Welsh, but no Druids!

I had a short intermission between finishing the 'Gothalikes' for my Late Romans and starting on something different. On the upper reaches of my painting desk awaiting their  moment under the brush were two regiments of Dixon Miniatures, slated to be Pennsylvania infantry, and the Footsore Dark Age Welsh which Matt also sculpted for them. I thought I'd give the latter a go first, so three bases of two skirmishing Poor Welsh Warriors with spears are the result ~

These are nice, delicate figures but as full of movement and vim as the more robust Vikings I finished last month. In all I bought enough figures for two bases of eight Poor Warriors with spears, two bases of armoured Poor Warriors with a mixture of swords, hand axes, Dane axes and spears, a command stand of Chieftain, standard bearer and warrior with a coracle - in case a quick get away is needed! Oh, and a Hero in case these get a Mudgard run out! 

One thing I've already noticed is that my range of drabbish colours could do with being a tad more extensive! I've started on the figures for the first base of Poor Welsh Warriors with spears,  four are ready for varnishing and four more to start after tomorrow's SCW game over at Phil's.

The Battle of Wolverhampton Airfield, April 1936

Earlier in the week Phil and I met up in GHQ for our regular game, in this instance a VBCW scenario I'd been toying with for a good while set around Wolverhampton airfield. I guess you didn't know Wolverhampton once had such a feature, I know I didn't until I came to live on it in 1980! From our upstairs windows you could still see the control tower and hangers of the post war airport and just up the hill were the myriad of nissan huts from WWII when it was a dispersal airfield for Boulton Paul, makers of the Defiant and the gun turrets for bombers! The tabletop battlefield laid out ~

Some table dressing to suggest the airfield was all I had available, along with two Corgi diecasts ~

Flying Officer Bicclesworth and his ride of choice.

A Hawker Fury being prepared to taxi out onto the runway to join 'Biccles' ready for take off.

The Government forces enter from along the base line, the right side 2' being impassable. 

While the heroic Socialist Alliance enters on the road and must make one full turn on the road. The Socialists have sneakily emplaced some heavy weapons groups overnight to support their attack.

A Vickers MMG & crew, with a 3" Mortar just out of view 

A Heath-Robinson Trench Mortar!

While the BUF spearhead the Militia attack on the Government right, the Regulars of the South Staffordshire regiment advance on the left in their lorries.

The mounted Manders' Horse take post on the left of the Hilton Main Miners' Collective, who have bought their Silver Band along for support! 

The BUF and supporting Militia units are rapidly advancing to size the airfield. Mander counters with all he has available, the Horse and the Miners. A brisk firefight erupts between the opposing forces!

The Socialist's Vickers Medium tank advances to engage the Government's Mk VI. A protracted exchange of fire proves largely indecisive, although the Mk VI's turret jams as the result of a glancing hit!

While the tanks slog it out the South Staffords debus partly screened by the corn field. ( A nod to the acres of corn grown on SSWW farmland opposite our house for several years after we first moved in.)

The BUF have stalled, engaging in a firefight with the distant Manders Guards, while the Tettenhall Militia press forward having driven Manders' Horse back with heavy losses.

The Chillington Rifle Volunteers are trying to size control of the workshops in support of the main advances on both Government flanks.

The South Staffords' HQ Company takes up position where it can control both the Company advancing through the cornfield with the MMG in support...

And the second Company advancing on the road from the Red Lion pub! 

The Trench Mortar team are lobbing their tin can bombs (Light Mortar effect) on to the advancing enemy troops.

Their fire proves though to be largely ineffective in halting the enemy advance!

Emerging from the cover afforded by the cornfield - it's as high as an elephant's eye you know - the South Staffords' fire knocks out the Trench Mortar and crew!

Losses mount for the Socialists, their 3" Mortar and crew are neutralised. The miners are also hors de combat and with their Bolt Action dice down to 4 there is no choice but a dignified withdrawal leaving Rawnsley's Government forces in possession of the airfield.

We played 10 Turns using Bolt Action 3 supplemented by our own random event cards - see Phil's blog for details. Both sides started with 9 Bolt Action dice, but the Socialists had 11 units to the Government's 9, meaning any losses disproportionately affected the choices I could make. In the end I lost so many that further action was pointless, the South Staffords being over my right flank with no effective opposition to halt the advance! Nevertheless, a grand tussle played out either side of a Hogroast lunch courtesy of the local Co-op! 

