Still white, but slightly different

Connoissuer Saxons painted by yours truly about 4 years ago

A while ago, I put up some pictures of the beautiful Saxon cavalry belonging to the Wargames Holiday Centre. Well, I found these pics of my own efforts. These are the same Connoisseur figures but this time the painting and conversions are mine. I would never try to claim my stuff could compete with the old master Doug Mason's but I was quite pleased with these. 

A few differences,certainly (I don't have a Garde Du Corps regt for starters) but these figures I recall being a joy to do. I'd certainly do the white differently these days, the horses are almost all Firing Line and they supplied many of the heads for the Bonnet de Police, bandaged types etc. The Trumpeters ARE Garde Du Corps figures (Gilder never made trumpeters?????). Sabres were removed and replaced with steel pins, heads were twisted both on horses and riders, I got the effect I was after, which was of a charging unit with plenty of figure differences.

New swords, lots of head work, and some tortured horses!

Now, enough of this onanism....I'm well on the way with the latest batch of Austrians, and have settled on a method I like - which involves Army Painter!!! heresy, I hear you say...no, it works, not maybe the way the manufacturers intended but I've got there-as have a couple of other painters I've seen blogging- odd, how people independantly arrive at the same results. 

The next crop of Austrians will appear soon. At which point, even though this Blog is by no means a democracy, I will be asking you to vote on what I am to paint next. However, that can wait till next time.

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Finally Austrians (I hope you lot like white...because you are going to be seeing a lot of it)

Here they come, the first units of Elite Austrians. I've been painting quite a bit more than it appears here, as one of the methods I've been using is to mass produce figures which get painted but are waiting for other bods before getting based up. So I have nearly enough for 3 x 48 man units (2 line, 1 grenz) plus a load of guns and gunners and about another 20 skirmishers in addition to whats on show below. This way hopefully  plenty of units will be appearing here at regular intervals.

This is very much a "work in progress" and I think my white style will change a bit as I produce more units. The figures here were sprayed white and then washed with a thin tan with then a grey white and finally a normal white applied. For the next batch I'm going to try a yellow ochre oil wash rather than the tan as I think this will be more controllable. I doubt anyone could tell the difference but you know how we all get a bit quirky about these things.

The Grenzers are nice, one of those very rare occasions where you can get away with mixing manufacturers. Most are Elite but I "found" about 80 odd Connoissuer Grenzer lurking in the Box. They mix nicely. They are old soft metal figures so I've managed a few head replacements and twists to give them variation, The 48 man unit is awaiting finials for the standard bearer but is finished other than that.
I also discovered that Elite do yet more skirmishing Grenzers in the old 1796 style headgear. I'll have to investigate these.
I like the green facings for these chappies. Just about every wargames unit of grenzer I've ever seen always has red facings....no idea why, they had all sorts of colours...(I'm drawing the line at pink, though)

As usual GMB provides the flags, Austrian standards being what they are these are really detailed, and make a massive difference to the finished unit
No need for any conversions in the line unit, there are so many variants in there anyway.
So, thats a bit of a start to my Austrian adventure. I had to smile the other day reading some waffle on TMP. Someone was enthusing about embarking and nearly finishing a "big project"  which was some 150 figures....It suddenly occured to me that that was about the number I've finished and I sort of view these as samples as much as anything...hmmmm the perception of scale. Mind you, I bet his are better painted than mine.

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Back from Falmouth

First Game for me: French Cavalry divisions eviscerate 2 German Motorised infantry Divs (pics courtesy of Phil Gray. More here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dom_gamer/

As I mentioned I've spent a week down in Cornwall playing in the annual 1/285th Mega-Game. To be honest that was a large reason why I've not had much time since Christmas. However it's all over now.

