HOW TO SCRATCH BUILD A 28MM CHURCH

JUNE 2022 ISSUE 470

1066
THE SAXON INSURGENCY
06

>
9 772513 838029

Beat the Norman invaders back into the sea! Display until 10/06/22

£5.99

COMMAND DECISION LIVE FREE OR DIE DESTROY THAT SHIP

Boulogne: a WWII scenario for Fight the Battle of Crysler’s A scenario for Albedo Combat
Bolt Action or Rapid Fire Farm in the War of 1812 Patrol
WELCOME LET’S FACE THE MUSIC AND DANCE
IN THIS ISSUE
04 FORWARD OBSERVER
With the latest news items.

07 SEND THREE AND

T
he magazine this month moves on from strength to
strength and we have a wonderful selection of games, FOURPENCE
periods and interests well catered for. From 19th Zungemi Mountain Blues: Try a Zulu War scenario
century Portugal and North America to WWII Europe (with
for The Men Who Would Be Kings.
the struggle for the Allies to escape Boulogne) we cover a lot
of ground but we also hit some unusual beats: from 1066
(after the Normans invade); Zulu Wars cavalry skirmishes 12 LIVE FREE OR DIE
and sci-fi with floppy ears right through to scratch builds
The Battle of Crysler’s Farm: the war of
and reviews... Yes, we have it all and I do hope you
enjoy it. On a personal note, this is a very hard editorial 1812 continues.
for me to write but then I know that it’s a difficult
time for many at the moment, all around the world. 19 RAISING ARMIES
Nevertheless – if the readership will indulge me – I’ll
Would you like to try an new army? How about
sign off for this month with a photograph of both
myself and my late wife from a few years ago at Portugal for the War of the Two Brothers?
Salute where we were running a game which we
loved. And – as she was a dancer – I’ll end this 24 DEFENCE IN DEPTH
with Fred Astaire (singing Irvin Berlin’s words):
With the latest figure and rules reviews.
“There may be teardrops to shed, so while there’s
moonlight and music, and love and romance: let’s face the
music and dance”. See you next month for more hats. 27 COMMAND DECISION
It’s the retreat from Boulogne in 1940 for a WWII
Get in touch scenario for either Bolt Action or Rapid Fire.
tabletopgaming.co.uk
COVER
MiniatureWG FEATURE 32 1066 AND AFTER
MiniatureWargames As the flames of rebellion take hold the Saxon
John Treadaway insurgency and fight-back begins! Can you beat
Editor miniature_wargames_magazine
the Norman invaders back into the sea? Use

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PUBLISHED BY 41 PEBBLE PARK
HEAD OF DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Lynn Wright PUBLISHER Claire Ingram Get the drop-ship! A scenario for Albedo
claire.ingram@warnersgroup.co.uk
DESIGN Mike Carr
Combat Patrol.
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COVER: Some dark-ages mischief by Kevin Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH | 01778 391000
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57 SCRATCH BUILD
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62 THE LAST WORD
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The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) exists to regulate the content of With Christopher Eggett, Editor of Tabletop Gaming
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June 2022 Miniature Wargames 3

 FORWARD OBSERVER
News, previews and community submissions from the wargaming world

SHIVER SOME TIMBERS

And Sally 4th to swash some buckles
Sally 4th have a just released new range Read and a female standard bearer (Black
of 28mm miniatures for Swashbuckling Hearted Kate!) all at £4 each; plus there

TTG:LIVE LATEST
Adventures. This new ‘venture’ marks are extras like packs of Swivel Guns and
the start of a partnership between Medium Naval Cannon. Go to their site at
Sally 4th and Iain Lovecraft to bring wargamesbuildings.co.uk for further info. Saturday 17th
Iain’s extensive range of miniatures & Sunday 18th September
– previously only available for home Get ready to roll: it’s dice time!
printing in resin – to the marketplace as Tabletop Gaming Live 2022 – a
metal sculpts. They already have over a weekend celebration of all things
hundred miniatures at various stages: gaming – will be coming to you soon
as well as more piratical types there from Manchester’s Victoria
are Romans (soldiers, civilians and Warehouse – in the historic Cotton
gladiators), Conquistadores, Mayans, Sheds, adjacent to Old Trafford
Normans and fantasy subjects to come. football stadium. There’s traders and
Proportions and detail are excellent: they gaming in all fields from must-see
stand about 30mm tall and come with a miniatures to incredible indie RPGs,
nicely textured, wooden ‘planking’ MDF and hot new board games: this is
base. So far they have staples such as your chance to play some of the most
Calico Jack; Anne Bonny; Barborossa; Mary exciting games out right now – and
some yet to be released games. You
contains an assortment of ten assault can join in with hands-on demos,
pioneers: some clearing mines and face-to-face workshops and your
barbed wire obstacles, as well as others chance to meet the people behind the
engaged in placing charges and using a games you love. Manchester’s Victoria
flamethrower to clear enemy positions. Warehouse offers gamers excellent
They also have some more British Paras – road, rail, and air connections to
Specialists 2 (Engineers). This pack has an the show – with the M6, Manchester
engineers’ section, again of ten figures Airport, and local and national rail
involved in similar tasks: so more mine services linking the city and beyond.
probing and barbed wire clearing, using Convenient parking is available at

OFFENSIVE ELITES
a flamethrower and preparing charges. Old Trafford. Whatever and however
These are both £16 per pack available you play, Tabletop Gaming Live is the
More WWII specialists in 28mm from offensiveminiatures.com place to be. Tickets range from £16 for
Offensive Miniatures have a new a one day and £26 for the weekend
addition to their Elite Range of with reductions for younger gamers,
28mm figures. These include some families and under are 10s FREE!
more of the popular German Waffen Go to tabletopgaming.co.uk for the latest
SS – Assault Pioneers pack. The pack details.

4 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 WATER WORLD SHOW & TELL
Brigade’s new wet work EVENTS BEING PLANNED!
Brigade Models are releasing a new water UK GAMES EXPO
based 6mm scenery range. In mostly resin 3rd-5th June (Friday-Sunday)
(with metal legs) the Deep Ocean Research Centre NEC, Birmingham and Hilton Metropole
has lots of components from a VTOL landing Hotel, B40 1NT
pad to a desalination plant, with everything ukgamesexpo.co.uk
in between (including interconnecting
walkways...). Component prices start at £2 but BROADSIDE
a whole set is £16.50 which saves a few quid. Saturday 4th June
Being as it’s sci-fi there’s no hand rails but Medway Park Sports Hall
Mill Road, Gillingham,
the set would look quite good in a ‘raised out
Kent, ME7 1HF
of the jungle’ setting as an alternative. Go to
miltonhundred.com
brigademodels.co.uk
JOY OF SIX
ALL AT SEA Sunday 3rd July
Halham University
This month we spoke to Oliver who gaps in the recesses. The crew uniform 48 Howard Street, Sheffield, S1 1WB
had been miniature gaming for twelve was painted Prussian Blue and the life thejoyof6.co.uk
years. What got him started? “I first got jackets Yellow Ochre, again leaving gaps
into miniature gaming when I was given in the recesses to give some depth to the BRITCON
COMMUNITY CORNER

a set of Operation Warboard, and my figures. The flesh was painted Flat Flesh Friday 12th-Sunday 14th August
first armies were unpainted 1/72 plastic and the helmets Off-White. Nottingham Trent University, 50
soldiers. Since then my collections have “The shark motif was intimidating Shakespeare Sreet, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ
grown across scales, including 15mm and to start with but I proceeded carefully, bhgs.org.uk
28mm, and across periods, from the Punic step-by-step. Initially I painted the basic
Wars to D-Day, and even Age of Sigmar. shape using thinned down Abbadon Black. TABLETOP GAMING LIVE
I struggle to find a historical period Then I applied Mephiston Red over the Saturday 17th-Sunday 18th
that does not interest me enough to not black, leaving a small black outline. To September
wargame it! In recent years I have mainly do the teeth, I painted the base outline Victoria Warehouse,
focused on painting 28mm WW2 figures, in thinned Off-White, and – once I was Manchester
particularly German and British forces for happy with the basic shape – I carefully tabletopgaming.co.uk
France and Operation Sealion 1940. filled in the teeth. To weather the ship I
“Recently I have finished painting a used a thinned 50:50 mix of Gryphound
Fairmile D from Warlord Games for their
Cruel Seas rules. The ships for Cruel
Orange and Gore Grunta Fur applied from
the portholes downwards to simulate
THIS MONTH
Seas are 6mm – roughly 1/300th – and a build up of rust. This weathering mix IN HISTORY
LOUDOUN HILL
smaller than anything I had painted was also applied in some of the recesses
before. Additionally, the colour palette – on the gun decks and the bridge to
focused more on greys – was unlike any break up the grey. To finish off the boat MAY 10TH, 1307
of my previous projects. Convincingly I applied one of the included flags, by The Battle of Loudoun Hill was
weathering a ship also required a different first gluing the ends together with a little fought between a Scots force led
approach to tanks and other vehicles, so I bit of PVA, leaving a hole for the flag to by King Robert the Bruce and the
was interested to try something new. be stuck onto the pole with super glue. English commanded by Aymer
“The deck was painted Vallejo Dark The whole model was sprayed with matt de Valence, Earl of Pembroke. It
Sea Blue, while the bridge and guns varnish to protect the model. took place in Ayrshire, and ended
were painted Medium Sea Grey, and “My next project will be the Italian in a victory for the Bruce, his first
parts of the hull painted Sky Grey. Regina Marina ships to face the Royal major military victory. A frontal
After that I washed the whole Navy, which have impressive looking charge by the English knights was
model Agrax Earthshade and then red and white hazard strips on the hull stopped by the king’s spearmen
reapplied the base colours, leaving which I am hoping to replicate!” militia and the English began to
flee in panic. A hundred or more
were killed in the battle, though
Aymer de Valence managed to
escape. Seven years later King
If you’d like to submit
Robert defeated another English
something for Community
Corner, contact force under Edward II at the
MiniatureWargames@ pivotal Battle of Bannockburn.
warnersgroup.co.uk

June 2022 Miniature Wargames 5

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SEND THREE AND FOURPENCE

ZUNGEMI
MOUNTAIN BLUES
A Zulu War scenario for The Men Who Would Be Kings
Words and pictures by Conrad Kinch

love old wargames magazines and the end suggesting what sort of figures

I
ABOVE: Col Buller being briefed by one of his scouts.
I have a stack of them. Miniatures you could use. Natal Native Horse (HAT miniatures), Col Buller (mystery
Wargames, Wargames Illustrated, This sort of potted history is a figure that I got in a bring and buy painted by Mr Tamas
Battlegames and Practical Wargamer particular bugbear of magazine Editor’s, Lehoczky).
are all carefully packed in boxes in but to be fair it was quite excusable in
the attic and I will re-read them all... the days before Wikipedia, the internet a quick scan of my shelves seemed to
eventually. Of course I will: sometime and ubiquitous access to information. indicate that Mersey’s “Wargamers
around the time that I catalogue my But I must say I was feeling rather smug Guide to the Ango-Zulu War” and
library and decide to eat right and and superior after reading it. Fastoso & Jones, “Colonial Campaigns:
exercise more. Fast forward several days and I was Zulu War” had nothing on the subject,
But I was up in the attic recently, noodling around on Wikipedia during so I set to with pencil and paper and
hiding two new scooters from the an idle moment in work. I was having threw a quick scenario together.
Kinchlets, who will be getting them a look at the engagements of the Zulu The problem was that – while I could
for Easter and while I was up there, I War because I had some cavalry that read Wikipedia – there was no accounting
idly started flicking through some of I quite fancied getting on the table. I for what happened to that information
the older magazines, and something wanted something relatively small and once it entered my poor benighted
struck me. There was a huge amount it was then that I spotted the Zungeni brain. Somehow between the process of
of potted history in them. There was Mountain skirmish. reading the material and sketching out
one article which was essentially a In brief, this was a small engagement the scenario, British Irregular Cavalry
three page digest cobbled together from between some Zulu musketeers and became Natal Native Horse. The problem
encyclopaedia articles about the Gwalior some British irregular horse, who were was not in the contents of Wikipedia, but
Campaign of 1843 with one map and rescued from a sticky situation by between my ears. It wasn’t until I read
about four hundred words tacked onto regular cavalry. This was just perfect, Recollections of Miles Gissop: With the
›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 7
 SEND THREE AND FOURPENCE

The British are powerful, but arrogant: if

you can lure them in and isolate them, they
die just like anybody else.

ZULU FORCES
◗ The Fowls (Irregular Infantry, Poorly
Armed, Poor Shots, Fieldcraft)
◗ The Singers (Irregular Infantry, Poorly
Armed, Poor Shots, Fieldcraft)
◗ The Sickly Ones (Irregular Infantry,
Poorly Armed, Poor Shots, Fieldcraft)
◗ The Thin Legs (Irregular Infantry,
Poorly Armed, Poor Shots, Fieldcraft)
These represent Zulu units armed with
Natal Native Horse skirmish with Zulu musketeers. muskets.
NNH (Hat miniatures) Zulus (ESCI, painted by Mr ◗ The Roosters (Tribal Infantry, Veteran,
Takacs Krisztian). Fierce)

17th Lancers in Zululand that I realised

my mistake and that only after I had both
written and played the scenario a couple
of times.
So allow me to offer you two versions
of the scenario, the first of which was
playtested, but is somewhat a-historical,
and a second one with the appropriate
order of battle, but which I haven’t
playtested.

BRITISH BRIEFING
June 5th 1879
You are the cavalry vanguard of Lord
Chelmsford’s column advancing towards
the Zulu capital of Ulundi. You command
a mixed bag of irregulars, supported by
regular cavalrymen from the 1st King’s
Dragoon Guards and the 17th Lancers.
Yesterday, your scouts spotted some
British supply wagons, no doubt taken at
Isandlwana, and retook them after a sharp
skirmish. You have been dispatched to scout REINFORCEMENTS The village reserve of young men, armed
some Zulu farmsteads where there may be ◗ One Unit of 1st Kings Dragoon with the traditional Iklwa and shield.
more wagons. Your orders are to burn the Guards (Regular Cavalry Guards) ◗ The Baldies (Tribal Infantry, Well
farmsteads and recover any wagons there. ◗ One Unit of 17th Lancers (Regular Armed Sharpshooters)
Cavalry Lancers) Older men armed with Martini’s taken at
BRITISH FORCES Isandlwana.
◗ One Unit of National Native Horse ZULU BRIEFING
(Irregular Cavalry) The British are advancing on King Note: I do not speak Zulu and I’ll
This is the order of battle that I actually Cetshwayo’s capital at Ulundi, but they are hazard a guess that you don’t either.
playtested. laying waste the land all around. The King However, while I was reading around the
has taken the best troops to defend the capital, subject I learned that not only did Zulu
or... but you still have about 300 fighters ready regiments have formal titles, but they also
to defend Zulaneni. These are mostly armed had nicknames. Most of the big name
◗ One Unit of Frontier Light Horse (Well with muskets and a few with rifles, though units were elsewhere, so the units above
Armed Irregular Mounted Infantry) you have some young men with heart, who have invented nicknames drawn from
This is what I should actually have used. are willing to close with cold steel. the work of Dr Molefe (see bibliography).

8 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 “The Roosters” spring from ambush to take the Natal Native Horse in the flank. NNH (Hat miniatures) Zulus (ESCI,
painted by Mr Takacs Krisztian).