Hairy Barbarians

The next figures which endured their time under the brush here in GHQ are for my Late Roman collection. I hope that you may recall that the figures making up the two armies are from the venerable Wargames Foundry range, sculpted by the Perry twins almost it would seem back in the mists of time! They are from the various packs of Saxons/Franks in the range, but I see them as Goths in the army of Baldinus or Gornalus. There are three bases of eight figures each which complete this addition ~

The shield transfers are from LBMS, via Victrix, so I had the added task of punching out the holes for the shield bosses! Thankfully some figures don't have a shield added! A more pressing issue is that the transfers, despite being 'designed to fit', some are way too small for the metal shields. The shields themselves are difficult too as not every boss is central, which can make some designs difficult to utilize and blend in. I can't see any excuse for such a discrepancy, other than perhaps incompetence or indolence! The base is from Warbases of course and are always in my experience the size they say it is!

Painting progress though has been pretty lethargic this past month here in GHQ with only 52 figures completed, due to all sorts of factors like a holiday, two wargames shows, and kitchen upgrade stuff! I'm not sure what will be next up from the Lead Pimple. Some Dixon Miniatures ACW Pennsylvania Bucktails are currently prepped ready for painting while the 151st Pennsylvania Infantry are ready to spray undercoat, as are some Footsore Dark Age Welsh which were sculpted by Matt. I've utilised this spell of fine Spring weather for prepping and spray undercoating figures to give me some choice and variety I the coming weeks. Beyond these we shall have to see where the muse takes us...

ACW Showcase

On Thursday last week Paul and I replayed the Valley game previously seen here, though with slightly altered forces and dispositions. Rather than attempt an AAR which would perhaps mirror that earlier game I'd like to present a photoshowcase of my ACW collection in action. Paul took all of the photos which follow, his camera phone is much better than mine! Here we go then ~

The opposing commanders first: the Confederate Staff Officers group, from Redoubt Enterprises, gather in the shade of the trees to plan their opening moves...

...while Ol' Useless S Bykleigh has his headquarters firmly in his hindquarters it seems. "Forward boys! On to Richmond!" Matt sculpted 'my head' as a Christmas gift...and fattened out the body too!

A battery of Dixon Miniatures Reb 12lb Napoleons prepare to fire on the distant Union lines in support of the coming infantry assault.

A carefully concealed sharpshooter takes aim. Ol' Useless S Bykleigh had better watch out? The free figure with the Black Powder supplement, Glory Hallelujah, I recall. His Union counterpart is a Dixon Miniatures figure painted up as a US Sharpshooter.

The 2nd US Infantry prepare to advance under the watchful eye of their Brigade commander. Can you spot the Old Glory miniatures amongst all the Dixon Miniatures goodness?

The Union New York Artillery battery prepare to fire down the Turnpike on the Rebs just beginning their advance in the distance.

Supported by a battery of 12lb Napoleons the boys from South Carolina step off to assault the Union lines!

With the 20th Massachusetts Regiment taking the lead the boys in blue prepare to drive the Rebs from the low rise to their front!

Lincoln's Highlanders, the 79th New York, and the 55th NYSM in support of the attack on the South Carolina brigade. The 39th New York, the Garibaldi Guard, can be seen in the  far left leading the attack.

Fierce fighting sees the 20th Massachusetts broken by the Rebs holding the low rise. The regiments distinctive flags are from Redoubt Enterprises. Most of the other flags you see gracing my collection are from GMB Designs.

Successive lines of Union infantry surge forward intent on driving all before them. The fences from The Last Valley lend an authentic touch to any ACW tabletop battlefield in my opinion.

The 3rd Arkansas, later from Hood's Texas Brigade, charge forward down the Valley Turnpike! These are some of my favourites Dixon Miniatures' figures, full of action and threat!

The venerable scratch built Rawnsley Farmhouse in the distance has seen much action and bloodshed down the last 30 years or so. It's still my favourite building for the period, despite it's age!

