I have slowly started to look at some grid gaming set ups. My starting point has been that they would aid campaigns and to that end allow quicker solo games. I opted for two 3’x2′ boards which could then give me a 4’x3′ table which also figures in Neil Thomas rulesets.
ideas still in play – how to represent rivers and buildings? hills are simply another gridded block shape to suit.
As a bit of a test I used a Neil Thomas scenario from the C19th European Wars book (NT19e) – the Cristinos v Carlists, in my case Piedmont squared up to Austria.
I use 40mm square bases for my 19th century games and I have chosen a 50mm grid – i.e. no perfect fit of base to grid square. And for this test I used essentially formations from Neil Thomas NT19e. The exception being that my square 40×40 basing really distorts the column or line option choice.
Garibaldeans march in my attack column option – I reserve a single base wide column of 4 bases for marching only. Firing lines are 4 bases side by side and don’t advance or retreat, but can wheel.I have Artillery men both on one large base and also individually as shown hereAbstraction – these Neapolitan Riflemen in a built up area may still simply be on a block of a different colour or with buildings/features!I quite like Neil Thomas unit conditions – Fire and Fury and other rulesets in mid 19th century warfare also seem to opt for this type gradationI did not find the grid a problem and it did the job of of having a tape measure on the board at all times everywhere. Also manoeuvring is hard work once you move to multi based units. NT19e allows turning (spinning)on the unit centre (abstraction again) so fits nicely with a grid approach.The undersizing of base to grid feels right for me.Neil Thomas rules do not feature command bases but other rules I like do – so I plan to use single grid base for lowest discrete command with next up having two grids covered and the top man having three of even four bases covered. The bigger the command base the further back from the action is better for them – having no attack or defence values if contacted.Bare bones – right now it feels like I am heading in the right direction.
These Austrians sporting waffenrock full skirted tunics and tapered stove pipe shakoes are really post 1850 . This time I have two weak units representing Infantry Regiments 40 and 41.
IR40 Baron Koudelka 1834 to 1849 probably means the men with light blue facings are from IR40 Inhaber (Ceremonial Commander in Chief) Baron Rossbach who took over in 1850.
IR41 with sulphur yellow facings, under Baron Sivkovich from 1841 then handed over to Baron Kellner in 1857
These are weak Field of Battle Battalions at only 3 bases. Right now I tend to paint the figures by sprue and “Waterloo 1815 manufactured” Austrians come with 10 figures including a mounted officer. So I get 3 bases of 3 foot figures.
I use the excellent Osprey Men At Arms 323 by Darko Pavlovic as my main reference.
This Austrian Artillery Battery works for the 1st and 2nd Italian Independence Wars of 1848/49 and 1859/60 respectively. We are still in muzzle loading smoothbore territory but with rifling growing in popularity.
This time I opted for individually based figures.
Previously I had based some of them for Piquet Field of Battle rules.
The artillery pieces are Irregular Miniatures Russian guns.
My latest unit of kittel coated Austrian Infantry have arrived on the Pedestal.
In 1849 the “rock” with tails was replaced with the “waffenrock” – a belted full wasted tunic. The kittel – the soldiers everyday service jacket was similarly styled.
Of more note is that in 1850 the shako (tapering down to the base) was replaced with a smaller shako (tapering up to the crown).
So these soldiers are no good for Radestky’s marches of 1848/1849. However they will just about do for the 1859 war with Piedmont and France often known as the Second War of Italian Unification.
I could even go for a Napoleonic style shako with the new waffenrock for all of a few months. Decisions, decisions……
Having said that, this epoch is so confusing on uniforms I will just enjoy painting and gaming with whichever figures I like. And more to the point my gaming figures will often have their dress uniforms on. So no change there then!
The figures are from Waterloo 1815 – one of the few companies to offer 1/72 figures for these wars.
For my chosen rules I now have 3 x 4 base units including the mounted general. For some units I hope to add a non gaming flag bearer element.
Wargame shows in the UK are destinations for buyers. Wargamers love to buy at shows. Traders dominate proceedings and given the hobby has been off the high street for decades this is understandable.
So VAP is always a show that involves some buying. For my virtual VAP I have dug out some previous VAP show purchases – not even used – there’s a surprise – NOT!
Not a lead mountain more like a timber mountain. First up the previously bought items are two bridges.
First up is a 15mm scale “corduroy” bridge by 4 ground
The Corduroy bridge is easy to put together although the parts are small and easily damaged if not carefully removed from their frame.
This will serve as a small bridge in my 1/72 20/25mm battles.
The stone bridge in 15mm by 4 ground
The stone bridge is more of a scale item so will look out of scale in 1/72 20/25mm encounters. Unless of course you simply accept the lack of scale compatibility!
The stone bridge takes my element bases so that is a plus.
two useful bridges allow me to “bridge” across to my purchase the other day.
Ian Kay at Irregular Miniatures very quickly supplied some of his mid 19th century figures in both 25/28mm and 20mm.
These are Austrians – a general, cannon plus 4 gunners, two frenchies!!? several austrian infantry all bought as a taster.Arranged around Waterloo1815 1859 Austrians (confused? you ought to be) are Garibaldeans to the left, Piedmontese Line Infantry to the top right and yes some Belgian WW1 infantry bottom right as a tester for 1866 onwards Austrians.
All these purchases are to test my liking for the figures and their matching qualities with my 1/72 plastics.
The dainty Waterloo1815 Austrians were savaged by the Plastic Soldier Review. I quite like them though. The Garibaldeans are slightly smaller while the PSS Reviewed Lucky Toys equivalent (grotesque?) are hitting 25/26mm and with bulk.But not bulky enough to work with the other austrians which are proper 28mm chapsI am going to give these 28mm figures a go. They feel very suitable for a “little wars” type game without the live ammunition! Perhaps even a deliberate “shiney” finish?
The Wargaming Erratic 