The Friends of General Haig

FOGH Club Games – Saturday 4th May 2024

Despite the date there was no Star Wars game at club on the 4th! Instead we had on old favourite, Bolt Action in the Desert, along with a new favourite, For King and Parliament, north of the border with Montrose.

28mm Battle of Tippermuir 1644 – For King and Parliament with Montrose supplement.

After the success of the previous club’s trial of the new FK&P Montrose and Celtic fringe supplements it was decided to start a run through of all 8 of the battle in ‘the Year of Miracles’ in a linked campaign. The battles start with Tippermuir, just outside Perth, with Montrose and MacColla’s embryonic force taking on a hastily raised set of militias and fencibles.

Most of the rules errors from the previous game (inevitable when you’re learning) were corrected and the game ran smoothly. The Covenanters were dogged by some runs of very poor luck and the initial advances with their horse were held off on the Royalist flanks. In the centre, the Irish brigade advanced confidently and, although not successful in their initial charges, were able to regroup, weather the Covenanter musketry, and finally break through in the centre. Montrose secured a major victory when he personally led in the Atholl Highlanders and routed the Covenanter left wing, causing the whole Covenanter army to break.

Montrose and the men of Atholl advance on the Covenanter Folorn Hope.

28mm Duel in the Sun 1942 – Bolt Action by Warlord Games

A multi player, scenario based, game of classic Bolt Action (v2!). A small British patrol with vital information, led by Captain Smith, were ambushed by elements of the dread 21st Panzer. The 21st thought that they had Tommy in the bag, only to be outflanked themselves by a British relief force. Not a typical Bolt Action game as there were a lot of tanks deployed, to give the German’s 88 something to do. There were some strange dice rolls all round, with only Captain smith able to hit anything!

FOGH Club Games – Saturday 20th April 2024

Two games this week with the FOGH exploring two alternative rules sets, one for the War of the Three Kingdoms (ECW), and one for the American Civil War (ACW).

28mm Battle of Justice Mills (Aberdeen) 1645 – For King & Parliament, with the Montrose plus Celtic Fringe supplements

We investigated For King & Parliament (FK&P) a few times, some years ago, and we were impressed with the speed of the game and the period feel. The latest supplements looked very interesting and so we decided to give FK&P another go. The Montrose (‘To win or lose it all’) supplement gives scenarios for the 8 battles of Montrose’s years of miracles (1644-5), an additional ‘what-if’ scenario, historical background, and some alternative simple linked campaign systems to play the scenarios. The FK&P Celtic Fringe supplement gives some special rule ideas to add extra flavour for games set in Scotland and Ireland during the wars.

FK&P is a grid based game and so some new cloths were ordered and marked up with a subtle grid pattern. The game was created to use playing cards but provides the attentive to use D10s which is what we did.

We played the second of Montrose’s battle, Justice Mills, which pits a smaller, more experienced Royalist force against a larger, inexperienced Covenanter force is a strong defensive position. We were very rusty with the rules but despite this completed the game in less than 3 hours and the Royalists just scraped a win when McDonnell’s Irish troops finally broken through the Covenanter line. It had been a really exciting game, and the players on both sides (all experienced ECW gamers) throughly enjoyed themselves. The game could have gone either way, and the rules were brilliant. We loved the activation system, the ways that differing troop quality is reflected, and the great period feel the rules encourage.

We left enthused, and with plans to run through the whole 8 historical battles as a linked campaign, starting with Tippermuir. (Not many nice pictures this time as the photographer was too distracted trying to remember / understand new rules!)

28mm American Civil War – Guns at Gettysburg by David Brown

The club has been playing a lot of ACW over the last 12 months with a number of Friends having new and/or refreshed 28mm forces. Always being willing to experiment with different rule systems, the boys in blue and grey decided to try Guns at Gettysburg. This is perhaps from an older school of rules and embraces tables and individual figure casualties (hooray for curtain rings!). Despite being a ‘first game’ the Fed and Rebs were soon a-whooping and a-hollering themselves through a fun game.