I made this and other casualty markers using Dixon Miniatures' range of dead/wounded figures for display games back in the latter years of the last century. I always forget them when we play, but this time they got an outing! There are bases with one, two and three figures on them as it happens, ideal for Black Powder games. I must make an effort in future to use these markers in our ACW games!

Another view of a casualty markers deployed in the game. As good a time as any then to satisfy your curiosity by letting you in on the outcome? The game ended in a draw after over four hours play when we ran out of time! The Rebs were being pushed back on the right but holding their positions in the centre and on the left. I do hope you have enjoyed seeing these pictures of a part of my ACW collection in action. Next up in GHQ will be a return to action in the South Staffordshire area from the VBCW.

WMMS 2025

Well, it's that time of the wargames year again with the annual Alumwell Wargames Society WMMS show at Aldersley Leisure Village, Wolverhampton. As I say each year now, an Olympic Qualifying stone's throw from GHQ. Phil, William and yours truly were duly dropped off at the venue by Sue for a couple of hours of hobby goodness to recharge the batteries after the long winter hiatus since The Other Partizan. So, without more ado, on to my take on the event, starting with a selection of the many games presented by various wargames clubs and groups.

First up an C11th game entitled Sicily in Turmoil 1063, pitting Normans against Arabs. It chimed with me having visited a Norman castle from the period, though on Cyprus that time.

Lovely terrain and figures presented by the Border Warlords.

Next I was rather taken by this Russian Civil War game being played using modified Black Powder rules.

A lovely idiosyncratic collection of period planes, vehicles and figures were beautifully presented by Leamington & District Wargamers.

Pride of place though for me was a quite splendid armoured train.

The action around Placenoit from the Battle of Waterloo.

A splendid array of buildings gracing a fine renaissance game complete with war wagons.

I'm a keen observer of buildings on the larger game table, this small group I thought was very effectively presented.

A rather splendid SYW game, such a colourful period beautifully enhanced by the lighter coloured terrain.

Derby Wargamers with a rather eye catching WWII game. Again the lighter terrain colour enhanced the details for the viewer.

A fine American frontier log fort graced this game.

Spartan Circle Wargames Group had this rather wonderful Vietnam War game, very evocative of the period and the up country terrain for my money.

Something  now that you don't see so much of today, a game featuring Miniature Figurines or Minifigs 25mm figures. It certainly took Phil and I back right back to our Marlburian game. Pure nostalgia for those gamers like us of more mature years.

By John French and friends the action at Torgau 1760. I was very taken by the silhouette backing the rather fine buildings which suggested a larger town just off the table. A clever idea in my view.

A rather nice touch was the map presentation and order of battle just off table for the interested visitor.

The Knights of St George had a rather nice Participation Game featuring Pirates and Cannibals I suspect. This was the only time I could get near it for a photo.

One regular feature of WMMS down the years is the participation of Re-enactment Societies and Modelling Clubs. This year an extensive WWII group seen here and a lone representative from an Anglo-Zulu War group. At least one of our group enjoyed the WWII kit on display...

Mind, William was very interested in the Modelling Clubs' displays and had a long chat with a couple of folk manning their displays. He managed his budget really well too, buying a Sherman Firefly kit by Airfix, a diecast Challenger II - because he liked it! - and some paint. What did I buy then you might ask? Well, two Medium and two Small trees from The Last Valley; some Wars of the Roses Archers and Foot Knights from Athena Miniatures; and lastly, three packs of Perry Wars of the Roses figures from Dave Thomas. I also received a further pack from Paul as a surprise gift!

Sadly though, one absent stalwart of the WMMS scene from the very first show through to last year was Dave Page from the Kinver group. I learned that he passed away last year, but noone knew until much later as he had no web presence. It was really very salutary for we older gamers, realising another friend and  local hobby fixture had passed us by...

WMMS is a well established event in the Midlands wargames firmament, at one stage the largest one day show in the area. Relocation to Aldersley Leisure Village and the malign hand of COVID, assisted by Boris the Barsteward, has knocked it back a bit. However, hard work by Paul and Dave, together with other club members, has restored the show to health. A whole host of traders, gamers, modellers and re-enactors thronged the venue. The only fly in the ointment was a small drop off in numbers, put down to a combination of Mother's Day and the clocks moving forward last night! I'm already looking forward to next year's version. Perhaps we should put on a game Phil...?