A new project dawns

Occasionally in the life of a wargamer -- or quite often in some cases --
one gets the idea to start a new period. Today is such a time for me.

I have grown a bit weary of painting what are basically ununiformed more or
less hairy more or less barbarians. The few Copplestone Chinese infantrymen
I painted for our Tintin game gave me a taste for painting uniformed
figures, with all the advantages those have for batch, or dare I say
assembly line, style painting.

So, I was half unconsciously looking to get into a period featuring nice
uniforms. The nicest uniforms around are of course those of the horse and
musket period, so my thoughts quickly settled on that. But what to choose?
Napoleonics and Seven Years War are the main contenders in Europe (ACW and
AWI feature more prominently in the US), but they did not immediately
appeal, possibly because of the popularity. After a while, however, I
stumbled upon a period that has just the right mix of quirkiness and
popularity: the Great Northern War.

For those of you now going _'huh?'_, the Great Northern War took place over
the first two decades of the 18th century in the Baltic area, contemporary
with the War of Spanish Succession (better known as the Marlburian wars) in
Western Europe. It featured Sweden under King Charles XII, then a major
world power, against just about everyone else running around in that area,
most notably the emerging Russians under Peter The Great. At the end of the
war, Sweden was eclipsed and its leading position in the area taken over by
Russia, which became a world power in its own right.

The Great Northern War features Swedes and Russians of course, but also
Poles, Saxons, Danes, Norwegians, and what not. Enough variety to scare a
flock of flamingoes with. Now, being a somewhat less popular period, I'm
having some trouble finding good figures for them in the One True Scale
(28mm). So far, I've found Wargames Foundry, which have some Swedes and
Russians in their Marlburian range, and a manufacturer in the US who is
only
listed with a phone number and might not even be in business any more, but whose figures are nice enough, judging from a review on Magweb. I
haven't looked at Old Glory yet, but they will most probably have at least
a
few suitable bags. Does anyone know of any other suitable figure ranges?

And finally, what about rules? I have really no idea as to what rules to
use, so I 'm throwing that one out to you readers as well - what rules are
good for the early 18th Century Horse & Musket period?

Romano British command and their very late cousins

Just to prove that I wasn't kidding [yesterday](http://www.nirya.be/snv/ttm/archives/000282.html), here's the latest painting results:



And their somewhat later cousins:



The first set are Foundry 28mm Romano British cavalry command figures, the second are Modern British 1/285th GHQ figures.

It lives...

Just as we were ready to pronounce it dead and buried, the ancient beast
shudders, sloughs off layers of dust and sleepily opens one eye to peer at
the world outside. Yes, TTM still lives.

Due to a variety of reasons, some personal, some not, I haven't posted
anything here since the first half of last year. Lots of things happened
since then, some of which conspired to stop the regular flow of posts here.

That said, I'd like to kickstart things again with a 'what are you working
on' type of post (that phrase is not chosen at random, see further on).
I've
recently started painting again after several months' inaction (long enough
to forget most of my 'paint recipes'), and these are things I've recently
finished or am working on at the moment:

* A GHQ Modern British combat command (1/285th) (essentially a reinforced
infantry
battalion) - these are all finished. The idea is that we start some kind
of a 'Cold War turned hot' project soon(ish). Frank is doing Germans,
Koen is
doing Russians, and Alan has been making noises about acquiring some
Russians
too. I'm looking at [Cold War Commander](http://www.blitzkrieg-commander.com/cwc.aspx) for this project.
* 4 Romano British cavalry command types (Foundry 28mm) (1 leader, 2
standard bearer, 1
musician) to round out my RB cavalry units. These are finished but for
the
bases.
* I just started the first batch of 8 [Artizan
Designs](http://www.artizandesigns.com) [Carolingian spearmen](http://www.artizandesigns.com/catalogue.asp?sub_range=19). These
are my next Dark Ages army and might feature in a Carolingians vs Vikings
in Leuven game sometime in the future.

The last two painting sessions I did went very well (a bad painting session
is one where I break out all the stuff and than twiddle about doing not
much
at all, putting everything away after painting just 1 layer on three
figures
or so), which I attribute to a [tip of Phil's](http://www.nirya.be/snv/ttm/archives/000280.html) - listening to podcasts
while painting. I went through the latest episodes of [The Naked Scientists
podcast](http://www.thenakedscientists.com), [What are you working on](http://waywo.podbean.com/)
(aha) and [All about miniatures](http://allaboutminiatures.libsyn.com/) while painting the latest batches of
figures, and find it works very well. It is an unintrusive enough way of
keeping your mind occupied while painting, yet not intrusive enough to
distract from the painting (as TV tends to do). I think I'll be doing this
a
lot more - thanks for the suggestion Phil.

