Saturday, September 15, 2012

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.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

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.

Monday, September 3, 2012

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.