Tiffin Vignette

I came across these two in the box of doom so I knocked up a quick vignette for my Crimean collection.

Not sure about the shell burst but the cannonball wrecking the tea cloth and tiffin pots looks ok, if you know what it is!

Roll Call: Prussian Army 1806 on Parade.

One of my favourite armies is my 1806 Prussians, 28mm of course. Here they are in all their glory. They’ve even won a couple of times! There are 21 musketeer battalions (including two Guard), three fusilier, one jäger and four grenadier battalions. There are also a few bases of schutzen playing at being skirmishers. 

Cavalry-wise we have three big regiments of cuirassiers two equally big ones of dragoons, two small hussars regiments and the Towarczy (?) uhlans. I’m a bit artillery lite but there are two foot batteries, a horse battery (each of four models) and an assortment of battalion guns. All are in 1806 uniforms with the exception of five infantry battalions in the 1792 silly hat that I picked up very cheaply. You can’t tell the difference on the tabletop.

These were painted by Mark Allen and pretty much given away to me pre-Covid, possibly when he was running out of food. Happy Birthday for next Saturday Mark! The lady on the left of the Cuirassier officer in yellow is Queen Louise, ‘the only man in Prussia’.

Most of the infantry are from the now defunct FzMiniz who were based in Paris. They had a closing down sale years ago now with foot figures coming in at under 50p each. A no brainer! The other infantry are from Foundry, a very few Elite, or Emperor Toad. The cavalry are from Elite, Foundry and a few FzMiniz. Guns and crews are Foundry or Elite.

With the exception of a dozen more hussars and a couple more battalion guns this lot is well and truly done, although I did treat myself to the two new command packs from the Perrys, as I clearly have too few generals!

I shall leave these out, well most of them, for a game with John the Red on Thursday for another Valour and Fortitude extravaganza.

The Battle of Ostrolenka, 16 February 1807

I wanted to run another game using Valour and  Fortitude using my Russians and French collections so yesterday John, Conrad and Nigel joined me to have a go at refighting the little known battle of Ostrolenka which took place shortly after Eylau, info Here. I used the scenario in the Battles for Empire book.

The Russians have launched an attack on the French V Corps, temporarily under the command of General de Division Savary assisted by Reille along both banks of the Narew River. They were planning to attack the isolated French around Ostrolenka before they could be reinforced, while the French had to hang on until their reinforcements arrived before counter attacking. Sadly, the southern attack (due to arrive at point (A) never materialised as the division allocated to the task was diverted elsewhere, with predictable results for the outcome of the battle. In this scenario the southern part of the attack will go ahead but will be delayed, at least giving the Russians a chance of victory, subject to when and where it arrives.

The Russians under Conrad hold the high ground while Reille’s (Nigel’s) French are deployed around the village of Ostrolenka.

The Russian infantry line swung round to face the advancing French, and they began to take casualties from the French artillery..

French reinforcements under Savary (John) arrived at point A just as the first of the late, lost and redirected Russian reinforcements arrived at B on the map.

Russian reinforcements turn to face the French emerging from the woods across the river. These troops are actually the remainder of the division already engaged rather than the ‘missing’ southern pincer of the attack.

I had command of these Russians and quickly started to loose out in the firefight with the French in the woods. Attempts to close and drive the enemy out of the woods never got started and when John got his artillery into action it became very difficult, and reinforcing Conrad would mean running the gauntlet of French artillery batteries on my flank!

An initial cavalry clash ended in favour of the Russians. However, Oudinot’s division, or at least part of it, arrived at C to reinforce Nigel in the village.

The missing division then arrived, in the wrong place, and floundered across the river covered by some ineffective Russian jäger.

I was getting nowhere fast, a speed not normally attributed to anything the Russians did. John drove off my skirmish screen and was busy outflanking me with his dragoons just off to the left, forcing the Fangoria Grenadiers into squares. I had also sent two battalions and some guns to reinforce Conrad who’s troops were hanging on despite heavy losses. 

