Peninsular 28mm Sharpe's Practice game

 Recently the Southern Strategists put on a 28mm Peninsula Sharpe's Practice game to refresh ourselves with the rules. We all like the period and the semi-skirmish type rules make for a playable game time-wise for Wednesday nights when we meet once a fortnight. This game also gave me an opportunity to give my freshly painted, superbly sculptured, Brigade Games 'Sharpe' character figures their first taste of combat. The scenario involved a band of Spanish guerrillas defending a town from a French force, while waiting for support to arrive from British regulars. Ultimately, the French were able to gain a foothold in the town by seeing off the guerrillas, but couldn't dislodge the British regulars who arrived just in time as the depleted and demoralized guerrilla band were running off to avoid the French bayonets. Although the French had the slight upper hand, as a commander on the British side, I was happy to accept a draw as the French had suffered more casualties which rightly balanced things out...at least in my mind.

The village of Buenos Chichotas under attack from the French. The guerrillas had done a runner at this point. 

The defending Spanish guerrillas (left) fighting it out over control of the church with the first French unit to enter the village.  

What was left of the Spanish guerrilla band, now led by Father Ted Crillyjoz, retreating from the village in haste. 

The Royal Artillery in action. It certainly played a significant role in the high French casualty rate.

Sharpe and his Chosen Men putting their Baker rifles to good use in the orchard on the left flank of the village. They were eventually forced to withdraw slightly to prevent being outflanked when the Spanish fled.

The French approaching the town early in the engagement.

Sharpe and Co. making their way into the town to support the Spanish. This superb village was scratch-built some years ago by Rodger Wood of  'Rebel Barracks' blog fame.

The dastardly French coming on 'in the same old style.' Superb Front Rank figures in marching order.

Sgt Obadiah Hakeswill leading a company on the left flank of the British line. This figure was converted by Rodger Wood.

Sharpe entering the village through the main gate, followed by Sgt Harper.

The Spanish guerrilla commander, El Moustachio, encouraging his men in the defence of the village. He would pay the ultimate price before the battle was over. A mixture of Front Rank and Brigade games figures.

The Spanish defending the buildings at the edge of the village. They put up a gallant fight, but realistically were never going to match the discipline and fire power of the French regulars.


Thanks for taking a look.

Until next time!

         

D-Day bash at the Redwood Redoubt

In recognition of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, fellow Southern Strategist, Gavin 'Reginald Ogilvie VC' Bowden, hosted a Normandy 1944 bash at the Redwood Redoubt on Labour Weekend (NZ time). Gav played the role of umpire, while the fighting was conducted by two other Southern Strategists (Chris Packer and Dave 'Three Pies' Houston) and Gav's two young sons-in-law. Apparently it was a prerequisite that they had to become wargamers before Gav would allow them to marry his daughters. My role was to act as military photographer. This was a day-long event and I left before the conclusion, but things weren't going too well for the defending Germans, who I suspect ran out of heavy fire-power by the end of the game. Congratulations must go to Gav for hosting such a well-presented game and the photos provide proof of this.

Gav explaining the finer rule details to the combatants...probably more like adjudicating.

A bit of sole searching going on here. The young son-in-law strategically remaining some distance from Gav. 

The beers are out, so the two sons-in-law (extreme left and extreme right) will be fine now.

A British Sherman on attack. Note the New Zealand 'Lemon Squeezer' worn by the tank commander. Quite surprising really, as the NZ Division were fighting in Italy at this time.

Dave 'Three Pies" Houston digging into his rations after losing a couple of armoured vehicles while defending the town. Note he is wearing the standard issue black German Armoured jersey. 

Gav was either recovering from a late night here, or saying 'Oh, F..K!' at seeing some poor dice throwing.

Hope you have enjoyed viewing the game.

Until next time! 

   

SYW French Bercheny Hussars

After four and half months I've finally finished my SYW Bercheny Hussars project! I started this unit way back in the Christmas holidays, but for some reason I procrastinated with then and was enticed away to other small side projects. I think it was the thought of painting all that white lace type stuff that put me off. I got the Front Rank figures for this unit in a second-hand bulk buy of some poorly painted troops (minus horses) at the local wargaming swap-meet a couple of years ago. After a soak in some nappy cleaning solution I was able to discard with the old enamel paint and prepare them for re-painting, but I needed to purchase some new Front Rank horses to go with them.
Although the figures are actually SYW Prussian Hussars, I decided that with the Mirleton felt cap that they could pass for a French hussars unit if you don't look too hard. The bugler is not in the historical regular dress of the Bercheny Hussars, but I can live with that.

The bulk buy of poorly painted figures from the local swap-meet from which the troops from the new unit originally come from. The rest will probably end as Hessian and Hanoverian hussars.

The newly painted, but not totally historically correct, French Bercheny Hussars.

The officers of this unit were distinguishable from the troops by wearing red trousers

Although not quite fitting the historical dress of the buglers of this unit, I think this bloke fits in nicely with his feathered hackle on his Mirleton cap.

The flag may not be historically correct either, but it was the closest I could get from the GMB flag French SYW cavalry range. It is marketed as a dragoon guidon, but I think it looks the part. 

I'm quite happy with the look obtained by using shading washes on the faces, followed by touching up the highlights afterwards. To be honest, at my age I'm just happy to be able to see such detail.

Until next time!