SCENARIO SET UP should be the player with the mounted SPECIAL RULES
◗ Play long ways up the table. force. For example; if I was to transfer The Imperial players lead unit, must
◗ Set up the table as indicated on the map. this to the Khalsa-Afghan border, I be led by Col. Redvers Buller (later to
◗ The British player deploys his one unit would probably cast the Sikh forces in be Sir Redvers Buller VC). This hero of
first as indicated on the map. the Imperial role. Where there is less of the Empire has Leadership 5+ and the
◗ The Zulu player deploys no less than a clear cut advantage of technology and Destined for Greatness Leader Trait
half of his units in the marked portion discipline, like for example, in a game which reads “This Leader’s unit may
of the board. pitting Mahdists against the Empire make a free action and then test for a second
of Abyssinia, I would assign the role (different) action every turn.” (TMWWBK
TACTICAL VALUES of the attacker to the player with the page 35). Other unit leaders are diced for
Rather than use Tactical Values for mounted troops. or assigned as normal.
this scenario, simply assign the role of On that note, I recently discovered that The Attacker is activated first every
attacker to the Imperial player. In the Early War Miniatures make Abyssinians turn.
event that you wish to use this scenario suitable for the Italian invasion in The farmsteads count as soft cover,
outside the bounds of the Zulu war, the 1930s. Careful examination of the but may only be occupied by one
use your common sense as to which catalogue would seem to indicate that unit at a time. They may be burned
player should be classed as the Imperial the tribal troops should be suitable for by “attacking” them in melee, but do
player. If you’re using French Sipahi the 1860s onwards which opens up not count the Lancer or Guards bonus
in North Africa, for example, simply exciting new possibilities of the 1867 in melee. They have five structure
swap them in for the British. Where the expedition and the Abyssinian Mahdist points and each hit removes one point.
distinction is less clear cut, the Attacker Wars of the 1880s. (TMWWBK page 47).
The Zulu player must deploy at least
half of his units on the board. The other
units may be deployed in secret, note
down exactly where they are to be
deployed before the game starts. Do this
by giving a grid reference with reference
to the long table edge closest to the Zulu
player (i.e. X: 56 inches Y: 36 inches: that
indicates a spot 56 inches along the long
table edge and then up 36 inches.).
At the start of any of Zulu activations,
he may reveal one or more of his units
locations and deploy that unit at the
reference point. No figure should be
more than four inches from the reference
As the Natal Native Horse attempt to withdraw, pursued by “The Roosters”, the 17th Lancers charge hoping to turn the
tide. NNH (Hat miniatures) Zulus (ESCI, painted by Mr Takacs Krisztian) Lancers (Hat, painted by Mr Mark Bevis). point. No unit may be deployed within
eight inches of a British unit (if being
›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 9
 SEND THREE AND FOURPENCE

Italeri set and some of the new HAT range

of unmarried warriors. A purist may be
annoyed by the use of Zulu musketeers
wearing looted British redcoats, but
there are also a number of bare chested
shooters, so with a little judicious mixing
in of figures armed with Ikwla, I was able
to make up the numbers.

TERRAIN
Because I’m a tired old hack, I used the
tried and tested “books under a cloth”
method to represent the heights. I didn’t
have any Zulu kraals (something I really
“Lancers chaaarge!” NNH (Hat miniatures) Zulus (ESCI, painted by Mr Takacs Krisztian) Lancers (Hat, painted by
should rectify), so a trip to a pound shop
Mr Mark Bevis). netted me some biodegradable seedling
planters that were close enough with a
deployed in a terrain feature) or within under half strength, counting as having door cut out with scissors for the princely
twelve inches (if being deployed in open been destroyed, otherwise they count as sum of one quid. Teddy bear fur did duty
ground). The deployed unit may not having survived the battle. as long grass and after looking at some
take further action this turn but may be pictures of South Africa on Google maps,
activated as usual next turn. ENDING THE SCENARIO I was able to select a few of my European
Note: British accounts frequently refer to Play until thirteen turns have elapsed or trees that didn’t look too out of place.
the Zulus appearing out of “nowhere”, so until one player concedes. Not perfect of course, but for the sake of
the British player can actually have passed not being able to play the game without
through the area the Zulu troops appear. It OBJECTIVES them, it seems silly not to make do with
just underlines the fact that the Imperial Each side has their own objectives: what I had. A few large rocks selected by
troops only really control an area when they Master Kinch while on an afternoon walk
are physically present in it. BRITISH PLAYER rounded out my setup.
◗ Burning the Zulu farmsteads: +2 for
CALLING FOR REINFORCEMENTS the first farmstead, +1 thereafter. CONCLUSIONS
The British player has to determine prior ◗ Each Zulu unit routed or wiped out: For all that I was kicking myself about
to the beginning of the game just exactly +1 per unit. getting something so very basic as the
how brave he is feeling. Colonel Buller ◗ Reinforcements brought on: difference between the Natal Native
was a tough cookie and not one to start Turns 1-5 = +0 Horse and the Frontier Light Horse
peeing in his bags at the sight of an angry Turns 6-7 = +3 mixed up, I was quite pleased with how
impi. Consequently he only looked for Turns 8-9 = +4 the game actually played. The British
reinforcements when he needed them. Turn 10 = +5 player has a single powerful unit as
The British player should note down, in Redvers Buller’s Leadership Trait is
secret, what turn his reinforcements from ZULU PLAYER absolute dynamite. He has mobility
the regular cavalry will arrive. There ◗ Each Zulu farmstead that survives the and firepower on his side, however
is a substantial Victory Point bonus for game: +1. the terrain is against him. Because the
calling them later rather than sooner. ◗ Each Zulu unit, after the first one, that British are under time pressure, he has
In the event that player is not made of survives the game: +1. to drive on and because the table is only
such stern stuff as Colonel Buller, he may ◗ First British unit routed or wiped out: four feet wide, the Zulu player has a
attempt to call them in sooner than he +4. pretty good idea of where he might go.
anticipated. Roll a D6 die: on a 5-6, they ◗ Second British unit routed or wiped The British player has to take risks.
arrive three turns early; on a 2-4, two out: +3. He has to gamble on bringing his
turns; and on a 1, one turn early. The reinforcements on early enough that
player scores Victory Points as if he had FIGURES they can affect the battle, but not so
planned to call them in on the turn that I used my standard 1/72 figures from early that he loses all possible victory
they actually arrived, less one. HAT miniatures. The range they have points. If he brings them on too early,
Both British and Zulu units may is pretty much complete and very the Zulu player may simply opt to
withdraw from the battle by moving competitively priced. If they don’t take fade away, moving off the board edge,
off the table edge. They may do so, as your fancy there is always the excellent sacrificing the farmsteads to preserve
long as there are no enemy units within Newline Miniatures range in metal. My his forces. This will, if you examine the
two moves. Units that do so that are Zulus are a mix of the really elegant ESCI/ victory points carefully, lead to a draw.

10 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 The Zulu player has two decent to manoeuvre. But this also means that Sutherland and Cantwell
units and four relatively poor ones, the game can run quite quickly. One A Wargamers Guide to the Anglo-Zulu
his objective should be to concentrate of the many virtues of The Men Who War by Mersey
his force in an attempt to isolate one Would Be Kings is its speed, but this Colonial Campaigns: Zulu War by
of the British units and bring it down. game in particular can go at a breakneck Fastoso & Jones
Meanwhile the British player will pace. In the event that it’s all over too Brave Men’s Blood: The Epic of the Zulu
probably be moving, using Skirmish quickly (like one game in playtest War 1879 by Knight
to throw out some fire power and get where an incredibly lucky volley of Recollections of Miles Gissop: With the
pins on the Zulu units. In playtest, Zulu musketry took out Redvers Buller 17th Lancers in Zululand, Journal of the
this led to quite a dance as the Zulus alone on turn three), I would suggest Society for Army Historical Research,
attempted to get pins on the British switching sides and playing again, then Summer 1980, Vol 58. Kindly supplied by
horse to immobilise them, while the total the Victory Points over the two Mr Ed Goss.
British attempted to “slide” past the Zulu games to determine the overall winner. Note: the Fastoso & Jones, Colonial
concentration. One tactic which was tried That said, in a game of small forces, such Campaigns: Zulu War is a collection of
was stringing out the musketeers to as freak events happen sometimes. scenarios for The Sword and the Flame,
broad a frontage as possible, but this left Not knowing whether this is going to but they can be used with The Men Who
them vulnerable to a sudden charge on happen is part of the joy of the medium Would Be Kings if you squint a bit...
a flank which not only led to the routing I suppose and why we don’t all jack it in I haven’t played the Zulu scenarios,
of the unit, but allowed the Natal Native and play chess instead. but I have played their Sikh Wars
Horse to follow up into the unit behind Let me know how you get on at collection extensively, so I feel safe in
and see them off as well. A canny Zulu conrad.kinch@gmail.com or on Twitter recommending them. I realised, after
player will make good use of the terrain (@aquestingvole). writing this (and when I went back for a
and fieldcraft to screen his units from reread) that there actually is a Zungeni
British fire and move them into a position BIBLIOGRAPHY Mountain scenario included. It’s quite
where they can concentrate on isolated Onomastic Aspects Of Zulu Nicknames different to my offering, but certainly
Britishers. Knowing when to pull units With Special Reference To Source And worth a look. Available
out while they are – just – above half Functionality by Molefe (uir.unisa.ac.za/ from Brigade Games
strength also helps. bitstream/handle/10500/17488/thesis_ in the US and
As the forces are a little smaller than molefe_l.pdf?sequence=1) Caliver Books in DOWNLOAD
is usual, you will have a bit more room Zulu Kings and their Armies By the UK/EU. ■ THE SCENARIO MAP
tabletopgaming.co.uk/
information/downloads
“Look out Sir!” Col Buller is distracted as a
enterprising Zulu warrior from the “The Roosters”
attempts to “wash his spear”.

June 2022 Miniature Wargames 11

12
LIVE FREE O
Miniature Wargames June 2022
 The Battle of Crysler’s Farm:
November 11th 1813
Words by Dave Tuck. Photos & map by Malc Johnston.

his is the second of a series of articles on a return to

T
LEFT
the War of 1812. It has a scenarios (with more to Covington’s
troops marching
come) uses Live Free or Die rules as amended by into battle.
the authors and includes downloadable content from
them to help with the game. Ed.

INTRODUCTION
In the previous article I ran through the excellent
ruleset from the Little Wars TV team and explained
how we amended them to suit the conditions of the
War of 1812. In this – and further articles – I intend to
cover some of the battles and how we recreated them
as a wargame using our 28mm figure collection. These
will set out the historic background, the reason the
battles were fought, give troop numbers, a map of the
battlefield and the scaled down numbers used for our
wargame. All the models are from Knuckleduster sold
in the UK by Caliver Books, Wargames Foundry, or
plastics from Perry Miniatures or Warlord Games.

BACKGROUND
By November 1813 the words of former president
Thomas Jefferson that the acquisition of Canada
will be “a mere matter of marching” had a hollow
ring to them. The invasion of 1812 had failed, and
the Canadians had not cast off their allegiance to
the British Crown. The US President had, however,
expended a large amount of tax dollars and needed
something to show for his unsuccessful land grab.
An attack on the British naval base at Kingston
on the north bank of the St Lawrence River, would
reduce British naval power in the Great Lakes region
considerably, and a seizure of Montreal would
make supply of the Niagara region and Detroit
problematical. No decision was ever made quickly on
the American side, but – in October – the US forces
(which were already gathered at Sackett’s Harbour)
were on the move. The target was Montreal.

AMERICAN FORCE
A flotilla of bateau, boats and schooners set off,

R DIE
transporting around 7,300 men in five brigades,
numbered 1 to 4 with the final one named as the
Reserve brigade. The British – whilst expecting an
attack on Kingston – had despatched Major-General
Francis De Rottenburg, with a corps of observation
(closer to a brigade) to reinforce Montreal.
The US forces had to deal with the five rapids on the
river stretch to Montreal with the British in pursuit.
With harassing fire from Royal navy gunboats and
›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 13
 LIVE FREE OR DIE

skirmishing riflemen on the riverbank, they decided to

disembark and see off their pursuers, before tackling
the rapids.
November 11th dawned: the US forces ravaged
with sickness and tired by being under arms for more
than 24 hours anticipated a steady day’s marching.
They were delayed by the force having to wait for the
unloading of several cannon from the river transports.
In the afternoon a thunderstorm struck, and this was
followed by reports of the British force deploying in
their rear. Adding to the confusion, the American forces
received order and counter order. Eventually the 4th TOP light troops into the woodlands on the British left,
Brigade – which was furthest away – was told to about A view of the full intending to delay the enemy forces. These had been
brigade. Flags
face, and lead the attack on the British! from Adrian’s observed entering the woods, attempting to hit the
Walls. British left flank. Two of the three US brigades were
THE DEMON DRINK ABOVE
committed to this move. Heriot was successful in this,
The Americans were ravaged by illness, and there The Canadians buying his commander nearly two hours, before the
were rumours of drunkenness in the higher command. defending the first American unit exited the woods. By this time, the
Wilkinson had remained with the flotilla and was fence line. British had their artillery deployed, and it was reported
known to be fond of his drink! This may explain why that the spherical case disordered the enemy columns.
the much smaller British and Canadian force were There was no return fire, so the gunners could go about
confident in their ability to hold off their enemy. They their work as if on an artillery training ground.
were puzzled by the lack of activity and confusion in The discomfiture of the Americans got worse, when
the American camp... the 89th fired a volley, followed by continuous platoon
The British force was made up of the 49th and 89th fire. The enemy were unable to deploy out of their
Regiments supported by three artillery pieces; some marching columns and soon withdrew back into the
elite Canadian voltigeur companies; and a small woods. They were then harassed by the voltigeurs and
number of Mohawk Indians. Major Heriot led the Mohawks during their retreat. The only unit from these

14 Miniature Wargames June 2022

two brigades still in action was the 21st Regiment. BOTTOM RIGHT outflanking move by Pearson meant the US forces had
These had exited the woods outside of British artillery Canadians firing to withdraw. They were covered by a gallant charge
a volley. No
and musketry range and deployed in line. movement for of some US dragoons. This event was the last action
them this turn. of the day. The British held the ground and the next
THE TWENTY FIRST BOTTOM LEFT
day the Americans crossed to the south side of the St
The role of the 21st Regiment was to support the The Americans Lawrence River and Montreal was saved.
advance of the final American brigade – the 3rd – which struggle to make British losses were 179 killed, wounded, and missing
arrived along the Kings highway. Boyd – the overall progress in the with American losses of 339 killed and wounded and
woods.
commander – was with them, and soon realised that 75 prisoners.
the troops he had assumed were militia, were, in fact
regular soldiers. He deployed his men into line, and THE BATTLEFIELD
The British deployed for defence with their right
protected by the St Lawrence river, and their left by
some dense woodlands in which they deployed their
Canadian and Indian light troops. To their front were
two ravines extending from the river, and the whole
of their front was covered in ploughed fields and a
number of fence lines, which gave no cover but did
succeed in delaying and disrupting an advance. There
are accounts of the Americans breaking rank to push
them down. It had also been raining heavily, and the
ground was very soft, with the ploughed elements
making it even more difficult. Unless troops were in
the woods, visibility was good. Troops entering the
ravines would disappear, but the final approach to the
British line was devoid of cover. The British did have
a solid fence to defend, it was descried as about five
feet high and made of solid cedar, so quite substantial.

– still anticipating a flank attack supporting him from

the woods – started to advance. The rain had turned
the fields around Crysler’s farm into a quagmire. This
together with the number of low fences and the ravines
by the St Lawrence River, spread across the area, caused
the attack to break up and become disjointed.
Having seen off the threat to their flank, the British
now turned its full weight on Boyd’s force. The
Americans exchanged volleys but were soon running
low on ammunition. With no sign of reinforcements,
they gradually fell back to a wood-line and went on
to the defensive. Their artillery – and some cavalry –
also arrived at this late stage of the battle. The British
succeeded in capturing one of these pieces, and an

TROOP NUMBERS
The British 49th and 89th numbered 766, with 258
Provincials and 30 Mohawk Indians and three guns, a
total force of around 1,100. At a scale of one stand to 35
men, this gives us 31 stands. These were made up of:

◗ British Forces
2 x 5 stand units for the 49th.
2 x 5 stand units for the 89th.
1 stand of Mohawk Indians.
7 stands of Canadian voltigeurs (4) and Fencibles (3).
3 artillery stands.
31 stands in total.
›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 15
 LIVE FREE OR DIE

US forces were split into three brigades, the first BELOW THE GAME
under Isaac Coles had approximately 450 men, split The view from The terrain for the units provided difficulties over
the St Lawrence
between the 12th and 13th Infantry regiments; the River with several areas:
second (under Robert Swartout) had around 850 Crysler’s farm Troops in the wood either moved at half speed in
men split between the 11th, 14th, and 21st Infantry bottom left of good order, or they moved at full speed less a D6 inch
shot.
regiments; and the final brigade (under Leonard deduction with a disorder.
Covington) had around 900 men divided between the The open ground was crisscrossed with low fences
16th, 9th, and 25th regiments. A detachment of six 6pdr which gave no cover but did cause a deduction in
guns – plus some Light dragoons numbering around movement of 1”.
150 – had been offloaded from the river and were The creeks gave cover, with the moving player
enroute to the battlefield. We split these forces into 12 declaring the unit was out of sight and could not be
stands for Cole’s brigade; 24 stands for Swartout; and targeted, or – alternatively – were using the cover in
26 for Covington. The remaining stands were Artillery which case they could fire but could also be targeted
and Cavalry stands. The total stand count was 65. although being nominated as a difficult target.
Once troops entered the area made up of fields, they
◗ American Forces were reduced to half speed, due to the Waterlogged
12 stands for Cole’s Brigade. nature of the ground: the fact was that some fields were
24 stands for Swartout’s Brigade. ploughed, and others had crops still growing in them.
26 stands for Covington’s Brigade.
3 artillery/cavalry stands. SPECIAL RULES
65 stands in total. We introduced a few special rules for this battle. The
four stands of Canadian voltigeurs were allowed
DEPLOYMENT to move as light infantry and fire once, or remain
Swartout led the way through the woods on the stationary and then fire twice. Other light troops could
American right with Coles in support. Covington only fire once, and then move at half speed only.

