Rousell the French Mercenary

Finding models to use in what used to be called the bonus rounds, has always been a fun side challenge to the main event. It has often been difficult to find the right figures but I think some of my best creations have been inspired by this part of the competition. So when I saw the Challenge Island options I was very excited at all the possibilities open to explore. One thing I knew for certain was that whatever route I took, it had to pass through Rousell's Sandhill. How could I miss the opportunity to gently mock fellow Reject and good friend, Ray?

Of course, the tricksy bugger did give us a tough brief, picking a period of 1660 to 1699 in which to find a suitable floppy hatted figure. Thankfully I've played this game before, and called on all my experience (and mendacity) with previous bonus rounds to creatively shoehorn this figure into the appropriate time period. Of course, I had to identify it first. I suspected it was English Civil War but wasn't sure and so I put a request out to the wargaming community hivemind via Facebook. A response took less than half an hour and I had its origins identified. This is indeed for the English Civil War and is a Redoubt figure of a French mercenary officer.

It is 1660 and the English Civil War ended nearly a decade earlier but Captain Rousell has rarely been out of employment since then. Time may have moved on but this battered and ageing warrior is still reliving his younger days, still wearing his old gear and still talking about the glory days. Of course, he could never go anywhere without his closest companion, the stalwart battle badger 'Stuart'. These two could certainly tell a few tall tales about their exploits. Rousell is feeling his age now though; a lifetime on the march, sleeping in muddy camps and all the rigours of the campaign have made him old before his time. Despite losing an eye (and a few teeth) there is life in the old dog yet.

Ok, ok, I know I'm stretching the boundaries of the challenge (and credibility) a bit here but he's literally the only floppy hatted figure in my lead mountain, so cut me some slack! This was a wonderful model to paint with some amazingly detailed casting, all perfect and without any visible flash or mould lines to contend with. The only flaw was a blemish on the right cheek where his eye should be. After some thought, I cut off the blemish and turned the defect into a feature, in this case, an eye patch!

This model should earn me 40 points I think; 5 for the figure, another five for getting a Badger involved and the usual 30 for completing the location. Next stop, the Snow Lords Peak. I'm quivering with fearful anticipation at the terrible challenge that faces me next. Wish me luck, whatever it is!

Military Odyssey 2018

I usually have a range of choices for Living History events that I can go to each year. I never make it to all of them and as I drag my family along with me we try to vary which events we attend from one year to the next. This year I have missed all the usual events over the summer (including the War and Peace Revival show) so this weekend we decided that come-what-may we would go to the Odyssey show. Its been a couple of years since I last attended Odyssey and I'm glad we made the effort. The show is a multi-period event with groups depicting everything from ancient Greeks, medieval knights, English and American Civil Wars, WWI and WWII and even some later conflicts such as Vietnam. As always I went a little snap-happy with the camera but here is a small selection that you may find interesting.

A row of American Half Tracks

A Vietnam era Huey

A display showing of the work of RE Bomb Disposal in WWII

The 1942 Steyr Staff Car of General Hans-Jurgen van Arnim, captured by the British when the Germans trapped in Tunis surrendered in 1943. 

British 25pdr gun 

Members of the "Diehards" reenactment group depicting Zulu war era Artillery...

...and Infantry

Collection of materials collected from Alemein including the remains of a German Teller Mine. 

A Form V3000 truck - Many these saw service in the German army and were considered very reliable and sturdy, 

An SAS desert adapted Jeep

An ACW Parrot Gun being fired

A Soviet “Katyusha” rocket launchers in an Eastern Front reenactment battle

A Russian T34 carrying infantry into battle.

Dismounted Russian infatry attack a German position

Looks like the Russians have won

Later in the day an American Civil War reenactment takes place featuring five confederate artillery pieces

Union infantry advance on the Confederate position

Remote control tanks. That Tiger I weighs over a quarter of a Ton and would set you back a cool ten grand! 

