Found more books

This time around, it's a bunch of Osprey Men At Arms series books for Napoleonic Wars. Sixteen of them to be precise. So that's pretty great.

This is one of them.

I also found a couple of wooden bookcase editions of boardgames. Stratego and Clue. And that's pretty nice too. But I still haven't located my copy of Arkham Horror or the supplements that went with it. And I have noticed some odd gaps in my minis collection. For example, I have one Matilda II, where I should have three. And one of my Valentine IIs is missing. And four (!) of my Honeys, as well as both of the M3 Stuarts I painted for my USMC force. I am hoping I forgot them at a friend's house a while back... because if not, it means I left them at a game store over a year ago. They're gone if that's the case.

Brian Weathersby Reports on MillenniumCon Post Captain

https://mymodelsailingships.blogspot.com/2017/11/post-captain-at-millenniumcon-in-austin.html?showComment=1511154879724#c1200619701041397451

Posting about Post Captain

   So the first game I played at the convention was on Friday morning. I tried out a set of Napoleonic naval rules (Age of Sail) called Post Captain, which are produced by Old Dominion Game Works (ODGW). They also make Close Action and some other rules I believe for nval gaming in other eras as well as land gaming. But I digress.

   Being a total Anglophile, and the first to arrive, I got to choose which ship I would captain. I took the British vessel. Hearts of oak, and all that, what? After a couple of turns maneuvering, the French let fly at my rigging from a great distance, doing little damage. We closed to more effective ranges and began hammering one another.

The French (on the right in this photo) have the wind gage. 

I maneuver upwind, eager to bring them under my guns.

My ship, Northumberland (74), the pride of the Royal Navy.

Miniature is Langdon, I believe.

Custom rigging by the owner, Brian Weathersby.

The French fire at my rigging...

I cross his T and stern rake the Frogs!

Up until this point, my larboard battery had not been fired.

   Eventually, I managed to cause some pretty critical damage to his vessel, hitting both his pumps and smashing the wheel. Stuck on a single course, I could maneuver right up behind him for the fatal blow. My last broadside was from my previously un-fired larboard battery, at virtually point blank range, right into his stern. This is about as good a situation as one can find oneself in from the standpoint of being the giver. This cannonade killed his captain, shattered his mizzenmast, sprung the main top, dismounted about half of his remaining guns... he hauled down his colours.

Jeff Hunt, owner of Portsmouth Miniatures.

They make nice ships too.

He's running a different game here.

   I had fun, but don't think I will be getting deeply into this sort of gaming. First, Brian is local and I figure I can get him to come beat on me anytime, and he has plenty of ships. Plus, his are spectacularly rigged out, taking hours of concentration and skill. Really, they are beautiful. Second, I am already working on so many other projects now... and third, it does take a good deal of time. We managed as two beginners to have a one-on-one duel to a conclusion in just under four hours. A fleet action would have been an all-day affair.

MillenniumCon XX Flash Report

   Just got home from Round Rock. Overall, I had a really good time at the convention. Photos will follow soon (ish). Highlights:

• My game went really well. A few bumps, but everyone seemed to enjoy it, and I got some good feedback for a future refinement... this one may return.

• I played in five games. Of those, I won four (one was a co-operative win). The other was determined a draw.

• Bought a good deal of new toys.

• Met a lot of new people, mainly gamers from Texas.

• Ran into a lot of people I have met over the years at various other stores and conventions.

• Best of all, I ran into someone I knew a long time ago. Tim was one of my fish buddies when we were in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M. We are both Class of '94 members of Company A-2, 7th Btn, 1st Reg't. We hadn't seen one another in almost 24 years, but we got a chance to catch up some while we played a game of OGRE together. Information exchanged.

   Basically, I have to say that MillenniumCon is the best small convention I have ever attended. The atmosphere is fun and relaxed. The venue is good (could use food service) and clean.

   That's the FLASH report.