16 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 class they pass by. This had a cascading effect on their
infantry and retreats were magnified. This caused
more points to be spent shoring the brigades up and
left even fewer to be spent positively. This flank attack
petered out as did the same tactic in the real battle.
The attack across open ground had even less success,
with the Canadians having enough command points to
deploy both light companies to good effect and get off
several rounds of fire at the stuttering Americans. They
were hampered by lack of command points and the
terrain. The artillery eventually arrived on the road,
but – at that stage – the American morale was brittle
LEFT
and the unit guarding them broke. This allowed the The view from
British to charge a still limbered gun and capture it. At the US lines.

only arrives on the battlefield when a unit of US

infantry reaches halfway across the battlefield or turn 9
whichever is the earlier.
All US forces start the battle with one disorder: they
were tired, hungry, wet and in poor spirits.
A final disadvantage for the US army is their lack of
ammunition. We represented this with the following
rule. Every time a US infantry unit fired a volley (i.e.
they rolled two dice per stand and did not move in
the subsequent movement phase) the results were
examined: if more ones were rolled than successful
hits, the unit was low on ammunition and could not
volley fire for the remainder of the battle. We marked
this with a small piece of cotton wool. This rule did not
apply to the British and Canadians who were issued
with a full sixty rounds for the battle.

COMMAND
Command points are available as follows: that stage the result was called as a Canadian victory ABOVE
◗ Barnes and Heriot for the British and Cole, Swartout with Montreal saved for The King! Swartout’s
forces in the
and Covington for the US are all two-star generals woods.
so they roll two D6 each turn receiving a command CONCLUSION
point for each 4-6 which is rolled. This game has enough possibilities for a rematch.
◗ Morrison for the British receives an automatic six For example, what if the Americans abandon the
command points and rolls for two extras each turn. woodland and try to deploy in the open? If they can
Boyce for the Americans receives five automatic survive the initial turns of artillery fire and maybe
points and again rolls for two additional ones. some musketry, could they make their numbers count?
The lack of command points is a major difficulty,
You can see that the commander of the smaller and it may be that the forces are forced to engage
British and Canadian force, should have more piecemeal. If they manage to roll well on the command
command points on average, than his US counterpart, dice rolls for each brigade, it may become easier, but
and fewer units to spend them on! the elite Canadian Voltiguers – on the flanks of the
deploying columns – may be in a position for a flank
HOW DID IT PLAY? fire bonus, rolling up to three dice per company!
As anticipated the US forces struggled to move all their This is a tough one for the Americans to win
forces each turn. They were hampered by the ground and we felt showed how well the rules, as
and some spectacular fire from the Canadian light we have adapted them,work for the war DOWNLOAD
THE PLAYCARDS AND
troops n the woods. Once they managed to deploy of 1812.
SCENARIO MAP
from the woods, they were hit by Artillery fire and Next time we intend to cover the tabletopgaming.co.uk/
were forced to take morale tests, with mixed results. In battle of the Thames River, to test out information/downloads
the rules, if troops fail a morale test, they inflict three how the native peoples, fighting in
disorders on the nearest unit of the same or lower woodlands get on. ■

June 2022 Miniature Wargames 17

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RAISING
ARMIES
Portugal and the War of the Two Brothers
Words by Arthur Harman. Illustrations by Sérgio Veludo.

he Portuguese Civil War 1828-1834 offers a

T
RIGHT
new period for wargamers to explore, with The Uniforms
of Miguel of
the advantage that its unfamiliarity prevents Braganca and
players from being unduly influenced by General Santa
hindsight as they may be when refighting Napoleonic Marte.
battles. Helion’s recently published The War of the
Two Brothers (Number 12 in the From Musket to
Maxim 1815-1914 series) offers very useful, detailed
descriptions of the opposing Liberal and Miguelite
armies, accompanied by twenty-one colour plates
depicting their uniforms and equipment, some of which
they have given permission for me to include here.
As yet, no manufacturer provides wargame
figures for this conflict, but I hope to show it is quite
possible to create wargame armies for both sides by
judicious use and painting of 28 mm figures from
existing ranges. If creating armies from smaller scale
figures, one can follow the same principles and with
6mm figures, simply rely on painting to create the
appropriate effect when viewed on the wargame table.

THE MIGUELITE ARMY

We’ll work through the options.

GENERALS
General Santa Marte is shown in a field uniform
consisting of a single-breasted dark blue tail coat
with gold fringed epaulettes and gold embroidery
on collar and cuffs, a scarlet waist sash, dark blue
trousers tucked into black riding boots and a gold Many Napoleonic French or Prussian officers
edged bicorne hat with a red, blue and white cockade. could be used to represent them and other Miguelite
A contemporary engraving shows him in that uniform, generals. For example, Perry Miniatures’ French
on horseback. but wearing the full dress white trousers. mounted Corps Commanders, Prince Bernhard of
In a print of his attempted Vilafrancada coup in 1823, Saxe-Weimar, Dutch General Chasse, Austrian early
Dom Miguel is depicted dressed similarly but with a mounted High Command or ‘German’ mounted
more elaborate gold lace design on his collar and cuffs, colonels could all be painted as Miguelite or Liberal
and gold lace on the front of his coat. Portuguese generals.
›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 19
 RAISING ARMIES

INFANTRY
Figures of late Peninsular War Portuguese Line
infantry, wearing overall trousers and the stovepipe
shako, not the earlier, false-fronted barretina, will
be perfect for the rank and file as the changes to the
uniform were too slight to be significant on small-
scale models. Alternatively, if one already has Perry
Miniatures’ Prussian Reservists in ‘Portuguese’
uniforms wearing stovepipe shakos, they would pass
muster on the tabletop. By the time of the Civil War,
however, officers up to the rank of colonel and NCOs
were wearing a new, bell-topped shako, so sticklers
for accuracy of uniforms may wish to obtain them
from other sources, such as Perry Miniatures’ Spanish
Infantry command in bell top shakos 1810-1814, or
their Carlist War Isabelino Command in early bell top
shakos and their Dutch mounted infantry officers in
28mm, two of whom have shakos.
AB Figures has a range of 18mm Portuguese infantry
and cavalry in regulation uniforms.
Miguelite Cacadores of all ranks are often shown
ABOVE
Liberal Army THE LIBERAL ARMY
wearing bell-topped shakos; officers’ shakos had a lace Uniforms of the I will follow the same format of selecting suitable
of gold around the top. To portray them one could get Sacred Battalion; miniatures:
Grenadier
away with simply painting Perry Miniatures’ Nassau Battalion; and
Volunteer Jagers or Brunswick Light Infantry brown. Fusiliers. GENERALS
Marshal Saldanha’s full dress uniform has a dark blue,
BELOW LEFT
CAVALRY TO RIGHT single-breasted tailed coat with gold fringed epaulettes,
The Portuguese cavalry wore a plain blue uniform Carlist War blue overall trousers and a gold-edged bicorne, like
with a bell-topped shako. Perry Miniatures offer them Isabelino that of Santa Marte, above. The Isabelino or Foreign
Infantry can
in 28mm. One could use existing late war Napoleonic proxy for High Command from Perry Miniatures’ Carlist War
British light dragoons as proxies and ignore the Portuguese range would do admirably.
coloured lapels. In smaller scales and starting from private soldiers
on either side.
scratch, painting French Chasseurs a cheval blue with a INFANTRY
gold lace around the top of the shako would suffice. Carlist War The short-lived, all-officers red coated Sacred Battalion
British Auxiliary in bell-topped shakos, wearing red coats with blue
Legion in shakos
ARTILLERY can represent collars, cuffs and plastrons could be portrayed by
Artillerymen still wore the Peninsular War uniform the Navy Napoleonic Swiss in French service.
and stovepipe shako so can be portrayed correctly Battalion. Line infantry from the Portuguese Army from the 6th,
one’s existing Portuguese gun crews, but officers wore Prussian 10th and 18th Infantry Regiments loyal to Dom Pedro will
the new bell-topped shako with gold lace around the Reservists be uniformed like their Miguelite opponents (see above).
top and so did the new mounted artillery units formed can portray If one already has Perry Miniatures’ Isabelino infantry in
Liberal National
in the late 1820s. Napoleonic Prussian or French Army Volunteer coatee and cylindrical shakos, they can serve as proxies.
artillerymen could be used as proxies. The guns had Battalions. Isabelino Officers also wore blue frock coats and peaked
grey painted, single-trail carriages and bronze barrels, forage caps in the field and could be portrayed by
so British Napoleonic artillery pieces are perfect. Napoleonic Prussian officers wearing the peaked cap.

20 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 The Cacadores, similarly, could be portrayed by
Peninsular War Cacadores wearing the stovepipe
shako and black braid on their tunics.
Liberal Army National Volunteer Battalions wore
shell jackets often with coloured collars and/or
cuffs, trousers and peaked forage caps, with or
without a coloured band. Some units wore dark
blue uniforms, some wore dark grey, and many
wore the same brown as the Cacadores. Some units
wore a single shoulder belt and a waist belt; others
wore cross belts and waist belt. Belts were white
in some units, black in others. Perry Miniatures’
Napoleonic Prussian Reservists or Wargames
Foundry’s Prussian Reservists in shell jacket and
peaked cap, Cape Frontier War British in shell jackets
and peaked forage caps, or other manufacturers’
Mexican War United States Infantry, can easily be
suitably painted to portray individual units by
referring to the colour plates.

PORTUGUESE TIRAILLEURS ABOVE

Belgians, French
The French fusiliers of this unit are best represented and Italians.
by any Napoleonic infantry in bell-topped shakos and
plain, single-breasted coats without lapels. Their coats LEFT
Liberal Army
should be dark blue, their trousers could be red or Flags.
white and their belts, white.
Perry Miniatures’ Carlist War BAL Riflemen and BELOW LEFT
TO RIGHT
BAL Rifle Command are perfect for the Gentleman’s British Auxiliary
Rifle Cadets and could also be used for the Portuguese Legion Command
FOREIGN UNITS Tirailleurs Italian riflemen, who were dressed in similar for the Navy
Battalion (and
These came from a number green coats with black accoutrements and carried Baker in undress
of countries. rifles with sword bayonets but wore white trousers. uniform).

Provincal Militia
BELGIAN TIRAILLEUR CORPS NAVY BATTALION and Marines
The Belgians wore dark blue or brown frock coats, This British battalion’s appearance in full dress - Isabelino
brown trousers and green-plumed top hats. The best would best be represented by Perry Miniatures’ or Infantry
Command in
way to create these, in my opinion, would be to convert Capitan’s British Auxiliary Legion infantry in shako bell top shakos
Perry Miniatures’ Confederate Infantry in frock coats and tailed coat and BAL Command from their to command
advancing by adding small falling plumes feathers from Carlist War range. The service dress was a red shell Portuguese
troops of either
Greenstuff to their left side of their hats and bending the jacket, blue trousers and a peaked forage cap. Use side in regulation
brim on that side upwards or cutting it off and remaking Capitan’s BAL or Perry Miniatures British infantry uniforms.
the turn up from Greenstuff. Alternatively, add top in shell jackets and peaked forage caps from their
hats and plumes to the heads of Wargames Foundry’s Carlist War or Cape Frontier Wars range. Officers
Crimean War Turkish infantry in coats. wore a blue frock coat and peaked cap and can
be found in both the Perry and Capitan ranges.

›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 21
 RAISING ARMIES

RIGHT CAVALRY
British Naval Some Liberal cavalry units wore Portuguese Army
and Scottish
Battalions. regulation uniforms, like the Miguelites (see above).
Bacon’s Lancers wore a red-topped czapska, a red
BELOW RIGHT shell jacket with blue cuffs and blue trousers. Perry
National artillery
Battalion gun Miniatures’ or Capitan’s Carlist War BAL Lancers are
and gunners. ideal. Alternatively, one could use French Dutch Red
Lancers as proxies or paint any lancer figures, such as
BELOW LEFT
TO RIGHT Wargames Foundry’s Crimean War British Lancers,
Napoleonic whose jackets do not have plastrons.
Portuguese
Cavalry in shako
can serve in both ARTILLERY
Miguelite and National Artillery Battalion gunners wore brown
Liberal Armies. shell jackets with blue collars and cuffs; brown
Carlist War trousers and peaked caps with blue bands; and had
Isabelino a single black shoulder and waist belt. The best way
Generals can to portray them is to use the Perry
command both
Miguelite and Miniatures’ Carlist War BAL/Royal
Liberal Armies. Artillery gun crew in shell jackets or

Carlist War
British Auxiliary
Legion Lancers
for Bacon’s
Lancers.

All figures
used with kind
permission
from the Perry
Miniatures
website.

Wargames Foundry’s First China War (Opium War) Wargames Foundry’s First China War British Artillery
British infantry in bell top shako or Sikh War British crew or British Artillery in Shell Jackets and Peaked
infantry in peaked cap and command groups could Forage Caps.
also be used. I must express my gratitude to Helion & Company
The best way to portray the Scottish Battalion in 28 for permitting me to use some of
mm would be to use Perry Miniatures’ or Capitan’s the plates from The War of the
Carlist War BAL in forage caps, 72nd Highlanders Two Brothers, and to Perry
DOWNLOAD
from the Perry Miniatures Cape Frontier Wars range Miniatures for permission THE UNIFORM FILE
or Wargames Foundry’s Sikh War British infantry in to use photographs of their tabletopgaming.co.uk/
peaked cap and command group. If one already has wargame figures from their information/downloads
Wargame Foundry’s Crimean British infantry in tailed website to illustrate this
coat and fatigue caps and command group, they could article. ■
serve as proxies.

22 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 116 NE O
ST r d - E S AT
T H E I N T EL LI GENN T W ARR GAMESS TAA B L E

2- U P
D h J EX
S

!
EU
UK SE
C3 M
AN 5t ON LINE S HOP
NE G A

NOW OPE N!

PLAY ON THE INTELLIGENT WARGAMES TABLE AT UK GAMES EXPO!

@Valkyrx_Gaming Valkyrx_Gaming @valkyrx_gaming

 REVIEWS

STELLAR HELL
DEFENCE DOG STAR ANTICS
◗ wargamesbuildings.co.uk
◗ £12 - £30
◗ wargamevault.com
◗ £4 - £9.50

It seems like
scarcely a month
goes by when I’m
not reviewing
Elsewhere in this issue you will find a set of rules
RULE BOOKS

an article using the Albedo164 system by contributor

& FIGURES

by Sally 4th. They also sent in some of Jim Webster.

the latest releases for this range which Last issue we
– I will confess – rather confused me. featured Hell
Not just because they follow the usual in Microcosm
anthropomorphic domestic animal which is a mass
approach (and not so domestic: these combat system
have Lion and Hedgehog headed bipeds, and – in recent Defence in Depth sections
amongst others...) but because they now – we’ve covered Hell and Uncivil
appear to be in different scales. I have Disorder, and Hellfire which is a large
models marked as ‘large frame’ and scale (generally 6mm) SF system. Jim
IN DEPTH
‘small frame’. But maybe they are just has also written several articles that use
big creatures? My Lion sample is around his rules for this magazine. Well – long
40mm tall (when you stick his head contextual, preamble aside – Hell by
on) whereas the Shrew and Rat sample Starlight is a skirmish system aimed at
are about 25mm and are appropriately SF games.
slender. Standard figures – like the EDF Mr Webster has produced another
Spacers – are about 32mm so... I’m not A4 soft back, of 46 or so pages which is
really sure if I’m dealing with big critters available on Amazon for £9.50 although
or something else. Kindle and electronic versions are also
Moving on, what they have recently available from Wargames Vault for as
released as miniatures not only work little as £4. It is – like all of his products
within their own rule set and background (and as I’ve previously mentioned) – a
but would make useful crews for the likes cleanly laid out, ‘no frills’ document with
of Stargrave so – with that in mind - I’ll (cover aside) no illustrations: very much
start with the EDF Spacers: eight figures in a ‘word processed’ style of publication.
the set with separate heads and weapons What it’s not – as the author is keen to
(Shotgun, Machine, Pistol, Grenade, point out – is not simply a ‘re-skinning’
Launcher, Rifle etc) and slot bases. Heads of 20th century skirmish warfare rules
(a random selection of animals in caps) with the guns “all replaced with Las-
come with a neck that finishes in a pin that carbines”. But it is aimed at 15mm SF
locates in a hole in the body. £30. skirmish so... what’s the angle?
Other packs vary from the Zero G Suits It’s aimed at individual figures,
pack in space suits with a hole underneath balancing that with forming the figures
the air tanks for a base so that they can into combat units. So, ammunition
‘float’. £27 gets you six of these: three usage is handled by mechanisms
with helmets and three with bare heads without the need to keep tedious track
and arm options (including penguin and the system is not based in any
flippers...). And there’s a pair of Large ‘official universe’ but can be flexed to
Frame Spacers (a Horse and a Bear) which take account of everything from low
are noted as being 120% size of standard tech natives to high tech. Combat uses
miniatures and which are £12. That’s quite a range of polyhedral dice (d4 to d12)
a series of options! depending on weapon type and range
bands and most scenarios and systems
seem to be covered (artillery, ECM,
booby traps, robots, vehicles, riding
creatures etc). The last dozen pages are
scenarios. Recommended.

