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| A selection of Generals. I used a bit of big roll on the central figure to make a poncho. Looks ok. The chap on the right is definitely a Brazilian whereas the others could be put in command of any Alliance troops. The hombre on the left will more than likely join the Argentine army which is getting quite big. |
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| The Argentinian 4th Regiment of Cavalry. They’re a little different as the castings are wearing the traditional Gaucho chiripa. |
The Italian Wars are currently undergoing a bit of a renaissance (sorry!) with the recent publication of the excellent war games guide All is Lost Save Honour from Helion, and now from Warlord Games we have a Pike and Shot Italian Wars supplement Death and the Landsknecht, by Charles Singleton.
Setting aside any Warlord prejudices I might harbour, and bolstered by me giving the text (not the maps) a ruthless edit before it went to Warlord I have to say that this supplement is perhaps one of, if not the best, they have published, ever. Ok, it could have been a bland unimaginative supplement like (imho) many of the others, but it isn’t; Charles knows his subject, presents it really well and we are given a well researched, written and presented supplement. Full marks for that.
The book follows the usual format for these supplements; intro to the wars, a host of dramatis personae, the tactics and armies, several scenarios, lots of new special rules to give the supplement an Italian Wars flavour, army lists and an abundance of colour photos (lots of landsknechts), full colour illustrations (mostly of landsknechts), maps and diagrams, the latter for example explaining how best to represent Swiss or Landsknecht mega pike blocks and the Spanish colunella. Also included is a neat set of siege rules and ideas for running an Italian Wars campaign. (A brief note to say that I suspect Charles had little editorial control over the images of miniatures depicted in the book). I was surprised that there was no mention of the book Conrad amd I have just had published in the further reading section. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Warlord editorial grand council had it expunged from the list. 😂
I think, having studied it carefully, that this supplement could easily be seen as a ‘one stop shop’ for gamers new to the Italian Wars. I am no big fan of army lists as such, but the book does of course include some useful lists for those who do like such things, with troop types and attributes for just about everyone involved in the Italian Wars no matter how peripheral their input.
Those established in the period should also gain something from the supplement, in particular the many period-specific special rules and attributes that Charles has included. I have tried most of them in a couple of games and they certainly add to the flavour of the period. Of course taken with the scenarios contained in the aforementioned Helion Wargames guide the budding and already blooming Italian Wars gamer has everything they need!
Highly recommended. I even bought my own copy!
I am trying really really hard to get every last remaining Paraguayan, Uruguayan, Argentinian and Brazilian finished. There’s probably no more than half a dozen units, mainly Alliance cavalry, plus four more fortress guns and crews. I am so glad I went with, for me at least, small units. It means I can muster my mojo and complete at least one unit from start to finish in less than a week.
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| This and the two following are plastic Brazilian infantry, ie Perry plastic ACW with a suitable paint job. There’s a couple of metal minis in each as well. I really hated sticking these together and it took me several weeks to get the first unit done as it didn’t and probably still doesn’t do much for me. Nevertheless they represent two battalions of National Guard so I won’t expect much of them. |
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| This is I believe a set from Warlord Games. It was originally what I took to be a Union stretcher party so a couple of head swaps to get rid of hardee hats and they now do service in the army of the Empire of Brazil as a bit of table clutter. |
I’m getting distracted by wanting to paint a few more 1672 units that are lurking in a box half finished (or is it half started?). AND I have both sides for the naval battle of Riauchelo to assemble and paint in 1/600 scale
Oh and on a subject for later, has anyone used these new paint pens? I have and have mixed views. A future post I think…..
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Conrad offered to run a 54mm Napoleonic game here at the Burrow so on Saturday he arrived with his car stuffed to the gunwales with boxes of La Grande Armee and the army of the Czar. What appears on the table is but a small fraction of his collection; he has some 40-50 ‘French’ infantry battalions alone, each of 24 figures. Where he puts them I do not know, and I’ve been to his house!
As well as Conrad we had Richard, Neil and John the Red. Richard and I were the good guys, er the Russians, tasked with holding a series of low hills and delaying the French attack as long as possible. We were outnumbered in infantry but we had the edge in numbers and quality so far as the cavalry and artillery were concerned. We used Black Powder without any of my normal house rules, to keep it simple.
What followed was a tremendously enjoyable game, especially as we (the Russians) held the French and sent them packing. Indeed we were all done by lunchtime, so this holds the record as the quickest game played here. We still went through six or more turns in the two and half hours of play.
