It was great to see this collection back on the table for some miniature tricorn warfare after several years absence. The scenario set the Allied army (Ferdinand of Brunswick’s Hanoverians, Brunswickers, Hessians and few Brits) the objective of taking an area of high ground, currently held by the French, in 10 turns of play (i.e. before nightfall). The two forces were similar in numbers, but troop quality definitely favoured the Allies.
It was a really excellent game that saw the French always on the back foot, but valiantly trying to hold up the Allies until nightfall. It was incredibly close, with the game coming down to the final 10th turn, when a battalion of Allied combined grenadiers finally achieved the high ground, breaking the last of the French resistance.
The armies at deployment with the French nearest the camera and the Allies massing in the distance.The French left flank with cavalry in support.The French right prepares for the inevitable Allied assault.The Allied left flank, led by British battalions.The Allies advance swiftly but the French manage to invest the village in the centre that will form the core of their defence.The Allies mass their firepower against the French in the village.Despite heavy casualties, the French troops in the village stubbornly hold on and manage to silence the enemy light artillery that had been drawn up in front of the village.The lead French brigade on their right start the unequal firefight with the superior Allied infantry.The French left flank advances to support their colleagues in the village and threaten the Allied right.The French bring forward their cavalry to shore-up their infantry’s defence.The French right flank has been whittled down to just two battalions of Swiss who are definitely earning their pay on this particular day.The French battalion still holds the village after seeing off several assaults by the Allies.The Allied left flank prepare for a final big push to make it to the high ground just beyond the few remaining French battalions.Allied troops advance to point blank range to pour in their deadly platoon fire.It is all up for the Swiss. Charged frontally by combined Grenadiers and then finished off with a battalion in the flank.A last desperate, heroic charge by the French Cavalry cuts in to the Allied centre to buy some time for their hard pressed infantry.The French cavalry despatched, the Allies close in on their objective held by a few French infantry and a heavy battery of guns.Victory for the allies as the combined Grenadiers, led by the General and Brigade commander, see off the last of the French on the high ground.
28mm WW2 North Africa – Bolt Action
The Deutsches Afrikakorps and Eighth Army duked it out across the burning desert in North Africa. A glorious victory for the Allies ensued.
Some of the Friends made the trip up to Nottingham to put on Culloden, 1746, at Warlord Games’ annual Open Day.
The Friends arrived bright and early and were soon getting the game set up with some stalwart help from the Warlord team. The weather was great which was much appreciated seeing as we were in a large marquee / tent set in the front car park of the Warlord site.
The clouds thin and blue sky appears as the crowds gather at the start of the day.
The game used Pete’s ‘45 collection of 28mm miniatures that he has built up over many years , and was run as a participation game for visitors to the open day.
Peter and Jerry setting out the Jacobites across the moor from the government troops. Lots of care was taken too get each battalion and clan in its correct historical position .Pete adding finishing touches and flourishes. It seems a long way to go for the Jacobites.Two two armies lined up, Jacobites to the left and Government to the right. The team take a refreshing tea break before welcoming the first players for game 1.The Government right flank.Jacobite highlanders at full tilt. The Bonnie Prince himself.A small clan has broken through the front of the line but the Government dragoons sweep in from the flank to save the day.The MacDonalds disordered by the Government troops’ disciplined platoon firing.The Young Pretender leads forward his bodyguard. Government dragoons and Campbell infantry advance of the Government left flank.The highlanders make it in to combat! More highlanders manage to break the Government line. The Royal North British Fusilier holding their part of the line.
We managed to play through the game four times over the day and had two victories for the Duke of Cumberland and his Government force, and two victories for the Bonnie Prince and his Jacobite force. The historical battle is very difficult for the Jacobites to win out-right, so the victory conditions were set so that the Jacobites had to break through the Government front line and engage the second line to achieve a victory. This meant that they had achieved more than they managed in the actual battle.
All of the participants played with good humour and generosity of spirit. The Friends thoroughly enjoyed their times as coaches, and very much hope that everyone who played got a taste for Black Powder, and the thrill of the ‘big game’.
Pete and Andy chat with the Restless Kaiser from MFA.
We got to meet lots of pals from the hobby community while we were there, including the team from Modelling For Advantage. You can see Pete and Andy being interviewed by the Restless Kaiser above.
