Brigade Commander

Here we have the latest little vignette for the WVS project, the Brigadier von Jung, commander of the first Astrovian infantry brigade.

Being relatively young (see what I did there!), von Jung has a veteran advisor with him, sporting a coat from his service days in the 1670s and 1680s. I don't have a name for him yet...suggestions please!

And here is the brigade arrayed for action...

Regiments Frankl, Schrodinger, and Mahler (Grenadiers)

I am currently working on a Vaubarian infantry battalion, with a difference... Should be finished within a week.

The Light Brigade

 ... No, not THAT Light Brigade.

The 1704 Astrovian Light Brigade... a more rascally bunch of ne'er-do-wells you couldn't wish to meet.

Here's the latest addition to the project: The Swarovski Uhlans. These are irregular lancers from the fringes of the Astrovian Empire; from the wild hills and forests of Transvladachia.

And the commander of the Astrovian Light Cavalry Brigade: von Trapp (a man you wouldn't want to escape to Switzerland with, I can tell you!)

Here is the whole brigade... the Uhlans accompanied by the Czardas Hussars.

For these figures, I decided that I would speed paint them and only do two layers (no final highlight). I think they probably could have done with a further highlight on the red cloaks, but overall, they look pretty ok... 

Meanwhile, in Kaimenistan ...

Last weekend, I decided to use up some of the detritus from Christmas in the form of the cardboard packaging that inevitably resides in part of everyone's home awaiting the new year trip to the local tip!

I have mentioned before the wonderful Major General Tremorden Rederring website, and I remember on there they had made some cardboard hills. Whilst I didn't want these to be the same (theirs had firing steps to give the impression of concealed snipers in some part of the Khyber Pass), I did think a similar design could be utilised for the background to photos of the Back of Beyond collection.

And so...

I simply cut the cardboard shapes, sprayed them in shades of brown, and a little grey at the peaks, and then put back-supports on them so they can stand. The sharp-eyed will notice, they can be arranged in different 'formations' allowing some versatility. Construction time all told... around 40 minutes.

I think it looks ok, and adds a little atmosphere to the scenes.

Successors updated

Had a bit of a photo session recently.

This is just a quick post to draw attention to the fact that the Successors project page has been updated with some fresh pictures.

More to come for other projects soon...

Blog Housekeeping and Plans for the Year

Happy New Year!

The past couple of days I have been doing some long-intended housekeeping -tidying up the blog, adding a few more links, shifting things around in the right hand column, and also adding some more pages to properly reflect the projects I am working on at the moment.

There are a number of new project pages, and some old ones freshened up with new photos. Take a stroll round with a cuppa when you get 5 minutes.

For completeness, I have also added a page for the Classic Wargaming collection even though it has its own separate blog.

As for plans for the year ahead...

1. Wars of Vaubarian Succession (WVS). This will be my primary focus for painting and playing a few games in 2021. I have set a specific, ambitious painting points target here, but one that also allows me to stray into painting other things too.

2. Back of Beyond in Kaimenistan. I will also be tickling along the Back of Beyond project with the aim of having some small solo games as well. I have plenty of Chinese in stock to be working on, so they are definitely in the painting queue.

3. Other than those two projects, I have a 'paint what I fancy' mantra for the year, and as long as it adds to the various existing projects, no harm done. So, that could be more Pils-Holstein units, more Napoleonics, more Successors, more Colonials, etc. That is, of course, one of the advantages of having a range of projects 'in progress'.
Where I do need your help is in taming the new-project-itis... you have my permission to remind me not to stray from existing projects in the year to come. "I can resist anything, except temptation", as I believe the saying goes.

4. Shows. Who knows?! Wouldn't it be great to be planning to go to York, and Partizan, and so on this year?! Sadly, we will have to be patient. I am holding onto the hope of the second Partizan happening ... fingers crossed.

