I have been trying, off and on to paint. With very little luck. My hand eye coordination is off nd and my brush huts my hand more then it does the miniature. Still, I have carried on and tried a little bit every other day
Still, at the end of a month's work I have finished painting these French chassaurs for Luazun's Legion. I still have to do the command figures and a couple more infantry but I am very excited I got these done.
On to the hussars next?
I set up a small game to test out my rules I posted about. Two units per side, with Pilgrim units walking into an ambush. I wanted to test out the rules and see how they work. So the actual set up was less important to me then seeing how the rules worked. I am looking for a simple but fast moving game.
Wampanoag Indians units:
Chanonchet commands one unit of warriors armed with muskets. Deployed in fields north of road.
Mudawamp commands one unit of warriors armed with muskets deployed in woods by road.
Settlers units:
Captain Winslow's company is first unit in column of militia and is armed with muskets.
Captain Atwood's company of volunteers are armed with muskets. They are just crossing bridge when ambush sprung.
Turn 1:
Indians roll for 1 operation
Pilgrims roll for 2 operations. They also rolled high so go first in turn.
Captain Winslow' company changes firmation and deployed to right and left of road. They fire at groups opposite of them. (this takes two operations) Chanonchet's warriors take four hits and Chanochet is killed! (group is in massed in open so easy target. After casualties roll d10 and a 10 equals leader killed) Mudawump's group in woods take one hit. Window's command's muskets are now unloaded. Atwood's company deployed into skirmish line behind ridge to support Winslow.
Wampanough's check morale. Chanochet's warband fails morale and routs. Philip attempts to rally them. Mugawump fires at column in road and hits five settlers. Winslow's command tests morale and routs back. (To test morale must roll d10 and add subtract modifiers.)
Turn 2.
Both sides roll a 1 for operations and each has only 1 operation this turn. The Wampanoag goes first.
The late Chonchet's warband Rallies from rout, but us still disordered. Mugawump's warband turn to face enemy to their right.
Atwood's command moves to top of ridge while Winslow's rally in place.
Turn 3
Wampanoag rolls 6 and gets 3 operations each this turn.
Chonchet's warband rallies, and charges Winslow's company on the ridge. Winslow is unloaded so cannot fire. Defeated in melees rout back.
Mugawump's warband fires at Atwood's company on the ridge and kills six figures. Atwood's return fire kills four. Atwood's company failed their morale test and routs!
Turn 4
Pilgrims race for the bridge. I could have continued the game and combined the two companies. But having my gotten a good sense of the rules, I decided to end game.
Conclusion:
Rules did what I wanted them to. A quick game with a good feeling for period. The rules worked well and play moved along at a quick clip. I learned not to be in formation in open when being shot at! I enjoyed them and looking forward to playing soon. But first, time out for a War of 1812 game up next.
I have been playing around with the rules I use for my King Philips War games. I am looking for a simple set of rules which gives a flavor if the period. Most English settlers were poorly trained militia. The better trained Rangers were few and came about late in the war. I call them volunteers to distinguish from militia. Indians were not supermen. If charged they tended to retreat and charged if it was to their advantage. In addition because they tended to avoid heavy casualties their morale was brittle.
I recently found a set of rules by Richard Barbuto on the The Lone Warrior site which looked good. After a few modifications on my part I will be giving them a try.
If interested in them here is a link to the original set called " From Bunker Hill to New Orleans. "
https://lonewarriorswa.com/complete-rule-sets
Of course I will be writing up a game using them soon.
Fighting King Philip
Organization:
All units of 8 - 12 figures. One figure in unit is A leader. All figures are individually mounted.
Each side gets 1 group leader or commander.
Formations:
Line: two ranks base to base.
Column: two figures wide three or more ranks deep. Only first two ranks can fire.
Skirmish Order: single line of figures all touching.
Open Order: single or two ranks. All figure spaces one figure apart. All can fire
Mass: group of figures as wide as deep. Only two ranks can fire.
Sequence of play:
Turns are UGIO. Roll dice for which side goes first.
Next roll D6 for each unit for side movin. This gives # operations for all units that turn.
Indians: 1,2=1 / 3,4=2 /5,6= 3
Militia: 1-3= 1 / 4,5= 2 / 6=3
Volunteers: 1,2=1/ 3-5= 2/ 6=3
Operations:
Move/change formation/change facing
Rally or reform
Load/ Fire
Movement:
Volunteer = 10" column/ 6" line/ 8" open order/ 10" skirmish order
Militia = 10" column/ 6" line/ 8" open order/ 10" skirmish or mass.