Finally, the biweekly Schild en Vriend games have been going on strong,
with
an ACW game (the Henry Hill action of [1st Bull Run](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Bull_Run) ) and a Blitzkrieg
commander game (German invasion of Belgium in 1940) having featured
recently. Photos of the latter can be found [on Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/robartes/sets/72157603766251744/).

That's it for now, and let's try to get some more posts up.

Hai, we has SQL

Yes, this blog has been a bit neglected of late (more on that later). That also means that it accumulated _a lot_ of junk comments (8477 or so) which would have meant a lot of point and clicking to remove it.

Luckily, [Dreamhost](http://www.dreamhost.com) gives one command line access to everything, including the mysql database behind TTM, so I went in and took out all of the comments after the latest legit one in one fell swoop. A few seconds work instead of a few days. Sometimes, being a bit of a geek is fun.

As to the reason there's not much happening around here (apart from Phil, thank god for that) is that I've been in a bit of a wargaming funk since Easter or so. I haven't painted or done anything wargame related, except play a few games. It's one of those phases. Trust me, it will pick up again.

Miniature Wargaming Podcast

Recently, I have been looking for a podcast related to miniature wargaming. The advantage is that one can listen to wargaming-related news and stories while driving the car, or even when painting.

After some search, I found the following, which I think is very good. The hosts have a pleasant style of presenting, and the topics are varied and well-researched. Their sense of humour is also to my liking, so that's a bonus!

http://allaboutminiatures.libsyn.com/

Wargaming in style

Below is a clip from a British tv-series from the early 70s (I assume), "Callan". Watch the whole sequence: 2 gentlemen playing a wargame in a spacious wargaming room.

ACW - Battle of Kolb's Farm

Two years ago I bought a load of 6mm Adler figures of our good friend BD, who in turn had bought them off JP (we address each other in simple terms here in Belgium). In that time, I painted up a few more regiments, made a little farm model and generally prepared for the Big Day when the figures would see battle. This happy moment occurred last Friday when a small group of us gathered in the sauna like atmosphere of GW's top floor gaming room to play a game using the Principles of War rules.

First a word about the rules. It is an elegant system, with an army list of units (you can choose what operational scale to play at - it makes no difference to the rules), each of which has a numerical rating (generally from 6 to 18) which represents its combat factor and morale factor. Weapons and doctrine may also be noted against the unit, defining what may be done by way of maneouvre, melee, firing range, etc. To give you an idea of how the game works, a volley of rifle fire from an average unit will do 1 or 2 hits at close range - thus the unhappy target unit may have a starting factor of 12 and this will go down to 10 if it is takes 2 hits. This is recorded on the unit roster. Every time hits are inflicted the victim unit must take a morale test. He rolls a D20 and if the score is equal or lower than the current roster score (in our example earlier it was 10) then the unit passes the test. If more, then the unit is shaken, if doubled, the unit retires, if trebled it flees from the game in disgust. So as the game goes on, attrition wears down a unit and at some stage it will break. There are of course modifiers, for example if a general is nearby, if you are hit in the flank. Important note - don't roll a 20 when testing morale, this automatically gives a result one level worse than would otherwise be the case.

Movement is simple and always has to be in conformity with the orders set for the unit. The distance you can move depends on the quality of your officer - the mechanic is a die roll per officer (who commands 3+ units, typically) and that is the number of units to move.
You get a D4 id a lousy officer, a D6 if normal or an average die if good.

Now I have bored you enough with the rules. The scenario is an action from 1864, a desperate attack by the Confederates against a flanking movement by Hooker's Union troops. I took it from the 'Charge' magazine on Magweb. Each side has roughly 20 units of infantry, with a big advantage for the Union in terms of artillery. I decided to give a couple of units of cavalry to the Confederates, even if historically they weren't on the field. why? I had painted them and wanted them see action and just to give the rebels a bit of a chance in what would be a stern ask.

The terrain is dominated by a three creeks that run from the confederate right to the centre of the table, where there is much marshy ground and a cornfield. On the left are woods all along the edge plus Kolb's farm halfway across the table. A road runs from the Confederate centre to the Union right. Each side is ordered to capture both ends of the road.

