Blunders on the Danube

Monday, January 8, 2018

LANNES Campaign: Set up for game 5 - The Battle of Wheeling, 1812

Part of Warplan 5/5 Card 12A; the atlas indicates that the distict is firm grazing land with fences and orchards.

At the conclusion of game 4 of our LANNES Campaign (Fitchwoods), [played almost 8 months ago, the determination of the next battlefield came up as 12A.14, the village of Wheeling. I recognized this location immediately, because Wheeling was the site of the climactic battle of our very first Warplan 5/5 Campaign back circa 1971. Charlie (Red, using British figures) and I (Blue, using Bavarians and French - of course!) were allied against Paul (Green, using Russian Troops) and Chuck (Yellow, using Austrian and Westphalian troops).Charlie and I were attacking from the South, with a significant numerical advantage, but that meant facing the walls of Fort Wheeling (12A.13) Fortunately, we had prepared for this and had our Siege train of 18 pounders advancing through 12A 18. Meanwhile, Paul's main army was rushing to assist his ally, advancing from the East into 12A.15.

Notable events of the battle included Charlie's newly painted British Rocket battery shooting at Paul's lead unit, the recently painted guard Hussars, and by incredible luck managing to hit them with an air burst, causing them to rout and carry with them much of the Advance Guard of Paul's troops, and Chuck's C-in-C being severely injured and out of the battle, an event commemorated to this day by a figure in his uniform being loaded into a field ambulance! This battle was played on an 18 x 5 foot table (two ping pong tables end to end) in my parent's un-insulated attic in July, so the fighting was literally very hot indeed!

The fort will play no role in this action, though. From the end of game rolls made according to the "pick up battle" set-up for Field of Battle, Barry will have choice of side of deployment or orientation of the battlefield, and I will have whichever he doesn't take. I will have to deploy 2 command groups my first time laying troops out, and 1/4 of my command groups will be delayed D4 turns in arriving. As Barry noted, thus far in the campaign, if a side has had delayed troops, that side has always won!

The status of my army at the end of the Batle of Fitchwoods is as below - as I had an advantage of 8 Morale Points at the end of the battle, I was able to modify 8 of my die rolls for unit quality upgrades, resulting in almost all units upgrading. The shaded 4 units are new reinforcements for this battle.

-->

Unit #	Unit Name	DD	CD	Routs Caused	Final UI loss	Routed, etc?	End Game Result
1	Vendémiaire Line	D6	D12+1		2		DD+1
2	Brumaire Line	D4	D10	1			CD+1
3	Angoulême Hussars	D8	D12+1	1	2	Yes	CD+1
4	Ardennes Light	D6	D12+1				CD+1
5	Bordeaux Chasseur	D8	D12+1				DD+1
6	Chaumont Hussar	D8	D12+1				CD+1
7	Vertu 6# Ft Artillery	D6	D10				CD+1
8	Génie 6# HA	D10	D12+1	1			DD+1
9	Bouches-du-Rhône Gd	D10	D12				CD+1
10	Frimaire Line	D4	D12				CD+1
11	Nivôse Line	D4	D12+1	1	2		CD+1
12	Côte-d'Or Light Gd	D10	D10				CD+1
13	Rhône Light	D8	D12+1		4	Yes	DD+1
14	Morvan Dragoon	D4	D12+1				CD+1
15	Travail 6# FA	D6	D10				CD+1
16	Gironde Light	D6	D12		4	Yes	CD+1
17	Loire Light	D4	D12		1		DD+1
18	Dijon Chasseurs	D4	D12				CD+1
19	Opinion 6# FA	D6	D12		2	Yes	CD+1
20	Pluviose National Gd	D4	D8				Becomes Line
21	Rouen Chasseurs	D6	D10
22	Jura Dragoons	D6	D10
23	Nord Light	D4	D8
24	Ventose Line	D6	D8
25
General	Name	LD	Special	Hit?	Outcome	Year	End Game Result
C-in-C	Francois Faucon	D12	-	no		1799	NC
A	Simeon Souris	D8	poltroon	no		1799	Down 1
B	Fabien LaFerme	D12	Fabian	no		1800	Up 1
C	Rene Renard	D12+1	Fabian	no		1799	Up 1
D	Henri Hibou	D10	Fabian	no		1805	Down 1
E	Bernard Belier	D10	-	no		1807	NC

Friday, January 5, 2018

2018: Hobby Plans and Goals

Expenses:
I really want to try to hold my hobby expenditures to $1,500 or less for 2018. My goal last year was to keep expenses under $1,000, and I failed utterly and miserably at that, spending almost 3 times that amount. The Spanish army and unusually heavy convention related expenses were among the culprits.

Gaming:
1) Finish our Lannes Napoleonic "Campaign". That was a goal for last year as well, but we only managed to do one battle! We have three to go, and the first is now scheduled for later this month. That could set the stage for another short campaign jusing Brent Oman's "Seasons of Battle" when it is released later this year.

2) Run a game for Jared's Middle School gaming club - this was rescheduled from December due to snow, now scheduled for the end of January. This will be a big Punic Wras game using To the Strongest!

