Miniature Wargames September 2020

40% OFF VANGUARD ABYSSAL DWARFS
BUILD DECEMATORS, BLACKSOULS & MUTATED MASTIFFS
SEPTEMBER 2020 – ISSUE 449
EXCLUSIVE SCENARIO FOR KINGS OF WAR: VANGUARD
ENTER THE PORTAL

A solo-play game for the Abyssal Dwarfs with a painting guide!
And you can download the rules for FREE!
ANTIETAM ACTION! LOOK SHARP CAPTAIN! RIGHT UP THE PUNJAB

Can McClellan win at Skirmishing in Spain with Chillianwallah in 1849 with the
Sharpsburg in 1862? the 95th Rifles British East India Company
ENGAGE IN TWISTED TABLETOP BATTLES
JOIN THE OLD ONES, EXPLORE THE FACTIONS
Excited by Mythos? Join The Hidden Ones Today! / rebrand.ly/the-hidden-ones

IN THIS ISSUE
WELCOME PLAY THE GAME
04 FORWARD OBSERVER
With the latest news items.
07 SEND THREE
came across an interesting element of gaming whilst online just other day, and on AND FOURPENCE
I several separate instances. In what feels like a previous existence, I once spent over a
quarter of a century working for a local authority and was immersed in the need for
‘political acuity’ in my every day life, with both a small and a large ‘P’. Despite the
issues of wargaming shows and reenactment groups that I’ve had to deal with in the
past (it seems I’m not the only person that likes dressing up in silly hats – and more!)
Realism in wargames: “It’s a
trap” says Admiral Kinch!
COVER 12 ENTER
FEATURE THE PORTAL!
up until now I hadn’t realised how much the politics of the real An exclusive solo play scenario for Kings of
world and every day life was transitioning into a rather less War: Vanguard plus a painting guide for the
enjoyable environment for gaming. I have to say, the calls Abyssal Dwarfs.
I have heard to make wargaming a more politically ‘safe
space’ baffle me: we are (mostly) grown men and women 18 KEEP TAKING
of all ages and preferences but we play a game that deals – THE TABLETS
however abstractly – with killing people.. And there’s no Archaeology and Arms in the
two ways about that. Sure, I’ve known people refuse to Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.
play certain armies and forces through history – and that’s
fine and I totally respect their views – but when that 22 DEFENCE IN DEPTH
stretches into fantasy and SF I’m really puzzled. With the latest figure and rules reviews.
As the late Frederic Bulsara (of whom I am a
vast fan) – sang: “Open up your mind and let me 26 COMMAND DECISION
step inside... Play the game everybody...” Leave Antietam: Sharpsburg, Maryland, 1862!
the politics for the nine to five, eh?
32 OATHMARK EXPRESS
Get in touch Concluding the building of two armies at
the double. Part two: paint and finish.
tabletopgaming.co.uk
MiniatureWG 37 CHILLIANWALLAH
It’s the Punjab in 1849: Bloody conflict
MiniatureWargames
and the British East India Company.
John Treadaway miniature_wargames_magazine
Editor 42 PENINSULA
ADVENTURES
MINIATURE WARGAMES INCORPORATING BATTLEGAMES Looking sharp with three Skirmishes in Spain!
EDITORIAL
EDITOR John Treadaway
MARKETING EXECUTIVE
Luke Hider
51 SCRATCH BUILD
MiniatureWargames@warnersgroup.co.uk 01778 395085 | luke.hider@warnersgroup.co.uk Build a Roman Mile Castle!
HEAD OF DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Lynn Wright PUBLISHED BY

PUBLISHER Claire Ingram
54 QUARTERMASTER
DESIGN Richard Hallam, Mike Edwards The latest hobby accessories reviewed.
claire.ingram@warnersgroup.co.uk
COVER Kings of War: Vanguard artwork by Michele Warners Group Publications PLC The Maltings, West Street,
Giorgi, supplied by Mantic. Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH | 01778 391000 55 NAPOLEON SOLO
How to get started in solo wargaming.
ADVERTISING TO ADVERTISE PLEASE CALL NEWSTRADE DISTRIBUTION
ACCOUNT MANAGER Warners Group Publications Plc 01778 391150
Murdo MacLeod 01778 391129 59 RECCE
murdo.macleod@warnersgroup.co.uk Books for the discerning wargamer.
ADVERTISING PRODUCTION MANAGER Nicola Lock
01778 392420 | nicola.lock@warnersgroup.co.uk The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the
publishers. Every care is taken to ensure that the content of this magazine
67 CLUB SPOTLIGHT
is accurate, but we assume no responsibility for any effect from errors or Tanelorn Wargames Club.
MARKETING omissions. While every care is taken with unsolicited material submitted for
publication, we cannot be responsible for loss or damage. While every care is
MARKETING MANAGER
Katherine Brown
taken when accepting advertisements, we are not responsible for the quality
and/or the performance of goods and/or services advertised in this magazine.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) exists to regulate the content of
70 THE LAST WORD
01778 395092 | katherine.brown@warnersgroup.co.uk advertisements. Tel: 020 7429 2222 © Warners Group Publications PLC, 2020 With Andy Copestake.
September 2020 Miniature Wargames 3

FORWARD OBSERVER
News, previews and community submissions from the wargaming world
PARA BELLUM RELEASES

New boxed figure sets
In Defence in Depth you’ll find a review

of the Conquest Companion by Para
the other two boxes, there are 12 in the
box (with the option of making two as WARS OF OZZ
Bellum.. Coming in Command models) plus plastic Kickstarter funded ten times over!
September are three new stands, bases, and a
boxed sets of plastic command. They come Wars of Ozz is a fantasy miniatures
miniatures with 12 to a in at €36. game set in the marvellous world
box. There’s the Hundred And to lead the latter of Ozz first chronicled by L. Frank
Kingdoms Household box you can buy a Baum’s in 1900, later turned into
Guard; and the Hundred Captain. He’s cast
Nords Captain movies by MGM and Disney and now
Legion.
Kingdoms Gilded Legion in resin with a base and the inspiration for a totally unique
These are both very allows a Command mass battle tabletop experience. Sally
heavily armoured, upgrade for the Nords 4th have taken Baum’s world as an
gothic style knights: the Household providing players with more control inspirational starting point for creating
Guard are mainstay troops for the Noble over the arrival of their forces onto the their own ‘Ozz’: a post-apocalyptic
Lord and the Gilded Legion are a more battlefield from reinforcements which is Earth where after the last ‘Madness
defensively orientated force. Both will be ‘a good thing’, game wise. This last figure Bomb’ fell in the ‘Last Great War’,
€39. They aren’t on their own, however, is €20 and all are released in September! survivors mutated and chaos reigned
and the Nords get a box of Huscarls. Like Go to para-bellum.com until several hundred years later
the Wizard arrived. Figures include
BLOOD RED SKIES other team, at the same release date and
for the same price you could choose the
everything for building Munchkin,
Quadling, Gilikin or Winkie Armies
Twin Engine terrors! Soviet Pe-2. Redesigned from a high- (including Munchkin pirates...) and
In September Warlord are altitude escort fighter into a character sets that include Dorothy,
releasing two new squadrons dive bomber, it Toto, The Tinman, Scarecrow and the
for their Blood Red Skies should prove a Cowardly Lion. The rules – written
system in 1/200th cast in ‘Warlord good match and all are by Buck Surdu – have been designed
Resin’. for the German available to pre-order now from to support solo, two player and team
forces there’s a Junkers the Warlord play. The rulebook contains everything
Ju 88C. This Solid nosed, online store at needed to play a streamlined and
machine gun and cannon warlordgames.com intuitive ‘fantasy’ horse and musket
equipped heavy mass battle game, together with full
fighter is impressive background of the world, it’s factions,
and £25 buys you a squadron of six scenarios and uniform guides. Look up
aircraft in a boxed set. If you bat for the the range at wargamesbuildings.co.uk
4 Miniature Wargames September 2020

THE ELDER
SCROLLS
Get it right
PRUSSIANS Modiphius Entertainment are

New 28mm cavalry are coming busy releasing a host of material
for their large range of games.
Prussia was renowned for its excellent infantry under Frederick the Great but Bonaparte warned This magazine recently published
his generals of the excellent Prussian cavalry. So now’s your chance to pre-order some horse a unique scenario for The Elder
boys! Useable for the Napoleonic wars, this latest set of Hussars from Warlord comprises a dozen Scrolls: Call to Arms but – as with
figures cast in ‘Warlord Resin’ and a box of a dozen should be available in October along with a any game system – there will be
box of the same number of Uhlans. Judging by the pictures there’s at least three horse positions the odd glitch and Modiphius
and a lot of figure variants. Go to warlordgames.com have now produced an Errata and
Updated sheet plus new Print
& Play Cards. The sheet corrects
printed errors found within all
COMMUNITY CORNER
REDISCOVERING GAMING: A PAINTING SAGA the rule books in the boxed set:
the errors are listed with a page
Andrew Wilson discovered miniatures Contrast paint for leather, under tunics number, and changes are presented
35 years ago with a boxed set of and leg wrappings. in red. The download is free and
Dungeons & Dragons, some Citadel After base coats I gave them a also contains the updated Print &
paints, and his dad's Airfix enamels. drybrush with Army Painter Corpse Play cards with updated stats for
Halcyon days, marked by receiving the Pale. This is better for picking out selected adversaries and allies in
Warhammer 40,000 book for Christmas most colours than white, working very the game. Go to modiphius.net
1987. After a break from miniatures, well on green and browns, and can be
Andrew’s rediscovering his love of
wargaming. These miniatures are part
inked over while still highlighting the
raised areas. THIS MONTH
of FootSore’s Romano-British range for
the wargame Saga.
The whole model was then washed
with Army Painter Strong Tone. I
IN HISTORY
“I hand-prime individual figures with decided on a non-metallic style for POLAND
Ceramite White,” Andrew says, “then the helmet; building up from a base of SEPTEMBER 1, 1939
follow the same pattern – flesh first, Instar Pure Orange, drybrushed and The invasion of Poland (called variously the
normally Vallejo Sunny Skin Tone, then then glazed with Contrast Iyanden Kampania wrześniowa in Polish and the
blocking in clothes and armour. I used Yellow. Leathers were washed with Überfall auf Polen in German), marked the
beginning of World War II for most of the
samples of Instar Paints Alpha range, of Army Painter strong tone, and a western world. The German invasion began on
Forest Green for tunics, standard Instar thinned soft tone, with the same wash 1 September 1939, one week after the signing
Matte Brown for fur, and Sapphire applied to the helmets, cuffs and feet. I of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact between
Blue for trousers. I use Aggaros Dunes wanted something different for the fur, Germany and the Soviet Union, and one day
so I've gone for a stylish badger pelt. after the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union
had approved the pact. The Soviets, of course,
Finally, I added white stripes and cuffs. also invaded Poland on 17 September. The
The bases are simple – two layers of campaign ended on 6 October with Germany
sharp sand and PVA, sealed, painted and the Soviet Union dividing and annexing
with Forest Green and drybrushed the whole of Poland under the terms of the
yellow. Tufts really make a base, and German–Soviet Frontier Treaty. The shot is a
Deal Wargames Society’s take on this event.
these are WWS and Serious-Play.
I still have 20 miniatures from my
warband to go, so I'm
hoping get them
on a tabletop
soon- and If you’d like to submit
one day my something for Community
Corner, contact
daughter can MiniatureWargames@
finish some!” warnersgroup.co.uk

SEND THREE AND FOURPENCE
SOME THOUGHTS ON
EXACTITUDE IN WARGAMING:
And why realism is a trap
Words and pictures by Conrad Kinch
n the year of the Corona who worries away at you like a
I virus, a man must count his

blessings. Since the last issue,
Mrs Kinch and the Kinchlets
who had been evacuated to the
countryside like the Pevensie
dog with a bone about why you
chose the wrong rules, painted
the wrong uniforms and ‘weren’t
the 17th Lancers over there?’
Fortunately since the Corona
children in The Lion, the Witch and virus hit, I’ve been reduced to
the Wardrobe have returned and being annoyed with these people
all is well with the world. The on Twitter rather than in real
Bear quite liked the old wardrobe life, which until those clever
and the LadyBaby made off with clogs at Apple manage to invent
the White Witche’s best frocks, a device that will allow me to
but ultimately they seem to have choke people over the Internet,
emerged unscathed from their is a much more peaceful way of
rural idyll. spending one’s time (serves you
I am told there were silver right for using Twitter, I say! But
linings to the ‘lock down’ and to that’s a grand idea Mr Kinch, and
be fair, I have done quite a bit of well worth patenting: roll on the
remote wargaming (see last issue iChoke app! Ed.)
for details), but mostly it involved
moving from home to work YOU CAN KEEP
and back again, getting fat and YOUR HAT ON...
missing my family. The classic example of this ABOVE A multi-player drunken militia, angry locals and
Memoir '44 game. A semi-
But if there was an unexpected particular outrage was a abstract system which 19th century interpretations of
silver lining it was not running Napoleonic game I ran at a sacrifices complexity Fathers Ted, Jack and Dougal.
wargames at shows and getting show many moons ago using for speed and ease of The game was meant to be a light
play. This game had
stuck with the inevitable chap a modified version of Legends some added realism as entertainment, but this one chap
who corners you to talk about of the Old West. The game was one of the players could kept at me because the French
why some particular aspect of to say the least rather less than not attend and was put infantry were wearing bicornes...
in charge of the Allied
your game isn’t realistic. I am not serious as it was based on the artillery. Communication I was struggling to keep my
by nature a violent man. But there French invasion of Craggy Island by text and camera phone temper with this idiot, when he
are a few things more calculated in 1810. The French were invading picture added spice to the was unexpectedly assaulted from
proceedings, including
to send me into a complete fury the island to seize the Holy Stone some quite realistic the flank by a friend of mine,
than the sort of irredeemable arse of Clonrichert, while facing rounds falling short. Tootsie, who was waiting with
The field of Waterloo at approximately 0800. As you can see the Lion
Mound which is about 140 feet high is just about visible alongside the
museum/visitors centre. Visibility and weather are both significant
factors in real conflict, but not often included in wargames.
›
Mrs Kinch in the girlfriend creche.

She gave him a good poking with
a rolled up copy of Vogue and
told him that he better take it
with him as he was clearly more
interested in fashion than war. He
took to his heels.
By the way Tootsie knows
quite a bit about fashion and you
should buy her bespoke hats:
have a look at facebook.com/Tootsi-
eRoyaleMillineryAccessories (hats,
you say? I will! Ed).
That chap wouldn’t play a
game, no matter how ridiculous,
where the figures were not
dressed appropriately to his
satisfaction. Now no-one has a
right to expect people to play it up to the Inclemencies of Sun and ABOVE games of Warhammer and various
their game and I fully accept Winters. In the Deserts of the West, Prussian moving in on Donald Featherstone rules,
French positions. In
that. Also I can understand that still today, there are Tattered Ruins garden games, while they but even at my most crazed, I
some players can find particular of that Map, inhabited by Animals involve plenty of silliness never considered tackling Bruce
aspects of a game break their and Beggars; in all the Land there is (firing nerf rockets being Quarrie. The book includes rules
one example) can be
immersion and enjoyment of no other Relic of the Disciplines of quite realistic in that they for running your Napoleonic
that game, but I think we should Geography.” avoid the traffic jam that countries budget (to the pounds,
recognise that this is a personal The point to observe here is can occur on a table. It's shillings and pence!), different
much easier to replicate
preference and not “realism” per that in trying to make the perfect realistic formations with levels of attrition dependent on
se. In fact realism, at least in the map, the Empire made a map that proper spacing. medical care, individual stats for
sense in which the word is used was completely useless. There’s the main generals of each side
BELOW
in wargaming circles is a very a moral here for wargamers. Napoleon's Campaigns and so on. It’s a tremendous piece
slippery beast. There is no such thing as realism in Miniature by Bruce of work and certainly learned a
in wargames, but a wargame Quarrie - there is a huge lot about the period from reading
amount of information
MAPPA MUNDI can focus on specific areas and crammed into this slim it, but it failed as a game. So if
The best analogy I’ve been able attempt to get those right. To volume, but the amount of you have ever finished a game of
to find for the way wargamers paraphrase Frederick the Great: detail included in the name Napoleon’s Campaigns in Miniature,
of realism seems to me to
think about realism is the “He who seeks realism everywhere, make the book unplayable I would love to hear from you.
Jorge Luis Borges short story, will get realism no-where” and will as a game. Even at the level Napoleon’s
On Exactitude in Science. In it a be like the geographers in the Campaigns in Miniature operated
society becomes obsessed with Borges story who build a map at it didn’t address real campaign
making the perfect map: that is perfectly accurate, but issues like the degradation of
“…In that Empire, the Art of totally unusable. the horse flesh in Napoleon’s
Cartography attained such Perfection You can try and realistically army throughout the latter years
that the map of a single Province model every aspect of of his campaigns or the
occupied the entirety of a City, warfare in a game and you effect of battlefield smoke
and the map of the Empire, the will almost certainly fail. on musketry effectiveness.
entirety of a Province. In time, those The closest I’ve seen to That’s not a criticism of
Unconscionable Maps no longer anybody trying to tackle this the book per se, but an
satisfied, and the Cartographers outside of computer games observation that – like a man
Guilds struck a Map of the Empire is Bruce Quarrie’s Napoleon’s staring at a fractal – you
whose size was that of the Empire, Campaigns in Miniature. This can always find additional
and which coincided point for point particular ruleset is a small complexity if you look for
with it. The following Generations, hardback book, but it is it. (Phoenix Command rules
who were not so fond of the Study stuffed with absolutely tons had, as I recall, three different
of Cartography as their Forebears of stuff. I greatly enjoyed versions of the FN rifle, each
had been, saw that that vast Map reading it as a youngster, with tiny variations: as you say,
was Useless, and not without some but I never actually played ‘additional complexity’ and all
Pitilessness was it, that they delivered a game of it. I managed to no point whatsoever... Ed.)

RULE THEM ALL So far, so laughably simple, BELOW in line of sight can shoot them.
The best rules in my experience right? Well no. The game is Four games four very If they get pinned down, play
different approaches to
are those rules that decide on extremely realistic in some "realism". passes to the other player. This
what they really want to focus ways. Players get no information is a very short description of
on and follow through on that from the Umpire, so must rely TOP LEFT Tacspiel - A US Crossfire and in no way does
Army training wargame
promise. Here are some examples: on their own vessel recognition from the 1960s uses it justice, you can see a more
Paddy’s Griffith’s Generalship skills to determine what the squares for movement, in depth review here youtube.
Game: From the seminal work, enemy ships are. A modified but requires detailed use com/watch?v=RO81x71xaqk.
of proper order forms.
Napoleonic Wargaming for Fun, the version of the game was even What I find interesting about
Generalship game is essentially used by the USN in the 1930s TOP RIGHT Charge! - this rule set from the design
a very, very detailed Kreigspiel, to teach vessel recognition Written by two former perspective is that – counter-
Second World War officer,
but one that doesn’t really bother and basic tactics. Secondly, Charge! is a deceptively intuitively – one of the things
itself with anything below the most naval engagements of the simple wargame of that seems most unrealistic about
Corps level. What it does do is time were decided by hits on imaginary 18th century it is the movement. However,
states, but uses written
work as very detailed look at critical systems. The designer orders and simultaneous the fact the troops can move
Generals actually do. Each turn specifically didn’t model this movement to create fog theoretically unlimited distances,
is 15 minutes and the player must (allowing damage to be applied of war. actually contributes a great deal
plan his day, including time for to ships incrementally) so that BOTTOM LEFT Paddy to the game. Players must look
eating, sleeping, scouting, writing real tactics were rewarded, a Griffith's Napoleonic closely at terrain, finding – and
orders, riding, etc. The Umpire bad player couldn’t hope that Wargaming for Fun - a exploiting – dead ground is vital
compendium of different
then enacts those orders and getting lucky would get him out games each focusing because it allows you to infiltrate
feeds back the results. I’ve never of a jam. This decision was taken on a different aspect of your opponent’s position. This
managed to convince anyone so that while the game might Napoleonic warfare. means that your positions have
to play this with me and I hope be less effective as a simulation, BOTTOM RIGHT to be chosen with all round
someday that someone will write it would be more effective as a Simulating War - Dr defence in mind as flanking is
a computerised version, but the training aid. Sabin's surprisingly brutal. The use of indirect fire
accessible work on how
two things that really strike me Arty Clonliffe’s Crossfire: to model conflict and that to suppress defenders is a key
about it are that it is the only This Second World War ruleset wrestles not only with part of any offensive plan. It’s
game I’ve ever come across that is one of those ‘love it or hate it’ how to represent war in been twenty years since I dashed
games, but the uses those
addresses the importance of staff games. There are no turns, you games can be put to. around the Wicklow mountains
work at higher levels and at a play in real time. There are no doing section and platoon attack
more personal level, how sleep rulers, anything in sight can be exercises, but nothing I’ve played
deprivation affects performance. shot at. Figures can move as long since has captured the feel of
You can sacrifice sleep to spend as they want and as often as they small unit tactics quite like it.
more time doing things, but want, so long as they don’t touch Does Crossfire have
those chickens will come home to a piece of terrain, but anything weaknesses? Of course it
roost eventually. does, it doesn’t handle armour
Fred Jane’s Battleship Game: particularly well and smoke
This is a naval wargame written is probably too effective for
between the wars that focuses one thing, but in terms of
on big ship engagements using modelling the infantry fight,
gunnery and is currently it does an excellent job.
available from the History What these three games
of Wargaming Project have in common
(wargaming.co). Players play is that they
using scale model ships picked something
on the floor, they lay their that they wanted
guns and guess the ranges, to model and
which are then measured they focused on it
by an Umpire. If a player exclusively. Crossfire
manages to land the shot really starts to creak
on the enemy vessel a once you put more than
hit is scored. Hits are two companies on the
marked with red golf table and doesn’t do tanks
teas, misses with white justice. Fred Jane’s Naval Game
golf tees representing isn’t great at carrier operations
water spouts. and doesn’t model intra-fleet
›
a sign that someone further

