Hittite Refurb project: Chariots, part 1

 

I finally have the first units out from the refurbishment project of the rather large and diverse group of figures I acquired from the collection of the (sadly) late William "Bill" Mc Hugh about 18 months ago. 

The chariotry certainly has pride of place amongst these figures 

The painting on these was already very good, but they suffered considerable damage, with loss of crew figures, missing wheels, loosened yokes, etc, as well as loss of adherence to the basing (this is essentially the original basing, which I quite like, and it is atop flex steel). 

Bill hadn't painted the horse furniture consistently, however, so I needed to correct that on many of the models. There were six of what I have termed "Type 1" chariots like these, with a square, boxy, fairly plain cab. 

Here's the second pair of chariots.

I also added reins to the chariots. Now, they should really have 2 reins to each horse. Having done this before with some Assyrian 4 horse chariots, it looks good but it can be very fiddly. I decided that one reign to each horse would give the desired effect with half the fuss. 

I think it does the job acceptably. 

The reigns are made of dental tape, pre cut and painted an appropriate color with craft acrylic paint.

Most of these "Type 1" Chariots have 3 crew figures. Hittite chariot crewmen used spears and Javelins, rather than bows like the Egyptians. 

The third and final pair of chariots of this set. I don't think I'd like to have these guys thundering down and headed straight at me! 

I added some minor ornamentation to some of the cabs that lacked same. The reigns were attached to the drivers hands with super glue. This was allowed to sit for a few hours, and then the reigns were attached to the horses and the excess cut off. paper tape, from an old I/R 54mm Napoleonic set was used for my first chariots 3 decades ago, but I haven'/t been able to find anything like that. The dental tape works OK, but frays easily and sometimes resists taking paint well. 

Some minor touch up and detailing of a relatively small number of crew figures was needed as well. That's 6 chariots done, and 12 more to come!

The 300 Austrians, Redux!

 Regular readers may require the 300 odd Old Glory Austrian Infantry I acquired for $100 at Historicon 2011. Late last year I finally got around to cataloguing them and painting 5 units in  Helmet, and then earlier this year another 2 Hungarian units "casual marching".  To make the best use of the remaining figures required a few additional pack of Old Glory figures, which were dutifully acquired (with the 40% discount courtesy of the Army Card). With the approach of cooler weather, I decided that I should organize the figures into units and do all of the prep work and priming before winter sets in. It turned out that I had sufficient lead on hand to form 2 new units of  Grenzer, 2 units of Grenadiers, 6 units of  Austrian German Line in Shako Advancing, 5 units of Austrian German Line in Shako March-Attack (1 will be painted as Hungarian), and one 1 Line in Shako, Casual Marching. (to be painted as Hungarian as well) There were also 8 quite useful casualty figures, which I also prepped and primed. That's 296 in all (and there a re still a few more figures left over, including some foot and mounted officers that may well be drafted as commanders) 

Here's what almost 300 Austrians look like, ready for painting.  Hey, they're almost half done after being sprayed with  white primer! :-)

The second task was to figure out which units to paint, taking into account my already substantial collection of Austria Infantry. That lead to the following list and planning:

Existing Austrian Line (H = Hungarian) Facing Color/ Buttons Make Pose

IR# 25 Zedtwitz Sea Green Minifigs Helmet Advancing

IR# 22 Coburg Yellow Minifigs Helmet  Advancing

IR# 49 Baron Kerpen Light Grey Helmet  Minifigs Advancing

IR# 40 Graf Mittrowsky Crimson Helmet  Minifigs Advancing

IR# 4 Deutchmeister Light Blue Minifigs Helmet  March-Attack

IR# 9 Czartoryski Apple Green Minifigs Helmet  March-Attack

IR# 1 Kaiser Polish Crimson Minifigs Helmet  March-Attack

IR# 17 Furst Hohenlohe (Reuss-Plauien)  Helmet  Medium Brown Minifigs March-Attack