24
 The rest of the models Battles in Russia 1942: Volume 1.
are either one piece, where Subtitled The Year of Indecision, it is
extras aren’t needed, or with designed to cover the War in the East
a separate turret with – (like in 1942 everywhere else other than
the Ostwind) a gun to stick in Stalingrad... Most gamers do tend to
position: useful if you want concentrate on the big set pieces (who
to model the Ostwind firing doesn’t like a ‘big arrow’ on a map?),
at ground targets. The models but this aims to go a little wider and in
are Panzer II Luchs (£3.25); its 90 or so pages of A4 soft-bound, there
Austin K6 Gantry Lorry are a splendid variety of army details
(£3.75); Chevy LRDG truck + and scenario types (keyed, of course, to
Breda cannon (£3.25); and that Anchluss’ own The War on the Ground
Flakpanzer IV Ostwind 37mm rules but which could be used with any
ANSCHLUSS WARGAMING AA gun (£3.50). It’s period ruleset). These include Izyum
◗ anschlusswargames.com Bridge; Operation Vogelsang; the Volkhov
◗ £3.25 - £21.50 Offensive; Operation Mars; the Battle of the
Luchesa River Valley and much more.
We first saw Anschluss Wargames
at Salute last year and - since
then – they have been steadily
producing a range of rules, scenarios
and – now – resin vehicles and they’ve
sent in the latest items for review.

In total there are 19 detailed

I’m going to start with the vehicles. scenarios aimed at forces in various
The whole point of the range is sizes from Company to Battalion
to hit the 12mm WWII market level.
(supported for many years by Production values for the book
Pendraken in metal and now hit an interesting sweet spot.
Victrix in styrene). The first There are lots of period photos
releases from Anschluss are and diagrams and maps for
in fine grey resin in what I scenarios (all in mono) and I
must assume is direct, 3D do like the AFV stat ‘cards’
printing. The reason I say that printed in the book with a
is that the first of the models worth just saying that all gun barrels are silhouette of the vehicle which aids with
I looked at – the Churchill AVRE (£4.50) – quite thin but still moderately strong recognition, but (rear cover aside) the
has only four components (two halves of a and the detail is superb. I can also see book isn’t swamped with modelling fun
bridge, the turret and... well the rest) and other models on the website, namely or inspirational wargames shots (which –
all of the detail is very finely reproduced. a Horch 108 Staff Car; Sdkfz 9 ‘Famo’ bearing in mind the quality of the models
When I say “all the detail” I mean that – Recovery Halftrack; Opel Maultier Flak – is a bit of a shame but... there we are!).
before paint – I can actually assemble both 20mm Flak38; and Churchill ARK. They Price for the scenario book is £21.50 and
halves of the folded bridge (using just a are obviously aiming at unusual AFVs, it should be out by the time you read this.
perfect, friction fit) into a finished item. specialist vehicles and softskins. I think that – talking of sweet spots –
Astonishing detail and fit and zero effort Then there’s the latest supplements. 12mm WWII has a lot to recommend it,
to build. I’m going to concentrate on the Forgotten scale wise. Highly recommended.

June 2022 Miniature Wargames 25

COMMAND DECISION

STRAIGHT
INTO ACTION
Boulogne-sur-Mer: May 23, 1940
Words and pictures by Jon Sutherland.

E
ach Command Decision aims to offer a series of ABOVE harbour on HMS Whitshed. The destroyer is protecting
playable options in timeless military scenarios. A Royal Navy the rest of a hastily assembled force of the steamer
ship waits in
Command Decision is designed so you can read the the harbour as
Biarritz and the SS Queen of the Channel. You can see a
situation and figure out your own command decisions if you a train loaded French oil tanker ablaze just offshore, the skies are alive
were leading the troops on the ground. You can either work with wounded with German Stukas and low-level bombers; soon your
arrives for
through the various options or use the mechanics to create embarkation.
reinforcements will be ashore and amongst the chaotic
the precise circumstances of the table top engagement. The scenes in the seaside town.
scenarios may have particular historical themes and settings,
but you can easily adapt the mechanics to suit your own ALLIED ROLE
preferences and collections. You are Brigadier William Fox-Pitt, commanding the
20th Guards Brigade with orders to hold the port
SITUATION REPORT and ensure the supply lines remain open. You must
France is being overrun by the Germans with the not risk your force, if there is a chance that your
Allied forces desperately trying to hold the Channel men will be captured by the Germans you are to
ports to evacuate the beaten men. You are peering withdraw from France. You command 972 men of the
through the gloom and black smoke at Boulogne 2nd Battalion Welsh Guards and 720 men of the 2nd
›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 27
 COMMAND DECISION

ABOVE Battalion Irish Guards. You can expect the support GERMAN ROLE
Tight bunches of local French forces and 1500 men of the Auxiliary You are General Heinz Guderian commanding the
of evacuees
cluster on Military Pioneer Corps. 2nd Panzer Division, the leading element of the
the quayside You know that the German advance is spearheaded German XIX Army Corps. You have been steadily
awaiting by fast moving armour, but your anti-tank capability making progress towards Boulogne, constantly
their turn for
embarkation. is limited with just four 2pdr AT guns and some Boys harassed by British aircraft still operating from French
anti-tank rifles. airfields. Your advance scout units have run into
RIGHT the British defence forces around the port part way
Inside Château
de Boulogne- ALLIED IMMEDIATE IMPRESSIONS & ORDERS through the afternoon.
sur-Mer; No sooner are you ashore then you realise that this
this is a hive mission is not really to hold open the supply lines
of activity
as the Allies at all; it is to hasten the evacuation. The harbour is
hasten their overwhelmed with panicked French civilians; there
evacuation. are wounded men everywhere and piles of dead
abandoned by the roadside. You are to establish
a perimeter around the port and hold it until the
wounded, broken units and refugees have been ferried
to England.
It is clear that trying to hold a perimeter in open
country is suicidal, so you determine to dig in around
the suburbs. You order the Welsh Guards to take
up positions to the east and the Irish Guards to the
southwest. Your other men are assigned to cover road
blocks as well as key road junctions and any obvious
choke points that the Germans would use.

28 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 The Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps can count as
inexperienced infantry. The unit consists of 1 NCO and
four other ranks. Up to 5 more figures can be added to
make the unit up to 10. You can arm them with rifles
and give them anti-tank grenades. The unit can build a
roadblock in two turns.

TABLE SET UP NOTES

Largely urban to represent the Split the table into three zones, British
suburbs of the port. There should choose the table edge and they may
be a road running from the German deploy in any of the three zones, but
table edge to the British edge. only half of the force may be deployed
in the zone closest to their table edge.
The British can have three road blocks
already deployed, but they can only
place one block on each road that exits
the British table edge.
Alternatively, set the table up as Again, split the table into three zones, the
rural with a scattering of buildings British retain the three road blocks, but
to represent the outer defensive they must deploy half of their force in the
ring around the port. centre zone of table in ambush positions.

GERMAN IMMEDIATE ABOVE

IMPRESSIONS & ORDERS More evacuees
on the quayside
The enemy are well positioned, your men tell you as the pressure
that there is a mix of French and British AT guns, your on the inner
defences
armour is bogged down and taking unacceptable intensifies.
losses. Luckily, your motorcycle units have found a way
around the outlying enemy AT units and by sunset the RIGHT
These are
first line has been compromised and your men continue some British
to engage isolated pockets through the night. troops leaving
the castle and The following table suggests how the game should
WARGAMING BOULOGNE 1940 making for the
harbour. be structured:
This is an ideal scenario for fans of either Bolt Action
GERMAN Begin the game with no forces on the table. Half of the
or Rapid Fire and perhaps the best way of approaching DEPLOYMENT force must be designated as the first wave. The second
it is to focus on the early morning on May 23 before the wave and remainder of the force can be deployed once the
first contact has been made with the enemy.
defensive ring collapsed.
AMBUSH British units that have not fired or been spotted will always
get the first shot against the enemy.
BOLT ACTION VARIANT TURN 1 The German player must move all of the forces designated
as the first wave onto the table from the table edge.
Use army lists from Bolt Action Campaign: Battle of France
GAME Around seven or eight turns should see a reasonable
DURATION conclusion reached.
FORCES OBJECTIVES VICTORY Any British unit in the first zone (nearest their table edge)
POINTS scores 1 VP on turn 4. On turn 7, the British receive 2 VP for
German forces should be allocated The German player is required to each unit that exits their table edge. The Germans receive
20% more points to spend than advance across the table and exit the 3 VPs for each unit they manage to exit via the British table
the British. table on the British edge. edge and 2 VPs for each British unit they have eliminated.
British forces cannot have any The British player is allowed to begin DEALING WITH These can be destroyed by artillery fire and have a damage
armour and may only field 2pdr AT a withdrawal along their table edge ROAD BLOCKS value of 6+. The Bolt Action Campaign: Battle of France book
guns, no mortars or other artillery. from turn 6.

›
has specific rules on dealing with roadblocks.

June 2022 Miniature Wargames 29

 COMMAND DECISION

RAPID FIRE VARIANT BELOW BRITISH Allocate 20 points of defence works to the British player; 2
These rules lend themselves to rather larger actions A view of the DEFENSIVE points per unit or gun for a dug-in position; 3 points for a road
harbour from POSITIONS block; 2 points for a prepared firing position in a building.
with a more movement options. The game can be the battlements GERMAN These troops must mount or dismount losing movement
played in more open country as the Germans can of Château MOTORCYCLE to do so.
de Boulogne- TROOPS
deploy more armour and mobile troops:
sur-Mer, in the ROADS One main road heading direct to the port should be classed
distance, the as paved. The other roads on the table should be classed as
unpaved roads.
FORCES OBJECTIVES lead German
elements have VEGETATION Hedges, if used should be classed as low hedges and not
Germans 3 Companies each with Break through the British defensive bocage. Woodlands are considered to be open woods.
HQ, 12 x motorcycles (9 rifles, line and exit the table on the British arrived.
1 HMG team and 1 5cm mortar side. BUILDINGS These should be classed as stone, one or two storey
team); 3 x 80mm mortar for close Burst through with your armour, structures.
support. ignore isolated British units, they can
Tank company with 2 x PzKpfw IB, 2 be mopped up by other German units
x PzKpfw IIC and 3 x PzKpfw IIIE. moving up.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
British 3 Companies of Welsh Hold ground for as long as possible.
Guards each with Officer, 9 rifles Withdrawal will mean exposing the This typical delaying action would work extremely well
and an anti-tank rifle. 3 x 2pdr flanks of companies adjacent to you in a variety of different settings. For the American Civil
anti-tank guns. and opening a route for the Germans to
2 x 3” mortar for close support. take the port. War, any of the actions in the Atlanta Campaign of 1864
would work well. The Confederates made good use of
TABLE SET UP INITIAL SET UP abbatis in their attempts to hold back the Union forces
Largely urban to represent the This can be played on a square (3 x 3 or whilst the evacuation of the city was underway. Great
suburbs of the port. There should 4 x 4) table, the British can deploy up to
be a road running from the German half way across the table. The German examples are Ezra Church (July 28); Utoy Creek (August
table edge to the British edge. players first turn is onto the table on 5–7); Dalton (August 14–15); Lovejoy’s Station (August
their table edge. British cannot move
their anti-tank guns once deployed. 20) and Jonesborough (August 31 – September 1).
Alternatively, set the table up as British player may set up anywhere on Other actions include Lieutenant Thomas
rural with a scattering of buildings the table. Germans enter from their
to represent the outer defensive table edge with the motorcycle units in Thackeray’s actions around Peacock Hill in 1814 when
ring around the port. the first wave. the East India Company’s army invading Nepal came
unstuck after a vigorous Nepalese counterattack. In the
The following table suggests how the game should Peninsular War, both Salamanca and Corunna provide
be structured: good backdrops.

30 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 In 1914 from August 25-26, the Battle of Le Cateau At around 1000, Fox-Pitt was given orders to ABOVE
was a vital rear-guard action fought by the British evacuate all non-essential men from the port, but A Luftwaffe’s
eye-view of
against an overwhelming German offensive. It cost to hold the line for as long as was practicable. The the harbour
the British over 7800 casualties, but it probably Guards continued their stubborn defences, fighting and the
prevented the Germans from capturing Paris. The house to house as they fell back on the harbour itself. surrounding
area.
actions of the Ten Thousand after the Battle of Cunaxa By late afternoon, the harbour was littered with
in 401BC are a great example from ancient times. abandoned vehicles and there were hundreds of
One I would love to recreate dates back to 1877 wounded, while civilians and others crowded into the
when the Nez Perce Indians under their charismatic shrinking space. There were constant embarkations on
Chief Joseph carried out a staggering 1400 mile a variety of vessels with Allied warships coming into
fighting retreat with 200 warriors and upwards of shore as close as they dared to engage the advancing
500 dependents against over 2,000 US Cavalry. They mass of German forces.
fought innumerable actions across Idaho, Wyoming PM Winston Churchill authorised the full
and Montana as they tried to escape into Canada. evacuation at around 1800, but by this stage the
After 15 weeks they were cornered at the Battle of Germans were so close to the harbour that men on
Bear Paw, beaten and taken off to a reservation. Chief board the evacuation ships were being picked off by
Joseph and his people were just 40 miles from the snipers. The Germans also brought the old guns of
Canadian border. Fort de la Creche to bear on the ragged fleet, nearly
sinking the destroyer HMS Venetia before the Royal
BOULOGNE: FACT FILE Navy bombarded the fort into silence.
The German armour hit the Guards line just after By the time the evacuation was complete, in
first light supported by motorcycle units attempting excess of 4300 British, French and Belgian personnel
to breakthrough into the rear. Slowly, but surely, and civilians had been snatched from capture. It was
the Guards fell back into Boulogne. French forces at a terrific cost. The Guards had lost a third of the
holding Fort de la Creche, an ageing fort dominating force. Boulogne would remain in enemy hands for
the harbour were forced to surrender after an over four years until late 1944. The Canadian 3rd
intense bombardment and assault by German Division spearheaded the liberation and took the port
motorcycle units. and 9500 prisoners. ■

June 2022 Miniature Wargames 31

 Rebellions in England against
William the Conqueror
Words by Chris Swan. Photos by The Editor

en sixty six is of course one of the most 1075 there were eight rebellions in England against

T memorable dates in the whole of British

History – the year in which Harold Godwinson
died under the blades of Norman Knights
(most scholars now accept that it wasn’t an arrow in
the eye which killed him) and Britain turned from a
William’s rule with another breaking out in 1080.
Given that these revolts involved not only rebellious
Anglo Saxons but also Norse and Welsh forces against
the Norman as well as Normans against Normans they
provide a great basis for some interesting games.
culture rooted in Germanic/Norse traditions to one of
Norman/French with its feudal laws. THE FIRST FLAMES OF REVOLTS
Most histories gloss over what came next, except The first revolt occurred in 1067 and was not really
to say that the transition of power was achieved in a against William but against his half-brother Bishop
relatively peaceful manner. In fact everything was not Odo of Bayeux who had been given the Earldom of
peaceful and over an eight year period from 1067 to Kent. In March 1067 William returned to Normandy