Honourable mentions to Stuart from Miniature Realms, Leon from Leon T66, and James from Shakos and Sprues, who we also got to chart with briefly over the course of the day.
As we were running the game through the day we had very limited time to check out the rest of the open day. We did grab a few minutes to look at the other games on show and we were all particularly impressed with Duncan Wasdell’s Band of Brothers-inspired modular Bolt Action game based on the action at Brecourt Manor.
Many thanks to the whole Warlord team for hosting such a splendid event, and an extra special thank-you to John Stallard for the biscuits! We are all looking forward to our next visit to Nottingham.
28mm Borodino 1812 – Black Powder by Warlord Games
A clash of two mighty armies, as the Russians attempt to stop the advance of the French outside Moscow.
The ‘Clash of Eagles’ supplement was used to recreate the armies and resulted in a very exciting game. In this instance the victory laurels went to the French.
Star Trek space ship combat – To Boldly Go
Another battle for the stars with phasers most definitely set to kill and photon torpedoes a plenty!
The ‘big guns’ were brought out for this club meet; big figures in a 54mm Boxer game, and a big knight unit in a WAB campaign game.
28mm Normans v Bretons – Warhammer Ancient Battles
This was the first game in a mini-campaign being run at the club as part of a WAB resurgence. The campaign will lead up to a final showdown battle at the club’s annual pre-Christmas mega-game.
This was the first campaign game played-out and saw the mighty Normans, with their near unstoppable knights, against a mainly infantry Breton force. The Normans had chosen a single uber-unit of knights that preceded to target the Breton battle-line in an immediate charge. Perhaps predictably the first Breton unit, with attached general and army standard, was quickly sent packing, taking a friendly unit in panic.
The Normans realigned to try and roll-up the Breton line. The Breton’s managed to form a new defence, but the result of the next clash was the same as the first and the Norman knights chewed through the remaining Bretons in a very business-like manner. 1-0 to Willam’s boys.
54mm Boxer Rebellion– Modified Neil Thomas Napoleonic Rules
An absolutely splendid looking game with the Eight-Nation Alliance taking on the Boxer rebels in turn of the 20th century China. Great to see another 54mm game at the club. The game ended in defeat for the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists (Boxers) this time.
28mm 1813 French v. Prussian / Russian – Black Powder by Warlord Games
Set in 1813, this game saw the French attacking a combined Prussian and Russian force set in the aftermath of Lützen. The French came on, with all the elan you would expect, and crashed against the defending infantry with mixed success. In the centre the French smashed through Prussian first line of infantry and guns, making steady progress through the Prussian second line. On the French right they also made good progress, but were harassed on their extreme right flank by Prussian Uhlans and Jaegers (mounted and dismounted).
The French left was less successful and the Russian Infantry stood, rock like, as wave after wave of French columns tried to find a weakness in their line. The Russian guns were overrun and the French light cavalry pushed forward to try and take advantage of the gap. The Russian cavalry responded and the two cavalry forces ended up cancelling each other out.
Things were looking desperate for the allies when reinforcements arrived, the Russian Imperial Guard! The Tsar’s guards wasted no time in throwing themselves in to the fray, and the French battalions facing them had no time to re-organise after their own attack before being thrown back.
The game hung in the balance with both sides having lost multiple brigades. Both sides continued to press every advantage they could find to try and finally break the enemy’s resolve. The dice favoured the allies in the final melees and the French finally broke, shattered by Russian bayonets.
A very exciting game that could have gone either way.
Space Ship Combat – To Boldly Go
The Federation were pitted against the Xindi in a battle full of photon torpedoes and phasers that were definitely not on stun!
Great to see Pete and Jerry’s fabulous 1690s Jacobite and Williamite collections featured in Wargames Illustrated.
They took their 10mm Battle of Aughrim 1691 up to WI HQ in sunny Nottingham, and this fine interview has been put out on the WI YouTube channel. Definitely worth a watch to see the great figures and terrain, as well as to hear about their approach to the battle and use of 10mm figures.
A busy day at club with two large multi-player games keeping the Friends entertained for the afternoon. Both classic 28mm games, one resurrecting rules from the past, and one with rules much more up to date. The age of the rules made no difference to the fun had in the games.
