The Almeria Infantry Regiment

Somehow, I had these figures and needing some Spanish infantry I thought it would be good to paint them up.  Rather than create a "perfect" unit, I decided to paint all the figures I had (hence two command stands, one of which is configured for taking a casualty marker).

It is amazing what you can do with a wash.  It has really brought out the detail and given these figures life.

Puerto Rico - twice

Last week I was fortunate to play the deluxe version of this game with Richard.

First game (and very first game for Richard).

I scored 55 (17 in tokens, 23 for buildings and 15 in bonuses).

Richard scored 40 (22 for tokens, 13 for buildings and 5 bonuses)

Second game and I scored 58.

(22 for tokens, 28 in buildings and 8 for bonuses).

Richard amassed an impressive 62,

mainly in tokens (40) but with 12 for buildings and 10 for bonuses.

Napoleon's Grand Armee of 1813 by Scott Bowden

Not really a book, more a collection or roll call of facts and figures, still it did make an interesting read and reference source.

I did learn the important term: Strategic Consumption. The losses an army takes outside battle, just from being there, marching about and going hungry.

Trafalgar Part Two

Wednesday saw the completion of this epic undertaking.

The Weather Column has started to engage the Van and Centre squadrons of the Combined Fleet.

The Van has attempted to turnaround so as to take part in the battle 

(not something they did historically).

It has resulted in them entangling with the Centre

something that was bound to cause confusion.

The situation at the end of turn 7.

Collingwood has effectively destroyed the Rear Squadron of the Combined Fleet.

The Squadron of Observation (very top right) has completed its 360 degree turn

 but is now having trouble catching up.

I think by ordering the 360 degree turn Villeneuve was aiming to time their engagement so they would fall upon Collingwood's rear.

As it was they were to live up to their name and mainly observed the action. 

Nelson is in the act of crossing the head of the Combined Fleet and is busy picking off enemy ships using concentrated fire.

The Van and Centre are becoming increasing intermingled and blocking effective maneuver and fire.

End of Turn 8.

Collingwood is now coming up on the rear of the tangled Van and Centre squadrons.

A seagull's eye view.

While the lack of labels makes for a beautiful looking game,

it makes it a total bugger to play, only made worse by the intermingling.

The Combined Fleet has lost four or five ships.

Nelson's squadron has made its first kill.

End of turn 9.

End of Turn 9 as seen from the other side.

The Van and Centre are starting to take telling hits across numerous ships.

Their return fire is fairly ineffective.

We did try a boarding action, but it was fiasco. 

Much better to blast away.

End of turn 10 and end of the game.

One of the Combined Fleet's ships had caught fire, 

failed to put the fire out and it had spread to the magazine.

BOOM!!!

A hush fell over the battle bringing proceedings for that turn to a close.

A prefect ending.

The big 130-gun Santissima Trinidad in big trouble.

The Victory powering on to glory.

The explosion.

Last shot of the table from the other side for balance.

As before here is the AAR from James, less big picture, but way more detailed:

The Chauvinistic Blog: Trafalgar part the second

KGL Infantry

There are one or two non-Essex figures in this unit, but the Essex figures are ones that I have had since the 1990s if not earlier.  Finished now and constructed so I can make a variety of Napoleon's Battles brigade units - 2x16, 1x20, 1x24 or 1x28.  Spare figures made it easy to make up casualty bases.

Serenissima

Short of time and still exhausted after completing the big Trafalgar game I just managed to watch a how to video on this game before setting off to Richard's to play it with him, Simon and Russell.

Turned out I had watched a how to for the latest version of this game, not the first edition that we would be playing.

I think the idea of the game exceeds the game play.  Later editions might change this.  

I was the Ottomans, Simon Venice, Russel Genoa and Richard Spain.

De Gaulle - Part One

I'd seen a previous movie on De Gaulle in 2012 at the French Film Festival here in Perth, Western Australia. It covered the critical six weeks in May/June 1940 plus back story to De Gaulle's family. I found it to be a very moving film due to the scenes with his family fleeing as refugees with a handicapped daughter.  This new film, while not associated as far as I know, effectively takes off from were that movie finished.  

The political twists were amazing and also how De Gaulle was able to bounce back after various setbacks.  There was much I didn't know and while I am sure there was a good deal of artistic licence (which generally makes for an engaging movie after all) I consider it an excellent war movie, up there with anything the Americans have produced.  

One thing I found interesting was only one passing reference to the Russians and nothing that I can recall about the Italians.  The major battle depicted, Bir Hakem, certainly involved, on my follow up research, significant action against Italian forces.

I am looking forward to part two.