Regimental Fire & Fury ACW (1): Gettysburg - Little Round Top

Vincent's Brigade holds Little Round Top (Vincent being the lone commander figure atop of Little Round Top, with sword posed heroically aloft). Chamberlain the "Gallant" [F&F Regimental terminology] Commander of the 20th Maine (Union troops below on the far Right Hand Side) faces the onrushing Confederate hoard and their terrible Rebel Yell.

"Today sir you are the leftmost unit of the Union line. Today sir you must be stubborn, for if you fail the Union line will be flanked". No pressure then! A slightly wider picture of Little Round Top is seen below.

The Union stand fast, hold their fire until they see the "whites" of their enemy's eyes and roll a 10! Devastating fire yes as two stands of Confederates fall, but the 20th Maine immediately go "ammo low" (with no chance of replenishing during the scenario, which has to last another six turns). They don't like making it easy for you in the Union Army.

The first Rebel charge is successfully checked but there will be more to come. The wider battlefield picture (below) shows the disjointed Union line. The fortified defence of Little Round Top by Vincent's Brigade  is rather compromised by their supporting brigade's forward line of deployment. Already the Rebels see and seize the opportunity. 

The Rebels commit to another frontal assault.

They face Veteran Union infantry who take aim and hope to emulate their friend Chamberlain.

Gawd don't press that button

As per the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, don't press that button which says "Don't Press Me".

Much to my consternation I did and I don't think I will ever get my "original style" settings ever back again. Let me know if you find the blog hard to read. The digital content may be too high for people with low connection speeds etc.

I did try something called "Dynamic" settings and that was a media blitz of epic proportions, which was great to look at it (if you could handle and see all the pictures).

I was also looking at the "monetise your blog" option and thinking was it worth it? Does it spoil the read of it and do you actually generate anything worthwhile in the income sense. I'd appreciate your opinions/experiences.

Anyway this is really a test to see if I can still post to my own blog!

Renaissance Reinforcements (4): Germanic Men-At-Arms basing the Horses and Riders

From individual stands to group base:

A "Can you spot the difference" photograph?

Next: Texture base, paint and add a little flock.

Return of the Painting Tray

Not only return of the "painting tray" but the "painting tray" has been allocated a spot in the main house ... STOP PRESS ... !!! Plenty of space for models (notice TWO HMS Hood's, one metal and one plastic, and a collection of "H" Class RN destroyers in 1/1200 scale, and two Impetus bases of Germanic "Men-At-Arms" 28/25mm), paints and brushes. All illuminated by overhead halogen light which managed to "blow a fuse" four nights ago.

Admittedly the painting area has an effective "cloak of concealment" (i.e. a quick close the writing desk and nobody would guess at the existence of my hobby, bar the "quirky" library, not many Dan Brown novels there!). Meanwhile here's a sneak preview, see below, of my 25/28mm Germanic "Men-At-Arms", painted and part based (they still need a little paintwork and flocking on the bases).

The "man cave"is not as remote as before, so there are interruptions but it is much warmer and I get more cups of hot tea delivered. Look carefully (see below) and you should be able to see the lower hull of HMS Hood in 1/200 scale and Charles V Holy Roman Emperor (HRE) in 28/25mm.

My work can be scrutinised by wife, children and cat (sometimes the latter is more interested). The Royal Navy is in town, 1/1200 (darker grey) plastic Airfix "Sink the Bismarck" kit in front of a "newspaper special" metal kit. The destroyers are Argentinian copies of the ubiquitous RN "H" class purchased amongst a random lot on eBay. The intention is to use six of them them back as RN destroyers escorting the "Mighty Hood" and "PoW" as they head towards the Denmark Strait.    

The final chap to show you is an old friend:

"Maurice the Spy", aka Airfix Lysander passenger, under-coated and base-painted but waiting for that loving mid/highlight as he runs for his life away from the Gestapo or jealous French husband.

Rest assured the above tidiness is long since a thing of the past ;)

My Second Battle of Impetus: Gripping Finale

The table was now aligned east-west, with "pike" bearing down on cavalry from the north and cavalry riding at "shot" in the south.

Your classic spinning top battle, with clockwise rotation. The cavalry struck first (see below)

But miraculously the cavalry attack was bounced, the "fire-sticks" worked, and the cavalry (with genius general attached retreated back) whence it came (as seen below, moving with the assistance of the god-like hands of a nearby helpful spectator.).

Ego hurt and abashed, unit damaged but a flip-flop move to use to his advantage the general spurred his cavalry back in for more.

