Friday 29 September 2017

Eastern Front Construction Project

Ahead of our next Eastern Front campaign game (using Too Fat Lardies "I Aint Been Shot Mum" rules) I saw that I needed to put together some more rustic buildings (rather than use the Dark Ages ones that were forced into service last time).

I decided to scratch build, using coffee stirrers and card and here are the results



I like the "Old School" idea of having ruined interiors to show when said building has been blown up - as my Panzers did in the last game !

So there we have it - just need to get around to the game now - but that said, I am back to West Africa again on 7th for a few days and then cruising the Med for two weeks on 14th - so much to do and so little time !!!

Sunday 24 September 2017

Essex Warriors Open Day

Today was "open house' at Writtle with the doors flung wide open to members and non-members alike.

Bearing in mind it was a beautiful warm and sunny day, attendance was OK and some new faces popped in and asked about our club.

Many games were going on and the Bring & Buy and refreshments teams were kept busy.

Allan and Steve C had another Garibaldi game set up.

A "The Men Who Would Be King" game was put on by the "Wigmore Warriors" 

Martin had brought his Thirty Years War armies from Halstead

Peter & Sue had almost gone historical - an English civil war army fighting ghouls and attack dogs !


Richard & Mike had a Dark Age game using Saga rules

Another team had a WWII tank battle - 1/48 scale.

Allan's new vineyard had to be photographed !

His Mediterranean buildings are great too.

Steve C's Garibaldi red coats arrive to cause mayhem

As Ian had cried off sick, I stepped in to fight the Thirty Years War game. I had the Imperialists against Martin's Swedes and Scots.

Here's the Imperialist cavalry.

Pike and Shotte and colourful flags - whats not to like !

Despite losing his Scots to an early blunder which saw a battaglia retreat off the battlefield, Martin's Swedish cavalry charged across the table against my Imperialist cuirassiers.

Whereas in the centre I was able to advance into the wheat fields with my infantry.

Martin's Swedes are taken aback by the effrontery of them !  

My cavalry took a battering in the early exchanges and an alarming gap appeared in our line on the extreme left. 

Martin sent some Shotte against the village I was defending and fire was exchanged for several bounds.

Much the same in the centre - firing before getting into hand-to-hand combat.

This view is from the Swedish left - the yellow coats are trying to envelope the Imperialist right 

We eventually managed to stem the Swedish cavalry attacks 

But, back on my base line, I could not afford to suffer another charge by them as both remaining Imperialist cavalry units are on their stamina limits.

An aside - I had another peek at the Colonial game going on beside us, Madhists besides the village.

with beleaguered British in the centre.

and another quick look at Allan's grapes growing - a good Chablis he assured me !

Looks like the Neapolitans are holding the town.

Right, back to Thirty Years War. Cavalry stalemate continues.

They are both pretty exhausted by now.

Martin's cavalry reserve are surprised by an aggressive move by the Imperialist Pikes supported by Shotte

As other Imperialists threaten to attack in the centre again.

This time, I get a blunder and my reserve Foote, ordered to move forward instead move to their left !

The tussle between Pikes and Cavalry continues

but the impetus swung the Imperial way when a second Pike unit hits the Swedish cavalry in the flank.

My Imperialist right wing attacks and the enemy reel.

Casualties mounting, gaps appear

The Swedish Horse are struggling against the enemy onslaught and they cannot get any support as their other cavalry are disordered and at breaking point from continued pot shots from Imperialist Foote.

A Swedish charge is initiated against my troops defending the village

Imperialist charge against the Blue Coats !

The Swedish cavalry have broken from the fight !

and the attack against the village is thwarted

Martin manages to swing around towards my Battaglia which had earlier made a "hop to the left" but without enough movement, leave their flank exposed to fire from the Imperial artillery.

The village held and enemy troops gone.

Imperialist attack in the centre is breaking through Martin's lines.

The Swedish commander concedes !

An enjoyable game of "Pike & Shotte" which did swing back and forth - I got lucky at the start with the disappearance of the Scots which made a difference as the day went on.

Many thanks to those of you who attended and came over to look at the various games. Hope you enjoyed your day with the Essex Warriors.

Monday 18 September 2017

The Colonel's Lady

Yesterday was a regular Essex Warriors games day - next Sunday is our Open Day to which you are all invited - check out the Essex Warriors website for details (we are the war-games club NOT the wrestlers !)

Anyway, we had decided to fight a Sharp Practice American Civil War game, but as we had so many keen players we "bigged it up" effectively having two battles going on either side of a river.

The Union were trying to escort a VIP lady across the table. As the Rebels had thrown a duff die, they were not informed that this was the real mission of the enemy forces.

Here we see the chaps examine the battlefield (which was taken from "Terrible Sharp Sword" ACW supplement)

Rafael, Allan, Ian, & Wes are the Confederates, Richard, Bob, Les & Mike the Feds with Steve C and I trying to help them all with the rules.

The Union have to start on the road over the other side of the board and get across and off on the road nearest the camera.

To do this, the Union army has provided plenty of cavalry as escorts !

Sent to meet them, a force of infantry, under Mike & Les, which gets into a fight straight away as they approached a building only to find it occupied by Rebel skirmishers !  Bloody for both parties.

bob gets a lick on and sends his cavalry forward (with the Colonel's lady hidden amongst their ranks).  Only Bob and I knew where she was hidden. Allan's Confederates emerge from the corn field and buildings on the right. 

Ian and Wes's Confederates appear on the other side of the river, facing towards Les & Mike's men.

Ian sends skirmishers to cover the ford as the cavalry approach.

The first unit of which gets there at the gallop but promptly gets shot up by various Rebel units. Fortunately for the Union, the Lady was not in their midst.

More Union cavalry get tempted into attacking Allan's men

Whilst all this is going on,  another Union cavalry unit moves towards the ford (this is the one escorting the VIP Lady)

With Allan busy with a hand to hand combat contest

and his other men seeing Union infantry approaching,

the important unit has eluded them.

Allan and Bob's men continue to slug it out for the rest of the game


This is the view from the Union start position - where did that dice/chip bag come from ?!

Mike's men exchange long range fire with Wes's men t'other side of the river.

Again, providing a distraction to the Rebels 

As the Lady's escort canters over the ford, with one casualty only - not far to go !

As the officer's chip has not come up, they have been activated by Command flags - you need to know the rules to understand I'm afraid (see Too Fat Lardies web store !) 

Allan's skirmishers who had fled from the Union cavalry now emerge from the orchard to fire a volley at the departing escort.

But his main force are focussed on enemy still to their front.

The Lady's escort reach the protection of the wooded hills - well nearly, I made them pay a penalty for climbing the slope which leaves their back exposed still !


Wes tries to get his column moving to inflict more casualties before it is too late

But Mike's men have moved forward to cover the withdrawal of the escort

A happy Union commander knows his job is done !

Great fun - well I enjoyed it so I can only hope the rest of the chaps did.