping my fingers crossed for this one and that England wins the rugby

Will

Nubians

Another set of units to face the French in Egypt, this time Nubians as faced by Kleber, as he advanced into upper Egypt.

These are the Waterloo 1815 dervishes and they are really nice figures. There are a few Esci Muslim warriors use to make up the numbers. The basic colout scheme is a base coat of sand plus a wash of brown ink, then a very light grey for the cloth. Gets me thinking about doing the Sudan again, oh dear!

Will

Cairo Militia

Here's the units I've created to use as either Cairo/Alexandria militia when facing the French, The figures are dominantly Esci "Muslim warriors" with a few Waterloo 1815 dervishes added.

They are not expected to do well, but hold ground, especially behind fortifications, etc and provide a general nuisance value.

The bases are a bit to plain, but I've not yet decided how to improve them. I want some sort of vegetation but the static grass I've got is far too green to use. I'll see what I can find at Fiasco next weekend.

Will