Category: Wargames

ANTIETAM/SHARPSBURG (II) (First move…) I am experimenting with my home rules.

Visits: 38

A word of advice… I am doing my own thing so do not expect to enjoy this (the pics maybe)…

A bit of an explanation (not excuses)… I have a lot of ACW Rules, even 6mm specific one’s but SOLO wargaming is not on the designer’s minds at all… I understand and not complaining at all… I can not BID against myself (see POLEMOS) the best presented are ALTAR OF FREEDOM (one cheer for the USA chaps of Little Wars) but I have to make adjustments to play them solo…

NOT that I will use them as my basis at all, but I mostly agree with several concepts… let’s mention an example… BRIGADES of UNION and CONFEDERACY had NOT the same number of men at all… one bigger one medium one small whatever… if McClelland had 82000 men present at ANTIETAM and Lee (around 44000) and the number of brigades is lets say 45/37 something has to be done to “adjust” the numbers. The numbers in each brigade of the Confederacy has to be “reduced” to get the desired balance of forces (I will try to do this with small coloured dices in the rear of each Brigade). YOU have been advised! I am still experimenting.

To avoid an absolute GOD attitude in which I will represent each Commander in Chief (both sides), each Corps Commander, and even Divisions and Brigade decisions… some way to introduce “chance” “fog of war” and “several impromptus” must be decided by the turn of a friendly (or NOT) card… more in next chapters or Posts… got plenty of those cards (as you will see).

BUT

It is a big BUT … my main approach to enjoy myself is acknowledging the fact that everyone of those little toy soldiers KNOWS perfectly why he is there… to fight the enemy… everyone of them is holding to his musket and saying his prayers… but he is determined to fight it out! (So no need to encourage them at all to do their business… they know)… When those Armies met it is for deciding an outcome (Lee’s first Invasion… say no more… read History… no place here for History lessons)… (McClellan worried to lose the engagement and permit the fall of Washington!… always too worried by the numbers of the enemy!).

If you follow this posts you will see my trial and error… I do not care to make mistakes… I am learning myself!

So there you are… enjoy the eye candy!

Hooker’s Corps moving into the fray (there is no fray yet of course… but they are searching for trouble if you know what I mean)
Lateral view (North limit of North Woods).
Jackson is deploying his extreme left and Stuart’s cavalry is kept back in reserve.

Eagle Eye view of Jackson’s Corps on the Confederate left flankl

Antietam/Sharpsburg 1862 (6mm) My Own for once! (I)

Visits: 38

At last! I could do it…

Finally I must say the choice (difficult) I did to sell my 25mm Collection and go 6mm has payed off! (I know not everyone’s taste 6mil) what you lose in uniform detail you gain in playable surface for the scale… same table… but lots of room to manoeuvre if you know what I mean…

A couple of thousands of minis but it does not look crowded at all. Mainly Baccus and Rapier minis (mainly painted by Robert Jackson (90%) and Turbil Miniatures), Leven and Baccus buildings (REVEILLE by Daniel Hodgson), Trees are Baccus as Bridges and “fields”.

I will use this FIRST Wargame to develop my Own House Rules (SOLO or MULTIPLAYER) mainly adapting and reforming mecanisms of POLEMOS (BACCUS) ALTAR OF FREEDOM (Little Wars TV) Fire&Fury… and what not!

Making the river is quite cheap. And the woods are not “compact” I can move the stands of tress to make them passable. The Cornfield has no corn because I do not like troop stands floating over scenery… MY taste!.

Interested in the concepts movement, attrition, spent forces, General’s limitations, and mainly Historical Reenactment, Fictionnal Wargames with more freedom will come later.

Absolutely satisfied (if such thing exists) with the layout and minis… at last Armies look like Armies and terrain is wholesome…

I will probably do a movement a day not decided with 1/2 hour or whole hour’s span of time of a wargame period… will remain experimental for a while until satisfied. Trial and error etc.

Enjoy! (I do)

Starting the set up.

No Armies yet… just a peaceful countryside…
Union Forces in place (not yet deployed)
Sharpsburg
Burnside and Porter (and general reserve)
Union Center to Right flank (anticlockwise) Sumner, Franklin, Mansfield and Hooker.
Mc Clellan’s HQ and Cavalry in reserve.
Hooker’s
Two Divisions Corps…
Three Divisions Corps.
Full UNION view (Times of arrival or engagement NOT simultaneous)
My Old Wargames table (permanent once retired)
Confederates Deployment
Ready to Start I guess… (On the right lower part Hill’s forces coming from Harper’s Ferry)… not yet “on the table”.
Detail
Confederates Center and Right (Bloody Lane with the rail fence)
Jackson’s left flank with Stuarts’s Cavalry.
Another view!

Franco Prussian War 54mm OLD SCHOOL WARGAMING!

Visits: 113

Nothing is so spectacular as the Franco-Prussian War for wargaming the Old Style… still gaudy uniforms… you are in command (instead of those incompetent French Marshalls)… and not the gore of the XXth Century.

The other alternative is Dorking of course… but that was really improbable… BUT… fantastic alternative for gaudy redcoats!… the book is not really compulsory reading (I have it and did… but not indispensable to wargame the period… The Riddle of the Sands come true etc.)

Enjoy!

54mm Cavalry
General view
French Attack!
Prussians!
Hussars!
Another general view!
French and Spahis!
More French!

More from Paul Watson!

Visits: 40

Paul’s a friend, and I am quite happy to Post here his late production or project!

By mere chance I have them sailors too (Steadfast from R.Prati)… but not that beast of a GUN! (I used to have them in 25mm when I collected only MINIFIGS!

I am glad he is publishing pics again… always a source of inspiration!

Enjoy!


Gun
Another view!
And another…
Really a mini-diorama in 54mm (toy Soldiers)

Riesig’s Own.

Visits: 56

What about something different today? I was feeling adventurous somehow… I guess they are semiflat figures that have an appeal of their own (and always look better from the side pics)… excellent flag BTW. French troops if you ask me. And I forgot to say… Prince August (they sell moulds too!)… with some additions from Front Rank!… and, of course, 40mm scale!

Enjoy!

It smacks of Barry Lyndon’s times (or even earlier)
Great painting job!… semiflats?

The Classic Way…

Visits: 45

Strictly from the Vault as seen in Facebook… not much else needed… a game of attrition and that is what is all about… who would be left standing!

BTW I reda (again) a classic by Donald Featherstone “SOLO WARGAMES” or something like that… it is really awesome to check that all was written so long ago… it is a good recommendation… read the classics.

Enjoy!

Napoleonics on the middle of it…

Bowley’s Own

Visits: 47

There seems to be a lot of Prussians lately… but that’s what it is… sometimes wargamers do have to follow a fashion no matter what (me included). Prussia had a span of 30 years before integrating Great Germany after 1870… and still… they are very popular (as anything before WWI and WWII)… LOL

Enjoy!

A lot of Prussians advancing…
The French opposition!

Paul’s Own Gordon’s

Visits: 50

It is not always that you can show the result of direct influence (not that I consider myself an influencer at all!) but it is funny to know Paul Watson built a unit of Highlanders as a result of lending a hand to a desperate chap (myself).

Enjoy!

Paul’s Own

As a bonus, because too much Gordon’s lately another couple of pics about vintage figures and where the Gordon’s fought too!… Just an alignment of planets I guess…

Mine
Vintage figures
Good old wargaming!