32 Miniature Wargames June 2022

leaving Bishop Odo and William FitzOsbern to govern with their men from Ireland and attacked Bristol but FAR LEFT
in his absence. Odo is described as both greedy and were defeated and forced to sail off. That same year The
Norman
tyrannical and after only a few months his actions Harold’s mother, Gytha Thorkelsdóttir, encouraged the Knights
drove the county into revolt. This was focused around citizens of Exeter to rebel. William promptly marched announce their
Dover and the rebels appealed to Eustace of Boulogne west and besieged the city. After 18 days, William arrival on the
battlefield.
for help. Given that Eustace had previously been accepted the city’s surrender, swearing an oath not to
expelled from Dover by its citizens, the rebels’ appeal harm it or increase its tribute to him. The following BELOW
to him suggests just how desperate they were to be year Harold’s sons returned, this time reputedly The Anglo
Saxons
freed from Odo’s rule. The details of what happened accompanied by 60 shiploads of men, and attacked advance on the
are scarce but apparently Eustace arrived with troops Exeter. The Norman garrison from Exeter Castle village.
and he and the rebels launched a joint attack on Dover defeated them and forced them to return to Ireland.
Figures are
castle while Odo was occupied elsewhere. However, mainly 40mm
Eustace soon realised that the castle was too heavily THE FLAMES SPREAD Sash and Sabre
fortified for him to take and the revolt fizzled out with In 1069 the Norman leaders in York and Durham supplemented
with some
Eustace escaping back to Boulogne. were killed by rebels who then allied with the Kings plastics.
During the same year several Norman Earls took of Scotland and Denmark. William quickly marched
advantage of William’s absence to extend their lands north, won back control of the area and built two
in Shropshire and Herefordshire. Their actions caused castles in York. Subsequently the Danish King Swein
discontent amongst the Anglo-Saxon thegns who sent a large Danish army to join the rebels for a
held the land, especially one called Edric. Under planned attack on York but William bribed the Danes
his leadership Anglo-Saxon forces allied with the to leave. As the remaining rebels refused to face him in
Welsh princes, Bleddyn and Rhiwallon, attacked and battle he decided to starve them out by laying waste to
ransacked Hereford before retreating into Wales. The the northern shires using scorched earth tactics so that
rebellion petered out by 1069 and Edric surrendered in no further revolts could break out.
1070 and was pardoned. Contemporary chronicles record the savagery of the
Then in 1068 there were two more failed revolts. The campaign and state that the scale of the destruction led
first involved Harold Godwinson’s sons who sailed to widespread famine. Records from the Doomsday

›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 33
 1066 & AFTER THAT

ABOVE Book show that 75% of the area’s population died or

The Anglo never returned. William’s ruthless actions became
Saxon Huscarls
advance. known as The Harrying of the North.
In 1070 some small scale rebellions broke out
ABOVE RIGHT in Cheshire and Staffordshire and were quickly
Norse Warriors
in 28mm suppressed but in that same year Swien sent more
painted by Danish ships to England, this time to East Anglia to
Graham Green. support the rebellion led by Hereward the Wake but
RIGHT they left after looting the surrounding area. Hereward
The Norse was an English thegn who became involved in
Hirdmen land disputes with the Norman barons who had been given
and advance.
land in Lincolnshire and fought a guerrilla war against
them until William captured his base on the Isle of Ely.
Allegedly Hereward disappeared from history and
may have been pardoned by William but Earl Morcar,
who came to support Hereward, was imprisoned for
life. (See my article in issue 437 of this magazine for more Leaving his wife Emma to defend Norwich Castle,
Information about Hereward and his revolt.) Ralph sailed to Denmark seeking help. Countess
Emma held Norwich Castle until she obtained terms
FINAL FLAMES: REVOLT OF THE EARLS for herself and her followers, who were deprived of
Finally, in 1075 came the last serious act of resistance their lands and were given forty days to leave England.
against William. Known as the Revolt of the Earls this She then left for her estates in Brittany. Earl Ralph did
time it was Norman nobles who challenged his rule. eventually return to England with a fleet of 200 ships
Ralph de Guader, Earl of East Anglia sought under Cnut and Hakon but they failed to achieve
permission from William who was in Normandy to anything and he fled to Brittany to join Emma from
marry Emma, the daughter of 1st Earl of Hereford. where he continued to defy William.
William refused but the couple married anyway. As punishment William deprived Ralph of all his
Subsequently Earl Ralph together with Roger de English lands including his earldom. Roger was also
Breteuil, who was now 2nd Earl of Hereford and deprived of his lands and earldom but unlike Ralph
Waltheof, 1st Earl of Northumberland, plotted to was sentenced to perpetual imprisonment and was
overthrow William. Unfortunately for the plotters, beheaded after William’s death in 1087. Ironically,
Waltheof got cold feet and confessed all to Lanfranc, as a reward for exposing the plot Waltheof was also
Archbishop of Canterbury, who urged Earl Roger arrested and beheaded and became the only Anglo
to return to his allegiance and, when he refused, Saxon lord to be executed during William’s reign.
excommunicated him and his followers and sent details
of the plot to William in Normandy. Earl Roger’s DYING EMBERS
attempt to join forces with Earl Ralph’s men was In 1079 William suffered a defeat in Normandy at the
stopped at the River Severn by Bishop Wulfstan leading hands of his son, Robert, and this encouraged King
the Worcestershire Fyrd. Meanwhile, Earl Ralph’s force Malcolm of Scotland to launch a raid into England that
encountered a much larger royal army near Cambridge lasted almost a month during which time his army
led by Bishops Odo and de Montbrai and hurriedly devastated the land between the River Tees and the
retreated to Norwich pursued by the royalist force. Tweed. The lack of any immediate Norman response

34 Miniature Wargames June 2022

to the raid led the Northumbrians to rebel against the were professional raiders who made their living from BELOW
rule of the Bishop of Durham who was also the Earl raids or from work as mercenaries and were highly The
Berserks
of Northumbria. In the spring of 1080 the Bishop was professional warriors who would have worn the best charge
killed and William dispatched Bishop Odo to crush the armour and carried the best arms available. the Norman
rebellion and restore order. Knights.
This was the final revolt in England and as William GAMING THE REVOLTS BOTTOM
faced a growing number of problems in Normandy he So there you have it, an opportunity for readers of this Viking Longship
was forced to spend more of his time absent from his magazine to play games with their Norman, Anglo painted by
Graham Green.
new kingdom. He died in Normandy at the Priory of Saxon, Norse and Welsh armies post 1066. As the
Saint Gervase at Rouen on 9th September 1087.

ARMS & ARMOUR

I am sure that most readers will be very familiar with
images of Norman Knights in their coats of mail and
kite shaped shields and the Anglo Saxons in mail with
circular shields from many publications.
The Bayeux Tapestry is, of course, the go to for
period depictions of many of the combatants given
that it was probably commission by Bishop Odo
(not William’s wife Matilda as had originally been
assumed) and was completed around 1077, so just 11
years after the conquest. This clearly shows Norman
knights using their lances or spears over arm and
not crouched as was usual for later knights. It also
shows Huscarls with their two handed axes and less
armoured Fyrd and other less well armoured Norman
soldiers. The reality seems to be that most arms and
armour was interchangeable, with some Anglo Saxons
using kite shaped Shields and wearing helmets with
nasal guards.
The Norse, of course, are usually depicted with
long hair, mail coats and circular shields, waving axes
(unless they depicted as unarmoured or partially
naked mad men; after all one interpretation of the term
Berserk means ‘without a mail shirt’). However, most
 1066 & AFTER THAT

revolts were the length and breadth of England there is RIGHT

plenty of scope for setting them in your local area. As A suitable Viking
or possibly
I live in Kent only a few miles from Rochester with its Saxon painted
Cathedral and Castle both of which were planned and by Kevin
built by Bishop Odo, I decided to set my game during Dallimore.
the first revolt of 1067 on the basis that the Kentish
rebels may have inspired others outside of the Dover
area to revolt. I set the game on the Hoo peninsula
which juts out into the Thames estuary and is bordered
on one side by the river Thames and on the other side
by the River Medway. The peninsula was a known
stopping place for Norse raiders and was once the
location of a shrine to the Saxon Princess St Werburgh
after whom a local village is named.

THE PREMISE
Bishop Odo has given a local Norman Lord permission
to seize more land on the peninsula and having done
so he has instructed his leading Knight to begin
the construction of a fortification in a small town to
dominate the local area and show the Anglo Saxons
who’s in charge. The dispossessed Anglo Saxon

The Forces are as follows:

◗ Norman Garrison: 1 unit of dismounted Knights
without horses; 1 unit of Unarmoured Spearmen; 1 unit
of Crossbowmen.
◗ Relief Force: 2 units of mounted; 1 unit of Armoured; 1
unit of Unarmoured Spearmen
◗ Anglo Saxons: 1 unit of Huscarls; 1 unit of Thegns and
Coerls (armoured Spearmen); 1 unit of Archers; 1 Unit of
General Fyrd (locals with improvised weapons).
◗ Norse:1 unit of Huscarls; 1 unit of Hirdmen (armoured
warriors with swords, axes and spears); 1 unit of
Berserkers.
Lord has had enough and raising his followers he is
marching on the small town with its partially built fort OBJECTIVES
and its small garrison to take back his land. To boost The Normans want to hold on to the village and
his forces he has hired a shipload of Norse mercenaries drive off the attackers. The Anglo Saxons and their
to join him with the promise of loot. Meanwhile the allies want to recapture the village and drive off the
Norman Lord having been alerted to the presence of Normans.
Vikings off the coast is rushing to the aid of his men in
the town but will he arrive on time? SPECIAL RULES
Thus we have the setting for a four player game, but The fortification is only partially built, can hold a
it could easily be played by two or even three players, single unit and provides no more than soft cover: It is
with two players controlling the Normans and one the also crossable but counts as bad going so units lose ½
combined Anglo Saxon and Norse forces. of their move going over or through it.
The table needs to have the town with the semi The Norman defenders of the village are
constructed fort in one corner and a river running the unprepared for the attack and the Unarmoured
length of the table opposite it. Other scenery can be Spearmen and Crossbowmen are busy constructing
placed as player’s desire but basically the area should be the fort. So on the first move they must test to see how
mostly good going. One possible set up is shown above. they react: Roll 1D6

36 Miniature Wargames June 2022

REASON FOR SCORE 1 SCORE 2 OR 3 SCORE 4 OR 5 SCORE 6 The Norman Relief Force
TEST
UNIT NAME KNIGHTS HEAVY SPEARS LIGHT SPEARS
Gathering Panic Slow to Respond They Respond They React Attack 5+ 6+ 6+
Weapons Neither unit is 1 Unit gathers its 1 Unit gathers its Quickly
ready to fight weapons but will weapon and can Both Units gather Move 7+ 5+ 5+
not act until next act on this turn. their weapons and
Test again next turn. The other unit can act on this Shoot N/A N/A N/A
turn gathers its turn
Test again for the weapons but will Courage 3+ 4+ 4+
other unit next not act until next Armour 4 3 2
turn turn
Attack Value 3+ 4+ 4+
The Relief Force: This must test to see when it arrives and in what Defence Value 5+ 4+ 4+
order. Thus, on the first move Roll 1D6: Soot Value N/A N/A N/A
Maximum 10” 6” 8”
Movement
REASON FOR SCORE 1 SCORE 2 OR 3 SCORE 4 OR 5 SCORE 6
TEST Strength 6 12 12
Points
Arrival of No One Some Reinforcements The Whole Force
the Relief Nothing arrives Reinforcements 2 Units arrive and The whole force Special Rules Wild Charge and Cannot form Cannot form
Force this turn - Test 1 Unit arrives and can act on this arrives and can Counter Charge Schiltron Schiltron
again next turn can act on this turn – Players act on this turn but are rated as But are rated as
turn – Players choice. Experts so attack Experts so attack
choice. Test again for the 4+ 4+
Test again for the other units next
other units next turn
turn
Anglo Saxon Rebels
The Norse Mercenaries/Raiders: They must test to see when their UNIT NAME HUSCARLS THEGNS & GENERAL ARCHERS
CHEOLS FYRD
longboat lands and how they disembark. Thus, on the first move Roll
Attack 5+ 6+ 7+ 7+
1D6:
Move 5+ 5+ 6+ 6+
Shoot N/A N/A N/A 6+
REASON FOR SCORE 1 SCORE 2 OR 3 SCORE 4 OR 5 SCORE 6
TEST Courage 3+ 4+ 5+ 4+
Arrival of No One Landfall All shore Let’s go Armour 4 3 2 2
the Norse The longboat does The longboat The longboat The longboat
not arrive this arrives – The arrives – The arrives – The Attack Value 3+ 5+ 5+ 6
turn - Test again player chooses player chooses players chooses Defence Value 4+ 4+ 5+ 5+
next turn where on the where on the where on the
shore to land shore to land and shore to land and Soot Value N/A N/A N/A 5+/18
but no units may the units may the units may
disembark this disembark this disembark this Maximum 6” 6” 8” 6”
turn turn but will not turn and act Movement
act until next turn
Strength 6 12 12 12
Points
RULES FOR THE GAME Special Rules Ferocious Can form
Schiltron
None None
We used my own rules for the game but any suitable (Shield Wall)
rules can be used. I have set out information for all of the
forces using both Lion Rampant and Hail Caesar. Stats Norse Allies
for Lion Rampant are included below and the stats for UNIT NAME HUSCARLS HIRDMEN BERSERKS
Hail Caesar can be downloaded from the TTG website. Attack 5+ 6+ 5+
Move 5+ 5+ 6+
LION RAMPANT Shoot N/A N/A N/A
The Norman Force Defenders Courage 3+ 4+ 4+
UNIT NAME SWORDSMEN LIGHT SPEARS CROSSBOWS Armour 4 3 2
Attack 5+ 6+ 7+ Attack Value 3+ 4+ 3+
Move 5+ 5+ 6+ Defence Value 4+ 4+ 6+
Shoot N/A N/A 7+ Soot Value N/A N/A N/A
Courage 3+ 4+ 4+ Maximum 6” 6” 8”
Movement
Armour 4 2 2
Strength 6 12 12
Attack Value 3+ 4+ 6 Points
Defence Value 4+ 4+ 5+ Special Rules Ferocious Cannot form Ferocious
Schiltron Wild Charge and
Soot Value N/A N/A 4+/18 but is rated as Counter Charge
Maximum 6” 8” 6” Expert so attack 4+ against enemy
Movement on foot
Fleet Footed
Strength 6 12 12
Points
Special Rules Ferocious Cannot form None
HOW DID IT PLAY?
Schiltron Well, it was a close run thing. The player controlling
but are rated as
Experts so attack the Norman force which was defending the village

›
4+ decided that his mixed force of swordsmen, feudal

June 2022 Miniature Wargames 37

 unarmoured spearmen and crossbow men would ABOVE
be better off trying to defend a local church which The Anglo
Saxons Archers
had some low stone walls rather than partially built and general
fortification but then thought better of it and tried to Fyrd enter
get them to leave it and failed a succession of dice rolls village.
so they stayed there for most of the game. RIGHT
The Relief force arrived piecemeal due to poor The Anglo
dice rolls but the warlord and his first unit of knights Saxons Archers
let fly their
pressed forward and charged into the Anglo Saxon arrows.
Huscarls who were advancing on the village but
having taken casualties evaded back to rally. The BELOW
The Anglo Saxon
second unit of knights wanted to charge the Norse Lord orders
who had just landed but refused to move before his warriors to
being charged in turn by the Norse Berserkers who advance.
broke them and then pursued and charged into a unit
of Norman spearmen breaking them as well before

38 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 that the two packs, each of which contained nine foot
and a single mounted figure, originate in Hong Kong
but I cannot now find who manufactures them.
The buildings were scratch built using paper scenery
downloaded from the internet and adapted to size and
glued over foam core structures, whilst the fortification
was made using bamboo skewers and odd scraps,
whilst the wattle fences were made from cheap garden
fencing bought at a pound shop.
The game can, of course, be played in 28mm or
smaller scales and many companies sell suitable
Norman, Anglo Saxons and Norse figures including LEFT
Gripping Beast, Crusader, Conquest Miniatures, The Norman
Victrix Miniatures, Wargames Foundry and Footsore defenders of
the village try to
Miniatures to name just a few. There are also plenty of stem the Anglo
dark ages buildings in 28mm out there. Saxon advance.

running out of steam. However, the casualties they had ALTERNATIVE SETTINGS ABOVE LEFT
already taken meant that when other unit of spearmen The scenario can be played out across a number of The whole
Norse force
in the Relief force attacked them they were wiped out other similar settings. For Example: advances.
– but they had done their job having turned two of
Norman units into shaken mobs meaning they would ◗ The Norman Conquest of Sicily with the Anglo ABOVE
The Norman
have to rally before taking any more offensive action. Saxons and the Norse being replaced with locals and warlord leads
With this the Anglo Saxons pressed forward together Byzantine forces. his knights a
with their Norse allies and entered the village and ◗ Late Roman Britain, with the Normans replaced charge against
the Anglo Saxon
although the Norman Warlord had managed to rally by Late Roman Forces, the Anglo Saxons with Rebels.
two of his battered units and the Norman defenders of local Britons and the Norse with Saxon or Irish Sea
the village finally left the church, it was a too late and Raiders.
we decided that the Anglo-Saxons had regained the ◗ Outremer with the Normans replaced by Saracens
village whilst the Normans were forced to withdraw and the Anglo Saxons with Latin/Christian settlers
and perhaps return on another day. and the Norse with Genoese and crusader forces or
vice versa.
WARBAND FIGURES
The figures we used for our game were 40mm figures So, will the Anglo Saxons reclaim
mainly Sash and Sabre sold through Old Glory UK their lands, will the Norse get a DOWNLOAD
and some 40mm figures from Colonel Bill’s but these chance to loot and pillage or will THE MAP AND
HAIL CAESAR STATS
figures no longer seem to be available. Some time ago I the Normans triumph over their
tabletopgaming.co.uk/
was lucky enough to be given some pre-painted plastic enemies? Only the game and the information/downloads
40mm Viking and Saxon figures which simply needed a Gods of the Dice will tell: happy
“wash” to add tone and depth to the painting. I believe gaming! ■

June 2022 Miniature Wargames 39

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A raid for Albedo Combat Patrol
Words by Dave Burden. Pics by Dave Burden & Chris Abbey
A REFLECTION ON ALBEDO
ebble Park is a raid scenario for Albedo Combat

P
Albedo Combat Patrol 164 uses Buck Surdo’s
Patrol (ACP164) produced by Sally4th however card and dice based ‘Gamer’ engine: (Gamer is an
acronym for Guts, Accuracy, Melee, Endurance,
could readily be converted to another SciFi Reaction). It is also used in Combat Patrol – a WWII
skirmish ruleset, or a Modern Era. For example, system – and Feudal Patrol, a medieval/fantasy system,
a US Special Forces raid against a Libyan warlord or the which was reviewed in Issue 459. Ed.
SAS against a certain Argentine airstrip?... Similarly, it
could be used as the basis for a WWII game: the original
SAS against a Storch in the desert, perhaps. BACKGROUND
ABOVE
Rules wise, the scenario should convert readily to The aggressors are a strong section sized strike team A nice view of
something like Black Ops, Ultracombat Modern, or which has been tasked with blowing up a LARC (Light the LARC, with
Victory Decision Raid! It is also highly suitable for solo Airborne Rotocraft: think armed helicopter or dropship) EDF entering on
one side, and the
play, using either the ACP164 solo rules or your own which has been harassing the rest of their force. The ILR QRF on the
solo system. defenders represent the local security team, protecting other.
›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 41
 PEBBLE PARK

ABOVE
Close up of the
EDF Assault
Team: the
engineers have
berets.

