A Simple Game in Twenty Minutes

A small board means forces will close more quickly.  The "under 10 crowd" has neither the patience nor the knowledge for maneuvering.  They want to roll dice and pick their father's figures off the table. The rangers must be set up on their camp, with the exception of one sentry.  The Fox Warparty must enter as a group from random part of the board (d6 1-2 (L), 3-4 (C), 5-6 (R).

 



          One of the problems with not having a historical gaming club in my area (plenty of fantasy and 40K types at the local hobby shop) is that I really don't have anyone with which to play unless I head to the big conventions.  Fear, not for the Lord and my wonder wife have given me two gaming buddies that are slowly but surely coming along as historical gamers.  Games must be fast paced and simple, although my twelve year-old (the math whiz) now is capable of figuring our more complex tables and will be perfectly happy spending an entire evening with dice and rulers. The eight year old hasn't developed the patience as yet.  So this is a an example of a fast-paced easy to play game with d6 and playing cards.  With all the concerns about the "Graying of the hobby", my thoughts are that the best thing we can do is provide fast past games to get kids into the hobby (perhaps introducing them to the pastime at scout meetings, local festivals, and while dads are engaged at the big conventions).  The rules are simple:
            

Under-10 Quick-play rules

                                    Musket Range:  10 inches

                                    Movement:  Rangers:  4 inches, Fox:  6 inches

                                    Cover (Rock, Tree):  +1 to hit

                                    To Hit:  d6 4-6

                                    Wound:  Black card, Kill:  Red card  (two wounds = kill)

                                                     Wound results in  Half movement, -2 to melee

                                     Melee:  d6 (highest wins)

                                                    Tie: both fall back 2 inches.

                                                    If attacker loses, he is pushed back 2 inches

                                     Morale actions:  roll if 50% casualties 1-3 (must break off engagement)

                                     Win:  Rangers (hold camp), Fox (take camp)

The Fox split into two groups to surround the Rangers' camp.

The Rangers wisely take cover behind the rocks.

Initial volleys of musketry are ineffective, but at least one Fox warrior has closed to with hand-to-hand combat distance of a Ranger.

The Fox warrior on the cliff fires, and misses.

...but successfully rolls to jump and defeat a Ranger in hand-to-hand combat, while his fellow warrior has fallen to a Ranger tomahawk.  Another Ranger falls to a musketball, and their side must take a -1 to their initiative roll on the next round. 

Finally, the shot strikes home.  Despite two casualties, the Rangers not only roll higher for initiative, but also down two warriors on the east side of the camp.  The sentry to the northwest also drops one. With 60% casualties, this fight is not worth it for the Fox.

Time to for me to flee...



 

And so the Fox war party is defeated in a game that took twenty minutes to play.  Very simple and perhaps not the cup of tea for the experienced wargamer, but, hopefully it piques the interest of the under-10 crowd and gets them away from the video games for a while.  You know you're on the right track when they ask to play again.

On the painting table.

After being away on business for almost two months, the paints and brushes are back out.  Far left- Jacobite Troll Standard bearer (I cut off the sword and added the tam, feathers, and kilt).  I'm not a big fan of "fantasy games" so I'll add a little historical bent to that game.  Also working on Command elements for the Mexican Centralista Matamoros, Toluca, and Guerrero Battalions (L-R).  Handpainted the flags since all the Mexican flag transfers on the market are generic.  As you can  (based off the originals in Austin) the Mexican standards were unique to each battalion.

Winter half faced camp, barren trees and Texas Rangers unhorsed...

Barren winter trees, a half-face camp, and Rangers unhorsed

 

 The trees cost me practically nothing to make.  They are simply twigs fixed to tin can lids with milliput.  The snow is sand painted white, and likewise small stones to represent Appalachian boulders.

 The half-face camp is for an upcoming game featuring a clash between FIW Virginia Rangers and Native Americans.  Again all from junk lying about.  The "bark" lean-to is painted cardboard from a Corona six-pack case, twigs for the poles and sand for the earth and snow.  The blankets are linen squares glued own and painted in the weaving patterns of various 18th c blankets.  The small green bottle on the boulder is just a part of a plastic sprue shaped by a hobby knife, file, and pin drill.

This is intended to represent the temporary camp of a patrol or outer guard of rangers.  These guarded the passes into the various settled valleys in what is today Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

 

 

 I have several ACW cavalrymen from Historicon '13 (Warlord Games), kneeling with saddles that I had no use for... until I thought... you know, I should work in a variable on a dice roll against cavalry that the horse goes down leaving the rider to fight on foot.  So I reworked the ACW cavalryman into an unhorsed ranger.  I plan also to make an unhorsed Mexican lancer as well.

  The standing figure was a "mountain man" complete with fur hat.  Off went the hat and on with the Milliput M1828 cap.  Unhorsed as well, he is armed only with a Bowie and single shot pistol to make his final stand. He might do well in a "tavern brawl" scenario as well... or the famous Natchez Sand Bar Fight involving Jim Bowie.