Last battle of the day, a WWII action featuring loads of vehicles and about 200 reenactors

The charge of Bren Carriers and infantry was quite impressive! 

I view these displays as a form of open air museum where (if you ask nicely) the curator will let you handle the artefacts. Over the years I consider myself privileged to have seen original leaflets dropped by the Germans on the British at Dunkirk; handled a deactivated mine found at Alamein; felt the weight of a British Piat used at Arnhem; held a helmet worn by an american trooper that landed on D-Day; and even sat in one of Montgomery's Staff Cars. These items create a tangible link to historical events that fire the imagination and just can't be replicated in a regular museum. 

Valance Time Tunnel

This weekend my local museum Valance House is holding a multi period living history event dubbed the Valance Time Tunnel. Its not a big event but the range and quality of the reenactment groups is very good and all the exhibitors were friendly and very knowledgeable. This is the same museum that is currently hosting the Ray Harryhausen exhibition so now you have two reasons to come to Dagenham! As usual I took a load of Photo's and here are a selection of the best.

The grounds of Valance House are filled with different reenactment groups

Archers demonstrate the power of the English Longbow...

To punch wholes through plate steel!

The WWI group also had a commemoration of the fight for Women's suffrage. 

A group of Jolly Jack Tar's display boarding tactics to the public.

They also had a very interesting stand and I spent a good half hour here chatting to some very knowledgeable and enthusiastic chaps.

There were also some Medieval and Elizabethan cookery
displays. This guy is cooking an early version of what today
would be called Scotch Eggs

Elizabethan reenactors

Artillery display (sadly no gun firing while we were there)

A couple of ECW reenactors taking a break on what has been a hot day.

This Saxon reenactor was making cooking utensils and bone needles. 

This event continues tomorrow from 11am so its well worth a visit if you are near by and at a loss for something to do, particularly if you have children. The Museum is also open and is FREE so you can easily while away a few hours here. 

ECW Highland Piper

Unlike previous bonus round this time I already had a couple of potential figures in my lead mountain that I could have used...and I still ended up buying something just for this entry. My submission is a 28mm Highland Piper by Warlord Games from their English Civil War range. I immediately liked the figure and in a fit of madness decided I had put off painting Tartan for far too long. Having completed the figure I now understand why I avoided it. Despite hundreds of hours painting 6mm figures I now realise my hands aren't nearly as steady as I had thought and my eyesight not nearly as sharp as it should be. Lets just say there was a lot of muttered swearing as I tried to paint this guy's kilt! I wish Vallejo did Tartan paint.

The figure wasn't on a particularly fancy base so I decided to do a bit of landscape gardening to build it up into something resembling a rocky outcrop. I have visions of this guy overlooking the battlefield and putting out a rousing tune to inspire the boys. The rocks are made from chunks of Cork cut and shaped to fit together, with wood filler holding the whole thing together.  The result is a fairly substantial but lightweight display base for my highlander to stand on.

Not the best miniature I have turned out for a bonus round but the best I could do considering my shaky hands and bad temperament last week! Having said that I'm looking forward to the final bonus rounds as I have some cracking models to work on.

The Bloodier Battle of Valence

A couple of years ago my home borough started running a series of summer events and festivals. These were supposed to be a one off celebration of the merging of Barking and Dagenham into one borough. However the events proved so popular they were repeated again last year and again this year...and slap in the middle is an English Civil War reenactment, The Bloodie Battle of Valalnce, right in the heart of a London borough.

The event is staged by the English Civil War Society and Sir Marmaduke Rawdon’s Regiment of Foote and includes demonstrations of 17th century firepower with muskets and cannon; a living history camp showing what life was like during the English Civil War; displays by the mounted cavalry; and later in the day a battle between the Royalist and Parliamentarian forces, involving over 500 soldiers.

Living in Dagenham does have some advantages!