5. Games. I have said before that I am not much of a solo-gamer really. However, I have scheduled a few in for the year, and even if they simply descend into photo shoots for the various collections, that's no bad thing. 

That's about it... for public consumption anyway. Steve Gill and I are in regular correspondence around a number of other possibilities for this year. So, anything could happen!

Best regards to all for the year ahead. Let's make it a prosperous one.

All the best

Phil

Battle Report

It seemed somehow fitting that, having started 2020 with a Battle involving the forces in The War of the Vaubarian Succession campaign (WVS), the year should end with the same protagonists fighting a highly enjoyable action today.

Both sides were on the march early, in a bid to contend the road junction and Koronaberg, and hoping that their reinforcing units would arrive to support the action.

Both sides also advanced their light troops to seize the Tierwald, The Karavani Croats for the Astrovians, and the Muller Light Dragoons for the Vaubarians. The latter advanced stealthily but steadily as the mist shrouded the open ground between the villages, and entered the woods. The Croats ascended the hill, and then descended into the woods on their side. The ensuing firefight was bloody, and after a couple of turns, the dragoons got the better of it. The Croats evacuated the woods and headed back to the village of Kovyd, no doubt to cause some trouble in the taverns (even though all such hostelries had been ordered to close).

The arrival of extra troops onto the table was controlled by random dice rolls, from turn 3 onwards, and the gods of battle were smiling on the Vaubarians today, both in terms of the speed of their arrivals and the points of entry to the table. It soon became apparent that the Astrovians would struggle to from a consistent battle line with which to carry the fight.

In the centre, the Dremel battalion and the Frankl battalion, having marched at pace towards the vital junction, were exchanging musketry. The Vaubarian Field Gun, in support of  the Dremel battalion, unlimbered and joined the fight, unleashing cannister shot onto the hapless Frankl men. It was too much for the Astrovians who eventually failed their morale test and retreated. 

Soon after, the Dremel battalion were shaken by Astrovian artillery fire from the hill by Kovyd village, but it was too late.

The Vaubarian battle line was fully formed, and they held the key parts of the battlefield. The Astrovians decided that, rather than spill more blood, they would withdraw from the field.

And so, Vaubaria ends the year triumphant...

Here are a few pictures of the action...

I have once again included the battlefield sketch map for ease of reference.

Above: Muller Light Dragoons.

Below: The Karavani Croats.

Above: the firefight in the centre. Dremel take on Frankl.

Below: action in The Tierwald. The black counter indicates a morale test for the Croats, and the Green counter indicates they have failed and must retreat.

There's one thing that inspires more painting... a good game. Needless to say, more figures will be appearing on the workbench in the next few days...

All the very best

Phil

Seize The Koronaberg

Here is the table set up for tomorrow's game:

It is based on the Dominant Hill scenario by Charles S Grant, slightly adapted.

The villages of Kovyd and Vakczsyn are approximately 2km apart by road (you might say, socially distanced). They are overlooked by The Koronaberg, a large 'saddle' style mountain whose twin peaks are crowned by rock formations giving it its ancient name.

The curved road between the two villages has a junction with the road leading across the Koronaberg saddle... a vital strategic point in these parts.

Both Vaubarian and Astrovian forces have been ordered to secure this vital junction and The Koronaberg itself.

Vaubarian forces have arrived in the village of Vakczyn as follows:

• Dremel infantry battalion.
• Field Gun
• Muller Light Dragoons

Meanwhile, a similarly sized force of Astrovians is reported to have garrisoned the village of Kovyd to the north as follows:

• Frankl infantry battalion
• Field Gun
• Karavani Croats

Both armies have several other units operating in the region, and reinforcements will arrive randomly from turn three (apparently hastening to the sound of the guns)... each side has 2 further infantry battalions and 2 cavalry regiments in the vicinity. Where they will arrive, and at exactly which point on the table edge, will be determined via dice rolls.

The scene is set, and tomorrow the action will unfold...