Not another Road Trip!

 A fair bit happening but not on the wargame front. I had hoped to get a game with Erik but he has a bad back and bending over a large table will not work, I was supposed to be at Matt's but came down with a nasty cold 24 hrs before we were to cross swords, so that was cancelled, hence the solo game, We haven't managed anything for this week either due to real life butting in. Fingers crossed for next week and Italian Wars.

 I have received my first bunch of halberdiers to add to my pike blocks, you can use them in an attack but I have never used this rule mechanic but I will remember it in future, the same applies to Spanish sword and buckler men. I am in no hurry so will just plod away.

Mate Robert popped in again and having been warned not to turn up with a new platoon or chocolate for the Memsahib I thought the visit had went well. A phone call after he left asked "Have you found it yet?" perplexed me until I found the Warlord bunker and flak position hidden under my table. So I have built and painted the item and hopefully might get to use it as an objective for a game, I have a cunning plan.

Last Friday I found myself on the way to Smoke for a weekend with my son, Saturday was reserved for a walk around Westminster Abbey and a visit with some old friends and enemies, enemies mostly. First up was Longshanks (Edward I) followed by Henry V, Elizabeth I, Edward III, Mary Queen of Scots, Aymer de Valence and that villain Henry VII. A worthwhile visit.

Mary.

Mary again.

Margaret Douglas, mother of Lord Darnley.

Henry VII tomb.

Again.

Edward III.

Elizabeth I.

Henry V.

Longshanks.

Unkown soldier.

Where Charles I was executed.

We had time to kill on Sunday before our lecture with Andrew Roberts, Graham took me to the De Haviland museum where they have a prototype Mosquito and from where the first one flew from a nearby field, they have two more and they are beautiful. They have quite a few other aircraft there along with other interesting bits and pieces.

Practice 'bouncing bomb'.

Mosquito prototype.

Again.

Lovely.

What's missing, for readers of a certain age.

A few pints in the afternoon and we headed to the National Army Museum via the Chelsea Pensioners hospital we managed a quick look round before the lecture. Andrew Roberts was there to talk about his new book on Napoleon's Marshals and it was one of the most enjoyable hours I have spent in a long time. Graham had organised it some time ago and took the opportunity to get me the book and I got it signed by the author before leaving.

It has been several years since I visited the NAM and I found it as disappointing this time as last. Granted we did explore only one level as we did not have time to see anymore. Hundreds of years of the British army squeezed into a mish mash of portraits chronologically challenged. Examples of upcoming events contain; Indian Drumming Workshop for the rhythms of India, Make a Sketchbook, Diya (?) Painting Workshop etc. Interesting enough there was a piece in the Spectator about the IWM (that's the Imperial War Museum to you dear reader) and its decline. Someone decided they need more yoof, exhibits people actually want to see are then removed and the emphasis switched to modern attitudes, they the yoof are still not interested and the people who were interested now no longer visit, result, more decline. My son tells me the other once great museums in London are following the same route.

 So there we are, sorry no battling for now but I may manage to try out another Italian Wars scenario before I see Matt next week.

This seems to belie the fact you never see me and Batman in the same room, heard of photoshop?

 

Scannagallo 1554

I was supposed to be at Matt's last week but came down with a nasty cold so it was best to hunker down in Casa Anderson, it has proved to be a real pain. I decided therefore to get the Italian Wars on the table and went for a game loosely based on the battle of Scannagallo between the French/Siennese and Spanish/Florentines from the Helion book "All is Lost Save Honour." There may have been some non pike units or reduced pikes but I just used what I had, so overall pike blocks, just some better than others. The river or dry ditch was not a great obstacle so I amended the disorder roll for crossing this and units would have to be unlucky to be disordered.

Spanish/Florentines

French/Siennese.

I decided the French would advance their left and sit back a bit on the right in order that their massed artillery could damage the Spanish as they advanced. The Spanish right had drawn a Rash commander so set off as fast as they could to engage the enemy left, the Spanish left was a bit slower and wanted their left flank cavalry to pressure the French right once across the ditch and in position.

Spanish right advances.

French left.

French guns masked.

Despite the French left being heavily outnumbered they completely surprised me and the Spanish by halting and pushing back the enemy pike blocks. The better troops on the French right now advanced as their artillery had been worse than useless and masking the guns would be no great loss. The Spanish guns had been only slightly better but had to cease fire as their men got closer to the enemy. 

Spanish try outflanking the French right.

Battle at the ditch.

Things suddenly took a bad turn for the French and their allies, as the Tuscans and Papal troops began to seriously fight back, although this did not stop the rout of one of their pike blocks. As the victorious Siennese took stock of their success the Spanish gun line turned on them and cut swathes through the close packed troops, so much so that the Italians fled to get out of the firing line.

French right in trouble.

Surrounded the French surrender.

Both lines now clashed around the dry stream bed and the flow of the battle now favoured the Spanish. The French cavalry protecting their right flank now found itself in a life or death struggle with some Italian light cavalry, neither side willing to give way, this continued until the end of the fighting,  a magnificent effort from both. As the fighting continued the French lost more infantry until only one French pike block was still standing surrounded by the enemy, Spain had won the day.

How AI saw it.

I fought this over a couple of days using Furioso, even though it was a solo game I found my sympathies lying with the French, which is fair enough as even in a solo game I went down with a loss. Furioso is perfect for solo games as once you dish out character traits to your generals the battle pretty much fights itself, especially if you are fighting a real battle in that you have an idea of what is supposed to happen, then it is all down to the dice.

I see Victrix have produced yet another Dark Age/Medieval skirmish rule set for half a dozen figures  to fight over a cabbage patch. I just don't get the attraction.