IR# 21 Gyulai Sea Green Old Glory Helmet  Advancing

IR# 59 Jodis Orange Old Glory Helmet  Advancing

IR# 10 Reiske Bright Green Helmet  Old Glory Advancing

IR# 15 Zach Red Old Glory  Helmet Advancing

IR#42 Graf Erbach Orange-Yellow Helmet  SashSaber March-Att

IR#38 Wurttemburg Rose Pink Helmet  SashSaber March-Att

IR#24 Baron Strauch Dark Blue SashSaber March-Att

IR#18 Reuss-Greitz Pompadour SashSaber March-Att

IR# 61 St. Julien (H) Grass Green* Minifigs Advancing

IR# 32 Esterhazy (H) Light Blue* Minifigs Advancing

IR# 58 Baron Beaulieu (H) Black* Old Minifigs Advancing

IR# 51 Baron Splenyi (H) Dark Blue* Old Minifigs Advancing

IR#31 Benjowki (H) Emperor Yellow* SashSaber March-Att - Shako

IR# 34 Davidovich (H) Crab Red* SashSaber March-Att - Shako

IR# 48 Vukassovich (H) Steel Green* SashSaber March-Att - Shako

IR# 53 Jellacic (H) Pompadour* SashSaber March Att - Shako

IR #12 Manfredini Dark Brown Old Glory Advancing
IR #21 Prinz Rohan Sea Green Old Glory Advancing
IR #30 De Ligne Pike Grey  Old Glory Advancing
IR #41 Kuttulinski Sulfur Yellow   Old Glory Advancing
IR #50 Stain  Violet  Old Glory Advancing

IR #39 Duka  (H) Poppy Red/silver buttons - Old Glory Marching, campaign - Shako
IR# 19 Alvinczy (H) Sky Blue/silver buttons - Old Glory Marching, campaign - Shako

Future units:

IR #2 Hiller (H(), Kaiser yellow/brass buttons, OG Marching, campaign, Shako

IR #62 Franz Jellacic (H), Grass Green/pewter buttons, Old Glory, Marching

IR #3 Erzherzog Karl Sky Blue,/pewter buttons, Old Glory Advancing

IR #8 Erzherzog Louis Poppy Red/brass buttons Old Glory Advancing

IR #11 Erzherzog Rainer Rose pink/pewter buttons Old Glory Advancing

IR #14 Klebeck Black/brass buttons Old Glory Advancing

IR #36 Kollowrat Gris de Lin (Lilac) /pewter buttons Old Glory Advancing

IR #54 Froon Apple Green/pewter bottons Old Glory Advancing

IR #26 Hohenlohe Bright Green/brass buttons Old Glory March=Attack

IR #29 Lindenau Light Blue/pewter buttons Old Glory March=Attack

IR #44 Bellegarde Madder Red/pewter buttons Old Glory March=Attack

IR 63 Bailet Light Brown/brass buttons Old Glory March=Attack

Grenzer

GR# 2 Octocaner Yellow Foundry

GR# 5 Kreutzer Bright Red Foundry

GR# 16 1^st Wallachian Bright Green Foundry

GR# 12 Deutschbanater Light Blue Essex

GR# 15  2nd Szeckler  Rose Red Old Glory

GR# 9 Peterwardeiner  Light Pike Grey  Old Glory

Future units:

GR# 3 Ogulin, Orange/brass buttons Foundry

GR #17 2nd Wallachian, white coats (Foundry OG, mixed figures) Parrot Green/pewter buttons

Grenadiers

1^st Grenadiers Grass Green* Minifigs Firing

2^nd Grenadiers Yellow (H) SashSaber March Attack

3^rd Grenadiers Light Grey Minifigs Advancing

4^th Grenadiers Red Minfigs March Attack

5^th Grenadiers Blue Minifigs March Attack

Future units:

6^th Grenadiers Orange Old Glory Advancing

7^th Grenadiers Pompadour (H) Old Glory Advancing

HI labeled each of the units (M1 = 1st unit in March-Attack pose), and painted the assigned facing color for that unit on the tongue depressors that I use to hold the figures during painting. 

C1 = Casual marching pose unit 1; both of these units will be Hungarian, so I painted on a line of Azure Blue to remind myself of that when it comes time to paint them! 