RIGHT
Caught you! The
ILR guards run the helipad and local area from just such an attack.
into the EDF.
Can the raiders get to the LARC and blow it up – and
LEFT then withdraw safely, or can the defenders frustrate the
An ILR Security attack and eliminate the raiders?
Guard stands
at the ready
prepared to THE FORCES
deal out rough These are forces drawn directly from the ACP164
justice.
background.

EDF RAIDING PARTY

The Extra-Planetary Defence Force (EDF) raiding party
has been drawn from the troopers of Lupus Company,
3rd Battalion, 15th Armoured Infantry Regiment.
The group is being led by Lt Joutel, supported by Sgt
Delnite. Since this is going to be a night action Lt Joutel
has drawn her team from critters with good natural
night-vision, so no Equines or Avians.
The force has been split into three fire-teams: Assault,
Security and Support (or feel free to make up your own
mix).

◗ The Assault Team is led by Sgt Delnite, and includes

two demolition specialists. It is their task to get to the
LARC and blow it up.
◗ The Security Team is led by Cpl Holtyre and is
tasked with stopping the local security team with
interfering with the Assault Team’s task, and to cover
their withdrawal.
◗ The Support team is led by Lt Joutel and includes
a Missile Team and an LMG Team. They will stand
off where Lt Joutel can oversee the operation and
provide supporting fire where required.

42 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 ILR Defence Team STATS
GUTS ACCURACY MELEE ENDURANCE REACTION
Guard Unit G R 1 3 3
Guard Leader R R 1 3 3
QRF Unit E E 1 3 4
QRF Leader E E 1 3 4
MOVE Standard Hand Grenades Yes
(GUARD
FORCE)
ARMOUR Nil Rifle Grenades No
(GUARD
FORCE)
MOVE (QRF) -2 Satchel Charge No
ARMOUR Head/Arms/Legs -1
(QRF) Torso & Groin -2
TEAM LEADER EQUIPMENT
On-Shift Cpl Naphao 4 x ML199 (carbine)
Guard Force
Off-Shift Cpl Kaen 4 x ML199 (carbine)
Guard Force
QRF Lt Sakon OC (Lt Sakon), ML199
Sgt Nakhon 2Ic (Sgt Nakhon), AW191 (Carbine) + AW191 UGL
4 x ML199

THE TERRAIN
The (downloadable) diagram below shows the layout
of Pebble Park. Feel free to adjust the set-up based on
your available terrain. A 6ft x 4ft table is just about the
EDF Assault Team STATS right size, but 4ft x 4ft – or even 3ft x 3ft – should work
GUTS ACCURACY MELEE ENDURANCE REACTION just fine since the darkness (of the scenario) obscures
Unit R R 1 3 3 long range shots. You might want to try dialling the
Leader R R 1 3 3 ‘darkness’ up (and therefore the range down) from 12”
MOVE
to 9” or even 6” on smaller table.
-1 Hand Grenades Yes
ARMOUR
The LARC is on a raised landing pad. There is an
Head -1, Torso & Groin -2 Rifle Grenades UGL only
access ramp on one side (feel free to randomise which).
Satchel Charge Yes
The space around the LARC is relatively clear (it was
TEAM LEADER EQUIPMENT a rather stony park – hence the name). Buildings and
Assault Team Sgt Delnite 2ic (1-56), 2 x Demo specialists (1-56+satchel charge), spare cargo containers ring the pad, apart from the
2 x Rifle (1-56)
Security Team Cpl Holtyre 3 x Rifle (1-56), 1 x Grenades (1-56+UGL) one main entrance. A high fence has been erected to
Command & Lt Joutel Command Team: o/c (1-30), Radio/Runner (1-56) stop any missile attacks on the LARC, but that fence
Support Team Missile Team: PML, Loader (1-56) has been damaged at point X on the map and the
LMG Team: LMG (2-60), Loader (1-56)
bottom half can be scaled (a single storey obstacle) and

ILR GUARD FORCE

The Independent Lapine Republic (ILR) Guard Force
is also split into three teams: On-Shift, Off-Shift and
Quick Reaction Force (QRF).

◗ The On-Duty team, commanded by Cpl Naphao, has

4 soldiers out patrolling in two pairs in the streets
around the compound, each team with its own
activation card.
◗ The Off-Duty team commanded by Cpl Kaen has
a further 4 soldiers off-shift and sleeping. See
activation details below.
◗ The QRF team, commanded by Lt Sakon with 2Ic
Sgt Nakhon, are 6 superior troops (Elite in ACP164
terms), sleeping in their flak jackets and ready to
immediately counter any attack once the alarm is
raised. See activation details below.
›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 43
 PEBBLE PARK

climbed over. A way could be forced over or through

the other containers and fences but rather more slowly
and noisily.

DEPLOYMENTS
The EDF enter from anywhere along the left edge. The
EDF player must choose their team breakdown and
entry points before the ILR roll for deployment.
Roll a D10 for each ILR patrol to choose its starting
point, points 0-9 on the map, then roll D4 or D6 (reroll
5 and 6) for their facing. Roll a D6 for the off-duty team
and again for the QRF and put them in buildings A-F
as appropriate – ideally this roll should be hidden from
the EDF player!

NOISE ATTRITION CHART

NOISE MARKERS ACTIONS
1 Sprinting/running on a street. Opening a door. Silenced
gunfire. Instant melee-kill.
2 Climbing, grappling or jumping. Sprinting/running on
rough ground/ woods/scrub. Forcing a door.
3 Melee. Silenced automatic.
4 Pistol, carbine or rifle gunfire.
6 LMG, MG or other automatic gunfire, grenade.
NOISE ACTION RESULT
D6 ACTION
1 Turn left and draw card for movement distance (or 2D6
inches if not using ACP164)
2 Turn right and move as above
3 Turn about and move as above
4 Move forward as above
5 Stand still but scan 360 degrees
6 Move as above towards closest noise source, else
towards nearest enemy
7 Move as above towards latest noise source (else
GUARD MOVEMENT TOP
Some ILF
nearest enemy) until reached
Even in a two-player game the guard patrol should Security run 8 As 7 but Sprint
initially operate under automated control. Two possible forward to 9+ Roll D6. On 1-3 raise alarm, on 4-6 move/shoot and
reenforce the let partner raise alarm or raise on next activation. This
options are: perimeter fence. team is now under player command.

◗ Use ACP164’s own set of solo play rules and ABOVE

Lt Sakon and his
automated control of the opposition. Whilst this QRF.
could be used during the patrol phase the responses
are better suited to the open battle stage. ABOVE
Outside the park
◗ Use the “AI” elements of a set like Osprey’s Black the EDF Security
Ops which has a pretty good patrol and noise team is keeping
system, and this is what I used on my first run- the rest of the
ILR Guard force
through of the scenario, and it worked pretty well. buttoned up.
◗ Alternatively, if you want a quick and dirty option
then use the following simple approach inspired by
the Black Ops rule set:
• Add noise markers according to the Noise Attrition
Table below each time an EDF character makes a
“noisy” action.
• On activation each ILR two-critter patrol rolls
for its movement/action using the Noise Action
Result table below, adding a DM+1 for each
noise marker.
• Clear each noise marker as it is used as a DM.

44 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 Interpret turns etc sensibly given your layout and BELOW bonus on their night-time spotting ranges (so the carrot
troop position, e.g. move to next junction, turn, and A firefight can help... Ed.). The Lt Joutel and ILR QRF commander
breaks out at
move on to complete distance. the base of the should be given a basic Night Vision sight (Phase I-IV in
ramp. ACP164), but no one else in the EDF or ILR has them.
ALERTING THE DEFENDERS For added detail you can place some specific
Once a defender has sight of one of the attackers (see streetlights on the table, and – whilst in the
Night Vision rules below) then they must spend an immediate illumination of these (use the ‘Small HE
activation to raise the alarm. Patrols are assumed to template’ in ACP164) – a critter can be seen from full
have radios to contact the Guard Force off-duty shift illumination ranges.
and QRF. The alarm is also be raised according to the It is assumed that neither side has flares or illumination
patrol table on a 9+. grenades for the UGL or PML (a Carl Gustav equivalent),
The second patrol team comes under player but feel free to add these in if you want.
command on their next Activation after the alarm is Muzzle flashes show that something is there, but not
raised. The QRF can start activating on the next turn what is there. ACP164 lets firers fire at the shooter, but
as they should be sleeping with boots and flak jackets with a 2-column shift modifier – reflect this in your own
on. The Off-Duty shift is assumed to be taking it more ruleset if not already included (e.g. -2 Dice Modifier).
comfortably and starts activating on the turn after next. It is assumed that both the QRF and the EDF attackers
are trained to fight at night so don’t suffer the “skittish”
NIGHT OPS reduction for night fighting. The Guards are already
The whole operation takes place at night: assume Green troops so it has no further effect on them.
no moon (even assuming that the planet has one!).
However, the settlement does have some streetlighting CLIMBING & DROPPING
so it’s not complete darkness. (Eat more carrots... Ed.) Although the Park is assumed to be covered by a high
ACP164 has a good set of night ops rules and setting screen/fence to prevent the EDF just taking out LARC
illumination to the 25-74% range seems to give a good with a rocket there is a gap in the fence at X, at the 1
game (less than 25% just makes it too hard to spot storey level) where critters can climb up and over the
anyone, unless you are on a very small table). ACP164 lower section and climb or drop down the other side.
also gives those critters with good night vision a 50% Whilst the LARC pad has an access ramp the EDF

›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 45
 PEBBLE PARK

might want to try and grapple their way up to the BLOWING UP THE LARC
LARC rather than risk going up the ramp – and then ROLL EFFECT
drop down again (particularly if the charge is on a 2-7 Blows as planned, no more LARC.
short fuse!). ISO containers and the height of the pad 8 LARC had a full fuel tank, increase blast radius by 50%
are both assumed to be 1 storey. 9 Satchel slips. Blast radius halved but LARC destroyed.
Use the following rules for the various climbing 10 Some of the explosive fails. Blast radius halved and
related tasks (which extend the basic -2” modifier for a LARC repairable.
low wall or stairs in the standard ACP164 rules). 11 Fails to blow, need to reset timer
12 Dud, fails in such a way that cannot be reset

There is nothing to stop the EDF laying both satchels,

even with a different timer on each.
If the ILR gets to a satchel before it blows they can
try and get it away from the LARC. Since it is on a
raised platform just throwing it (1 full activation)
should be enough. Place the satchel 6+D6 inches away
if thrown from a height, 2+D6 inches if thrown from
the ground. Throw D6 and the satchel explodes on 3+,
treat as a Medium HE weapon (1.5” radius).

VICTORY CONDITIONS
There is no set turn limit, but – once the LARC is
destroyed, or all satchel charges have been used, or one
side has exited the table – then the game is over.

ABOVE CLIMBING CHART

The EDF set the
charges around ACTIVITY DIFFICULTY
the drop ship. Climb up or down 1 -6” or whole activation (whichever shorter)
storey
(assumes good
RIGHT holds or on rope)
The EDF support
team moves Throw grapple up 1 activation per attempt. Secures on a 6+ on D10
one storey Other team members can climb in same activation.
forward.
Jump down 1 -2” but draw 1 card. Take 1 Wound and Stunned if
storey. shows Leg Wound, or Stunned if shows Torso Wound.
Note: Critter can climb up and jump down in one ◗ EDF score victory points as follows:
activation regardless of movement allowance)
+10 for a fully destroyed LARC
DESTROYING THE LARC +5 for a partially destroyed LARC
In order to destroy the LARC an EDF soldier needs to +1 for each dead ILR rabbit
place the satchel, set the timer and get to cover before it -5 for each EDF critter killed or left alive behind
blows – and stop it being removed by the ILR. -2 for each EDF critter with a serious wound but
It takes 1 complete activation to place the satchel taken off table
and set the timer. The player sets the timer in terms of
how many Turn Ends before the charge blows, from ◗ ILR score victory points as follows:
1 to 4. This should be noted but hidden from the ILR -10 if the LARC is fully destroyed
player. -5 if the LARC is partially destroyed
The EDF player’s critters then need to put a safe +3 for each EDF captured (even if seriously wounded)
distance between themselves and the LARC. The blast +2 for each dead EDF
radius is 8” – treat everyone within that as being hit -3 for each dead QRF member
by Large HE. At the designated turn end roll 2D6 and -2 for each dead Guard ILR (rabbits are cheap!)
consult the following table: -1 for each ILR critter with a serious wound

46 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 Whichever side has the most points wins. A margin ABOVE critters pushed away from their explosives. One of
of 10 or less counts as a marginal win, as does an EDF The charges them, nursing a wound, thought better of the fight and
are set: tension
score of less than -10 even if a win. mounts as jumped off the platform and ran for cover. The second
there's just one fought bravely on but succumbed in the third round.
HOW IT PLAYED more End Turn
card until they
The ILR threw the satchels to safety. EDF suffered four
The write up from the original play-through as part of the blow! losses, ILR took five, but an ILR victory as the EDF
first lockdown Almata Campaign can be found on my failed to blow the LARC.
blog but I will give a brief summary here.
Lt Chapais (the EDF commander for that night) LET’S TRY THAT AGAIN...
made the mistake of keeping her support team well In the next playtest Lt Joutel had taken over command.
back on a high building – that then failed to have a Her teams quickly made it to the boundary road, but
clear field of fire almost all game! After losses on both then the over-zealous PML team dashed across the
sides the EDF finally got to the LARC. A random road, crashed through a building door and raced up to
throw then showed that the EDF needed 2 activations the roof. That was enough to alert an ILR guard who
in undisturbed contact with the LARC in order to set just happened to be approaching the boundary road.
the charges and then blow it (my original but probably The EDF quickly struck back but the alarm was raised,
unrealistic method). The demolition team got one even though all four patrol guards were soon dead.
activation, but needed one more. But the ILR QRF had The Assault team rapidly crossed to the gap and
managed to kill two EDF critters. started climbing the fence. The QRF had a late start
Chapais was now forward giving covering fire, but arrived in the Park about the same time as the first
however she was wounded trying to hold them back of the Assault team dropped to the ground. The rest
but then: the one she was giving covering fire to ran of the Guards seemed to be having a lie in, and the
out of ammo and he was soon down too. Two ILR Security team was by their door by the time they tried
rabbits dashed forward up the ramp, and charged into to come out! A battle royale was underway around
the EDF critters setting the explosives. The first round the LARC between the QRF and the Assault team. The
ended ‘one all’, but the second round saw both EDF Security team moved to the gateway to help but the
›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 47
 PEBBLE PARK

