Tuesday 28 December 2010

Chassuer pics and update


 At the beginning of the month I made the trip up to the WHC for Gerry's birthday game, as I said before, a bit sad, as everything is going to close there and move to Basingstoke for next year. The event itself was however as much fun as it always is, thanks to all the players and of course Gerry for putting it on and Anne for putting up with 10 hungry gamers all week.
We played 3 games, an Eylau scenario which saw me playing Davout with a flank attack being faced off by Gerry who led me a merry dance fending off my infantry with repeated cavalry charges and lots of his pesky light infantry units ....I wasn't a huge fan of his new light infantry rules before and I'm less of one now!...to be honest, I don't mind the rules themselves but its the quantity of the units he is employing that I feel is colouring the game. The odd btn here and there would be fine, but with some formations having 3 or 4 of these each they can dominate. I don't think the staggered bases add much to the visuals either.
That said, we had a great time, so who cares?
 Game 2, Friedland, saw me battering away at Herbert, quite a relaxed game. He wasn't coming forwards into my massed Russian gunline and I wasn't going to far forwards into the minefield defence he'd set up around a village. He had to wait until my flank was threatened and the position unhinged by (wait for it) copius quantities of Light btns romping through a wood on my right. Then I had to fall back slowly but he didn't have the strength to press his attack. The French weight was elsewhere on the other side of the river.
The final game was an 1813 "what if" - Spremberg, a normal game without the light btn rules etc, to be honest I enjoyed this the most despite the fact that we cocked up our deployment and had too much cavalry in the wrong place (in front of a redoubt, - although we didn't know it was there). Nonetheless we had a fine game.
 A biggish project prior to Christmas was going down to the new WHC at Basingstoke to see Mark Freeth's new set-up..well, at the moment its a big, airy, empty unit! Not strictly true after me visit as I dropped of a very full van load of timber in order to help mark build the all important tables. I've volunteered my rudimentary carpentry skills to help him and we are going to start building in the new year. Should be pretty straightforwards but blimey, do you need a lot of wood!
He finally has his website up and running so I said I'd pass it on here to any of you avid readers who hadn't seen it  
All sorts of stuff in there, lots of pics (some taken by me!) and info on the fairly packed programme he has prepared for 2011.
So, if any of you fancy a big game weekend he deserves your support, I shall certainly be able to get over there more often in future. I timed the drive, door to door is less than an hour from West London! Big difference to the five hours each way to Scarborough.

Last, but not least a quick word about the photos, I realised I have no pics of Napoleon on this site....Now I thought that was a bit remiss considering the majority of stuff here is "Napoleonic". So a pic of him and his staff and naturally the accompanying regt of Chassuers to go with him. Mostly Connoissuer figures with a few Surens I think- all painted by Doug Mason and now all about to move from Yorkshire down South.
Anyway, Happy New Year to you all.

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15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have been enjoying your blog for some time now and hope that you continue the fine work of promoting in the grand manner gaming.

All the best for 2011.

Cheers,
Chris

Anonymous said...

Just went to the new WHC site. Looks good. I was a little surprised that Flames of War is going to be used for WWII. In the UK I thought RF was the most popular 20mm game for 'grand' gaming.

Chris

Chris Cornwell said...

I don't know anyone who plays RF to be honest..I know they have plenty of support but probably are treated with derision in equal measures- so many sets of WWII rules out there, but I'm pretty sure FoW are the most popular. I think they will work well at the new centre- big table and "real" OBs- so something like 2 or 3 times the ratio of infantry to support kit thatis seen in most FoW games

Anonymous said...

Perhaps true. FoW seems a strange game to me. Just started playing RF again after years of BKC. A bit Gilder nostalgia as RF was built off of Gilders casualty chart. I also like the fact that, while sometimes rather Hollywood, RF is very complete -- what other WWII game has rules for aircraft carriers!

I am interested in what Gerry is about to release. Do you know much about his game? What would be the most similar set conceptually?

Cheers,
Chris

Captain Richard's miniature Civil War said...

That is amazing work

Doc Smith said...

Happy New Year to you too Chris - I'll look for ward to many more excellent posts featuring tons of beautifully painted lead in 2011. And a bit more success for the Austrians on the tabletop would be nice too ;-)

Cheers,
Doc

warpaintjj said...

I still check your blog everyday, EXCELLENT! What's up? Are you OK?
Your Blog inspired mine and my clubs gaming.
Good luck out there Chris.
cheer
JJ

Jacko said...

Yes same here, I hope you are well as you have been very quiet.

Regards

Paul

Phil said...

Chargez et serrez les rangs!
Very nice figs, all is great!

warpaintjj said...

Hi itinerant,
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!
One year today since your last post,
WE MISS YOU.
Hoe all is well
warpaintjj

NAPOLEONIC-SPAIN said...

Great blog friends!!!



welcome:

http://napoleonic-spain.blogspot.com.es/

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
warpaintjj said...

Hi itinerant,
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!
Two years since your last post,
WE MISS YOU.
Hope all is well
warpaintjj

Baconfat said...

The Chassuers are quite nice.

warpaintjj said...

Five years now, we still check in here sometimes...
Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year.
Best wishes,
JJ