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Saturday 28 July 2018

The Relief Of Fort Nummanmason (recreated on 8th July, 2018)

Hello again.

The final act of posts on this year's "Barrage" show in Stafford is a vague recollection of what happened in our game, as titled above. I spent a lot of time away form the table spending too much, so I can hardly be accused of documenting the whole thing, but I sort of know what happened, know who ultimately triumphed and took a few photos during the day, so here goes.


 
 

Nephew Paul took charge of the British and marched them promptly down the road towards the village and fort, the Combined Grenadiers leading. He was blissfully unaware of the prospect of enemy irregulars lurking in nearby woods and fields.


The Rangers, being a little more savvy in this environment, chose to break off through some nearby woods and there encountered the Compagnies Franches de la Marine, a firefight ensuing in the arboreal gloom.

More French skirmishers lined nearby field boundaries to hold up the British whilst their regular counterparts struggled to form up in some sort of order, surprised as they were by the British arrival. The Coureurs de Bois lining the wall turned out to be unit of the match.


The siege lines were maintained by the Volontaires Etrangers.


A company of the 44th Foot, together with some civilians, held the battered fort, determined to hang on until the relief arrived.


The British tried hard to fan out and form line, hemmed in by the terrain and the attentions of the French irregulars. I really must educate Nephew Paul about putting the standards in the middle of a line or at the head of a column!


First blood went to the Rangers, who saw off the Compagnies Franches de la Marine, but were then held up by a second line of Milice Canadiens and spent most of the rest of the battle sniping from the woods.


Eventually able to extricate themselves from the woods and form line, the Grenadiers were in a prime position to storm the fields opposite and rid themselves of the constant incoming fire from the Coureurs de Bois. The 43rd Foot were moving up in support, but Nephew Paul seemed to lose all knowledge of what to do next...


Buoyed by the stalled British advance and the bravado of the Coureurs de Bois, even the Indian allies of the French decided to get in on the act.


The Milice Canadiens on the ridge kept up a constant sniping fire at the Rangers opposite in the woods and the French Regulars, starting with Royal-Roussillon, were finally forming up, free of their surprise and disorder as they exited their camp in the distance.


What better target than a regiment of Frenchies spoiling for a fight? The Inniskillings promptly used a three move roll (we were using "Black Powder") to charge their adversaries, received a punishing volley from Royal-Roussillon and the disordered remnants were beaten in melee, fleeing never to return. "Closing Fire" was a hard lesson to learn for poor Nephew Paul...


With the Inniskillings returned to the box, the 58th and 60th Regiments took a rather more cautious approach, using their better firepower to pound the Royal-Roussillon, who promptly broke and ran under the pressure. Only the Milice Canadiens now held the French left. To add insult to injury, their flight left the Chevalier Gaillardhomme, Sieur de Grand Weurly, out in the open, so he too was unceremoniously shot down by the victorious British.


But help was at hand as both La Reine and Bearn had finally formed up, holding the French centre and able to head off the advance of the 58th and 60th Regiments of Foot. One of the French artillery batteries had also got its act together and redeployed to face the British.


The Combined Grenadiers finally made a forward move through the wheat field, having charged out the Coureurs de Bois, but the latter rallied and simply lined the next fence to continue their sniping at the British elites.


Rival warbands played out an inconclusive duel on the British left, contesting the outskirts of the village.


The wholly intact 43rd Foot were still trying to move forwards to storm the village, but their progress was very slow.


And all the while, the Coureurs de Bois and Indians kept up their fire against the Grenadiers. Assailed by this constant punishment and hampered by the tight terrain, even the British elites conceded and broke. Oh dear!

I did not stay to record the last acts of this British defeat. Although the Chevalier Gaillardhomme, callously misused by Nephew Nick in command of the French, had been shot down, his fate unknown (...), Major-General Sir Cheslyn Hay's forces had been beaten in a fight that went down to the wire and could have gone either way. Both sides were down to just one active regiment (Bearn and the 43rd respectively), but the French skirmishers were still present in some number, so the British were forced to withdraw. "A close run thing" as a later British commander was reported to have said of a different battle.

We had enjoyed ourselves immensely, with a game that had received numerous great comments and was very well received by a number of people who saw us at Barrage. These things alone make all the effort worthwhile!

However, we never turn up and play the exact same game twice so, by the time you see us again (probably at Wargamer in December at Halesowen), we will have something a little different to show as we develop the game. More figures? More/ different terrain? A revised scenario? Any or all of the above and more???

We will see, but I am already adding something, with more in mind!

And this is all before I add to my forces and move to Europe for some more conventional Seven Years' War action over the next year or two. (along with all the other things I want to do!!!)

So, after this inaugural outing, congratulations (just!) to Nephew Nick and commiserations to Nephew Paul.

A well-earned holiday is imminent, so I will post again on my return, but this concludes the adventure that was the Barrage Show in Stafford.

