On the Defense

 Just a shorter than normal post today.  Based on an off-line discussion I started looking at my Napoleonic troops again, and realized that I'm short of defensive works.  I have the Great Redoubt and the hill complete with Wolf Pits on the flank of the redoubt for Borodino.  But I couldn't locate any of the Fleches.  I think when we ran it at Historicon we just used Gabions in a roughly 'V' shaped formation (hard to believe that was 13 years ago).

Any way, since I found myself with more time on my hands than brains a couple of weeks ago, I decided it was time to build at least one of the 3 Fleches.

The Flèche is 3 pieces, the gun emplacement, with infantry earthworks on the flanks. 

And here's the proof I actually did it instead of just thought about doing it.

I hope everyone has had a mild Fall, and the Winter is kind to you as well.

Take care

So much lead, so little time.

Finally!!

After 13 years I’ve finally gotten around to finishing the 27^th Division on the Russian 2^nd Army of the West as it fought at Borodino.  

The Tarnopol Regt. of Stavitski’s Brigade is finally done.  That leaves the 26^th Division and a couple of Grenadier Regiments as the only outstanding units for the 2^nd Army of the West.  I thought about acquiring the remaining lead, but then, I sadly realized that with my move to the hinterlands of Maine, I’ll probably never get them on the table again, certainly not in another refight of Borodino.  But enough with the maudlin wool gathering - on to the photos.

Sorry about the quality of the photos (and the painting – it’s been way too long since I painted Napoleonic figures).  The 2 battalions are shown below.  I may have gotten a little heavy handed with the black wash, but at gaming distance they look acceptable.

As always with my Russians, figures are Front Rank, flags are GMB.

1st Battalion 

3rd Battalion

And while I was rummaging around look for the Russian lead, I managed to scrape up enough Polish Lead to do one more unit of Duchy of Warsaw troops.  This is just your basic generic Duchy of Warsaw unit.  Figures are Old Glory, flag was something I found laying in the bottom of a box, not completely sure it's even Polish, but close enough for solo gaming.

Winter will soon be upon us, (frost warning for tonight further inland), so maybe the soon to be forced idleness we'll motivate me to get back to the Micro-armor project. I have been working on some 6mm terrain projects, if the end result isn't too horrific, you may see some of it here.

In any event, take care and enjoy the fall.

So much lead (and plastic), so little time.

Battle of Utitza

Or, I thought Utitza’s were bigger?  A scaled down version due to space issues on the table, I guess size does matter, at least on the table top.

Rules are Field of Battle, 3^rd edition.

After having pulled out the Duchy of Warsaw troops during the game room organization effort, I decided to get them back on the table in their role on the French right flank at Borodino.  So I dug through my computer files and found the OB and maps we used for our Borodino game back in 2012 at Historicon.  Unfortunately, I don’t have enough table space for the full layout, so what follows is a compacted battle field.

The initial setup.

The view from the Russian (defender) side.  Cossacks and Opolochenie on the left, 2nd Grenadier Division in the center, and 3rd Division on the right.

View from the Polish, V Corps, side.  Zayonchek's 16th Division on the left, Kniaziewicz 18th Division in the Center, and the Corps Cavalry on the right.

Turn 1

The first turn consisted of wasted cards for the Russians, the Poles on the other hand turned a Move card and Zayonchek’s Division on the Polish left flank surged ahead 2 move segments.  Not to be outdone, Kniaziewicz in the center stormed forward 3 move segments, almost making it to the base of the Utitiza hill.  The Cavalry on the right Polish right flank was clearly intimidate by this display and plodded forward one move segment.  The lone Russian Battery took the opportunity to fire at the infantry as they closed, inflicting one paltry casualty.  This may not be a very long battle report. The next Polish card was useless, but the 2 foot batteries elected to fire while they still had the inititive, and before their infantry blocked their fire.  The result of the cannonade was… nothing.

View from the Russian Grenadier's in the Village.  Boris, this might hurt a bit.