up the chain of command has
made a serious error.
But they do make for rattling
good games. And isn’t that what
we’re here for?
TO CONCLUDE
It may sound like I’m deriding
the concept of realism in
wargames here, but I’m not.
Like all things, it’s a matter
of degree and compromise. If
you want to realistically model
some aspect of warfare in your
games, you’ll need to think
carefully about the game that
you play and make sure to pick
communication at all. Paddy terrifying and boring. A realistic ABOVE your candidate accordingly.
Griffith’s Generalship Game has simulation of a Great War battle The Battle of Rolica If you want ‘crunchy’ and in
replayed as a Napoleonic
a completely abstract combat would probably involve a lot wargame. Wargamers depth small unit tactics, your
system, but it does model how of sitting under shellfire, dying strive for realism in game is probably not going
long you will need to spend by inches, which is not wildly painting their troops, but to handle larger engagements
how often do we include
writing to your family while on entertaining. There’s probably blackpowder smoke well. A game that focuses on
campaign. Like a cameraman only so much realism we want and it's effective in our communications, won’t have
who chooses to put one part of in a game that we play for fun. games? detailed tactical rules.
the picture in focus, the author Take Bolt Action and Chain Now there is a constituency
has the aspect of warfare that he of Command for example: both that really enjoys rules that
wants to model and has made platoon level wargames with a focus on detail in the name
sure that that aspect is correct. wealth of scenarios available. of realism. Harpoon players
Any platoon commander who spring to mind, and to those
DOES IT WORK ended up really fighting his way brave souls, I say “I salute
AS A GAME? through a succession of those you, but I can’t join you.” They
There is an excellent book would be in hot water with his are a small, select and often
by Tony Horowitz called superiors in short order. lonely brotherhood in my
Confederates in the Attic about “Another balanced fight, Kinch? experience. Games that focus
America’s relationship with Taking on nearly equal numbers on doing a few things well
their Civil War and how it is with only one tank in support?” and most things pretty well,
remembered. In it the author “Yes Sir.” while still functioning as a
describes an attempt in the “Are you okay? Or were you pleasant entertainment for
early 20th century to record the asleep during the ‘Fair Fights are those involved is what I enjoy
famous ‘rebel yell’: the battle for Idiots’ portion of the Platoon and – more to the point – are
cry of the Confederate army. Commanders Course?”. what I’ve actually been able to
The Confederate veteran who Now Bolt Action and Chain convince people to play.
performed it said he was an of Command give a fun game We can have some realism
old man and couldn’t quite do and actually manage in some in our games of toy soldiers,
it justice, but observed that “It ways to model small unit but let’s not beat ourselves up
never sounded quite right with a tactics. But what they don’t if we never quite manage a
full stomach”. model is the typical infantry truly realistic game: if we did
Unless you’re one of those engagement because – in many someday manage to square that
very few people who play ways – that isn’t much fun for particular circle, we probably
wargames professionally, most the defender, who gets hit with wouldn’t enjoy it very much.
of us play wargames for fun. I overwhelming force and has to Please contact me – especially
am sure there are many people withdraw sharpish. That’s not if you’ve ever finished a game of
who find war a great deal of fun, to say that “fair” fights don’t Napoleon’s Campaigns in Miniature
but – for most of the participants happen, but they don’t happen – at conrad.kinch@gmail.com or
– it seems to be a mixture of the that often and they are usually @aquestingvole on Twitter. ■

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COVER E KINGS OF WAR: VANGUARD
R
FEATU
ENTER THE PORTAL! An exclusive solo play scenario for Kings of War: Vanguard
By Chris Kellehan & Rob Burman | Images by Mantic
eep in the Halpi Mountains, your warband has stumbled BACKGOUND
D
ABOVE
The rule system across a shimmering portal that appears to connect Normally Vanguard pits small, elite warbands against
uses a lot of
inspirational to another realm. As you begin to explore this bizarre each in brutal combat but – for this free scenario – we
artwork! This artefact, you hear shouts! You have been discovered by thought we would do something a little different. The
is by Michele a party of Abyssal Dwarfs and their hunting pack of mutated mission makes use of the Abyssal Dwarf miniatures
Giorgi.
mastiffs. You will have to fend off the attackers while attempting that are discounted with this digital issue (See p15 for
OPPOSITE to get your warband safely through the magical opening. details). Although they are a really flexible figure sprue
But this should Welcome to an exclusive solo play scenario for Kings that can be assembled in a number of ways, if you want
inspire too: an
Abyssal Dwarf of War: Vanguard – the fantasy skirmish game from to play this scenario, we recommend building them as
Army. Mantic Games. In this scenario your brave warband five Decimators (the ranged option), five Blacksouls (the
must defend a mysterious portal from the wicked melee option) and also make sure you build the two
Abyssal Dwarfs and their twisted hunting hounds. Mutated Mastiffs.

If you’ve never played Vanguard, you’re going 3. The AI always takes the first Turn each Round,
to need the basic rules. But don’t worry because regardless of who finished last in the previous
the core rules are available to download for free Round (unless you use an effect to take first Turn).
from manticgames.com. In the rules you’ll be able
to read how combat works, how Power Dice work TURNS
and more. You’ll also find the stats required for ◗ The AI will never intentionally use Fatigue (and will
the Abyssal Dwarf Blacksouls, Decimators and never clear it using Power). The AI will also never
Mutated Mastiffs too. Once you’ve downloaded Retaliate.
the free rules and warband guide, you can use ◗ Turns alternate between yourself and the AI as
any models you’ve got laying around the house to normal. You take your Turns normally. You’ll just
represent your chosen warband. If you have played need to roll on behalf of the AI when attacking and
Vanguard before, then this scenario works a lot defending.
differently to a standard mission – read on to find
out how to set up. On the AI’s Turn, do the following:
Activate – roll a D6 to see which Abyssal Dwarf unit
HOW SOLO PLAY WORKS will activate. Consult the table below:
As mentioned previously, normally Vanguard is 1-2 Activate the Blacksouls
a ‘Player versus Player’ (PvP) game against rival 3-4 Activate the Decimators
warbands with each person commanding their own 5-6 Activate the Mutated Mastiffs
gang of hardened fighters. However, this scenario
introduces the concept of solo play: you could even Activate all models of that type, in order, starting with
play it co-operatively with a friend should you wish the model furthest from any of your models. Refer to
too. With this in mind, there are some significant the AI rules for which action each model takes. Once
changes to the standard Vanguard rules. all the model types have been activated, you get to
play out the rest of your Turns.
ROUNDS
Rounds play out mostly the same as in regular ACTIVATING THE ABYSSAL DWARFS
Vanguard, with the following exceptions: Models: Equipped with Ranged weapon or other
1. The AI will never roll for or use Power. Their Ranged attacks.
appropriate units will still count as generating IF THEN
Power dice though where they interact with your Knocked Down Stand up and end Turn.
Warband’s abilities. Engaged with one Take a Breakaway action directly away from the
enemy enemy, stopping if it reaches any terrain or would
2. You get to roll and use Power as normal. come within 1” of another enemy.
Engaged with more Take a Breakaway action towards their own table
than one enemy edge, staying 1” clear of enemies, and stopping if it
reaches terrain.
Enemy model in Use the shortest Ranged attack that is in Range.
Range of one or more If more than one on the card, choose the first one
offensive abilities printed on the card.
Any enemies in LOS If a Walk will bring them in range of a ranged attack,
Walk towards nearest enemy in LOS, stopping when
in range. Otherwise, Run towards nearest enemy in
LOS, only stopping if come within range.
Else Run towards nearest enemy, stopping when they
have LOS to ANY enemy.
Models: No ranged offense.

IF THEN
Knocked Down Stand up and end Turn.
Engaged with one or Take a Melee action against the enemy with the
more enemies fewest wounds. If tied, the most expensive enemy
in points.
Enemies in LOS Take a Run action towards nearest enemy in LOS.
If qualifies as a Charge, use the free Melee against
that enemy. If tied for closest, choose the enemy
with the fewest wounds.
No enemies in LOS, Walk towards nearest enemy and engage. If tied
enemy within Walk for closest, the fewest wounds. If still tied, most
distance (including expensive enemy in points.
terrain penalties)
Else Run (or Walk if can not Run) towards nearest
enemy, engage if possible. If tied for closest, the
fewest wounds. If still tied, most expensive enemy
in points.
›
ENTER THE PORTAL SCENARIO HOW TO WIN BELOW

SET UP You will win the scenario if three models in your A close up of a
unit of Abyssal
Before placing other terrain, place a model representing warband enter the portal by the end of Round Five. Dwarfs.
the portal on a 50mm square base at the middle of the
table. Now place the terrain. Toss a coin to see if you’re SCENARIO RULES
Player A or Player B – the other player becomes the AI. To enter the portal a model must be unengaged
You can now set up both warbands as you see fit. We and in base contact with the portal at the end of a
recommend you create a warband worth 200pts for this Round. At the end of a Round choose each model
scenario. The Abyssal Dwarfs will use the following: you would like to try and enter the portal. On a
◗ 5 x Decimators ◗ 5 x Blacksouls ◗ 2 x Mutated Mastiffs. roll of 7 or 8, that model successfully disappears
into portal and is removed from
play. On a roll of a 1, something
has gone wrong and they teleport
into the opposing player’s
deployment area. The AI will
not attempt to move through
the portal.
The portal is Height 3,
Impassable Terrain and
blocks LOS.
In this scenario, the AI
models are not removed from
play. Instead, when an
enemy model is killed, it is
‘respawned’ in the enemy DOWNLOAD
THE ABYSSAL DWARFS
deployment zone at the WARBAND CARDS
furthest corner away from FOR VANGUARD
the portal at the start of tabletopgaming.co.uk/
information/downloads
the next Round. It can then
be activated as normal. ■

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By Dave Symonds from Mantic Games Use the discount code: MWGMINIS
o go with the Enter the Portal lines removed with the back of a knife gun first, as this will fit in a specific way
T scenario in this issue, you’ll need

some finished figures so this
is a guide on how to get your
evil dwarfs ready to start looting and
pillaging a hoard of gold!
or a file.
For Blacksouls, it’s simply a case of
choosing which weapon and shield arms
you would like and gluing them into
place, followed by the head. Although
and dictate the position of the other arm.
If you are building a regiment for
Kings of War, it helps to think about how
you will base your miniatures. If you are
using individual bases, they will need
the arms are paired, there is no reason to rank up. I find the knack for this is to
ASSEMBLING THE to stick to the pairs – make what looks have the shields held to the front of the
ABYSSAL DWARF cool! Some shields have been split warrior, which the weapon arm is at the
For this guide, I’ll be assembling one off from their respective arms – look back, usually raised. Build each miniature
of the free Blacksouls you’ve received carefully at the lettering on the frame for a specific place and dry fit pieces and
with the magazine. The Abyssal Dwarfs itself to let you know which parts go check as you go. If you are gluing all of
can be built as Blacksouls with melee together. the miniatures down to a multi-base, this
weapons, or Decimators with ranged Building Decimators is done in the is less of a concern as you can use a few
weapons. These miniatures are made same way, but this time you must stick less models to give your burly dwarfs
from hard plastic and so can be built to the paired arms for the pieces to fit more space. In this case, I’ve superglued
using plastic glue or poly cement. Each together properly. Conveniently, they are one foot to a temporary base for painting,
piece is removed from the frame as all located on the frame in pairs already. so it can be easily removed and glued to
needed with clippers and any mould It’s best to start with the arm holding the its final location later.
›
PAINTING THE ABYSSAL DWARF Agrax Earthshade. Once this is dry, apply
I will be using a selection of GW Citadel Athonian Camoshade. The first
Citadel and Army Painter paints wash adds depth and warmth to the
in this guide. The miniature was colours, while the second adds an aged
undercoated with Citadel Mechanicus look to them.
Standard Grey Spray. Grey is a great Drybrush both the gold and the
neutral undercoat for most paint silver with Army Painter Shining Silver.
schemes and this is no exception. This will finish the metallic areas. (The
Before we get started, there are a illustration of the four arms – page bottom
couple of things to bear in mind with – shows this whole process in a linear,
the miniature. Firstly, I’ll mention this progressive fashion. Ed.)
more than once: after finishing the metal Before moving on, it’s important
areas, change your paint water and tidy to change your water, so that the
up any non-metal areas with Citadel excess metallic paint in there doesn’t
Mechanicus Standard Grey to give contaminate it for other colours. It’s also
yourself a smooth base to work from. useful to get some Citadel Mechanicus
As you progress, you’ll need to take Standard Grey and re-apply it to any non-
more and more care to avoid painting metal areas, so you have a smooth base
over any finished areas of the miniature, for the remaining colours. Shade these areas with Citadel Agrax
but if you do make a mistake, just go Earthshade all over. Try not to get this on
back with a little of the basecoat for that THE CLOTH & BONES the metal, but it won’t be a big problem
area and you should be fine. if you do.
Finally, this scheme is suited to
batch painting: painting multiple
miniatures at once as a single batch.
This is a great idea if you’re painting
up a regiment for your Kings of War
army. Simply complete the same step
on every miniature before moving on
to the next step.
THE METAL
Basecoat any areas that will be gold
with Army Painter Plate Mail Metal. This
will give us a strong undercoat for the
gold, which can sometimes come out a
bit thin. Basecoat the weapons and any
other silver areas with Army Painter
Gun Metal – this applies to Blacksouls’
melee weapons or Decimators’
blunderbusses. Basecoat the cloth with a couple of thin
Next, the gold areas are given a coat coats of Citadel Mephiston Red. Basecoat
of Citadel Retributor Armour, completely and bone areas (trophies or skulls) with Re-apply thin coats of Citadel Mephiston
covering the colour underneath. Citadel Rakarth Flesh. Make sure you Red and Rakarth Flesh, avoiding the
Both the gold and silver areas are take care not to paint to the metal areas recesses. Then highlight the cloth with
given two washes all over. Wait for you have already covered. If you do, thinned down Citadel Troll Slayer Orange
these to dry complete between coats and a small amount of Citadel Retributor and the bone with thinned down Citadel
before moving on. The first is Citadel Armour can be used to hide mistakes. Ushabti Bone.

THE BLACK AREAS THE FACE And with that, your Abyssal Dwarf
Again, be careful to avoid any painted areas is finished and ready to be added to
when you apply these colours. Basecoat the your growing army! This scheme can be
face with Citadel Rakarth Flesh. adjusted to cover most of the Abyssal
Wash this area with Citadel Reikland Dwarf range, including Overmasters,
Flashshade. Allow this to dry completely Iron-Casters, Immortal Guard, Berserkers,
before moving on. or even Halfbreeds.
Highlight the face with thinned down Another good aspect of this scheme
Citadel Rakarth Flesh. You want to focus is that it would be very easy to swap
mainly on the cheeks, lip, and nose for out the red for your colour of choice
this. Then pain the eye with Citadel (green, blue, black…) to make your
Mephiston Red and dot the centre with force distinct from others. As always,
a tiny amount of Citadel Troll Slayer this is a way to paint your army, rather
Orange to bring out its glow. than the way. ■
This is for the leather gloves and

boots, belts, beards and any excess
cloth. Make sure that everywhere has
a smooth base of Citadel Mechanicus
Standard Grey. Apply a couple of
thin coats of Citadel Black Templar (a
Contrast paint) all over each area. This
will give you a good off-black colour
with subtle shading and highlights.
Carefully highlight each area with

thinned down Citadel Mechanicus
Standard Grey. Be sparing with this, a
couple of well-placed highlights will
have more effect than bright highlights
everywhere. Focus towards the top and
areas that will be visible and leave any
covered areas out.

KEEP TAKING
the unusual if not unique setting
of an archaeological dig. The
idea for this scenario came from
reading about the chequered
THE TABLETS
history of the Rosetta Stone. The
stone, or tablet which gives this
piece its name, was discovered
in 1798 during the Napoleonic
invasion of Egypt; the invading
Archaeology and Arms in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan force included a Commission of
Arts and Sciences whose work
By Glenn Clarke
at the port of Rosetta – near
Alexandria – was overseen by
Pierre Bouchard. Inscriptions on
BACKGROUND ABOVE force finally defeated the Khalifa the tablet were in three different
The first Sudan War ended in Concentrated fire from and destroyed his army at the languages including the hitherto
the well established
December of 1885 when General defence line. Battle of Omdurman. mysterious hieroglyphics;
Stephenson defeated and routed Skirmishes around the Bouchard immediately realized
the remaining Mahdist forces important railway junction of that the tablet would be useful in
at Ginniss. The Mahdi had died Wadi Halfa as the new border deciphering this ancient Egyptian
in June and his followers were was established provided me writing. He dispatched it to
then commanded by the Khalifa with the ideal opportunity to General Menou in Alexandria
Abdullah who placed the entire develop a wargames idea that who quickly earmarked it for
Sudan under an oppressive and had played upon my mind for a transportation to France. Before
despotic regime. From April 1886 while. Wadi Halfa was situated it was shipped the details were
the Egyptian-Sudanese frontier south of Abu Simbel, between the carefully recorded and published
was established at Wadi Halfa second and third cataracts of the by the Commission whilst the
with all territory to the south Nile river as it flowed through stone itself was taken by the
being under the Khalifa’s control. the Nubian Desert, a region that British in 1801 when French
However, there were continual had been embroiled in the unrest forces capitulated. Despite their
incursions Northwards into and fighting of the Mahdist loss of the original artefact it was
Egyptian territory and by 1888 Revolt and the Khalifa’s rule. A a French scholar, Champollion,
the newly established Egyptian minor action in the area was to who first deciphered the
Army called upon support from be the scene for my game which text furnishing the means of
the British Army. This combined would specifically centre upon translating hieroglyphics.

