Sunday, August 28, 2011

Is that a Werewolf Paratrooper?


Based my Infinity figures and painted up a few more. Decided on a doing simple base for them as I got annoyed trying to do something special.
Ariadna, together forever

Autocannon's are fun

Margot, Shes French and is a Paratrooper

Duroc, He's a werewolf and he jumps from planes

Chasseur, French and sneaky

Scots Grey Rifles, Scottish and looks like Bob

Vet Kazak, Space Cossacks!

Monday, August 22, 2011

CTA 2011 Lasalle


Call to Arms was a 4 game tournament last weekend. I took part in the Lasalle competition with my 1815 Prussians. We had a good mix of armies, 1806 Young Guard, Peninsular French, 1806 Prussians, 1815 Prussians, Light Division British and Guards British.

I didn’t get enough time for fully finish 4 of my units as I only had 5 nights to paint due to the models arriving on the Monday. I did get them to gaming standard but couldn’t find anything to cut the lances down so my Landwehr cav had long lances which became a danger when moving (sharp brass rods).

First game was against Cam and his 1806 Prussians. These were 1:72 scale plastic figures. It only became odd looking when the units close. Fun game, we both dropped each other’s army down to breaking point but none of us would break. Game ended in a draw due to random game length ending on turn 20.


Second game was against Simon’s British Guards with Brunswick support. My first move I sent my Cav around the left flank while I took up position in the centre with my cannons supported by 2 units of line. My right was my weak spot. Only 1 line unit and 1 landwehr unit held it with a unit of landwehr cav there to try to slow down the attack. The idea was the smash through on the left while avoiding his large Guards units threatening my centre. It worked!

Third game was against Bryan’s Young guard army. He took the infantry support choice so had a huge amount of Valiant infantry. I has rolled up a poor tactician for my Cav commander so wasn’t able to break his flank like I did vs Simon. He was slowed down by my delaying tactic on my right but still had enough units to push through and seize the objective.

Fourth game was Vs Paul’s French with Dragoon support. It was a new mission where 3 objectives were placed in the centre and the winner was who held the most objectives at game end. I split my infantry in 3 groups to attack each objective. My left was average by centre was weak and my right was strong. To help out the centre I deployed my cannons. My Cav was deployed to cover the left or centre as needed. Paul started with a bit of bad luck. I hit him hard with my Landwehr cav destroying two infantry units who failed to form square in time but losing the Landwehr cav in process, a fair trade. My right easily took and held the objective there freeing up a landwehr cav and landwehr infantry to assist the centre. A few good rolls on the left saw a breakout of the stalemate their putting Paul below strength and failing his break test.




I really like Lasalle as a game. All games had a great narrative. It was never a case of walk forward and roll dice. There was lots of manoeuvre, delaying tactics and exploiting where I was strong. All things I think represent the period very well.

I also think the Prussian Army is a fun force to play. It has a good mix of units here is what consists of an 1815 force for Lasalle:
2 Line Battalions (Rated a Reliable/Experienced/SK2)
2 Reserve Battalions (Rated as Reliable/Experienced/SK2 in 1815)
2 Landwehr Battalions (Rated as Unpredictable/Amateur/SK1)
1 Landwehr Cav Squadron (Rated as Shaky/Amateur which is the worse Cav in the game)
1 Foot artillery battery of 4 guns (1 Howie, 3 cannons)
If attacking I get another Line Battalion and andother Landwehr Battalion.

In support which is organic (starts on table):
2 Landwehr Cav Squadrons (Rated as Shaky/Amateur)
1 Dragoon Squadron (Rated as Reliable/Experienced/Pursuit)
1 Hussar Squadron (Rated as Valiant/Experienced/Pursuit)
1 Horse artillery battery of 4 guns (1 Howie, 3 cannons)

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Landwehr? Land every where!

Call to Arms Lasalle is over and done with. I came first. Very tired and will just post some pictures and talk about it later.




















Thursday, August 18, 2011

The night before CTA

Well I foresee very little sleep tonight. Unlike my peers down south I didn't get any snow days and was forced to paint during the evenings to get my army completed. The figures I needed to complete my Call to Arms Prussian army arrived on Monday of this week.

5 nights to get 16 cav figure painted, a 25 figure strong infantry unit and a 4 gun cannon battery with crew.

Looks like I am a day short. They have been washed and ready to highlight but I need to spend tonight basing them.

Well all in all a good effort. Will have pictures up tomorrow night of the days battles.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Painters block

I really should be finishing off my Lasalle Prussians but I just can't get motivated. I decided to paint a few more infinity figures keep me busy.






Monday, August 8, 2011

To Infinity and beyond!

Taking a slight break from painting my Prussians I decided to paint up some Infinity figures. First on the painting board is a test figure to see if I like painting urban camo.


Turned out alright I guess. Not to sure what to do with the bases.


Saturday, August 6, 2011

Fracas, Bring back the Bish

Just got back from Fracas. I came first with my South African Bishop delivery system. Over the 5 games I only dropped 2 points. 2nd was Dominic with his German Pioneers and 3rd was Rob Groom with his Luftwaffe field company (who I beat 5-2 in the final).

The day started  at 4:45am with a drive up from Wellington to Wanganui. One extra strong coffee later I was ready to go.

Game 1: Was against a Jason's Luftwaffe field company supported by 2 Stug Fs and a single 88 in FFA. Front armour 7 is tough to crack but a charge from the slow moving Bishops saw lots of 1s rolled by the Stugs. I only lost 5 Bishops and won 6-1

Game 2: Was against Rob T's Africa Panzerspah in No retreat. He had loaded up and captured 25pdrs but had to attack me in no retreat. He assaulted my Independent team blob willing my staff team and my 2IC with an armoured car platoon and their CO. An 8 gun Bishop ambush left nothing but smoking wheels. The rest of the game saw his only other armoured car platoon try to defeat 8 Bishops and failing while his artillery failed range in checks. 6-1.

Game 3: Was against Damian Tyson who I had hitched a ride with so I had to be nice, we played FFA. He destroyed a Bishop platoon but I killed all his Romanian Tank platoons except for 1 T3. 5-2 to me.

Game 4: Was no retreat vs Derrick's Luftwaffe field company supported by 3 Stug D's, Pak38s and mortars. Lots of love from the ambushing Bishops killed off his Stugs with the Paks soon to follow suit. 6-1 to me.

Game 5: Was FFA vs Rob Grooms Luftwaffe field company with Pak38's and an artillery battery with 75mm infantry guns. It was tough and I lost a Bishop battery. Afterwards we did the math and no matter the result and both of us would be in the top 3.

Fracas was a 600pt tournament. It was played on 4x4 boards with FFA and No retreat with some modifications to the deloyment and objective areas. Lists were Mid war and had the following restrictions:
Minimum of 1 combat platoon
Minimum of 3 platoons total
No top armour 2 tanks allowed
No fleeing platoons of the board edge

My list was a South African Rifle (Transvaal Scottish Regiment) company from North Africa.

HQ with Sticky bombs (RV)
Rifle Platoon, 2 squads (RV)
Machine gun Platoon, 1 section (RV)
Royal Artillery (SP), 2 troops each with 4 Bishop SPGs (CV)