Quite an intense gaming experience for those who are not familar with it; 30 players, + 3 umpires (there is a link here somewhere to Dom's rather crappy website), this year was France 1940 at platoon level. I confess I had serious misgivings about this game, the way it was set-up didn't encourage any conclusion other than a walk-over for the Germans- accurate, I grant you, but worth playing for a week? As it turned out my fears proved sufficently unfounded.  On the tables the Germans were inevitably vastly superior. Generally better troops, better at concentrating their armour, able to use combined arms with infantry and tanks, liberal air support, little pluses in firing, better morale, faster, longer ranged tank guns, considerably more flexible artillery, vast quantities of mortars and infantry guns, the initiative of attacking.....they had it all. Except...it didn't quite pan out as the Germans would have wished.

The German command team put a huge amount of effort into their plan, and I must admit I felt somewhat sorry for them, because in the end, it's pretty difficult to do better than the Germans did historically, or come up with something that will work better than the Ardennes attack. Subsequently, virtually everything they did had been foreseen by the allies to some degree, both in terms of deployment of the 60-odd divisions of kit, the whereabouts and direction of the 10 Pzr Divisions, and their overall strategy, and the operational mix of forces.

The allied plan was a bit of mess. Real life conspired against the allied command team, we lost the French CO to pressure of work, I got flu and very busy at a crucial period. There was no communication allowed between the French and the Belgians...In the end good old Gerry stepped into the breach, he came up with a plan in a couple of days...sit and wait on the Belgian border?? Oh no...Attack, attack attack!

This proved to be a wise decision, it meant that the Germans didn't get a free run at the Belgians, and that their spearheads were contacted close to the German border. This in turn meant serious traffic jams and disruption to their immaculately constructed schedule. For the most part the French attacks were swatted aside by the all- conquering panzers, but, we had worked out that within the time-frame of the game (3 x 2 day battles)  very few French formations would have to fight more than one action on the table. Not so for the Germans. By the application of some very rudimentary psychology it didn't take a genius to work out that Andrew and Phil (the German commanders) would load their pzr divs with assets and try to use them to fight all week. Why fight with boring old infantry divisions when you can play with sexy panzers? It's about the most rudimentary mistake to make as a German player at these games. I've played in 11 of these games now (gulp) and the thing I've realised is that its the German infantry which is their strength, not the Panzer divs. So, all week the German tank units were being driven hard, and winning, but the losses just mounted up. By the end of the week the umpires thought they had lost at least 50% of their armour strength, and 40% of the panzer infantry. Most of the tank losses were also on the good stuff -pzr III's and IV's and 38T's-  (the way the rules work one tends to fight with the best kit out front).

The Germans achieved the requisite breakthrough on the Meuse but the hole was a small one and the campaign ended with the spearheads fighting the copius French reserves. The BEF were happy and intact. Officially the campaign result was a draw, though both sides had reasons to be happy. 

Incredibly rare photograph of Brendan with a ruleset in his hands (We still await the picture of him READING the rules).

Ultimately, the great thing was that I don't think there was really anyone on either side who was that bothered about the result. As a week long campaign it had been a huge success.

The scenario was designed by Tony Morphet (actually, COLONEL Morphet to you), and he wanted to pass on a little of his lifetime of experience of running a real army to us pitiful amateurs. One of the things he wanted to get across was how inflexible real armies are compared to how most wargamers percieve things. So, all the plans were submitted prior to the event. Armies and Corps were given areas of operations, and a general stance and that was it. The nitty-gritty of moving divisions around was left to the umpires. None of this "Oh, I'll just whip this division round through this little gap and wind up on this flank" which populates most wargamers thinking.  Questions were asked of army commanders at certain points, but on the whole both armies had to stick to their overall plan. (I think the Germans had a bit more flexibility).

The most important thing for me (and a lot of others) was that I had 3 really good 2 day games.

The first was an encounter game with 2 DLC's supported by a French Motorised division running headlong into 2 German Motorised infantry divisions supported by a leg outfit. We didn't know it at the time but it was one of the pivotal games of the campaign. The French objective was to cut a road used by the German spearheads for supply. If we had cut it, then the French might have won the campaign as it would have seriously impeded the leading panzers. We didn't quite make it, but we inflicted serios damage to the German units.