ABOVE Guards finally got their act together and soon had Cpl facing off against the Support and Security teams
The LARC blows! Holytre’s team pinned. respectively, and whilst the Assault team managed to
The objective is
achieved but at Lt Joutel brought her PML up with a wonderful shot leg it to the foot of the ramp without incident. As they
what cost? Well down the road at the Guards – but it catastrophically arrived there, the QRF came into the Park and got a
it all depended misfired and was useless for the rest of the game! One second activation and started to bring rounds down on
on which run
through and how of the Assault team finally managed to get up the the EDF critters... Very different games.
they each played ramp and set the satchel charge. Lt Sakon was almost
out... last-rabbit-standing and made a fanatical charge at Sgt CONCLUSION
Delnite and felled him with one swipe, but the EDF As ever ACP164 gave some really interesting, fluid and
Security team was finally moving and shot Sakon in the highly narrative games. The Albedo setting is also a nice
back. Everyone legs it for the fence, the satchel goes off way of dodging the unease that some people have with
early, but luckily body armour absorbs most of the bast. playing modern-period games (especially at the moment...
The LARC is destroyed, and the EDF killed all but Ed.): it’s as “realistic” in mechanics as any ultra-modern
one of the ILR, but lost four of their own, with three ruleset out there but it’s only bunnies that get hurt (well
wounded, so it was only a marginal EDF victory. so the EDF say!). Even if you’re not an anthropomorphic
fan, consider playing the scenario with Buck Surdu’s
THIRD/FOURTH TIME’S THE CHARM... original Combat Patrol (a WWII version of the ruleset),
A third playtest saw the ILR patrolling right on the or a more stealth orientated ruleset like Black Ops.
boundary road, and despite EDF attempts to sneak The scenario is hopefully well balanced, and there
around behind them someone must have kicked a can are enough random factors in there to
as the patrol heard something and moved in one action even make it worth a replay or two.
onto the EDF position. In contrast, a fourth playtest
saw the EDF get all the way to the wire and it was only LINKS DOWNLOAD
as the fourth member of the assault team dropped to The Author’s Blog: newconverj. THE SCENARIO MAP
tabletopgaming.co.uk/
the ground that the alarm was raised. blogspot.com/2020/05/raid-on-pebble- information/downloads
The ILR had a patrol on each side of the park, park.html. ■

48 Miniature Wargames June 2022

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RECCE B O O K R E V I E W S F O R T H E D I S C E R N I N G WA R G A M E R
REVIEWS

THE GERMAN BATTLECRUISER

SMS DERFFLINGER
SMS TORPEDOBOOT A-III
THE FLETCHER-CLASS
DESTROYER USS STEVENS
(DD-479)
◗ Marsden Samuel and Garry Staff, Oleg THE BATTLESHIP USS
Pomoshnikov, Waldemar Goralski CALIFORNIA
◗ Kagero Publishing (2020) (via Casemate ◗ Witold Koszela
Publishers) ◗ Kagero Publishing (2020) (Casemate Publishers)
◗ £26.95 – £28.95 ◗ £18.95
◗ 89 (Derflinger), 57 (A-III) and 73 (Stevens) ◗ 22 pages (softback)
pages (softback) ◗ ISBN:9788366673090
◗ ISBN: 9788366673052, 9788366673120, ◗ casematepublishing.co.uk
9788366148994
◗ casematepublishing.co.uk or kagero.pl

I have reviewed all three of these This is a Polish-English publication

books together as they all follow the with both English and Polish text. It has
same format although they vary in the a half page, potted history of the USS
number of pages. There are also other California (Tennessee Class battleship)
ships available in the Super Drawings in both languages and then the rest of
in 3D range. the book consists of line drawings of
All books contain a technical aspects of the ship with both English
description, construction details and and Polish captions. The line drawings
potted history. Derfflinger’s service cover items such as the forecastle,
record is more substantial than the other gunnery, cross sections of the ship,
two but in general the length of the text command station and anti-aircraft
reflects the size of the vessel and the armament and main armament among
page count. many other views. There are two A2
The bulk of the content is 3D pictures sized sheets with line drawings of the
of the ship both overall and in expanded whole ship, some in colour giving the
detail of many aspects of the ship, all in paint scheme in 1944. This is replicated
colour. Everything from exploded views on the back of the book for both 1944
of guns and ships’ boats to loading and 1945.
bays, turret arrangements, rudder drive The text is superficial so do not
shafts and engines, to mast and funnel look for a detailed explanation of its
locations. There is also a single A2 sized operational history, especially as it was
pull-out. For the A-III class torpedo boat sunk at Pearl Harbour, raised and not
the detail of the interior of the bridge back in combat until 1944. The book
is especially interesting and surprising would be very useful for the modeller
that the other ships do not have this as (Trumpeter do a model of the California
it is the command centre of any ship. in 1/700th scale) and for readers who
That said, this book is recommended for love this sort of scaled drawing and
the specialist, model ship collector and exploded view but it seems to be a niche
modeller rather than the general reader. interest which perhaps explains its price.
Martin S. Pike Martin S. Pike
 Courcelle. Monochrome reproductions
of illustrations of light infantry uniforms
and campaign scenes are distributed
throughout the text. There are, however,
no diagrams showing light infantry
deployments, nor any maps.
Twenty-four tables display information
such as Company/Squadron Structure
in 1784; the Demi-Brigades of the First
Formation and the Second Formation,
1796-1803; Formation of Light Infantry
Regiments in 1803; Light Infantry
FRENCH LIGHT INFANTRY Regiments Formed 1808-1812; Chasseurs
1784-1815 a Pied, Garde Imperiale, 1804; Tirailleur
Signals, 1811; the Tariff for General Effects,
◗ Terry Crowdy
8th February 1815, and Battle Honours on
◗ Helion & Company (2021)
the 1811 Standards.
◗ £29.95
Wargamers will particularly appreciate
◗ 174 pages (softback)
CAVALIER CAPITAL ◗ ISBN:9781914059780
Chapter 4, Light Infantry Tactics, in which
quotations from contemporary sources
◗ John Barratt ◗ helion.co.uk
are used to explain both petite guerre
◗ Helion (2021)
operations and battlefield skirmishing
◗ £25 Number 76 in the Reason
techniques, “with a development from
◗ 184 pages (softback) to Revolution 1721-1815
independent skirmishers, acting almost as
◗ ISBN:9781914059551 series, subtitled ‘From the Chasseurs of
snipers … to great masses of skirmishers
◗ helion.co.uk Louis XVI to Napoleon’s Grande Armee’,
covering the advance of attack columns,
offers readers a concise, yet detailed
operating as a cordon in extended order,
account of the origins and development
using ‘buddy systems.’”
of light infantry in the French army of
In ‘Battlefield Skirmishing – in Search
the Ancien Regime from the eighteenth
of a Doctrine’, the author first examines
The author is a leading expert on century, through the Revolution to the
the pre-Revolution ideas on light infantry:
the Royalist cause in the English Civil Napoleonic Wars, the Restoration and the
Mes Reveries by Marshal Maurice
War (1642-46), and here describes the Hundred Days’ campaign of 1815.
de Saxe, Guibert’s Essai general de
impact of that conflict on the Royalist A useful two-page Glossary of French
tactique, Mesnil-Durand’s Fragments de
capital of Oxford. and Technical Terms and political and
tactique, and the provisional field service
It is an engaging account – part military chronologies precede the main
regulations of 5 April 1792, “the apogee of
military, part civilian – with helpful text. There are separate chapters devoted
ancien regime military thought.”
maps, including one of the later Civil War to the King’s Army, the Wars of the French
He uses extracts from Duhesme’sEssai
defences overlaid on the modern street Revolution and the First Empire. Chapter
sur l’infanterie legere to follow developments
pattern, and with his customary mix 5 describes the uniforms and equipment
during the War of the Revolution and
of well-written text plus extracts from and Chapter 6, Lilies and Eagles, the light
discusses General de Division Scherer’s
contemporary letters. There are chapters infantry colours.
instructions of 1793. From the Napoleonic
on the garrison, fortifications, munitions The author also describes the practice of
Wars he offers Colonel Guyard’s Eclaireur
production, and (briefly) the Oxford field detaching voltigeurs from their battalions
instructions of Year XIII (1804/5);
army’s campaigns in 1643 (Chalgrove), to form ad-hoc advanced guard units or
Duhesme’s Voltigeur instructions for
1644 (Cropredy Bridge) and 1645, plus elite battalions of voltigeurs reunis and
his division in 1805; General Morand’s
the fall of Oxford once all realistic hope discusses why the French army never
Manoeuvres pour une compagnie de Tirailleurs
had gone. As elsewhere in England, widely adopted rifles, concluding that
ou de Flanquers, which so impressed
several leading citizens backed the “the two most important characteristics
Marshal Davout that he sent it to his
wrong horse and lost their all in support of the French tirailleurs were speed of
infantry division generals in October 1811,
of the King. The relationship between movement and rate of fire” neither of
ordering them to exercise their troops in
Town and King was varied: military and which were enabled by rifles.
that manner; and a system published in
financial support became more difficult Twenty-four pages of colour plates
1823 by General Rapp’s ADC, Colonel
as the war wore on and townsfolk in the centre of the book contain
Schneider, who “confirms that no one system
became more reluctant. reproductions of contemporary depictions
of skirmishing survived the Napoleonic Wars.”
Another very readable account by this of light infantry; two plates showing the
An excellent examination of French light
author: he brings to life the people and 1791, 1802, 1804 and 1812 patterns of light
infantry and their tactics for Napoleonic
business of the period, and the peculiar infantry colours; and six full page, modern
wargamers.
stresses of civil war. illustrations of officers, men, a drummer
Chris Jarvis and a partisan chief of 1814 by Patrice Arthur Harman
›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 51
 REVIEWS

to be employed. Indeed, I don’t believe he

would be any use.’
In March 1813, however, he appointed
Robinson to command the 2nd Brigade
of Major General Andrew Hay’s 5th
Division, which he did until the end of
the war, being promoted to Major General
himself in June 1814 and receiving a
campaign medal with clasps for Vittoria,
San Sebastian and the Nive.
Robinson was then posted to
America, where he commanded the 1st
Brigade of Sir George Prevost’s army at
the Battle of Plattsburg in 1814. When
Prevost was recalled, to face a court
martial, Robinson was appointed interim
Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada;
THE ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE IN WELLINGTON’S AMERICAN his final appointment in 1816 was
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN GENERAL Governor of Tobago.
◗ Norman Ridley ◗ Nicholas Fogg A seven-page Postscript, ‘Upwards of
◗ Pen and Sword (2021) ◗ Amberley Publishing (2022) Fifty Years of Faithful Service’ summarises
◗ £25 ◗ £20 Robinson’s life after being relieved of the
◗ 275 pages (hardback) ◗ 288 pages (hardback) governorship of Tobago until his death in
◗ ISBN:9781399010382 ◗ ISBN:9781398102590 1852, aged 88, the longest serving soldier
◗ pen-and-sword.co.uk ◗ amberley-books.com in the British Army.
Forty-eight black and white illustrations,
Intelligence has to meet three aims: Subtitled The Oldest Serving Soldier in the bound into the centre of the book, cover the
acquisition, interpretation, and effective British Army, this biography of Frederick American Revolution, the Peninsular War
usage. The author demonstrates how the Philipse Robinson, based upon his and the War of 1812, and life in Tobago.
British and Germans addressed these unpublished journals, will interest those They include portraits of ‘Mad Anthony’
aims in the Battle of Britain in 1940. who wargame either the American Wayne, Benedict Arnold, Charles ‘No Flint’
It is an intriguing story with a wide Revolution, when 90he served as a Loyalist; Grey, John Cradock, Wellington, Thomas
range of components. Radar, allied to the war against Revolutionary France in the Picton, James Leith and Sir John Hope;
an integrated air defence system, was West Indies; and the later Peninsular War paintings of Burgoyne’s surrender and the
the single most important factor, but from 1813 or the War of 1812, in both of Storming of San Sebastian; a plan of Fort
was barely just ‘fit for purpose’ by which he commanded an infantry brigade. Griswold; prints of Peninsular War battles
mid-1940 – in itself almost a miracle, Robinson also spent part of his career on from Jenkins’ Martial Achievements, the
with the difficulties of interpreting the Recruiting Service, rather than return Battles of Lake Champlain and Plattsburg;
radar plots and Observer Corps reports to the West Indies, where his health had and photographs of Fort Royal Martinique,
in a timely manner, up the command been severely affected, when promoted Burgos and the bridge at Tordesillas. Sadly,
chain and then back down again to the 32nd Foot in Santo Domingo. the dustjacket colour portrait of Robinson is
through Group, Sector and ultimately In 1800 he was promoted to brevet not reproduced inside the book.
squadrons. Enigma intercepts were Lieutenant Colonel and two years later There is only a small map of Spain,
rarely of any use operationally due to was appointed Inspector General of the showing Peninsular War battles, and the
delays in decryption. Both sides had Recruiting Service for the London District. Forts and Batteries of Plattsburg from
petty infighting between departments In 1810 he became a Colonel, which rank Lossing’s Pictorial Field Book of the
– but the Germans were dominated by was too senior for him to continue in his War of 1812. Most readers will probably
intense rivalries, unwillingness to share role and motivated him to return to active possess other books with appropriate
information, over-optimistic analyses service and full pay. maps. There are five pages of Notes, a one-
to suit Goering’s desires, and a belief in Colonel Robinson embarked for the page Bibliography and an index.
supremacy of equipment and pilots. Peninsula in August 1812 and began to I recommend this new biography
The author’s style is somewhat keep a daily journal, quotations from which for Robinson’s shrewd observations on
repetitive, but this is a fascinating profile describe his experiences en route to join military matters and his vivid descriptions
of two opposing systems and the vital Wellington’s army at Burgos, just as it was of the places and people he visited when
importance of science and analysis in forced to retreat to Portugal. Wellington on campaign to anyone interested in the
warfare. wrote in December that ‘General Robinson characters of Wellington’s senior officers.
Chris Jarvis might as well be ordered home as he is not Arthur Harman

52 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 with the weapons and tactics of the armies
and details of battles: Naseby, for example,
is described in only three paragraphs
occupying about half a page.
Seven monochrome maps include
full-page diagrams showing the territory
controlled by the contending parties in
September 1643, Montrose’s campaign
in Scotland, 1644-45, and battle sites in
England and Ireland, 1644-49. Four small
maps on one page show the territory held
by the King and Parliament in May 1643,
September 1643, November 1644 and
November 1645. There is only one battle
map, depicting the campaign and battle
of Preston in 1648. Twelve small black and
white portraits are placed within the text.
THE WILD EAST THE FALL OF CHARLES I Nineteen colour plates – all but one of
◗ Ian Hernon ◗ Jane Hayter-Hames them portraits - many already familiar to
◗ Amberley Publishing (2022) ◗ Amberley Publishing (2022) readers interested in the period, are bound
◗ £10.99 ◗ £20 in a section in the first half of the book.
◗ 320 pages (softback) ◗ 320 pages (hardback) An eight-page appendix offers the main
◗ ISBN:9781398109100 ◗ ISBN:9781398108080 points, abridged by the author, from The
◗ amberley-books.com ◗ amberley-books.com Newcastle Propositions; The Case of the
Army Truly Stated; The Heads of the
Proposals; Four bills passed by Parliament
As someone who’ll watch endless A useful eight-page List of Characters on 14th December 1647; The Engagement
repeats of afternoon TV ‘Westerns’, my precedes chapters which describe events between the King and the Scots; The
picture of America in the mid-late 19th before Charles Stuart became king that Remonstrance of the Army to the House
Century is one of gunfights and sudden shaped him and his reign: the accession of of Commons, and The Agreement of the
death out West. In fact, as the author James VI of Scotland to the English throne; People. Sixteen pages of endnotes, an
shows, authenticated killings were low, the ‘King James’ Bible; the powerful eight-page bibliography and an index
towns quickly became civilised, and men and a few aristocratic women who conclude the book.
the most dominant factor was probably influenced him; the differences between This is definitely not a book for those
boredom – hence the need for legends. the English and Scottish parliaments, and wishing to study the weapons, uniforms,
The real ‘killing zone’ was the cities his way of ruling the three kingdoms, and colours and drills of the opposing
in the East, where successive large-scale the early life of Charles, who only became armies, seeking details to assist them in
waves of poor European immigrants heir to the throne on the death of his older devising rules, recreating campaigns and
led to major civil unrest, including brother Henry in 1612. engagements, or for those who just want
significant armed conflict between The following chapters describe to fight miniature battles without much
police/militia and the mobs. The author Charles’s early reign and his decision concern for the history.
chronicles the sickening lynchings to rule without Parliament; his rule in Wargamers, however, who want
(often accompanied by burning the Scotland; Thomas Wentworth in Ireland; to better understand the background
victim to death), exacerbated by racist the Bishops’ Wars and the Irish Rebellion to their tabletop English Civil War
pronouncements by leading citizens and in 1641. battles, to learn why the government
indeed lawyers. Fear of under-cutting of The King’s departure from London, of the three kingdoms collapsed and
wage levels, combined with appalling the Edgehill campaign and events war broke out and gain some insight
housing and employment conditions, up to Marston Moor are followed by into the personalities and motives of
police corruption, and (in the later descriptions of the emergence of Oliver the protagonists will find this book
years) the protection rackets and other Cromwell; the victories won by him and is a thoroughly researched, yet very
organised crime, raised the murder rates Montrose; the creation of the New Model readable, single volume history, offering
to extraordinary levels. Army; Naseby and Philiphaugh, and the Scottish and Irish perspectives on events
I can’t quite conceive how you’d Royalist collapse occupy only fifty pages. in addition to the English one that has
create a wargame out of this, but this is a The author then examines the captivity tended to dominate in works focussing
most compelling story of the darker side of the King, his trial and execution on military matters. For such readers, it is
of the growth of the USA. and the constitutional issues raised by very good value.
Chris Jarvis Parliament’s victory. She is not concerned Arthur Harman

53 June 2022 Miniature Wargames 53

 REVIEWS

Admiral Edward Gueritz (OC Amphib.

