Brandenburg Dragoons Join Prussian 6th Division

Finally, after what seemed to be weeks of on and off painting, I completed the 1st Brandenburg Dragooner Regiment Nr. 2 for my 1870s Prussian forces.  This regiment will be part of the multi-owner German and French forces that will slug it out in the battle of Beaune-La-Rolande on Saturday morning at the Colonial Barracks convention in New Orleans.

Composed of sixteen Castaway Arts Prussian dragoons, the 1st Brandenburg Dragoons were part of the 6th Infantry Division during the invasion of France in 1870.

Salt Works Fight

Today our wargaming group gathered at Lord Sterling's house for another play test of his The Sword and Secession rules variant to The Sword and the Flame.  As the overall Confederate commander, I had to defend the Cedar Key salt works against a group of Union raiders from some of the East Gulf blockading squadron.

My single unit of regular Confederate infantry advances to drive the Union raiders from the salt works.  Earlier one of my militia units was routed away from the works by Union musket fire.  My advance is being supported by a unit of dismounted Confederate militia cavalry (left rear).  You may recognize MiniFig British Victorian naval landing party figures - they were playing the role of Union sailors.

Although the Union forces gained control of the salt works, they didn't have enough time to destroy the large wrought iron evaporation vats before the second half of the Confederate reinforcements arrived and drove them away.

Soon a battle report will be posted on the Jackson Gamers new web site -- link.

Lord Sterling will be running this game at the Colonial Barracks convention, the first weekend in November.  This rule variant will eventually be published by Sergeants3, probably sometime in 2013.

More Franco-German War Artillery

I've added to my artillery complements for the French and Prussian forces that I have for the 1870-1871 Franco-German (AKA Franco-Prussian) War.  They consist of two batteries of French light artillery and one battery of Prussian heavy artillery.

The first French battery is composed of six 85mm rifled, breech-loaded guns (link), even thought he gunners have swabs and ramrods!  In the Chassepot and Needlegun rules that we use, each battery has three guns and six gunners which represent the six guns normally used in European artillery batteries of this time period.  The guns are actually American Civil War 12-lb Napoleons from Sash & Saber, but are being used as French 85mm here.  The gunners are from Castaway Arts in Australia.

The second French battery is similarly composed.  These two batteries, plus an 8-gun Mitralleuse battery will be the artillery arm of my French "division" from the Armee de la Loire, a post-Sedan organization.

The Prussian heavy battery is composed of six 6-lb rifled breechloading guns.  I've had these guns for quite a while, but cannot recall who manufactured them.  They will provide part of the artillery support for my German forces along with the two 4-lb batteries shown in a previous post.  As with the French, the gunners are from Castaway Arts.

This artillery will be used in a Franco-German War game I will be running at the Colonial Barracks convention the first weekend in November down in New Orleans.

Play Test of New TSATF Variant

The Jackson Gamers gathered at Jay's house today, Labor Day, to test a new variant of The Sword and the Flame rules.  This Civil War variant is called The Sword and Secession.

Please visit the new Jackson Gamers web site (link) for a battle report.

Prussian Artillery - Completed

Last week I posted a picture of the two Prussian light batteries that I was preparing for my Chassepot and Needlegun Franco-German War game at the Colonial Barracks convention in November.  Over the weekend I completed the two batteries.

One of the two Prussian light batteries, armed with six 4-lbr Krupp breechloading, rifled guns.  The gunners are mounted on small steel bases with pieces of "business card" magnetic material attached to the gun stands so that the gunners can be removed as casualties occur.

These two batteries will be in support of the 11th Brandenburg Infantry Brigade, 6th Brandenburg Division in the upcoming game.  The Prussians are hoping that with their superior range and more effective shell fuses these guns will bring victory the the nascent Reich.

Prussian Artillery - WIP

The Brom's Colonial Barracks convention is the first weekend in November.  This year they have expanded it from just The Sword and the Flame rules and variants to any rules written by Larry Brom.

I am gathering troops to run a Franco-German War (AKA Franco-Prussian War) battle using Larry's Chassepot and Needlegun rules.  It will feature troops owned and painted by my buddies Lord Sterling and Doc Ord as well as mine.  But the Germans are a little short on artillery so I've been painting two batteries of Prussian light artillery (4-lbrs).

These six guns are really Ral Partha Colonial Egyptian Krupp guns.  But they are Krupps!  Each battery is represented by three guns and six gunners.  I've just glued the guns to the bases and will add the already painted gunners (Castaway Arts) once the glue dries.  The gunners are coming from some "heavier" Prussian guns that will be re-purposed as Prussian heavy 6-lbr guns, with new gunners also from Castaway Arts.

I've also got two batteries of French 8-lbr breech-loaders in progress.  Since my French force is loosely based on the Army of the Loire which fought the Germans south of Paris after the main French armies were defeated, I've taken the liberty of arming them with the newly developed 8-lbr breech-loader designed by de Reffye (link).  Unfortunately no one makes such a model so I'm using American Civil War 12-lb Napoleon gun-howitzers.  The carriage and barrel are close-enough for my purposes as I'm not too much of a stickler.  I'll post some pictures later.

Baluchi Mercenaries

Just before the end of July, I completed the unit of 17 Baluchi mercenaries that I acquired from Ken H. at Bayou Wars.  They were the last of my Bayou Wars purchased figures to be painted.  I think that this is the first time that I have completely painted all of a convention's figures within such a short period of time (about seven weeks!).  But let's get on with introducing them.  As I stated in my last post on July 5 (Was it really that long ago?!), they are armed with matchlock muskets but also have swords and shields.  They should have an advantage in melees, but they'll have to drop those muskets in order to fully utilize their close combat weapons.  EDIT:  These figures are 28mm from Foundry's Darkest Africa line.

They are organized for Larry Brom's  The Sword in Africa rules (a small unit variant of The Sword and the Flame rules).  Each unit is 8 figures, including a leader and every two to three "native" units has a senior leader.

First, their leader, the Sheikh, is a grizzled veteran of many an action in south Asia, the Arabian coast, and the east African littoral.  He has a huge two-handed sword which he plies with great zeal as he smites the foes of Allah.

The first part of the command has varied shades of indigo dyed clothing.  Their leader wears a red fez (left center).

The other part of the unit wears white clothing.  Their leader is an old retainer of the Sheikh and is wearing a red sash and belt (right center).

With the exception of a new armed leader for my main Zanzabari unit, these Baluchis will complete my "Zanzabari" command for The Sword in Africa forces that I have been raising.  Although they are not as well armed as the rest of the Zanzabari command, they will, I'm sure, acquit themselves well.  My Zanzabari command now has two 8-man units of heavily-armed Zanzabaris, one 8-man unit of musket armed Zanzabaris, two 8-man units of Ruga-Ruga (mercenary "bandits"), these two units of Baluchi mercenaries, and an old muzzle loading cannon with a 4-man crew.