Baccus New French GIVEAWAY Winners!

My French Army to date, awaiting new recruits to expand.

Another Giveaway bites the dust. This one sponsored  by Baccus. So three lucky winners will get 25% off an order for the New French Napoleonic forces available soon. These new figures are expected to be available sometime in May so not that far away. Not all of the range will be available straight away, such is the revamp that the process will go deep into 2013 and I suspect possibly into 2014 given the size of the project. That is to say, this is not a straight swap out of codes but is in fact a mass expansion of the available troops types starting with the infantry. We will see a lot more choices as is fitting the most dominant of armies of the period. I for one am very excited as I will be expanding my currant army ten fold at least over the next two years. It's fair to say that Peter will be absorbing a great deal of my hobby funds between now and Waterloo. Oh hum, maybe he will name his second Ferrari after me (an in joke, after all he already has three whilst poor Igor has a tandem). 

OK the draw, in order of the draw,

Dartfrog who run's the excellent blog Dartfrog's Adventures in 6mm, who quipped that his whole blog is a pimping of Baccus, lets see if it's him or me who get the first of the New Baccus on our blogs.

Dux Homunculorum painted his first 6mm figures for Phil Broeders as a prize from a Giveaway on his own blog which you really should follow. Well Dux has managed to get the 6mm bug. How bad? Well lets see what he paints up after getting his first order into Peter.

So after Random Number . Org had given me the first and last numbers on my list I was interested in what came next. Groan it was someone I knew in real life . com rather than just blog world. I had agonised over getting Peter to do the draw given the fairly high chance this would happen but with Salute around the corner I knew he needed that almost as much as he needs another high performance car so I did the honours.

So third winner is my very own Lee Sharpe, who could get a serious case of lead poisoning just entering his hobby room! Oh well I know he will bankrupt poor Peter with his 25% discount! Sorry Peter, I did think for a moment about redoing the draw but that would be really unfair so weldone mate.

So if all three winners could get in touch with your real names and address I will send on to Peter to file for when you place your orders.

Please remember it's 25% off the new Napoleonic French (though I am sure you can order other figures at the same time) and only covers the cost of the figures, you pay full postage as per normal value of your order. Please let me know what you get, if only to make me green with envy.

Last of all many thanks to Peter at Baccus for supporting this giveaway and apologies to Igor who will no doubt suffer chronic back pain from carrying at least one order to the post office.

FoG Ancients Battle Report Photo Heavy ;-)

Matt and I got in another game a few weeks back but the blog giveaway kind of got in the way. But better late than sorry here we go.

The compact force in the distance is the ever ready Macedonian army commanded by Matt whilst the stretched force is mine. The dark green hills are steep whilst the one the colour of the table is gentle. Brush is in front of the gentle hill and broken ground is just beyond the two steep hills on the left. 

I wanted to try a Hoplite heavy force to see if smaller units of Hoplites could somehow run rings around the pike blocks rather than trying to overwhelm his cavalry with greater numbers. What follows is the result of such a plan, enjoy.

As you can see Matt goes for a solid mass of troops. Under this formation I have a good chance of swinging into both his flanks, I hope this will be the case.

Matt ends up splintering out from this formation and as such the first moves are one of move and counter move. I get a few infantry units moved to support my cavalry as they are really out classed by Matt's Lance armed Superior Companions. I have reduced the size of my cavalry units so I can have the same number of units but this leaves me vulnerable to his cavalry so I will need to use my infantry to throw Matt off when it looks like he will get the better of my boys.

I kept the scythed chariots and sent these against his bow armed cavalry just like last time. Unlike last time his bow armed cavalry did not drop my cohesion on my way in. Could I get a win against these this time? Notice the cavalry to the right of the chariots? They had the same target but were intercepted on route, bit of a bother.

My light javelin armed horse had kept chasing the Macedonian light infantry back towards the board edge. The infantry did a fairly good job of retreating but sooner or later I would catch up or they would run out of table. In the mean time as I had a General in contact I was moving the flank Hoplites and crescent shields up at a fair gait. The Macedonian camp was looking likely for a visit.

But back in the centre things had started to look a bit worry some. The scythed chariots did pick up a cohesion drop as did my supporting cavalry. The chariots going to die as they won't break through. I'm starting to wonder if they are worth sticking with. Well they will get another one or two runs out before I go so far as to stop using them.

I do rout the bow cavalry by attacking them with Persian Crescent Shields mostly down to the flank charge which also cost them a base. Now I need to extract the unit from the claws of the pike. Both of us were starting to have a very messy force with units pointing is all sorts of directions.