SCENARIO
My scenario revolved around
a similar and imaginary
discovery close to a British
encampment on the outskirts
of Wadi Halfa as the “new”
border was being established.
A Colonel of the Lincolnshire
Regiment was a bit of a history
buff and had noticed various
ancient Egyptian artefacts as his
troops hacked away some brush
and undergrowth to build the
protective zariba around their
tents. He called in an ex-army
colleague, who was currently
involved in archaeological ABOVE However, their surprise attack as their sharp shooters took up
excavations nearby, to Map of the region. quickly developed into a minor positions on the rocky outcrop
investigate. The importance of battle as carefully posted British close to the tiny mosque. At this
the site was quickly assessed, sentries alerted their fellow point the small British forced
excavations were undertaken troops before the surprise assault in the walled garden fell back
and an underground vault could be driven home. from their protective barrier and
was opened up to reveal a rich joined the concentrated defense
collection of artefacts and tablets. HOW THE GAME PLAYED line being established by their
Local tribesmen watched with Sentries had been placed on colleagues close to the well.
annoyance as their historical and the roof of the domed house This brief respite afforded
cultural heritage was ransacked with a walled garden and the the attackers an opportunity
and they called for retribution. smaller house by the zariba – as to regroup and press forward
One morning, just before the shown in the map. Many of the again, emerging from behind the
break of dawn the infidels Lincolshires were already stirring abandoned house and supported
lit their oil lamps, returned when the alarm was raised as by their fellows in the centre.
to the dig and resumed their they had been disturbed by However, the British defense was
activities in the relatively mild the archaeologist’s activities. now well established and as the
temperature before the sun had There was therefore a rapid seven-pounder and the Gatling
fully risen. (The dig shown in deployment of troops behind the gun came fully into play the
the pictures is illuminated with a protection of the walled garden. attack ground to a halt. Unable to
small string of battery powered The rattle of gunfire and the advance in the face of such stiff
LEDs.) Enraged tribesmen warlike cries of the Dervishes resistance the game became quite
BELOW
gathered together, charged into Oil lamps illuminate the dig brought a further response and stale with the attackers simply
action and assaulted the site. just before dawn. a ragged defensive line was falling prey to the concentrated
established between the zariba fire, their ranks in the centre being
and a nearby house. A seven- rapidly and visibly thinned. On
pounder mountain gun and a the attacker’s left flank the Gatling
Gatling gun were rapidly crewed gun in particular forced them to
and brought into action. (Both shelter by the abandoned walled
weapons are adequately covered garden and house whilst their
by the supplement to the main centre began a wholesale retreat.
body of the Black Powder rules Now fully exposed the attacker’s
in the account of the Battle of left had no option other than to
El Teb; but more about this withdraw. Throughout all of this
later when I look at the rules.) activity the archaeologists had
Concentrated fire from these no choice except to remain well
weapons and from troops in the behind the British line hoping
walled garden caused the assault that their artefacts could be
on the attacker’s left to falter. saved and shipped home. When
Meanwhile the right flank of the the attackers finally withdrew
Dervish forces fared a little better the valuable finds were loaded
›
THE BATTLE OF GRAND PORT
onto wagons and pack horses of the Queen” website. The RULES
whilst the valuable tablets were figures shown here are from The rules I used throughout
propped up and photographed. Depot Battalion with a wagon were the Black Powder set from
The archaeologist’s role and the which is scratch built and based Warlord Games. They have just
importance of the artefacts raise upon the well-known picture produced an updated version
a couple of considerations which of Roger Fenton’s van in the but I had the 2013 edition which
I will look at when I discuss the Crimea. includes descriptions of a number
rules. All of the buildings plus the of different games; in particular
well, the zariba and the dig the description of the Battle of El
MODELS itself are scratch built using a Teb in the Sudan in 1884 – which I
The Sudanese forces came variety of materials although mentioned earlier – was especially
straight from the Perry boxed the tents are from Perry again. useful. Although this battle was
set of 28mm plastic figures. The Information about making the a much larger action than the one
entire force consisted of infantry dig can be found on my blog if I have described here the rules
armed with a few firearms you are interested. The whole were perfectly workable for this
and mainly edged weapons scene was enhanced with the particular game. Warlord Games
and spears. Likewise, the addition of accessories from have produced a supplement called
British defenders were mainly a couple of other sources; the Blood on the Nile and you could of
infantry and – again – from the small Egyptian statues are from course use this if you prefer.
Perry boxed plastic set. I did Ainsty Castings whilst the pots Although the Black Powder
add a small number of metal and open wagon came from Iron rules are readily available the
command figures from Perry Gate’s excellent range of unusual newly released second edition
and I stiffened the force up with items. Rock faces are plain simple does not include the Battle of El
the addition of a Gatling gun chunks of cork bark and bog Teb supplement which had been so
with Naval Brigade crew and a wood bought from the garden useful to me. Consequently, I have
seven-pounder screw gun. The centre: look for a store that stocks included the relevant data and unit
archaeologists are Perry figures materials to enhance reptile tanks statistics here. All firing modifiers,
and come from their Mafeking and the like. From the same break test values and the like can
range of civilian defenders. I source I obtained several big be taken straight from the generic
made a few minor modifications bags of beige coloured reindeer Black Powder Quick Reference
and additions including vases moss much more cheaply than Sheet from whatever edition you
and measuring rods which they could be obtained from have; they can also be applied to
should be clear enough from the model suppliers. both forces with no alterations.
photographs. BRITISH STATISTICS
The only other figures are the UNIT TYPE ARMS MELEE SHOOTING MORALE STAMINA SPECIAL
photographer and his assistant; Lincolns Infantry Rifle 6 3 +4 3 Steady
the most noted photographer in M.G. Arty. Gatling 1 Special +4 1 Steady
this theatre at the time was the Gun Arty. 7 pdr 1 3-2-1* +4 1 Steady
Frenchman named Pascal Sebah BELOW The British troops have a staff rating of 8 and are all classed as regulars.
Archaeological finds being
and you can see examples loaded on wagons and * 3 Short range, up to 6 inches; 2 Medium range up to half of maximum;
of his work on the “Soldiers pack horses. 1 Long range over half of maximum; Maximum range is 60 inches.
ARCHAEOLOGISTS STATISTICS
UNIT TYPE ARMS MELEE SHOOTING MORALE STAMINA SPECIAL
Civilian Infantry Rifle 1 2 +4 3 Irreg.
SUDANESE STATISTICS
UNIT TYPE ARMS MELEE SHOOTING MORALE STAMINA SPECIAL
Rifles Infantry Rifle 6 2 +4 3 Warband
Fanatics
Spears Infantry Spear 6 1 +4 3
All of the Sudanese are classed as irregulars and they have a
command staff rating of 8.
All of the data in these tables is taken from the relevant sections in
the Battle of El Teb supplement with a few minor adjustments. Data
for the archaeologists has been devised after looking at the tables,
finding similar troop categories and establishing what appeared to be
logical, realistic and appropriate values.

MODIFICATIONS presented to the British forces I felt and force action into the ruins and
Looking at my game overall it that the whole point of the game the tomb itself!
did strike me that there were would have been ruined. As things The setting provided a
a couple of issues that might turned out I had my usual run of very enjoyable game with the
arise. Firstly, if things had played appalling dice throws and I did archaeological “twist” giving an
out in a different manner the not get a double six so I need not interesting visual edge to what
archaeologists might have been have bothered with suspending would otherwise have been just
brought into play. They would the “blunder” rule! another colonial game. This set
have fought as a group of If you do not wish to use Black me to thinking and clearly there
irregulars under the command Powder rules then Partizan are many other possible additions
of the nearest infantry unit; they Press have produced a perfectly to similar colonial games that
therefore needed no command acceptable alternative set entitled will also give them an interesting
rating of their own. A couple of Up the Nile and there are a and unusual flavour. Why stop
the figures are actually armed number of other colonial rule at archaeology when you could
with rifles but the remainder are systems that can equally well lend extend your interests into the
not and this begs the question themselves to this scenario: and 1920’s and devise a game based
of how they might have been all of them lend themselves to you upon early oil exploration in
brought into action. making minor adjustments to deal the area. That’d give some great
There is perhaps scope here to with the issues I mentioned above. opportunities to model oil rigs
add a note to the rules allowing and the oil well pump jacks – the
civilians to equip themselves VERDICT “nodding donkey” pumps that
with weapons from fallen troops So, what is my verdict on the you will have seen in many films.
of either camp. Secondly, I did game? Well to be honest the And of course you could devise
consider introducing a victory archaeological element added any number of games based upon
condition for the defenders, a wonderful visual treat and a the extensive activity associated
something along the lines of great modelling challenge, but it with colonial map-making in
packing and removing the did not really play any great part the Victorian era: road building,
artefacts whilst the battle still in the action. Had the defense railway construction and even
raged. Up to the present I have not failed things would have been excavation of the Suez canal.
developed any notes to cover this very different; I might have They would all offer interesting
possibility but it is something that seen fighting on the steps and alternatives to the standard “take”
I shall certainly consider when I entrance to the tomb, and as I have on colonial games in the Middle
play the game again. I must admit already noted the archaeologists East of this turbulent era. So, keep
that I made one minor alteration themselves might also have been taking the tablets, get digging and
to the rules in that I suspended the brought into play. I must admit see what you can come up with! ■
“blunder” option. If you throw that the Egyptian dig gave a
a double six on the dice then a wonderful visual stimulus and LINKS
“blunder” is declared and forces made the game a pleasure to play; Soldiers of the Queen website
are compelled to either retreat, I shall certainly use the idea again soldiersofthequeen.com
ABOVE
move to one side, move forward or and might even “rig” things a little Glenn’s Blog: glennswargames. The well established
even charge! Had this option been to put the British at a disadvantage blogspot.com British defence line.

REVIEWS
DEFENCE RULE BOOKS

& FIGURES
CONQUEST COMPANION is drawn, two actions are undertaken (of

◗ para-bellum.com the moving and killing variety) and then
◗ €49 the players swap to give the other player
a turn in unit by unit order.
Para Bellum’s Conquest game is a All dice in the game are d6 and
major piece of work. Based in Greece, movement is in inches and a regular
the company makes a splendid looking, game could be played on an area as
IN DEPTH
very slick 28mm Fantasy Miniatures small as 4ft square. Units display a
game with hard plastic figures featuring number of characteristics including:
various factions and races. There’s March (movement), Volley (missiles),
a lot of it that’s every bit as complex Clash, Attacks (how many dice to throw),
as any system out there (the obvious Wounds, Defence, and Evasion. When
comparator being something like Age engaging in combat a d6 roll (often more
of Sigmar) and summing it all up in than one d6) and a score equal to or
one small review will be a toughie. under the desired Target Characteristic
The game is set in the world of Eä indicates a success.
where there are (so far) four basic races. So how can you get the rules? You can
There’s The Hundred Kingdoms: humans download the (very) brief eight page
in impressive gothic armour. Then Quick Start PDF for free from their
there’s The Dweghom who are a dwarf website at para-bellum.com/getting-started.
like ‘firstborn’ (“Originally crafted Then you can download a full rule-set:
by the dragons as a race of peerless that’s a 100 plus page PDF in English,
craftsmen”). There are also the Nords French German, Italian or Spanish.
– sort of Viking barbarian types full of Or go for fully printed: the impressive
war, raids and plunder. Finally there’s hardcover, 304 page rulebook compiles
the most difficult to describe: The Spires all the most up to date rulings and
are humanoidish aliens of some sort and clarifications on the core rules and army
take many forms (lots of legs and all lists. In addition, it contains the new
sorts of mutant types). Character expansion rules, allowing
The rules come in many forms: players to customize their Characters
Conquest is a mass battle game written with all new retinues, skills, and items.
by Alessio Cavatore and Riverhorse The Companion also has material
Studio. It does away with player dedicated to giving an overview of the
turns and army deployment as most world of Conquest and it’s factions,
understand it. Instead, it focuses its play revealing hitherto unknown details
around the command stack mechanic, about the origins of the world and the
where each player determines at the history of each faction. It’s very well
beginning of the round what order produced with subtle printing on both
his troops are going to be activated in. the matt black varnished cover and the
Players chose an order for their cards – internal artwork. There’s a lot in there!
one for each unit – in secret and use this Conquest is designed to be a fast and
‘stack’ as an activation system which intuitive game that plays in under two
means the players have to make some hours. You can try it for free so what’s
serious decisions early on. When a card stopping you?

battlesworn the There’s an Appendix with Event Tables,
chance to lead their new race specific spells, some Unique
kingdom to new Territories to fight over including an
heights of power and Abandoned Temple Complex, an Island
prestige. of Flowers, and a Gold Mine and are
The book starts effectively a prize for winning a military
with awarding, expedition. There’s also New Creatures
recording and (mostly water bound types); and New
spending Battle Aquatic Special Abilities.
Honours to advance What else is new out from Osprey is
your troops and that second edition Frostgrave. Let’s face
then it dips into the it, the original is a multi-award-winning
‘aquatic’ section with fantasy skirmish wargame and this new
OSPREY DOUBLE Riverine Craft, moving set offers improved rules based on years
◗ ospreypublishing.com and fighting from and of player feedback, a revised spell list,
◗ 14.99 & £25 on boats, Embarking and Disembarking and a wealth of brand-new scenarios.
and a list of Boat Types available (well, But the most important thing – for me at
Out in August will be two new titles big ones and small ones, really: this ain’t least – is that it remains fully compatible
from Osprey publishing. Though I don’t full naval rules this is just using boats in with all previously published Frostgrave
have hard copy I do have some PDFs a land based game!). It also includes rules supplements and.. well, there are a lot
ahead of the ship landing in the docks so for Engineers from different races. of them!
this is a review of the electronic versions Following that are some Military You can now choose a wizard from
of Oathmark: Battles of the Lost Age and Expeditions: three of them. Each contains one of ten schools of magic, and select
Frostgrave Second Edition. a series of linked scenarios. The outcome from a list of eighty spells. You can hire a
The first of these will be a soft backed of each battle has a direct effect on the warband filled with soldiers, from lowly
book which brings new avenues of play next one, and they all combine to tell a thugs and thieves to mighty knights and
value for those who have taken up the narrative of one chapter in a kingdom’s barbarians, then carry on exploring the
Oathmark system. The supplement gives military history. Each expedition also frozen ruins of the magic city of grubbing
players rules for creating elite units of offers the potential to earn special for treasure, secrets and lost magic.
warriors known as ‘battlesworn’ and rewards that are not generally available. I asked the author Joe McCullough
charting their progress from battle-to- For example, the first expedition tells the what he thought that the two biggest
battle adding to the campaign feel of story of battles fought by two different changes to Frostgrave were as I thought
the system. These are more than just kingdoms to claim a ruined temple that – as looking for arcane artefacts
powerful combatants, they are symbols complex. The winner of the final battle in treasure cities – it would be best to
of the glory and honour of a kingdom. can claim the temple and add it to their go to the source: he said that not only
All young warriors hope to one day join kingdom as a unique territory. have the spells have been revised but
their ranks and add their oathmarks Each section usually has special he’s adjusted the way soldiers in your
beside those legendary fighters. You scenario rules as well. For example in warband are handled. Some of the spells
know the drill: all men want to be them the first expedition, Scenario 1: is called have been tweaked, some changed, a few
and all female half-goblins want to not be The Broken Docks and before the game have been replaced. The overall idea, Joe
with them. That sort of thing! begins, there is a, roll for random river said, was to try and make all of the spells
It’s based around the idea of pivotal velocity for the river. In the Second desirable for your magic users. The other
units: in the maelstrom of battle, the Scenario (called Night Attack) it takes big change, as I mentioned, was that the
outcome can often hang the times that place (surprise, surprise) at night, author has split soldiers into two types:
the actions of one unit can make the so there are several special rules in there are now ‘standard’ and ‘specialist’
difference between victory and defeat. place: maximum line of sight is 12” classifications and there is a limit to the
Over eighty pages long the supplement and all shooting attacks are at -1. The number of specialists you can have in
contains rules for adding elite units to darkness also increases the difficulty to your warband. In Mr McCullough’s
your armies and charting their progress manoeuvre and pass orders, so all units experience this should help maintain the
from battle to battle in much the same suffer -1 to their activation rolls. The balance over the course of a campaign.
way that most rules sets... well, don’t. river in this scenario has the same river Look and feel for both books is
The opportunity to grow armies and velocity as the last game (whatever that excellent, as I would expect from Osprey.
make them more powerful is quite an was) so you see they are all linked. I think Lots of great artwork with splendid
unusual twist with the whole system, I that this is quite a novel approach to painting and photography that inspires
think. Also included are rules for rivers table top gaming: it’s certainly not seen players. Highly recommended at under
and boats as well as campaigns, featuring very often, in my experience, in a set of fifteen quid for Oathmark and £25 for the
all-new scenarios that will give your rules such as this. hardback Frostgrave 2.
›
REVIEWS
AFGHANS & PERSIANS THESE ARE ABSOLUTELY

IN 28MM MAGNIFICENT...
◗ wargamesatlantic.com ◗ knuckleduster.com
◗ £25 ◗ £21.50
Wargames Atlantic have two more Caliver Books (caliverbooks.com) sent

historical boxed sets that I received last me one of the latest releases from
month. There’s a box of 40 Afghans that Knuckleduster Miniatures for their
are suitable for about 1700-1920 or so Gunfighter’s Ball range. For those of
(longer if you can find some modern classic westerns, their range is already
weapons to go with them, so how’s
15MM SCIFI VEHICLES a large one (which includes buildings,
◗ brigademodels.co.uk
that for flexibility!). There’s also a box animals, and so forth) and are designed
◗ £3 - £8
of the same number of Persians from digitally and mastered with a jewellery-
the BC period (Cyrus, Darius Xerxes grade 3D printer giving fine detail in the
Brigade Models have just released some
etc). These are superb figures. Each pewter figures.
new 1/100th scale SF models to add to
box comes with multiples of the same These latest models are the splendidly
their now very impressive range. These
sprue, each having five headless torsos, titled Spectacular Seven and, it would be
comprise a pair of tracked vehicles and
the Afghans with 12 different heads tardy for me not to mention that... well
some three wheelers. Dealing with the
and the Persians with 16. The Afghans there’s no easy way to say that – to my
latter first, these are based on the idea
get lots of muskets – some in hand eye – they resemble the characters in the
of a ‘Cyclo’ seen in various countries
some carried – and a variety of bladed Magnificent Seven film pretty closely
around the world and used as utility
weapons from swords and cutlass types (the original rather than the follow-ons
transport and taxis (amongst other
to an excellent push dagger. They are or recent remake). All are 30mm tall and
things). Around 40mm, there is basically
dressed in robes and there’s also four fairly proportional so that means almost
two choices of body, open or closed,
small round shields to use. (but not quite) scale weapons and detailed
however there are actually five models:
The Persians have armoured and facial features. I’m not so familiar with
a ‘pick-up’ with a space for cargo or
unarmoured bodies (in Median style the film as perhaps I might be but – even
a ring for a weapon mount or even a
dress) and heads. There’s a body with a chap like me that hasn’t watched it
towing arm for a tow truck. There are
a fixed bow arm but there’s also more in thirty years – can recognise Robert
also enclosed versions with a small roof
spare bow arms plus large quivers Vaugn, Bryner, James Coburn and Charles
weapon mount or hatch with a light
(both open and covered), spears in both Bronson from the miniatures they sent
bar for police style duties, plus a plain
single and double hand holds, plus a and so – by simple deduction – the rest
enclosed box van and a taxi. So the
Sagaris type narrow axe, large Spara are straight forward. All are dressed film
Pickup, Van, Police and Armed ones are £3
(square) shields along with the ‘jelly appropriately so Stetsons, shirts with
and the Tow Truck is £3.25.
baby’ shaped Gerron shields plus some neckerchiefs, waist coats... that sort of
On top of that are the Colonial Medium
half moon ones. What’s more I can see thing, and half are wearing spurs.
Tank and Pioneer APC. Both are tracked.
from their website that they now offer They are armed as one would expect
The Pioneer is a squat 65mm by 40mm
shield transfers for all of these from with six shooters (Peacemakers, I guess)
wide with a resin hull (like the Cylcos),
Relic Miniatures. and lever action carbines but Coburn’s
resin tracks and metal hatches and
Detail wise, these are excellent models character is holding a knife at his side
guns. Weapon options are a hatch with
(with things like the wicker on the rear over his pistol holster with a suitable
pintle weapon; remote heavy support
of the shields being modelled) and they menacing stance. One or two of the
weapon; remote gatling; twin MG turret;
fit together well and come supplied figures supplied had the tiniest amount of
6-round missile mount; or remote heavy
with a few extras (the Persians have an flash but no moulding defects and it was
tribarrel. The Colonial Medium Tank is
arm with a small signalling horn, for the work of moments to clean them. Each
about the same length (using the same
example). They are proportionate and comes with an MDF slot base and I have
tracks) but with a narrower hull (just
about 29mm to the top of the head and to say that they are amongst the nicest
over 30mm), a sloped rear (rather like
each comes on a small oval base. At less western figures in any scale I’ve ever
a German WWII Panther) and a metal
than 63p a figure they are very hard to seen, looking more like reduced 54mm
turret. Options for that are cannon
argue with. figures than 28mm. Recommended.
and remote support weapon; light
artillery; AA (twin autocannon); tank
destroyer with remote heavy gun; and
engineering. These should be around the
£7.50 and £8 mark but they are so new
that the manufacturers haven’t worked
out definitive prices yet.

LES GROGNARDS
◗ wargamesatlantic.com
◗ £25
The mixing of historical backgound

and SF is nothing new in and out of
15MM SCIFI wargaming and – if the British colonial 28MM SCIFI: PROBABLY
◗ gzg.com themed Praetorian Guard Regiment from ◗ cpmodels.co.uk
◗ £3 Warhammer 40k were anything to go by – ◗ £1.50-£4.50
they were (and possibly are) still popular
Ground Zero Games have released some if the Victoria Miniatures line is anything I’ve always been impressed with
new versions of their 15mm (or 18mm to go by. Wargames Factory have a game any manufacturer that can maintain
tall so I’m still going to keep saying setting background of a violent combat a seriously eclectic approach to
1/100th, I’m afraid) New Israeli infantry. ‘sport’ called Death Fields where units are miniatures and CP models certainly
GZG already make some heavily taken from the past and “Sci-Fi’d up” and fit that bill. Recently they have been
armoured troops in this line but these indeed we have reviewed their Raumjäger adding to their 28mm SciFi/Fantasy
are the “regular army” troops for the Infantry from this range in this magazine range that are genuinely hard to
New Israeli forces however these chaps (effectively they are SF WWII German categorise!
are the standard line grunts as opposed Fallschirmjäger). Prof Phargo is a brainy cephalopod
to the elite Assault Troops in the full Les Grognards – their latest set – are dressed in casual clothing. He has
armoured hardsuits that GZG released drawn from Napoleon’s Young and multiple tentacles for multi-tasking – I
recently. These NI Regular Army Old Guard from Waterloo (says the guess four on the body and at least
troopers are in fabric battledress with background) and later were reinforced one on the top of his head but that
partial body armour over it, with an with troops from the Western Front of might be a prehensile piggy-snout.
open-face combat helmet with visored the Great War and decades later from He also has what appear to be two
eye protection; they carry weapons of the jungles of Vietnam. It’s an interesting extra eyes on stalks but looks neat in
the same design “family” as the Assault concept! The box set includes enough parts a jumper, shirt and tie with a formal
Troops, but their standard small arms to build 24 ‘heroic scale’ 28mm figures jacket over the top. At around 24mm
are lighter “carbine” versions of the (so slightly chunky, 30mm tall), sculpted tall (to the head, obviously, rather than
heavier rifles used by the Hardsuited without bases but with a variety of options whichever of the eyes I won’t measure
guys. All their infantry support weapons including standard rifles, heavy lasers, to...) he is – like I said – difficult to
(SAWs, sniper rifles, missile launchers flamethrowers, pistols, swords, heavy categorise.
etc) are the same as the Assault Troops plasma guns, communication packs, and Napoleon, on the other hand, is
carry, and their heavy support weapons grenades. Although there are only three a little different from his historical
teams (which will be out shortly) will torsos per sprue, all in greatcoats, there are namesake. He’s a machine gun
be the same guns as the Assault Troops also four unique head types on a separate wielding gangster penguin in a fedora
versions but with the Regular Army sprue wearing the Kepi, Bearskin, Shako and a Thompson (complete with a
crews, of course. This means that – and Adrian steel helmet and all come with large drum magazine). As penguins
thematically – they do look like they are and without gas-masks: that’s 192 heads go, he’s an emperor at 20mm tall, but
all part of the same force. in total! I imagine he wins arguments through
There are two different packs of figures There’s also Napoleonic style firepower rather than intimidation.
(8 figures, 2 each of 4 poses) with the backpacks to stick on, chain sabres plus Finally, there’s a trio of Aggroflora
carbine small arms, plus all the usual spare bits like holsters. They have slight Pods. These go with other items in the
additional troops that GZG produce: a body armour enhancements (shoulders CP range (they do larger alien plants
pack of SAW gunners, a pack of Command/ and knees, mostly) and fit is generally and man eating, toadstool fungi types)
comms/observers, packs of other special pretty good, as I’d expect as they are but these carnivorous plant pods are
weapons (snipers, grenade launchers, sculpted by veteran Bob Naismith. the juvenile stage of the CP range
shoulder-fired missiles, HAMRs etc) and They are a novel concept and something and can be laid out as a small swarm
packs of crew-served Heavy Support that has grown on this reviewer once he of pods. They are about 18mm tall
Weapons including Gauss Autocannons, started sticking them together. and look rather like tripedal thistles.
RAM Mortars, Plasma Cannons and Anti- Of course, as they are completely
Vehicle Missile Systems. The figures are ‘strange’, they would work as large
very well detailed (more Martin Baker pods in 15mm or even very big plant
sculpts) and have nice touches like extra types in 6mm. Napoleon and the Prof
ammo for the shoulder launched missiles. Phargo are £1.50 each and the pods
This release are at the usual 15mm pack are £4.50 for three models all with slot
price of £3 from this manufacturer. bases provided.

