Another visit with Scott Leach and his miniatures.

 

As part of getting out and returning  to normal Janine and I went up to Gloucester Massachusetts to visit out friends Scott and Arlene.  Many of you may have visited Scott's old blog, "I like the Things I Like" (http://ilikethethingsilike.blogspot.com).  Scott introduced me to painting military miniatures years ago and we were active in reenactment groups.  He is one of my oldest friends and a great painter of toy soldiers!

Here is a view of the last time I visited:

https://bravefusiliers.blogspot.com/2019/05/a-visit-with-scott-leach-and-his.html

Scott works mostly in 54mm figures or larger.  He buys a lot of plastic figures as well as old Britain's which are in broken and chipped states.  He repairs and reprints them.  All are done in a toy soldier look which is very appealing.  For paints he mostly uses craft paints from the local hobby store like Micheals.

Here are a number of Second Empire French, Prussian and Austrian regiments:

The French:

Austrians:

Prussian:

He recently started working on War of 1812 at New Orleans:

And some Seven Years War flats:

And a few October Fest figures and Mrs O'Leary and her famous cow!

In addition to having fun with miniatures we made sure to get outside and went for a walk on the beach and later in the woods.  We took our Yorkshire Terrier Fritz and he had the time of his life running and playing and being dog like.  He also needed to get out.

A most fun day was had by all.

Club Game Night!

Our first "Game Night" for the club in over a year!   

It was great to see all the guys and get together to roll dice and play games.  The room was double sized and masks were required by the hotel. Twenty members of the club showed up for the night.

 At a club game night there are three games put on.  This gives everyone a chance to play in a game they  may like.  

And there is usually a wide variety of games of all different periods.

Here's the line up for the night.  Write ups were from the game masters about the game they put on.

GM: Phil Hammond

Battle of of North Anna at Jericho Mills - Virginia May 23, 1864 

Scale: 15mm   Rules: Fire & Fury Brigade 2.0

As Lee and Grant did their dance south along the rivers of Virginia in what would become the Overland Campaign; each time Grant sought a way around Lee to sever his line back to Richmond the wiley old general found the means to beat Grant to the next stop and lay in another defense.  That strategy almost failed Lee at the river crossings on the North Anna where Gouverneur Warren's V Corp managed to cross the river at Jericho Mills unmolested. As all good deeds do get punished, V Corp decided to bivouac instead of press the advantage they had gained which led to Confederate skirmishers discovering Union troops in force across the river. Very soon the battle would be joined and Warren's men would find them between a rock and a hard place (the river). 

As Union Commander will you get to press your advantage in the face of growing resistance?  Or as the Confederate Commander tasked by General Longstreet to 'handle this problem' will you give the Yankees the push they need to take a swim in the North Anna?  The OB is semi historical to allow for a bit more 'contact' on both sides. Read that as some fun with the boys!

GM: Mike Bailey

Cruel Seas 

 An American tanker in the Mediterranean developed engine problems and fell behind the rest of the convoy. Temporary repairs got them going again, and some PT Boats were assigned to escort them to safety, but some nearby Axis boats are closing in for the kill. There is room for three Allied players and three Axis players. Both sides will have targets for their torpedoes.

                    

GM: AJ Wright

Wild West - Colt Express (boardgame).  

Something different for a Friday night!

 Train robbers, a Marshall, shootouts, gold to be had......the Wild West at it's best.

Next club meeting will be June 18.

Brigade Games King Philips War figures

 

I have made the jump into a new period.  I just got my first order from Brigade Games King Philips War range of 25mm miniatures.  These include King Philip himself, three packs of Pilgrims type militia and three packs of Wampanoag Indians.  Interestingly I traded with one of guys in our club a Rev War infantry regiment to pay for these.  So, it sorta free.  Thus will not be a big period for figures.  I plan on adding a small troop of mounted Pilgrims and some praying Indians to assist the settlers.

In ordering the King Philips War deal I got the three packs (15 figures) of the Pilgrims...

...And three packs (15 figures) of the Wampanoag Indians.

...and King Philip (Metacomet) himself.  Interestingly the figure has him armed with his war club.  The actual artifact is in a local museum near where I live.

Brigade games are the only manufacturer to make figures for this time period.  I suspect you could use English Civil War for the setterlers.  In fact I have to look through lists for these figures as I will need both male and female civilians to add to thus collection.  

The figures are nicely done and arrived with little clean up needed.  Just mount them on my painting sticks and prime and I am ready to go.  

Stay tuned for more!

King Philip War Reading List

 If you are interested after reading my series of posts on King Philip's War of learning more about it here are a number if books which I found very helpful.  There are a lot of books out there but to get a grasp of the conflict and learn more about it as a wargames possibility I would highly recommended these. This list isn't exhaustive but will give you a good working knowledge of the period.

King Philip’s War: The History and Legacy of America’s Forgotten Conflict by Eric B. Schultz

One of my very favorite books.  It gives the reader a good introduction to the war, and summaries of the major battles.  For the miniature wargamer its a good mine for possible games.  In addition if you want to take a field trip and visit these sites you learn about what is there today.  

