Painting for July

The army of Muscovy has been expanded further this month with a further forty four figures added to the thirty previously shown.

All the figures are from Musketeer as usual.

Next on the blocks are more Russians, including some of their Russian pikes released at Triples.

So painting points for July = 74
Painting points for the year so far now stands at 917. (Not sure how many points all the barricades and fortifications should be charged at so I've not included those.)

War of the Spanish Succession game Monday 14th July

The French once again boldly took the field against the combined might of the Maritime Powers last night. With fourteen battalions and twenty four squadrons they were opposed by eleven battalions and twenty one squadrons - a small game by our standards!
The first photograph is a down the table view with supporting images of both sides following.

The French plan was simple. Use the horse on the right to drive away the enemy horse facing whilst waiting for the enemy to advance and then once the right flank was secure to make a hole with the Maison du Roi.

So the opening moves saw the French horse advance and then make contact with the enemy. Despite gaining the upper hand in the first contact the superior numbers of enemy eventually drove the entire French horse from the field. However, the remaining enemy horse were battered and bruised but still of sufficient strength to cause some annoyance.
On the left the enemy horse quickly dispersed the French dragoons but thankfully were resisted by the regiments of Languedoc and Lorraine.

In the center the two lines clashed and a hectic few rounds of very close musketry ensued. With neither side showing any ability to make big gaps both had a few reverses.
Firstly the Dutch Guards stumbled and fell back. Then the Guardes Suisses gave up and fled. Two English battalions retired and reformed behind their lines whilst for the French the entire first line of infantry were shot down where they stood.
Finally it came down to the Maison du Roi. As the two battalions of foot guards had retired by this point the combined might of the French household cavalry rode forward and crashed into the English battalion of Webb. Given the size and spectacle heading their way the English foot can probably be forgiven for wobbling a bit. A few ill timed shots and then they were off chased down by the French. It was now the turn of one of those small annoyances I mentioned earlier.
seeing the French horse canter away they took their chance and charged the Maison du Roi. Fortunately the French mettle was not found wanting and the enemy were beaten off.
But it was too little too late. With just a few battalions remaining for the French and an almost complete line of enemy advancing on them it was time to give ground and leave Marlborough in possession of the field.

In hindsight whilst it was obviously frustrating for the enemy commanders to see their battalions fail successive morale tests and retire, I think it worked in their favour. Every time a battalion retired it managed to reform and rejoin the affray. The French by contrast were passing their morale tests and suffering heavily for it. Almost forced to stand in the way of the enemy musketry by passing their tests, they were shot to ribbons by the fresh lines of the enemy.
What would I have done differently? Used the Maison du Roi on the flank to create the exposed flank I was looking for and then unleash the line horse.

Great game though.

I leave you with a shot of the Maison du Roi and guard battalions.

Great Northern War & Other bits

Whilst Malplaquet is still the most pressing in terms of time (more on this later) the Great Northern War is the current figure project.
To that end I've started on the Russians in earnest and here are the first thirty figures all finished.

As ever they are from Musketeer and paint very quickly - once you get the blocking done that is. Somehow block painting red is just as tedious as block painting the yellow for the Swedes, but the green, as did the blue for the Swedes, is soooo much faster. Odd heh?
Anyway, details. Red is a combination of GW Blood Red over GW Mechrite Red foundation. Green is GW Snot green over GW Dark Angle Green (the later watered down to flow into the crevices). Straps are GW Bubonic Brown over GW Snakebite Leather.

The movement trays they are standing in are the ones I've chosen for the project. Rather than make them myself I found these from Total Scenic Systems. Resin with a nice level of sculpting around the edge they fit twelve figures on 25mm square bases, so I need four per battalion but they are just about perfect.

As I said earlier, Malplaquet continues apace and here is an example of the fencing I'll be using for the wooded defences in the Bois de Sars & Bois de Lanniers in the battle. Available from Demonscape I got two packs of fencing and gabions each pack containing 8 single fences, 5 double length fences (pictured) and 5 gabions all for £8 including p&p. They are all extremely nice pieces being well cast, with good detail and crisp moulding.

And now for the tip of the day.

It's been almost a year since Games Workshop introduced their new foundation paints and washes. in that year I've rued the loss of the old style Flesh wash since this was my preferred medium for flesh areas despite the semigloss finish it gave (this never bothered me because I always varnish the figures anyway). So imagine my delight when I was in my local store discussing this very matter with the store manager, and he then promptly disappeared into the back and brought out a whole box full of the old style paints - including a half dozen bottles of flesh wash sold to me at less than half price!
So get down to your store and see what oop lines they have in the back that they want to get rid off!

Malplaquet Preparations Continue

More on Gabions for the big refight in September. This time those manufacturers that I've found so far selling individual gabions.
So again in price order, most expensive first.

Reiver Castings, available through Under the Bed Enterprises, make an excellent range of items and I was particularly struck by their field fortifications at the Triples Show. However, in the end I bought a single pack of 10 gabions for £9. Metal and with some nice detail these are heavy items for their size. Having said all that they lack the presence of their larger resin cousins.

Next Hovels who have 4 for £2.20. Good price against their excellent quality. Well made with little pitting they paint very nicely and have some excellent detail such as the raised stones on the infill of the gabions. The only downside for me, and this is purely personal, is the ring of textured material around the base which prevent them from being placed closed up without some work with a file.

The Baggage Train were a company I stumbled across at Triples a couple of years back. They had a multi-pack of 10 different sized gabions for £4 (I think). They don't have the detail that others have for the infill this looking more like compacted soil that loose rubble and earth, but the quality of the wickerwork is amongst the best. They are also the largest gabions I've seen so far.

Finally a set I bought on Ebay. I'm sorry I can't remember their address but these were 10 for £1 and as you'd probably expect not quite the bargin I thought. Small and oddly shaped they do have some good definition and I'm sure they'll find a home somewhere in my constructions.

I thought a shot for size comparison would help so here they all are alongside a Musketeer Miniatures Russian - a tall 28mm figure.