Turn 2

The second turn saw the Russian’s again win the initiative by one, turning… an Artillery Fire card!  Sometimes the card gods are generous.  The Russian artillery fires, inflicting 2 hits on the Polish Infantry, but rolling odd, so the Poles stand. (I think I got that right, while I’ve played Field of Battle 3^rd Edition before a long time ago, I haven’t ever run a game).  The Poles turn a ‘Lull’ card, but the Russian’s fail to seize the initiative.

Turn 3

Turn three saw the Russian’s again win the initiative by 8 and given the close proximity of the Poles the Russians opted to go first.  The first really useful card turned was an artillery fire, resulting in one hit which destroyed the already battered Polish infantry unit in front of the battery.  The Russian Grenadiers in the town used anInfantry Fire card to take a long range shot at the Poles and missed.  The Jagers in the woods used a move 1 command card to side step.

 

The Polish initiative saw them turning their first card which was another move card, things may get interesting.  Kniaziewicz Poles in the center advanced 2 segments into contact with the buildings, unfortunately they rolled odd, taking fire from the Grenadiers in the town, who missed.  2 Polish units fired at the unloaded Russian battery, doing a total of 2 hits to the battery.  The Polish left flank  under Zayonchek refused to move, even when Prince Poniatowski directly intervened, they still refused to move forward.   I guess fearful of the lone Russian Jager unit in the woods?  The Cavalry on the Polish right flank finally decided to move in a big way, charging forward 3 move segments into contact with the Russian Opolochenie, but unable to initiate melee.  

The Polish horse battery used an artillery fire card to cause 1 damage on a Cossack Regiment. 

The Poles then turned another Move card.  Zayonchek division on the Polish left flank cautiously moved forward, the lead unit contacting the woods the Russian Jagers were defending.  The woods erupted in smoke and the smell of sulfur, resulting in 2 hits for the lead polish unit. Kniaziewicz division in the center finally rolled even on a move roll, but only won one segment.  That was enough to allow the Poles to melee the Russian artillery, when the dust settled all that could be seen was the guns, the gunners were wiped out defending their guns.   

The Polish assault on the Grenadiers in town went poorly, with the attackers taking 2 hits and routing them.  The Polish Cavalry rolled one move segment, but the roll was even which allowed them to initiate melee with the Russian Opolchinie, resulting in one hit to the Opolochinie.  I realized I forgot to fire the Opolchinie when the caalry came into contact, so I fired that as well, resulting in no hits but forcing the cavalry to fall back.

The next useful card the Poles turned was a move one command  resulting in Zayonchek on the Polish left flank getting 2 move segments, moving into contact and initiating a firefight with the unit on the far Russian right flank, with the Poles taking 2 hits and the Russian’s taking 1 hit.

Leadership card, unit on Poles left flank recovered 2 hits.  Artillery firepower, Horse battery fires on Cossacks, routing them.

View at the end of turn 3.

Turn 4 saw the Russian’s again win the initiatives, by one and turn a Melee card.  On the Russian right flank the Jagers in the wood melee the Poles to their front, causing 1 hit and pushing the Poles back.  The far right Russian line unit melee’s the polish unit to its front, inflicting 2 hits which destroys it.  The Grenadiers in the middle of town melee the Poles to their front, and rout them.

The Poles turn a Artillery Fire card, and the horse battery fires at another battery of Cossacks, this time failing to get a hit.

View at the end of turn 4

Turn 5 started with The Russian’s again winning the initiative, by four this time.  The Infantry Fire card was the first useful card turned.  The Jagers in the woods reload and fire into the flank of the Polish unit to their front, and miss; while all the other unloaded units reload.  

The Poles seize the initiative on a Lull card, turning a melee card.  The Poles assault the Grenadiers in the Village, who fire as the Poles advance, and miss.  The Polish assault goes in, and they lose, suffering 1 hit. The French Cavalry charges the Opolochine in line.  The Opolochine fire as the French come in and miss.  The melee does 1 hit to the Opolochine and forces them back.

The Russians resume their initiative, turning an army morale card, and Konovnitizin, commander of the Russian right flank 3^rd Division falls, disordering the entire Division.