Essentially, Neil led his German cavalry forward against our right wing but despite catching the Guard Cuirassiers in the flank were broken. The same fate fell on the Badem Hissars when they were charged by the cuirassier, destroying one brigade on the Deench side.In the centre Richard our CinC advanced rapidly against the Poles and Wurtemburgers advancing slowly towards us. In a prolonged fight the Wurtemburgers were broken but so was Richard’s brigade. On our left Co rad moved his mixed foreign brigade forward and formed square facing my light cavalry. My grenadiers charged the Croats and then the Portuguese, eventually routing them - goodbye the third French brigade and the battle was over in time for soup.
Here are a random selection of photos culled from those I took as well as contributions from Richard and John.
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| Neuchatel, Croats and Portuguese. |
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| Bavarians |
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| Russian uhlans and hussars on our left |
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| The centre advances |
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| The Russian centre |
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| The Poles |
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| Btn Neuchatel |
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| My Grenadiers were held by the Croats but overran the Portuguese Legion easy enough. |
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| The collapse of the French right. |
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| Our centre in action |
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| Broken Wurtemburgers |
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| Broken Baden Hussars |
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| The end is nigh, and the cat of war declares a Russian victory! |
Here is the latest and perhaps final addition to the Brazilian fleet, in this scale at any rate. This is the same sidewheel gunboat I used for the Paraguayans but I’ve added a mast and removed the stern deck house. It has a 32pdr carbonate on the bow and a 24pdr SB mounted on a swivel at the stern. The crew are Britannia Miniatures ACW Union sailors. No real difference in uniforms.
I’m quite pleased with this fine vessel. Now I can get back to finishing the actual land forces and a Paraguayan secret weapon.
This project has really given my mojo a massive boost. Building balloons, making or converting several ships, and getting lots of miniatures on the table. I only have maybe eight units to finish, a couple of Paraguayans but mainly Brazilians. They should take me about a fortnight to get finished.
What I really need are some nondescript miniatures rowing canoes (but without having to buy the canoes as I have several already) who can be converted into Paraguayans. They made at least one attempt to board Brazilian ships - great idea but never going to work.
Anyway, here it is.
The Paraguayans were nothing if not resourceful. They armed a number of barges (Chata) to bolster their fleet on the Paraguay River. They had no power of their own so were towed into action by a steamer. Armed with a single heavyish cannon on a pintle mount (although has an additional 12pdr as it was too difficult to try and remove it).
It will come as no surprise to learn that every one of these gun barges (iirc there were eight) were lost during or shortly after the battle of Riachuello against the Brazilian fleet.
I haven’t done any book reviews for a little while so here are three all at once. Each is a new or revised edition of volumes published by Helion a dozen or so years ago focussing on the opening moves of the France-Prussian War. They are of course wonderful.
The Campaign in Alsace August 1870 by Brigadier-General J.P. Du Cane CB is a new edition of the book originally published by Helion in 2010. It is number 56 in their excellent ‘from Musket to Maxim’ series. It provides an account of the early phases of the Franco-Prussian War, specifically examining French and German military actions in the Alsace region and the battles of Weissenburg and Wörth. First published in the late nineteenth century, it combines historical analysis with military commentary and reflects the author's experience as a British officer observing European warfare during this period.
The focus is primarily on high-level operations and command decisions, with less attention paid to the experiences of rank-and-file soldiers or broader socio-political context. Du Cane examines troop movements, command decisions, and battlefield outcomes using a methodical approach. The analysis is presented in a factual, restrained manner without emotional or nationalistic language. This approach provides credibility when comparing French and German military operations. The author reviews the structure of the French command, noting challenges with cohesion and preparedness, and describes the strategic discipline and operational efficiency exhibited by the Prussian forces.
A notable strength of the book is its inclusion of seven clearly drawn maps and tactical sketches, which I found helpful in visualising complex manoeuvres, particularly those related to the battles of Weissenburg and Wörth. These features contributed to my understanding of the ways in which terrain and timing affected the outcomes. There are four appendices which give detailed orders of battle for Weissenburg and Wörth.
Overall, The Campaign in Alsace August 1870 remains a valuable resource for students of military history, especially those like me who are interested in the Franco-German War, nineteenth century warfare, and the evolution of operational doctrines. While not a narrative history in the modern sense, it offers a disciplined, insider’s look at a pivotal campaign through the eyes of a contemporary military observer.