 

     Here you can see the changes I made to the original Historicon '13 Warlord Games ACW figure.  Milliput sculpted M1828 cap as well as the fringed cape and tails for the hunting shirt.  I removed the Colt revolver and replaced with a horse pistol.

French and Indian War/Pontiac's Rebellion: Virginia Rangers Completed

Completed Rangers after some modifications.

     I purchased a set of Roger's Rangers from Conquest along with the Sauk y Fox and they have finally made their way off the painting table.  I chose to paint them as Virginia Rangers, which in the FIW/Pontiac's Rebellion started off as troops in Washington's First Virginia regiment.  Hence the cut down blue faced red Virginia Regimentals.  Washington employed the battalion as detachments of companies throughout Western Virginia from Cumberland Maryland through the Blue Ridge.  As such the companies (Stephen's, Hogge's and Waggoner's are the three I find the most information about) also defaulted to "indian walking dress" (i.e. breechclouts, leggings, moccassins, and matchcoats)

Washington's men often defaulted to indian dress,
wearing matchcoats (cut down blanket shrouds) as seen here.

       I added the matchcoat (Milliput) on the left as the figure was only sculpted wearing a body-shirt.  The one on the right is sculpted to represent a Conococheague Ranger (actually in Pennsylvania).  ITs not a far stretch since Virginia and Pennsylvania Rangers served together in most of the campaigns in the mid-Atlantic, from Braddock's Defeat to Bouquet's Expedition.

The matchcoats were painted to represent
cut-down British Army issue blankets.

These Rangers were the cut-down Virginia Regimentals
 and the green stroud leggings that were issued at Washington's request.

Note the blankets carried by the tumpline indian-fashion.  Having carried my
own bedroll in the fashion, I find it far superior to the knapsack...
so did American Rangers.

 One of the other changes I made to these troops was to cut off the Scot's Bonnets that came sculpted on the "Roger's Rangers" figures and replace them with round hats sculpted from Milliput.  From what I can find the bonnets were only worn by Roger's men, not by Southern Rangers.  Even then, it seems Roger's men still wore jockey caps and round hats more often than not.

Most Rangers adopted the flopped hat or a cap. 
This one in the style of a jockey's cap, very popular at the time.

The good thing about these figures is that I can use them in frontier engagements from 1756 on up to 1763/4.  South Carolina and North Carolina Provincial troops also wore blue faced red...so I might need to add some Cherokees to the lead mountain as well.

Now I'm working on some winter trees for terrain to stage to skirmishes in the Alleghenies and Blue Ridge Mountains...  More repurposed junk:  Tin cans, twigs, glue and sand=Bargain Basement trees.
 

Texas Mounted Rifles: Texian Revolutionary Rangers/Cavalry

 

 

We're on a roll, cleaning off the painting table.  These fellows, Texian Mounted Rifles are finally complete.  They were War of 1812 mounted rifles I picked up in the bargain basement at Historicon a few years back.  I plan on using them to raid a Centralista supply column as soon as it get painted

 

 

 

I cut the hats and heads off several and replaced with M1828 forage caps modelled from Milliput.  The M1828 was replaced by the all-leather "Hogkiller" in the U.S. Army and it is speculated that purchasers in New Orleans would have procured surplus for use by the nascent Revolutionary Army.  I just think they look interesting to have a few mixed in with the black beaver hats, although that's what Henry Dodge and Rip Ford were depicted in from the period.

I'm thinking of building a new head for the Ranger Captain, making it more like
the fictitious Captain Scull of Larry McMurtry's novel Comanche Moon. "Bible and Sword!"

 

 

I was pleased with the way the '28 Forage Caps came out, although I think they
may look a little large for 28mm minis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally Complete: Sauk y Fox War Party



Sauk, Sac, y Fox or SacFox, by any name,
they play into American history in the 18th and 19th c.

 I purchased these figures from Conquest Miniatures FIW woodland Indians line and the sculpting is incredible.  These have been on the bench for a while, but were finally finished after some internet research and finding some free time.



I used a pin to apply paint to simulate quill and shell work on shotbags.

The great thing about these figures is that they can be used for FIW, AWR, and the 19th c Blackhawk Wars (currently most of my American figs are from the 1830's:  Texian Revolution).  I have a few FIW American Rangers on the painting table and figure I can use my Texian Militia to wargame the campaigns of the Blackhawk Wars.

 

18th and 19th century depictions of Sac/Fox

I based the figs on laser cut hardboard and pasted magnets to the bottom, similar to my Texians/Mexicans.  The bases are a bit high to my liking, but its what I had on hand.  I'm transitioning to 3/4 in washers...since they're already magnetic, have a lower profile, and are significantly less expensive than all of the base options I've seen on the market.

The detail on the Conquest minis is phenomenal, down to claw necklaces
and braided garters for their mitasses.

 



The bases are topped off with sand, painted and flocked.  On to my rangers, so I can stage a small unit action.

 

...even cones and deer hair (center blue shot bag).