Russian end of Turn 5

The Poles turn another Melee card.  The Cavalry charges into the Cossacks, causing 1 hit to the Cossacks.  The Poles turn an Army Morale card and the Polish Cavalry Commander falls.  Followed by a Leadership card, with one of the Cavalry becoming ordered.  And lastly all non-routing infantry units reload on an infantry fire card.

Poles end of turn 5

Turn 6 begins with... you guessed it, the Russians again winning the inititive, this time by 3.  The first card is a Move card.  The Grenadier Division rolls even, for 3 move segments.  The Grenadiers behind Utitiza move forward into contact with the Polish infantry, who fire at point blank range with no impact.  The horse battery fires at the Grenadiers as they advance as well, causing 2 hits. The Grenadiers fire at the Polish Infantry causing 2 hits.  The Grenadiers in the middle of town move into contact with the Polish infantry, taking fire from 2 units resulting in no damage.  The Grenadiers then initiate Melee, causing 1 hit.  The Cossacks move forward to threaten the unloaded Polish Horse Battery.  On the Russian right flank the 3^rd Division slowly moves forward, still reeling from the loss of their commander.  Followed by a Leadership card, which had some success in rallying and removing hits.

End of Russian turn 6

The Poles turn an Infantry Fire, reload, and 2 units fire at the Grenadiers, which both missed.  The next card is also Infantry Fire, so repeat, with the same results.  The last card for this initiative is a Melee.  The only 2 units that can use it are already damaged.  The Center is pretty much crumbling, the Polish left flank has stalled, the Right flank cavalry is having success against the Milita units, but still haven’t managed to turn the flank.  The wise thing would probably be to hope for a move card and begin to withdraw, but with the eyes of the Emperor upon you, that isn’t an option, so… Attack!   The 2 battered Infantry units launch themselves into the Grenadiers, winning one and losing another.  

Poles end of Turn 6

Turn 7, the Russian’s go first again. Starting with a Move card, the Cossacks get 3 move segments putting one unit into contact with the unloaded Polish Horse Battery. The Opolochenie roll even and take the opportunity to form square.  Third Division units move into contact but can not initiate melee.  The Grenadiers shuffle their formation around to allow 1 unit to fire on the Polish Infantry with no effect.  Next card is Infantry Fire, all Russian units reload and the shooting commences, destroying 1 Polish unit.  

Another Move card, the Cossacks get 1 move segment, but rolled even, and initiate melee against the unloaded Polish Horse Battery, and the Cossacks loose, routing away.  3^rd Division gets 3 move segments with an even roll, moving into contact and initiating melee, causing 1 hit and forcing a unit back.  

The last Russian card Melee, a Grenadier unit inflected 1 hit and pushed back a Polish Infantry unit and another was able to melee the Polish Horse Battery, doing 2 hits.

 

The only useful card on the Polish turn was Leadership, which allowed them to rally one of the routing units of Infantry.

End of the game view from the Polish view

Time to shuffle the deck.  

 

At this point I called it.  The Poles had been paying the Russian’s morale chips for a while to the point that the Russians were only down 3 morale chips from their starting number. Plus I needed to have the gaming table picked up before our weekend guest arrived. 

I know I got a few things wrong, and sort of forgot about the whole ‘disordered’ thing until around the 3^rd or 4^th turn.  The actual playing time was between an hour and a hour and a half I think.  Hard to tell when you break it up into multiple sessions throughout the day.

The Russian Initiative die rolls were crazy lucky. And I think the Poles winning the 3 move segments early on and effectively screening their artillery for most of the battle actually hurt them in this case. In retrospect, with the Russian's only having 1 artillery battery, I think the Poles should have kept their advance a little more on line and given their artillery advantage a chance to do some damage.

 

All-in-all it felt good to get some Napoleonic figures on the table again.  