COMMAND DECISION
Each Command
Decision aims to
offer a series of
playable options
ANTIETAM
Sharpsburg, Maryland, September 17 1862
in timeless
military scenarios. Words by Jon Sutherland | Pictures by Diane Sutherland and John Treadaway
Command Decision
is designed so
you can read
the situation and SITUATION REPORT Union soldiers have found a top secret Confederate
figure out your It is the summer of 1862 and the war is not going well communication: Special Order 191 detailing his Maryland
own command for the Union and President Abraham Lincoln. He has Campaign and dated September 9. The communication
decisions if you
were leading prepared the Emancipation Proclamation but dare was found wrapped around three cigars and left in an
the troops on not announce it until Union forces have achieved a abandoned Confederate camp near Frederick.
the ground. significant victory on the battlefield. You cannot believe your luck. “Here is a paper
You can either
work through Nothing could be less likely; the latest Union defeat with which, if I cannot whip Bobby Lee, I will be willing
the various under John Pope at Bull Run at the end of August to go home,” you promise your aide. It seems that
options or use was another demoralising blow. General Robert E. Lee plans to divide his forces as he enters northern
the mechanics to
create the precise Lee knew that another severe blow might just finish territory, so his army will be split between the
circumstances Lincoln and bring the Union to the negotiating table. Maryland towns of Boonsboro and Hagerstown in
of the table top Lee has already put paid to the threat to the Confederate Maryland with the remainder between Harper’s
engagement. The
scenarios may capital, Richmond. He senses that McClellan is short Ferry and Martinsburg in West Virginia. The
have particular on confidence and his army low in morale. Lee has question is, do you believe what is written in the
historical themes determined to push across the Potomac and into Special Order and if so, can you react fast enough to
and settings,
but you can Maryland and has seized the town of Frederick. take advantage of it?
easily adapt the You now find the enemy with its back to Sharpsburg
mechanics to
suit your own
ROLE & COMMAND and your forces straddling the Antietam Creek. A
preferences and You are Maj. Gen. George McClellan commander of decisive assault could easily break Lee’s lines before
collections. the Union Army of the Potomac. On September 13 two his reserves can move up to reinforce him.

OPTION ONE: Hit Jackson’s men on the Confederate left. OPTION TWO: Strike at Longstreet in the centre.
This option simulates the Union attack that took place This engagement sees Sumner take on D H Hill in the
at around 0600 on September 17. The centrepiece of the centre. Sumner must move quickly before Longstreet’s
battlefield is the cornfield. Hooker’s I Corps mounted divisions can move up to reinforce the Confederate
attacks and the Confederates counterattacked across line. Again, throw a d6 dice to determine the
Miller’s cornfield. Mansfield’s XII Corps supported conditions and the set up variations:
Hooker’s left and hit Jackson in the East Woods. The
1st Texas Infantry of Hood’s brigade lost 186 of 226 DICE ROLL SITUATION
men in and around the cornfield. Throw a d6 dice to Union wins by breaking D.H. Hill’s Division or by having two
divisions to the south of the creek. The creek is fordable at
determine the conditions and the set up variations: all points but takes a full turn and the unit is disordered in
crossing the obstacle.
DICE ROLL SITUATION 1-2 Sumner may deploy his First Division - (Richardson, Caldwell
& Hancock) and Second Division - (Sedgwick & Howard)
Union wins by having one division to the Confederate edge of anywhere along the road on the Union side of the table edge
ABOVE the cornfield. All other outcomes are a Confederate victory (top edge)
This is the Third Division - (French) arrives anywhere on Union edge on
sunken road, a 1-2 Union may deploy Hooker’s First, Second and Third Division, left Turn 4
to right along the top edge of the battlefield. One division must Mansfield’s Second Division - (Greene) arrives on Union right
bloody area in be deployed ready to cross the cornfield. on Turn 8
the centre of Mansfield may reinforce with: Confederate’s D. H. Hill’s Division - (Hill) deploys anywhere to
the battlefield First Division - (Williams, Crawford & Gordon) Turn 6 the south of the creek.
Second Division - (Greene) Turn 8 Anderson’s Division - (Anderson & Pryor) arrives anywhere
in 1862. Corps Artillery - (Best) Turn 8 south of the creek on Turn 6
These must be deployed on the right hand side of the Union
COMMAND table edge. 3-4 Sumner may deploy his First Division - (Richardson, Caldwell
Confederates may deploy Hood’s Division up to the road below & Hancock) anywhere along the road on the Union side of the
DECISIONS the cornfield. table edge (top edge)
You have Hood is reinforced by Ewell’s Division - (Lawton & Early) on Second Division - (Sedgwick & Howard) arrives anywhere on
three choices Turn 4 on the left on the Confederate edge of the table. Union edge on Turn 2
Jackson’s Division - (Jones, Starke & Grigsby) arrives on Turn 7 Third Division - (French) arrives anywhere on Union edge on
and they are on the left of the Confederate edge of the table. Turn 3
straightforward Mansfield’s Second Division - (Greene) arrives on Union right
and outlined 3-4 Union may deploy Hooker’s First, Second and Third Division, left on Turn 6
to right along the top edge of the battlefield. One division must Confederate’s D. H. Hill’s Division - (Hill) deploys anywhere to
below. Your be deployed ready to cross the cornfield. the south of the creek.
Options are: Mansfield may reinforce with: Anderson’s Division - (Anderson & Pryor) arrives anywhere
First Division - (Williams, Crawford & Gordon) Turn 5 behind south of the creek on Turn 6
OPTION ONE: the cornfield
Second Division - (Greene) and Corps Artillery - (Best) Turn 6 5-6 Sumner may deploy his First Division - (Richardson, Caldwell
Hit Jackson’s - deployed on the right hand side of the Union table edge. & Hancock), Second Division - (Sedgwick & Howard) and Third
men on the Confederates may deploy Hood’s Division up to the road below Division - (French) arrives anywhere on Union edge.
Confederate the cornfield. Mansfield’s Second Division - (Greene) arrives on Union right
Hood is reinforced by Ewell’s Division - (Lawton & Early) on on Turn 4, but cannot advance beyond the creek.
left. Turn 5 on the left on the Confederate edge of the table. Confederate’s D. H. Hill’s Division - (Hill) deploys anywhere to
Jackson’s Division - (Jones, Starke & Grigsby) arrives on Turn 8 the south of the creek.
OPTION TWO: on the left of the Confederate edge of the table. Anderson’s Division - (Anderson & Pryor) arrives anywhere
south of the creek on Turn 6
Strike at 5-6 Union may deploy Hooker’s First, Second and Third Division, left
Longstreet in to right along the top edge of the battlefield. One division must
the centre. be deployed ready to cross the cornfield.
Mansfield may reinforce with:
First Division - (Williams, Crawford & Gordon) Turn 4 behind
OPTION THREE: the cornfield
Order Burnside Second Division - (Greene) and Corps Artillery - (Best) Turn 6
to turn the - deployed on the right hand side of the Union table edge.
Confederates may deploy Hood’s Division up to the road below
Confederate the cornfield.
right. Hood is reinforced by Ewell’s Division - (Lawton & Early) on
Turn 5 behind the Confederate side of the cornfield
Jackson’s Division - (Jones, Starke & Grigsby) arrives on Turn 8
Consider your on the left of the Confederate edge of the table.
options before
continuing
to read the
narrative.
›
27 September 2020 Miniature Wargames 27
COMMAND DECISION
OPTION THREE: Order Burnside to turn the Confederate right.

This is the famous Burnside’s Bridge scenario; the
Confederates are dug around the rocks and trees
on the heights overlooking the bridge. For the last
time, bowl a d6 to determine the conditions and the
set up variations:
DICE ROLL SITUATION

Union must storm the bridge and clear the heights above the
bridge of Confederates.
1-2 Burnside’s First Division - (Willcox) may deploy on or near the
road leading to the bridge (top of map is Union entry edge)
Second Division - (Sturgis) arrives on Turn 4 on Union edge
Third Division - (Rodman& Harland) arrives on Turn 7 on Union
edge
For the Confederates Jones’s Division - (Jones) must be
deployed on the heights above the bridge.
If Union troops have crossed the creek by Turn 6, then Jones’s
Division - (Jones) will arrive on the road below the creek on
the Confederate left on Turn 8.
Third Division - (Rodman& Harland) arrives in woodland above
the creek and may begin crossing the creek on the table edge
on Turn 6
If any Union troops from First and Second Division have
crossed the creek by Turn 7, then Jones’s Division - (Jones)
will arrive on the road below the creek on the Confederate left
on Turn 9.
Third Division - (Rodman& Harland) arrives on Confederate
side of the creek on Turn 6 having crossed the creek further
up. The may deploy on the Confederate side just below the
woodland on the Union left.
If Union troops have crossed the creek by turn 5, the
Confederates must abandon the heights and fall back along
the creek-side road on the Confederate left.
GAMING
Effectively, the options give you the opportunity to
play any one of the three main phases of the battle.
The games are all at Corps maximum level and can
be played with a handful of regiments representing
each division. This is a set of scenarios about taking or
holding ground rather than delivering a crushing blow
on the enemy. Ideal rules for the games favours sets
such as Black Powder, Johnny Reb or Fire and Fury.
The recommended table sizes for 28mm can be 8 x 4
and for 15mm/10mm 4 x 2.

OPPOSITE
(TOP TO
ARMIES
BOTTOM) Each of the armies are quite large, but focussing on one part of the battlefield at a time you can minimise the
This is a number of figures you will need as well as the size of the table.
column of
Stuart’s cavalry
carefully Union Army of the Potomac (approx. 87,000 men)
covering the ◗ Major General George B. McClellan
extreme left FORMATION COMMANDER NOTES
flank of the
Confederate FIRST ARMY CORPS Hooker & Meade First Division - (Hatch & Doubleday)
Second Division - (Ricketts)
army. Third Division - (Meade & Seymour)
Here are Union SECOND ARMY CORPS Sumner First Division - (Richardson, Caldwell & Hancock)
Second Division - (Sedgwick & Howard)
infantry and Third Division - (French)
cavalry massing
FIFTH ARMY CORPS Porter *First Division - (Morell) * Unit not present and/or not engaged at
for another Second Division - (Sykes) Antietam on 17 September.
push late on * Third Division - (Humphreys)
September 17. Corps Artillery Reserve - (Hays)
SIXTH ARMY CORPS Franklin First Division - (Slocum) * Unit not present and/or not engaged at
Union infantry Second Division - (Smith) Antietam on 17 September.
begin crossing * First Division, Fourth Corps (attached) - (Couch)
the dreaded NINTH ARMY CORPS Reno, Burnside & Cox First Division - (Willcox)
cornfield. Second Division - (Sturgis)
Third Division - (Rodman& Harland)
Kanawha Division - (Cox & Scammon)
A couple of Unattached Corps Artillery/Cavalry
regiments from
Pleasanton’s US TWELFTH ARMY CORPS Mansfield & Williams First Division - (Williams, Crawford & Gordon)
Second Division - (Greene)
cavalry moving Corps Artillery - (Best)
up.
CAVALRY DIVISION Pleasonton
ABOVE This is
the desperate Confederate Army of Northern Virginia (approx. 38,000 engaged)
battle over the
farmland near ◗ General Robert E. Lee
Sharpsburg. FORMATION COMMANDER NOTES
LONGSTREET’S CORPS Longstreet McLaws’ Division - (McLaws)
Anderson’s Division - (Anderson & Pryor)
Jones’s Division - (Jones)
Walker’s Division - (Walker)
Hood’s Division - (Hood)
Evans’ (Independent) Brigade - (Evans & Stevens)
Longstreet’s Corps Artillery - (Walton)
JACKSON’S CORPS “Stonewall” Jackson Ewell’s Division - (Lawton & Early)
A. P. Hill’s Light Division - (Hill)
Jackson’s Division - (Jones, Starke & Grigsby)
D. H. Hill’s Division - (Hill)
Jackson’s Reserve Artillery - (Crutchfield)
CAVALRY DIVISION Stuart
›
COMMAND DECISION
ANTIETAM: FACT CHECK same ground in the morning, but neither general had BELOW Rebel
As soon as Lee realised that a copy of the order was the stomach for more bloodshed. On the evening of advance.
missing he knew he was in danger and needed to mass September 18 Lee began to withdraw, continuing into BOTTOM This is
his army. Generals D.H. Hill’s and James Longstreet’s the next day. Significantly, the Union army had not Sumner’s Corps
forces ran into Union troops at South Mountain near been beaten and it was the Confederates that were moving up to hit
Longstreet.
Sharpsburg on September 14. Lee was about to order pulling back. This gave President Abraham Lincoln
a general withdrawal, but changed his mind when he the paper thin victory he had been waiting for, five
received word that Jackson had taken Harper’s Ferry. days later he issued the preliminary Emancipation
Lee knew he could still beat McClellan and ordered Proclamation. ■
his Corps to concentrate on Antietam Creek near
Sharpsburg.
The Union 1st and 12th Corps hit the Confederate
left flank on the morning of September 17. A series of
increasingly desperate counterattacks led by Stonewall
Jackson’s brigades contested ground around Miller’s
Cornfield, the Hagerstown Turnpike and the West
Woods. Later in the morning the Union 2nd Corps
tried their luck against the Confederate centre, but
despite the heavy fighting and actually breaching the
enemy line, they could not capitalise on their hard
fought successes. In the afternoon the Union 9th Corps
under Ambrose E. Burnside tried to storm a stone
bridge on the Confederate right. Burnside was on the
verge of taking the bridge and commanding heights
beyond when A.P. Hill’s division arrived from Harpers
Ferry to drive him back.
Exhausted, both armies bivouacked on the battlefield
that night. It looked as if they would contest the

designed by
Alan & Michael Perry

Plastic Afghan
NEW! Tribesmen
1800-1900
28mm hard plastic miniatures
designed by Michael Perry
Cover art by Peter Dennis

The miniatures in this box represent
tribesmen of the North West Frontier
of India and Afghanistan who fought
against the British from 1839 to the
end of the century, and beyond.
Apart from their own inter tribal

warfare tribesmen of this region also
allied themselves with mutineers of
the Indian Mutiny of 1857.
Price £20
code VLW 80
The box contains 36

multipart plastic
miniatures with separate
heads, arms with
weapons and shields. It
also contains bases for all,
If you by 3 boxes you will receive
flags and a background
a metal model of Malalai, the
leaflet written by
Afghan heroine who inspired her
Mark Urban.
fellow tribesmen at the Battle
of Maiwand in 1880.
Keep an eye out on our website, Facebook page and Newsletter for updates and more details.
All orders and cheques by post: Perry Miniatures, PO BOX 6512, Nottingham NG7 1UJ. Cheques made payable to Perry
Miniatures. All major credit/debit cards accepted. Please add postage & packing: UK 12%, Europe 17%, Rest of World 20%.
Our website has a secure online ordering service.
Models not shown at actual size.
You can contact us at : perryminiatures@aol.com

Although we read all questions,we can’t guarantee a reply to each one as figure making is time consuming!
For updates see our website: www.perry-miniatures.com. www.perry-miniatures.com
HOBBY TIPS
OATHMARK EXPRESS
Building an army under duress. Part 2: Paint
Words by The Editor | Pictures by Kevin Dallimore
Finished! Great Orcs of Dol Guldur
uring the recent heavy lock FORCES OF EVIL Tone varnish – particularly on 15mm
D down period Kevin Dallimore

and I managed to cooperate on
a joint personal project whilst
simultaneously keeping socially distant.
Last month we explained why we did
Well we started with the baddies as
there were more of them and we figured
that if we got those done there would no
stopping us!
It was decided Kev would paint a
models. Kevin Dallimore... well, not so
much. So this was going to be a trial: Kev
was under the strictest orders just to paint
the figures with no shading and even no
highlighting. Sharp intakes of breath.
this. For this issue we conclude, as all whole unit as a kind of style guide and
projects of this type should, with the proof of concept and then we would RAPIDO
painting of the toys. split the painting up between us. As you But remember this was all about speed. So
We had both been inspired by the can well imagine, this brought its own we decided to stick to that ‘lack of shading/
release of the new Oathmark rules by problems. Although in the past your highlighting’ regime and so we went
Osprey and built these armies based esteemed Editor has painted using the for a straight, neat paint job in just block
firmly on Tolkien’s works (specifically three colour triads over black undercoat colours. We used Army Painter Warpaints
the Lord of the Rings) but see last month process, in the last decade or so he has throughout (both of us had a good supply
for details on that. We also wanted to rather more resorted to block painting, in stock and so could match colours with
add one other element that isn’t covered and a swift dry brush with a dip of each other’s work) and very good they
by Oathmark and that’s not surprising: (usually) Army Painter Strong or Dark were too, all supplied by North Star.
they are decidedly not a Tolkien based Over that we then used the afore
rule set. However we are getting ahead mentioned Army Painter Quickshade
of ourselves but – ‘bear’ that in mind! Strongtone varnish to provide all the
shading and contrast. Now – for this to
PAINT work successfully – the whole process
As we said last month, the figures were rather relied on two main things: the
assembled from a selection of plastic quality of the models and the neatness
Oathmark models with a fair number of of our painting, the former was not a
swaps and amendments to the models problem: they have lots of detail that the
to stretch what we had available under toned varnish will settle into. As for the
lockdown. But what we ended up with latter – the neatness part – well it’s horses
was two armies; about 60 figures for the for courses: it wasn’t a problem for Kevin
good guys and 85 or so for the baddies: but – inevitably – it was for the Editor...
it was a lot of figures and we had to
develop a strategy for how we would PRIMER
divvy up the paint work and yet play to The models were sprayed up with grey
each of our individual strengths. The Army Painter dip on a Warg rider. car primer, very lightly, and then Army