Napoleonics

And now for something completely different...

  This past Saturday we  had a jolly time slaughtering Westphalians. You see, the silly buggers had gone and let the wrong Bonaparte lead them.  They had Jerome and they needed Napoleon. At least, if they wanted to fight Bagration and his huge Russian hordes with all that lovely artillery.

   What is it with Russians and artillery? They're positively queer for the stuff.

   The scenario was that the Russians needed to crush the Westphalians before Marshal Davout could show up to save Jerome's bacon. We managed to do it, but I wasted an entire division positioning them off to the left to secure that flank in case the French arrived early. Luckily, they did not. Also, my usual abysmal dice rolling was absent. As far as that went, I felt like it was pretty statistically even, which is a major improvement over my usual luck.

Russian infantry advancing! We pretty well turned the Westphalian right flank.

My Russian 6-pdr batteries giving the Westphalians hell.

My left flank, waiting for the French.

Tom painted most if not all of these minis. He has thousands of Napoleonics,

and pretty much all of the armies represented.

All the terrain was done by Tom, too.

Action on the right!

Things are looking dicey for the Russians in the center, though...

   As the weather was very nice, we played on the back porch at Tom's. He even smoked some delicious chicken wings and drums, had a beer or two... all in all, a very enjoyable day.

   The rules we used were "Quelle Affaire," a set of rules that my friend Tom Lytle is working on developing. They're pretty nice, and fairly easy to pick up. We (Zach and I) made some comments as we played on adjustments that we thought would either speed play, simplify rules, or more accurately model how they fought. These were noted and may be included in  future versions.

Before I go, this just in: Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

Blucher's First Outing at CLAWS

   This was the last weekend of January, actually. Jim purchased an entire set of minis, already painted, and the rules, on eBay from someone getting out of the game. The figures he picked up are 28mm, Foundry I think, and quite nicely painted and flagged. The big chunky group bases worked well with the visual aspect of the game and the level of command and control.

The British infantry advance boldly across the CigarBox battle mat.

The Man Himself, Napoleon, the Corsican Ogre, leads the French onslaught.

From the rear, like a good general.

A Bird's Eye View

  We used 15mm terrain, and that seemed to work well since it's more of an idea that "this area is built up" than "this building holds a squad". Again, scope of the game - it's not Flames of War.

   Two games were played, and the result was a French victory in one and a British victory in the other. Everyone playing seemed to enjoy it. It's an interesting system, and I have a feeling we will be seeing it again in the near future.

This is Winston. He's my new buddy. He's part of the reason I haven't done much game stuff lately.

More Napoleonic Photos

Just eye candy. We played this game about three weeks ago and I am just now getting around to downloading the photos from my phone. French v. Russians.

Photos of Ligny in 15mm

   This game was played on Saturday, September 18th. However, thanks to certain technical difficulties, I am just now able to post these photos.

The town of Ligny.

French advance through Ligny

Prussian defense of the center

French cavalry on the bridge about to have a bad day.

A fierce defense of the wood, with charge and counter-charge.

Three times the Prussians cleared the woods of the French before being forced back.

French skirmishers keep up a galling fire (and screen)

Those dratted skirmishers!

I'm not entirely familiar with the rules, so on advice of the author,

I didn't advance my own formed infantry to scatter the skirmishers.

Probably should have brought up some cavalry to do it for me.

Prussian dragoons and hussars advance on the flank!

   The Clear Lake Area Wargamers' Society is playing out the Waterloo campaign in 15mm this fall, in honor of the 200th anniversary. It will consist of four battles. Success or failure at any previous battle may have consequences for future battles.

   Thankfully, I believe this one came out a draw, with a close to historical result. For the Allied side (mine), that means we don't lose anything later in the campaign. Sadly, it also means that we didn't harm the French too badly yet.

For rules, we used Honor and Courage. The rules have been 25 years in the writing, in large part by a member of our group, Tom Lytle.