 

Take care,

 

So much lead, so little time

 

 

Duchy of Warsaw

 As I reorganize the game room I'm pulling out boxes of troops that I don't think I've touched since we moved up here to Maine.  So just a quick post of some photos of my limited Duchy of Warsaw troops. While few in number, they were intended to reflect the V Corp for 1812.  These were built for the Utitza flank of Borodino, and they did see action in the game the Connecticut group ran at Historicon 2012. I don't remember the troop to figure ratio we based the OOB on, but that accounts for 2 Divisions only having 5 or 6 battalions each.  Sadly, I think that was the last time they were on the table.  Some of them also saw action in our (actual Peter's - we were just the little voices saying "sure we can do one more game")  2009 Historicon madness - I think we ran something like 7 1809 themed games culminating in Wagram, I'm sure Peter can correct me on the exact number.  The trauma seems to have dulled my memory of the event.

The figures are mostly Old Glory, the horse battery is Front Rank (I think) and I'm not sure about the Uhlans.

First up, 3 6# foot batteries.

Next the lone horse battery.

And the Uhlan Regiment.  Somewhere I have Perry Plastic Hussars I really should find and paint up for this Corp.

The 16th Division, commanded by Zayonchek

Oops, looks like I got carried away when I cropped the photo.

And the 18th Division, commanded by Kniaziewicz

If I thought I'd actually ever use them, I'd flesh the Corps out to a more rational strength.  But, I think I'm getting to that age where I need to apply a little bit of rational thought to what I spend time and money on from a gaming perspective - but just a little rational thought.  Plus I really don't have the room for many more big Napoleonic units.

Take care,

So much lead, so little time.

Kiev Grenadiers

 Wow, 2nd post of the month.  Pretty lame, but not as lame as last month.

Getting back to the one true scale and the one true era, below we see the Kiev Grenadiers, recently deployed to 'the' front, whichever front that is.

As with almost all my Russian Napoleonic figures, the figures are from Front Rank.

The Regiment formed up in Column.  No doubt in preparation to advance and introduce some uncouth French interlopers to the fine art of the bayonet.

The 1st Battalion in line.  The musket may be a lazy fellow, but it does come in handy when you can't get to bayonet range with a slippery opponent.

The 3rd Battalion also in line.

That's all for now.  I have grandiose plans for next month.  We'll see if workload and the weather allow me to get to them.

Speaking of weather, I hope you're all situated for Winter.  My arthritis is telling me it's going to a damp one, and since we normally I get first snow in October, I guess we'll find out soon.

So much lead, so little time.

Back to the Beginning

 It's been a while since I got back to the main reason I started this blog, which was to document the progress of the Borodino project for 2012.  That project is long done, and I hate to say was also somewhat disappointing in how it played at Historicon.

I have enjoyed my various diversions since then, and I'm really enjoying the Cold War era shenanigans with the Eurica campaign right now.

But Napoleonic's are how I really entered the hobby, and it is about time I got back to them.  (Plus, the Russian Troops were plotting a Palace Uprising since most of the Napoleonic I've painted the last several years were French - and the Czar doesn't like Palace Uprisings). My initially plan was to build the entire Russian 2nd Army of the West as it was structured for Borodino.  I'm not sure that I'm still that ambitious at this point in my life, but I do have a fair amount of unpainted Front Rank Figures laying around.  

So.....  

It's been so long since I painted a unit of these I almost forgot how.  Figures are Front Rank.  Flags are GMB.

1st Battalion

I may have gotten a little heavy handed with the magic wash on these fellows

3rd Battalion

Not my best work, but I had fun painting them.  

Until next time, take care.

So much lead, so little time.

Where did these come from?

 As mentioned in the last post, the painting table clean up project is mostly completed.  Below are the last two blister packs I uncovered on the table.  

At first I couldn't recall ever buying any French Guard Artillery, but then the cobwebs cleared and I remembered that I bought these at Cold Wars 2020 (my last convention).  At the time I seemed to think it was a great deal, I think I paid around $10 for each of them.  At least now I can finally say that I have some French Old Guard troops.

