Got a Article in Wargames Soldiers & Strategy 113 :)

Just wanted to let you knwo that you can find a article and scenario of mine in the latest Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy, issue 113.

The theme for this issue are "Conflict in Norway throught the ages" and my article are about the Swedish attack at Trondheim in 1718 that ended in a Swedish disaster. Writen for Rebels and Patriots rules but also included stats for Black Powder.

I have also produced this months WSS Online scenario, The Battle of Bysjön 1644, one again a Swedish loss against the Norwegians... writhen for The Pikemens Lament and free for download.

Hope you like them both and that they give you some good games.

Gustav II Adolf

As it is the 6 november today I thought it would be appropriate to post pictures of the latest mini I painted, the Warlord´s Gustaf II Adolf, depicting the Swedish King on his horse Streiff that has gone out of controll leading the King away from his troops and in to the arms of  Catholic curassiers and eventually his death on the battlefield of Lützen 6 November 1632.

Pike and shot command group sculped by my matey Thomas

I want to congratulate my matey Tomas that have had his first miniatures releasen for the Warlord games Pike and Shot range.

I rely like the look of the minis and i looking forward to see more of Tomas sculpes  released in the future.

They are perfect for The Pikemans Lament:) and i would reccon they have to be consider as "Official TPL minis ;) " you can order them here.

TYW 1626, The Pikeman´s Lament AAR

Here are some pictures and a short AAR from a playtest game of The Pikeman´s Lament. Jesper comanded his Danes and my son David commanded my Spanish and of 32 points each.
The minis are all multibased at 28mm FoGr bases, i.e 60mm width.

OOB Danes
1 Pike @ 4 points
2 Shot @ 4 Points each
2 Elite Trotters @ 6 points each
2 Trotters @ 4 points each

OOB Spanish
2 Veteran Pike @ 6 Points each
4 Shot @ 4 points each
1 Field gun @ 6 points

The Spanish deployed all their troops on a line with the Field guns in the center covering the bridge. The Danes was advansing in along the two roads to the bridge...

Danish Pike ans Shot...

...decide to leave the road and advance forward the stream to cross it in the the field on the opposite side...

The best of the best in the Danish company, Elite Trotters...

...already taking heavy fire from the Spanish Field Gun...

The Spanish Infantry makes a general advance...

The Danish Trotters advance behind the Elite Trotters and they all seems to awoid the bridge... 

The Spaniards contiue their advance and on their right flank they reach a good defensive possition at a fence... just to let the Danes advance in to the killing ground...

...might there be a Spanish field gun intimidating them...

The Danish Pike and Shot crossing the stream

The Danish Elite Trotters at last manage to cross the stream... 

...despite facing the Spanish field gun the Danish Trotters decide to take the quick rout across the bridge...

...overfald drenge! dræbe onde katolikker...

some how the Spanish commander decided it was a really good idee to leave the defencive possition at the fence and advance in to the open field...

...at least they got the chance to fire of their first salvo at long range...

...not even a hit in the Danish banner...

...better luck for the Spanish Shot by the bridge that manage to decimate one of the Danish with 50% ...

...so they started to run back to the bridge..."mom redde mig!"

a solid Spanish Defence...

...The Spaniards in teh field seems to have made the right decission as due to their long range fire they have stalled the Danish advance across the stream...

...the Spanish shot even manage to get a few hits...

On the Spanish left flank the Pike form close order as the Danish Elite Trotters are caracoling at the Spanish shot...that had advanced a bit to much to be propperly protected by the pikes...

...unfortunate for the Danes their pistol powder seems to have been wet when crossing the stream...

The Danish Pikes form Close Order and plan to attack one of the Spanish shot units that are shooting at the Spanish Trotters by the bridge...

...of course the Danish plan are detected by the Spanish Pikes...

Both of the Danish Trotters are on the run, the Elite Trotters are depleated and the Spaniards havent taken much casualties at all...

The Danish Pikes decide that it is a good ideea to charge the Veteran Spanish Pikes in Close Order...

The Spanish Veteran Pike manage to do as much more damage to the Danish Pikes that they start to flee... with 12 points of the Danish Company out of the battle the danes decided to retreat to save their remaining troops...

This was a very entertaining game, both commanders made some mistakes but non of them had yet played to many games of The Pikeman´s Lament at the time.

Happy gaming !

11 days to release... Cavalry Clash TYW AAR

The count down to the official release date of The Pikeman´s Lament rules continue:) Todays blogpost will show you some pictures from a TYW cavalry engagement from our playtesting of the rules.

The aim for the game was to see how Trotters, that have close range shooting and Gallopers, that are pure close combat cavalry matched up...

OOB - Protestants

6 units of Agressive Gallopers @ 4 points each (Agressive imply that they have the Wild Charge rule and are better of in Attack)

OOB - Catholics

4 units of Elite Trotters @ 6 points each (Elite imply that they have a increased Stamina to represent their Elite Status)

The terrain might not have been the best for cavalry units but who can always decide where to run in to the enemy, this time it was a small German farm just waiting to be looted by the victorious side...

I won´t take a turn by turn AAR, just a recap of the big picture, hope you can see the different stages in the pictures below. Due to the dence terrain the Catholics taktic was to try to lure the Protestants in between the houses so theu just had to faceoff one of the Agressive Galloper unit at the time.

Trotters should ride up close to be able to fire and continue to fire untill the enemy either waver or charge due to the shooting. Trotters are good in Defence especially Elite;)

Gallopers should as quickly as possible move up to the enemy and engage them in a devastating charge, it can be good to have either a unit of Commanded Shot, that can soften the enmeny up before the charge of the Gallopers OR a second unit of Gallopers that can exploit the first units attack. By grading the Gallopers Agressive they will get an further edge in Attack BUT theu get hard to controll and can get lured in to rought going, indeed a double edged sword.

In our game the Protestant Gallopers could not at first make any good use of their numbers, but in the end they managed, with high losses, to grind down the Catholic Trotters and win the day.

The cotton in some of the pictures have no effect on the game, just for my estetik of the pictures;) Most of the minis are from Warlord Games Cuirassiers boxed set and the Pike & Shotte Cavalry plastic boxed set and a few of them are from The Assault Group. The lovely houses are from Perry Miniatures and was converted by my friend Mattias at Northern Wargaming.