Seaside Gaming Loot

My two week summer holiday is rapidly nearing its end but while the weather stays nice we decided to get out and enjoy the sun. I suggested a drive along the North Kent coast with a stop at Rochester for some shopping before heading to the beach... The wife's eyes lit up but she should have known I had a cunning plan!

Rochester has several good second hand bookshops as well as a good game shop well worth a visit. Not a bad haul for a few hours shopping and it gave me plenty to read while we sat on the beach in the sun. 

The Battle of Turners Farm - 7th June 1643

The Rejects gathered on Saturday for a game of By God or By Might We Will Prevail Posties very own English Civil War rule set. This is the first time I have played this game and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a very 'bloody' set of rules making Melee and close quarter shooting viciously effective. By the end of this game half a dozen units had ceased to exist and a similar number leaders had been captured or killed. 

Setting the Scene

Prince Rupert's Army has been trying to bring the Earl of Essex to battle, thus forcing Essex to retire from the Midlands and giving the Royalist forces in the area some breathing space to fortify and re-supply various garrisons cut off by the Parliamentarian forces. A win over the Parliamentarians would give Rupert more fame and glory if he were to beat Essex. Essex as you can imagine will want to hang onto his stranglehold of the Midlands and its Royalist Garrisons, which are near to collapse. Both sides have come to the conclusion that it is now inevitable that a pitched battle is going to take place and both sides have built up their forces, confident of victory. They have now arrived at Turners Farm near the village of Stow ready to do battle. 

Order of Battle
Royalists c/o Prince Rupert
  Prince Ruperts Lifeguard (Elite)

Foot c/o Sir Jacob Astley

    1st Brigade c/o Sir Gilbert Gerrard
      Sir Edward Strastling - Foot (Trained)
      Sir Charles Vavosour - Foot (Trained)
      Sir Lewis Dyke - Foot (Raw)
    2nd Brigade c/o John Belasyse
      Sir Allan Apsley - Foot (Trained)
      Sir Charles Gerrard - Foot (Veteran)

Horse c/o Lord Henry Wilmot
   1st Brigade c/o Sir JohnByron
     Prince Rupert - Horse (Veteran)
     Prince of Wales - Horse (Veteran)
     Queens - Horse (Veteran)
   2nd Brigade c/o Lord Digby
     Sir Arthur Aston - Horse (Veteran)
     Nicolas Crisp - Horse (Trained)
     Sir Thomas Tyldesley - Horse (Trained)
   3rd Brigade c/o Robert Dormer, Earl of Carnarvern
     Colonel Thomas Howard - Horse (Trained)
     Lord Brougham - Horse (Raw)

Parliamentarian c/o Earl of Essex
  Earl of Essex Lifeguard (Elite)
Foot c/o Sir John Merrick
  1st Brigade c/o James Holborne
     Lord Roboules - Foot (Trained)
     Lord Sayeand Sele - Foot (Trained)
     Sir William Sprongale - Foot (Raw)
  2nd Brigade c/o Harry Birclay LTB
    Southward Auxilliary London Trained Band - Foot (Trained)
    Blue Auxilliary London Trained Band - Foot (Trained)
    Red Auxilliary London Trained Band - Foot (Trained)
Horse c/o Sir Philip Stapleton
  1st Brigade c/o Sir James Ramsey
    Earl of Essex - Horse (Veteran)
    James Mavlerners - Horse (Trained)
    Sir William Constable - Horse (Trained)
  2nd Brigade c/o Sir Arthur Haselrigg
    Sir Arthur Haselrigge (Lobsters) - Horse (Veterans)
    Colonel Richard Norton - Horse (Raw)
    Sir John Maldrum - Horse (Trained)
  John Lilburne - Dragoons (Raw)

The Action

Initial Setup - Parliamentarians on the left with the Royalists on the right. Both wings consisted of large formations of cavalry with infantry and guns in the centre.

The view from the Parliamentarian side. 

The obligatory shot of Postie, our lord, master and in this instance author of the rules

Looking down the Parliamentarian lines. The windmill looked good but it didn't really play any part in the game other than to mark the edge of the battlefield. 