Just about all, if not all, additions to the Napoleonic forces for the last 2 or 3 years have been French.  My Russian troops have informed me that unless the Russian Rosters are increased soon, there may be a Palace Uprising - something that all Czar's live in fear of.  And heaven knows I have plenty of Russian lead laying around.  

Figures are from Warlord Games.  

For my Napoleonic figures I normally use joint compound/drywall spackle to coat the bases for texture.  This was a new container of 'lightweight' spackling and it didn't give the same results as the old variety. But I guess it will do.

slightly different view

That's all for now.  Stay safe and enjoy the summer.  

So much lead, so little time

Cossacks

 It's been gloomy and damp with precipitation of some sort every day this week.  So, not much getting done in the yard which has allowed the 'clean the painting table' project to move forward.  The good news is that we seem to be far enough North that the winds aren't bringing us any of the Canadian smoke.

About 50% of the painting table top is now visible, and most of what is left is either space fighters/bombers or 6mm Infantry.  (I hate painting 6mm infantry)

These were the last of the loose figures.  It took a while to locate the treasure chest amongst the clutter, but I finally found it.

Figures are from Eureka, I think.  These were part of a vignette as I recall. I think it was called 'Cossacks Looting' or something like that.  A couple of the figures really have a lot of detail that the camera doesn't do justice too, especially as dark as the gloomy weather is making my gaming room.

And for the folks that are part of our Napoleonic ImagiNation game, the final photo sums up some of the action from last week.

just a little something to brighten the Yurt

Dancing a little jig

Fine wine and full saddle of loot.. I mean purchases.  What more could you ask for.

The photo and brushwork don't do this one justice.  The poor horse is so loaded down our spry young cossack lad has to walk.  But at least he has a duck to keep him company.  Looks like momma's getting a new mirror.

There really is a lot of detail in this sculpt.

Nice to see they're doing a 2-man lift on any treasure over 50 pounds.  We don't want any back injuries.

View from the other side

Fuddland Cossacks return home following a successful trading mission to S'Gottland.  Not shown was a half a flock of sheep, the other half having been traded for the services of a popular minstrel group to perform for Czar Elmer.

Guard Cossacks watch over the Cossack 'merchant' caravan as it travels home.

One more post and the painting table clean up project is pretty much done.  Now, on to the more challenging lead pile clean up - or at least clean up enough that I'm not literally tripping over figures that have fallen from the pile onto the floor of the gaming room.

So much lead, so little time.

Prussian's?

After finally completing the last unit of French Leger the other week I was digging through the organizational disaster that is my game room looking for one of the boxes of French Napoleonics to put them in when I uncovered a forgotten army.  

I have no recollection of when I painted these.  But I think they were used in one of Peter's Historicon games when it was still being held at Fredericksburg.  I do know that they were painted long enough ago that I wasn't standardly using a finish wash on my figures, so at least 10 years would be my guess.

At the time I had this grand idea of running the northern actions of the 1812 invasion of Russia.  Now, I'm older and less ambitious.

Figures appear to Perry, 3 infantry battalions, 1 Uhlan Regiment, 1 6# battery and a command stand.  Not much of a force, and one I'm pretty sure I'll never use again.

Sadly, I don't remember what units they are supposed to be and what little I know about Prussian's at the time I've forgotten.

Anyway, here they are.

2 post in one day?  That may be a first for me.

Take care,

So much lead, so little time

Housekeeping

 The results of the last battle and what each side will have for the next engagement in the Battle of the Plains has been completed.  I used the campaign recovery rules section in Fist Full of TOWs 3 as a guide for the results. 

It took the Rubishlandian troops almost 5 hours to sort themselves out and get back on the offensive, I’m sure President for Life Sanford will have something to say about that delay if things don’t go well.  

The Actual battle may be a little delayed as one of the Czarina’s Cousins is visiting and I need to be social, so no real time to game.

 

The forces of Rubishlandia will continue their assault in their quest for Beta Tapes of Gilligan’s Island and other decadent capitalist items with the following force.

