Marengo a la Shako Concluded

Very happy to conclude this game, being on the winning side made it all the better.  Same line up as the previous Sunday, but we were joined by Simon who made an excellent Desaix.

This is the flank I commanded.

The Austrian cavalry are massing for another assault,

while their grenadiers are pressing hard on the French infantry.

A French unit makes a sally from Marengo to try and stop the French left flank from being cut-off.

The Guard and heavy cavalry are in Reserve behind Marengo.

Looking down the battlefield, from the Austrian left.

The French forces of Lannes and Desaix have started their attack.

The Austrians have now broken through the French left,

after the defenders were blown away by massed artillery fire.

Things are getting desperate, but reserves are in place

and some Austrian attacks have been stalled.

They are also experiencing command problems.

The final French reinforcements arrive and head for the centre.

The final situation on the French left.

Austrian reinforcements arrive to find their army moral has broken.

They had suffered heavy losses on this flank.

The French attack on the Austrian left succeeded 

and the losses they inflicted made the victory.

Letting More Stuff Go

When someone said they were doing some WW1 in 1/72nd scale I knew I had a home for these chaps.

My attempt to convert some of the "new" Airfix French Foreign Legion to be Belgium's.

Same set used for early war French.

Some proper French infantry,

but oh dear, brittleness has struck!

My attempt to convert some Matchbox WW2 Germans to be WW1 late war

Airfix Germans.

The grenade thrower was one of my favourites.

Airfix British

plus a flipped German to show I even painted the underneath of the figures.

US Infantry.

The base on the left was for the rules I was using which have since been well and truly forgotten. 

WW1 French painted up for WW2, but I am sure they can be used for late WW1

if they don't crumble to bits in the meantime.

Left over Foreign Legion

Classic

These two where for my WW2 Alpini project since aborted in favour of 15mm for WW2.

A few more leftovers now going to a good home.

Four For Dave

I offered to paint these for Dave at the club.  He had just given 99% of his paints away so it seemed the right thing to do.  I've also picked up heaps of figures from him in the past for which I am very grateful.  Glad I could give a little back.

 

Comandante

This screened as part of the Italian film festival here in Perth.  Not quite Das Boot, but still a good watch and based on a true story.  Great for foodies!

One thing that confused me was the status of Belgium and Italy in late 1940 when this movie is set.  A check of Wikipedia reveals Belgium (in-exile) declared war on Italy 23 November 1940.

Kingdom of Heaven - Quia Maior - The Fifth Crusade

No scenario for the Forth Crusade which is just a s well as this scenario conveyed enough frustration and inability to achieve anything. Richard was the Ayyubids.  This scenario has five turns starting with 1217.

The Seljuks who are allied with the Crusaders besiege Edessa (RF=5).  Rats in the food of the defenders reduce the Resistance Factor to 3.  They launch an assault, but it fails.  The Ayyubids send a relief force, but it is delayed by heavy rains. The Seljuks hope to starve the garrison of Edessa, but time is running out and so they assault again.  They fail. The Ayyubids relief force finally arrives and in the subsequent battle the Seljuks are wiped out and the leader Kaikhaus is killed.  They are not heard from again.  

The end of 1217 

1218 (Turn 2)

The Ayyubids use diplomacy to convince the Seljuks to go neutral.  Not surprisingly they agree.

The Crusaders lead by Pelagius sail to Damietta and start a siege (RF=4).

The Ayyubids go to Acre and start a siege (RF=7).

The Siege of Damietta starts with Pelagius delivering a collection of served heads to the city which sees resistance drop to 4, but then shoot up to 5 when a traitor is discovered in the Crusader ranks.  It gets worse when the Crusaders' supplies run low (RF=6).  However, they resolve to continue the siege over winter.

The Siege of Acre sees the Ayyubids build siege towers only to have them burnt down by Greek fire.  But ladders and mantlets bring the RF to 6 only to have it rebound to 7 as the Ayyubids supplies run low.  Then they suffer an epidemic.  The siege is not maintained over winter, but the Muslims hold the diplomatic advantage.

1219 (Turn 3)

The Sige of Damietta continues with the Frisian fleet aiding to blockade the city.  The Crusaders fill in the moat reducing RF to 4.  They deploy ladders and mantlets (RF=3).  Then bring up catapults (RF=2).  The garrison makes a successful sortie, and RF goes back to 3.  More catapults are deployed (RF=2).  Further siege craft reduce the RF to 1 and the city falls to an assault.