Lady luck smiled beguilingly at the genius general, but shook her head for a second time they were sent reeling back. This time hurt and disordered in front of an angry charging block of pike (see below).

Crunch! Disordered pike or not they were still very, very deadly. What's more as the general's unit evaporated in chaos and disorder, fleeing is all directions he was thrown from his horse and slain cruelly beneath a Landsknecht's boot. A roll was needed, the disaster total for the cavalry army was now ten, still insufficient to break it but the effect of the loss of the general on his army could cause them to lose heart.   

Fate again was disdainful to the pitiful pleas of man, but this time to those of the Landsknecht's, as the cavalry army did not even notice the passing of this would-be Alexander. Time was pressing and the club's doors were closing but one last turn was played.

The hammerhead fell upon an isolated unit of "shot" (see above: the cavalry was where the damaged unit of "shot" had been). The critical break point in my army was reached. The full turn had still to be played out though, a draw was technically possible, my pike did have a slim chance of contacting an enemy unit and therefore breaking the cavalry armies cohesion too, but alas my discipline rolls failed to get me into contact my and instead my pikes were lowered in submission to parley.

Despite losing it was certainly an enjoyable game. Given the age (young teenage) of my experienced opponent I only hope he wasn't too tired for school in the morning. If only his history teacher knew what he had done the night before.

:)

My Second Battle of Impetus: The "Pike" Rebound and the "Big Gun" copis it

While horse flesh clashed on the hill, as my mighty knights/Men-At-Arms tottered, the Renaissance Pikemen were finally driven with renewed frenzy and rushed headlong at the enemy camp (this reversal in fortune was partly assisted by readily needed coaching tips from the sidelines, as gamers from other finished games of Impetus gathered, drinks in hand as spectators to this battle).

Multiple successful rolls of discipline and a disdainful attitude to the inevitable disorder amongst the packed ranks, the pike steamroller drove all the way across table, scattering a pitiful skirmish formation (a mere "speed bump" as chronicled by the now drunken spectators) and clattered into the enemy camp. Now you see it (above) and now you don't (below):

The thought of fierce Pikeman adorned with plundered frilly cavalry pantaloons and breeches caused much amusement to the throng watching. Within the space of five minutes the disaster scores had evened out to a more balanced (3 + camp=3 + skirmishers=1) seven/ten (I too had lost a lowly skirmish unit=1 + existing nine).

The pike were not finished yet, they about faced to support the sister pike formation intent on skewering some cavalry. I must admit the thought of pike chasing down horse did seem a little unlikely or strange, but this was an Impetus learning experience. Meanwhile I lined up my "shot" to defend my cannon against a cavalry charge from the hill (on reflection perhaps they should have reformed/moved with the pike).

The inevitable attack came from the hill, deft cavalry manoeuvring made short work of my bronze piece and I thought it was all over.

However adjudication from the side revealed that even with ten disaster points my army was not yet broke (there is a lot of value tied up in that pike and so far it was untouched). Game still on, but just another unit of shot would do for my opponent..  

Next: The Gripping Finale

My Second Battle of Impetus: The Darkest Hour

My camp gone (three disaster points accumulated), my artillery piece looking vulnerable and rampant cavalry in my rear at the hands of a genius commander. Meanwhile on the up-side I was killing his "stubborn infantry" [stubborn as in it negated my lovely cavalry impetus factors] but on the down-side it meant trading my valuable knights and Men-At-Arms in the process. Deep, large formations of Men-At-Arms are very impressive as they can transfer casualties to their rear ranks, keep the front rank fresh and keep going.  

What could go wrong next, apart from "shot" hiding in pike failing to come out which grinds the Renaissance killing machine to a halt for a couple of turns until things disentangle themselves (see below: the rather static looking pike formations below looking devoid of wings of "shot", all of which are hiding in the midst of the "pike", stopping them move). The cavalry formation on my 'baseline' where my camp was is definitely NOT friendly!. 

It is looking rather perilous for those knights/Men-At-Arms stuck on a hill, their rear exposed to the deep penetrating cavalry clump. Before they could be rounded on from the rear the knights expire the fighting infantry to their front, but at least my Men-At-Arms finally can some satisfaction and kill their tormentors, only to see a hoard of Cataphract cavalry come charging in (bows unslung for a stinging missile attack).

Told you so, the rear attack is lined up meticulously, despite their deep formation the Men-At-Arms are going, going  ...

Still going, going (Cataphracts to the front, medium cavalry to the rear), fighting bravely  ...

But finally "gone". I am at nine disaster points to my opponents three. My only hope is to get my infantry going fast rather than like at the dawdle so far, but is it all still too little, too late?

Next: Crunch of Pike