Roman Marching Fort

Last weekend I for some unknown reason got the urge to make a Roman Marching Fort. I was not going to make the full fort but one that you can put behind your army or on the side of the table for added effect. I have seen so many other such forts and camps on numerous tabletops but none on gaming tables, here in Townsville.

The fort I made, I know is not historically correct, but was only to be very simple, plus I guess it seems like a little to much hard work for something I was going to make in a weekend. I also did not want to put in the ditch to the front and sides either as I am going to use it for the wars involving Alexanders Successors and I was not sure on the detail required for their construction.

The material I used were items I found lying around the house, styrofoam for the walls, dowel for the battlements, static grass and sand from Gameswork, plus a little help from my daughters' pencil sharpener - to sharpen the stakes. Then after a little dry brushing and placing of some extra long dry grass for effects the fort turn out OK. Anyway I was pretty proud of my little job and maybe you will see it in use sometime this year.

Cheers

Vinnie

Tin Soldier Sycthians - Archers & Javelinmen

The figures shown are almost the last of my Scythian Army to be painted. Only two more mounted archers and one noble cavalry unit to be painted and the army will be complete. Anyway the first figures shown are the SCY12 & 13, archer shooting and drawing. Tin Soldier only have two poses for these guys, however if you notice there are two head variations for them. Making a total of four figures. You can also make a few conversions if you wish to give your unit a better look, but if you are like me, then you are just happy to have them painted and on the table for the next game.

The second unit shown are SCY14, which is the Javelinman figure. There is only one pose for this figure, but two head variations for them. One with the soft hat and the other armoured. Again all figures are painted by Leroy Simpson and from him, the figures paint up very easily and do not have too many folds or detail to paint on or over.

Day Four -Flames of War

Day four was the last day of gaming for us, over the Australia Day long weekend. We kicked off about 1pm that afternoom and were back in Johns' garage for the game. John had planned the game for us, which was to be a airborne assault by German para and glider troops. John and I were to play the Germans and Tony and Brett played the American ground forces.

American Artillery battery fires in support of thier infantry brothers.

American Airborne Command bases, from Johns' collection.

A M10 tank destroyer waits in ambush for German armour.

The scenario was for the German glider troops to land and secure one major and one minor objective and the para landings were to secure the other objectives and hold to our re-enforcements came onto the board. Our opposition objective was simply to hold those locations.

German gliders land on and around thier objectives and assault.

German forces consisted of one Glider Company plus support, one para landing company plus support and for reserves six stugs coming in from off the table. American forces however were quite strong - one company of American paras with support, one US infantry company again with heavy support plus a tank destroyer platoon and in reserve I think three platoons of sherman tanks.

But for some reason the Americans fight well and the glider troops are beaten back.


A German 7.5cm LG40 fires to support the attacks on the objectives.




Only one objective was taken and held. But by the last turn these troops were under heavy fire from American MG platoon and and tank platoon.

Well our gliders and paras got down OK, but the glider troops suffered heavy casualties attacking thier objectives and had to pull back. The para boys got down Ok, but had to secure thier drop zones and reach thier canisters before using there normal weapons. A lot of them never made it. This then became the begining of the end for us. So in hope of extending the game for a little longer we decided to bring on the reserves early. Again this only prolonged our final defeat. With very few troops on the ground there was not a chance in hell we were going to gaine victroy, so victory went to the Americans.

German reserves were called forward early ( I forgot to mention we had a Tiger).

In all the weekend was most enjoyable, long but good. A lot of gaming was played and because of that it has taken nearly two weeks before we have our next game. Thanks again for all those that came along and made this weekend possible.

More photos from the Leipzig battle

Front Rank Austrian artillery battery and crew (painted by Leroy)

Wargames Foundry French light foot gun and crew (painted by Brett).

Elite Miniatures Austrian Hussars.

The French Reserve cavalry attack the Allied center. This attack halt the Allied advance for at least four turns.

Russian columns advance past the Meusdorf Farm and onto the village of Probstheyda.

Elite Miniatures Carabiniers (painted by Leroy) lead Front Rank Carabiniers.

Imperial Guard Chasseurs A 'Chavel (painted by Andrew Parr) charge a Prussian square.

Russian Cruirassiers and Dragoon move in on the French flank.

The Austrian 1st Column moves past the town of Dolitz for the final push.

The Russian Imperial Guard marches onto the battlefield in perfect formation (figures from Johns' collection).

Day Three - The Battle for Dolitz & Probstheyda - Leipzig 1813

Day Three saw us playing a massive Napoleonic game - The Battle for Dolitz & Probstheyda. This battle was from the southern sector of the Leipzig battlefield and covered the Allied attacks made by the first and second columns. We loosely based this scenario from the General de Brigade scenarios booklet No. 2. The only differenances being that our board being a little to small to cover the whole front, we allow two flank marches for the Allied columns and finally we released the Russian Guard, which the Czar had not allowed in the actual battle.

The 1st Column

Elite Miniatures Austrians.

Wargames Foundry Austrains.

Our game kicked off with the attack of the first column on the town of Dolitz, which was taken with little to no opposition. Barclay's second column then move forward to occupy the Meusdorf Farm, after which they were ordered to assualt the village of Probstheyda. This part of the battle would see most of the action, with repeated attacks by the Second column and latter by a flank attack made by the Prussians. On the other parts of our battlefield little to no action was seen until the last three turns. However the French commanders (Andrew, Terry and Leroy) did put in a very large cavalry charge into the centre. Which in turn halted our forward movement for a number of turns. But in the end the Allied superiority in numbers overwhelmed the French, even after Andrew slipped on on two more Brigades of infantry and also with the presence of Napoleon and this Guard, they could not hold and the Southern front collapsed.

The 2nd Column

All Wargames Foudry figures (the above Prussians were painted by Dragon Studios in Hong Kong).

The game was played on a 10 x 5 ft table and all figures were from John's ever increasing Napoleonic collection. The majority of the figures have been painted professionally by local and international painters.

The French

Elite Miniatures French Cavalry.

The Heavy French Cavalry Division (5 x Regt of Cuirassiers and 2 x Regt Carabiniers).

The French reserve Brigades.

More photos to come, I will place them up tomorrow.