Game 2 was defending the Meuse Bridgeheads. Another DLC, a colonial division plus a dodgy "series B" division defending against 2 panzer divs plus a motorised division. I held the centre and hold it I did, always nice when things like your minefield and defensive fire-plan plus ATG traps all work, naturally the Germans penetrated elsewhere but they didn't get more than a small toehold over the river. A winning draw for the Germans.

Game 3 was a bit odd. A DLM plus 2 motorised infantry divisions (2 up, 1 back) fighting on a very narrow frontage against 2 leg infantry divisions. We battered ourslves against 2 vital hills and got shot to bits trying. Meanwhile the table suddenly got wider and a panzer div turned up on our flank! The .

DLM (commanded by Herbert, who else?)  turned to face the threat and...frankly, shot the Germans to bits. An entire panzer regt was destroyed. Day 2 saw the lead French regts being replaced by reserves and we did the job properly on the hills, finally taking them though losing 3 French regts to 2 German in the process. The game (and week) then ended which was a shame as this game could have easily gone on for a 3rd day.

All of these games went down to the wire, All were tough draws in the end. I can't recall the last time that happened at one of these mega-games. Normally you have a duff game at some point, or a day with relatively little action, or a dull day where you are either motoring through or getting ground into the dust. None of that. 3 really good, close, interesting battles with opponents who were a pleasure to play with (surely the most vital factor). So a big thank you to Eric, Adam, Tim and Paul. 

The set up before the first game: 5 x tables, 30 players, about 10,000 playing pieces
Next year there is talk of a scale change, and doing ALL of Market Garden at SECTION level...we shall see...Whatever is decided though, I know where I'll be next January.....Falmouth.


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January:

Austrian Grenadiers and Heavy Cavalry mass on the Austrian right flank at Wagram at the WHC before Christmas.

I have been very quiet over the holiday period, to the extent that I've had mails from one or two of you enquiring after my health!...Well, I'm fine. The flu bout lingered on for quite a while, then it was Christmas etc plus I had more work to do over the holiday than I'm used to, so I'm afraid putting in an appearance here slipped down the list of priorities.

On top of this, my gaming/painting/planning/blogging opportunities at this time of year always get pushed to one side in order to sort out planning for the forth-coming Falmouth Mega-game. Most of my time is spent reading some of the 900(!!!!) e-mails generated by this plus staring blankly at reams of OB's, rules, Maps, intel assesments/briefings etc etc. Plus reading up on this years' effort; the  1940 campaign.

Most of the preparations have now been completed, the first map moves made, the fiendish Hun has invaded brave little Belgium (and Holland), the first games have been decided, table maps sent out, player teams assembled, dice sharpened, the kick off is in a week's time down in Cornwall, providing everyone can get there in the snow. Hopefully the weather will have calmed down a bit by then.

The most important news however is that this afternoon I picked up a paintbrush again after a month's lay-off. I'm finishing off some Elite Austrians. I've now just got about 10 figures to finish for the first battlion of line infantry, so I PROMISE to get these done, and pics posted up before I go down to Falmouth in a weeks time. There. I've said it. Now I have to do it.

Rear view as the flank attack squeezes the French

So, a few catch up pictures from the Wagram game that was part of Herbert's birthday week at the beginning of December. I played on the Austrian right flank driving the Grenadiers and cavalry around the French left. The way Gerry handled this was for everyone to deploy normally (on movement tiles) and begin as normal. As each turn went by Napoleon would be informed that a formation had gone whizzing off table round to the left. Eventually an ADC made contact with the Emperor and the extent of the Austrian advance was made apparent. The French troops were moved back and a horde of Austrian cavalry and Grenadiers materealised on their flank.