A = Advancing pose, G = Grenadier unit.

Z = Grenz unit, with a line of Brown to remind me this one gets brown coats. 

One of the Grenadiers will be Hungarian.

One of the Grenz units will have the white coats for variety. Note the casualty figures as well!

All packed up for storage until their turn on the painting table arrives!

Sir Henry Bard's Regiment of Foote

This regiment was originally raised as Colonel Thomas Pinchbeck's regiment of Foote in Northumberland. In May of that year it was sent from Newcastle's army to the King's army in Oxford. 

On September 20th, 1643 it fought at the First battle of Newbury, where Pinchbeck was killed. 

The regiment occupied Towcester in November and December of 1643.

These are Old Glory figures, in "Pike Forward" formation for Field of Battle, 3rd edition. 

Sir Henry Bard was made the regiment's new Colonel circa February 1644. he lost an arm at the Battle of Cheriton in March of that year. 

The remainder of 1644 saw the regiment in action at Cropredy Bridge (June), Lostwithiel (August), 2nd Newbury (October),  and ending the year garrisoning Campden House. 

 It fought at the Storm of Leicester (May 1645) and suffered severely at the Battle of Naseby (June 1645). Bard was an interesting character; he was widely traveled, spoke multiple languages, was educated at Eton, and died in a sandstorm in the Arabian desert in 1660, while he was acting as special ambassador from the still exiled Charles II to the Shah of Persia!

The regiment in "Shot Forward" formation for Field of Battle, 3rd edition

The regiment wore grey coats in 1644, and carried white flags with Red crosses surrounded with 4 crosslets as differencing emblems. Regimental history is once again from the British Civil War project. 

A Garden Party: Rome vs Later Macedon with TTS!

 

This past Saturday was a beautiful October day; sunny with highs in the mid 70's Some brief correspondence revealed that John was available for a "socially distanced" and masked outdoor game on the Patio. With such a game needing to be set up and taken down quickly, To the Strongest! was on tap once again, with the game providing an excellent excuse to put the mass of Macedonians painted in 2020 on the table at last! 

In setting up the game, I discovered that the latest TTS Army list book had what is now the third take on handling the elusive tactics of the Polybian Roman army,  called Quincunx formation. This is similar to the 2nd version, with the ability to exchange ranks, rally, and "reload" Pila all as a part of the same action, and being allowed in the ZoC of the enemy. The twist is that the Triari are now incorporated, making the Quincunx a Deep (3 hit) unit that also maneuvers as though it is a normal depth unit. To balance those advantages, the save was degraded to 7+ when the Hastati are in the front, and 6+ when the Princeps or Triarii are in front. The Triari can also detach on an easy activation. Still, the 15 point cost for a regular unit makes them pricey. 

In the event, John took the Macedonians and their phalanxes, whilst I commanded the army of the Republic. 

160 point armies, as follows:

ROME

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
1	Left Flank Cavalry - Marcus Atilius Regulus
1	General, Mtd, Heroic	3+	Replay	6	2
1	Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
1	Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
				24	6

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
2	Quintius Fabius Maximus
2	General, Heroic	3+	Replay	5	2
2	Legionaries Quincunx,  Legio IV	7/6+	Pila, exchng	15	3
2	Legionaries Quincunx,  Legio V	7/6+	Pila, exchng	15	3
2	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
2	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
2	Army Standard			2	1
2
2	Camp			1	3
				48	14

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
3	Legio I, II, III Sempronius Longus
3	General	2+	Replay	4	2
3	Legionaries - Quincunx Legio I	7/6+	Pila, exchng	15	3
3	Legionaries - Quincunx Legio II	7/6+	Pila, exchng	15	3
3	Legionaries Quincunx Legio III	7/6+	Pila, exchng	15	3
3	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	2	4	1
3	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	2	4	1
3	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	2	4	1
	Hero		replay	1
	Hero		replay	1
	Hero		replay	1
				64	14

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
4	Right Flank Cavalry- Gaius Terrentus Varro
4	General, Mtd	2+	Replay	5	2
4	Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
4	Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
	Hero			1
				24	6