Indians= 12" skirmish order/ 10" mass
Terrain:
Roads: add 50% to move if start on road in column.
Hills: All movement up hill except in skirmish order is halved.
Open Woods: deduct 50% movement unless in skirmish
Thick woods: deduct 50% all movement.
Spotting in woods: stationary units spotted at 8"/ moving units or units that fired at 12". Cannot fire at target unless you can see them.
Fire Combat:
All firing is straight ahead. Routed or disordered units cannot fire unless rallied and reformed which takes two operations.
Target classes:
A: Formed Troops in open
B: Formed in woods/ skirmish in open
C: Formed in Thick woods/skirmish in woods
D: Skirmish in Thick woods/behind fence, breast work, low wall, etc...
E. Garrison house or Fort.
Roll D10 per figure firing. Match range to target and must roll that number or less to hit.
Firer. Range. A. B. C. D. E.
Militia 8". 5. 4. 3. 2. 1
Volunteer 8". 5. 4. 4. 3. 2
Indian. 8". 5. 4. 3. 2. 1
Bow. 4". 6". 5. 4. 3. 2
For each hit roll D10. On a roll of 10 unit leader is killed.
Charge:
Declare charge. Must be able to move to within 2" of target. Charging unit must be in good morale to charge. Note after melee charger is disordered.
Defender may fire if loaded, charged from front and passed morale check. Attacker checks morale if hit.
If charged home line up figures in formation they were in. May double up figures. Never more then 2 vs 1.
Roll D10 per figure fighting. Add subtract modifiers.
Modifiers:
Superior Leader with unit +2
Defending class D. +2
Defending class E. +3
Additional figure fighting +2
Non Indian charging. +1
Indian in skirmish formation charging +1
Indian in mass formation charging. +2
Figure disordered -1
Attacked from rear or side. -2
Note: in 2 vs 1 only one figure fights and gets +2. Second figure cannot be killed or withdraw but fights second round melee if survived.
Results:
In the case of two figures meleeing with a single figure. Only one of the two figures rolls and it gets the +2 bonus. That second figure does not roll, nor can it be killed or forced to withdraw. It is not a casualty (but would withdraw if the unit lost the morale check described below.)
If a figure’s die roll is twice that of his opponent, then the opponent is killed.
If a figure’s die roll is greater than his opponent’s, but not double, then the opponent withdraws one skirmish move, facing the winner.
If scores are equal, both figures maintain position for the moment.
When all the figures in contact have rolled, count up casualties for both sides (dead and retreats).
The side with the most casualties has lost.
Compare the number of casualties of both sides and apply the morale check results to the losing unit. e.g. if the winning unit had 3 casualties and the losing unit had 5, the difference is 2. The losing unit withdraws two skirmish moves (the surviving figures of the unit remain together.) The unit is disordered but faces its opponent
Morale:
Check morale if takes casualties, charged or charging.
Roll D10 to check must equal if lower to pass.
Volunteers 8
Militia 6
Indians in cover 8
Indians in open 6
Modifiers:
No leader -1
Each 2 casualties that turn -1
Disordered -1
Less then half strength -1
Charged in flank or rear -2
Indians charged -2
Higher level leader attached +1
In class D cover +1
In class E cover +2
Indians charging skirmishers. +1
Indians charging flank or rear +2
If fail check;
By 1 or 2: withdraw # operations that turn by skirmish move rate. Face enemy. Disordered. Takes one operation to reform.
By 3 or 4: withdraw # operations skirmish move rate. Back to enemy. Routed. Takes one operation to rally and one operation to reform. Two operations total.
By 5 or 6: withdraw # operations at skirmish move rate. Back to enemy. Permanent lost one morale level for rest of game. Routed. Takes one operation to rally and one operation to reform. Two operations total.
Good morning everyone! Checking in with my latest progress report. Met with the neurosurgeon the other other day. They say my skull fracture is healing and no sign of blood or bleeding which is great. Now they want me to met with a brain specialist. In the mean time I am scheduled to go into speach therapy and then physical therapy.
I am still getting head achs and dizzy spells and at times am light headed. Walking is unevan as I start to lose my balance or get unsteady and need help. Sleeping is difficult as I wake after a few hours and cannot get back to sleep. But I guess this is progress and its slow.
