Garibaldini in 15mm

One small addition to the 1859 Risorgimento project makes it way off from the painting desk.  This twelve figure battalion will be fielded as the 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment or Cacciatori delle Alpi or Garibaldini.  Each of the alpine regiments fielded two battalions and were part of Garibaldi's famous Red Shirts.  With the mustering of the 2 Rgt/1 Bn, three such battalions can now make their appearance on the table.

At the Battle of Varese on  26MAY1859, three regiments or six battalions of the Garibaldini faced off against the Austrians under Urban.  The next day, another clash between these two forces occurred at the Battle of Fermo.

As the other battalions before it, these figures are Battle Honors' ACW figures pressed into service as Cacciatori delle Alpi.

The Lead Pile underwent a slight reorganization last night specifically focused on the 1859 project.  This activity not only included reorganizing the boxes of lead but also comparing the bits in boxes against the campaign OB.  While the campaign did not witness a preponderance of cavalry, I did discover that the project could use more cavalry.  Especially lacking are Austrian Uhlans.  Of course, I have not begun to consider the French, yet!

Now, I am not particularly fond of Old Glory's cavalry for this period and many of the Austrian horsemen appear in the later 1866 uniforms so more Old Glory horse is unlikely.  The Mirliton cavalry are quite nice and large while the Freikorps are smaller but still satisfactory.  Based on a suggestion from another gamer, I may look into both Rank & File and Essex.

Another vendor of which I have seen no figures, is Lancashire Games.  Lancashire offers a range for the 1859 campaign and I placed a small order to sample their wares.  My order was shipped the day after ordering so the small package should be in my hands in about one week.  Very quick turn-around and very friendly and helpful communications from the owner.  Always exciting to receive figures from a new manufacturer, is it not?  To me, certainly!

Digging through The Lead Pile prompted me to pull more figures for this project and queue them up.  Besides a handful of artillery limbers, only a few foot battalions were added thus far in 2014.  With this rummage through the lead, I feel motivated to return to the project.  Opportunity knocks.  Two battalions of Austrian infantry and three more Austrian limbers and teams are awaiting their turn at priming.  With weather turning cold, I ought to begin thinking about laying in the primed lead for the winter.  Cavalry should be in the queue too.

A Tale of Two Cedars

Receiving the latest from GMT Games recently, I drew a little inspiration from Dickens as I re-examined my ever-lengthening wargaming journey.  With the release of GMT's Twin Peaks, an old battle gets a new face.  One of the battles in the sixth volume of GMT's Great Battles of the American Civil War (GBACW) series refurbishes the 1981 edition of Cedar Mountain.  The GBACW must be one of the longest running wargame series seen.  Richard Berg began in 1976 with Terrible Swift Sword.  I began my series' journey with the 1978 big soap box game of Bloody April.  Even with space at a premium in a small apartment on campus, I had Bloody April mounted up on my wall so that I could game it PBM.  Anyone remember the old days of PBM and using stock quotes published in the Wall Street Journal as a random number seed?  Boy, we have come a long way.  

Being a subscriber to Strategy & Tactics magazine in those days, Cedar Mountain arrived in S&T86 in 1981.  GBACW series has undergone numerous changes throughout its history and through several publishers.  Early adopters to the system would unlikely recognize most of the system today. 

The battle of Cedar Mountain, has been an ACW battle that has interested me since the arrival of that S&T magazine 33 years ago.  Thirty-three years ago?  Wow, hardly seems possible that thirty-three years have passed under the bridge since that day in 1981 when Cedar Mountain first arrived.

Cedar Mountain has likely been replayed on my gaming table more than any other battle for any period.  I still pull the S&T from the shelf and give the game a whirl on a regular basis.  The battle has been refought in 15mm multiple times and in 10mm multiple times.  My last 10mm miniatures participation game is documented on the blog (see BatRep).  The fields of Cedar Mountain are often a starting point for new rules trials too and are well trampled. 

In a map comparison, the old Simonsen map still looks pretty good.  Pleasing to the eyes and both high ground and woods are easily discerned.  By the width of Cedar Run on the S&T map, I figured the waterway was a significant obstacle.  When I visited the battlefield in 2012 (see Cedar Mountain Walk), I was surprised how little water was flowing through.  Of course, much could have changed in 150 years but, still, I was surprised.

