One show I’m really looking forward to!

 All things being equal I shall be there with another big game.

Goths win on points at the end of the match!

This Saturday’s game was a return to the ancient world, or the late 4thC A.D. to pit my slowly growing Late Romans against an ever-expanding army of Visigoths and Ostrogoths, figures for which keep surfacing to the top of my unpainted box of stuff (like the fat on the juices of a roast joint....). It was also an opportunity to keep the excellent Sword and Spear rules fresh in our heads and induct Shaun and Dave (both back for the first time since before the first lockdown) into their use prior to the planned launch of the Late Roman campaign at the end of the month. From a setting up and playing perspective this period is always easier to prepare for as the terrain doesn’t need to be as ‘busy’ as for later centuries and the figures are all based as a unit on a single 180mm x 60mm stand so are easy to set up and put away. A couple of  the regulars were away on holiday or otherwise unavailable but there were still six of us; John, Paul, Neil, Shaun, Dave and me. Throwing for sides resulted in John, Paul and Dave taking the Gothic hoards while Shaun, Neil and me were the Romans. 

Both armies were approximately 1500+/-'ish points each under Sword and Spear, and by some fluke, they also had 163 strength points each as well! Now I know purists may say that the Goths have too much infantry for Ostrogoths, and too much cavalry for Visigoths, but what we here is a combined Ostro/Visigoth army. It also gives me the flexibility, and they're my toys and unlikely to encounter a bean counter in their little make-believe lives. I'd downgraded the Roman infantry considerably from previous games. There were only five Palatina legios, but there were also five not very good Pseudocomitenses and Limitanii legios and six bog standard ones.

What follows is the usual panoply of photographs detailing the progress of the game, or would be as some of them appear to be out of order, I think, but as I can't remember, and because it doesn't really matter that much, here they are. Enjoy, and click on the image to embiggen.

The armies prepare. Neil gives Dave a crash course in the rules.

"There are the Goths sir! Farsands of 'em!" The Goths had placed most of their cavalry on their left wing.

Goth infantry, also mostly on the left wing.

The Roman centre seen from afar.

The Roman centre from a bit closer.....

These are Dave's Goth cavalry on the opposite flank.

Neil's Roman cavalry on our right flank. When I put all the figures on the table  all the Goth cavalry were plonked at one end of the table. Once sides were agreed I reckoned that they might be too lazy to redistribute them elsewhere in their battle line so we deployed all our heavy cavalry on the one wing just in case I was right, and I was. We were still outnumbered though!

The battlefield seen from the garden end looking along the Goth lines.

Initial contact on the Roman right. From the start it was a grind and one the Romans were struggling with, but the superior numbers and quality of the Gothic cavalry couldn't be brought to bare due to the confines of the terrain .

 

An example of one of the melee dice scores. Neil's unit only had four dice while John's had eight.  Anyone conversant with the rule will appreciate how bad that set of dice was!

More Goths closer to their centre.

I commanded the Roman left, all light cavalry, facing half a dozen units of Goth heavies.

The Roman right again.

The Goth infantry steamrollering forwards.

Goth infantry from about as close as you'd feel safe going!

More of the Goth juggernaught.

On our left we'd managed to draw the Gothic cavalry away from our centre by some nifty skirmishing by my light cavalry enabling the Roman legios on the left of the first line to swing round towards the Goth centre.

The Roman centre turns to intercept the Goth attack.

While one legio was locked in combat with a Goth war band another is moving up in support.

The cavalry fight on the Roman right continues....

The Goth left/centre as seen from their rear.

Our war machines were particularly useless today and hardly scored any hits on the enemy, even the war band that finally hit them. The war machines were quickly overrun.

After destroying the Roman war machines the victorious war band was about to be charged in the flank by our cavalry.

Another shot of the situation in the centre. The Goths bottom left are about to be  charged in the flank and rear by the Roman cavalry.

Skirmishing on the Goth right/Roman left continued throughout the battle. The Goths pushed the Romans back to the baseline (or were drawn ever deeper into the net by the Roman light horsemen), loosing a couple of units in the process, while several Roman units were forced to evade off the table. The rest managed to slip between the Goth units or around their flank, aided by several units of our javelin-armed skirmishers. That resulted in a rapid withdrawal of the surviving Goth cavalry as they had nowhere to go and were in danger of being harried to death by my horse archers and other light cavalry.