If my Austrian Cavalry turn out half as good as these, I'll be very happy. Figures from the WHC collection

The French had prepared for this and some 12 regts of heavy cavalry were dispatched to shore up the flank. This slowed down the Austrian advance, but like everything in ITGM it's all about combined arms, and the balance of infantry, cavalry and artillery slowly pushed the French back. Although they managed to mass their normally lethal heavy cavalry they just didn't have enough space to be fully effective.

Wagram: The French Guard Heavies and infantry plough through towards Aderklar

Further over it was a different story, the French Guard were released and crunched through the Austrian centre, sweeping through up to the riverline. After 2 days hard fighting it was declared a draw, while the French flank collapsed they had punched through the Austrian centre. It was, however, a cracking game.

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December.....

Austrian infantry pile into Zokolnitz while Bernadotte moves up in the background

Had an odd month, went up to Scarborough for Gerry's and Herbert's week of Napoleonics. We had a great time, fought Austerlitz (twice) Wagram and Dresden. I've put up a couple of pics from this and have plenty more to follow, but time has been precious since I got back, plus I've had really bad flu which has been totally debilitating. You'd have thought that writing a blog was one of the few things you could do while feeling ill but I've had absolutely no energy. What little I have had has had to go on working, and I haven't even picked up a paintbrush. Its left me feeling extremely frustrated. A tough work schedule for this week and I'm even going in between Christmas and New Year (can't remember ever doing that before). However, I will get some more stuff up, I promise. Plus, I'm desperate to get some Austrians finished. They are sitting on the table looking at me accusingly.

Neil Sheardown (some of his cracking painting below) has asked me to do a piece on fast painting horses in oils which I will do in the New Year. Should be fun to do.

Massed Russian Heavy cavalry

Above is a quick bit of action from Dresden, a massive Russian cavalry attack towards the end of the game which was an Allied victory. The French army including 4 divisions of Young Guard (48 battalions of them!!!)  couldn't hold against the hammer blows of  the Allies.

Socially it was a great week, lots of dinners and Herbert got some good presents including a version of his favourite unit  "the fighting 57eme" painted by Neil; These were the old Connoissuer Greatcoated French figures. Really manky campaign dress types, which is why Herbie likes them I guess. Here they are in a presentation case:  

The Fighting 57th (mark II)

More of Neil's work below, some Elite French line. I really like these newer French march attack Elite figures. I did a few a while ago as Westphalians - I think about 2 or 3 months later they released the proper Westphalian range!- They are very straightforward to paint from what I recall 

Nice new Elite infantry painted by Neil Sheardown, in the background Badeners move up in support.

Anyhow, its 9.30 and I'm knackered again so I'll try and get something more out later in the week.

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Off to Scarborough

Zastrow Cuirraisiers: Connoisseur Figures from the WHC collection
 A busy week at work, and a pathetic showing in the painting stakes, I'm afraid. However, my bit of a spurt at the beginning of November means a handsome total for the month so I'm not complaining at all.

I'm off tomorrow up north for a week of hardcore Napoleonics. I'm really looking forwards to it. It bodes for being a cracking week, its a birthday celebration for my old friend Herbert who has invited about 10 of us up to Scarborough for the week. it's also Gerry's birthday this week so he will be playing too.

The plan is to fight 3, two day games, spanning the heart of the period. The first game is Austerlitz, then Wagram, and finally Dresden.

I've played all of these scenarios before at the centre, however, Gerry says he has re-jiggered all three of these games so they will actually all be completely fresh and most of the players won't have played any of them previously, so there may be a few surprises.

Saxon Garde Du Corps: Lots of conversions

In the absence of any new painted units I've put up these pictures of Saxon Heavy Cavalry, which I took recently at the WHC. Lovely units, as ever lots of conversions with all the swords replaced including some quite mad figures tumbling from their horses. I think originally they were only half regiments painted by Doug Mason but Gerry wanted them expanded to full 32 man units. So Neil Sheardown did a pretty amazing job of matching his painting to Doug's original work and re-touching them.

