Classic wargaming: July 2013

Wednesday, 31 July 2013

Scrapbook and Homecasts

Yes, yet another update - I'm on a roll... spurred on by your comments!
So, today I added a couple of new pages - The Classic Scrapbook, containing sundry photos, and the Prinz August homecasting page.

Below: Three men in a wargames room...see Scrapbook page.

Below: Prinz August 40mm homecasts

There's more to come...

Tuesday, 30 July 2013

Sittangbad Page Update

This afternoon, I spent an enjoyable couple of hours revisiting my pictures and notes on the Sittangbad refight, and have updated the page (see navigation bar above).
I've loaded more photos, particularly of the buildings I made for the game, and hope you'll enjoy this record of what was a terrific project to be involved with.

Above: Eisenburg Village.

Below: one of the Sittangbad town houses. All were made in the "lift off to reveal ruins" style.

More updates coming soon... I'm going to set up some more pages filled with Classic loveliness!
Phil

Sunday, 28 July 2013

Here is the news...

Just because it's been quiet around here doesn't mean nothing is happening in my hobby life!
I'm going to be adding lots of material to this blog over the coming days/ weeks...stuff I've got in my photo archives that will bring things up to date.

First, I've moved the Battle of Raseinia page which was previously part of this blog onto John Ray's webpage (A Military Gentleman) - see links - pop over there to have a look at what John's been up to and news about his book.

I've added a fresh page to this blog - Blasthof Bridge (see navigation bar above).

As I said, I'll be adding more classic stuff on here to fill up the blog, and then I'll be heading out with a separate and new blog for my next big project in a few weeks time.
Watch this space...

Meanwhile, I've also been keeping an eye out for other people's efforts, and if you want to see some good action currently going on, in true classic style, head over to both Tin Soldiering On blog (see links) where there's a refight of Blasthof in full flow, and The Wars of Cheese and Wine (see links) where a great little campaign is being played out.

All the best for now
Phil

Charge! The Cast of Characters

The Emperor

The Elector, Petrus I

General Soubise – commanding Electoral forces at Blasthof Bridge

Count von Kornberg – commanding Imperial forces at Blasthof Bridge, and later playing a significant role at Sittangbad

Dr J Evans Mudd – noted military historian who commented on conduct of both generals at Blasthof Heath, and subsequently "thought it wise to study the natural beauties of neutral Switzerland."

Princess Catherine of Hesse-Damall – kidnapped by the Elector thereby igniting the campaign that led up to Sittangbad

Archduke Guitar – commander of the Imperialist field army sent to seize the Electoral capital. His army was defeated and he, relieved of its command, returned over the Weser before the Battle of Sittangbad.

General Lentulus – replaced Guitar and was Imperial commander at Sittangbad

Lt Col Fuchs – Lentulus’ chief of staff

General Sapt- commander of the contingent billeted in Sittangbad; Lancers de saxe, Pandour regt, and B battery field artillery.

The Herzog Johann – commander of Electoral army at Sittangbad.von Luckner - Electoral cavalry commander at Sittangbad

Brigadier Lord Hyndford – Lentulus second-in-command at Sittangbad, a “British volunteer”. He was left to command the rearguard as the rest of the Imperial army retired over the Weser.

General Gabler - mentioned only in the Tail Piece notes

General Krump – mentioned only in the Tail Piece notes

Graf von Grunt – mentioned in the Tail Piece, this was Brigadier Peter Young’s on table persona.

Units in "Charge!"

These units are named / photographed. Other units do appear in photographs and their identity can be gleaned from the text, but all is not always as it seems!

To illustrate line infantry organisation and formations:
-Erbprinz regt

Used as example illustrations accompanying the text. Whether they were simply names devised for that purpose or these units did in fact exist is not made clear:
-1st Fieldboot Battalion
-2nd Sharpshooters
-3rd Whisky Mac regt

Used for the section illustrating combat, with Smith and Jones as the players:
-The Pultava Guards (appear to be The Erbprinz in another guise!)
-B Battery, Royal Thracian Artillery
-Douro Grenadiers – the unit appears in the photos of Sittangbad, and must be acting under a different name
-Musselburgh Fusiliers - ditto

On the sample order sheet. Again, perhaps simply named for the purpose of illustrating the sheet, although some do appear to have been real on-table units, appearing in Sittangbad:
-Kornberg’s Cuirassiers
-Von Bock’s Dragoons
-Lanciers de Saxe
-5 Jaeger
-6 Jaeger
-Pandour Grenadiers
-Isembourg Regt
-7th Regt
-2nd Engineers Regt

And then of course there’s the units for the battle of Sittangbad:
-Imperial Forces
Lancers de Saxe (light cavalry)
Kornberg’s Cuirassiers (heavy cavalry)
Kleist Frei Corps (light infantry regt)
Isembourg Regt (a line infantry regt)
Coy Waldeck (an independent company)
Pandour Regt (a line infantry regt)
B Battery Field Artillery
3rd Engineer Bn

-Electoral Forces
1st Uhlan Regt (light cavalry)
Dragoons of Montmort (heavy cavalry)
Gendarmerie (heavy cavalry)
Garde Jaeger (light infantry regt)
Erbprinz regt (line infantry regt)
Steinzeit Regt (line infantry regt)
Electoral Footguards( line infantry regt)
Gentlemen Pensioners regt (line infantry regt)
3 Batteries of Field Artillery
Engineer bn

Additional units are mentioned in The Wargames Companion. Thanks to Charles S Grant for documenting these in that wonderful accompaniment to his father’s work, The Wargame. The chapter dealing with Peter Young is littered with wonderful stories about the man, and lists more of his figures. Amongst these are such enticing names as the Schnurrband Infantry, theUhlans Brittaniques and the Montmirail militia.