Time ran out at that point, and when we calculated the losses, the Goths had one less point lost than the Romans, although neither were anywhere near a third losses (which would have caused an army-wide discipline test).  Tactically I don't think it was a Gothic victory, as the Roman legios had barely been in action, but at the time we had to stop that's how the points called it. Both sides made some mistakes, but for future reference I think I'll make more conventional deployments compulsory. 

It was an enjoyable game even if we didn't manage a definitive conclusion as we'd managed previously. Hopefully everyone had a good time and Shaun and Dave weren't too phased by the rules, which are really easy to pick up and work surprisingly well with games this size. Just as well as I don't 'do' moderation.

I've been preparing an ancient campaign which will begin shortly, and about which I shall write later.

Wargames Atlantic Late Romans

 Oh my but I really hated doing this unit. Expletives deleted and all that in fact.

On the face of it they’re a nice box of figures, with plenty of options for arms and equipment. I especially like the options to show figures throwing their spears or martiobubili (darts). However…

I found them difficult and uninspiring to paint. No idea why but I did compared to Gripping Beast plastics and everyone else’s metal Late Romans. They’re certainly not really up to even the bottom end of my basic production-line standards.

They’re very big and the poses don’t really give you much chance if you should wish to rank them up in close order, so whereas I’d get three ranks of other figures on my bases there’s no chance with these giants.

The bloody shields are equally, and correctly, very big. I didn’t have any suitable transfers I could use or even cannibalise so painting them was my only option, which given my “Shakin’ Stevens” hands is a risk.

That said, I’ve got two more boxes to put together at some point and I may feel differently after they’re finished. I’m just about a day off completing a Foundry Late Roman legion which I only started on Monday. They’re soooo easy and stress free to do.

I keep finding odd bags of Romans (normally skirmish types) and half boxes of Goths that I intend to keep going with on the production line, and I have two more Foundry legions started so it’ll likely be a while before I go back to the Atlantic figures, especially as I need (?) to crack on with some more 1866 stuff.

Game this coming Saturday so I’d better decide what I shall inflict on the chaps.

‘Their Infantry and Guns Will Astonish You’

 

Reason to Revolution No. 73, ‘Their Infantry and Guns will Astonish You’ - The  Army of Hindoostan and European Mercenaries in Mahratta Service 1780-1803 is, coming hot on the heels of ‘Bullocks, Grain and Good Madeira’, a prime example of famine to feast in terms of new books from Helion covering aspects of the military history of India and the ascendency of the Honourable East India Company (HEIC) at the end of the eighteenth and start of the nineteenth centuries. 

I don’t know about their infantry or guns being astonishing but this book certainly is! This is author Andy Copestake’s first book and it’s an absolute cracker! This is a period of Indian history about which I knew very little, being focussed more on the Sikh Wars and after. Having had the opportunity to read this book I found myself becoming more and more enthused with doing further reading on the subject. I’m amazed at just how much information and detail is packed into these 200 or so pages, and I really couldn’t have asked for more in terms of getting understand the history of European-trained and led troops under the Mahrattas. These so-called 'Trained Brigades' were raised in response to the amazing successes of the European-led troops fighting for the HEIC where traditional native forces were scattered with apparent ease by vastly inferior numbers of troops. The book uncovers a wealth of information on the formation of these brigades in response to the threat posed by the HEIC, and focusses on the the most successful of these formations, the Army of Hindoostan, starting with just two battalions in 1784 but increasing to a force of 30,000 men and 200 guns led by the Savoyard mercenary Benoit de Boigne and fellow European officers including Scots, English, French, Irish, Italian, Dutch and Germans. We are treated to an extensive, detailed and completely fascinating account of the history and campaigns of this formidable force and some of its commanders, where victory after victory was won against other native Indian forces until their defeat at the hands of the British at Assaye, Delhi and Leswaree.

Of course, the author also describes the organisation, orders of battle, armament and uniforms of these troops, as well as giving us an insight into who these enigmatic European soldiers of fortune were. There is some particularly interesting information on troops' pay scales and on supply arrangements. As always, the contemporary anecdotes and excerpts of letters that are scattered throughout the book are an attraction  for me as they give a little life to the overall (excellent) narrative.