The Union plan is simple but effective, a concentration of their forces before the farm and across the table to the other side of the cornfield, leaving their left flank open. They are also allowed to place an ambush in the woods.

The Confederates split their forces. Two infantry brigades on the far right with orders to undertake a huge Napoleon style flanking move. Two brigades on the left with orders to capture Kolb's farm. The cavalry hold the centre. A solitary smoothbore artillery piece is to give support to the left flank.

With typical GW cunning, rather than use his Kentucky ambushers under Colonel Gallop, he asks me (in my GM role, though I am also playing the Confederate left due to the unfortunate but can't be helped absence of one of our players) if he can give orders to them and move them. Blithely I agree. From a Rebel viewpoint this is an error, as Gallop races out of the words to occupy the farm before I can get there. Damn.

On my turn, I march as fast as I can towards the farm, determined to take it. My supporting brigade finds a Grand battery in front of it and forms a firing line, spending much of the game firing at long range into the Union artillery causing sporadic casualties but not having much impact.

The story of the game is simple. A massive scrap for the farm, won by the Blues, thanks to their getting there first and taking advantage of the cover. I didn't help myself by entering into melee rather impetously and then rolling a couple of '20's on the dice at inopportune moments. Gradually I was worn down and one brigade eliminated. On the confederate right, progress was too slow and though eventually a firing line against the Union left was established no coordinated attack was possible. Our cavalry, alas, suffered indecision and did nothing the entire game.

At about Midnight, with the Union advancing on all sides, my troops surrounded and hopes on the right flank in tatters, we fled back to Atlanta leaving the now battered and burnt Kolb's Farm to a happy Union pair of players (Graham W and Graham K).

A very good game, very enjoyable and a final result very similar to the historical one - the confederates made frontal charges across the front, stalled in the marshes and were massacred. I definitely want to play with these splendid little troops again, so nicely painted by JP.

ACW - Battle of Kolb's Farm

Two years ago I bought a load of 6mm Adler figures of our good friend BD, who in turn had bought them off JP (we address each other in simple terms here in Belgium). In that time, I painted up a few more regiments, made a little farm model and generally prepared for the Big Day when the figures would see battle. This happy moment occurred last Friday when a small group of us gathered in the sauna like atmosphere of GW's top floor gaming room to play a game using the Principles of War rules.

First a word about the rules. It is an elegant system, with an army list of units (you can choose what operational scale to play at - it makes no difference to the rules), each of which has a numerical rating (generally from 6 to 18) which represents its combat factor and morale factor. Weapons and doctrine may also be noted against the unit, defining what may be done by way of maneouvre, melee, firing range, etc. To give you an idea of how the game works, a volley of rifle fire from an average unit will do 1 or 2 hits at close range - thus the unhappy target unit may have a starting factor of 12 and this will go down to 10 if it is takes 2 hits. This is recorded on the unit roster. Every time hits are inflicted the victim unit must take a morale test. He rolls a D20 and if the score is equal or lower than the current roster score (in our example earlier it was 10) then the unit passes the test. If more, then the unit is shaken, if doubled, the unit retires, if trebled it flees from the game in disgust. So as the game goes on, attrition wears down a unit and at some stage it will break. There are of course modifiers, for example if a general is nearby, if you are hit in the flank. Important note - don't roll a 20 when testing morale, this automatically gives a result one level worse than would otherwise be the case.

Movement is simple and always has to be in conformity with the orders set for the unit. The distance you can move depends on the quality of your officer - the mechanic is a die roll per officer (who commands 3+ units, typically) and that is the number of units to move.
You get a D4 id a lousy officer, a D6 if normal or an average die if good.

Now I have bored you enough with the rules. The scenario is an action from 1864, a desperate attack by the Confederates against a flanking movement by Hooker's Union troops. I took it from the 'Charge' magazine on Magweb. Each side has roughly 20 units of infantry, with a big advantage for the Union in terms of artillery. I decided to give a couple of units of cavalry to the Confederates, even if historically they weren't on the field. why? I had painted them and wanted them see action and just to give the rebels a bit of a chance in what would be a stern ask.

The terrain is dominated by a three creeks that run from the confederate right to the centre of the table, where there is much marshy ground and a cornfield. On the left are woods all along the edge plus Kolb's farm halfway across the table. A road runs from the Confederate centre to the Union right. Each side is ordered to capture both ends of the road.

The Union plan is simple but effective, a concentration of their forces before the farm and across the table to the other side of the cornfield, leaving their left flank open. They are also allowed to place an ambush in the woods.

