New project: 1776

 Although quite happy with my Rev War armies up to now something was missing.  Many of my favorite regiments took part in the early 1776 campaign around New York city, across New Jersey and ending with the battles of Trenton and Princeton.   In fact, this campaign has long held a fascination for me.  I have spent many happy hours reading about it;  and have visited many of the sites associated with it.  So, irrational as it appears I just had to raise a number of regiments to fight battles from this campaign.

  My long term plan is to start with the American regiments.  After all how can you war game this conflict and not have regiments like Haslet's Delaware or Smallwood's Marylanders in your order of battle?  I was fascinated by the fight at Pell's Point after reading a report by Colonel Lamomi Baldwin so I have to add Glover' s brigade too.

   Not to forget the Crown forces!  I wanted addition Hessian regiments.  Who better to add than Colonel Rall's hard fighting but doomed brigade made up of his regiment and the Knyphausen and Lossberg Fusilier regiments.  For the British a Grenadier and Light Infantry battalion is a must.  Finally a couple loyalist regiments in green coats (which is actually more correct for 1777).

For battles one could not do better then fighting Trenton after Christmas day.  Not a traditional holiday activity  for the entire family but let us start a new tradition!  Princeton is a under appreciated action that deserves to be on the table top.  The delaying action at Pell's point could be a very different game.  And of course the Battle of White plains for me is a must. Must buy lots of autumn colored trees!

 Figures will be from both Fife and Drum miniatures and RSM.  Both lines are very similar in size and shape and fit very well together.  In addition I would like to add a few Kings Mountain figures to my collection. Flags will be either  computer made or bought from GMB.  I like the paints from rapier I have tried recently so they are my go to paints for now.

  To fund the project I already have a number of unpainted castings I have recently discovered.  I also have unfinished projects I lost interest in years ago.  A few American Civil War (25mmm plastic and some metal), some 1859 and 1866  Austrians (25mm and 15mm) and other miscellaneous figures will be sold or traded for new lead.

Please stay tuned for his this project works out.

Game Night at the club

  I do not always mention the club game night.  This is because often i am having too good a time to make notes about the game or take pictures.  Such was the case last month when I played in a fast pace and fun civil war naval game.   This month it was just as fun but I did take a few pictures and notes.

  If you have not yet visited Ed Meuller's blog please do.  Ed combines a great sense of humor with extremely inventive wargame ideas.  These came together in a wickedly fun game, " Loot the Baggage Train. " .Or, as Ed himself said;  "Loot the Baggage Train!" (30 Years War): This game represents that moment so characteristic of this age when the lure of looting the baggage train overcame any interest in the battle. In this game, players will control a file of dragoons, Croats, or "Polish cossacks" as they all converge on a semi-abandoned baggage train. Loot the train; loot the other players. It's every man for himself: the player who comes away with the most swag, wins. 

  So it was everyman for himself and much dealing and backstabbing and bribery.  Each player has four figures.  Both a mounted version and dismounted version.  I commanded a file of German dragoons.  We all races about uncovering wagons and small cashed of loot.  When you arrived at a market on the table it might have swag, or it might have nothing.  Some markers contained a grenado, which could be more deadly to the thrower then the reciever.

The infamous granado

Tossing the granado into the open window

High point for me was discover a grenado.  I used this to race up to a house, and toss it through a open windown.  I was lucky in that it exploded in the house and not in my hand!  Sad to say no one was in the house and no loot was found.  

As to who won?  That was not the point of the game. All had a wonderful time with much laughter.  A perfect game night.  

My bag of swag

Mamacita and Old Squinty Eyes

What are you looking at?

  My daughter Alexandra did a art project years ago.  They were two watercolors of foxes who she named Momacita and Old Squinty eyes.  We have them framed in our living room.  And after all these years they still being Janine and I great joy.  In addition there is a fix who lives in the woods around the back of the house who we are sometimes in the late evening or early early morning.

 When I was adding farm animals to my table top scenery I noticed Warbases made foxes.  So I had to add them.  After all with all those chickens and geese two foxes could be very happy around here!

Geese, and chickens and sheep, on my!

  Continuing my theme of brightening the table top I have added more live stock to my farms.  I was inspired at Cold Wars by a Sharp Practice game by 95th Division which had many unusual items scattered about the table. George and I talked about it all the way back to the Boston area.

  Why geese?  Why not!  They get in the way of things.  They make a great swaking noise and look fun being scattered by cavalry.  While most of my birds are domestic, I have included two Canadian geese.  After all it is the Niagara campaign.

  You need sheep, and a shepard.  These are based on sheep at Old Sturbridge village.  Janine and I took our yorkee Fritz for a walk there last fall.  While he was fascinated by all the animals (and they him) he was particularly interested in the sheep.  So I added them to my farm.  The Shepard is from Hovels and his loyal dog sits by.  Look closely by the sheep and a rodent is scurrying away.

  The lady feeding chickens I saw on Der Alter Fritz's blog .  Reminded me of our farm program at Minute Man National Historical Park. We had period cows which we used to keep the grass down in the fields.  At the Hartwell Tavern we had period  chickens.  The figure reminded me of a couple of my seasonal staff.

  Lastly, we have the family cat.  Note he is hard at work keeping the local rodents away from the house!

  These were great fun to paint and will look good in the table.  Based on a suggestion here I will be putting on a game with small cavalry units chasing each other about and collecting "forage" to bring back to the army.  local militia horse will try to protect the locals.  The invading horse getg points running off live stock and damaging the farms of local malcontents.

 Figures were from either Hovel's or Warbases.  Great service and very reasonable priced.

Where are my followers?

  Not sure what has happened here.  I went onto my blog this morning and all my followers had disappeared!! Where there once had been a listing of kind souls who followed this humble blog were now a blank space of nothng. A black hole. Nothing!

  I am all alone. Please note picture of Mark pondering this mystery.

  So, if anyone can explain what has happened, and why I would be very grateful.  I have sent a message to blogger. It is a mystery to me.....

U.S. Regulars 1813

  Just finished a regiment of regulars for my War of 1812 Army.  These are from Brigade games and very nice figures they are.  They fit into my collection which is 90% Knuckleduster miniatures.  Similar pose, and slim figure.  The sculpting and details are very good.

 Since they are slightly different i wanted to make them visually different also.  I have my 1814 army;  so I painted these in the late 1813 uniform.  This has red collar and cuffs.  Not a major difference, but a difference still.

  The regimental colors are on order and have not yet arrived.  These will be from Flags of War.  Painting the figures I used my new Rapier paints.  These were recommended to me and I am extremely happy with them.  Nice flat finnish.  A great variety of shades and colors.  Highly recommended!

Fusiliers de Morliere part 2

  Corrected my error in not ordering enough figures.  Now I have finished the entire regiment and a splendid unit of light troops they are.  Very dashing and ready to cause trouble for the foes of France.