The book is well written, clearly the result of a tremendous amount of research through a vast range of primary and secondary sources. It is lavishly illustrated with numerous contemporary black and white images, a good number of maps and eight pages of some of the most gorgeous colour images I've come across in a Helion publication for some time. I don't know what it is (probably my vivid imagination) but some of them, for example plates 'v', 'vi' and 'viii' almost seem alive. The book concludes with yet more invaluable information, with a list of the officers of the Army of Hindoostan and when, in what formation they served and their fate if known, as well as an outline of some of the other European-led formations in the service of a wide selection of Princely armed forces. The glossary will be useful for anyone not familiar with Indian terminology.

Overall then, Helion and the author are to be commended on producing such an enjoyable book on such a fascinating subject and I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone with any interest in the subject.

This week I finished........Part II

Hot on the heals of yesterday's post here are some other things that were finally finished this weekend.

First up a French command base for my Italian Wars collection. These are two Steel Fist miniatures.

 Next are two more units of generic Visi/Ostrogoths for the hoard. These don’t seem to have come out as nicely as the others but they’ll do well enough.

Another Late Roman light infantry unit, although if I was using WRG 6th edition they’d be more like LMI, Sh, JLS, Darts, kitchen sink. Under Sword and Spear they’re melee capable light infantry.

Yet another generic Goth-type infantry war band. A mixture of plastic and metal Gripping Beast. I think this is my seventh!

You can never have too many command bases, so this is another for the Goths.

Lastly another Late Roman commander. The figure is GBs Aetius figures (he of Hun bashing fame at the Catalunian Fields)

 

This week I finished……Part 1

 

No game this week as a routine hospital appointment I originally had for a few weeks time was brought forward to today courtesy of a cancellation. Well, much as I would never slag off the NHS and support them and the impossible job they do, “get ‘em while you can” is the cry when it comes to appointments. As I say nothing to worry about other than my back/spine problem is deteriorating but what to do? Keep gaming and stay happy is my response. Normally works. 😊

Yes, I did indeed finish a fair few odds and ends and my butterfly brain went into overdrive. First up are two battalions of Nassau infantry for 1866. When I first embarked upon this project I planned to concentrate on the campaign on the River Main in the west.  Well, I didn’t stick to that one but never mind. Nassau provided two regiments (four battalions) of infantry and a battalion of jäger plus some artillery to the Federal VIII Corps. They saw action at the battle of Auschaffenburg. These figures are from Irregular Miniatures and are actually Austrians but they work nicely imho. I just need a suitable skirmishing figure to represent the jäger in their nice black uniforms. These figures have a rather pleasing Ruritanian look. 

I’ve decided to finish off all my 1866 stuff and complete the units for the Federal VIII Corps that I don’t yet have (that means some more Nassauers to but amd Baden and Wittenberg to paint from the lead pile), and maybe some more Bavarians for the VII Corps when Wargames Atlantic bring their plastics out.

The German War of 1866 Returns to the Burrow.

Spurred on by the arrival of the new Perry plastic 1866/1870 Prussians I thought this week’s game should act as a kick up the bum for me to finish the unusually for me not too numerous figures I have in the lead and plastic mountains for this period. We shall see…..

Anyways, Conrad, Richard, Neil, Nigel and Paul arrived not knowing what I had in mind and were launched into a wholly fictitious and probably unlikely scenario set in the Western theatre of war, with Bavarians, Hessians and a few Austrians were trying to hold up the advance of a mixed Prussian and North German Confederation corps to buy time for the rest of their forces (VII and VIII Federal Corps) to concentrate and then overwhelm the outnumbered Prussians. Mmmm?

We used Black Powder 2 with several house rules better to reflect the nature of the tactics and weapons of the period and the character of the troops and their commanders. Not saying they’re right but they are more satisfying than using BP2 as writ.

Let’s get rid of the sentimental puppy shot straight away. Nigel enlisted Fudge as his  aide and military advisor, which could explain why his troops behaved as if they were commanded by a 12 week old Shitzu! But they did fight doggedly.....

The battlefield from the east, with the Hessians and Bavarians deployed waiting for the arrival of the Prussians. Several units were hidden from the Prussians

The battlefield looks very sparsely populated by the Hessians and Bavarians.


