Saturday, September 11, 2021

They came from the Sea...

Well, actually, Czar Barry came from Maine for a visit 2 weeks ago, after visiting his parents, who still live in the area, so we played a smallish (for my table, anyway) game of To the Strongest!. 


He took took the Sea Peoples (left), whilst I took the Egyptians (right). 


Sea Peoples


CMD

Description

Save

Spec/Ammo

Pts

VMs

1

General, attach, mounted, Heroic

3+

Replay 

5

2

1

Light Chariots, Bow

8+

3

5

1

1

Light Chariots, Bow

8+

3

5

1

1

Light Chariots, Bow

8+

3

5

1

1

Command Cost, Medals



20

5


CMD

Description

Save

Spec/Ammo

Pts

VMs

2

General, attached

2+

Replay 

4

2

2

Peleset Javelinmen

7+

2

7

2

2

Peleset Javelinmen

7+

2

7

2

2

Peleset Javelinmen

7+

2

7

2

2

Peleset Bowmen

8+

6

7

2

2

Pelset LI Javelinemen

7+

2

4

1

2

Hero


Replay

1


2

Camp



1

3

2

Command Cost, Medals



38

14


CMD

Description

Save

Spec/Ammo

Pts

VMs

3

General, attached

3+

Replay 

4

2

3

Sardanna Warriors (deep) - Hero

7+


10

3

3

Sardanna Warriors (deep) - Hero

7+


10

3

3

Sardanna Warriors Veteran - Hero

6+


13

3

3

Command Cost, Medals



37

11


CMD

Description

Save

Spec/Ammo

Pts

VMs

4

General, attach, mounted, Heroic

3+

Replay 

5

2

4

Light Chariots, Bow

8+

3

5

1

4

Light Chariots, Bow

8+

3

5

1

4

Light Chariots, Bow

8+

3

5

1

4

Command Cost, Medals



20

5

115  points 35/3 VM = 12


Egyptians

Division Amun

CMD

Description

Save

Spec/Ammo

Pts

VMs

1

Att General Chariot Heroic Amun

3+

Replay

6

2

1

Light Chariots, Bow, Veteran

7+

4

6

1

1

Light Chariots, Bow, Veteran

7+

4

6

1

1

Light Chariots, Bow, Veteran

7+

4

6

1

1

Command Cost, Medals



24

5


CMD

Description

Save

Spec/Ammo

Pts

VMs

2

Att General, Heroic Div Amun

3+

Replay

5

2

2

Medium Infantry, Shieldwall

7+


7

2

2

Medium Infantry, Shieldwall

7+


7

2

2

Medium Infantry, 2 H Mace/Aaxe

7+


8

2

2

Medium Bowmen,

8+

7

7

2

2

Light Infantry - Bow/Sling

8+

3

4

1

2

Hero


Replay

1

-

2

Camp



1

3

2

Command Cost, Medals



40

14


Division Set 

CMD

Description

Save

Spec/Ammo

Pts

VMs

3

Attached General

2+


4

2

3

Medium Infantry, Shieldwall

7+


7

2

3

Medium Infantry, Shieldwall

7+


7

2

3

Medium Bowmen

8+

6

7

2

3

Light Infantry - Bow/Sling

8+

3

4

1

3

Hero


Replay

1


3

Command Cost, Medals



30

9


CMD

Description

Save

Spec/Ammo

Pts

VMs

4

Att General Chariot, Heroic  

3+


6

2

4

Light Chariots, Bow

8+

3

5

1

4

Light Chariots, Bow

8+

3

5

1

4

Light Chariots, Bow

8+

3

5

1

4

Command Cost, Medals



21

5

115 Points   34/3 VM = 12


The opposing Light Chariots skirmish on the flanks... as Light Chariots are wont to do! 


Czar Barry demonstrates the principles of Linear Warfare to the Sea Peoples army!


My Egyptians have advanced their Bowmen, hoping for a luck shot on the  deep Sardanna warbands. 


The Egyptians have taken out one of the enemy chariots, and have also managed to Disorder one og the Peleset Javelinmen units. 


On the other flank, the opposing side of the battlefield, the two armies trade Mummy jokes...
Q. How to brave Egyptians write?
A. With Hero-glyphics!       
        

Sardanna warbands advance!


Situation on the Egyptian Left.
Q. What did Pharaoh say when he saw the Pyramid?
A. "Mummy''s home!"                                               


Light Chariots shooting it out on the Egyptian Right.


Pharaoh supports a charge into the flank of a Peleset chariot. 


Overview of the Center of the Battle.


The Egyptians knock off an enemy chariot on their right flank as well! 


Sardana Warbands charge! The light infantry in the palm grove easily evade one change, but the second unit rolls right over its enemy, and then manages to turn to flank the Egyptian Center!
Q. How do you use an ancient Egyptian doorbell?
A. "Toot-and-come-in!"       
                                 

View from the Sea Peoples Left...


and from their Right.; they have managed to knock off an Egyptian chariot now!


Same from the Egyptian perspective.
Q. What's a Mummy's favorite kind of coffee?
A. "De-coffinated!"

On the Egyptian right, the flankers are now themselves outflanked! In the distance, an Egyptian chariot has slipped through and is riding hell for leather towards the Sea Peoples Camp (the boat on the baseline).


View from the Egyptian right. 


One Sardanna Warband charges a Light chariot, which deftly evades. The other turns to face the threat to its flank. 


Situation in the center; the Nubian arches have disordered some Peleset Javelinmen. 


