Cossacks

These guys are full of character, but perhaps not the best poses for a strict wargames unit.  However basing them three to a base is fine and while they represent four, the reduced number is a reminder that they are not really battle cavalry.

I can't remember where I got these from, could have been Stan, Dave or I might have even purchased them in one of my buying sprees.  I have always wanted to paint them, it has just taken a few years to get around to it.

4th Regiment of Kurmark Landwehr Cavalry

I had some Prussian cavalry languishing from a past purchase and felt compelled to fix them up.  I was also trying a different basing concept for Napoleon's Battles command stands.

In looking up uniform details for Landwehr cavalry, I found this site very informative:

https://www.beastsofwar.com/project-entry/1642260/

Restored and almost ready for action.

I was thinking of creating a special command stand just comprising two figures,

but I have now changed my mind and extra figures will be added.

In a major departure for my Napoleon's Battles basing,

I have mounted these as pairs

on one square inch bases.

Huns versus Early Achaemenid Persians

The Huns have the Persians cornered, but would they prevail and win their fifth victory in a row?  It will be the bloodiest fight yet.

Persians deploy in a corner.

The Huns advance.

The Huns are now at short range.

First contact

The Hun Nobles break through.

Hunnic casualties are mounting,

but the Persian left flank is collapsing.

Victory, but at a heavy cost.

The Castles of Burgundy

I rarely post anything about my online gaming apart from things I do on Vassal (stay tuned), but after years of playing Hearts of Iron, Everquest, Europa Universalaris and recently Trine 2 using Steam, Bruce and I played Puerto Rico and the The Castles of Burgundy on Boardgame Arena.  We had played both the card and broad game variants of Puerto Rico years ago, but The Castles of Burgundy (though similar in style) was new to us.  Excellent fun and a really good online implementation of a boardgame.

Nikephorian Byzantines versus Middle Imperial Romans

Club Basic Impetus League competition game against Brad's Romans.

An unexpected cavalry heavy Roman army.

My Byzantines were out scouted,

but I got the pick of the terrain, securing my flanks with woods.

Nothing happened.

The initiative only once went my way,

but regardless, we advanced.

And advanced some more.

And started to shoot.

The Romans didn't like that,

and having again won the initiative,

charged.

The Byzantines lost two units,

but their position held.

The fighting was all in the centre

and was desperate.

But the Byzantines started to prevail.

Victory!

In that last turn the poor Varangians were shot up by the Roman artillery and charged by their cavalry.  But they held on.

Barbarossa Turn 31

In this session Richard and I set up and transferred forces to the Leningrad insert map.  I am not convinced that this is useful expansion to the game, but we shall see. 

Combats over 21/22 August were:  

AGN mounted one attack on Leningrad using the new insert map.

Best to say "it's complicated."

There was the big AGC offensive to break the Soviet last line of defence before Moscow.

This was AGS mopping up in the mud.

The Soviets made a raid on a lone unit of AGN.

At the end of 22 August the situation is as follows:

All quiet at Tallin.

AGN without Leningrad.

Note: A Soviet army has just been railed in, threatening the Axis flank.

This was from the special reserve pool and cost VPs, but came with their on rail transport.

Leningrad

             

AGC in one montage

AGS in another attempted montage.

Huns versus New Kingdom Egyptians

For their fourth outing my Huns faced Dave's Egyptians.  Not an historical match, but it would be interesting to see how the Huns weathered the Egyptian firepower.  Turned out with ease as Dave rarely could get his dice to roll higher than a four.

Out scouting the opponent with light cavalry 

means you can decide best placement after seeing where the enemy are.

Distract their centre and sweep round their left flank was the plan.

That lone unit in front of the chariots is at risk of being shot up.

Meanwhile the flanking force has got into position.

Things are developing quickly,

Some more Huns have moved to the centre,

light cavalry has twice the speed of chariots.

Huns now have the lone chariot at their mercy.

The Egyptian left flank is now fully engaged.

Egyptian losses have quickly mounted.

The Hun Nobles are getting ready to join the combat.

Things are not going at all well for the Egyptians

All over.

What a wild ride!

Barbarossa Turn 30 - Conclusion and Part Turn 31

It's getting complicated and requires both a high degree of mental and physical dexterity.

This is the situation at the end of Turn 30 or 20 August 1940.

Tallin is still holding out.

Leningrad's back door has been breached and this creates a challenge

we need to move to the insert map

which means we need to read

the insert map

rules

.

AGC at the last set of defensive lines before Moscow.

The gap between AGC and AGS.

AGS before Kiev.

And the situation further south.

Turn 31

Mud in the south (it was going to be compulsory the next turn) but clear everywhere else.

AGC makes a messy set of attacks.

This line won't hold for long.

AGS sloshes around in the mud.

Swedish Command Stands for Napoleon's Battles

I think I started work on these early 2021.  They represent the command stands needed for the Swedish Corps in the Army of the North commanded by Bernadotte at Leipzig.

Finished - they will not be varnished!

Bernadotte with Prussian and Russian advisors/minders.

I like the Prussian figure who is busy using his language guide

so he can tell Bernadotte to get on with it.

Russian pointing to the enemy while Bernadotte looks the other way.

Divisional generals.

I ended up using British command figures as I had plenty of them

and my limited research indicated rather ordinary campaign wear.

You can tell they are Swedish by the colour of the plumes on their hats,

but just in case every base has some yellow flowers,

which I hope will avoid confusion.

Corps commander receiving a message

I am not sure he wants it.