Flintlock and Tomahawk: New England in King Philip’s War by Douglas Leach 

The classic history of the war.  Although written In 1958 the research has stood the test of time.  Its a good read and its still the standard military history. Because of its age the authors language can be a bit jarring to a modern ear as he is decidedly not politically correct.  Once you get past that its a great book.  

The Skulking Way of War: Technology and Tactics Among the New England Indians by Patrick M. Malone.

 A short book and easy read it covers the details about the technology and tactics of the forces involved. Given the treatment that King Philip’s War often gets we are indeed lucky that we have such a focused analysis for the period.  This is just the sort of thing that you need to get a good feel for your game!

Conquering the American Wilderness: The Triumph of European Warfare in the Colonial Northeast by Guy Chet.

This book contains only a single chapter on the war but it is outstanding.  if you want an honest  evaluation if both sides military forces thus is the book.  He points out the positive and negative of both sides;  their strengths and weaknesses.  There is a lot if myth busting here.  And some icons like Benjamin Church are questioned and possibly brought down a peg.  Revisionists?  Possibly, but its well thought out and honest and very worth your time to read.  Provides a good guide for a balanced force and how to rate your soldiers and  natives.

 Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick

I found the Mayflower to be dived into thirds as far as story telling and contents go.  The first third of the book is a history of not only the first fifty years of the Pilgrims settlement in Massachusetts.  The first third of the book is about who they were and why they came to America.  The next third is how they settled and adjusted to life in the wilderness.  It also goes into their inter actions with the Native peoples and how both sides looked to the other to establish dominance over the area and the other people living there.  Finally the last third is a brief history of King Philips War 1675-76.  Possibly one of the most destructive wars in our history and one of the only times the Native peoples could have pushed back the invasion of Europeans.

King Philip's War 1675 - 1676:  America's Deadliest Colonial Conflict by Gabriele Esposito

This new Osprey book  is a great history of a forgotten conflict.  The war between the New England colonies and the Native Peoples was the single most destructive war in our countries short history.  Nearly half of all European settlements were destroyed.  The Narragansett, Wampanoag and many smaller tribes were destroyed.  Yet for all its harshness and destruction its a fascinating topic and part of the history of the area where I live.  

Arms and Armor in Colonial America, 1526-1783 by Harold Peterson.

Much more then you will ever need about weapons in colonial America.

The Sudbury Fight as a wargame

 

I think the Sudbury Fight could make a interesting  game.  You would not need hundreds of figures, but you would need to spread out and have a couple tables.  Although it was fought in King Philips War (1676) the flint lock smooth bore muskets used were standard through the French and Indian wars and up through the War of 1812 and slightly beyond.  Adapt for your chosen period!  The game I am suggesting here is not a exact recreation of the fight.  More a flavor and highlights of the actual event.  After all we are looking for a fun game.

    Possible layout for center with garrison house and
other buildings and fields.

For set up I would suggest a very large table or two or three smaller tables that connect with roads.  In the center should be the table with the garrison house.  This sould be a large building.  They were reinforced to make them almost bullet proof and supplies of weapons and ammunition stock piled within. The various civilians taking refuge in the house assisted with loading weapons.  Thus enabled a small group of defenders to maintain a Hugh rate if fire.   They were difficult if not impossible to capture by assault.  One house held out for three days against constant attack until a mounted militia group arrived to drive off the attackers.  This is where the the residents of the town ran to.  Around it may be barns, other smaller houses and fields.  These were abandoned and the native forces could get victory points for their destruction.  To the table west (left) of the house should be two large hills which the road runs through and heavily wooded.  To the table east (right) of the house should be a river with a sturdy bridge.  Remember the native forces did not destroy the bridge.  Mixed in should be woods, wet lands bordering the river and lots if good places to hide figures and set up ambush.

Have plenty if woods and hills to set up ambush.

Militia marching to the rescue would have to cross river and exit off end if table to reinforce the garrison house.

How many figures do you need?  Estimates are 500 or so followers of King Philip.  the Sudbury garrison had about 60 to 80 militia and civilians.  During the fight various reinforcements tried to come to the rescue.  There were the 11 men from Concord;  two different troops of horse of about 18 or so came from the east and from the west;  Wadsworth's and Brocklebank's command from Marlboro of about 50 men; Captain Mason with about 80 men from Watertown (east) and finally Captain Hunting's company of militia and praying Indians from Charlestown arriving near evening.  That gives you three good sized infantry commands, two cavalry commands and the 11 men from Concord.  I would not worry over much about exact numbers.  The Native warriors should have almost double the colonists numbers.  

To start the game you could have the colonists hold up in the garrison house or retreating to it.  The players for the Native American' s place their forces about the table.  The colonists reinforcements must roll for which turns they enter and which direction they will come onto the board.  So make sure you have a good number of roads!  the idea here is to have various commands entering randomly and from different directions.  Waiting for them will be King Philips warriors.  The object for the colonists would be to rescued the garrison house and drive the invaders off.  The native warriors want to kill as many colonists and destroy the village.  Assign points for various activities.  Its possible that both sides achieve their objective and both could win.