 

          I will definitely be purchasing more from Conquest and as I said, have some FIW rangers currently on the painting table (top, primed).

 

 

          I'm working on Mexican Cazadores, Command, and artillery.  Also on the table are tavern servants, Franciscan friars, and mounted Texian Rangers (not to forget the FIW rangers).  These have involved a lot of reposing, new arms, and work with putty to make bi-corns, M1928 forage caps, sashes, blanket rolls, etc.  I'm hoping that they turn out well.  Many of these are poses that I never had any intention of using...but with some putty, styrene and the occasional oath...they should make it into a future campaign.

 

Fog of War at 15th c Calais: A 28mm Battle Report

French soldiers attempt to repel a Burgundian landing on the Flemish coast.

Would you believe that the one thing my son wanted to do today was play out a wargame scenario?  The angels of odd shaped dice are singing.

Flemish and English mercenaries in the service of the Duke of Burgundy sail
towards Calais.

 The scenario was a Burgundian landing at a farm near Calais.  For the terrain, I had my new French Farmhouse, some fields and cut out felt to have four separate waterways.  Victory for the Flemings and English called for holding on to the farmhouse for ten turns, until additional troops can land to bring Calais under the influence of the duchy of Charles the Bold.  For the French, they must hold the farm for five turns until reinforcements arrive by sea.  A roll on a d8 would determine from where in the estuary the French cog would sail.  Then the French would have to capture the Burgundian caravel for victory. 

Flemish gunners wade onto the beach.

      The caravel pulled in sail as the fog on the coast of Calais parted to reveal a beach and a French farm.  Visibility war poor only a ten or twenty yards at most.  As my Flemings landed, they took their first shots at French malice advancing through the fields.  Sadly I rolled poor troop quality.  True to form, my son's rolls determined that his French were battle-hardened veterans.

French malice rush to occupy the farm house and barn.

       The heavy infantry moved quickly, supported by a few archers.  As I had to climb a hill, they were able to seize the houses first.

Unfortunately, the trees mask the French from the English bowmen.

 My English archers and Burgundian infantry remained aboard in support.  The trees masked the fire of the archers, however, and I would be forced to send reenforcements to my beleaguered gunners.  Rule #1:  Never send light infantry against heavy infantry.

Flemish gunners take the high ground...

My gunners did manage to take high ground that allowed them to support what would become and abortive attack on the barn.  They were assaulted by heavy infantry and archers.  Since I had a low troop quality roll (Green troops) there was no chance they could hold the hill against veteran heavy infantry.



The Flemings are charged before they can reload...

While my Flemings managed to drop a few men-at-arms, their guns do take time to reload...and that's why I should have disembarked pikemen and halberdiers.




...and the hill is carried by the heavier French infantry.

Things were not going well on the other side of the barn either.  The French had decent armor and were able to push through the Flemish fire.  A lucky French arrow felled my musician and captain, causing the gunners to fail a morale role and fall back to the caravel.  I disembarked part of my Burgundian halberdiers under a Sergeant.  Rule #2:  Never reinforce failure.


The lightly armed Flemish gunners cannot stand against the French
Heavy Infantry.

 The French infantry cheer madly, but not because the gunners are falling back to the protection of halberds.  The fog has parted and it is turn 5. Which means...

The Fog parts to reveal a French Cog on the caravel's port bow.
To late to make sail, the English must repel boarders.

A French cog is visible through the mist.  Of course my son rolled a 6 on d8.  That was the closest channel from which to sail towards my caravel!  Why wouldn't he roll that?  My English sailors won't even have time to sets the sails, let alone cut the anchor cable.

The caravel is forced up onto the beach.

 The cog runs right alongside the caravel, ramming and pushing it up on the beach.  There will be no escape unless the English and Burgundians can take the French cog...but no, my son has the high roll for initiative and boards me rather than being boarded himself.

Pinned by the French cog, the English archers must fight to the seaward.

 The archers turn to focus on the cog, at least the militia are far enough away that it will take two tuns for them to get to the beached caravel.  With some lucky rolls, my archers downed several crossbowmen on the fo'csle, but none of the French knights.

French knights and sergeants take the forepeak of the caravel
 and work back along the waist.

 Nevertheless the French Knights grapple and successfully board.  They make quick work of the lightly armed archers and wade into to the halberdiers over decks awash with blood.


The advance across the caravel's deck is supported by Italian crossbowmen
and French archers.

 My remaining halberdiers and gunners scramble up the chains and onto the caravel's decks, but they are no match for the French knights.  My remaining Burgundian knight is overwhelmed and hacked to pieces at the ladder to the poop deck.  With no leadership or promise of pay, the remaining English and Flemish mercenaries beg for mercy from the French knights.  As they are not nobles and won't command a hefty ransom, so they are not likely to receive it (mercy, that is).

The English and Flemings beg for mercy.

 Calais, though surrounded by Burgundian lands, remains in the hands of the Valois-through some mighty lucky dice rolls-I might add. Charles the Bold has learned that you can't take Calais on the cheap and demonstrates to his son some time-proven maxims.