What am I doing to get through the day? Lots of Audible books of course. These are great as you can sit back and just enjoy. I am still limited in the time I can spend on a screen. Reading with print is ok, but screen time (computers, Kindle and tv ) has to be limited as after an period of time I get really bad head aches. This is letting me know I have to rest my brain. I have tried to paint some miniatures but I am having a difficult time doing that as my hand and eye coordination if off. So its more frustrating then helping.
I have been playing my map games from Command post Games/Pub Battles. These take about an hour from set up to conclusions and really divert my attention. I get to play a game and have fun while doing so.
Lastly, I have been thinking of some miniatures wargames ideas and rereading rule sets. I hope to set up and play a small table top game with my figures soon. That would be fun! One scenario I have been thinking of is how to do the War of 1812 battle of Stones Creek. This was a lopsided battle where a much smaller British force defeated a much larger American force. I think I may have come up with a way. We shall see.
Again thank you all for the kind words and comments sent here. I appreciate them and they do cheer me up greatly during those black dog days. Thank you!
First off, thank you all very much for taking the time to write and and leaving messages. These have cheered me up greatly and I appreciate all of you taking the time to write.
I am continuing my journey getting back on my feet. Although still resting and sleeping a lot I am starting to get up and walking about the house. A bit unsteady, and having to support myself but walking. Little tasks tire me out. And there is a round of doctors to see. My appointment with the neurosurgeon is in mid April, and I will be seeing a concussion therapist soon. Looks like physical therapy is in store too.
I discovered audio books! Because I have to limit my screen and reading time I have turned to audio books. I can down load them from the local library system and return when done. Presently listening to "Valiant Ambition" by Nathaniel Philbrick. I've finished "A Night To Remember" by Walter Lord; "Washington and Hamilton" by Stephen Knott and "The Man Who Captured Washington: Major General Robert Ross and the War of 1812" by John Mckavitt. Enjoyed them all and would be interested if any of you have any recommendations.
Again thank you for the notes and one wishes. They really do mean a lot.
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| Fritz wondering Where is Mark? |
On Sunday I had a serious accident at work. While working on our last flight of the shift I was getting down from a belt loader when my feet slipped on the sand and I went straight down backwards. I must have blacked out since there were a lot of people around me who are usually not on the ramp. I was dizzy and light headed and my back and neck were very sore and very disoriented. I was driven to a major Boston hospital's emergency room and checked out. After looking me over they said I was good to go. I was surprised they did no X-Ray. I went home still feeling dizzy and light headed and tired and sore. Next mornings Janine called my primary doctor to be checked out as I still did not feel well. I went there in the afternoon thinking there might be something wrong with my back. The doctor took one look at my eyes, which had dark rings around them like a raccoon and sent me to get a Cat Scan as well as some X-Ray.
The results are my back will be fine and no damage. But I have a concussion and a skull fracture. I must have hit my head on the ramp. There is no bleeding which is really good. I am scheduled for follow up exams and to see a neurosurgeon. Its not good, but it could be a lot worse.
I am not sure what the next four to eight weeks (recovery time) will be like. I am tired and am resting and sleeping a lot. While I can read I am told not to do so for long periods. Like thirty minutes at a time. Definitely no major physical activity. I have more of a pressure at times in my head, sometimes a dullness. And its a major effort to do anything. This post took a couple days to write. The picture above is our Yorkie Fritz. While I was in the emergency room (it was many hours) he kept going to the stairs looking for me to come home. This is where he great me when I come home.
I may not be posting regularly, or answering any replies in a timely manner. In fact my blogging over the next month will be irregular. I will post when I can. I am still here but a bit preoccupied.
Its winter in the north east and not much happening g outside. Most people and creatures are snuggled inside where its warm. But imagine my surprise when I looked outside and saw these creatures.
There are four of these dear that are in the woods around our neighborhood. I usually see them in the early morning (3:00 A.M.) on the way to work. But as of late we are seeing them in the day light. In the summer and fall we have a flock of turkeys. And there is a fox but I have get to get A picture. Some of the neighbors have mentioned a bear but I have yet to see it outside pictures.
UPDATE:
For those interested in the Bear I mentioned here is a news clip I found on Youtube. No, it not in my back yard but at least you get to see the fellow!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vxBbrRO3piA