Cedar Mountain game map S&T86

Looking at GMT's map of the battle in contrast, it seems as if the S&T map was condensed vertically to fit the battle within a single map allowing space for all of the game charts.  Even though the scale of the game is the same at about 120 yards per hex, distances on the GMT map are much greater.  When I stood at The Gate, I was surprised by the distance between it and the Crittenden house.  On the S&T map, it did not look so far!  How will these distance differences alter my time/space relationship to which I have grown so accustomed?  Time will tell.  In any case, the GMT map is quite handsome but no rail fence surrounding the wheat field?  In the old game, that was a good defensive line to take.  

Cedar Mountain game map GMT

The counters have been given a significant face lift too.  From the functional but drab counters in the original, the gamer is treated to an explosion of color and information on the new unit markers.  I never cared much for icon counters.  Facing just looks odd.  A battlefield, seen from above, ought to display regiments from a birds-eye view.

S&T86 Countersheet

Twin Peaks' Countersheet

Rules wise, that evaluation must wait until I have been able to spend time reading and working through a few examples of the game mechanisms.  Perhaps, if a VASSAL module materializes soon, I will be able to give it a try.

The components of the new version of Cedar Mountain are quite inviting but there is comfort in looking into the face of a weathered, old friend.

British Rifles from Elite Miniatures

One more battalion to add to the 28mm Napoleonic Project.  This time, a battalion of Elite Miniatures' British Rifles.  The 95th musters out with 12 figures deployed in open order with two separate skirmisher markers.  With the exception of the command, the riflemen are in one of three poses: firing, advancing at the ready, or advancing reaching for ammo.  As with other Elite figures, these evoke a caricature style with a fair bit of artistry in the sculpting.  I like them!

Enough spare Elite figures may remain to field one more 14 figure battalion but I will need to check.  Were these purchased in a lot of 24 or 30?  A mounted officer was also present in the bundle so he ought to make it into the painting queue too.  A mounted officer in riflemen kit would make a suitable Light Brigade commander or perhaps an ADC.   

Secret Santa Ideas...

I signed up for Ian's (The Blog with No Name) Secret Santa exchange and one suggestion to the participants was to publish a Wish List.  Although this is my first year to participate, in years past, Secret Santas were expected to comb the recipient's blog for clues to finding that special gift idea.  That is a fun exercise and a way to get a glimpse into a fellow blogger's tastes.  I am in the midst of that review process now for my randomly selected recipient.  For those participating in this activity, posting a Wish List would be a great aid for your benefactor. 

For me, ordering figures is one of the many pleasures of the hobby.  Sitting down with catalogs (or tablet) in hand and agonizing over exactly what to order is quite enjoyable. Drafting a list, changing my mind, redrafting, pondering regiment composition, thinking of something to add, and changing the product mix to a proposed purchase order is great fun in and of itself, no?

With that in mind, I welcome my Secret Santa to sift through my blog and identify an item.  With many diverse interests, the blog provides a target-rich environment for any number of interesting gift ideas.  For additional guidance, below is a sample listing of vendors and suggested ranges for consideration.

But, on the other hand, if my Secret Santa wants me to agonize over choice then how about consider giving a Gift Card?  Not only is the time and expense of postage avoided but I get the added joy of drafting the list.

Many distributors offer Gift Cards.  A Gift Card from any one of the vendors listed below would be most welcome.  My suggested vendors and ranges from which to choose are, in no particular order:

Eureka Miniatures USA - 18mm SYW Eureka (Austrian or Prussian) and 18mm AB early Napoleonics (French Austrian, Russian)
Brigade Games - 28mm early Napoleonics
Brigade Games even offers its own Gift Registry.  Who knew?  I only discovered it this afternoon.  Nifty idea.

Quick Reaction Force - 15mm 1859 Franco-Austrian War.
Old Glory 25s - 18mm Blue Moon FIW Hessian foot, SYW Prussian foot; 25mm Spanish-American War.
Aventine Miniatures - African elephant.

Fall Cycling on the Palouse

Side-stepping wargaming for this post and turning outside to cycling.  With the return of Pacific Standard Time on Sunday comes the loss of an hour of daylight in the afternoon.  Cycling outside after work will quickly become an activity foregone.  Except for weekends, stationary, indoor afternoon cycling will soon become de rigueur.   To enjoy afternoon cycling before the sun is lost with the approach of winter, I headed out on the bike for one of the last weekday, afternoon ride of the season.  Of course, I will be out on the bike on weekends as long as the weather cooperates.

