Favorite AWI Blog's 2014

VolleyFireVSFwargames

New for 2013 new adventures 1895 and Beyond
http://volleyfirevsfgames.blogspot.com/

Henry has introduced me to a new set of rules look here for new tales of these adventures.
IHNM - In Her Majesty's Name by Osprey

Volleyfiresupplydepot

My newly updated blog for supplies and painting tips gleaned from the web and my general surplus miniature selling page click on the link to take you to the new blog.
http://volleyfiresupplydepot.blogspot.com/

I now have joined the electronic age and have paypal and EBay auctions.

VolleyFireOverseas

This is a blog I set up to chronicle my adventures in wargaming overseas in Scotland in 2011 and to continue following particular games overseas that I enjoyed with my new friends in Edinburgh. I look forward to finally updating this with more pics soon.

http://volleyfireoverseas.blogspot.com/

Napoleonic Campaigning in Italy

Napoleonic Campaigning in Italy
Les Grognards Blog "The sabre that Napoleon used at Marengo"

Napoleon's Drum and his Marshals

Napoleon's Drum and his Marshals
Napoleon Mulling over his battle plan

Napoleon reflecting by Iron Mitton

Napoleon reflecting by Iron Mitton
Quiet before the battle

Napoleon the morning of waterloo

More Iron Mitton Cartoons

More Iron Mitton Cartoons
Knock - Knock

Iron Mitton Cartoons

Iron Mitton Cartoons

Civility in wargaming

Civility in wargaming

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Napoleon in Egypt 1798 Battle of Shubra Khit (or Chambreis),

Already saw this done on my Scottish buddies blog in Edinburgh, So with my buddy Andy over tonight thought we would give it a go with the troops I have on hand turns out that I had more Ottoman types than I thought especially if I use Russian Cossacks as Ottoman light cavalry. I forgot I had 2 painted and mounted light cavalry Ottoman Kettle drummers with three more sitting in a drawer somewhere.

This Battle was fought beneath the walls of the Shubra Khit Fortress as the Fortress garrison commander Pasha Shubra refused to aid the Ottomans defending the seaport, because of a long standing feud between the Ottoman Army commander and the Egyptian Garrison Pasha. The LOAK rule for the Ottomans wasn't quite as restrictive as I thought it should be. Perhaps I was applying the regular C in C order restrictions when it should have been applied at a lower level - ie - failed command rolls end the Ottoman command phase.

Ottomans whipped the piecemeal attacks of the French - Also had too much infantry and 1 unnecessary heavy cannon for the Ottomans. (Even though I had the extra cannon roll each turn to " artillery piece see if  it was loaded as it was a "levy: The Ottoman camel guns were a pesky lot.
 The three French regular battalions swept away the outlying Ottoman skirmishers fairly easily. But the initial attack on the village failed even though it was a weakly held area. Withering fire from the 2 Ottoman Heavy Cannon was sufficient to drive off one battalion and then the second battalion lost the melee. A steep hill not in the original scenario would have been removed for any subsequent followup games. Although given its height this should have served as a blind spot for the attack given the inability of the gun to depress / fire at targets inside 12 to 15 inches.

Ottomans won the only cavalry melee and used a sweeping advance to catch the French Horse artillery standing limbered, not sure about this outcome because in past games it seems French artillery should have been able to evade maybe after a breaktest before contact because the Mameluke cavalry had to use their entire movement to get to them. The command level of 7 for the Ottomans was just right. I had the French rated rather high which I thing was good given that they were trained Europeans fighting Ottoman rabble.

Having blundered almost off the table the regular Brigade of French infantry, 2 turns later the French infantry Brigade audaciously advanced to confront the Mameluke Cavalry with heavy musketry fire.

Also the Veteran Brigade lost  two battalions which broke this Brigade (under the broken brigade rule the third battalion can no longer advance - I would modify this to follow me orders of the brigade commander) which finally allowed French reinforcements to appear, but too late to have any real effect on the battle.
 



Also some of my western Mexican buildings can double as the Ottoman village - with a Miniature Building Authority Domed building coming out for the first time - Since I picked it up at Cold Wars 2010.- Pics to follow. For the moment i borrowed some from the Scottish battle fought in Edinburgh last week.

The Miniature Building Authority Mosque at the center of my battlefield minus the minaret
The pics from the actual game
 
Shubra Khit

The French Division poised to attack

French Cavalry Brigade

Assaulting the ottoman village and its defenders

The camel guns poke at the French cavalry while the Mameluke sit disorganized and unmoving

Having routed one unit earlier the French troops press forward their advantage

Fantastic the only blunder move causing the French division and its artillery to retreat "away" from the enemy - some dispute over which direction is "away" left to the rear or to the right. I suppose I could have diced for it in all fairness, but since when are the French fair especially against Ottomans!

The extra Ottoman gun that really should have been left off and but for a unit not responding would have been overrun - next time maybe gun crews exposed and unsupported by infantry not in a BUA have to retreat like skirmishers?

The blunder move with attached artillery

The unfortunate horse artillery caught napping on a sweeping advance by Mameluke cavalry that had forced the french cavalry to retire

The brigade of french Infantry advancing to poor fir into the flanks and front of Ottoman cavalry a charge would have been nice but they would have just evaded

the pesky Ottoman Camel guns before deployment

 
 


Saturday, January 19, 2013

Southern Museum and the General

Went by Kennesaw late in  the day, but the museum was almost closed so I snapped some pictures in the Lobby and Gift shop - almost picked up a stone  bridge  for 7 bucks - but I have enough bridges right now. It would work for 28mm horse and musket gaming easily.

Pics to follow (been in the area 13-14 years and I think I have been to the museum maybe 4 times?)












Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Miscellaneous Scotland - Stockbridge - Almost an anniversary












St Johns Church Princes Street

A lot has changed since I walked the streets of Edinburgh Scotland
with my friend Tetu Apparently she has taken a path unknown to me
to get married almost 2 years after her divorce in Dec 2010
but I still consider her a dear sweet friend and a great cook