The Ayyubids start a second siege of Acre (RF=6).  They are more confident as John, the previous commander of the city, has deserted his post in opposition to Pelagius taking overall command.  Sappers and miners are deployed but fail.  Battering rams are deployed and RF falls to 4 but are quickly countered by new walls that raise RF to 5.  But then ladders and mantlets are deployed (RF=4).  Siege towers are completed (RF=2).  The Ayyubids call on the Fortunes of War and receive additional siege towers.  RF=0.  And assault is made but fails and RF creeps back up to 1.  A further call is made to the Fortunes of War, but this time it favours the defenders.  A second assault fails, and the RF raises to 2 or 3.  The Ayyubids settle in for the winter.

The end of 1219

1220 (Turn 4)

The Ayyubids continue the siege of Acre building yet more siege towers and reducing the RF to 0.  An epidemic breaks out in their camp and their leader dies.  It spreads to the defenders.  Misery.

Pelagius sails to Acre with much needed reinforcements, breaking the blockade.  The Ayyubids supplies are running low, and the RF of Acre has crept back up to 1.  Further siege towers reduce this again to 0, but secondary defences bringing it back to 1.  A third assault is made and again fails.  RF=2.

The Ayyubids call a truce.

The Crusaders put down new wells in Acre (RF=3) and then traitors in the enemy camp raise the RF to 5.  With the coming of winter the Ayyubids break off the siege.

The end of 1220

1221 (Turn 5)

The Crusaders receive reinforcements.  Phew!

The Ayyubids start a siege of Damietta (RF=3).  While their supplies are running low (RF=4) they construct siege towers (RF=2).

Pelagius sails to Damietta and attacks the Ayyubids winning a major victory.

The Crusaders defending Acre decide to go home at this crucial juncture leaving just a few Templars guarding the city.  Luckily Turcopole reinforcements arrive.

The Ayyubids give up in disgust.

It's a draw thanks to the Crusaders holding Damietta.

The end of 1221

Marengo a la Shako

It has been a while since we gamed with some of the chaps in the Avon valley, but last Sunday Stephen N, Mark B and I joined Julian and Mark W for a recreation of the Battle of Marengo using their adaption of Shako.

Bataille de Marengo

Louis Francois Lejeune (1775-1848)

Battle of Marengo 

Mark W 2024

Mark W had organised everything and hosted it as his place.  He also umpired which was very much appreciated (my knowledge of the rules was limited and rusty at best).

Stephen N and Mark B were the Austrians while Julian and I were the French.  We knew where we started, but not really when and where our respective reinforcements would arrive.

Chambarlhac's division moves up through the town of Marengo

A magnificent charge by Rivaud's cavalry put their opponents to flight

securing the French left flank for the duration of the battle.

The Austrian right flank trying to recover after the loss of their cavalry.

The Austrians trying to make progress in the centre, using their artillery but suffering all the same.

Kellerman's cavalry can be seen redeploying to cover the French right.

Rivaud's cavalry.

Note the shadows showing that it is still morning time in the game. :-)

After routing the Austrians,

the French now face a lot, a real lot, of Austrian reinforcements.

Rivaud's cavalry, Chambarlac's division and the remanent of Gardanne's division

will have to hold on a bit longer.

Austrian grenadiers are crossing the Fontanone creek

as more of their cavalry arrive.

Meanwhile on the other side of the battlefield

both sides had brought up troops but declined to close.

Stay tuned for Part 2.

Bikes and Trikes - More For My WW2 Italians

I painted these at the same time as the colonial troops but decided to make a separate post.  I had a dreadful time trying to photograph them as you will see.

Natural light seemed to work best.

The flash shows the detail better but gives annoying shadows.

Heading to the Heart of Darkness.

Appropriate for colonial times.

Not to be confused for Belgians,

these are Bersaglieri.

Then I found a different camera setting on my phone.

Still not sure if this is any better...

Back to natural light.

Tried an outdoor setting to get better natural light.

Went back to trying flash.

Back to no flash.

Back to full flash.

The other flash setting.

Coming

Going

I know there are too many photos, but they are such cute models!