Even with Pharaoh's help, the Egyptians can't seem to break the flanked Peleset chariot. 
Q. Why do women find Mummies irresistible?
A. "It's their Pharaoh-mones!"    
                     

More skirmishing with Javelins and Arrows. 


Situation of the Egyptian right; the Sea Peoples have taken out an Egyptian Chariot, but their Camp is looking very vulnerable!


View from behind the Sea Peoples Left; one of their chariots has given chase, trying to prevent the Egyptians from sacking their Camp! Meantime, another Sea Peoples chariot goes down in a tangle of horses, reigns and men. The warband gets distracted, charging after the light chariot yet again, which nimbly evades. The other lead warband decides to pull back. 


Situation from behind the Sea Peoples right.
Q. Do Mummies enjoy their un-life?
A. "But of corpse!"        
                   

Chariot face off on the Sea Peoples right.


The Sea Peoples camp falls to the dashing chariot; 3 Victory medals surrendered! 


View from the Sea Peoples left...


and from the right; two Peleset Javelin units are disordered and close to elimination!


A Sea Peoples Chariot (lead by a Heroic General) charges the flank of some Egyptians in Shield Wall. 


Lopts of units are close to being eliminated here (each "Scarab of Death" indicates a hit).


A Sardanna Warband is destroyed; 3 Victory Medals lost! 


Realizing the folly of trying to chase the light chariot, the Warband turns back towards the main battle, but another Light chariot unit is lost. 


Game over; a narrow win for Pharaoh's boys!
Q. Where do Mummies swim?
A. "In the Dead Sea!" 


I needed a couple of Sea peoples ships to serve as Camps for my Historicon games. There was little to find, so I went with this pdf downloads of :"Egyptian Fantasy Ships" for $1 from Wargames Vault. 


Of course, my Laser printer chose this job to run low on Yellow ink hence the purplish cast to some sections. I'll fix that with some old fashioned paint later.


After assembly (the masts are detachable), the ships were glued to foam board. 


Q. What did the mummy say when he was discovered?
A. “I’ve been seeing an archeologist lately, I think she really digs me!!”


The "sea" was created using Durham's water putt, then painted, stained, and dry brushed in shades of blue. . 


The "beach" is done pretty much like my desert basing.


OK, that's it for the Pun-ic Wars!  Anyway, it was great to see "Czar" Barry again, and share a game while we caught up. The Sea Peoples make an interesting opponent for the New Kingdom Egyptians. 


Tuesday, September 7, 2021

79th (Cameron) Highlanders

 The 79th regiment of Foot was raised in 1793 as the 79th Foot - Cameronian Volunteers, by Sir Allan Cameron of Erracht. It prompltly saw action in Flanders under the Duke of York in 1794, and was sent to the West Indies fromn1795 - 1797. It participated in the invasion of Holland (now the Batavian Republic) in 1799, and an unsuccessful attack on Ferrol in Spain in 1800. 



The regiment served in Egypt in 1801, entitling it to the Sphinx badge on its colors. In 1804 it was renamed the 79th Foot - Cameron Highlanders. It fought at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1807. 


In July of 1808, the regiment was part of the British force sent to Portugal under Sir John Moore, and fought at Corunna., after which it was evacuated along with the rest of Moore's army. It was sent to Portugal again  in January 1810, and fought in the Peninsula thereafter, including the battles of  Bussaco (1810), Fuentes de Onoro (1811), Siege of Badajoz (1812), Battle of Salamanca (1812), Siege of Burgos (1812), and the battles of the Pyrenees (1813), Nivelle (1813), the Nive (1813),and Tolouse (1814). 


The Cameronians took part in the Hundred Days campaign in Belgium and France, fighting at Quatre Bras and at Waterloo. Out of  675 men, 103 were killed, and 353 more were wounded; the regiment was one of only four specifically cited by Wellington in his Waterloo Dispatch. 


These are Old Glory figures, and hopefully the last regiment of Highlanders for me.. and though they do look grand with all the little details of Highland regiment dress, don't they?! 


"March of the Cameron Men"



Saturday, September 4, 2021

Renaissance Reconnaissance, Part 4 - Box #8 "Big Bang, Cheery!"

The Renaissance era saw the artillery become an essential part of the army for battles in the field, as well as vital for the conduct of sieges, which were numerous throughout the era.  To quote (totally out of context), my friend, Gavin Shanks, 

"Nothing says 'I don't love you" quite as well as a big explosion. Says it all, really!"


This box has about 70% of my Renaissance Artillery park. Guns at this time were anything but standardized in caliber, carriages, or anything else!


The ordonnance itself is an eclectic mix of Hinchliffe, Old Glory, Redoubt, and others! During the Great Italian Wars, the Marquis of Ferarra was especially well known for his fascination with cannon, and his substantial artillery arm contributed to the defeat of the Spanish at the Battle of Ravenna in 1512.


I count 16 guns and 51 crew; as you can see, I could use  more crew figures. Many manufacturers make few or no crew for this era. The crew figures are also Old Glory, Redoubt, and Hinchliffe... for the most part!


Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Libyan MI Javelinmen

 



They're baaaaaack! 


Those "locker room" Libyans in their towels and, er., well...  not much else!


The rank and file figures are Old Glory.

"Y - M - C - A!"


The green Micron pen was useful here!


"No if's, ands or butts?"


The Javelins were tricky to attach with super glue! 


Two of the command figures are by Newline Designs.