Copyright © 2011-2024, Paul Scrivens-Smith

Copyright © 2011-2024, Paul Scrivens-Smith

All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the creator.

Sunday 27 October 2024

Prussian reinforcements (1)

 

Fresh from the inspiration of last weeks game I've been working on some more Prussians for the 6mm Napoleonic collection. All the miniatures are from the Baccus 6mm range with bases from Warbases.

4th West Prussian Dragoons

Another regiment of Dragoons were added, these represent the 4th West Prussians adding to the 8th Magdeburg Dragoons that I already painted.

4th West Prussian Dragoons

A new unit for the force is a regiment of Elbe Landwehr cavalry.

Elbe Landwehr cavalry

With the Dragoons and Landwehr cavalry completed  can now field the 7th Brigade from the Divisional support options in General d'Armee 2.

Elbe Landwehr cavalry

The final unit this week is a battalion of East Prussian Landwehr with red facings. It's small progress towards the 6th Brigade option of 5 battalions of Enthusiastic Landwehr, three more to go!

2nd Battalion 2nd East Prussian Landwehr

Up close the individuals are a bit rough, but en-masse they look good enough.

2nd Battalion 2nd East Prussian Landwehr

One of the "cheats" I have been doing for painting 6mm is to get a pack of Sharpie Creative Markers. These paint pens are a lot less of a faff for adding the straps on the backpacks. They are also great for cleaning up the cut white edge on the flags. 

2nd Battalion 2nd East Prussian Landwehr

Now that I'm up to 16 battalions of foot and five regiments of horse I'm able to field a Divisional Organization as both an attacker and a defender.

Friday 25 October 2024

The Battle for Gilly 1815


On Saturday we convened at Eds' place for a game of General D'Armee 2 with our recent 6mm Napoleonic collections, my Prussians featured in my last post.

Ed had laid out the table as the Battle of Gilly, but we would use the "Divisional Organisation" lists from the rulebook.

Ed and Liam would attack with the French electing to:
  • Add the 7th Cavalry Brigade
  • Upgrading 2 Light Infantry in 2nd Brigade to Grenadier and one Dragoon in 7th Brigade to Grenadier
  • Adding a small Horse Artillery Battery to the 7th Brigade
  • Upgrade 7th Brigade to Battle Cavalry


Mark and I would defend with the Prussians. I chose to:
  • Add 5th Infantry Brigade
  • Add small Foot Artillery Battery to the 5th Brigade and make it 12-pounders
  • Upgrade 4th Brigade to Battle Cavalry

The Prussians had a great roll on their C-in-C ability and drew a Incomparable, while the French Campaigner was non too shabby. Both sides both had a Bold brigadier, both choosing to assign to the cavalry. 

The French had a rather splendid set of scouting rolls and two Infantry Brigades were deployed on table before the French deployed. 

The French went with two infantry brigades centre left and a cavalry brigade on their right, the remaining cavalry and infantry brigades in reserve. The Prussians also placed their cavalry in reserve.

The remaining Prussians were placed on their starting positions.
 


Early moves saw the Prussians attempt to redeploy their infantry against the cavalry threat in their left, if the French horse could push up, their reserves would swarm that side of the table and we needed to be ready.

The French infantry in the center came on at a steady pace facing somewhat desultory Prussian artillery fire. The French Legere stormed the bridge at Gilly ejecting the Prussian Landwehr who had drawn the short straw defending it.



As the battle developed the French cavalry brigade forced a crossing at the ford and the Prussian reservists were forced into square to await reinforcements. 

The fight in Gilly continued with the French holding on against determined attacks, but the Prussian artillery was coming more into play and the French casualties were mounting.


The French reserve on our left arrived at the same time as the Prussian troops redeploying to face them started to form a second line, despite the ongoing battle for the village, the focus would shift to our left flank.

The 12-pounder battery supporting the Prussian reservists was having a great effect against the French and as they advanced were sorely tested by the heavy gunfire. 