FOGH Club Games – Saturday 23rd March 2024

The first club of spring and the thoughts of the FOGH turn to all things new with two games played this week; 02 Hundred Hours and One Hour Wargames. Both games seemed to go down very well and so I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of both systems in the future. There was also some excellent cake provided – what more could you want on a sunny spring afternoon?

28mm British Special Forces v. German Art Thieves – 02 Hundred Hours by Grey For Now Games

02 Hundred Hours is a small scale skirmish game in which one side is a small, elite force attempting to carry out a covert operation, and the other side are the guards or sentries whose job it is to foil their plans. This game pitted a force of British special forces commandoes attempting to retrieve a painting (‘The Fallen Madonna’) from a Chateau, somewhere in occupied Europe, that was defended by a large force of German infantry, who were liberating artworks for the Reich.

The games system is simple but cleverly allows for one side to go sneaking about in the dark, while the sentries etc. patrol the grounds, investigating anything suspicious. Over the afternoon we managed to play a game through that saw the British get hopelessly embroiled in a fight with the guards before getting anywhere near the Chateau itself. After stopping for tea (and cake!) we swapped sides and played again; this time with the commandoes efficiently ‘eliminating the guards’ and making it off with the painting.

After playing through a couple of games the system seems to work really well and provides a highly entertaining game.

Security is tight at the entrance to the Chateau.

15mm Peninsular Napoleonic – One Hour Wargames by Neil Thomas

Mr. Thomas’ various wargames books have been having quite a few run outs at the club over the last 12 months or so. This time was at the turn of his ‘One Hour’ book of scenarios that was used for a refight of Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro (1811). The game worked well, although at this size of engagement it took the whole afternoon rather than just an hour! The French attack was soundly beaten and repulsed, with the Portuguese giving excellent service, also suffering the majority of the allied casualties.

The French prepare to assault the allied line that has its left flank secured on the village itself.

Many thanks to Clive for bringing by far and away the best cake of the year so far!

FOGH Club Games – Saturday 9th March 2024

A club of two games this week. ACW keeps rolling on with another game of this increasingly popular (at FOGH anyway) period. There were also many timbers shivered in a classic Pirate game.

28mm ACW – Warlord Games Black Powder with Glory Hallelujah!

There were three people’s collections on the table for this game. With the Federal army out numbered almost 2 to 1 it needed to hold on and blunt the Rebs advance. Things did not look too good after turn one when the boys from New York were doing little to stop the Southern advance. As the game progressed the South, with their superior numbers, could afford to lose more men. With both the Union brigades breaking it was every Billy Yank for himself. Nobody wanted to spend the rest of the war in Andersonville!

54mm Pirates – Home Made Rules.

Many “yo ho hoes” and “avast behinds” were bellowed in this game of Pirate shenanigans. Long story short – Blackbeard won! See https://jameswargamingweirdness.blogspot.com/2024/03/blackbeards-revenge.html for more details, additional pictures, and the rules!

FOGH Club Games – Saturday 24th February 2024

Three games, in three different scales, and three different periods this week.

54mm Mexican v. United States at The Alamo – “Come and take it!” rules from The Courier

A superb rendition of this classic battle, this time in 54mm. A full description of the armies, terrain and game is blogged here: https://jameswargamingweirdness.blogspot.com/2024/02/54mm-alamo-wargame-battle-report.html. In brief, two unsuccessful assaults were made by the Mexican besiegers that were both seen off by the Texan defenders, but only just. As game time ran out the Texans had to spike their guns and retire to the chapel, in effect sealing their fate. A game heartily enjoyed by all the players and a fabulous achievement getting the project successfully on to the table.

28mm English Civil War – Warlord Games Pike & Shotte

A first run out for a new collection. Set in 1643, in the North of England, with an army of Parliament holding a ridge and the road to Leeds. The Royalist army needed to cross the river in force to try to get to Leeds and support the Royalist garrison there besieged. A classic ECW encounter ensued with cavalry deployed on both flanks. As the Royalist army advanced, with the Newcastle Lambs at the centre, the Parliamentary forces took up a defensive position at a sunken road protecting the two routes to Leeds. Royalist attack stalled under a hail of musketry forcing the commander to commit the cavalry on both flanks . After the thunder of hooves, the dust settled, and to the surprise of everybody the superior Royalist cavalry are were more! Although the Parliamentary centre was broken, a blunder by the Lambs into the remaining Parliament musketry was too much for the Royalist army in its turn, who were forced to retreat back across the river leaving the defenders of Leeds to their fate.