With a little luck I'll be able to get my greasy hands on these during the course of the week.

A lot of time has also been taken up sorting out planning for the forth-coming game in Falmouth in January, been a lot of e-mailing and plotting going on but the ideas are forming. My initial rather doom-laden appraisal has been replaced with a somewhat more optimistic view (it has helped that I have since read the briefing correctly). The Umps are putting some interesting options available for the poor old creaky French Army.

More massed Saxons

So, I have a pleasant 4 hours or so in the company of Noel, who is doing the driving, I can also deliver to him his Wurtemburg cavalry.

Going to be a fine week.

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Prussian Fusileers and Austrian samples, plus a bit of a whinge

Calpe Fusileers form a firing line
Been a little busy, firstly, last week-end saw me going down to Newquay for a 1/285th WWII game, which was a great few days. No pictures I'm afraid, partly because it wasn't that photogenic (not that it didn't look good), partly because I was so busy playing I forgot. It was a Normandy scenario playing a 2 day game from midday on 6th June which then influenced a second 2 day game based around Goodwood. We were using the Newquay lads take on the Mega-game rules and on the whole they worked really well. Not perfect, but well-tailored to the games we were playing. Importantly, they seemed well tested and the OB's and scenarios were quite well thought out with clear, achievable objectives for both teams. One of those games where both sides could have gone away saying they won.
Just when one has memorised one set of WWII rules along comes another. The rule set for the Falmouth Mega-game in the New Year has just been put out. These are based on the same set as the ones used for the game I just played. Despite being largely similar I wish I had the same confidence in them that I had in the set I just used. I can't help feeling that they haven't been tested enough, and that based on previous experience the scenarios COULD become wildly imbalanced because of the marked disparities within the rules (and scenario specific rules) between the opposing sides (France 1940). There is always enormous ingenuity on the part of players in these situations to maximise their advantage and I fear the "new" rules and doctrine guidlines do virtually nothing to restrict this. I have a horrible feeling the only purpose the French team will serve is to serve as spectators while the Germans just roll forwards. There is nothing I can see in them which leads me to think otherwise, and that the experience for the French players will be distinctly mediocre. Lets hope I'm wrong.
This year the game has gone back to a standard sort of hex/map campaign format. Probably a mistake. Last year they used a more abstract system for the 41 desert campaign. This worked up to a point and if there was one game where it would have worked well and allowed the umpires to adequately control the games played it was the 1940 Campaign. As it is I have little doubt it quickly degenerate into a series of very dull walk-overs for the Germans, with a series of compensation final games based on fudges. They are still looking for a couple of players for the Germs so if you fancy winning for a week with no thought or ability required then sign up.

Back to more picturesque things, I've finished the Calpe Fusileer btn. A firing line pose, with of course, no standard. These were finished the same as the previous btns the only real difference being the black belts rather than white, strangely less satisfying to paint. Perhaps I'm just a white belts man. However the results are nice and the firing figures made a nice change.

So, although I still have another unit of Prussians to do I have made a start on the Austrians. I did these samples just to make sure I was happy with the technique and the results are ok. It's a little difficult to imagine what these will look like en-masse so I'll just have to persevere and produce a full 48 before making a final decision but I think I'm happy with the process.

I went for Spraying white (what else?) then washing the whole figure in a thinned wash of Vallejo green ochre. Then block paint and highlight as normal with the white being done in white grey with white on top.

In the above picture the figure on the left is one of the new "Collectors' range" Austrians. I like the figure at trail. It has a seperate musket arm and there are 4 variants, I'll probably only use about 4 or 5 of these in a btn but with all the other variants available the unit should look really mixed. Not sure how much painting time I'll have in the next 2 or 3 weeks. I'm busy at work plus in just over a week its back up to the WHC for Herbert's birthday bash. Can't wait.

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