"Black Powder" Napoleonics.

 I'm still enjoying the Black Powder family of wargames rules and have been playing some Napoleonic games. 

I have used a couple of different approaches...

My 1/72nd toy soldiers.

And my Commands and Colors wooden blocks.

Using the blocks gives me all of the main Napoleonic armies as I am lucky enough to own all of the army expansions. I had a grand game of Austrians versus the French and I think the blocks give a moving battle map look to the game.

I took a few photos at the end of the game.

 My 1/72nd toy soldier collection is small and limited to French and Russians but have the toy soldier appeal.

Here are a few photos of tonight's game...

Great fun.

Pike and Shotte

This week I have been playing some English Civil War games using "Pike and Shotte" rules. I had forgotten how much fun can be had with the "Black Powder" family of rules and intend to use them more often.

Here's a few photos of the wee men on the table.

 It's been nice to get these old soldiers out again, I've had some of them nearly 40 years.

Happy days.

One Hour Skirmish Wargames.

 I was lucky enough to get a copy of One Hour Skirmish Wargames by John Lambshead recently and I have been playing the game all week.

I've been playing WW2 with my 28mm fellas and started with very basic forces to ease myself into the rules.

I was quickly able to add in tanks to my scenarios.

I have been playing with a squad/section or so a side with a few heavier weapons and some special rules.

Each game I have had has been very enjoyable with plenty of tense moments as the cards are drawn.

The game is diceless being run entirely by a deck of standard playing cards for each side. It works like a dream and you can play skirmishes from horse and musket to modern warfare and beyond.

Here's a Hetzer, as everyone likes a Hetzer. It's a 1/48 scale Tamiya model. 

Great stuff!, I plan to play some western gunfights and Napoleonic games with this fine addition to my rules collection.

Happy days.

Shem invades Argos, CC:A Hyboria.

 The great trading nation of Argos has the busiest port of the Hyborian Age, Messantia as it's capital. King of Kings Kumbaniash, ruler of Shem has long envied Argos' wealth and seeks to bring it under his control. He would then have a network of trade from Cathay to Kush which would bring wealth and power beyond compare.

As Aquilonia is engaged in Zingara he unleashes his host upon Argos.

As the Shemites assail the eastern provinces with fire and sword King Milo V prepares to confront an army that has defeated half the world. His professional army is small but augmented with barbarian mercenaries and war elephants from Kush.

The Argosseans are in red at the top of the picture.

King Milo advances as his slingers damage the Kothian chariots.

Then his warriors attack the Shemite archers who evade to avoid harm.

The infantry battle ebbs and flows.

But the Shemite Asshuri infantry come out on top until the Argossean cavalry destroy the nearest unit.

Kumbaniash charges in to protect his infantry flank but is eventually defeated and is forced to take refuge amidst his bowmen.

And the Argossean barbarian warriors defeat the remaining Asshuri.

The Shemites respond by darkening the sky and the barbarian warriors are destroyed.

With the Shemites in disarray King Milo attacks the Kothian war chariots with his Guard cavalry and elephants.

The Kothians are routed and Kumbaniash is defeated!.

After the retreat to Asgalun the Shemites sue for peace. Koth, Ophir and Turan declare independence and King of Kings Kumbaniash is murdered by his generals.

As a Nemedian philosopher once said "The Road of Kings is a bit of a bugger".

Aquilonia strikes!, CC:A Hyboria.

 The Aquilonians waste little time in taking the war to Zingara, King Namedides and Valenso the Count of Poitain cross the Thunder River. They meet King Galbarro of Zingara with his outnumbered host by the Black River.

Galbarro has his left flank protected by the river and his right protected by some forest and high ground in an attempt to make up for his lack of numbers.

The Zingarans are at the top of the picture resplendent in their deep brown blocks.

The battle begins with some skirmishing on the flanks as the Zingaran right advances.

The Poitainians charge to see off the Zingaran light horse who have been harassing them with javelins.

Then the Zingaran left flank cavalry get sucked into a great sweeping cavalry battle.

Now the Aquilonian cavalry join in the fearsome card play of charge and countercharge.

When the dust settles the Aquilonians find the Zingaran left flank has dissolved.

Seeing the Zingaran foot soldiers have an open flank the Aquilonian and Poitainian cavalry attack!.

And as his line is rolled up King Galbarro is forced to surrender.

King Namedides of Aquilonia now has Nemedia and Zingara paying tribute to him and he enters Tarantia in triumph with people scattering gold dust before his horses feet.

Zingara invades Poitain, CC:A Hyboria.

 As the fighting begins in the Nemedian invasion of Aquilonia a Zingaran army crosses the Thunder river to neutralise Aquilonia's staunch ally Poitain.

The Poitainians are vigilant though and the Zingarans find themselves fighting with their back to a river.

The Poitainians have 2 units of Heavy Cavalry, 2 medium Cavalry, 2 units of Light Cavalry, 4 Heavy Infantry and 2 units of Light Bowmen.

The Zingarans have 4 units of Heavy Cavalry, 2 Medium Cavalry, 2 Light Cavalry, 3 Heavy Infantry and 1 Light Bowmen.

The Zingarans unsuccessfully try to batter their way through the Poitain infantry.

They do better on their left flank with a brisk cavalry charge.

But the Poitain infantry surge forward and the battle is won 5 banners to 3.

The Zingaran invasion is repulsed and they fall back and await the response from the mighty Aquilonia.