Nigel quickly launched his division and Oudinot’s grenadiers towards the Russians. The fight was in the balance for a couple of turns.

Then, with Conrad’s cavalry taking on the French Chasseurs a cheval the Russian infantry line began to crumble, among the ‘crumblers’ the artillery battery pictured.

The opposing cavalry locked in combat on the extreme flank. The French got the upper hand this time and. The Russians had to pull back shattered.

The end of the Russian right as both remaining battalions seen here were about to break.

There was now an absence of Russian infantry on our right. 

The Russian right had been crushed and their left was totally tangled up trying to avoid a combined attack from French infantry and dragoons well supported by artillery. We conceded defeat and retreated bloodied and bruised. 

I quite enjoyed the game and the scenario was quite well balanced. Everything that could do went wrong for the Russians despite some superb dice rolling from Conrad. The result went the way of history so everything seemed to have hung together to produce a challenging game. Valour and Fortitude are not a bad set of rules, but boy are they unforgiving and brutal. We’re still learning, which for a four page rule set suggests that either we are getting too old to remember stuff or there’s actually more to them than they at first suggest. Good fun despite another Russian defeat. 

Russian Napoleonic Army on Parade.

The Russians were out to play again yesterday so before I put them away I thought I should hold a bit of a parade as it’s been just over a year (15 months) since I started this project. If ever there was evidence of going totally over the top again then this is a perfect example.

Five regiments of cavalry and a load of Cossacks.

Three batteries of artillery.

On a knoll, some of the Russian generals.

Behind the guns and command stands are seven jäger battalions, plus out of shot the equivalent of a couple more in skirmish order.

I think there are five grenadier and 13 of musketeers.

As an example of uncontrolled buying over the past three, no four now, annual Foundry Christmas sales and finding some lovely 3D printed minis as well), I actually and guiltily have the following in the painting queue aka the box of doom:

Cuirassier regt x 1 (@30)

Dragoon regt x 1 (@30)

Uhlan regt x 1 (@30)

Cossacks  regt x 2 (@ 24 ea.) one will be a couple of sotnias of the Lifeguard Cossacks as they fought in Finland in 1808-1809.

Artillery x 1 foot and 1 horse battery (6 guns each) 

Limbers x 12 (the result of several years of trawling eBay for Russian Crimean limbers to use for both Russian collections. These are a priority.

Jäger x 3 btn (@32 each)  - One will be the Guard Jäger as they were deployed in Finland against the Swedes, and they are in production 

Grenadiers x 2 btn (@3 each) plus one in production

Guard Infanty x 3 (@32 each)

Musketeer btns x 3 (@32 each) including one in production 

YES! I HAVE FAR TOO MANY! I may well make a sensible decision and eBay the surplus……once I’ve worked out what is surplus and what is vital to the project. Doh!

The Battle of Castillon, 1453. The Death Knell for English France

The battle of Castillon in 1453 marked the swan song of English France and the effective end of the Hundred Years War. Peter Hoskins’ book, number 21 in Helion & Co’s from Retinue to Regiment series, takes us through the background and events leading up to the campaign and battle, the battle itself and its aftermath. Also discussed are the military reforms of the French King Charles VII and the evolution of gunpowder weapons and cannon which were to allow the French to conclusively destroy the English army under John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and drive the English out of Aquitaine and Gascony once and for all, a disaster of epic proportions for the English monarchy. 

This is a well written and easy to read book, and clearly the author has conducted a great deal of research from a wide range of sources. The book boasts several well presented maps, a fair few photographs of the area as it is today and of preserved artillery pieces, and the usual fabulous central pages containing eight colour plates depicting examples of the soldiers of the time, and banners and coats of arms of some of the main participants.

If the late Medieval period and the Hundred Years War number among your interests, whatever the reason, this book should make an enjoyable and rewarding read.