15mm ‘Epic’ Scale Napoleonic French & Saxons v Prussians – Warlord Games Black Powder

The Saxons and French pushed against the Prussians during the War of Liberation and stopped them crossing the stream. The Saxon Guard Grenadiers led the charge but were shattered by plucky Prussian reserve infantry.

FOGH Club Games – Saturday 10th February 2024

Once again, three games at club that spanned the globe and centuries.

28mm American Civil War – Black Powder with Glory Hallelujah by Warlord Games

Many thanks to Andy L for the full battle run-down …

The boys from Louisiana came forward to catch the federals on the hop. Hoping to catch the Federals by advancing through the cover of the woods, their position was given away when their artillery, rather then moved forward and unlimber, instead lost control after a blunder and rushed forward finishing just in front the hastily formed Federal defensive line. On the other flank the boys from Texas took up a defensive position at the edge of the woods.

The brigade from Louisiana but up a brave fight taking on 2 Federal brigades. The Confederate Commander tried to get the Texans to advance but after 4 rounds the Texan brigade remained at the tree line with their reserve moving back after another blunder. They obviously did not like the look the Federal defensive line led by the a large regiment from the Iron Brigade.

It was then everything changed with Louisiana on the verge of breaking with two whipped regiments the Texans finally advanced and after a storm of lead over 2 rounds of shooting the Iron Brigade broke followed by the rest of the Federal troops in the brigade. The entire flank moved back after becoming whipped . The Texans advanced into the exposed flank of the remaining Federal troops forcing all the whipped troops back at the same time.

The Federal force was broken with their force leaving the field in quick time.
The confederate battery that gave the game away in turn 2 after the blunder remained on the field all game despite being whipped and disordered the brave gunners from the South still managed to get off some supporting fire.

20mm Waterloo – Napoleonic Wargaming by Neil Thomas

A classic, large Napoleonic battle, like Waterloo, is no issue when you have an epic number of plastic in 20mms – that’s 1/72nd scale in old money! A nip and tuck game was finally won by the allies with a special mention to the Black Brunswickers who led the final breakthrough in routing the dreaded Imperial army.

15mm Hydaspes, Porus v. Alexander – Hail Caesar by Warlord Games

A newly completed Alexandrian Macedonian army was the impetus for this classic ancient refight, phalanx v. elephants, chariots and bow-fire. The Hail Caesar rules were heavily modified, as an experiment, by grafting on the movement system from Mortem et Gloriam.

The game followed the actual battle’s deployment with Porus’ son leading a command of chariots and cavalry ahead of the main Indian battle line. Things went badly for the Indians from the start when the Macedonian phalanx quickly pinned the Indian cavalry command which then masked the massed pikes from the Indian infantry’s bow-fire. It all ended messily for the Indians but at least gave a historical results for the battle.

FOGH Club Games – Saturday 27th January 2024

Three more exciting games at the club on this meet. The games spanned the globe with action coming from: the woodlands of America, the quiet countryside near Walmington-on-Sea, and all the way to the far flung hills of the Khyber Pass.

28mm American Cicil War – Black Powder with Glory Hallelujah from Warlord Games

This game refought the battle of Lula 1862, taken from (page 136 for those following along at home!) of the Glory Hallelujah supplement for Black Powder. After 7 turns the Confederate army of the West remained in charge of the cross roads and so scored a victory. A very nice looking game that included just about every tree that the club could muster! I’m sure the Federals will be back seeking their revenge.

28mm Fallschirmjäger v. Home Guard 1940 – Bolt Action from Warlord Games

The residents of Walmington-on-Sea were expecting just another quiet day in their quiet town. The daring men of the German Fallschirmjäger had other ideas as a glider born attack landed in the fields just outside the town. To the rescue sprung the men of Walmington-on-Sea’s Home Guard led by none other than Captain Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson.