Slightly further down the line and I have a cavalry unit ready to rout but have foot getting in position to cause a headache for Matt's cavalry in turn. Matt is trying not to charge almost as much as he is charging. It's lots of fun but quite head scratching trying to work out the best moves. The game could be decided here so lots hanging on the choices we make.

My cavalry rout causing another cavalry regiment to loose a level of cohesion. Things starting to unravel, I need a few things to go right to correct the slide.

A down the table shot showing all units, Matt still has most of his forces in roughly the same area. I on the other hand have failed to make use of my numbers (made worse by the fact that at this point we realised Matt had failed to put one of his pike blocks on the table!!!)

Finally get so close that Matt will not risk another evade, there Matt has three units of light infantry, if I break them all and sack his camp I have the game, I just need to hold things together in the middle.

I charge home after suffering no casualties in Matt's turn and straight away make my mark sending the Cretan archers to fragmented and the slingers down one cohesion level. The javelin armed lights in the middle hold firm. The camp is so close now, just one more push and I can get through to it.

Auto break for another of my cavalry, at least these went down through troops loss but lesson learned, must use six base units for average quality.

By this point the centre was in real trouble. One block of Hoplites had to about face and stand ready for a charge from the cavalry whilst I was hoping the leader would rally one of my routing cavalry. Meanwhile the pike blocks would keep marching towards my hapless infantry.

I start to push past the lights, one of which has routed off. I continue to keep winning the rounds of combat but just can't force casualties of drop their cohesion. These lights are putting up a great scrap.

Finally the pike blocks start to split up into single blocks so they can hunt down more of my infantry. Not quite the roll I wanted them to be forced into!

The Hoplites manage to face the Companion cavalry but are already disrupted, I needed to win this one before the Phalanx's get in close, this looks unlikely. 

It's my turn to be caught in the middle. One unit of horse facing the rust rallied bow cavalry but supported by a phalanx whilst alongside them is another companion cavalry regiment attacking crescent shields whilst on the other side the Hoplites try and hold on. 

Matt continued to press on all sides and I had the last two required units break causing an army break. For the first time we had played a game to the end rather than a count up. Lots more learned and I know the better troop selection for my Later Achaemenid Persians, though my play was not up to scratch I know I need to play a better tactical game.

And those lights? Yep they were still fighting it out. It was reasonably close though. If I could have got something heavier into that melee than light horse I would have got the three units routed and nothing between me and the camp would have given me a great chance of the win. 

well played to Matt and we had a great battle. Next up will be Matt's recently rebased Parthian's who have a long history of doing me harm. I just hope I get a few early wins before Matt gets used to usig them under the new rules.

Calling All Winners

Just a quick update post for the giveaways that have already finished. I have not been great at getting prizes out but the ones left that I still need to post go either today or Monday

Leven Miniatures. Both winners have been linked to Leven and last I heard was busy picking their swag.

3D Snipers, one set claimed and will be packed up straight after posting this. The others I still need Curtis to contact me, just left a message on his blog.

£20 giveaway. This has been claimed and sent, so that means the second named winner will get £10 next month.

Rosemary & Co. one set claimed but still waiting for Michael to claim his set. As he does not have a blog I have to hope he see's this. If still no joy I will pick a second winner.

Sniper Reminders. I need to get these figures out. This means the wife has to do her stuff with the packaging.

Red Republic Games, Arena Rex figure. Details passed on to RRG's earlier today so will be on the way soon.

Of course that still leaves the Baccus giveaway ongoing so still time to get your name in the draw.

Sorry for the delays but will get them on the way soon.

Another Great Giveaway but this time it's not Mine!

Andrew Saunders at Lokis Great Hall is having a giveaway to celebrate two years of great bloging. I am not sure how I had missed his blog but rest assured I am now a follower. So follow my example, nip over and join the fun.

Baccus ECW Guns

I am really getting back into the English Civil War, not just the wargame side but the social history and beyond. I'm not exactly short of material to read, given the size of my 17th Century collection. So the fact that Peter at Baccus is a ECW buff is more than just a bonus. He bravely insisted that the infantry were not sculptured wearing soft brimmed hats as the felt hat as we know it did not make it into England in any kind of numbers till after the Civil wars and whose that were in the country were expensive and just worn by the rich. So all ranges are at fault. I do believe some sort of brimmed hat was available due to the evidence of wood cuts and the like but felt hats they were not. Most troops would have worn what these days are called benny hats or some form of the Spanish peaked mountain cap or Monterio as it was known at the time. Personally I think the benny hat would have massively outnumbered the Monterio due to the  amount of work that would go into the production of a Monterio and as such the greater cost.