VM 40/3 = 13

MACEDON

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
2	Left Center Infantry
2	General	2+	Replay	4	2
2	LI Bow/Sling	8+	3	4	1
2	LI Javelinmen	7+	2	4	1
2	Li Javelinmen	7+	2	4	1
2	Pike, Deep	7+	Pikes	13	3
2	Pike, Deep	7+	Pikes	13	3
2	Pike, Deep	7+	Pikes	13	3
2
2	Camp			1	3
				56	14

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
3	Right Center Infantry
3	General	2+	Replay	4	2
3	LI Bow/Sling	8+	3	4	1
3	LI Javelinmen	7+	2	4	1
3	Li Javelinmen	7+	2	4	1
3	Pike, Deep	7+	Pikes	13	3
3	Pike, Deep	7+	Pikes	13	3
3	Pike, Deep	7+	Pikes	13	3
3	Hero		Replay	1
3
				56	14

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
4	Right Flank Cavalry
4	General, Mtd, Heroic	2+	Replay	6	2
4	Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	11	2
4	Light cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1
				22	5

VM 39/3 = 13

Initial Deployment. as seen from the Roman lines. 

Situation, end of Turn 1; the Romans moved first, but my right Center command balked at advancing, playing an Ace for their Group Move attempt.  

End of Move 2: My left flank cavalry chuck Javelins at the Thracian Cavalry looking down upon them from the hill, who shrugged them off with ease. My right flank cavalry is trying to maneuver to outflank the Companions, and the Legions are shifting to the right; there are 5 Quincunxes and 6 Phalanxes; not good!  The Macedonians also have an extra light Archer unit. 

End of Roman Move 3 - My velites chuck Javelins at the Macedonian lights screening the phalanxes, but barely manage to eliminate a single Archer unit. My Cavalry gain the flank of the Companions, but are very vulnerable to themselves being outflanked!

End of Macedonian Turn 3. The Roman Oblique maneuver has lead to John sending his 6th phalanx to chase down by Heavy cavalry. That shouldn't work... should it? His Companions flank my right side Cavalry and inflict a hit, but are unable to activate again to charge them in the flank a second time!

End of Roman Turn 4 - My velites have pulled back so that my Legions can attack, but those subsequent activations fail. My cavalry fall back on both wings. John looks on, suitably masked etc. I am so used to wearing a mask for hours at a time at work now that I hardly notice wearing my own. It was so sunny and warm when I was setting up the dame that I am wearing shorts, a hat against the sun,  and a T-shirt myself! 

End of Macedonian Turn 4 - The companions have eliminated my Right Flank HC, one of his phalanx has eliminated one of my Legions, but another is driven back. Of course, now I remember that I once again failed to take the break tests  for units orthogonally adjacent to a destroyed formed unit!

 

End of Macedonian Turn 5 - my poor left flank cavalry is being pursued by huis cavalry and a phalanx - not good! An out of Command Phalanx ought to be darned hard to get to move... but not for John!  :-)

My leftmost Legion followed up on the battered phalanx, injuring it again, but John's spare phalanx has turned to flank me. "What doubly difficult maneuver? Need a 4+?  No problem, mon! 

End of Macedonian Turn 6, and the game, My remaining right flank cavalry unit rides down the Companions in a flank charge, and I eliminate the one battered phalanx and then nimbly turn to face off against the phalanx to my flank,  but all of my Legions are on the verge of collapse, most of my velites have been eliminated by enemy fire, and my left flank cavalry has been eliminated. Game over, man! It wasn't as close as it looks, with John still having 6 Victory Medals left at the end of the game!

    All in all it was a solid win for John and the Macedonians. My Legions didn't perform very well, but their Javelins and pila consistently missed, and my saves for the Quincuxes were abysmal. The pre-emptive strike of the Pikes in melee (if they hit you, you can't battle back, and they always go first... although the pila cast comes before that, for all the good it did the Latins in this game. 

    We started shortly after 1 PM, and with John's help, it was all packed away by 4 PM. This was the first FTF game I have run in almost a year! We may be able to mange one in the Garage in November some time; we'll see! After that face to face games are likely to out until at least April next year.