Painter Leather Brown Coloured Primer best when shaded with the brownish tint
Spray. This was a compromise forced imbued by the Quickshade.
somewhat by simply what we had in The Editor would go through and blitz the
stock. We settled on a brown as it would big areas the Kev would tidy and detail, and
be a good basis for the orcs and goblins, that was it. Well mostly. Short of the Editor
being the flesh colour for these models driving around to his house and rapping his
and we felt the Wargs could be mostly fingers with a wooden ruler, Kevin couldn’t
brown too. Lacking any double sided resist doing a tiny bit of dry-brushing on one
tape, the models were tacked to long of the warg units, giving them grey fur. But
card strips with three layers of Sellotape The Editor got his own back and insisted
(one face up, two face down to keep on shield designs to differentiate the units,
them in place. This format allowed so white hands were added to the Saruman
not just ease of transportation in their forces, red eyes for the Dol Guldur boys
unpainted state, but quick spraying and a single ‘Misty Mountain’ (looking a
without losing any of the models, and it lot like a Greek lambda), for the mountain
was all done outside in our gardens for troops. As for other colour choices, we didn’t
maximum ventilation. leave too much in the leather brown primer
showing, but we did with some of it: the
BLOCKS OF COLOURS flesh obviously, plus some belts and boots
The Editor did the main blocks of colours and jerkins.
and Kev generally did smaller details and
a tidy up any missteps (ie the bits John
missed). And this worked pretty well,
Two heads are better than one: Troll time!
A SIDE TROLL
although both strayed a bit. Generally As this developed, we decided the evil needed
the Editor used darker colours – like the best to be neat as you can as the final result some punch so Kev painted a troll for them using
the brilliant Frostgrave Troll sculpted by Mark
black – in a thin ‘semi-wash’ so that the really does reflect this. And Kev just can’t Copplestone. Obviously it was a metal model
under-colour brown showed through as help being neat! which broke the “let’s do it all fast from plastics”
highlights, getting a little extra free shading rule we’d set ourselves but – on the phone – Mr
with no effort (eat your heart out ‘Contrast COLOUR SCHEMES Dallimore promised he’s make up for that by
Paints’...). Kev had to force himself to not We decided on broad colour schemes for painting it blisteringly fast. So that’d be all right
then! As good as his word, he painted it in 20
put the paint on too thick at this stage as he each unit and tried to stick to them as we minutes... The model was primed green, when
was used to adding colours over the top to were trying to create a good overall look Kev was doing some of the good forces priming.
get shading – which we were definitely not for the units, not great individual figures. Then the hair was painted black, thinned a bit so
going to do! The downside, of course, was This meant that there was lots of black the green grinned through then sloshed all over
that the Editor’s colours could be a little on the White Hand troops, and lots of with Warpaint Quickshade Green Tone Ink. Then
the eyes picked out in Pure Red and the teeth
haphazard (and his Orc shield designs were... red on the Dol Guldur chaps. Having a and claws in Warpaint Skeleton Bone (again no
well: who said Orcs were professional degree on uniformity in the unit adds shading) and the tree he was holding was painted
artists!) and Kev would then spend too long to the overall neat effect and it makes in Oak Brown. He was then sloshed all over with
painting fiddly bits. them easier to identify different (often the Quickshade, but we are getting ahead of
When doing this kind of fast job with the quite similar) Orc types on the table top. ourselves. But it’s a testament to the idea that two
heads are better than one...
plan to use Army Painter Quickshade it is Also we picked colours that would look
Armoured Dwarves with dip, matt varnish and

basing compound in place.
›
HOBBY TIPS
QUICKSHADE table and start playing with them” armies

Once were happy we had done all is the final stage. Or ‘basing’ as we call it.
we could needed it was time for the Kev was charged with this task. It can be
Quickshade. Now Army Painter a dull task but then the final results will
themselves recommend dipping the reward some little effort. The master-
models into the tin and the flicking off stoke we utilised (and one Kev had been
the excess and leaving the thing to dry. dubious about for years) is the use of a
That’s certainly the method usually ready-mixed, all-in-one basing compound.
used by the Editor with blocks of 15mm Following a recipe gleaned from
figures. However Kev – who had been Matakishi (of on-line resource Matakishi
tasked with varnishing – wasn’t happy Tea House) The Editor makes the stuff
with this approach, as he had some up in two litre batches resulting in large,
experience using varnishes with stains in to cheap tubs full of a glutinous, chocolate
recondition some old models, many years brown, gritty paste. It does look disgusting
ago. We decided that Kev was allowed to (we won’t tell of its rather earthy
deviate from the holy writ and apply the nickname but – if you spill it – it will stick disguise the smaller, round model’s
Quickshade with a brush: said that this to a blanket) however it’s self-coloured base without the need for any other
allowed greater control and more of that (saving a whole painting process) and ‘filler’. It is applied with an old and very
neatness. And he was right. After painting dries to a rock hard with a mostly matt- blunt scalpel. One has to be careful to
on a fairly generous coat of the Quickshade textured finish and saves time and effort. cover the whole base and not get it up
to ten models he would go back to them The ‘paste’ goes on the square plastic the models legs! Left to dry overnight
just to check there were not horrible runs or supplied base and is thick enough to it reveals itself to be an ideal textured
big blobs obscuring details, clearing them surface that one could easily leave ‘as
with a flick of the brush, and also applying is’ with little further work required.
a bit more Quickshade to accentuate some However – as this was Kev’s task – it
details. Easy. Mind you, if it’d been up to didn’t end there. Once the compound
the Editor, he’d have been flicking them up was thoroughly dry and hard it was
the garden but – fortunately – it wasn’t! dry-brushed with Warpaint Desert
Yellow, in a fairly rough manner: it didn’t
VARNISH have to be too neat as most of it would
As these models are to be troops on the be covered with flock.
table and not cabinet pieces they needed The flock is a tuft or two from the
a good protective coat of varnish. This Army Painter 77 Tufts range, and then
was in fact two coats of Anti-Shine Matt a load of loose short nylon grass flock,
Varnish which – again – was brushed on. covering a good deal of the base, Kev
can’t remember the manufacturer but
FINISHING it was probably Heki . The loose flock
What really sells these models as good is stuck into place with good old PVA
wargaming, “get the damn things on the The bear necessity of leadership. wood glue and then left to dry.
Our genereic northern men: we wanted

Beornings for our army.

incongruously – a dragon (this is getting a brush treatment and was put aside to
DRAGON ATTACK out of hand, Kev...!). So the good guys dry. Again a very fast paint job.
Kev went on to then paint a Dragon using the needed something extra, we thought. In In Oathmark we couldn’t find a
same fast painting method. The Oathmark model fact, it was a simple bear necessity... prototype to do justice to the mighty skin-
was primed green with Army Painter Spray while
spraying the elves, and then – after painting in The big fellow was sprayed with the changing, goblin beheading maniac so we
detail like eyes, horns teeth and a tongue – Kev same Army Painter Leather Brown as the made something mad up as follows!
did the same Army Painter dip painted over evil troops (as indeed were the Beorning
routine and then based it in much the same way Militia to accompany him). He was then A M F S D CD H Pts Special Base
as the rest (and on as small as base as possible!). sprayed, very lightly, from the above 3 7 4 0 10 3 4 100 Horrific, 50 x 50
Again this took him less than half an hour. Charge (3), Wild
direction only with Army Painter Yellow Charge, Nimble,
Sand Colour Primer Spray, just a touch to Regenerate,
Command (2),
THAT’S IT... ALMOST vary the fur colour. Then the claws and Large
And that, boys and girls, was it. One teeth painted in Skeleton Bone and his nose Equipment: None. Well, a Goblin’s head on a spike
possibly, just for laughs!
layer of paint, no highlighting: just in black. He then got the Quickshade with
neatness, good models and good basing,
and it gets them fighting on the table CONCLUSIONS
or would if it weren’t for the virus As you can see from the photographs
shenanigans. And the dragon was done the heavy armoured, grey undercoated
in the same way as the troll and he was elves aren’t completely photographed
a real bugger to fit on the base… Yes – yet as they arn’t finished (Kev says
as you can see from the picture above he wants to experiment on the high
– Kevin painted a Dragon as well? All The armoured elves are still being worked on...
elves: we are not entirely sure what he
they need is someone to actually fight... means…) However – by the time you
read this – they will all be done.
GOODY TWO SHOES We got off to a fast start but –
The Forces of Good follow a similar frankly – slowed somewhat. This was
pattern, but with even more uniformity due to a number of factors: personal
and perhaps a few brighter colours. As circumstances, work and the damned
examples of the work, the Armoured restrictions of lockdown plus the difficulty
Dwarves, Light Wood Elves with Bows in coordinating this over two households
and Beorning Militia are examples of in safety: not an easy task. But there
this approach. The Armoured Dwarves was also the very real problem with and
were primed with Platemail (lots of increasingly troublesome question of
armour so it made sense) and the Wood “when oh when are we going to be able to
Elves with Army Green and then colours actually use them and play a game together?”.
as appropriate. All are Army Painter That’s been a little demoralising and has
spray primer cans. Oh, and of course, taken some of the wind out of our sails.
there’s Beorn in bear form. However, on the positive side, we
have built two whole LotR based armies
PAINTING BEORN in double quick time and neither of us
Well the Bad Guys had an Orc leader had managed this in decades. So: chin up!
and then a troll appeared. And then – Army Painter dipped Great Goblin Commander. Every cloud has a silver lining! ■

This new edition of the multi-award-winning fantasy skirmish
wargame offers improved rules based on years of player
feedback, a revised spell list, and a host of brand-new scenarios.
It remains fully compatible with all previously published
Frostgrave supplements, allowing players to revisit past
adventures as well as face new challenges.
Choose a wizard from one of ten schools of magic, and select

from a list of eighty spells. Hire a warband filled with soldiers,
from lowly thugs and thieves to mighty knights and barbarians,
then lead your men into the frozen ruins of the magic city of
Frostgrave on the hunt for ancient treasures and the secrets
of lost magic. Be warned - it is a deadly place, filled with rival
wizards, wandering monsters, animated constructs, and demonic
entities. Do you dare enter the Frozen City one more time?
‒ PUBLISHING AUGUST 2020 ‒
AVAILABLE AT WWW.OSPREYGAMES.CO.UK
THE BATTLE OF
CHILLIANWALLAH
The Punjab in 1849: Bloody conflict & the British East India Company
Words by Dave Tuck | Pictures by Malc Johnston
ur little group is very fortunate in that we have we realised that Malc’s Sikh army which is huge, had
O
ABOVE
General Gough a very large collection of figures and periods only been fielded twice in over four years. That needed
leads the way.
to choose from, in our weekly games, but rectifying, and a refight of the Battle of Chillianwallah
BELOW sometimes that level of choice can be a two- was the result. This battle is a very unusual affair, with
Sikh gunners edged sword! We have recently built a set of winter the main action being fought through often dense
dug in.
terrain boards and, as a consequence of that, we scrub and jungle, and the outcome under dispute.
played the Battle of the Bulge, AWI, Thirty Years War We came to the Sikh wars as a result of us raising
and Modern Cold war games to death. We needed a a large army for the Indian Mutiny. We always raise
change, and when we explored the options available, forces for both sides between us, and we have enjoyed
refighting historical and fictional battles using our
Victorian Steel rules. (some of which have been written
about in this very magazine!) We realised the Sikh
army was a different animal entirely, to the Mutineers
of a few years later.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
There were two Anglo-Sikh wars, in both wars the
Sikh artillery was the strongest arm, with guns often
of heavier calibre. These were bravely manned by
gunners who sold their lives to defend their cannon.
The infantry in the first war was often European
trained and drilled, uniformed and often a match
for their British opponents. The fact that they fought
defensive battles and often dug in, only made the
British task even harder. By the time of the second
war the quality of the infantry had deteriorated. This
›
THE BATTLE OF CHILLIANWALLAH
ABOVE was as much a result of the political machinations of Another Sikh army was reported, and Gough was
The HEIC column the army commanders, as any lack of courage of the ordered to deal with Sher Singh’s force, before the two
advancing to
the fight. soldiers. The Sikh cavalry was a very mixed bag, with enemy forces could unite.
some very brave troopers, and some irregulars less so.
BELOW
Sikh bodyguard
The Second Anglo-Sikh war came about as a result THE BATTLE
in full dress. of the loss of independence in the Punjab, imposed On 13th January, Gough’s army was marching towards
Figures are by the Honourable East India Company. There was a the Jhelum River, and drove out a Sikh outpost from
mostly Mutineer revolt in the city of Multan, which was quelled by a Chillianwallah. The Sikh force was in a good defensive
Miniatures, Old
Glory and AW force consisting largely of Sikhs from the Khalsa army, position, and Gough had no option but to attack
Miniatures. whom the British had fought in the first war! frontally. The Sikhs numbered between 23,000 to
On 14th September this army, under Sher Singh 30,000 men including around 5000 cavalry, and some
Attariwalli rebelled. They had no goal other than to 60 guns. The Khalsa (or trained) army was only 12,000
oppose the British. Some British officers had already strong which implies a lot of irregulars in that number.
taken steps, and garrisoned the local fortresses and It is alleged that many of these did not fight, and the
the crossing points on the Indus river and the passes number of fighting troops was similar on both sides.
through the Margalla hills. With few options the rebels The army was split into three main bodies. On the
moved north, and then fortified the crossing over the left Sher Singh, had one cavalry, nine infantry units,
Chenab river. The British decided to annex the Punjab, some irregulars and 20 guns. In the centre Lal Singh
and the veteran commander, Sir Hugh Gough, was had two cavalry units, ten infantry units and 17 guns.
despatched. He attacked Sher Singh’s force on 22nd These were defending a line of scrub and jungle of
November, but his force was repulsed. Following a day varied thickness. Finally, on the right was a further
of fighting, Sher Singh withdrew to the north. cavalry unit, four infantry units and 11 guns.

The Honourable East India company army facing RULES
it was composed of two infantry divisions, each of Rules used were our own Victorian Steel, which we
two brigades. These were each made up of one British wrote in 2014, and have made a couple of changes
and two Bengal native infantry units. Gough had 66 since then.
guns under his command, both Bengal Horse and foot ◗ The first was to allow smooth-bore artillery 3 dice
artillery. Sir Colin Campbell’s 3rd Division was on when rolling for cannister hits, rather than 2
the left, and the 2nd Division on the right was under ◗ The second was a complete re-write of the morale
Major General Walter Gilbert. The cavalry division was section of the rules.
under Major General Joseph Thackwell, and it was ◗ The test to stand, and to charge, remains the same,
split equally on each flank. Finally, a brigade of Bengal but all other tests are as follows:
native infantry was in reserve.
Gough intended to attack next day, after his men Roll 2 D6, and the adjusted score required to pass is 5
had rested after a stiff march. This plan went out of the or more. See below for adjustments:
window, when Sikh guns opened fire from the scrub. TEST PASS FAIL BY 1 OR OR FAIL BY 1 OR FAIL BY 3
2 OPTION A 2 OPTION B OR MORE
Some of these rounds were into the camp, so clearly
Lose casualty to fire Okay disordered Withdraw Rout
Gough had to react. By 3.00pm the HEIC army was on Move 8” back
the advance. Campbell’s division hit difficulties as the facing enemy-
disordered
jungle stopped all attempts at co-ordination. Bayonet
Loser of melee Okay Rout Rout Rout
attacks were ordered and 24th Foot suffered the full brunt
Try to stop pursuit Rally Pursue Pursue Pursue
of the attack, when Sikh guns opened fire on them, with
Try to rally routers Rally Rout Rout Rout
grapeshot. The unit lost its Queens colours, reflecting the
savage nature of the fight. The Sikhs never claimed to Where there are two results, the player failing the
have capture it, so it may still be lost in the jungle today! test may choose either Option A or Option B from the
The 24th retreated, which was a major setback for the EIC, chart above. Disorder means the unit command, rolls
and a great morale boost for the Sikhs. one less order dice in the next turn.
Campbells other brigade was more successful, MODIFIERS TO CHART
capturing several guns and eventually meeting up Melee round loser -2 General attached +2
with Gilbert’s division. Gough’s right hand cavalry Disordered -2 Not lost 10% of original strength +2
force charged through the scrub, which disordered Levy -1 Elite +1
them and the 14th Light Dragoons eventually routed. Lost 25 % of original -2* In cover or defending an +2
strength obstacle and not losing a melee
The Sikhs followed up and captured four guns. They round
then forced Gilbert’s troops back, and they were only Lost 50%of original -6* two secure flanks +1
steadied when the reserve was committed. Darkness strength
was approaching, and both sides had had success and Pursuing -1 NOTES: * one or the other: not
cumulative
failure. Gough’s force had retreated and left a lot of Routing -3 Pursuers and routers are classed as
disordered
wounded, who were killed, or died of their wounds
overnight. They were certainly not the winners on the THE GAME AREA
battlefield. The Sikhs withdrew next day, then three The table we used was 12’ by 6’ and set out as per the
days later, the weather forced the HEIC force to do the map, and the force breakdown was as follows:
same. However, you view this, the HEIC army had
been dealt a severe blow to its morale.
AFTERMATH
The fall-out for Gough was also severe. He was
relieved of his command, and General Napier took
over. Before he could take command, Gough won
the decisive battle of Gujerat. The British were so
impressed by the fighting ability of the Sikhs, they
recruited them: in their thousands. These troops stayed
loyal during the Indian Mutiny, and were a large factor
in its eventual defeat.
The last words go to Lord Lucan and General Airey,
who remarked after the charge of the Light Brigade
“this is a most serious matter” and General Airey’s
reply “this sort of thing will happen in war. It is
nothing to Chillianwallah.”
This then is the battle we chose to recreate.
›
THE BATTLE OF CHILLIANWALLAH
ABOVE The Honourable East India Company The HEIC forces have two infantry Commanders and
The 16th lancers ◗ 4 x 13 stand infantry brigades, each made up of: two Cavalry Commanders
in action.
4 Elite British stands
BELOW 8 Trained regular Bengal native infantry stands. The Sikh Army
Bengal Horse One Elite Regular artillery stand. ◗ 7 x 9 stand infantry brigades. Five are made up of:
Artillery and
Bengal native ◗ 2x 9 stand brigades of cavalry: 8 Trained regular infantry stands and an Elite
infantry leave 4 Elite British lancers regular artillery stand
camp. 4 trained regular Bengal light cavalry ◗ Two are made up of:
1 Elite regular Horse artillery stand 8 Third rate irregular infantry stands and an Elite
and regular Artillery stand.
1 stand of 4 Elite British light dragoons ◗ 2 x 12 stand Cavalry brigades. Each made up of:
4 trained regular Bengal light cavalry, 12 third rate irregular Cavalry stands.
1Elite regular Horse artillery stand
The Sikh forces have three commanders, one for each three
brigades. This makes them less flexible than their opponents.
TERRAIN
The terrain played a major part in this battle. The
Jungle was thick and disorientating. Troops moving in
the Jungle only roll a maximum of two order dice per
brigade, instead of the normal three.
MOVEMENT
Movement for regular infantry is normally 6” for each
order passed, in open ground. In the jungle, for each
order passed, the roll on a D6 is deducted from this,
and if the result is no movement, then the unit halts.
Rolls are carried out for each four-stand unit, rather
than the complete brigade, so all brigade cohesion will
probably soon be lost.

RESULTS!
We found these simple rules, caused mayhem! Units
faltered during movement, targets drifted in and out of
sight, and troops received fire, without themselves acquiring
a target to fire back at.
No cavalry charges can take place in the jungle, so any
contact will result in a melee, but no charge bonuses or
bonuses for being lance armed are counted. Defensive fire
can only arise if the charged unit has fired on the chargers
in the previous turn, or scores high enough on the visibility
roll, to see the chargers as they set off.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
Both sides objective is to break the enemy forces.
If the HEIC fail, this is a defeat, which becomes a major
defeat if two or more of the British units, either infantry or
Cavalry, rout off the battlefield.
The Sikhs lose if the HEIC forces clear the jungle, and
force a break in their line, or if any enemy troops exit from
the Sikh baseline, unopposed. They suffer a major defeat if
they are forced to abandon more than 50% of their artillery.
CONCLUSIONS
This battle is very well balanced, with a larger, but less well-
trained Sikh army, being a good match for the HEIC forces.
The Sikh Artillery in defence can be lethal, but often only at
grapeshot range, due to the lack of visibility in the jungle.
VISIBILITY The HEIC will inevitably find their plans being disrupted
Visibility is limited to the total rolled on two D6 x by the jungle, and frustrated by the lack of co-ordination
1”, so may be between 2” and 12”, it is rolled for caused by this, and they will need to hit the enemy in
each unit, rather than the brigade as a whole. It is the flank where possible (especially when approaching
also rolled each turn, so a unit in sight one turn, may artillery). We enjoyed our refight and hope you do too. ■
not be located the next. BELOW
No troops may fire into the jungle, unless at the LINKS 16th Lancers
covering the
edge of it or in it. This is subject to them locating a Victorian Steel rules available from Adrian’s Walls column en route
target by spotting them. adrianswalls.co.uk or info@adrianswalls.co.uk to battle.