Ops. School) and Major General Glyn
Gilbert (OC Joint Warfare Establishment).
Churchill was played by Brigadier
Page, Assistant Commandant of RMA,
Sandhurst. Dr. David Chandler was
responsible for the War Diary. Several
civilian wargamers, including Donald
Featherstone and Andy Callan also
assisted with the umpiring.
PADDY GRIFFITH’S The game was run as an umpire-
WARGAMING OPERATION controlled kriegsspiel, as used by the
SEALION Germans to help plan their successful
◗ John Curry & Paddy Griffith invasion of France in 1940 but not
U.S. CIVIL WAR ◗ The History of Wargaming Project (2021) used to wargame Operation Sealion in
◗ Iain MacGregor ◗ £13.19 (Kindle edition £9.99) from Amazon UK its entirety. The umpires’ conclusions
◗ Osprey (2022) ◗ 144 pages (softback) about the outcome of the game,
◗ £7.99 ◗ ISBN:9798510671469 and hence the likelihood that the
◗ 128 pages (softback) ◗ wargaming.co projected German invasion would
◗ ISBN:9781472850119 have succeeded, were unanimous.
◗ ospreypublishing.com Subtitled The Game that Launched This is the story of that game, assembled
Academic Wargaming, this large format from scattered material on old computer
book is a comprehensive account of hard drives, hand-written notes (some
a wargame of Operation Sealion, the in German), correspondence at the time
planned German invasion of Britain, at and the archives held by the History of
the British Army Staff College, Camberley, Wargaming Project. It includes previously
in 1974 by Dr. Paddy Griffith, who was unpublished material such as briefings,
then a member of the teaching staff of the analysis, guidance for umpires and post-
This nifty little A5 landscape-format Department of War Studies at the Royal game reflections. Richard Cox’s account
book gives a thumbnail sketch of 30 Military Academy, Sandhurst. It was of the game – published in the Daily
engagements – including several naval intended to be a serious piece of academic Telegraph Magazine No. 497 in May 1974
ones – in the American Civil War. historical research and was ground- – is also reproduced with footnotes added
Each has four pages, with an artist’s breaking in its use of a wargame to explore by Paddy in 2009.
impression (from the corresponding a contested area of military history. The Wargame Developments Game
Osprey main title), a couple of Paddy assembled a team of subject at the Conference of Wargamers in 2008,
illustrations of men or equipment, and matter experts from Britain and Germany designed by John Curry, is also included.
around an A4 page’s worth of text. to run a wargame to explore what Its Guidelines for Umpires will be of great
Actions range in size from 3rd Day would have happened if the Germans assistance to readers wishing to stage
Gettysburg, to Glorieta Pass with a few had launched their planned invasion of this wargame, or any other recreation of
hundred troops per side. Britain. To umpire and play in the game, Operation Sealion, for themselves. The
The text is sometimes ambiguous, he used combat veterans with senior one-page Selected Bibliography lists
so some actions are a little difficult to command experience, some of whom had ‘some of the most significant primary and
follow, but overall this gives a wide been involved in the events of 1940. secondary sources as a guide to further
sweep of the war in an attractive (and The German experts included Adolf reading.’ There is no index however an
well-priced) format. However, there Galland, the Luftwaffe ace, who had appendix contains Paddy’s Debrief Notes
are no maps and no outline orders of commanded a wing of Me 109 fighters on on his later Sealion Game at the Imperial
battle, which limits severely its value to the French coast; Admiral Friedrich Ruge, War Museum, Duxford, in April 2009.
wargamers. Bearing in mind that most in 1940 Commodore of the Kriegsmarine’s In the opinion of Peter Perla: “The
of the engagements have been culled minesweeping flotilla in the Channel; resulting analysis of the Sealion Wargame is the
from other Ospreys, it should have Admiral Dr. Schunemann, the German most authoritative assessment yet produced of
been possible to substitute a small- Defence Attache in London, and General the prospects for this titanic and consequential
scale map, plus a simple table showing Heinz Trettner, who had been a member hypothetical struggle.”
numbers of troops by arm of service of General Student’s staff in 1940. Wargamers with any interest in
and the losses, in lieu of the minor The British experts were Air-Chief Operation Sealion or in wargaming as a
illustrations in each four-page slice? It Marshal Sir Christopher Foxeley Norris tool for research will definitely want to
makes a useful painting guide though. (OC 2AT AF) who had been shot down purchase this book!
Chris Jarvis twice in the Battle of Britain; Rear Arthur Harman

54 Miniature Wargames June 2022

 7+( 1(: <28

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Website updated
HOBBY TIPS

THE WHITE CHURCH

Wargame terrain inspired by The Silver Bayonet
Words and images by Tony Harwood

ay back in 2011 I found an image opening. In addition, I cut into the cardboard MATERIALS USED

W of a paper or card model kit of a

small Greek Church and I thought it
would make a great piece of scratch
built terrain. My model was originally started
many years ago, but sat unfinished until quite
or foam to model the distinctive deep set
window openings.
The structure was sanded until I had the
finished shape with slightly rough, rendered
wall finish. The damaged areas or exposed
◗ Corrugated cardboard
◗ Blue foam
◗ DAS modelling clay (DAS
White and Terracotta)
◗ Plastic egg (for the dome)
◗ Card
recently: in fact, until I needed a small church blue foam stone areas were cut into with a ◗ Hot Glue Gun
for a Silver Bayonet scenario. Rather than start scalpel and further detailed with a sculpting ◗ Ready-mixed filler
◗ Plastic card/rod
from scratch I decided to finish this small White tool or pencil. More sanding and adding thin
◗ Dried bark
Church or Cemetery Church. layers of both DAS and ready-mixed filler ◗ PVA Glue
Construction started with a sketch and further refined the shape while the roof section ◗ Milliput
corrugated cardboard cut to shape and then to the front was constructed from thin chips of ◗ Gesso
glued together with my hot glue gun. The dried bark, stuck in place with PVA glue and ◗ Metal urn (for decoration)
distinctive dome was constructed from a plastic further detailed with more DAS.
egg with more cardboard glued in place to refine The window openings, door and small
the ‘bullet nose’ shape before being finished recessed 'urn area' to the front were modelled
with both Terracotta and standard White DAS from thin strips of plastic card and detailed with
modelling clay. While the curved or arched roof small slivers of the same. The urn was a metal
sections were constructed from more blue foam casting that I found in my ‘spares box’. I used
cut to shape with a scalpel. a small amount of Milliput Standard Green/
I then added even more DAS to the main Grey epoxy putty to add detail to the exposed
surfaces, but kept some areas as just blue foam stone and hard edges before giving the model a
as I wanted to model these sections as damaged couple of coats of home-made Gesso. This gesso
or exposed stone areas as seen on some images was a concoction of ready-mixed filler, PVA glue
of similar Greek Churches. I also added the and acrylic paint which was applied in layers
sloped or buttress seen on three of the sides, and sanded smooth when fully set.
while the fourth had a simple porch and door I’ll complete the build next month...
›
June 2022 Miniature Wargames 57
 HOBBY TIPS

1. GENESIS 4. PROVERBS
A simple sketch was drawn The distinctive dome was
up from an image I found on built over a plastic egg and
the internet. strips of card, and then refined
with DAS modelling clay to
The inspiration for this build produce the ‘bullet shaped’
was a card kit of a small dome which was then glued
whitewashed Greek Church. in place on the roof top.
However I did conduct
further searches and found Blue foam was used to model
images of a similar ruined the curved or arched roof
church on the island of sections on the rear and side
Naxos, Greece. walls. These arched sections
were cut with a snap-off
bladed knife and sanded to
shape.

2. NUMBERS 5. ACTS
Simple cardboard box Layers of Terracotta and White
structures and layers of DAS were used to plaster the
corrugated cardboard glued walls. The initial layers went on
in place with my hot glue quite roughly, but were then
gun soon had the basic sanded and further refined with
shape defined. more DAS.

The octagonal roof area and To allow for drying, this

bell tower to the front were process was built-up over
modelled from corrugated time and following the images
cardboard and thick found on the internet.
mounting card.

3. LAMENTATIONS 6. CHRONICLES
I then added thin layers of The exposed areas of the
5mm thick blue foam to damaged wall sections (blue
some of the edges and clad foam) were first cut into with
most of the structure in strips a scalpel and later ‘opened up’
of torn newspaper glued in with either sculpting tools or
place with PVA glue. the point of a pencil.

The blue foam areas would I tried to sculpt some rough

later be cut and carved to uneven stone layers, rather
mimic cracked plaster and than aim for a more uniform
exposed stone areas, seen in design.
reference photos.

58 Miniature Wargames June 2022

7. ROMANS
The rough stone roof to the front
was modelled from cut down dried
tree bark, glued in place with PVA
glue and then smoothed and filled
with more DAS and Milliput
epoxy putty.

8. CORINTHIANS
Windows and door detailing were
modelled from plastic card and
the metal urn decoration was
modified from a metal casting, I
found in my ‘spares box’.

In this image, you can see the

plastic card base that I originally
modelled for this church, however
this large base was later removed
and replaced with something a
little more trim.

9. REVELATION
The modified Small White
Church was given a number
of layers of home-made gesso
comprising of ready-mixed
filler, PVA glue and white tube
acrylic paint.

The White Church is 245mm x

230mm (buttress to buttress)
and 195mm tall (to the top of
the domed roof).

In part two, I will show how I

painted and finished this piece of
terrain which after sitting on my
‘to-finish’ list eventually found
a new life as a piece of Silver
Bayonet inspired terrain.

June 2022 Miniature Wargames 59

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■ BLUEPRINTS ■ RARE PHOTOS ■ STATS ■ 3D ILLUSTRATIONS This lavish 164-page guide to the tanks of

TANKS
WWII covers everything from the light tanks
of Japan in the Far East, to the British tanks
of the Western Desert Campaign, PLUS the
Soviet tanks on the Eastern Front and the
OF WWII range of Panzer models deployed by Nazi
www.militaria-history.co.uk • Winter 2021 • £9.99
SPECIAL COLLECTOR’S EDITION
Germany throughout the war.
Your guide to 178 tank
models, variants and
prototypes from the This special collector’s magazine is split
global conflict
into handy sections such as famous tank
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tank battles of WWII and tank media.

Beautifully illustrated with colour

photographs throughout, this is your
ON SALE guide to 178 of Allied and Axis tank
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 THE LAST WORD

Editor of Miniature Wargames sister magazine, Tabletop Gaming.

Chris offers his thoughts on the journey back to wargaming
used to play Warhammer, in what is nearly a token game; this part of the hobby is one that

“I but…” is how nearly and 300: Earth & Water is a card

“I no is mostly about dismissing the
everyone explains their driven cube-shuffler about that longer see fog of war: tabletop wargaming is
entry into the hobby to me, war. They’re great, but it certainly wargaming still seen as the more complex and
whether it’s an interview with a triggered something in me more serious end of gaming by
board game or RPG designer for looking for something purer: I just
as a the masses who have entered the
Tabletop Gaming magazine, a needed the excuse. separate hobby, not through Terminators
friend, or simply someone who has And that excuse stems from part of the on a space hulk, but through
got wind of what I do for a living my love of roleplaying games, asking if you’ve got wood for
at the pub. That entry usually in particular the death metal
hobby, and sheep in Catan. But the truth is...
starts with a goblin, or a tyranid. OSR game MÖRK BORG. While instead have it’s not: it can be as dumb as you
As a kid I would very I’ve yet to play the game with merged need it to be to have fun.
inexpertly make Space Marines miniatures, the community Which is to say that I’ve
with my grandfather (who around the game churns out a
what was enjoyed the obviousness of
probably accepted this was as massive number of modules, already miniature wargaming and I now
close as we’d get to doing Airfix hacks and add-ons. It feels a little a blurrily feel that direct connection it has
models together), paint them bit like what I imagine getting to roleplaying games. The clarity
badly – or not at all – then set up a first edition of Dungeons
designated of choices comes through the
a battle with a friend and then, & Dragons and the organic line between measuring and actions you take –
probably, not play it properly. community that sprung from that. the board your range is your range... maybe
Or not at all. Thinking about From this roleplaying game has the terrain has got in the way
Warhammer 40,000, and reading sprung a wargame, Forbidden
and a of your archer’s shot, or you’ve
the fiction around it through the Psalm, which contains many of battlefield.. ” got to take the long way round
various rulebooks and codices, the mechanics of the roleplaying to engage in combat. It feels
was almost more fun than game, but simplified down even like an almost abstract puzzle
making, painting and playing the further to focus on hitting stuff. on this level. The questions of
game. The Third Edition book Most importantly, the rise of solo whether it’s best to charge in, or
was filled to the gills with little wargaming as something the try and flank creates a lot of fun
snatches of lore, stories, and hints hobby is focusing on (in the sense moments. As does getting things
at the wider machinations of the that it’s become more accessible wrong, or indeed, letting the dice
Imperium. This core rulebook was and better produced) means every do their jobs. This is the second
written from the point of view scenario offers co-op and solitaire part is the injection of chaos that I
of the Imperium itself, which play. This, and the potential associate mostly with roleplaying
obviously allows for a lot of dark enticement of games like The games. The way a monster AI
humour and bathos amongst the Silver Bayonet, drove me toward can surprise you, or simply
buzzing of chainswords. I enjoyed finally gathering together what I amusingly bad rolls can leave
the odd, and sometimes unloved, considered to be my all-purpose- you scrambling for a new plan.
Mordheim, for a while too. But fantasy-warband. I no longer see wargaming as
that all eventually faded away. And it’s been great. I’ve a separate part of the hobby, and
I love war-based board games, painted all of the 15mm (isn’t it instead have merged what was
wareuros (war-eurogames) exceedingly cheap?) metal models already a blurrily designated
are some of my favourites. For (let’s skip the glue) to an entirely line between the board and a
example, Rurik: Dawn of Kiev acceptable amateur standard, battlefield. My only fear at this
offers action programming and and now can whip through an point is that I keep checking out
area control in the wars of the 10th evening of solo wargaming with different kinds of armies and
century Kevian-Rus; Undaunted whatever rules I find online or scales to play at. I guess that’s
gives us deckbuilding-and-dice even on these pages. The return to how it gets you… ■

62 Miniature Wargames June 2022

NEW RELEASE – BULLDOGS!
RULE BRITANNIA!

In the far future, there are many

suns that never set on the British
Empire or at least on the Imperial
sons and daughters that make
up the Bulldogs team. One of the
stars of the Death Fields Circuit,
the Bulldogs is a combined team
formed from abductees taken
from the shadow of Isandlwana,
the banks of the Somme, and the
streets of Arnhem.

This box set includes enough

parts to build 24 hard plastic
soldiers that can be equipped
with standard infantry rifles, light
machine guns, assault rifles,
plasma and flame weapons,
grenade launchers, and pistols.
Four headgear choices allow you
to customize your forces.

24-figure box set

$34.95/£25
facebook.com/wargamesatlantic DESIGNED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POND

VISIT US AT WWW.WARGAMESATLANTIC.COM