Colonel Frenchs' Coffin

Camp fever had ravaged the Confederate army in there winter quarters outside of Rainton, many men had died including the much respected Colonel French. Determined that his body should be returned to his dear Martha. Major Markgraf and his men loaded the lead-lined coffin aboard a cart and set out to escort it to the rail-head.

News of the movement of Confederate troops and wagons soon reached the Union forces and a detachment under Major Binsack was dispatched to intercept them.

On Thursday evening we played the Escort Duty scenario, with the random allotment, both sides were at 92 points. Seth would play the Confederates and I'd assist, Drew would play the Union assisted by Bruce when he arrived later.

Confederates

• Leader, Status III
• Preacher
• Three groups of 8 Infantry with rifled muskets
• Leader, Status II
• Two groups of 8 Infantry with rifled muskets
• Leader, Status II
• One group of 6 Skirmishers with rifled muskets
• Leader, Status II
• One group of 6 Skirmishers with rifled muskets

Union

• Leader, Status III
• Leader, Status I
• Water cart
• Three groups of 8 Infantry with rifled muskets
• Leader, Status II
• Three groups of 8 Infantry with rifled muskets
• Leader, Status II
• One group of 6 Skirmishers with rifled muskets
• Leader, Status II
• One group of 8 Cavalry with breach loading carbines.

Both sides rolled for Force Morale and both would be starting on an 11.

The Confederates deployed and had one free move which they used to push towards the left hand route across the table. The Union deployed their cavalrymen and shooting their powerful breach-loading carbines from horseback they soon wiped out the Confederate skirmishers nearest to them.

The line of Confederate infantry following up engaged in a desultory firefight with the cavalrymen but little effect was felt by either side.

The main body of Confederate foot including Colonel French's coffin initially made slow progress but soon the pace was quickened and the Union foot rushed across the table to block their shortest route. Major Binsack halted his line and ordered his men to take a careful aim and fire upon the Secessionists, but the volley was ineffective and a pall of powder smoke now obscured his troops.

Major  Markgraf push his troops on, now limping from a sprained ankle he had picked up crossing the small copse of trees. Captain Greene commanding the supporting block of Confederates saw his opportunity, in rushing to block the advance the Union flank was rather exposed. With a Rebel Yell the Confederates were soon among the Union ranks who fell back in great disorder.

However the day was not done. Lieutenant Halphern commanding the Union horse had seen the threat and was already moving to support the Union position. Quickening to a gallop the Union cavalry with sabres drawn crashed into the rear of the victorious Rebels who broke and ran.

With the time getting on and a collapsing Force Morale it was decided that again the Blue Bellies had carried the day. Another instalment next week.

Thanks to Drew for the additional photos, many more images below!

American Civil War: Confederates (6)

Painting in 2018 starts the way that it ended in 2017 with more work on the American Civil War forces and terrain for our Sharp Practice games.

Our games so far have been rather limited as I only have enough Confederates painted to be able to field the most basic of forces, even having to use the dismounted cavalry as skirmishers to make up the numbers. This weeks painting update means that I now have a dozen infantry that I can field in this role instead freeing up the cavalrymen for their proper duties.

These twelve figures are all made up from the components of the American Civil War Confederate Infantry box painted in a mixtures of greys, butternuts and browns.

You may recall from an earlier blog update that Victoria had surprised me with a Warbases water cart, well there were more surprises in the form of a turnip cart and a couple of draft horses to pull them. Both carts saw service in Thursdays game of Sharp Practice.

Finally added this week - only just completed for the blog update were a couple more pieces from the Warbases range that Victoria had bought for me, firstly an outside privy.

A chicken coop, I based the poultry separately, they can be used - with much mirth - when we roll the 'stampeding livestock' random event. Those birds can cause a nasty peck!

The Challenge 2017 - The ongoing war against the lead mountain

My annual recap in the war against the lead mountain.

2017 started well with the lead mountain reduction, January and February saw me painting up some of the 6mm Adler ACW that I had bought from the UK along with more paint splashed on the WWII Eastern Front and El Cid Andlusians that I had purchased in 2016.

However, by March I had got a dose of Muststartanewprojectitis and had ordered a bunch of 6mm Baccus War of the Spanish Succession Dutch, four 'random' Fallschirmjager got painted and were presented to Drew for his birthday.. April saw continuation of WSS painting and I also got painted some more WWII Eastern Front and some VB launcher teams for the WWI collection.

May saw many projects worked on, more WSS, although some Frenchmen this time as we were sorely lacking in those, WWII Eastern Front tanks joined the collection (these remain as yet unused) and more El Cid Andalusians and Almoravids. June was quite slack with only a couple of painting updates, a Ernest Hemmingway figure and more WSS Dutch after an order was received from the UK.