3) Host a game at HAVOC in April if my schedule permits. We have had bad luck with snowy conditions the past few years. This would almost certainly be a game using To the Strongest, which is well suited to their =time slots and table sizes - maybe using the Hussites?

4) Maybe participate in a big Napolenic game Jared is running for his club in March using Black Powder.

5) Historicon Games - returning to Lancaster, a far more agreeable drive from Connecticut than Fredericksburg!
A) The big project is the 1809 Talavera Campaign in a Day, featuring Wellesley's return to Portugal and Spain, and using Snappy Nappy. In this case, neither side will have unity of command. Some supply rules (and wagons) and Guerillas are a must, plus infighting Spanish Juntas and French Marshals!
B) Battle of Talavera itself as a game, using Field of Battle 2nd edition
C) Probably one or two games with To the Strongest!, opponents to be determined.
D) Play in Tim and/or Jared's game(s), or others!

Purchases:
As needed to finish my Spanish Napoleonic project - mostly command for the Line cavalry and Garochistas when they becomes available, eventually a unit of Hussars and/or Cazadores a Caballo, maybe some Perry line and/or Militia to round out the force, maybe some additional high command figures.

Use Army card before it expires in early March to buy Highlanders, any other odds and ends needed from Old Glory..

Maybe one unit of Perry Nassau troops? I have had my eye on them for a while, and they fought (as part of the CoR) at Talvaera, along with the Frankfurters. Hot dog!

As I said last year, if my purchases stay low (which they were anything but!), I might flesh out the rest of the lead for my Eureka Tyrolian Rebellion project; that would be late in 2018 or more likely early in 2019. Of course, If Murawski releases Baden Light Dragoons and or Artillery, they will soar to the top of the "Must Have" (and must paint) list once again.

Painting:
1) Finish the Spanish Napoleonic army by June so that is ready for Historicon.

2) Make a substantial dent in the huge pile of Macedonians acquired from Edgar in late 2015 (carried over from 2017 with no progress)

3) Great Italian Wars - The Essex Gendarmes, and maybe a new Pike block (carried over from 2017 with no progress).

4) Consider starting the Tyroleans in the Fall of 2018... or painting the additions to my ECW lead to be used for For King and Parliament.

5) Avoid starting any other new projects!

Blogging
Keep about the same pace of posting as I have the past 3 years (circa 100 post per year().

Rules
Work on the Renaissance Galley rules - another holdover from 2017. Not likely to happen before the second half of 2018.

Monday, January 1, 2018

2017: The Year in Review

Another year in the books already, which means it is time for the Annual Hobby and Blog Review. Strike up the band if you will, please, sir!

EXPENSES:

October 2017

Three Armies Spanish 64#, $89

Adolfo Ramos flags 37E $45.29

Really Useful Boxes x 7 ($25 off coupon from staples) $58.93

November 2017

Barnes and Noble 96.07 (Oman Volumes 1-2-3, Neil Thomas one Hour Wargames, 4 decks of cards.

Brigade Games 201.45 (Spanish Artillery, Cavalry, Guerrillas)

December 2017

Old Glory Order $221 (Sea Peoples Infantry (30), ECW Pikemen Montero Caps (60), ECR Musketeers Montero (30), ECW Command Unarmored (20), ECW Falling Wounded (20) and ECW Wounded (20), 3 Carts (Blue Moon), 3 large Southwestern style polyurethane foam rocks).

4th QUARTER TOTAL $652.81

3RD QUARTER TOTAL $1,151.97

2ND QUARTER TOTAL: $578.73

1st QUARTER TOTAL = $523.47

2017 TOTAL + $ 2,906.98

(Way over budget, probably the most hobby spending ever for me in a single year)

Oman's History, Volume 1. I couldn't bring myself to pay for ta hardcover edition, espwecially considering there are something like 9 volumes!

From the Battle of Coruna to the end of the Talavera Campaign.

For some reason not titled as volume 3, but so it is! I also have no ides what the names of the other gentleman are doing on the front cover, as other than as perhaps series advisers, there is not a word from them within.

I have been meaning to pick this one up for some time, and with the 25% off sale at Barnwes and Noble, it was a go. My rationale for acquiring this book was first and foremost the scenario ideas, and then the possibility that it might prove useful should I be able to interest either or both of my two grandsons in the Hobby a few years hence.

Needed some more card decks for To the strongest! with different backs, and at 25% off...

Ditto!

Guerrillas from the Brigade Games order, taking full advantage of their Black Friday sale!

Un poco Guerillas mas!

Spanish Dragoon command, newly released at Fall In!

Enough Dragoons for a 2nd unit, in different poses.

Enough Spanish Line Cavalry for a 2nd unit, but still awaiting release of their Command pack.

Garochista Lancers x 6... also awaiting release of command figures.

Cannon from Brigade games - 2 x 12#, 2 x Howitzers, 4 x 6#

2 more sets of Artillerymen were also acquired.

Caballos!