Raw troops and militia exit the town. However they were of such poor quality that they spent most of the game within the town or on the bridge. 

The opening move of the battle. Royalist and Roundhead cavalry square up and charge each other. 

Farmer Turner realises him and his sheep are standing between two belligerent armies. Turner wisely decides to get the flock out of there (sorry, had to be done)

With a mighty crash and thunder of hooves the first cavalry melee commences on the Royalist right wing.  Unfortunately for Prince Rupert's cavalry things go badly and soon the royalist cavalry are streaming back in disorder (one unit is destroyed, and another is Routed)

Meanwhile at the other end of the battlefield the opposing cavalry position themselves for their own clash.  

Parliamentarian cavalry capitalise on their earlier success and pursue the fleeing Royalists. However in so doing they are weakened and a later counter attack by the royalists stabilises the flank, but the cost to both sides is high. 

Parliamentarian Dragoons move slowly onto the battlefield. They finally got to fire in the very last turn of the game, scoring crucial casualties on Prince Rupert's Lifeguards.

The aforementioned lifeguards looked spectacular but never had a chance to play a crucial role in the battle. They moved to 'counter' the positioning of the parliamentarian Dragoons and then shifted to the flank to support my cavalry. 

The Royalist 2nd Brigade of Horse face off against the Royalist 1st brigade. The results were bloody for both sides. 

Royalist and Parliamentarian Cavalry clash and the carnage begins

The Earl of Essex looks on and provides crucial support...from the safety of a position with a clear line of escape!

Prince Rupert meanwhile remained with his Foot troops in the centre of the battlefield

Fran gloats after capturing one of my leaders. Most unsportsmanlike I thought! 

The Dragoons dismount and 'interfere' with Farmer turners sheep!

With both cavalry battles indecisive the infantry now push forward to do battle....although the parliamentarians move forward with more reluctance than the Royalists.

Royalist Artillery thunders away at the Parliamentarian forces. The artillery in this game had very little effect on the outturn of the game.

Royalist infantry advances with élan!

The Veterans of the Royalist 1st Brigade, held in reserve, now launch a charge against the damaged and weakened Parliamentarian cavalry. 

A view across the battlefield near the end of the game. The Foot had a couple of turns exchanging musketry fire.

Almost the last dice roll of the game. The Royalist Veteran Cavalry of Sir Arthur Aston crashing into two Roundhead units, sending one fleeing and destroying another. Up yours dice gods, I have my mojo back!

Analysis
This was definitely one of the Bloodiest battles I have played with the Rejects. The casualty count of destroyed or removed units included seven regiments of Horse, and even amongst those that remained on the table casualty rates of 25-50% were not uncommon. I actually liked this feature of the rules because it actually feels like something is happening. With some rule sets we have played (like Fire and Fury) mauled units seem to go on and on and on. Cavalry vs Cavalry Melee was especially bloody with lots of dice and lots of casualties and no saving throws! 

The way the game played seemed to fit my basic understanding of how battles of this period went, with cavalry on the wings having all the 'fun' and the infantry not moving much. In the end both sides agreed to move their infantry forwards to give their players 'a bit of a game'. It has to be said that at that stage neither side had had a cavalry breakthrough so the infantry probably advanced at the right time to bring the battle to a conclusion. 

The big story of the game (for me at least) is that for a change I didn't roll to badly. I lost two Cavalry melee but only by the narrowest of margins and in the third melee I managed to hit on seven dice out of a hand of 14 (hitting on a 5 or six). My unit survived the melee - much to my surprise - and wiped out the opposing unit and its commander. This last flourish gained the Royalists the points needed to claim a draw and I think all sides were satisfied with that. It was a very hard fought battle, with highs and lows for both sides, and ultimately neither side could claim to have the upper hand. 

Full marks must go to Postie on running and excellent game with a great set of rules and as always some stunning miniatures. I look forward to playing this period and these rules again in the future.