G






























Saturday 14 July 2018

"I love the smell of loot in the morning!"

Hello again.

On the basis that you cannot go to a wargames show or shop without spending some money, I thought I would again show what an acquisitive, little wargamer I really am.

Recent weeks have seen me take delivery of a couple of parcels, visit a tabletop sale, attend last weekend's Barrage Show in Stafford and visit "Questing Knight" games in Wellington, Shropshire, for the first time ever. Six weeks or so of inspiration, acquisition and contemplation, all inspired by the magnificent hobby we engage in with its plethora of figures, rules, games, kits and other paraphernalia.

So here goes the pictorial evidence of my customary purchasing excess. As I am utterly convinced I will live to be as old as Methusela, I have every confidence I will not only paint my loot as necessary but also play the various games and periods too!!!

My most expensive purchase, courtesy of Questing Knight in Wellington, Shropshire, was "GKR Heavy Hitters", a fun version of the ancient Battletech genre of giant, killer robots (hence GKR). Battletech was always too slow for my tastes, with players spending way too long calculating heat gain and not fighting, but this quick-fire affair showed a lot of promise when I played a gam at Barrage that I promptly went and bought it the following day! The fact that it can be played solo is a major plus! £100 from Questing Knight, not the £150 I have heard it is going for.

I hope you can see just how much you get for your money. I am looking forward to getting in a few sessions with this.

Going "all in" like all the best poker players, I also picked up the first expansion set, which adds extra options to the core game.

Again, I hope you can see what you get for your £75, again courtesy of Questing Knight.

A few weeks ago, I bought "Burrows & Badgers" from Asgard Games in Walsall, intrigued by the animals with swords vibe. Suitably inspired, I ordered vsome sample figures from Oathsworn and, lo and behold, was overjoyed to find them at Barrage, where I soon purchased a load more, especially those out of stock when I made my preliminary order. Check out the Oathsworn Miniatures website for something that bit different. A maximum purchase of 10 figures and the rules will see you home and hosed!

Roland Hynd, formerly Mr Stafford Games, has a new venture entitled Firepower Games. Keen on "By Fire & Sword", as well as military matters Austrian, I settled on a dainty rulebook (the original was HUGE!) and a boxed set of Imperialist cavalry and dragoons.

A little reading matter for the FIW and my growing Crimean War interests.

And the Penkridge Tabletop Sale yielded this little skirmish set, to add to "Muskets & Tomahawks" and "Sharp Practice 2" for my FIW fun. Worth a try at £5.99!

Another purchase from "Questing Knight" was this tome that took my eye in the wargames media when first advertised. I don't know why I didn't just get it from Warlord at Barrage...

Furthering my interest on Celtic myths, I bought a small warband lists booklet, a Myeri Clan box and a Fae Rade box to accompany the Spriggans I bought a while back. If you don't want the fantasy figures, just turn up with a dozen Ancient British/ Irish and you're away. This is all form Oakbound Studios.

Asgard Games of Walsall also sold me this starter set for the very interesting looking "Wold West Exodus" game. It was a purchase I made after getting a free Robodog on the cover of a recent "Miniature Wargames" issue which, together with an article inside said magazine really caught my eye.

Again, using the poker players' "all in" mantra, I took delivery of another parcel, this time from "PE2 Collectables", to widen my options somewhat.

And that is that.

I only went to Barrage to lay on a game and buy some Seven Years' War French and British cavalry!

I have a couple more units to do to expand my FIW range for the next outing of "The Relief of Fort Nummanmason", then it is skirmishes all the way I think, with some more 10mm Crimean War thrown in and no doubt a few other things (10mm Sassanids, some Dark Age skirmish action that is not SAGA, finally get my Anglo-Danes done for SAGA, etc...)

So, 36 French infantry - underway!
24 British infantry - ready and waiting.
A couple of themed warbands for "B&B" - ideas aplenty, figures bought!
Some Celtic stuff. Hm. Mists, mood and mischief!
The south will rise again with the "Confederate Rebellion". Yeehaw!!!
And some Giant Killer Robot carnage! And I do not even have to paint them, because they are already dome for me in the box!!!

Yeehaw some more!

G

Thursday 12 July 2018

The "Barrage" Show, Stafford, England, 8th July, 2018

Hello again.

A full four days ago now saw those of us who call ourselves the "Wyrley Retinue" and could make the session attend the aforementioned Barrage Show in Stafford. I think it is fair to say we enjoyed ourselves and I at least spent too much...

I will save some pictures of our inaugural outing with "The Relief of Fort Nummanmason" for another time, but would like to herein show a few samples of the sort of thing on offer of gamers of all tribes. I do not necessarily know who put on what, because I did not get a program for the show as a demo-er, but hope you see something here that might inspire, intrigue or simply make the effort to see for yourself next year.