We took a small road trip to Skipton in the Yorkshire Dales, the town was mentioned in the Domesday Book and became the home of the Clifford family (boo, hiss) who were important against incursions by the Scots and at times were Wardens of the Marches. The first lord was killed at Bannockburn. The castle is small and compact and worth a visit, it would make a nice model on a battlefield. The town itself was busy with tourists enjoying the many interesting shops, the local canal and pubs, we were fortunate that the weather was nice as well. The Castle Inn does an excellent lunch. 

Imposing entrance.

The Clifford rag.

I found myself with nothing to read which is unusual for me, well that is not entirely true I have Pritt Buttar's book on the Soviet assault on Berlin but just wasn't in the mood for it. So after watching a couple of documentaries on 7th October I got a book on the attack, at first it did not grab me but the more I read the more I could not stop, I do not regret buying it. Yesterday Max Hastings' new book "Plunder" turned up, Max has only disappointed me on one occasion and I have almost all his books 

TV and Film have been dire up until the last month or so, Israeli spy thriller Fauda made a welcome return and dealt a bit with 7th October, an excellent series. I got hooked on How to get to Heaven from Belfast, not in a good way but the way a snake mesmerises you before it strikes, so so. I also caught up with Reacher, the new one I like, he is more vicious and unforgiving than in the last two series, he is still a big bit of wood, but he does the job. Silo (I have read all the books) has gone way off the rails and now bears little resemblance to the original story, but it has still held my interest. This leaves The Gentlemen and Lucky, the former is well done but is more like a graphic novel than TV, some of it is just complete nonsense guv'nor, the latter is watchable and the heroine is very Lucky in that she is a better escapist than Houdini. (no, gave up with it). Why do TV cops never, ever put men at the back door when they 'surprise' the occupants, I will say that the FBI DEI programme is working very well, when was the last time you saw a white boss? Lastly I have Mobland and Slow Horses on standby. 

I have now completed the extra troops I needed to bring my Yanks up to Chain of Command specs. I really like these despite being plastic, it sounds daft but they seem more human than the metal figures, the proportions are spot on and the poses equally realistic. I would still never go all out for a plastic army but I was pleased. 

I didn't need the heavy weapons.

I am now approaching the end of my work on the Atlas, I think it has been at lease 18 months and only small tweaks are required before it goes to the publisher.

Next weekend I am off down South as my son booked a talk at the Royal Army Museum on Napoleon's Marshall's by Andrew Roberts for me, I also had the choice of Max Hastings and his new book but went with the Emperor's men.

1862

 It's been a bit since I ventured on to a battlefield what with the holiday then real life to catch up with, seems a bit like 'hurry up and wait'. Anyway I had arranged a game with my son accompanied by my grandson and Stewart had asked for American Civil War, a follow up to the game we had a month or so ago. This meeting seems to have woken us all up and Johnny Reb is back with the gang.

James smiling if but for a moment.

I chose the battle of Oak Grove from 1862, the game was a prelude to the Seven Days' battles, 'Fighting Joe' Hooker's division takes on Benjamin Huger's Confederates. The fight takes place in heavy woods between the defensive lines of both sides. Stewart chose the Rebs while I of course took the Union, young James decided on wearing blue, he commanded my right hand brigade as it had a full complement of rifle muskets and only one green unit.

Stewart came on at a steady pace and took up a good central position beside the French farm while I took the School House, we both had skirmish lines deployed but the Reb's seemed to be almost invulnerable behind their fence and guns had been brought up to support the flanks. The Reb artillery proved to be fairly inadequate due to the calibre of their guns this early in the war. The Union artillery were still far from the front line. This meant that both sides concentrated on their flanks, I was slow to build up a line of battle on my left while James and the Rebs opposite him both had a long walk through the woods to get to grips.

Battle commences.

Both sides advance.

Before long Stewart closed with my left but had misjudged the range of his smoothbores and took some losses while his return fire was at long range, over on the Confederate left Armistead's brigade had got to within striking distance of James' men. Stewart saw an opportunity and launched charges against the Federal flanks. As the chits were revealed the Union line had guessed right and the Yankee's readied their muskets. Not one Confederate charge was successful and all were thrown back. At the same time I made some moves on the Rebs around the French farm and although the result was not as I had expected I nevertheless was in a good position to pressure the troops left there.

Reb right falters.

Reb left collapses.

It was now the time for the Union to countercharge, before I could issue the orders my left flank commander was hit by a sharpshooter and in the confusion his brigade did not follow up their successful repulse of the enemy. The right flank did attack and the Rebs fled further back into the woods. With two brigades gone and one left Stewart handed over his sword as the Yankees closed in.

Yankee left fails to follow up.

Reb centre holds on

Reb left has gone.

NJohnny Reb was too much for James and he gave up, however his last move in holding his ground ensured the wave of Reb charges would be stopped. JR is too intense for a young lad with no knowledge of the period. I seemed to be having a bit of a struggle in the centre and was unsure whether I would be successful in the end, but the disaster which befell the Rebs saved me from more anxiety.

In other news I have or thought I had, completed my US Platoon. It turns out I need some extra figures for Chain of Command games although they are fine for Bolt Action, and of course to prevent this from stopping me sleeping I bought a support group to get the eight figures I need. And get this, they are plastic!

I have been playing a bit with ChatGPT, so I present you with your author as John Wayne and James Bond, come on, not a lot of work involved.

I think I have Matt coming down next week for some Italian Wars, looking forward to that, I could do with a win in this period it is long overdue.

I have had my fourth treatment and now require a scan to find out what all the drugs are doing to my insides. 

Mate Robert popped in and left these, modesty prevents me taking an opposite view.