The Home Guard struggled to hold off the Fallschirmjäger and there were some entertaining incidents like a German spy disguised as a nun attempting to assassinate private Pike and being machine gunned for ‘her’ trouble. Private Fraser, the sniper, only managed to hit one target all afternoon and eventually the Germans dropped a mortar bomb on his head (it was suspected that Fraser’s poor aim was due to being on dry land – he needs the motion of the waves to improve his aim!).

However the high point of the game was when the Germans went into hand to hand combat with Pike and Jones. The brave duo (“Don’t Panic, Pike!”) were both given near fatal wounds, but recovered when administered to by Godfrey, and then went on to capture the whole German squad! Sadly Captain Square was not so lucky; he took a direct hit from the Fallschirmjäger flame thrower. Even Godfrey’s lavender water couldn’t save him.

28mm Empire Forces v. Irregular Afghan Tribes – The Men Who Would Be Kings by Osprey Games.

The 1930s, somewhere up the Khyber Pass. A biplane carrying British secret agent Bertie Worcester, and his gentleman’s gentleman Jeeves, has gone down with engine trouble in territory controlled by the Khazi of Kalabar, sworn enemy of the British Empire. Luckily for Bertie and Jeeves, a small force of Empire troops is travelling along the Pass and has received an urgent radio message that they must rescue the agent, or at least recover his body.

A vert tense game ensued as the Empire troops attempted to rush to the rescue of the downed biplane’s crew, avoiding the angry and well armed tribesmen on the way. Bertie and Jeeves managed to make it from the wreck (along with the biplane’s Lewis gun) to a nearby compound. Unfortunately a unit of the tribesmen gave chase and stormed the compound. After holding back the Afghan swordsmen with the Lewis Gun for a while, Jeeves was put out of action when the Afghans got in to melee. Bertie bravely fought on and his imposing figure at the top of the compound’s stairway (some may say, almost Gordon like) held off the Afghans with sheer pluck, and a very stiff upper lip, for a few turns. It was not enough though, and the rescue force just couldn’t make it through to him in time. Bertie went down in a flurry of blades. With the agents both “back in the pavilion before tea”, this innings was given to the Khasi.

We look forward to the next match in this small corner of the Great Game!

Bertie and Jeeves escape from the wreck of the Biplane to a nearby compound.

FOGH Club Games – Saturday 13th January 2024

After over a month off from clubs games, for the Christmas holidays, it was great to get back around the table, to shove some lead, and to throw some dice. We started the year with a bevy of Black Powder games.

28mm French v Russian – Black Powder with Clash of Eagles

The Napoleonic fans started the year with a game that seemed to have as many nations taking part as possible. There were French, Italians and Poles against Russians and Russo/German Legion. A great example of just how varied and colourful this period can be.

The game was set with a village, full of supplies, held by the Vistula legion. The allies objective was to take the village before it was relieved by a force of French and Italians. The allied cavalry forced opposing infantry on both flanks into square, but their infantry in the centre failed to take the village, and the French retained their much needed supplies.

French Hussars ride forward to defend the village.

28mm American Civil War – Black Powder with Glory Hallelujah

Last year (2023) saw the club get back in to ACW after an absence of many years, and it looks like 2024 will similarly be echoing to Rebel yells and Union thunder.

Eight Federal regiments slowly pushed five rebels regiment out of a farm complex, but couldn’t clear them off the table. Both sides agreed at the end of the day that it was a tactical draw.

Federal skirmishers advance to cover the main line.

10mm August 1914, World War 1 – Black Powder with club amendments (Sheffield Steel)

A return to the late summer of 1914 with the Imperial German army sweeping through Northern France, pitted against the British Expeditionary Force and the Republic’s army.

This two scenario game started with a BEF rear guard trying to hold off a much, much larger force of Germans, while a French force tried to retreat across a river to establish a new defensive line. The second scenario then pitted the allied troops, that had managed to escape across the river, against the subsequent German attack, with more BEF troops coming up in support.

A British company caught manoeuvring as a massive German column appears.