28mm Culloden April 1746 – Black Powder
This has been a very popular battle to refight over the years at FOGH, although we haven’t played it for quite a time. Pete, who owns the collection, has been continuing to add and improve things and so it was great to see it out on the table again and to have a look at the latest incarnation of the various units.
The game used the army lists and special rules from the Black Powder supplement ‘The Last Argument of Kings’ penned by Pete himself – so no arguing over the rules today! We have always enjoyed Culloden refights, with the Jacobites trying to do better than they did historically, as an out-right Jacobite victory is well nigh impossible given the strength of the Hanoverian army. On this day the Bonnie Prince was once again thwarted by Butcher Billy’s forces, but the Jacobites did manage to break the line in a couple of places and so were given the in-game victory even though their army was defeated.
28mm Battle of Hereford (Saxons v. Welsh) – Warhammer Ancient Battles v1.4
A number of people at the club are eager to get back in to the ‘Dark Age’ fun that was Warhammer Historical’s ancient battles game – WAB. A largish game was therefore organised to help remind everyone of the finer points of the rules (e.g. “how far do infantry move?”). Hoards of Welsh and Saxons met at the dangerous border town of Hereford. Much pushing and shoving ensued; spears were thrust, axes thrown, and heroic deeds were done.
A three game day at the Friends of General Haig, with an eclectic selection of different games. It was great to welcome a couple of potential new members, coming along to get a taster of the club, including the tea and biscuits!
28mm Polish-Lithuanian v. Swedish – Pike & Shotte
A follow on from the previous Polish-Lithuanian v. Swedish game. Post game, the umpire had determined that the isolated garrison, out of supplies and with the Swedish relief column defeated, had surrender the fort to the besieging Poles, on terms. Most of the German soldiers in the garrison had chosen to switch sides and join King Sigismund’s army rather than have to march out, in to hostile enemy territory, without their weapons and colours.
This game saw another Swedish force being tasked with retaking the fort, this time with a stronger infantry force, and supporting heavy artillery. The Poles were trying to hang on to the newly captured fort, with some supporting cavalry in the vicinity of the fort available to harass the Swedish attackers.
Star Trek – To Boldly Go
Federation and Klingon ships battle it out in the cold vacuum of space.
28mm Normans v. Welsh – Warhammer Ancient Battles (v1.4)
There has been a wave of nostalgia at the club in recent weeks for the days of Warhammer Historicals, in particular for Dark Age games set in the British Isles. Old copies of the rules (we only got as far as the WAB v1.4 reprint) and the Shieldwall supplement were dusted off, and box files of long forgotten figures uncovered. The hard charging, lance armed Normans were set against the massed ranks of the boys from the valleys.
A lovely summers day, but when it’s time for toy soldiers then it’s time to head in doors! It was fabulous to welcome a Friend back who hasn’t been able to visit since the pandemic. A day of much rejoicing!
28mm Napoleonic French v Russians – Black Powder
I find it easy to forget that 12 months ago we didn’t have any 28mm Russian Naps. at the club. Two of the Friends have relatively quickly built up some stunning forces, and so we now have a whole new dimension to explore in the period. An interesting game with both forces having to fight the battle split by a river through the centre of the board.
15mm Seleucid v Republican Roman – Tactica 2
A first game at FOGH with these rules for 20+ years, and first time for the second edition that came out in 2018. A shelf tidy had discovered the original Tactica rules, and then Googling for info had revealed the relatively recent new edition. A couple of long unused Ancient armies were dusted-off for a run out of another of Arty Conliffe’s unusual takes on games design.
The game was very much enjoyed by those taking part – it really felt like an ancient battle and the interaction of legion v phalanx was very atmospheric. Skirmishers also felt right, as did elephants. Definitely one for a further try out.
The hottest club of the year, so far, saw attendance slightly down but the games were surely of the very highest quality!
28mm Prussians v. Saxons 1813 – Black Powder
Based on the fighting in early 1813, this game saw a Saxon brigade with artillery tasked with holding up a strong Prussian brigade, supported by light cavalry and artillery. The Saxons were deployed on the board at the start of the game in defence, and the Prussians were given 8 turns to try and break through.
10mm 8th Army v. Afrika Korps – Blitzkrieg Commander 2
Part of Operation Battle-axe sets Grants and Crusaders against Panzer 3s, 4s and the dread 88mm Paks.