ISBN: 978-1-804518-82-3 101 pages, paperback
The Battle of Spichern is a new edition of the original book Helion published in 2009. It is more than a retelling of a nineteenth century clash but more of a tactical masterclass. Written by G.F.R. Henderson in 1891, who was a British Army officer and respected military thinker, this book breaks down the August 1870 battle between French and Prussian forces with great precision and dramatic clarity.
Through detailed maps, tactical sketches of the battlefields drawn from ground level, eyewitness reports, and detailed analysis of each stage of the battle, Henderson explains how leadership, terrain, weaponry, and sheer human will, contributed towards the ultimate the outcome. What unfolds is a timeless study in battlefield decision making, command under pressure, and the real consequences of tactical error. Despite its age and writing style I found the narrative completely enthralling and despite knowing the ending it was a difficult book to put down.
In addition to aforementioned maps and so forth there are a large number of contemporary black and white illustrations and a complete order of battle for both the French and Prussian armes and a breakdown average strengths and of losses suffered. One fact I found especially interesting was that in terms of number actually engaged, the figures are pretty much even.
Whether you're a military history enthusiast, student of leadership, or just love a gripping true story, The Battle of Spicheren remains essential reading. I found it clear, compelling, and surprisingly relevant more than 130 years after it was written.
ISBN: 978-1-804518-50-2 273 pages, paperback
Originally published in 1891, The Battle of Wörth by George F.R. Henderson represents a significant contribution to classic military history literature. The work provides a concise yet comprehensive analysis of one of the earliest major engagements of the Franco-Prussian War, detailing the conflict between Marshal MacMahon’s French troops and the German forces led by Crown Prince Frederick. This revised edition, first issued by Helion in 2013, incorporates a curated collection of pertinent images and an extensive bibliography related to the Battle of Worth. Additionally, it features a new foreword by Helion owner Duncan Rodgers.
Henderson, a British Army officer and one of the most respected military historians of his day, wrote this primarily for fellow professionals — and it shows. If you enjoy studying how nineteenth century armies were armed, organised, moved, fought, and failed, you’ll find it deeply rewarding. Certainly the depth of research and the detailed analysis of every moment of the battle makes for a gripping read as we get a blow-by-blow account of the battle.
There are 22 contemporary black and white illustrations and photographic portraits of some of the key players on both sides. The images of troops in action are excellent, being full of movement. There are five excellent maps and two detailed panoramic sketches of the battlefield, one each from the French and German perspectives.
The book also boasts seven appendices. As well as the extensive orders of battle, there are others covering the losses incurred by both armies; some French regiments suffered between 77 and 93 percent losses and were effectively annihilated. Indeed a staggering 50 percent of the infantry and 32 percent of the cavalry were casualties on the day, which totalled around 8,000 killed and wounded and 6,000 unwounded prisoners. German losses were numerically slightly higher but as a percentage just 11 percent of those engaged. German artillery expenditure (nearly 10,000) is also included, together with a breakdown by target type of the effective range of German artillery. We then have extracts from regimental histories which give an insight into infantry fighting at regimental and lower levels. Finally, Duncan has compiled a comprehensive guide for further reading which is an extensive, massively diverse, list of reference material. Some of it is general ‘stuff’ (official or general histories of the war) but also included are a significant number of French and German regimental histories, usefully grouped together by corps or division.
There is very little on the politics, civilian experience, or larger context of the war; rather the focus is wholly on what it should be – the battle. This is a soldier writing for soldiers, and the style could be considered dry and dated by today’s standards, it being written in 1899. I cannot say I found this to be the case. Henderson’s clarity of thought and respect for both French and German command make it a most worthwhile read for any serious student of military history. I am fascinated with the Franco-Prussian War and have no problem in recommending this book to like-minded souls. If you missed Helion’s first release then it is well worth buying now.
ISBN: 978-1-804517-90-1 119 pages, paperback
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| This was in an Ascuncion-based newspaper during the war. |
Yes, the Brazilians really did have such a thing (see image above at the siege of Humaita), so making a hot air balloon was a no brainer. The balloon is a suitably-shaped piece of recycled or regurgitated cardboard (the stuff they make sick bowls out of in hospital) thing from Hobbycraft with the netting from a bag of onions stretched over it. The basket was made from a few bits of wattle fencing. I think it looks pretty good crewed by a pair of valiant aeronauts.