FOGH Club – End of Year Game – Saturday 9th December 2023

Each year, at the last club meeting before Christmas, the Friends of General Haig have a ‘big game’. This is typically a single game in which we can get every player at the meeting involved, perhaps bringing together several collections of figures.

28mm Napoleonics, Russian v. French – Black Powder with Clash of Eagles.

An epic clash of mighty empires in which both sides had many highs and lows. There were exciting moments of squares being formed too late (that rare double 1 when charged by cavalry!), batteries caught in the flank, cuirassiers running amok, and daring cossack charges.

The game set up, with Russo-Prussian Legion in the foreground.

FOGH End of Year Awards – 2023

Following the game, the Friends retired to a local hostelry for a slap-up Christmas meal, washed down with lashings of fizzy-pop (or something like that!). At the end of the Christmas meal, as has become custom, the annual FOGH awards are voted on.

The Pete Howe Memorial Trophy for the Most Spectacularly Disastrous Cavalry Charge

This year the Pete Howe trophy went to Bruce, by popular acclaim, for his audacious but ultimately utterly futile Cossack cavalry charge that managed to attract fire from almost the entire enemy army and resulted in the Cossacks all being lost before they made contact. Well done, Bruce!

The Friends of General Haig Best Game of the Year

There were some very high quality nominations this year with the Friends having put on games at Salute, and Warlord’s open day, as well as many fabulous regular club games. Ultimately though the Friends are always impressed by size, so it was unanimously agreed that the 54mm ACW extravaganza, put on by Mike and Clive, was officially “the best game of the year”. Well done chaps!

FOGH Hobby Resolutions for 2024

With stomachs full, and through the optimistic haze of many pints of beer, plus several bottles of wine, the Friends made their hobby resolutions for the following year.

Pete was perhaps the most audacious with commitments to put on a game at least every month, as well as building new collections for The War in Afghanistan 1935, and also a Mongols in the Snow project. Good luck, sir!

Andy 2 is going to build on 2023 in which he has conjured from nothing a mighty Napoleonic Russian army, by building in 2024 an exquisitely pretty (but perhaps not very mighty) Napoleonic Spanish army. He will also write an article for Wargames Illustrated. We salute you!

Paul will perhaps go beyond any other project, and get married in 2024. He may also do some Bolt Action. Good luck!

John is going to break the habit of a lifetime and build some tricorne forces with a new AWI project on the blocks. He’s also going to add to his Jannissary ortas. Sublime plans!

Andy 1 is going to build an Ottoman army to contest the East with his existing Polish army, as well as also writing an article for Wargames Illustrated. He may finally get around to starting that book he’s been banging on about as well. The mad impetuous fool!

We look forward to revisiting this list at the FOGH 2024 Christmas Meal.

(There may well have been other hasty promises made, but this reporter’s writing skills were impaired, probably due to an unripe sprout, and so these are all the resolutions noted down.)

FOGH Club Games – Saturday 25th November 2023

28mm Soviets v German – Bolt Action 2

A classic WW2 Eastern Front match up with Germans fending off a Soviet attack. Despite the ‘encouragement’ of the Soviet Commissar it was a hard won victory for the Germans.

Ant Attack! – Home-brew Rules

A game based on the classic movie ‘Them’ from the 1950s. Three scenarios were played, and the ants won two of them, consuming many civilians as well as military personnel. The ants even managed to take out a Sherman – much was made of their ANTi-tank abilities!

The ant queen directs the attack of her soldiers.

28mm Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth v Sweden – Pike & Shotte

A last run out of the year for the boys from the Baltic in the third game of on ongoing fictional campaign set in the late 1620s in which Sweden has invaded the Commonwealth territory of Prussia. The scenario saw the Poles attacking a Swedish camp, with the objective of taking a dominant hill with a dawn attack. The small Swedish force defending the hill were reinforced over the day.

The battle for the hill was hard fought with attack and counter attack seeing the hill change hands several times. The Swedish Yellow Regiment, who were initially defending the hill, fought bravely but were eventually overwhelmed by Polish cavalry charges. A third win for the Poles!