PENINSULA
ABOVE
The Fight for
the village
continues whilst
it is filmed.
ADVENTURES
Three Skirmishes in Spain: being the further Tales of
a certain Captain of the 95th Rifles and his Men
Words by Chris Swan | Pictures by Ian Colwill
istorical fiction as a genre has enjoyed a Of course his first and probably most famous series
H renaissance over the last 30 odd years, just take

a look at the wide range of authors and their
books now available and the periods they cover.
Many attribute this phenomenon to the success initially
generated by the books of Bernard Cornwell whose
of books is set in the Napoleonic Wars featuring his
great hero, Richard Sharpe. He has said that as a child
he loved the novels of the fictional British naval officer
Horatio Hornblower set during the Napoleonic Wars
but was surprised to find that there were no such
historical series stretch from the Stone Age, through the novels following Lord Wellington‘s campaigns on land.
Dark Ages, into the Middle Ages, The American War So Cornwell created Sharpe, a rifleman involved in
of Independence and on to the Napoleonic Wars and most of the major battles of the Peninsular War and
into the American Civil War (I just wish he had written on the field of Waterloo. His first two novels, Sharpe’s
more of his short lived Starbuck series). Eagle and Sharpe’s Gold, were both published in 1981

BELOW THE OTHER STORIES
The Heroic For many Sharpe’s stories are a springboard into games
Captain
fights one of set around the 95th Rifles and their allies and opponents
Gauloises men. amongst the French and other forces. So here is a scenario
featuring a Heroic Captain, his Irish Sidekick and his men.
THE BLACK WIDOW

The Heroic Captain has been ordered to support
a group of Spanish Guerrillas led by the ruthless
Joachim. He has been told that they need to rescue a
female Spanish Spy called the Black Spider, who is
hiding in the village of San Christos, as she has vital
information about the French plans.
In reality Joachim is no more than a Brigand
disguising his raids as attacks on the French to gather
loot which he has hidden in the church. The spy
knows this and so Blake intends that she will suffer an
“unfortunate accident” during the rescue.
Meantime, the French under Capitaine Gauloises
and Lieutenant Gitanes have arrived in the village with
orders to escort the spy, who is actually a double agent,
back to the French HQ and to secure the bridge on the
river to aid the French in their next advance.
PLAYERS’ BRIEFINGS
The Rifles
You command a small group of picked men and are
accompanying a small band of Spanish guerrillas to the
village of San Christos. Your orders are to locate and
rescue a female spy known as the Black Spider who is
hiding in the village and escort her off the table so that
and he went on to write a total of 24 novels about her vital information can be shared with Britain and
Sharpe who as most readers will know rises from her Spanish allies.
the rank of private in the British army in India where
he saves the life of General Wellesley, later the Duke The Brigands
of Wellington, to be made an officer and eventually You command a small but successful band of brigands.
reaches the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. You have fooled the British into thinking that you
Throughout most of the novels his main companion
is Sergeant, later Sergeant Major, Patrick Harper and
the chosen men of the 95th Rifle Regiment, although
they are linked to the fictitious South Essex Regiment
later renamed the Prince of Wales’ Own Volunteers
which Sharpe ends up commanding.
In 1993 the novels were transferred to TV and the
series ran until 1997 with two more stories set in India,
Sharpe’s Challenge and Sharpe’s Peril, shown in 2006
and 2008. Cornwell said that he was initially dubious
about the casting of Sean Bean for the television
adaptations. In fact the actor Paul McGann had
originally been cast to play the part but two weeks into
filming of the first episode in Ukraine, McGann injured
his knee playing football and was forced to withdraw.
Thus Sean Bean was cast and the rest, as they say, is
history. Cornwell later said that his initial doubts did
not last and he subsequently changed his writing of the
character to align with Bean’s portrayal as he “could
not imagine Sharpe as anyone else”.
›
PENINSULA ADVENTURES
OPPOSITE and your men are guerrillas fighting the French. In spy and which is the maid should be kept secret from
(LEFT) reality you have been looting local villages and supply both sides!
Joachim’s men
advance on the columns. Your loot is buried in a crypt in the church
village. at San Christos. You need to recover your loot. In THE SET
addition, a female spy known as the Black widow For this game you will need a number of Spanish style
OPPOSITE
(RIGHT) knows your secret – she must suffer an unfortunate buildings, one of which is the Church where Joachim’s
The Heroic accident and die. loot is stashed, and a suitable bridge.
Captain fights The bridge should be set up in one corner of the
to free the spy
and her maid. The French Fusiliers board across a river with some scenery on the far side
You are in charge of a small group of Fusiliers and as this is where the gallant Captain, his men and his
have come to the village of San Christos to meet a Spanish “allies” will enter. The Captain’s men should
Spanish female spy called the Black Widow. She has cross via the bridge but the guerrillas know the area
information about the British and their Spanish allies well and so can instead chose a point along the river
and you must escort her off of the table so that her vital bank where it is safe to cross treating it as bad going
information can be given to your General. which slows their movement – obviously the Captain
and his men could follow them once they cross but this
The French Voltigeurs would delay them getting into the village.
You are in charge of a small group of Voltigeurs and A road way or open space should run from the
have come to the village of San Christos to guard its bridge to the opposite corner as this will be the exit
bridge as your General wishes to use it to advance point for the French. The village should be set up with
against the British and their Spanish Allies. Thus whilst the church in the middle, on one side of a small square
you have been ordered to cooperate with the Officer with other buildings, outbuilding and walls set up to
leading the Fusiliers in their mission, yours must take surround the square and provide suitable cover for
priority. characters to creep up on each other.
The distance from the village side of the square to the
The Black Widow bridge should be no more than two moves of the fastest
You have vital information to sell to the British and the foot rate allowed under the rules – this ensures the
French – you don’t really care who gets it as long as game is close and gives the British and the Guerrillas
they pay well. However, you also know the secret of time to cross the river and get into action before the
BELOW
The village. the Brigand called Joachim and that he will kill you if French Fusiliers escort the women off the table.
Bearing in mind he gets the chance. You want to live and will go with One building on the side of the square should be
the scale used, whichever side is winning and will give you the best designated as a tavern in which the French Voltigeurs
the scenery is
almost entirely chance of survival. Just to add to the confusion, the start. The French Fusiliers begin in the square with the
scratch built. Black Widow has a maid with her – but which is the two female characters standing outside of the church.

THE RIFLES
NAME TYPE DICE SUIT:© PERSONALITY SKILLS/TRAITS WEAPONS
The Heroic Captain Main 2D10 & Take AKQ Heroic Disciplined Baker Rifle 36
Character the Highest Man Killer Sword
Quick Witted
The Irish Sergeant Supporting 1D10 J 10 Disciplined Brave Volley Gun 18 – any within 2” of target may be hit
Character Strong Baker Rifle 36
Sword Bayonet
Chosen Man Minor Character 1D10 9 Disciplined Marksman Baker Rifle 36
No1 Stealthy Sword Bayonet
Chosen Man Minor Character 1D10 8 Disciplined Expert with Rifle Baker Rifle 36
No2 Brave Sword Bayonet
THE SPANISH GUERRILLAS OR BRIGANDS

NAME TYPE DICE SUIT:© PERSONALITY SKILLS/TRAITS WEAPONS
Joachim Supporting 1D10 76 Ruthless Expert Swordsman Musket -24
Character Quick Witted Sword
Pedro Minor Character 1D10 5 Disciplined Brawler Blunderbuss – 12
HI under 6/NI over 6 – any within 2” of target may be hit
Garcia Minor Character 1D10 4 Brave Brawler Carbine 18

Francisco Minor Character 1D10 3 Bladesman Musket -24
Knife
Juan Minor Character 1D10 2 Stealthy Expert with Musket Musket -24
Bayonet
ARANA NEGRA: THE BLACK SPIDER

NAME TYPE DICE SUIT:¨ PERSONALITY SKILLS/TRAITS WEAPONS
The femme fatale Minor Character 1D10 A Charismatic Quick Witted Small Pistol- 6
(who may be disguised Stealthy Stiletto
as her maid)
Jacinta Minor Character 1D10 K Ordinary Brawler
Her Maid
(who may be disguised
as her mistress)
LIEUTENANT GITANES & HIS VOLTIGEURS

NAME TYPE DICE SUIT:ª PERSONALITY SKILLS/TRAITS WEAPONS
Lieutenant Francois Supporting 1D10 65 Brave Expert Shot Pistol- 8
Gitanes Character Quick Witted Sword
Private No1 Minor Character 1D10 4 Disciplined Expert with Musket Musket -24
Bayonet
Bayonet
Bayonet
CAPITAINE GAULOISES & HIS FUSILIERS

NAME TYPE DICE SUIT:ª PERSONALITY SKILLS/TRAITS WEAPONS
Capitaine Main 2D10 & Take AKQ Proud Disciplined Pistol - 8
Henri Gauloises Character the Highest Expert Swordsman Sword
Quick Witted
Sergeant Chef Supporting 1D10 J Dominant Brave Musket -24
Haussiers Character Personality Brawler Bayonet
Private No1 Minor Character 1D10 10 Brave Brawler Musket -24
Bayonet
Bayonet
Bayonet
Bayonet
›
ADDITIONAL SCENARIOS The Heroic captain and his men now boosted by ABOVE
Given the number of stories in which Sharpe and either a second party of chosen men or a detachment of The Fight for the
village starts.
company appear it seems frugal to only use these the Kings German Legion have spotted the French and
characters in one scenario – so here are two more each intend to relieve them of their supplies and loot. OPPOSITE
with slightly different objectives. Unknown to the Captain a second party of French (TOP)
The village with
soldiers (use Lieutenant Francois Gitanes and his men) film crew.
LIVING OFF THE LAND are approaching the farm as well. They spot the Rifles
Wellington was quite explicit in his orders to his troops or KGL and one of them opens fire. The shot warns the OPPOSITE
(BOTTOM)
– the Spanish were their allies and his soldiers were French at the farm who rush to defend themselves and Lieutenant
ordered to pay for all food and other supplies taken their loot. Now it’s everyman for himself. Gitanes and his
during the campaign – no looting was allowed and men.
discipline was enforced sometimes via a flogging and THE SET
sometimes at the end of a rope. Of course, looting from For this game you will need three Spanish style
the French was acceptable. buildings, one for the farm house and two smaller
However, these rules did not apply to the French, building for the outhouses. There should also be
whose idea of warfare was to live off the land – they two pens for animals and perhaps a couple of partly
looted and stole wherever they went but, of course, collapsed low walls around the farm. The farmstead
finding and taking supplies in a hostile countryside should be placed in the middle of the table.
was one thing – getting them back to their troops in The Wagon stands in the farm yard near to the farm’s
their camps was another! entrance and is guarded by two soldiers – randomly
In this scenario a party of French infantry (use determine in which buildings the other soldiers are.
Capitaine Gauloises and his men) has arrived at a The rest of the surrounding country side is fairly
deserted farmstead and is seeking food and loot. They flat although rock outcrops and bushes are scattered
have with them a small wagon which already contains around which will provide cover.
items that have been “confiscated” They are currently Roll to determine from which of the four table edges
searching the farm house and outhouses having left each of the two British forces entered and then place
two men on guard outside. them 30 paces away from the farm near to that edge.

This means that they could be placed next to each
other or be approaching the farmstead from totally
different directions.
The second French patrol is then placed on one of the
table edges from which the British did not enter. Place
the patrol 30 paces from the farmstead but also at least
20 paces from any of the British forces.
PLAYERS’ BRIEFINGS
The Rifles
You are leading a patrol consisting of two groups when
you spot some French soldiers looting a farm house.
Whilst Wellington has strictly forbidden his troops
from looting, you have an opportunity to see off the
French and “appropriate” their supplies for your own
men. So you order your men to capture the wagon
and/or inflict enough casualties on the French to force
them to withdraw and thus abandon it.
The French Fusiliers

You are in charge of a small group of Fusiliers who
are foraging for supplies – everyone knows that you
must live off the land and these Spanish peasants
have what you need. You have arrived at a small farm
with your wagon in which you already have some
loot and are searching the farmstead and its buildings
for more but Zut Alores! Is that the British you see –
you must now fight to hold onto your supplies and
drive off the British.
The French Voltigeurs

You are in charge of a small group of Voltigeurs and
are patrolling the area when your men spot a group of
British preparing to attack some of your comrades who
are searching a nearby farmstead for much needed
supplies - you must now fight to hold rescue your
comrades and drive off the British.
ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS
CHOSEN MEN
Corporal Jones Supporting 1D10 QJ Disciplined Marksman Baker Rifle 36
Character Surefooted Sword Bayonet
Chosen man Minor Character 1D10 10 Disciplined Expert with Rifle Baker Rifle 36
Brave Sword Bayonet
Chosen man Minor Character 1D10 9 Disciplined Fighter Baker Rifle 36
Brave Sword Bayonet
THE KINGS GERMAN LEGION

Corporal Swartz Supporting 1D10 87 Brave Expert Shot Musket -24
Character Quick Witted Bayonet
Private No 1 Minor Character 1D10 6 Disciplined Expert with Musket Musket -24
Bayonet
Bayonet
Bayonet
›
ABOVE
Advancing to
A DISH BEST SERVED COLD church. The buildings no longer have intact doors
the sound of The Spanish say that revenge is a dish best served although a broken down wagon as well as piles of
the drums. cold – so following this proverb Joachim has waited rubbish and broken timbers are available in the church
to get his revenge on the Heroic Captain and his men and outside to form improvised barricades.
after they reported his activities as a brigand to their The rest of the surrounding country side is fairly
superiors, thus cutting him off from allied funds and flat although rock outcrops and bushes are scattered
supplies. He has been awaiting the chance for revenge around which will provide cover.
and has allied himself with the French in order to gain The Spanish Brigands start 30 paces from the
it. One of his men has spotted the Heroic Captain and entrance to the church, whilst the French must roll to
his men at a nearby abandoned church. determine from which of the other three table edges
Joachim and his brigands join forces with a French they entered from. Place them 30 paces away from the
patrol and the two groups move in on the church. Church from that edge.
However, they are spotted. With the Spanish brigands The Heroic Captain and his men can be placed
approaching from one direction and the French from anywhere within the walls of the church or its
another, the heroic Captain and his men must set about buildings. Up to two barricades can have been
defending the church as best they can. constructed and placed within the walls of the church
For this scenario use Joachim and his brigands plus or to obstruct its entrance.
Capitaine Gauloises and his men. They are opposed by
the Heroic Captain and all of the riflemen, including PLAYERS’ BRIEFINGS
those commanded by Corporal Jones. The Rifles
You are leading a patrol consisting of two groups and have
THE SET taken shelter in a ruined church when one of the sentries
For this game you will need a suitable building to use you posted spots the enemy coming to attack you. Looking
as the church plus a couple of smaller buildings for out you see that they are in two groups and one is led by
a priest’s house and an outhouse. There should also your arch enemy the Spanish Brigand Joachim. You must
be a couple of partly collapsed low walls around the now drive off the French and either kill or capture Joachim.

The Brigands RIGHT
You command a small but successful band of brigands Capitaine
Gauloises.
masquerading as guerrillas until your secret was exposed by
the Heroic Captain who leads the Riflemen. Now you want
revenge and have allied yourself with the hated French to
achieve this – after all the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
You and your men simply want to kill the Captain, his
sergeant and as many of his men as you can manage. To
achieve this you would consider killing the French as well to
prevent them from taking any of the British alive.
The French Fusiliers

You are in charge of a small group of Fusiliers and
have been approached by the leader of a band of BELOW (TOP
Spanish brigands who has offered to lead you to TO BOTTOM)
where a group of British Riflemen is resting. They are Joachim’s men
fight the French.
led by a British Officer who has been a thorn in the
side of the French army for some time so even though The Heroic
you do not trust the brigand here is your chance for Captain and
men cross the
glory. You want to capture this man and as many of bridge to the
his riflemen as possible. village.
RULES SETS & FIGURES

To play these games I have set out some generic
characters for players to use based on the By Crom!
Rules which can be found on this magazine’s web site at
tabletopgaming.co.uk/downloads but any good set of one to
one skirmish rules which emphasises combat with black
powder weapons and allows for close combat can be used
(at this point it would be remiss of me not to mention Sharp
Practice by the TooFatLardies!. Ed.). A supplement page
listing black powder small arms and the rules for using
them under By Crom! can be found on the web site.
The games only need less than 30 figures to play so
should be within everyone’s pocket. The numbers also
lend themselves to larger scale figures. We used 48mm
figures designed and manufactured by the late Jack
Scrubby (hence our use of KGL as one party).
Of course there are plenty of suitable figures available in
scales from 28mm through 40mm up to 54mm. The choice
is so wide that it would be impossible to list them all but
look at Wargames Foundry, Perry Miniatures, Front Rank
and Offensive Miniatures, as well as Victrix Miniatures
and Warlord Games to name but a few.
In 15mm there are a multitude of suppliers although
many sell figures packs which have the figures in the
same positions which are not great when fighting
skirmish games. As for inspiration for these and other
games why not read or reread the books and watch the
series as a download or as DVDs.
So will the Grasshoppers (the
French slang for the rifles) succeed
in their missions or will the French
DOWNLOAD
BLACK POWDER WEAPONS
or the dastardly Spanish brigands FOR BY CROM!
win – only the players and the tabletopgaming.co.uk/
information/downloads
Gods of the Dice will decide –
Happy Gaming! ■

MDF WARGAMING
SCENERY
Designed
for all your
favourite
games!
UNIQUE
MINIATURES GAMES www.ttcombat.com
PART
HOBBY TIPS ONE
A ROMAN MILE FORT

Practical Wargames Terrain
Words and images by Tony Harwood
art way through writing the current giving me a fort footprint of 310mm x 320mm, MATERIALS USED
P series of construction articles for

Miniature Wargames, John (the editor)
asked if I could produce a couple of
larger or ‘signature’ pieces for the magazine.
After a couple of e-mails in which we reminisced
walls that were 110mm tall and a tower that
was 155mm tall.
Needless to say my usual my usual ‘get
the model to fit a 6 inch box’ wouldn’t be
applicable for this build. Construction wise,
◗ Blue Foam
◗ PVA glue
◗ Fun Foam
◗ Hot Glue
◗ Super Glue
◗ A Hot WireCutter
about our early wargaming experiences John I used blue foam for most of the construction ◗ Cocktail sticks
suggested I build a copy of the iconic Airfix of the Roman fort, cutting the foam with a ◗ Dressmakers Pins
Roman Fort scaled for for 28mm figures. The hot wire cutter and card templates to keep ◗ Ready Mixed Filler
◗ Acrylic Modelling Medium
plastic kit has been out of production for some everything square. I have a hotwire cutting
◗ DAS airdrying clay
time and is one of the very few Airfix snap- table (purchased from the internet) but found ◗ Modelling Compound
together kits that I did not own as a child. I had it easier to use the hand-held cutter and card ◗ Dulux Endurance Paint
earlier been approached to build a master model templates to cut these walls. The fort was ◗ Embossed Wallpaper
of a Roman marching fort which was planned to detailed by adding stone courses along each ◗ An old coffee table
be cast in resin. However the commission never surface. I used a new scalpel to define the
materialised, but I did have lots of reference stones individually and then a sharpened
material to hand. pencil to open out the mortar. The stonework
I searched the internet for suitable images and was further textured by rolling a ball of tin foil
was pleased to find many detailed plans and across the soft blue foam surface.
archaeological drawings of how the Mile Forts I mounted the fort onto a second-hand coffee
along Hadrian’s Wall would have appeared. The table then glued on textured wall paper for
down side to browsing the internet is that there the road and the courtyard before building up
are so many different interpretations of what the groundwork with modelling compound.
such a Mile Fort would have looked like! At every stage, I was guided by my two
I used a detailed site plan (found on the grandsons who made sure I added each of the
internet) as the basis of my own design. I remain features.
sketched the plan to 1/56th scale but thought This first part just details the build. In part
that the model looked too big. I therefore two, I will show how I painted the model and
re-scaled the plan reducing it to 80% or 4/5ths finished off all the detailing.
›
HOBBY TIPS
1. THE PRELIMINARY 4. BASE

GRAFFITI At about the same time I was
The construction plans were thinking how I could best display
first sketched out on a large this model. I had thought of
sheet of paper. The plans are mounting it onto individual bases
more of a working document constructed from 3mm thick
than a standalone art piece plastic card or even MDF, but
and were referred back to at as I was building the fort as a
every stage of construction. stand-alone project I ended up
As you can see, there were choosing a coffee table for the
a number of amendments base. The table was a charity
along the way. (I expect the shop purchase for £1.00: an IKEA
Romans did things much the LACK (reference 304.499.08)
same way and is 550mm X 550mm. Using
Mr Harwood! Ed.) the LACK table allowed me to play
around with the positioning of
the fort and in the end I decided
on a fort and wall that was set at
a slight angle.
2. THE MAIN WALLS 5. A STONING!

Construction started by cutting With more blue foam detailing
the main walls from blue added to the plain walls it was
insulating foam. I used a hot then time for the slow and
wire cutter to get the basic laborious job of sculpting the
shapes and a scalpel to define individual stones. I used the
the details. At this stage, I was time-honoured method of
looking at making basic shapes cutting the horizontal layers with
rather than ‘high resolution’ a new scalpel blade, and then
models: the true detailing would cutting the vertical slits before
come later. Working with the hot opening them out with the point
wire cutter and using my own of a sharpened pencil. I found it
construction plans, the shape best to do this in sections while
of the walls and parapets came watching TV or listening to the
together very quickly. I used radio. On a model this size the
card profiles held in place with job of cutting all those slits and
dressmakers pins to guide the then detailing them with a pencil
hot wire cutter and keep the takes ages...
walls ‘square’.
3. GLUE & CURVES 6. TIN FOIL

I used a thick PVA (EverBuild Further texturing was done with
502 Wood Adhesive) for gluing a rolled up ball of tinfoil. Don’t
the foam pieces together and make the ball too big as it will
found it prudent to strengthen be difficult to manoeuvre into
the joins with cut down cocktail some of the tighter areas. This
sticks pushed through the texturing was done a couple of
foam. In a few of the more times, rolling the tin foil ball in
tricky sections I reverted to different directions and varying
superglue (but take care as the pressure to get some variety.
some superglues can melt If you look closely at this image,
foam). Please note that the you will see that I have inserted
cocktail sticks were used for a sharpened cocktail stick into
strengthening the joints and the every one of the crenulations
dressmakers pins were used of the walls and the tower for
to hold the joints together while reinforcement: a lesson I learnt
the glue set and then removed. after a couple of crenulations
The curved wall areas were broke off while I was texturing
also cut with the hot wire cutter the stonework.
using some curved cardboard
profiles as guides.