The cavalry charged and charged again but without any decisive victories going to either side. Both sides also suffered terribly with plans thwarted by brigades refusing to obey their orders.

On our right, the Prussian Line holding the stream line were being thoroughly battered by the opposing French artillery, as the French columns came on the Prussian lines facing them started to suffer gravely.

On our left the Prussian reserves started to tell on the French and what initially looked to be a imminent disaster was shored up and the French were in no position to push on their attacks.


Back in the center, the Landwehr again threw themselves into the village and were successful in dislodging the French Leger.

However disaster on our right, as the French columns closed on the thinned lines another round of artillery rained down, a Destiny result saw the brigade faltering at the most inopportune time. The French slammed home driving the Prussians back in great disarray. 


We did not get to the full number of turns, and as neither side was broken we totted up demoralizations, declaring a small victory of 8:5 in favour of the French.

A great day out with Ed, Liam and Mark, cannot wait for the next set to!

Friday 18 October 2024

Prussian Napoleonics starter force for General D'Armee

 

Followers of the blog will know that I've got quite the collection of 28mm Napoleonics for the Hundred Days campaign and have been playing quite a lot of General D'Armee and since their release General D'Armee 2.

Back at Adepticon, Ed and I were having a chat about playing in a smaller scale, it's great to break out 20 Really Useful Boxes of figures on a 12ft x 6ft table, but it does not really lend itself to pickup games. Ed mentioned that he was getting some 6mm Anglo-Allied and French, I already have these forces in 28mm so decided to paint some Prussians.

I've been making steady progress over the past few months and now am "game ready" for my first outing on Saturday.

There are now 15 battalions of foot, 3 regiments of horse and three batteries of artillery and a substantial skirmish screen painted. In the backlog are another 9 battalions of foot, more skirmishers, limbers and caissons plus 5 regiments of horse and a couple more batteries.

Hussars and 9pdr battery

Landwehr and Reserve skirmishers

Skirmishers, Musketeers, Dragoons and Artillery

Commanders with ADCs in the midst

Another parcel has today arrived from Baccus and after wrapping up the Prussians I'll be making a start on some French to oppose them.

Thursday 1 August 2024

Gunfighters and the start of an Old West town.

 

A much overdue update.

I've been meaning to get back into western gunfights for quite a while and have been eying up some games of What a Cowboy

When I was visiting the UK in May, at the Partizan Show I picked up quite a bit of stuff from Great Escape Games, including a pack each of Gunfighters and Gunfighters II.



They go together very well and although the faces don't suit my painting style you can churn them out quite quickly.



They come with a good mix of weapons and kit allowing a lot of variety.





Twenty gunfighters is likely more than enough for my needs, but I do already have some Brigade Games ones painted and still more in the backlog.







I was lucky enough to win a gift card from Northern Lights Terrain during the last Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge so I picked up a load of their lovely Old West terrain and have made a start.

Completed so far are all the boardwalk sections in the photos above plus three stores.



The signage and posters etc are available as a download from Sarissa Precision and look a lot better than anything I could free-hand.



There are more buildings and terrain in the backlog.



Just before we went on vacation I was able to get a game of What a Cowboy in with chum Seth. Great fun with more to follow.

Thursday 21 March 2024

Bataljon Jagers No. 27


I have been cracking on with a larger unit of Dutch-Belgian infantry for the Hundred Days collection.

The 27th Light Battalion was part of van Bylandt's Brigade, taking part in both the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo.

All the figures are from the Front Rank range now available from Gripping Beast.


Some close up's of the individual bases showing warts and all including what appears to be some terrible mould lines I missed in clean-up.




The flag for the colour party is from  GMB Designs




Three bases of skirmishers were also added to bolster the brigade skirmish line in our GdA2 games





There were five flank company figures left and a single centre company, so this base is a bit of a mash-up.



This unit brings to an end my participation in another years Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge I hope the momentum that built up these past three months for painting and blogging can be maintained.