Today's ride sees me on a 25 mile loop out onto the Palouse and then back into the city.  Palouse?  What is the Palouse?  The Palouse is generally defined as a region of rolling hills in southeastern Washington and north central Idaho dominated by fields of wheat and lentils.  The rolling hills remind me a bit of Tuscany.  Spokane can broadly be defined as the northern boundary of the Palouse although some might argue against that delineation.

Back to the ride.

Residing on the southern boundary of the city, open roads are only a few minutes away and my cycling almost always begins in a southerly direction.  The rolling terrain can be a leg breaker on a long, hot summer afternoon but today with temperatures in the mid 60s F, a pleasant day, indeed!  

Farmland at outskirts of Spokane

Typical Palouse rolling wheat fields
punctuated by farms

Still heading south

More farmland as the road turns down into a canyon 

Not only rolling wheat fields!

Open road as I drop into a canyon

One of the many golf courses in the area

Six miles later, another golf course.
Yes, I must climb up the plateau to reach home.

The climb begins

Back on top of the plateau.
Home and hot shower in six more miles.

French Artillery for the 1799 Project

Finally!  After nearly half a year, a few more figures for the 1799 project made it to the painting desk.  The last figures to see the brush in this project were two Austrian grenadier battalions back in May (see Austrian Grenadiers).  The 1799 project is coming together at a leisurely pace which is all right with me.  While the project is focused on the Italian and Swiss conflicts with the Suvorov led Russian/Austrian coalition, I imagine using the Austrian and French in battles in the earlier northern Italian campaigns of 1796-1797.  Recently having re-read parts of Boycott-Brown's excellent Road to Rivoli, makes me long for another refight of Rivoli.  Fought Rivoli on more than one occasion and it was good fun every time.   

Like all of the figures thus far in this project, the French artillery are AB Miniatures.  Dozens of French artillery from the primary 15mm Napoleonic project could have been pressed into service for the earlier conflicts but that would not do.  Although this would have saved some effort, I really thought the project deserved French artillerymen in bicorne.  Something about bicornes for these earlier campaigns I simply find appealing.  Austrians in casquets are cool too, right?  

Now, Austrian artillerymen wore bicornes throughout both periods so I could get away with using the existing Austrian guns for this project.  My thought is to maintain some integrity within the 1799 project and field AB guns and crew for the Austrians as well.  Probably time for a small order to Eureka USA.

Land of the Free: Thoughts on 15mm Play

Having finished the first games of Land of the Free (LotF) and the review (whew!  reviewing is hard work), I plan to give the LotF a test with my 15mm AWI collection.  Since each of my line battalions consist of around 360 men (ratio 20:1 with 18 figures plus mounted officer) on a 2.5 inch frontage, the given LotF musket range of 12" in the game would equate to over 400 yards if kept the same!  Point blank range would correspond to an actual range of over 100 yards.  To me, a better solution is to replace the Units of Measure (UoM), inches with centimeters.  That results in the 12 cm musket range now representing about 170 yards with point blank only reaching to 42 yards.  Those ranges are more believable and switching from inches to centimeters is easy.  All measurements remain as before only in a different UoM.  Some new measurement sticks will be needed but that is also easy.

Still need to select a scenario for the 15mm test run.  To hopefully get some inspiration and ideas, I pulled the collection from the shelf and opened the boxes.  Besides, I need to remember exactly what I have.  It has been a very long time since these models have seen the light of the game room!

15mm AWI Collection

American Box 1

Germans (mostly)

American Box 2

British

Many of the figures are split between Frontier Miniatures and Jeff Valent (the old Washington's War range) with a few other manufacturers added in.  I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the Frontier figures especially the Hessians.  Great figures even by today's standards.  There has always been a soft spot for the German contingents.  Germans were the first regiments I fielded for the 28mm AWI project and Von Mirbach, Von Rall, and Von Donop were the first three regiments painted for the 15mm AWI Project back in 2000.  Perhaps, I will use the Germans in the scenario?  What about Knyphausen's attack at Chadd's Ford at Brandywine?  Should not be too big a battle and one that I could resolve solo.

This exercise might be a good opportunity to try Fields of Honor, American War of Independence rules by Shane Lacy Hensley.  These rules have been on the shelf for many years.  Simple mechanisms derived from Hensley's colonial rules, Fields of Honor.  Read many times; played none.  Using multiple rules for the same battle can often provide interesting insight into both.  A compare and contrast activity might be on the agenda.

Suggestions for a test scenario?