At present I have ordered figures for this conflict but I have not yet started painting.  So it may be a while before I can actually fight this out on my table top. I am actually hoping to run this as a club game night in the fall.  But should any of you out there try this (no matter the time period) I would be delighted to hear from you. Best of luck 

The Sudbury Fight Sites today

  There is very little today of the Sudbury Fight.  The area has been built over but there are a number of markers where buildings were located.  The site of the Green Hill fight is now a very upscale and crowded neighborhood who's people will get rather upset with you if you tramp through it near or on their land. And the Sudbury police just want to test you for drinking or drugs if you explain you are looking for the 1676 battlefield.   The Sudbury river has been famed and tamed and the wet lands filled in and cultivated.    In other words it looks nothing like it did in 1676. 

  But if you know where to look it can be a fun day.  The text description here is from the book "King Philips War:  The History and Legacy of Americas forgotten conflict. ". This is a outstanding book.  Good summary of the war and individual battles. If you want to trace the battlefields and what is located there today thus book tells you.  Highly recommended!

Haynes Garrison house; 

The site of the Deacon Haynes garrison House is on Water-Row Road, about two-tenths of a mile north of Old Sudbury Road (Route 27). The house was situated about fifteen yards from the road, facing south. It survived the Sudbury Fight, only to be demolished sometime after 1876. The cellar hole of the garrison is still visible.

John J. McCann, a Sudbury resident who was born in the Haynes garrison in 1860, remembered that “the rooms on the second floor toward the hill were bricked about four feet high, between the outer and inner walls” to keep the Indians from shooting those sleeping."

Goodenow Garrison House:

A state marker at the intersection of Old County Road and the Boston Post Road (Route 20) designates the site of the Goodenow garrison. The marker reads: THE GOODENOW GARRISON HOUSE PORTION OF THE GOODENOW GARRISON HOUSE IN WHICH SETTLERS TOOK REFUGE FROM KING PHILIP’S INDIANS DURING THE BATTLE OF APRIL 18–21, 1676. The house was standing as late as about 1815, but was moved or destroyed shortly thereafter.

Noyes’ Mill:

The site of Noyes’ Mill is marked on Route 20, west of Concord Road, near the present-day Mill Village shopping center. The marker reads: HOPBROOK MILL TO THE LEFT IS THE SITE OF HOPBROOK MILL, ERECTED IN 1659 BY VIRTUE OF A TOWN GRANT TO THOMAS AND PETER NOYES, “TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A MILL TO GRIND THE CORN OF THE SETTLERS.” IT IS NOW THE PROPERTY OF HENRY FORD. 

Sudbury Fight Marker and Green Hill Fight:

Wadsworth, Brocklebank, and twenty-seven of their men were buried in a mass grave described by Alfred Serend Hudson as about six feet square “in which bodies were placed in tiers at right angles to each other.” The spot was marked by a heap of stones, in part to deter wolves. In 1852 the remains of these men were excavated and moved fifty feet north to the site of a new monument. A state marker at Boston Post Road (Route 20) and Concord Road designates this memorial, which is four-tenths of a mile north on Concord Road at the Wadsworth Cemetery. The marker reads: SUDBURY FIGHT ONE-QUARTER MILE NORTH TOOK PLACE THE SUDBURY FIGHT WITH KING PHILIP’S INDIANS ON APRIL 21, 1676. CAPTAIN SAMUEL WADSWORTH FELL WITH TWENTY- EIGHT OF HIS MEN. THEIR MONUMENT STANDS IN THE BURYING GROUND.

The Wadsworth Monument and Grave:

The monument itself sits toward the back of the cemetery and reads: THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS AND THE TOWN OF SUDBURY IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF THE SERVICE AND SUFFERINGS OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE STATE AND ESPECIALLY IN HONOR OF CAPT. S. WADSWORTH OF MILTON CAPT. BROCKLEBANK OF ROWLEY LIEUT. SHARP OF BROOKLINE AND TWENTY SIX OTHERS, MEN OF THEIR COMMAND, WHO FELL NEAR THIS SPOT ON THE 18 OF APRIL 1676 WHILE DEFENDING THE FRONTIER SETTLEMENTS AGAINST THE ALLIED INDIAN FORCE OF PHILIP OF POKANOKET 1852

 Samuel Wadsworth’s stone, set up in 1730 by his son, Benjamin (then president of Harvard College), was moved with the bodies to the base of the new monument. It reads: CAPT. SAMUEL WADSWORTH OF MILTON, HIS LIEU. SHARP OF BROOKLINE, CAPT. BROCKLEBANK OF ROWLEY, WITH ABOUT TWENTY-SIX OTHER SOLDIERS FIGHTING FOR YE DEFENSE OF THEIR COUNTRY WERE SLAIN BY YE INDIAN ENEMY, APRIL 18TH 1676, & LYE BURIED IN THIS PLACE