July was entirely given over to more WSS painting with work on both Dutch and French while August was vacation time, some work being done on the WSS French, but the vacation inspired some purchased for the second new project of the year and some Perry Miniatures ACW was ordered!. September saw more WSS painted, and the first few ACW Union troops done along with a George Orwell for the SCW collection. I also managed to get some WWII SAS done for chum Tony.

Tailing off the year, October, November and December have been given over entirely to the ACW project.

So, for 2017 I got the following painted for myself:

• 25 Gripping Beast Andalusian foot. 
• 9 Gripping Beast Almoravid foot. 
• 8 Gripping Beast Andalusian mounted. 
• 26 BAM Soviet infantry. 
• Chieftain Models T-34. 
• Rubicon Panzer III. 
• BAM Panzer II. 
• Rubicon T-34. 
• 4 Crusader Miniatures Fallschirmjager. 
• 4 Brigade Games WWI Poilu. 
• 1 Bolt Action BMW & Sidecar. 
• Partizan show Ernest Hemmingway. 
• Partizan show George Orwell. 
• 81 Perry Miniatures ACW Union infantry. 
• 44 Perry Miniatures ACW Confederate infantry. 
• 12 Perry Miniatures ACW dismounted Confederate cavalry. 
• 12 Perry Miniatures ACW dismounted Union cavalry. 
• 9 Perry Miniatures ACW Union cavalry. 
• 9 Perry Miniatures ACW Confederate cavalry. 
• 6 Perry Miniatures ACW Union gunners. 
• Perry Miniatures 12lb Napoleon. 
• 4 Wargames Foundry ACW civilians. 
• 1 Wargames Foundry ACW officer. 
• 3 various pack mules. 
• 2 Warbases wagons. 
• 2 Warbases carts. 
• 2 Warbases draft horses. 
• 12 Adler 6mm Union cavalry. 
• 12 Adler 6mm Confederate cavalry. 
• 108 Adler 6mm Confederate infantry. 
• 76 Adler 6mm Union infantry. 
• 697 Baccus 6mm WSS Dutch infantry. 
• 276 Baccus 6mm WSS Dutch mounted. 
• 4 Baccus 6mm WSS Dutch guns. 
• 217 Baccus 6mm WSS French infantry. 
• 123 Baccus 6mm WSS French horse. 
• 2 Baccus 6mm WSS French guns. 
• 72 Baccus 6mm WSS English infantry. 
• 3 Baccus 6mm WSS English horse. 
• 18 Baccus 6mm tents. 
• 17 Baccus 6mm civilians. 
• 17 Baccus 6mm sheep. 
• 18 Baccus 6mm cattle. 
• 2 Baccus 6mm wagons.

Quite a haul, for the 28mm that is 240 foot, 26 mounted, 4 tanks, 1 m/c combo, 1 gun, 3 pack mules, 2 wagons, 2 carts, 2 draft horses and for the 6mm: 1195 foot, 445 mounted, 6 guns, 2 wagons, 18 tents, 17 sheep and 18 cattle

I also made a bit of terrain this year, including more SCW Barricades and ACW barn, paddock, piled-rail fence sections and camp.

However in the other column the following was added to the lead (and plastic mountain):

• 28mm: 168 foot, 24 horse, 2 wagons, 3 guns, 3 limbers, 2 cars, 1 tank. 
• 6mm: 1361 foot, 541 horse, 16 guns, 4 limbers, 4 wagons, 6 tables, 4 fire pits, 20 tents, 45 cattle, 36 sheep

So quite close to parity, but then there are my very generous family and friends who added:

• 28mm: 99 foot, 22 mounted, 3 carts and 2 horses.
• 6mm: 200 foot and 45 horse.

As usual, must try harder in 2018.

I wish all my readers a very prosperous 2018 and a productive time on their own lead mountains!

American Civil War: Union (8)

Both of us waking up on New Years Eve with a cold put on hold on our plans for the day, so rather that socialise and spread the lurgy Victoria and I stayed at home, binge watched the latest season of Peaky Blinders and I got to polish off the dozen dismounted Union cavalrymen that I had started earlier in the week.

These chaps are all from two packs of Perry Miniatures Dismounted Union cavalry skirmishing, forage caps and Sharps carbines. The darker blue is from a base-coat of Dark Prussian Blue highlighted up to and with Royal Blue while the pale blue is Pastel Blue highlighted by adding successively more Ivory to the mix.

Below are the shots of each of the two groups of six.

I've got one group of mounted Union horsemen done a couple of weeks ago and another one shall be in the pipeline shortly.