ISBN: 978-1-804513-55-2 soft back, 125 pages

Poland, 7 Febru1807: Bagration’s Rearguard Action on the Eve of Eylau

Due the imminent closeness of Christmas our (almost) weekly get together was on Friday. I decided to run a game I’d seen in one of the numerous scenario books I seem to have picked up over the years then forgot I owned. This one was in Battles for Empire by James Arnold, an excellent on line publication. The scenario covered the rearguard action fought by the Russians on the eve of Eylau to give time for the main Russian army and its artillery to get safely into position. 

The table from the north. The Russian rearguard deployed along the eastern baseline. The first of the French are deployed on the table at the start, right under the Russian guns at Blue Star 1 on the map. The rest of the French would arrive at Blue Star 2 and (maybe) Blue Star 3. Gonna be a tough one mes braves

I joined Jim and Nigel on the Russian side, and John, Paul and Conrad were the French. I don’t have any 1807 French finished yet (still in the sticking together and painting pile), so most of the French were my French Revolutionary War miniatures, (button counters look away now) with the addition of several battalions of French infantry and some cavalry brought by Conrad and John. Conrad’s figures were 1970s Ross or Rose (?) 25mm, and while smaller than the rest of the army they still looked good 50 years on.

We used Valour and Fortitude again as I’m determined to try and get everyone’s head round them before I launch into  Napoleonic campaign later this year 🤫🤐. Anyway, on with the game. The photos are in more or less the right order and my recollection of what was going on at the southern end of the table is rather vague as I was busy trying to get my Dragoons, Lithuanian Horse and Cossacks to activate, and when they did they were convincingly whipped by the French cavalry! The French had the option, which they chose to take, of sending Murat their CinC off to find reinforcements, which would hopefully arrive at Blue Star 3 around turn 3 or 4.

The Russian centre with a wonderful target for their massed artillery.

The Russians seen from the north, with the French vanguard in sight to the right in 5he distance.

French cavalry were advancing unchallenged as my cavalry brigade refused to activate!
 For three turns!

John commanded the French in the centre and quickly tried to move north to avoid being blasted to kingdom come by the Russians massed artillery.

It took an age for me to activate my cavalry, and they finally advanced to counter the attack by Paul’s French cavalry, coming off a definite second best as my uhlans and dragoons were bounced back. We were not broken so could re-engage later….I hoped.

My Cossack brigade on the extreme right was also very difficult to get moving, but eventually and against their better judgment, they moved forward.

The Russian cavalry are recovering, giving the French the time and space to continue their attack.

French dragoons getting the better of my uhlans. The French also charged and rode down a battery of combined regimental artillery as can be seen in the background.

Conrad’s division and the reserve artillery deploy ready to assault. They could have saved time by crossing the stream rather than all using the bridge.

Johns division still under fire from the Russian artillery. Two units were broken but by now Murat had returned with reinforcements that arrived on the northern table edge, tipping the balance in their favour in the northern sector.

In the distance on the Russian left, Conrad’s division prepares to assault Jim’s position.

Conrad’s assault on Jim’s troops goes in with some success.

Massed Russian artillery under fire from the French reserve artillery seen in the distance.

Nigel’s grenadiers come off the hill and attack John’s extended division, although the latter did well and blunted the Russian attack. 

The Russian left is overrun. One battalion has already broken and the guns are about to be ridden over, as can be seen in the next photo. A wall of infantry squares blocked the French from exploiting their breakthrough. On the other flank the Cossacks had been routed and the Russian reserve cavalry was slow in entering the table, and then in reduced numbers, although enough to stop the French getting too close to the road to Eylau.

The battle ended with a couple of turns of dusk before night fell, at around 4:00pm game time and 3:30 real time.The victory conditions required the Russians to hold on till nightfall without allowing too many French units from teaching the eastern table edge. The end result was a minor tactical victory for the Russians (as in the real battle) but at great cost. It was a cracking game and challenging for both sides. I still think V and F are a good set of rules, and while I can’t expect to please everyone all the time I do believe they’re worth playing with some more so everyone can get up to speed with them.