I had a few of the Burrowers over on Saturday to play a Sikh Wars game. I don’t think I’ve had these on the table for almost two, years which is a great sin; when setting the game up I was reminded how gorgeous the collection was - ok I am biased but it is striking and wish I could still paint that consistently well. Thank you Covid as this collection was born of the pandemic. I decided we should use Valour and Fortitude as there was a tested set of army sheets on the V&F Facebook page and I enjoyed the game last time when we were in a swampy Paraguay.
The British were following a withdrawing Sikh army. The latter chose to make a stand around a small town and behind a dried up nulla and a long stretch of jungle. For the British to win they had to break more than half of the Sikh brigades and capture the town.
John the Red and Nigel played the British while Richard and Jon were the Sikhs. The latter deployed with their Gorchara cavalry and camel guns split between each wing. One brigade of regulars held the centre, while a mass of irregular infantry were placed beside the cavalry on the Sikh left. A large mob of Akali filled the gap between the town and the cavalry on the right. The best Sikh infantry (the elite French-trained battalions) were held in reserve. Several batteries of guns were placed along the front. There was also a surprise waiting for the British as their scouting had been dreadful. Unseen by the British at the start was an emplaced battery of heavy guns immediately to the front of the town, which would only be placed on the table when it became possible to see it.
The British also split their cavalry, one brigade on the right and the other on the left. The left brigade contained the only Queen’s regiment of cavalry. The four infantry brigades were spread across the entire front , two heading for the jungle, one towards the nulla and the other on the far right. They were supported by what artillery was available, namely a few troops of Bengal Horse Artillery, Bengal Foot Artillery and a battery of heavy guns accompanied by a rocket!
The battle began with a general advance along the British line, although the troops on the right were somewhat slow in getting into position. I’m not going to give a blow-by-blow account of the game, but hopefully readers may be able to make sense of the photos.
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| Sikhs on the left, British on the right |
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| British cavalry brigade on their right. No European regiment, just the Governor General's Bodyguard, two regimenty of Bengal Light Cavalry and one of Bengal Irregular Cavalry, with a troop of Bengal Horse Artillery in support. |
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| The Sikh centre. Six battaliopns of Khalsa with lots of guns. |
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| The British left, with their other cavalry brigade, this time including European light dragoons (HM 4th) a regiment of BLC and the 2nd Bengal Irrrgular Cavalry. |
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| Lurking behind the town were several battalions of elite (French-trained) Sikh infantry and more cannon. |
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| Nigel wisely lurked in the undergrowth for a little while rather than face three heavy Sikh cannon. |
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| The cavalry on the British right were soon in action, getting the better of hoards of Sikh Gorchara cavalry. |
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| The biggest threat to the British centre was in theory four units of Akali irregular and fanatical infantry. Richard couldn't get them to move for a coiuple of turns. |
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| Bengal Horse Artillery about to bombard the Akali. |
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| There was also a fierce cavalry fight on the British left. This is the second stage of the combat as HM 4th Light Dragoons had already defeated one enemy unit and charged on into another. Ultimately the Sikh cavalry were disposed of, just as the Sikh reserves made their appearance from behind the town. |
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| The nulla proved to be a help and a hindrance to both armies. Troops descending into the nulla could not be seen but their was no guarantee that they could see out without first climbing back up the other side. At least that saved one Queen's battalion from the attention of Sikh artillery which was forced to target the Gurkha battalion to its rear. |
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| Nigel's brigades launched an assault on the Sikh redoubt and captured it more easily than I had thought possible. Rules tweak required I think? |
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| On the British right Jon and John launch their cavalry at each other, and ther Sikhs were able to catch and overrun a troop of artillery that was unable to get away. Most of the remaining Sikh horsemen were destroyed or driven back. |
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| The horse artillery were unable to prevent the Sikhs from overrunning their position. |
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| With the Sikh cavalry now rendered ineffective the British cavalry made several fruitless attacks on the irregular infantry to their front. All were surprisingly beaten off, causing more than a little consternation. Jon kept throwing 6's when testing to see how 'unpredictable' his men were, resulting in their stats being bumped up. |
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| Even the British infantry brigade struggled against the irregulars, loosing one battalion of Sepoys |
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| Zumi our Persian kitten inspecting the town. |
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| Finally the 'Avitables' .emerged from behind the town, |
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| The Akalis were anihilated. |
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| The Sikhs tried to recapture the town but weree unable to gain a foothold. |