7. DETAIL
Further texturing and cleaning up
was done with acrylic modelling
medium (used for adding ‘body’ to
acrylic paint), ready mixed filler
and DAS modelling clay. Then
the coping stones (across the
top of the walls and the tower)
were added from some black
Fun Foam, sold in craft stores as
a children’s modelling material.
I found it just the right size for
adding these features as well
as being easy to texture with a
rough stone. The fun foam was
glued in place with PVA glue.
8. FIRST COAT
I coated the whole model with
a dilute mixture of ready mixed
filler and PVA glue and later
painted it with Dulux Endurance
Paint. Blue foam – though
easy to work – has one major
disadvantage: it is very fragile.
The ready mixed filler/PVA glue
mix and then the Dulux paint
should produce a strong crust
strengthening the surface of
the model prior to painting. The
main curtain wall or outside
wall was cut to shape and I
used embossed wallpaper with
a cobbled stone texture – cut to
shape and glued in place with
PVA – to set out the road and fort
interior or courtyard.
9. GROUNDWORK
The groundwork was modelled
from Geek Gaming Modelling
Compound which you mix with
water to produce a paper
mache/Plaster of Paris mix. I
added a plaster casting of some
rocks to the front a feature I had
seen on many of the internet
searches I had done while
researching the fort.
I modified the interior by
adding two raised pathways
to either side of the road and
modelled a Roman oven in
one corner – I had seen similar
ovens in illustrations and
made mine from some spare
blue foam.

REVIEWS
QUARTERMASTER
AIRBRUSH MEDIUM
◗ thearmypainter.com
◗ €5.99
Last month in Forward Observer I around 60 percent paint and 40 percent

mentioned Army Painter’s Airbrush medium. I also tried putting the medium
Medium had been released and – just as I in first and the paint afterwards and
went to press – I said that I had received cleaned between trials. The latter was a
some in the post. Touted as a product much better idea.
designed to enable the Army Painter I found that if I put the paint in first it
Warpaints range to be useable with ease just clogged the brush which required
in an airbrush I decided to try it out in extensive cleaning with water, then
my best brush – the very nice Harder & airbrush cleaner and then acetone. So
Steenbeck that I was sent for review in don’t do that... If I put the medium in
issue 446. first this did not happen; no clogging
I tried various mix ratios and just smooth painting. I used a couple
ACCESSORIES & TERRAIN
methodologies for the Evolution Silverline of colours to paint some scenery I was
2 in 1 using the Airbrush Medium. I working on. I used Skeleton Bone to touch-
tried mixing in a separate jar – by far up on the cement work I had already
the best method under pretty much all sprayed a base on using one of the Army
circumstances with this or any other brush Painter Spray Primer cans of the same
– and that’s certainly what I’d recommend. colour and – of course – the results were
I also tried mixing directly into the effectively invisible: good for me but bad
airbrush’s bowl as – to be frank – we’re all to demonstrate in photographs. So I
lazy and (especially half way through a job) added weathering using Leather Brown
we are all likely to attempt this approach. and it went on smoothly: no spattering
Bear in mind that my go-to paint for or washing out so the impressive heavy
figures tends to be Army Painters very pigment in the Army Painter paint wasn’t
own although I generally use Vallejo an issue through the airbrush when using
through the airbrush. This meant that I their medium.
struggled to test the medium with other Conclusions: preferably mix enough in
brands: for example I don’t have any a separate container before use. Mix at
impressively think GW paint to try it with. the recommended 50/50 with the paint
Mixing in the cup, I tried putting in the and don’t fiddle with that too much and
Army Painter paint first and then topping – if you have to mix in the air-brush cup
up the bowl with the medium in various – do it medium first! €5.99 for a large
ratios, trying with 50/50 and settling on dropper bottle and recommended.
54 Miniature Wargames August 2020

many and varied: preference; the lack of
debates about the rules; living in remote
places; a particular approach to the
hobby; an opportunity to develop rules
before inflicting them on friends... And
there are times when your friends just
can’t see how brilliant the wargaming
possibilities are! For example, in the
Swiss Civil War of 1848...
So you just settle down to gaming it
yourself. The good news for gaming
solo, whatever the motivation, is that
there are more resources around today
than ever.
BASIC CONCEPTS
Let’s take a look at the basic concept
as used in table-top figure games.
Obviously you can just play both sides
though clearly there’s a lack of any
element of surprise. It’s also quite easy
to fall into the trap of favouring one
side (perhaps your beloved British
Napoleonic Army) but such games will
soon cease to be entertaining. Still this
approach can be useful when you’re
testing a new game design to ensure
a variety of situations are assessed.
It’s worth saying why I say ‘design’: I
consider the usual description of ‘rules’
as perhaps a useful shorthand for the
NAPLOLEON SOLO finished product but the process clearly

involves design concepts and principles.
A better approach is often to use one
How to get started in solo wargaming the various systems around to provide
the opposition but invariably some
judgement will be required and it’s best
By Brian Cameron to aim at providing yourself a challenge
rather than a soft option. Many solo
Even as we cruise out of this infernal hardly surprising when it was all but gamers regard building the narrative of
lockdown, there’s still lots of room for playing unknown and – even if you found out the game as an important aspect of the
on your own. I asked Brian Cameron – long about wargaming – you were unlikely to game: those who have played or run
time gaming buddy and highly experienced know anyone else who was interested. role-playing games will be familiar with
wargamer – for some ideas... Ed.. That was certainly the case when I read the concept.
about wargaming in Don Featherstone’s So the basic idea is to have some
t’s hardly surprising that there’s Tackle Model Soldiers This Way in 1967 system by which the opposing (non-
I increased interest in solo wargaming

at the present so it seems a good time
to review the concept and the ‘state
of the art’. Please note that what follows
is indeed ‘for all wargamers’, applying
(I’ve had a good look and I haven’t found a
copy on line for less than £25. Ed.).
A couple of years later a school friend
of mine became interested and then I
moved to London and joined the South
played) side manoeuvres and fights.
This could be as basic as drawing some
‘Dad’s Army’ style arrows on a sketch
map (who do you think you are kidding Mr
Cameron? You like painting figures! Ed.).
to historical, science fiction or fantasy London Warlords (which was just being Preferably draw several versions of that
games. formed in September 1971) so for some kind of ‘big arrow’ diagram/map and
time I didn’t game solo. And yet – like then randomly select one of them after
WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN? many people who wargame with others you’ve done your own plan. You thus
Solo wargaming has been around since – I’ve returned to solo wargaming a don’t quite know what the other side
the early days of the hobby. That’s, number of times. Why? The reasons are will do when making your own plan!
›
SOLO WARGAMING
The arrows will of course need some advance using the clearest route but and a reprint is available for that too.
note of the units allocated to each one. make use of cover if they can. Guide to Solo Wargaming, Stuart
The non-played side will then follow ◗ Skirmishers will advance and harass Asquith. There are two versions of this,
the plan: for example, that broad arrow the enemy, preferably from cover. the original ‘Military Modelling…’ and
heading for the ridge dominating the left ◗ Artillery will fire at targets in an order the later ‘Partizan Press’ version. The
flank clearly indicates that the plan is to of preference you select: perhaps latter is a slightly revised edition with an
advance to and then occupy it. advancing enemy infantry then extra chapter on ‘bigger battles’. Stuart
All this is quite simple and doesn’t cavalry then counter-battery. took a rather more positive approach
take much time but it can be an ◗ Cavalry will look for opportunities to solo gaming and provides a very
enjoyable activity in itself and you to engage enemy cavalry or attack comprehensive coverage of approaches
can add a lot of detail if you wish. infantry in the flank rather than to, and suggestions for, solo gaming.
An advantage of solo gaming is that undertaking a glorious but likely Another essential read.
you’re usually not rushing to get a damaging frontal attack. Programmed Wargames Scenarios,
game completed in an evening and the Charles S Grant. This is such a good book
different stages can be completed as I mainly play ‘Horse & Musket’ games that I very much regret to have to say
time and opportunity allows. And, if so the examples are from that context that it is quite hard (and expensive) to
you’ve come up with three plans for but it should illustrate what I’m getting get hold of. Borrow it if you can though
one side, you still have the basis for two at. They should also reflect the tactics of promises to guard it with your life may
more games by trying the other plans! the period. well be required. Why is this such a
Do three plans for your side as wekkand useful book? It provides exactly what
there’s plenty of variations to try and SOLO LIBRARY the title says, programmed scenarios
you have the basis in future for quickly That’s the concept, so let’s take a look at where the ‘other side’ has a range of
setting up a game using your notes. the books that are available (a number orders and responses (determined by a
are out of print but most are easily die roll) so that you don’t know what’s
SURVIVING FIRST CONTACT found on the second-hand market). coming and you can focus on ‘your
Several moves in, units will be in Solo-Wargaming, Don Featherstone. side’. It’s worth mentioning that the
contact: what are the opposing units Published in 1973, the original book has basics of the idea are also described
going to do? One idea is to present some possibly the worst book cover I’ve ever in Stuart Asquith’s Guide to Solo
‘standing orders’ for what units will do. seen but it is a classic and well worth Wargaming which is much more readily
For example: reading. Chapter 9 ‘The solo musket available.
game’ is an instant starter and easily Solo Wargaming Guide, William
◗ Infantry will fire at the opposition adaptable to other periods. A reprint is Silvester. This provides a very
in the first instance, realising that currently available. comprehensive coverage for playing
charges against fresh enemy infantry There’s also a solo edition of solo campaigns and is probably more
are unlikely to be successful until another of his books: Battle Notes for useful to those wishing to develop their
some damage has been done. They’ll Wargamers Solo Wargaming Edition solo activities.

Pulp Alley is another good example scenery which bridges the gap between
of a game which includes a solo option. figure games and boardgames.
It mainly relies on you trying your best A good example of this is Brigands
for both sides but there are interesting and Browncoats, a game from the Gale
decisions to make about whether to Force 9 Firefly series. The setting is SF
move your figures first in a turn or those but one of my favourite ones: the ‘wild
of the non-played (and thus dastardly west in outer space’. The games are
villainous) opposition as the side who scenario-based and define the player
goes second gets some bonuses. objectives and the time limit. Scenarios
Two Hour Wargames produce a series can also be played as a series of games
of games intended for solo play which so that consequences of the previous
include the concept of ‘possible threats’. scenario impact the next one, e.g. a
You dice for their location and then dice character may not be available as they
again when you guys approach to see are recovering from their wounds.
what – if anything – is there. They are This is essentially a figure-based
more suited to skirmish type games than game with an interesting mechanism
a full ‘battle’ but well worth taking a that the player’s figures can either be
look at their games. ‘casual’ or heroic’. Characters who
Pony Wars is out of print but can be are in ‘casual’ mode can walk past
found second-hand. This Wild West set ‘thugs’ and they don’t react. However,
of rules used a die rolls to determine if they do anything ‘heroic’ like
It’s also worth considering that many where another group appeared and shooting, brawling, bleeding (as per the
wargaming books – and a good example what it would do based on what was wonderful comment in the rules “you
might be Don Featherstone’s Wargame around it. The late Peter Guilder used the don’t casually bleed all over the place”),
Campaigns – also provide useful ideas concept for his Sudan Wars rules (as he the ‘thugs’ are alerted and start to act.
but do not focus on the subject of solo acknowledged when first describing the They have two options for actions, eg
games. game) and they are now back in print. shoot if in range or move into hand-
I hope the examples above make to-hand combat, depending on the
SOLO RULES the point that good mechanics can be type of guard. This is obviously widely
The solo wargamer also has the ready- applied to other games. That will be
made option of various sets of rules amplified as we move onto boardgames.
which are designed for solo play or
include mechanisms for solo play. SOLO BOARDGAMES
A good example is Dan Mersey’s The increasingly popular co-operative
The Men Who Would Be Kings which games offer a lot of potential to solo
includes his “Mr Babbage” system gamers as they not only can be played
which provides guidelines for running solo (a bit more challenging as there’s
the opposition. The stalwart Captain only one brain working on the problem)
Kinch covered them last couple of issues but the mechanics offer some interesting
(and many times before. Ed.) so I’ll say no ideas. A common style now is a
more than I recommend buying them. boardgame format with miniatures and
ABOVE
The Pulp Alley collection is a
recommended set to start with if
you like the solo option.
LEFT
Brigands and Browncoats, a game
from the Gale Force 9 Firefly setting,
contains a number of neat ideas and
some very nice figures to paint.
›
SOLO WARGAMING
FAR LEFT
touch of Evil is a superb,
narrative driven board game
that can translate well to the
table top.
LEFT
Thunderbirds is a lot of fun
and the Editor can't stop
buying better models to 'pimp'
his set!
I’m tinkering with A Touch of Evil for use covers miniatures, boardgames and
in a ‘Four Musketeers’ game in which video games in an entertaining and
the musketeers will have to face various informative style.
perils in order to regain the Queen’s
diamonds and make it back to Paris. BOOKS LINKS
One company which specialises • Don Featherstone’s Solo Wargaming:
in solo boardgames is Victory Point wargaming.co/recreation/details/dfsolo.htm
Games. I’ve only played Cruel Necessity • Battle Notes for Wargamers Solo
set in the English Civil War but the Wargaming Edition: wargaming.co/
game mechanism really provides some recreation/details/dfbattlenotes.htm
transferable. (It’s worth saying that the tough opposition. They used to cover a • Stuart Asquith’s Guide to Solo
figure set with the rules is pretty stunning huge variety of topics but appear to be Wargaming: caliverbooks.com/bookview.
too, especially if – like me – you are a fan of re-vamping the range so I’m not sure php?s2v2q2bqrdqf3nu9mlc48r0fb4&id
the TV series. Ed.) of availability. Another manufacturer =10435
The other interesting mechanism is is GMT who produce a number of solo • Dan Mersey’s The Men Who Would
that of guards ‘patrolling’. They move games including one of the best around: be Kings: ospreypublishing.com/the-men-
round a set route, taking however Peloponnesian War. Availability seems who-would-be-kings
many turns it takes to walk the route to be a problem here as well. • William Silvester’s Solo Wargaming
depending on how long it is. Again, Guide: amazon.co.uk/Solo-Wargaming-
should they see anyone acting ‘heroic’ OTHER RESOURCES Guide-William-Silvester/dp/1938270134
then they act as described above. This The Solo Wargames Association was • Pulp Alley: pulpalley.com/
is an excellent mechanism that can be founded in 1976 and is very active • Two Hour Wargames:
applied to sentries of any period. producing the ‘Lone Warrior’ magazine twohourwargames.com/
For a change of pace, co-op games four times a year and with an active • Peter Guilder’s Sands of the
such as Modiphius Entertainment’s blog. There are links to site of solo Sudan: caliverbooks.com/bookview.
Thunderbirds game (which is definitely wargaming interest and sample articles php?s2v2q2bqrdqf3nu9mlc48r0fb4&id
going to the desert isle with me) and and back issues are available. It is well =27069
Flying Frog’s A Touch of Evil offer recommended. • Firefly: Brigands and Browncoats:
interesting mechanisms which can be firefly.gf9games.com/
drawn on for other designs. (The former SOCIAL MEDIA • Victory Point Games:
– apart from being a stunning re-enactment To no surprise there’s a solo wargaming victorypointgames.com/upcoming-games
of series episodes – allows for solo and group on Facebook: facebook.com/ • GMT Games: gmtgames.com
cooperative play and comes with some sweet groups/298935643609045/ • Boardgameguru offer a good listing
models which just make you want to go on YouTube has a number of videos but of solo games and those adaptable
eBay and buy better ones. Well it did me the best introduction I’ve come across. for solo play: boardgameguru.co.uk/
anyway... Ed.) Go to: youtube.com/watch?v=tBOPZ- wargames-for-solo-play-247-c.asp
Elements can be snagged to use in QqRAA It’s ten minutes well spent • Solo Wargamers Association:
one’s own game designs. For example, if you’re new to solo gaming: it lonewarriorswa.com/ ■

RECCE
B O O K R E V I E W S F O R T H E D I S C E R N I N G WA R G A M E R
CHURCHILL’S COLONEL CHOSIN

◗ Charles Barne (ed.) ◗ Eric Hammel
◗ Pen and Sword (2019) ◗ Casemate (2019)
◗ £25 ◗ £18.99
◗ 339 pages (hardback) ◗ 432 pages (softback)
◗ ISBN:9781526759702 ◗ ISBN:9781612007885
◗ pen-and-sword.co.uk ◗ casematepublishers.co.uk
The author’s grandfather served in the This is the story of the fighting retreat
prestigious Royal Dragoons and then the of the US 1st Marine Division in 1950
4th Hussars (Churchill’s old regiment) in the Korean War, fought against a
throughout WWII, and this is an account determined foe and in appalling winter
of that life drawn from his daily diaries. conditions.
The style is engaging, with that The background scene is of high-
peculiar landed gentry mix of intensive command optimism and miscalculation
cavalry social life and a gradual confounded by Chinese secrecy and
transition to the professional demands surprise. There are a dozen fair quality
of soldiering. There are occasional sketch maps, from strategic level
snippets of tactical detail, but on the to battalion actions, but (strangely)
whole the talk is of squadron and no photographs. The book conveys
regimental life in action and out of the the impact of war at individual
line. This includes cavalry patrolling and small-unit levels, with a rather
in Palestine, the campaign in North dramatic writing style that tends to pall
Africa, and the war in Italy (latterly, somewhat, and certainly well before
providing crews for the Kangaroo you reach the end. Fair enough, it’s the
APCs). It finishes with the immediate author’s choice – but the lack of hard
post-war tidying of PoWs and refugees information (I couldn’t find details of
and a fairly idyllic lakeside sojourn in losses, for example) and the constant
occupied Austria. ‘the bullets were flying thick and
Whilst there is very little here for the fast’ type of narrative, make this less
wargamer, this is a book of great charm, attractive than it could otherwise be.
in particular in describing the transition This will probably appeal to veterans
from a privileged ‘Edwardian’ lifestyle of the conflict. It also offers a mix of
(including life in the Army) to the many wargame scenarios, but you’ll often
changes resulting from modern warfare have to make an informed guess on
and wartime Army expansion. troop numbers etc.
Chris Jarvis Chris Jarvis
›
REVIEWS
and in 1832; four maps illustrate the West

Tennessee/Johnsonville Expedition,
showing the Confederate Advances of
1864; a modern map shows the attack on
the Union supply steamer Mazeppa on
29th October; a contemporary sketch map
depicts the Battle of Reynoldsburg Island,
3rd – 4th November, and another modern
map shows the Confederate attack on
Johnsonville on 4th November. There are
two modern diagrams of the Redoubts that
defended Johnsonville.
The book contains numerous
reproductions of contemporary portrait
photographs of persons mentioned, and
many photographs of Johnsonville as it
appeared in 1864. There are also some
JOHNSONVILLE: UNION photographs of enlisted men. One page KOREAN WAR:
SUPPLY OPERATIONS presents small scale (but unspecified) CHINESE INVASION
◗ Jerry T Wooten profile drawings of four US Navy ‘Tinclad’ ◗ Gerry Van Tonder
◗ Savas Beatie (2019) gunboats, three of which, Tawah, Undine ◗ Pen and Sword (2020)
◗ £15.99 and Key West, participated in the Battle of ◗ £14.99
◗ 224 pages (hardback) Johnsonville. ◗ 128 pages (softback)
◗ ISBN:9781611214772 An appendix, entitled The Burden of ◗ ISBN:9781526778093
◗ casematepublishing.co.uk Supply: The US Quartermaster’s Department ◗ pen-and-sword.co.uk
in Tennessee, describes its history from being
This book (whose full subtitle is: Union established by Congress in 1796 to the Civil As in his previous volumes on the
Supply Operations on the Tennessee War; the transformation of the department earlier phases of the Korean War,
River and the Battle of Johnsonville, under Montgomery Cunningham Meigs; the author achieves a neat blend of
November 4-5, 1864) describes the origins the roles of the three chief quartermasters political, strategic, operational and
of Johnsonville from early settlements who administered supply needs in (occasionally) tactical description
in the area where the Trace Creek joins the Western Theatre; the assistant and analysis: in this case, the lead-up
the Tennessee River, to the creation of a quartermasters who handled all inventory to the Chinese counter-offensive in
substantial wharf at Lucas Landing, which and the purchase of goods from private a bitterly cold November 1950 and
‘soon drew the attention of surveyors and vendors, and fulfilled supply requests at the consequent fighting by the hard-
engineers who identified it as a potential brigade, division and corps levels; and the pressed UN forces. The importance
military shipping and receiving point.’ regimental quartermasters responsible only of strategic and tactical airpower is
Renamed Johnsonville after Senator for their regiments’ needs. An extensive stressed, giving MacArthur offensive
Andrew Johnson, whom President bibliography and index concludes this book. and defensive options. The war saw the
Abraham Lincoln appointed Military Apart from increasing readers’ first jet-on-jet fighter combat – although
Governor of Tennessee on 3rd March, understanding of the logistic support there seems some dispute as to whether
1862, it evolved into the second largest available in Tennessee to the Union armies, the Soviets or the Americans achieved
supply depot in Tennessee for Union forces this carefully researched and well written the first downing.
operating in the Western Theatre during the book also offers much information, a The maps are helpful, but too few to
Civil War, and was attacked by Confederate battle map and several useful diagrams support the well-written text. However,
forces commanded by Major General of the defences from which experienced the photographs are relevant and
Nathan Bedford Forrest in 1864. wargamers could easily devise an unusual atmospheric, from aircraft on a bombing
Chapters cover such topics as the and interesting scenario, involving Union run, to clumps of snow-covered vehicles
completion of the Nashville & Northwestern and Confederate land forces, earthwork and men.
Railroad; living and working in Johnsonville; fortifications and US Navy river gunboats, The sixth and final volume will look
the Union defence of the supply depot; and create the tabletop layout necessary to at the attritional fighting around the 38th
Confederate operations against Union refight the Battle of Johnsonville. However, Parallel – I look forward to it. I know
logistics; the Battle of Reynoldsburg Island, its focus upon logistics makes it probably that Pendraken do a fine range of 10mm
3rd-4th November, and the subsequent Battle a volume only those wargamers dedicated Korean War figures and equipment
of Johnsonville on 4th November, 1864. solely to the American Civil War will wish (and I am sure other manufacturers do
There are nine maps: two contemporary to add to their libraries. different scales), so off you go....
maps depict Humphreys County in 1812 Arthur Harman Chris Jarvis

