Convention Gaming and Works in Progress

Last weekend we had our local miniature wargaming convention, Nashcon, after a year's hiatus due to Covid. It was great to be back with friends I had not seen in a long time!  The convention was in a new location that worked well and the organizers of the event did a masterful job.  Due to Delta, many of us were still in masks just as an extra precaution on top of vaccinations.  While most folks felt safe enough to game without the masks, there were a number of folks wearing them and everyone was very considerate of each others choices.  

Getting a a game of Triumph in with Carson Greene under the helpful gaze of Brian Caskey, who helped walk us through some of the nuances of Triumph

Here my Romano-British tried to hold the hill against Carson's horse archers, while on the opposite flank, I had lured his elephants into some bad going.

 

https://www.wgcwar.com/

Triumph is a DBA variant with the addition of a point based army system, that adds a nice layer of complexity to the 12 on 12 model of DBA.  The combat tables are a bit more easily navigated than DBA 3.0, with situational modifiers being more readily assessed.

Rod Cain with the help of William Hupp and Brian Caskey, hosted a wonderful Grand Triumph battle of Hydaspes.  I played Poros and my elephants were roundly spanked.  Clearly I still have a lot to learn!

Here you can see Poros on his elephant all alone, his elephant riding compadres having all been dispatched by the Macedonians or by a confused retreat into more elephants.  It really was ugly for the Indians!

Beautifully painted armies!

In addition to playing Triumph I have been enjoying L'art de la Guerre.  This game ramps up the complexity level by the addition of more troop types and variations among troop classes, as well as the addition of shooting and evasion on horseback.  A great set of rules once you get the hang of it, but more complex to set up and build armies for.

http://www.artdelaguerre.fr/adlg/v3/?/en/overview

My game with Chris Greene convinced me it was time to invest in the latest edition of the rulebook.

After Nashcon it was time to clear my desk of some projects that have been hanging on and to get started on the next addition to my shiny Napoleonic armies. 

The units on deck and ready to be painted are already piling up.  Chomping at the bit are the French Imperial Guard Grenadiers and Marines, a Spanish artillery battery, a Bavarian artillery battery, additional figures for the French 13th Cuirassiers, and a skirmish unit of Bavarian jagers.

I am also working on the Legion du Midi who were brigaded with the Legion Hanovrienne.  More on this unit later, but here is a quick teaser.  These illustrations were sent to me by none other than Phillip Haythornthwaite in answer to a question I had posed to him regarding the shakos worn by the legion.

When phillip Haythornthwaite tells you there is no evidence of shako cords having been worn by the rank and file, it behooves you to get out the clippers and files.  Also note the addition of epaulets, shako plates and carrot shapped pompoms.

Just a few more little tweeks and this battalion will be ready for priming and painting.

As you can see, lots of painting is in my future.  Thanks to everyone who helped with and attended Nashcon, with a special thank you to all those who ran games.  Was great to see everyone again!

New Spring Time Projects - Bavarians and Saxons !

In what seems like my modus operandi - I can't ever just work on one project, so for the next couple of months will be working on painting a Napoleonic Bavarian battalion for my old school 1/72 collection, and a 15mm early British army made of Saxons and Post Roman occupation British forces as an L'Art de la Guerre army.

1st Up - The Bavarians 

I purchased these on an ebay auction thinking they might be Hinton Hunt figures, but turned out to be custom modified Airfix French Old Guard figures with a head transplant to Bavarian helmets and then cast in metal.  The casting was very well done with the exception of the muskets, which were so poorly done I had to find an alternative solution.  Enter Matt Golding from the UK who sent enough muskets from one of his own projects, to outfit the whole battalion.  Thanks Matt!  I have finished the removal of the old muskets (which were held in the right hand) and replaced with Matt's muskets (cut down very slightly) and held on the left hand side.  I am confident that with a little paint, the remaining removal scars will be well disguised.

We have a local fellow who makes printed flags and sells at the local conventions.  I saw this flag last year and picked it up to save me from having to paint what has to be one of the most intricate Napoleonic flags in use!

Really excited about getting some paint on these fellas.

 The officers are Hinton Hunt figures, but I believe are actually Austrians.  The uniform is so close though, that with a little paint, I think they will make an adequate proxy.

Now on to the Saxons!

This will be a small project as the army itself is already complete, with two exceptions.  I need to make a camp, which in this case will be those pesky Saxons rowing across the channel to beach their ship on the shores of Britain.  Lastly I need a couple elements of those now famous Sarmations who may have served with the Romans in Britain. 

 This is a 15mm Essex viking ship sitting in some colored Sculpta-mold paper mache.  My hope is that when finished it will look like a coastal inlet.  The blue will be toned down with greens and browns and then a little highlighting added.  I would love to figure out how to mold a slate pebble beach as I have seen in Wales.  I imagine the Saxons would have landed on the East coast however.  What would be appropriate for that coastline?

The shields are detailed with Little Big Man decals.

Donnington Sarmations in progress.  I got several pounds of these figures for about $10 long ago.  I passed on most of them to other gamers, but have just enough left for a Sarmation DBA army.

And Finally Spring has Arrived in Nashville!

I spent the day yesterday outside trying to clear brush and get the back yard in order.  Still tons to do, but by the end of the day was able to relax by an outdoor fire and take a load off knowing I had put in a good day's work.

 

 Here are some of the wildflowers blooming out back:

Trout lilies just starting to come up

Native Phlox

 Wild Ginger

 Trillium

 Cut Leaf Tooth Wart (now that is a great name!)

 

 Bloodroot - the native Americans used the dark orange root as a fabric dye.

 

Blood Root blossom just opening up in the morning.