·      1^st Motorized Rifle Regiment, less 8 BMP’s and 6 T-72’s 

·      1^st Tank Regiment (T-72’s) at 100%

·      2^nd Tank Regiment (T-55)

·      Off Table 2 Batteries of BM-21 rocket launchers

·      They can have up to a total of 3 air strikes from MiG-19s.  (the Wilhelmsland F-4 and Tornados are quickly establishing air superiority)

·      Helicopter’s will be determined during the battle and the dice rolls. (Mi-8 “Hip”)

 

This represents approximately half of the total Rubishlandian Army.  There is of course a significant force of Interna Security troops equipped with BTR’s, BMPs, and T-55s as well that can be called upon.

 

The defending Willhelmsland forces will consist of the remains of 2^nd Brigade less one Battalion of infantry that is still off chasing down the feint attacks also the Company of M-60A1 tanks from 3^rd Brigade that participated (poorly) in the previous action will again be available, giving the below force.

·      2^nd Battalion, 2^nd Tank Regiment, less 6 M-60A3’s. (50% ouch)

·      1^st Battalion, 2^nd Tank Regiment, (M-60A3’s) at 100%

·      1^st Battalion, 2^nd Armored Grenadier’s (Marder 1’s)

·      Engineer Plt (1 tank company worth of dug in positions). 1 M-728

·      Bravo Company, 1^st Battalion, 3^rd Tank Regiment (M-60A1’s)

·      1 Anti-air Platoon.  (M-3 ½ track with twin-20mm)

·      Off table 2 batteries of M-109 155mm Self Propelled Artillery

·      On table 1 platoon M106 Self Propelled 107mm Mortar

·      Up to 5 air strikes from GR.3 Harrier (mix of cluster bombs and rockets, roll for each sortie)

·      Helicopter’s will be determined during the battle and the dice rolls.  (UH1-gunships)

 

 

On a somewhat related note I see that GHQ has Marder 1’s on sale.  I may have to pick up a battalion’s worth to replace those worthless M3 ½ tracks that 3^rd Brigade has.  Side note, I had told myself I wasn’t buying any more figures this year… but thanks to Joe and the Friday night guys I’ve already blown that having made a small order last week so what the heck.  

 

And since I think there's an unwritten rule that every blog post must have at least one photo, below are some odds and ends in a proper scale and proper era that I spent last week working on.  The Center and end figures are Front Rank.  I think the other officer may be Perry or Elite.  Not sure about the Priest, he may be an old RalPartha figure?

Enjoy the summer.

 

So much lead, so little time

Things that go Boom

 As I was digging around the bottom of the lead pile looking for the last two figures I needed for the Spearman unit I plan to start soon I stumbled upon these.  I think I bought them to be fortress guns, but they could work just as well as Naval guns, in my opinion.  Figures are Old Glory.  

I painted them up based on how I recall the guns being on the USS Constitution the last time I was there, way back in December of 2019  before the world went to $#it.

These look like 24 pounders when I compare them to the Old Glory 12 pounders.

8 guns, that's 4 batteries in my standard organization

These look like 32 pounders to me.

4 guns, or 2 batteries

And here's the whole lot.

Maybe it's time to build a fortress, or Port defenses?

I'm supposed to be working on a unit of Renaissance troops, and since I found these in the pile, I painted these up.

A commander with his loyal retainer.  To bad the retainer has an arrow in his thigh.  I bet that hurt.

A slightly better view of the arrow.

But wait, there's more!

Not sure what I'll do with these, but I liked the figures so I had to paint them.  They seem more appropriate for a vignette not necessarily a command stand.  They aren't based yet, but here they are.

Looks like someone's about to have a little heart ache

And a slightly different view.  I really like this casting.

And if you thought the arrow in the thigh looked painful, how about this poor chap?

Sorry about the unpainted dirt (joint compound) around his base.

I promise I'll get back to work on the Renaissance figures for Outlandishian Chronicles  soon.  But after having cranked out over 350 vehicles and 450+ (really tiny) infantry figures for the Eurica Campaign, I need to paint some 'fun' stuff.

Take care and stay safe.

So much lead, so little time.