Nash’s book on the Prussian Army,
published by Almark, but these are in full
colour throughout! Simple, clear figures
show all the details that wargamers will
need to paint their miniature troops
accurately, and would also be perfectly
satisfactory for painters of larger scale
models, as the majority of the figures are
90 to 100 mm tall. Besides illustrations of
officers and men of guards, line and light
infantry regiments in both parade and
campaign dress, separate plates show
hats and legwear; grenadiers’ bearskins;
infantry equipment and weapons; musical
instruments; officers’ and NCO’s rank
distinctions, and – something not always
BRITISH BATTLE THE DANISH ARMY included in uniform books – shabraques
TANKS OF THE NAPOLEONIC for the horses of mounted staff and
◗ Simon Dunstan WARS 1807-1814 infantry officers. There are also nineteen
◗ Osprey (2020) ◗ David A. Wilson plates depicting the various colours
◗ £25 ◗ Helion & Company (2020) carried by the infantry regiments and
◗ 304 pages (hardback) ◗ £29.95 text describing their designs, issue and
◗ ISBN:9781472833365 ◗ 132 pages (softback) allocation to units. The book explains,
◗ ospreypublishing.com ◗ ISBN: 9781913118914 with the aid of monochrome diagrams
◗ helion.co.uk embedded in the text, their organisation
and basic tactics in battle.
Sub-titled ‘Post-war tanks 1946-2016’, this is This large format softback, Number 48 In short, this book contains everything
a superb analysis of one of the triumphs of and subtitled Organisation, Uniforms & a wargamer wishing to raise a Napoleonic
British design and development, especially Equipment, Volume 1: High Command, Line period Danish army requires! It has been
compared to the performance of tank and Light Infantry is published in Helion’s researched in consultation with experts
design up to 1945. It is the final title in a From Reason to Revolution 1721-1815 series. such as Jorgen Koefoed Larsen and Alan
four-part series. It covers not only the uniforms of the Perry, so purchasers of the 28mm figures
The author takes you through all generals, line and light infantry of the of Danish troops produced recently by
significant aspects of each tank, from the Danish Army between the British attack Perry Miniatures, or those manufactured
Centurion to the Challenger 2, including on Copenhagen in 1807 and the conclusion by Miniature Figurines in 25mm and
design criteria, procurement, manufacture, of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, but also 15mm sizes, can paint them in confidence.
testing, training and examples of provides a concise account of Denmark’s Wargamers who use the smaller 10mm
operational use, besides of course a good part in the wars. After being driven to ally and 6mm figures can certainly use the
description of gun, armour, mobility, and with the French by the British action, King illustrations to select suitable proxy figures
other key facets. There is a wealth of high- Frederik VI provided a Danish Auxiliary from those of other nations that can be
quality photographs, but no data tables – Corps for the Grande Armee, which served converted into Danes by painting them
presumably because so much information is as part of Marshal Davout’s XIII Corps. appropriately.
still Classified. As an aside, I’ve always been It fought in the cavalry skirmishes at Hitherto, not many wargame figure
somewhat baffled as to how one calculates Gudow in Mecklenburg on 18th and 26th manufacturers have produced Danish
hit impacts in wargames, in the absence of September 1813; in a skirmish at Weisser troops in their Napoleonic ranges; perhaps
any gun or armour data in this period. Hirsch, on 7th October 1813; in a cavalry the publication of this book, and subsequent
Around half the book is devoted to the battle of Rosengarten on 12th October; volumes in the series, will encourage other
Challenger series, including the Challenger in the battle of Boden on 4th December; manufacturers of wargame figures to
2 procurement process – an interesting at Alt-Rahlstedt on 6th December, and at produce them? The uniforms are certainly
insight into NATO joint arrangements and the battle of Sehested on 10th December attractive, and the addition of the Danish
the need to safeguard or enhance British 1813, in which the Danes defeated General Auxiliary Corps with its red jackets will
employment, foreign orders, etc. Accounts Walmoden’s army corps, inflicting 2,000 enliven predominantly blue French
of operations in Iraq provide good material casualties and capturing over 600 men and wargames armies.
for wargames. two guns. Highly recommended: if you plan to
This is an outstanding analysis by an The illustrations, also by David muster a Danish wargame army, buy
expert author. Wilson, are in a style reminiscent of the this book!
Chris Jarvis monochrome line drawings in David Arthur Harman
›
REVIEWS
THE QUAKER AND THE been dictated by Napoleon to General

Bertrand. Mr Field gives an introductory
GAMECOCK commentary to each account, with helpful
◗ Andrew Waters
bullet point summaries of “themes that are
◗ Casemate UK (2019)
repeated in his subsequent accounts and
◗ £25
which were often taken up and reinforced
◗ 240 pages (hardback)
in later accounts by other authors.”
◗ ISBN:9781612007816
Unsurprisingly, these are “to cover up
◗ casematepublishers.co.uk
mistakes or to find excuses for the defeat.”
Chapter 3 is devoted to accounts
The Southern campaign in the American
by Napoleon’s Household, including
War of Independence is one of my
that of Mameluke Ali and one written
favourite tactical settings: small armies,
by Gourgaud shortly after the battle,
a mixture of ‘standard’ and guerrilla
before he was unduly influenced by the
warfare, colourful and varied uniforms
Emperor’s recollections and interpretation
amply supported by figure manufacturers, THE FRENCH AT WATERLOO: on Saint Helena.
and well-documented.
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS Chapter 4 includes accounts from
This volume adds a well written appraisal
of two leading US commanders: Nathanael
NAPOLEON, IMPERIAL Marshal Ney; his aides de camp Heymes
‘Quaker’ Greene and Thomas ‘Gamecock’
HEADQUARTERS AND 1ST CORPS and Levavasseur; Count Drouot; Soult’s
◗ Andrew W. Field aide de camp, and Colonel Petiet, adjutant-
Sumter. As you might guess, one was
◗ Pen & Sword (2020) commandant attached to Imperial
methodical and one was impetuous, and
◗ £19.99 Headquarters staff.
they didn’t get on too well: both had their
◗ 174 pages (hardback) Finally, Chapter 5, I Army Corps,
own distinct views on how the war should
◗ ISBN:9781526768469 includes accounts by d’Erlon, General
be fought. Add to this the sectarianism in
◗ pen-and-sword.co.uk, Durutte, Colonel Bro and a private of the
South Carolina (Patriots versus Loyalists, but
28th Line regiment.
also coastal patriots versus the backwoods
The latest in Andrew Field’s series of Eight pages of monochrome
patriots), and you have a melting pot of
books (Waterloo: The French Perspective and reproductions of portraits, a near-
conflicting loyalties ideal for a multi-sided
continued with Prelude to Waterloo: Quatre contemporary map of the battlefield and
wargame campaign. The actual battle
Bras; Grouchy’s Waterloo: The Battles of Ligny two battle scenes are bound in the centre of
accounts are slim – Eutaw Springs is only
and Wavre and Waterloo: Rout and Rereat) is the book. There is nothing here that will not
2-3 pages – but you get a real feel for the
the first of a two-volume compilation of the already be familiar to those interested in the
command stresses facing both sides and the
French accounts from which he previously period. The captions that appear under each
constant uncertainty over your troops’ likely
quoted selected extracts. illustration are also reproduced verbatim in
performance (or even attendance).
In Chapter 1 he explains why eyewitness the List of Plates.
An intensely human story but without
accounts often disagree or are contradictory, More maps, showing the campaign and
author-induced drama – nicely done.
both in general, and in the context of the stages of the battle, rather than just the
Chris Jarvis
Waterloo campaign. He considers it “vital diagram of the initial French deployment
for the reader to understand why such accounts in the Introduction, and diagrams
can vary so much in detail before trying to of d’Erlon’s attack and Marcognet’s
interpret them for themselves.” He accepts divisional attack column in the fifth
that his previous books reflect his own chapter, would have been useful.
interpretations and that others “are perfectly The book concludes with a four-page
credible and backed up by equally credible Order of Battle for the French Army
evidence” so that “it is almost impossible to and a page of endnotes. There is no
declare authoritatively that any interpretation bibliography, original publication details
based on the same evidence … is ‘wrong’.” If being given above each account, together
only all authors – and publishers – were as with full biographical details of each
refreshingly honest about their books! author, and no index.
Chapter 2, Napoleon’s Own Accounts, Readers who already possess Mr Field’s
contains his official report, dictated other books will wish to add this – and the
two days afterwards; an extract from future volume of accounts from II and VI
La Campagne de 1815 &c., by General Corps, the cavalry reserve, the Imperial
Gourgaud, based on discussions with Guard and the medical services – to their
Napoleon on Saint Helena; and an extract libraries, and it will also be of great interest
from Memoires pour servir a l’histoire de to collectors of Napoleonic period memoirs.
France en 1815, generally accepted to have Arthur Harman

SHOOTING VIETNAM Bugle Horn Badge; Rifle Fire; Soldier’s
◗ D. Brookes and B. Hillerby Shoes; The Reverse Prone or the Plunkett
◗ Pen and Sword (2019) Position; The Soldier’s Knapsack and its
◗ £25 Contents 1808-1809; The Cacadores; Captain
◗ 251 pages (hardback) Ross’s Troop RHA; Spherical Case Shot,
◗ ISBN:9781526744005 and The Commissariat. General Craufurd’s
◗ pen-and-sword.co.uk Standing Orders (post 1810) are reproduced
in full as a twenty-page appendix.
The book is profusely illustrated
throughout, containing modern
I have struggled in producing a fair
photographs of the sites of engagements;
review of this book – it is a powerful
photographs of contemporary and
memory of Vietnam by a handful of
reproduction artefacts and of reenactors,
US war photographers, in a style that
mainly from the 2nd 9th Rifles
you will either like or loathe.
Living History Society; monochrome
On the plus side, the courage and
professionalism of the cameramen
THE LIGHT DIVISION IN THE reproductions of three paintings by
shines through, and the high-quality
PENINSULAR WAR 1808-1811 artist Christa Hook, from her book Far
◗ Tim Saunders & Rob Yuill out in Advance, showing Captain Peter
paper enables sharp clarity to the
◗ Pen & Sword (2020) O’Hare commanding the piquets above
mix of colour and black and white
◗ £25.00 the bridge over the Agueda, Brigadier
photos. The text is dramatic but real,
◗ 308 pages (hardback) General Robert Craufurd timing his
covering life in the combat zone, the
◗ ISBN:9781526757326 counter-attack at Busaco, and the Light
camp, and civilian life. On the minus
◗ pen-and-sword.co.uk Division squares at Fuentes de Onoro;
side, the repetition of the F-word
numerous contemporary portraits, prints
becomes dreary after a while, but the
and illustrations; and modern maps of the
chief upset is the close-ups of very
engagements described in the text.
dead people, especially civilians – I
Both the authors served in the British Army Eight pages of endnotes, which
personally found it both distasteful
in regiments that can trace their origins to often contain much interesting
and disrespectful.
the Light Division, and since 2005 have additional information, and a four-
It certainly conveys the power of the
become The Rifles, now work as historians page index conclude the book. There
camera: the lack of censorship, and the
and are active members of the Guild of is, however, no index.
shocking images to a nation brought
Battlefield Guides who have walked many This is the first of a two-volume history
up in the concept of the US soldier as
of the Peninsular War battlefields. of The Light Division; the second volume
a winning ‘knight in shining armour’,
The first chapter gives a brief and will cover the period from the summer of
effectively killed public support for
rather superficial account of the origins 1811 to the end of the Peninsular War in
the war.
of the British Light Infantry, from Roger’s 1814. The focus upon the Light Division
Chris Jarvis
Rangers in the French and Indian war, naturally results in a rather Anglocentric,
but omitting the aggressive light infantry somewhat old-fashioned perspective on
tactics developed during the War of the Peninsular War, that largely ignores
Independence, described by Martin H. the bigger picture, whilst the descriptions
Spring in With Zeal and Bayonets Only, to of engagements are inevitably restricted
the Experimental Corps of Riflemen and by the format. For more detailed accounts
the camp at Shornecliffe. and analysis it will still be necessary to
Subsequent chapters offer a chronological consult Fortescue and Oman, or books
narrative of the service of the Light on individual battles such as Talavera:
Brigade (later Light Division) from the Wellington’s First Victory in Spain by Andrew
first campaign in 1808 and the battles of Field or Salamanca 1812 by Rory Muir. That
Rolica and Vimeiro; through the Corunna said, it is a very readable, concise, modern
campaign; the campaign of 1809 and the history of the role played by the Light
march to Talavera; the Combat on the Coa; Division in the Peninsular War, making
the battle of Busaco; and the Lines of Torres good use of eyewitness accounts by its
Vedras, until the final chapter covers the officers and men, that will be appreciated
battle of Fuentes de Onoro in 1811. by wargamers particularly interested
Distributed throughout the text are ten, in recreating Wellington’s army and its
one or two page illustrated information campaigns in Portugal and Spain, and also
sections on the following topics: the 1800 by anyone planning to visit the battlefields.
Pattern Infantry Rifle; the 1806 Cap and Arthur Harman

Wargames Fantasy and
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CLUB SPOTLIGHT
TANELORN WARGAMING CLUB enjoyable MESBG campaign and

have plans to begin a Path to
Glory campaign as an entry for
Talking with Club Secretary Nigel Doherty many players into Age of Sigmar.
There’s also plans to run a Gasland
Interview by John Treadaway Refuelled campaign.
How did the club first get started? addition, more traditional board ABOVE (LEFT) Where do you play?
It was founded in the year 2000. In games are played as well as LCGs Refuelling with some Our current venue is the awesome
beers and some Gasland:
that time we’ve had four different like Game of Thrones and more a game in progress. Rule Zero run by Gav and Tim and
venues. The club was founded as a recently Arkham Horror. located just opposite the Olympic
place to play tabletop wargaming ABOVE (RIGHT) Stadium, now West Ham Football
Social distancing at
at St Gabriel’s Parish hall in What are some of the most popular its very best! A pre- Club’s stadium, in Stratford. Rule
Aldersbrook, North East London. games at the club? lockdown game. Zero has three levels – the bar and
In the late autumn of 2009 we them Despite the board gaming I’ve kitchen on the ground floor where
moved to the Ex-Serviceman’s mentioned, tabletop wargames casual gaming takes place – such as
Club (ESC) in Leytonstone. More remain the staple of the club. board and card games, the first floor
recently, we moved to EXP Leisure Those currently being played at where more intensive gaming takes
in the summer of 2017 which the moment are Warhammer 40K place (this is where we are usually
was situated opposite West ham (including both Apocalypse and found) such as tabletop wargaming,
stadium and since January of this Kill-Team), the Middle Earth roleplaying and competitive events.
year we have moved just down Strategy Battle Game (MESBG), Finally there is the basement that
the road to Rule Zero (but more Gaslands Refuelled, Kings of War can be hired out for special events
on that later...). Over the past two (KoW) and Bolt Action. New and is just another string in Rule
decades the vision of the club has members would certainly be able Zero’s mighty bow!
always been to be a friendly and to easily pick up a game of one of
welcoming place where people can these, especially 40K, KoW and How do you advertise your club?
not only play tabletop wargames MESBG. The club has it’s own website at
but also share in all the other tanelornwgc.or
aspects of the hobby from cool What tournaments and events does
conversions to list building or the club run? So why would someone like to join?
running campaigns. We’re not the most competitive The club has continued to thrive
club: if we attend an event as a during lockdown. From a hobby
What’s changed in the years it’s club it is definitely more as a social perspective, in addition to our
been running? event rather than to win prizes. monthly painting vows we are
Tanelorn today is a small but And that’s a good thing because now running our second monthly
thriving community of like- as – a club and as individuals – painting competition. Whilst we
minded gamers. You’ll notice I said we’re often in the running for the have many talented painters at
gamers, as one of the strengths of wooden spoon! We actually have the club there is a wide variety
the club is the diversity of games our own Tanelorn wooden spoon of ability and this was evident in
played. Tanelorn has always which comes into play when a April’s competition. We’ve also
played a variety of tabletop minimum of three of our members been running a club Blood Bowl
wargames but in recent years attend an event. The annual League which has been very well
(I imagine like many clubs) we awarding of this is always hotly supported. We also had our first
If you’d like your club
have also seen more board and contested (especially by members virtual Annual General Meeting
featured in Miniature
card games played, especially of the committee!). Our own Wargames, get in and have continued to discuss and
with the rise of board games with events tend to be campaigns or contact at miniature plan a number of campaigns as
superbly sculpted miniatures like leagues rather than tournaments. wargames@ outlined above. So there’s lot’s of
The Others and Blood Rage. In We’re currently running a hugely warnersgroup.co.uk reasons right there! ■

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THE LAST WORD
ANDY
COPESTAKE
Long term contributor to MW and
owner of Old Glory UK
y question is do retro some 21st century sets. This makes
M rules, rule? Today’s

“gaming hobby”
contains a plethora of
rules and regulations in all sorts
of formats. PDF files, Cards,
life far easier for both beginners
and experienced players and
especially for Umpires.
The relative simplicity of many
of these early rules gives you a
“The urge of it will all depend upon your
personal tastes and preferences.
ringbound softbacks, pricey freedom you simply don’t find in
the modern If you are one of those chaps who
hardbacks with added eye-candy. many more modern sets. The urge game needs overarching game structure
There is so much of this stuff that of the modern game designer is designer is in the form of tight rules and
it is impossible to even be aware to tell you everything that is, and detailed game specific army lists
of it all, even for a single historical more often is not “allowed” in that
to tell you then the ‘retro’ approach will not
period. For example I own about a particular game – and frequently everything be for you. There is too much
dozen sets suitable for the English in a patronising manner – and that is, potential freedom. But if, like me,
Civil War alone, many of which it leaves little room for your you are more of an “historical
I have never played and I know own views. Now this may be
and more visual storyteller” then the idea of
there are others I don’t own. In appropriate in a competition but often is not positive freedom should appeal
some cases it was because they I want more freedom than that, ‘allowed’ to your sense of the possible. It
turned out to be unhistorical dross especially as an umpire. Early sets will be your knowledge and your
and in other instances because from the ‘60s, ‘70s or ‘80s often
in that choice rather than the straitjacket
they were so hard to fathom that I give me that freedom. Speaking for particular of the army list and points system.
could not be bothered to find out myself I find this rather refreshing. game... and it Wargaming is not chess. It is, in
if they were dross or not. Since It means you can place your own theory, more freeform and open
I am not a competition player I interpretation on how the rules
leaves little ended that that mathematically
have no need to keep up with the work rather than that of a game room for precise addiction, it requires some
latest competitive fad. This means designer who may, or may not, your own different disciplines, different
that when it comes to rules I can have the same level of historical knowledge, different skills.
please myself. knowledge of your chosen period
views.” Surely part of the hobby is to use
So faced with an as you do. those skills?
incomprehensible and often pricey Of course there is a downside. For me it is something of a
paper mountain what is a chap to Older rules often assume that misdemeanour to submerge
do? Simple answer: go retro! For you have a basic grounding in these assorted skills by a slavish
some periods and some styles of your chosen historical period. adherence to the diktats of the
historical miniatures wargame the They assume a basic historical “games designer”. That follows
rules of former days are simply knowledge which is not always whenever the rules were written,
easier to deal with, but more than present in or wanted by some of be that last century or last week.
that they are far less likely to be a today’s game-centric gamers. They With that limited outlook one
gaming straitjacket. Many older assume that you don’t need to be becomes merely a pusher of
rules use the actual miniatures told everything, that you can take counters and a roller of dice. There
as part of the game rather than your own decisions, organize your must be more to this wargaming
as merely expensive counter own armies. In short they – despite lark than that. In my experience
decoration. Equally the dozen or so their simplicity – assume you are the simple rules from the classic
pages of most of the rule sets that an adult. wargaming books are still worth
come in the various wargaming This is not to say that all older using some of the time, for their
classic books are far easier to sets are better: they are not. simplicity and open ended
assimilate than the 100 or more There were – as now – some true freedom. And also just because
pages of turgid text one finds in turkeys back then and, as always, they are fun! ■

W AR
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