Neil's North German Confederation brigade (Lippe, Saxe-Coberg, Anhalt, etc) advanced quickly to the river under heavy fire from the enemy rifle fire and very accurate Austrian artillery on the ridge line.


Neil's troops form a skirmish line on the river bank while a battalion crosses under fire from Hessian jäger in the cornfield.

The Lippe-Detmold Fusilier Btn at the sharp end.




Paul's Prussian dragoons on the extreme left flank of the army.


On the right flank Nigel's Prussians have driven a Bavarian battalion out of the sunken roads and are engaging the remainder of the enemy brigade.

Paul’s Prussian Dragoon brigade made it over the river and onto the flank of Conrad’s Hessians. 

Nigel ordered three battalions of Prussians to drive the Bavarians out of the church.

The battlefield seen from the West.


Prussian reinforcements arrive in the form of a brigade of cavalry.

Fierce fighting around the church as a regiment of Prussians makes several attempts to expel the Bavarian defenders.

While the fighting around the church rages, the Prussian cavalry pushes around its rear to face the Bavarian cavalry brigade.

\
Two regiments of Bavarian cuirassiers and one of chevau-leger with horse artillery in support.

Richard struggled to get his Bavarian cavalry brigade to advance but they finally  made it  after the CinC intervened, and they headed off to attack the Prussian cavalry.

Opposing cavalry on the western end of the table.

Bavarian Cuirassiers versus Prussian Hussars. Not the title of a new Osprey book.  History tells us the Bavarian Cuirassiers were pretty but useless when committed to the campaign in reality, and pretty useless they were too in the war game, as they were quickly sent packing.

The Hessian sharpshooter battalion are finally driven out of the cornfield.

Prussian reinforcements arriving along the more easterly of the  roads  facing the Hessians on the ridge.

Meanwhile Paul’s Prussian brigade which had arrived the previous turn is following his dragoons around the  enemy flank.

The Prussians survived long range fire as they manoeuvred around the flank of the Hessians, and when Paul ordered a 'follow me' they also survived the closing fire, taking only one hit!

The Prussians overran the Hessians who were cut down and broken (the picture shows their dice scores for the melee).  

Conrad had been reinforced by a Federal cavalry brigade of a regiment each of Hessian and Baden Reiter. Both brigades charged and in the melee the Federal cavalry were driven off or shaken, but both Prussian regiments were also shaken and forced to withdraw in a case of 1866-style MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction!) 

On the other flank the Bavarian cuirassier had been defeated, but the Prussian hussars were about to meet their match in the Bavarian chevau legers, who broken them. Unfortunately the Bavarian cavalry were now 'spent' as both cuirassier regiments were shaken, and had to retire.

An Austrian infantry brigade arrived in the nick of time to shore up the wilting Bavarians, and went straight onto the offensive.

Richard’s Austrian infantry brigade pushing forward to relieve the pressure off the beleaguered Bavarians. The Prussian battalion in the sunken road (between the house and the church) was broken.

Neil pushed his remaining Confederation battalions and a full brigade of Prussians forward to attack the Hessians on the ridge.

Neil's assault on the ridge was very photogenic.

The Hessians are broken.

The Hessian brigade has been driven off and the ridge secured by Neil’s  victorious Prussian brigade.

General von Clawswitz surveys the aftermath of the battle.

I think it was a pretty good game. Asymetrical sides and also armies able to exploit their areas of superiority, eg the Prussian Needle Guns versus the superior Austrian artillery worked out ok. Richard and Conrad did well to slow down the Prussian advance and did so long enough to secure their main strategic victory condition, even though tactically they had lost three out of six brigades and were therefore going to have to retreat.

I think my amendments worked quite well, but I may revisit the ranges (which may have been extended too far) and troop characteristics. Either way, both sides stuck to the tactics of the period as closely as they could, and the Prussian reserve artillery barely made it into action which is an accurate reflection on their performance in 1866.  I just need to work out how to depict the thick skirmish screens used by the Prussians but I think I'll use the Perry plastics for this as a cheap option. Black Powder as always gave us an enjoyable if not always perfect game, but everyone was playing the period rather than the rules so it all worked out rather nicely. The figures used are a mixture of old Foundry, ex-Helion North Star 1866, Irregular and some American firm who produced the figures used for the Hessians who's name escapes me it was so long ago that I bought them.

Next time I shall put on yet another different period, but what......?