From the Old Glory order. When I was perusing the OG site, I stumbled upon a listing for "Three Brown Polyurethane Rocks", painted for $50. With the Army Card discount, that's just $30, or about 7.50 each. Sold!

While obviously intended for Skirmish gaming in the American Southwest, I intend to use them for Hill terrain for my Chariot era armies. The bright blue "water" will probably be replaced with black or dark brown.

These will fit in one or two 6" boxes for To the Strongest!

OG order - these ECW troops, mostly in Montero caps, will be used to add some scruffy, raw units to my ECW collection, in anticipation of the release of Simon and Andrew's ECW rules. Brent Oman's Field of Battle based ECW rules are also due out soon, and they will work just as well with that, too. I may need to add a bit more cavalry as well. My Card doesn't expire for another 2 months. Hnmmm...

A minor expansion for the anti-Egyptian alliance, plus some (Blue Moon) carts... about $12.50 each with The Card. What might I have in mind for those?

PAINTING:

January 2017

16 British Hussars (Old Glory) 160 pts

Total 240 pts

February 2017

24 Canaanite Spearmen (12 rehab, 12 new) (? Foundry) 90 pts

1 Sphinx 30 pts

24 Spearmen (rehab) (? Foundry Hyskos) 60 pts

12 Bowmen (rehab) (? Foundry ? Hyskos) 30 pts

8 Slingers (rehab) (? Foundry) 20 pts

27 Hitite Axemen (rehab) (? Foundry) 68 pts

8 KGL Light Cavalry (Old Glory) 80 pts

Total 378 pts

March 2017

9 Assyrian LC (BTD) 90 pts

10 Canaanite Chariots (Rehab) 175 pts

2 new Canaanite officers 10 pts

9 Jugs

8 Prussian Landwehr Cavalry (Old Glory) 80 pts

Total 355 pts

1st Quarter Total = 973 points

April 2017
None completed

May 2017
Assyrian HC (Foundry) 6 figures = 60 pts
Assyrian Heavy Chariots (Hinchliffe) 4 = 220 pts

June 2017
Palmyran Archers (Old Glory) 12 = 60 pts
4 Units Imperial Roman Infantry (Black tree Designs) 48 = 240 pts

July 2017
Sassanid Archers 24, Sassanid Spearmen 24, Sassanid Leaders 4, Sassanid Kataphtactoi 6, Roman Auxillia 12, Palmyran Archers 12, Palmyran Regular Light Cavalry 8, Roman Archers 12, Palmyran Irregular Light Cavalry 8, Palmyran Leaders 4, Imperial Roman Generals 6 = 720 pts

August 2017
Tehenu Libyan Archers and Leaders 30, Philistine Javelinmen and Leaders 30 = 300 pts

September 2017
Spanish Napoleonic Line Infantry "Valencia" 18 = 90 pts

October 2017
Spanish Napoleonic Line Infantry "Reina", Burgos", "Guadalajara", 54 = 270 pts

November 2017
Voluntarios de Madrid (Militia), Voluntarios de Navarra (Militia), CVazadores "!st barcelona", Cazadotres "Gerona" 72 = 360 pts

December 2017
Voluntarios de Castilla (Line), Ordones Militario (Line), Sevilla (Line), Converged Grenadiers (72), Roman Legion (12) = 420 pts

4TH QUARTER TOTAL: 1,050 pts

3RD QUARTER TOTAL: 1,110 pts

2nd QUARTER TOTAL: 580 pts

1st QUARTER TOTAL: 973 pts

2017 TOTAL: 3,713 points

I'd say 4,000 points is probably about the most I could ever do in a year. There was no painting in April as that was the month that my office moved and I had to crash learn and transition to using a new Electronic Health Record in the office. As I knew from the first time I implemented a new EHR 10 years ago, it took 6 months for my hours worked to return back down to normal. No wonder most physicians have a love/hate relationship with their EHR's! Even better is that I get to do it again in 2 months... ugh!

GAMES:

January - March 2017 - nil.

April: Ran Egypt vs Assyria with To the Strongest at HAVOC, Ran and played in Grossbeeren 1813 at HAVOC with Snappy Nappy, Assisted with and played in 1809 Italian Campaign in a Day with Snappy Nappy

May: Battle of Fitchwoods from our Lannes Napoleonic Campaign with Field of Battle, 2nd ed.

June: None

July 2017 (Historicon) Ran Palmyra vs Sassanids with To the Strongest!, Ravenna 1512 with Hostile Realms, Raab 1809 with Field of Battle 2nd edition, Egypt vs Assyria with To the Strongest!; played in Reichenberg using Piquet: Cartouche

August 2017: Ran/played in The Alliance of Baal with To the Strongest!

September 2017: None

October 2017: Lessie's Moor with For King and Parliament! (final playtest version)

December 2017: None. I was scheduled to run a big Ancient game for Jared's middle school game club in early December, but we got snowed out. Now reschedule for January.

TOTAL: 10 games played and/or run. Still under goal of 1 per month.

Our good friends love history and thus "get" my hobby, so when they saw the local hobby store was selling off their inventory of Ospreys at a steep discount, they stepped in! This looks quite interesting from skimming through it already.