Two shots (one with free flash!) of a Star Wars game put on, I think, by the Leicester Phat Cats

Automotive carnage in the form of a "Gaslands" participation game, gamers unknown.

"Gangs of Rome", which is certainly getting a fair amount of air time in the wargames media. A very effective looking set up though.

I think this was called "Xeno-force" or "Xenohunt" or something like that. I think it was a sci-fi bug hunt sort of affair...

Me262's eye view of a Typhoon over Normandy. Again, I do not know who put on this game

Gettysburg, gamers unknown

The STAGS club of Telford put on this WW3 affair

Aha! A personal favourite, which drew me in, got me to play and subsequently convinced me to purchase. "GKR Heavy Hitters" from the WETA Workshop people. Big robots in a corporation-dominated world, all vying to promote their corporate sponsors to the detriment of their business rivals.


Austerlitz, I think by the Telford club/ a Telford club. Nice use of "blinds" for some fog of war, this game developed nicely.

Tunisia, 1943.

A "Gates of Antares" game

The "Wings of Glory" people were there with their WW1 aerial combat participation game. I have not seen this plane before, so took a photo to show it off. Would suit a female ace nicely methinks!

 
Apart from the games, there was the "usual" selection of traders of numerous hues.
  • I was massively impressed with the fact that Oathsworn were present with their "Burrows &Badgers" range, especially as they had some new stuff I had not seen before.
  • Oakbound Studio was also present with their Celtic mythological and other ranges.
  • My old acquaintance Roland Hynd, formerly Mr Stafford Games, was there with his new venture, "Firepower Games".
  • Ian McCulloch brought along his Eagle Figures - I was eager to get hold of some French and British cavalry to move my SYW collection eastwards and back to Europe, but they are still with the sculptor, alas!
  • Warlord, PE2, Rapier, Rubicon, Sleeping Dragon Hobby Shop, Dave Lanchester and numerous others filled the walls with tempting products designed to empty my wallet, and many of them were successful in their attempts to purloin my finances!!!
 
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my day. I will cover our own gaming affair next time out and show a few glimpses into the latest purchases that threaten financial ruin, divorce or a house collapse under the weight of lead and plastic!
 
G
 
G

Tuesday 3 July 2018

Needs must

Hello again.

With the Barrage Show in Stafford fast approaching, being as it is to be held this coming Sunday, 8th July, at Blessed William Howard High School in Stafford, England, and coupled to the fact that we were to play a game based on the relief of a fort (aka "The Relief of Fort Nummanmason"), I needed a few bits and pieces in a bit of a hurry.

I needed a fort, or at least part of it, and that fort had to show a bit of battle damage to indicate that it was in need of the aforementioned relief. I did that one a couple of weeks back, so check out that post if you will.

But you cannot have a siege/ bombardment/ assault of a fort and just have the attackers standing around waiting for the occupiers to surrender, can you? Not in my world. So, I needed some trenchworks, some fieldworks, some indication that the attackers knew they would be in for a bit of a wait and some reciprocal pain. I also needed some North America specific buildings I felt, to better show that we were in America and not Northern Germany with Ferdinand of Brunswick and the Comtes de Broglie/ Contades.

So, I built a few bits and pieces, in a hurry, to give me what I reckon I need to kick the game off on its inaugural outing. We in the "Wyrley Retinue" always add to or somehow change a game between outings, so this is a one-time only offer to get yourselves to Stafford to see this in the flesh. If the game emerges again, and I very much hope it does, some thing or other will be different - more troops, an altered layout, more buildings or terrain, different victory conditions, etc.

So remember:
  1. 8th July 2018 at Blessed William Howard School, Rowley Avenue, Stafford.
  2. 1000hrs start.
  3. Barrage Show.
  4. Wyrley Retinue.
  5. "The Relief of Fort Nummanmason".
  6. Come and see us and say "Hello". (I'll be the tall, middle-aged chap looking bemused at my lack of success with command rolls...)
G

The approach trenches for the French. MDF base, polystyrene, lollipop sticks and card to build up the sides, mounting card for the duckboards, Renedra gabions courtesy of Nephew Nick at The Sleeping Dragon Hobby Shop and paint to suit. This is a three piece set up.

And from the front. They stand around 50mm high from the terrain board to the tops of the gabions, to give the French room to shelter from the fire of the fort's defenders.

Renedra gabions again on MDF bases.

I had a mortar so had to have a mortar emplacement. Details as previously.

And with the aforementioned mortar. This piece is lower than the trench pieces by around 10mm.

I went with a Perry kit for my church.


And a Perry kit again for my house.



This scratchbuilt affair sits inside the fort, having been hit and burned out by the French artillery and mortar fire. I had to have something inside the fort and not just empty space.



And finally, some idea of how the defences will fit together on the tabletop this Sunday. The mortar emplacement will occupy the bottom left corner, artillery the right foreground and centre right positions.