Anyway I digress, here we have two field pieces for my 6mm ECW Oxford army. The crew for the most part are dressed in civilian clothing as all but the master gunner would be only one stage removed from drovers and camp attendants. 

As you can see the only splash of colour is the gun crews officer. I painted them up in blue or red as this is for my Oxford army. I do have another six guns which is probably as many as I will ever need as I don't want to have a grand battery or such. In fact under the rules I am toying with these things will never be ones for killing men as much as effecting morale. The quality of gunpowder and understanding of ballistics at this time was much removed from that of the Napoleonic period though growth in understanding was rapid post the civil war period. 

It's a good job I have the bug mind as I have a few regiments to paint and in a few scales. First the 6mm stuff to the tune of two army packs which I am working my way through. I am also going to be doing Lee's 6mm, that's another two Baccus army packs, of yes seriously. It makes the three regiments of 15mm for Matt look a drop in the ocean, which it is, especially as I am half way through the first regiment but then again I still have one of my own to paint and will buy more 15mm of my own to grow and replace some of my 15mm I already have. Not satisfied? how about another scale then. I have agreed to also paint up some 10mm ECW which I am sure Lee will be happy to hear (NOT) given I said I wanted to go down the 6mm route as 10mm would be as much bother as 15mm. Seems like I will find out if I am right.

So can my poor followers just expect a long series of posts on ECW and 6mm Napoleonic's? Er no don't worry, all other projects will continue to be brought before you. I really want to get some of the other 15mm Ancients finished and those Romans won't paint themselves and I have a three figure diorama I am itching to get to grips with. Unfortunately painting time is now reduced but what you will get is diversity.

One last point, the giveaway for the new Baccus French Napoleonic figures has another five days to go so if you want a chance to get a whopping 25% off you better get to the previous post and get your name down.

Baccus French Giveaway, Yes ANOTHER Giveaway

Greens in 6mm

That nice gent over at Baccus has offered three, yes three lucky followers a rather splendid 25% discount on the new French Napoleonic figures that look to be released in May and continue through 2013 till the range is both replaced and much expanded. This is great news for anyone into 6mm Napoleonic French. So adding that three peeps will get their hands on a massive 25% discount is fantastic news (I only wish I could join in). So if you are looking at getting into a French Napoleonic army or expanding the one you have with brand new shiny shiny then this giveaway is for you. You do not have to order straight away but you would have to get in touch with Peter (I would notify Peter with winners details) so that you can work out how best to proceed with your order. You have a week to get your name down for a chance to win. If you run a blog please pimp this giveaway as like the Leven Buildings, The Rosemary & Co and last but not least the Red Republic giveaway it's rather special.

I will stress that you should only go in for this giveaway if you plan to buy some of these new figures as winning and not using the discount (it's only available for the French) would be taking the opportunity from someone who would want to take advantage of this offer. But please all who are interested please leave a comment below and good luck to you all. The link above takes you to the French Napoleonic page whilst this link takes you to the news page for more information of other new releases. Baccus also has a bustling forum for all things 6mm, go check them out. Though of course as I type this it's down for maintenance but check back again soon as it's well worth a visit.

Winners of other giveaways I had hoped to get these out over the weekend, this has not happened due to various levels of laziness but will be done sometime during this week. I will keep you posted. 

French Reinforcements, Project Waterloo and Beyond

My French army got a nice boost with these six bases of infantry. Five of the bases are Legere and the other a standard Ligne  base. This is because overall I don't have a good balance between line and light so needed more lights to strike a better balance. 

In the background you can just make out the line regiment by it's white trousers. These are the last of the old style French infantry that will be painted up as such. The other five I have prepped are going to be painted up as the allies. Once the new Baccus infantry are in production I will buy a good reinforcement and continue to build up my force. Most likely that transaction will be conducted at Triples but I will be sure to have ordered them prior to avoid disappointment. 

I still need a lot more French infantry before I can do justice to Project Waterloo but I am getting there on the Spanish front. Only the large battles would I struggle for the French though I have just a few more allied regiments to paint up still. Cavalry is a different matter, I will still need plenty more of these.

Having set myself targets for the Prussians seems to have been a great move as it's now one week into month two and I am getting kind of edgy as I have yet to paint up any of this months allocation. Right now I have a regiment of ECW infantry on the go (in 15mm and 6mm) so I don't think I can get at them this coming week but they are primed and ready for starting.