Humorous Interlude

A couple of funny items from the internet I thought I'd share, just because.

When that unit, down to its last figure,  keeps passing it's morale tests:

Mrs Rabbitman can relate to this one:

Dwarves coming soon! 

First Austrians Done!

After a bunch of delays and faffing about I have finished the first 16 figure batch of Austrians for my 1809 Sharp Practice force.

Very tired and depressed looking test figure

The head down is a result of the back of his helmet hitting the top of his pack

As the old Benjamin Moore commercial says: "White is a very difficult colour, Leonard."

For these fellows I went with a tan base coat, instead of my usual burnt umber, and then dry brushed white over top. I then blocked in the burnt umber on skin and black on helmets, gaiters and cartridge box. Then it was paint all the skin, equipment and facings before finally highlighting the uniform and belting with white again.

"Meh, close enough!" My very scientific way of making sure the paint I just bought was right.

For this formation I choose light green facings for IR 54 Froon. Simply because I liked the name. Although with every Austrian regiment having different coloured facings, my previous tactic of just bunging in command stands to make 4 stand battalions for General d'Armee will require a bit more planning. Fortunately, the Austrians did tend to keep both battalions of a regiment together in the same brigade, which will help.

Wait, I said this would just be a small force for Sharp Practice, didn't I?

Tried to get cute with this fellow. The right hand is holding a cartridge for a loading pose, but I figured he could be munching on a biscuit or something while he marches along.

Easier than I thought they'd be. Pants, jackets and belting all being white does reduce the steps. The hardest part is keeping the helmets tidy.

Our Lady of Kapusta

I got this Sarissa Precision 20mm Russian church done and decided it needed to be in a game.

I went with the 20mm model to save a few Pounds on the price, save some space on the footprint and to have it match my 20mm Russian buildings which honestly work just fine with my 28mm Napoleonics.

During assembly I noticed that the base was on it's own sheet of MDF, and nicely centered. Eureka! A few minutes with an electric drill, some glue, a few coffee stirrers and bamboo skewers and I made a fenced church yard for it.

The onion dome was supposed to made from MDF disks, but that doesn't look so great, so I replaced it with a foam ball and a washer from the craft store. I coated the ball in Mod Podge to seal it before spray painting. The Celtic style cross niggles at me. I'll have to gather my courage and replace it with an Orthodox cross, perhaps made from some thing sprue.

Table set up

The objective for the game was to seize the hill with the church on it for the building of an artillery battery. Roughly equal forces were dispatched by both sides. Placement of Deployment Points was a random die roll. The Russian DP was in the center behind the village. The Bavarian DP came up opposite the church.

Both sides came on strong with their main infantry formations and skirmishers deploying first.

Hauptmann Wahl leads his Fusiliers forward behind a screen from the Light Company

Russian musketeers get to the church on time

Jaegers sweep through the village, picking up stray cabbages and pigs

Bavarian light company rushes forwards to the wood and starts some heavy musketry on the approaching Russians

Some bonus volleys from Random Events and Command Cards pour the fire into the green coats

Meanwhile, Russian Uhlans try sweeping around the other flank and are driven off by the Chevauxleger

The Fusiliers deploy beside the Lights and begin heavy, controlled effective volleys into Russian Grenadiers and Jaegers

Jaegers fire fight the Bavarian Fusiliers.

Light company dashes forwards to seize the church. More musketry sees the Grenadiers collapse under a pile of shock and Russian Force Morale collapses with them.

My expensive Sharpshooter detachment took forever to come on table. I used a Command Card on the Tiffin to push them up into the woods in the center where they could support the Chevauxleger and shoot at the Jaegers. But the game ended before they fired a shot.

Meanwhile the Bavarian artillery is stuck in the mud, moving only 7 inches all game

The Russians got their unicorn howitzer unlimbered just as the Grenadiers broke and ran.

I think the game would have been very different if the Bavarian Deployment Point had been at the other end of the table. Or the cards fell differently. Or they hadn't rolled seven 6s for effect during a volley on the Russian Grenadiers. Or anything. But it was fun that reminded me why I like Sharp Practice so much.

Scott loaned me all three volumes of  Thunder on the Danube, so some 1809 Austrians are up next!

"Kapusta" is Russian for "chickens".

Riding to Ruin

Had Scott and Weirdy-Beardy over for some Middle Earth action Saturday night. Used both Lion Rampant and Dragon Rampant to get my newly painted Rohirrim on the table against a wolf heavy orc raiding force out of Mordor. 

We played the "Sausages with Mustard" scenario from Lion Rampant. The Orcs have to burn the village. Both sides were 43 points, with no magic or heroes. I did give my Rohirrim chief's household the 'blood thirsty' upgrade (which equals 'venomous blades' in Dragon Rampant). Because the armies were bigger I made the force holding the village 6 points instead of 4.

The table with new trees. Orcs deploy in the far corner. Rohan comes in nearest corner.

Forth Eaorlingas!

New light cavalry go wolf hunting

Villagers (light foot with javelins) forming a shield wall including the Bad Squiddo female villagers. 2 pt unit of skirmishers on the far side. 

Rohan right wing sweeping around the village

This unit of light cavalry got game MVP by shooting up both units of Wolf Riders

On the other flank two packs of wolves (Lesser Warbeasts) and my black Wargs (Greater Warbeasts) savaged the Riders opposite them saving the orc flank.

Orc infantry close on the villagers

More wolf hunting

I did not get a picture of my Rohirrim chieftain and his comitatus crashing into the 3d printed Orcs with polearms. It was bloody, but glorious! Paying for the "Bloodthirsty" upgrade paid off by rolling three 6s and driving back the uruks, although the chieftain and his bodyguards were reduced to one figure.

Eventually Scott was down to 1 units of goblin archers still standing, whereas I had some light Riders, and some foot to hold onto the village. A bloody victory indeed.