The Confederates split their forces. Two infantry brigades on the far right with orders to undertake a huge Napoleon style flanking move. Two brigades on the left with orders to capture Kolb's farm. The cavalry hold the centre. A solitary smoothbore artillery piece is to give support to the left flank.

With typical GW cunning, rather than use his Kentucky ambushers under Colonel Gallop, he asks me (in my GM role, though I am also playing the Confederate left due to the unfortunate but can't be helped absence of one of our players) if he can give orders to them and move them. Blithely I agree. From a Rebel viewpoint this is an error, as Gallop races out of the words to occupy the farm before I can get there. Damn.




DSC00945_edited



Above: the rebel columns attack Kolb's Farm


On my turn, I march as fast as I can towards the farm, determined to take it. My supporting brigade finds a Grand battery in front of it and forms a firing line, spending much of the game firing at long range into the Union artillery causing sporadic casualties but not having much impact.

The story of the game is simple. A massive scrap for the farm, won by the Blues, thanks to their getting there first and taking advantage of the cover. I didn't help myself by entering into melee rather impetously and then rolling a couple of '20's on the dice at inopportune moments.




DSC00949



Above: storm over the farm, and the confederate firing line.


Gradually I was worn down and one brigade eliminated.




DSC00950



Above: last desperate attack by the Rebels, they are destined to be massacred.



On the confederate right, progress was too slow and though eventually a firing line against the Union left was established no coordinated attack was possible. Our cavalry, alas, suffered indecision and did nothing the entire game.




DSC00951



Above: The Union left holds up the Rebel attack


At about Midnight, with the Union advancing on all sides, my troops surrounded and hopes on the right flank in tatters, we fled back to Atlanta leaving the now battered and burnt Kolb's Farm to a happy Union pair of players (Graham W and Graham K).

A very good game, very enjoyable and a final result very similar to the historical one - the confederates made frontal charges across the front, stalled in the marshes and were massacred. I definitely want to play with these splendid little troops again, so nicely painted by JP.

Romano British slingers

These are of course the [ex Pictish ones](http://www.nirya.be/snv/ttm/archives/000268.html), now painted.

These took me a bit longer than an hour apiece, for the simple reason that I lost momentum halfway through painting them (sick children and sick self), and it seems it is difficult to pick up again. Also, when I started painting them again, I slipped back in to 'full on' painting mode instead of my fast painting mode. I caught it quickly however :).

Next up are some command figures for my Romano British cavalry units that are still without.

Recent books read

I thought I'd bore you all by recounting some of the recent books I've finished, which might be of interest to all right thinking wargamers.

First, S M Stirling's excellent post-apocalyptic trilogy set in Oregon, which tells the tale of a world where suddenly one day electricity, gunpowder and other similar technologies stop working. Catastrophe follows but, happily for the wargaming enthusiast, small groups survive and start to find ways of coping with a world riddled by plague, cannibals and bandits. In fact, the three books tell the story of enterprising individuals who start to develop societies, gather resources, learn technologies, fight evil etc etc. I won't go into detail, because that would ruin what is in fact a well told tale. Anyone who has played Age of Empires, or a good build and conquer pbm game will enjoy this. It is well written and much less right wing and dogmatic than some of his books. And the title? 'Dies the Fire'.

Second, very different, a fascinating account of the Long Range Desert Group's activities, 'Providence their Guide' by David Lloyd Owen, who become the big chief of the group. Well written and enthralling, I learned a lot about the LRDG in the North African campaign and also, which I confess that I didn't know, their activities in Albania and Yugoslavia once Rommel had fled and left the Afrika Korps to abject surrender. I bought my copy from the amazing military bookshop in Erpe, De Krijger, but I'm sure you can find a copy on Abebooks.

Last, assuming you're not interested in the various detective novels that have been consuming my limited time on this earth, is a very amusing autobiography of a (very British) wargamer, Harry Pearson, called 'Achtung Schweinehund'. Great, but I wonder how well it translates to other cultures. It is very much a story of English childhood in the 1960s and 1970s and its repercussions on apparent adulthood later on in life. Hilariously funny in places, stridently dogmatic in others but what of course wins the day is a mention of our one and 'own' (I say this as an ex-pat who struggles daily with the Dutch language) 'Crisis' convention and the glory days of Bart's Schild en Vriend club. Definitely recommended to English readers of a certain age. Maybe it helps others understand the oddities of that race and generation?