Longwoods 2022

 

Although the reenactment at Longwoods Conservation Area was over a week ago, I'm just now getting around to blogging about it. Cheers (Three!) to the Royal Scots Light Company for getting this going again!

Beth and I set up camp on late Friday afternoon, but did not stay the night. We live about a half hour's drive away and went home for our night's rest. When we came back Saturday morning, we received reports that it was really cold there. It also rained some on Sunday morning. What can I say? By the end of the day, the canvas of the tents and fly were almost dry... almost. 

The day's schedules for Saturday and Sunday were almost identical. (I had Sunday off and my church council insists that I take my time off.) The "battle" took place in mid-afternoon each day. According to long tradition, the Crown wins on Saturday and the Republic wins on Sunday. Often the actual battle of Longwoods is reenacted on Sunday, but not this year. Sunday's numbers were down and a barricade could not be set up for a battle of Longwoods reenactment. We still burned powder and had fun.

Some battle photos (courtesy of Steve Zronik)

The Crown Fifes and Drums prepare to march on.
I cannot tell you how much this group adds to the event.
At the end of every battle, the lament for the dead is played by the fifes.

The gun crew of the ship, The Earl of Mora
Efficient and effective!

You've heard of the "fog of war"?
Here it is.

Glen announces the battle for the crowd.
He is a long-time member of the Royal Scots Light Company.

Sergeant Jaquie of the IMUC
(the Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada... it was a real unit)

His Majesty's Native Allies and Caldwell's Rangers on the field

The Canadian troops of the Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles.
Historically, these were full-time troops who were to serve only in Canada.

John and Jordan show proper skirmish form - one loaded and ready while the other reloads.
Jordan is kitted out as a "pioneer", soldiers who cleared the way for the column,
cutting brush with axes, brush hooks, and similar tools. Hence the leather apron.

Gun crews from the Nancy and the Royal Artillery.

The line gives fire!

Marty, our lieutenant-colonel-commanding, addresses the US troops at morning drill.
His uniform is for the US 2nd Artillery.

Major Phil and the Canadian Volunteers (Canadians serving the US Army)
backed by the soldiers of the 22nd.

A contingent of the US Rangers oppose the Crown skirmishers.
These folks are usually fielded as the British Indian Department, but when numbers are needed
on the US side, they'll cross over.

Tyler, the first sergeant of the Croghan's Company, 17th US Infantry, gives fire!

Nick and Caitlin of the 17th at the ready.

Nick fiddles while Caitlin stands ready.
I'm offering helpful suggestions behind the firing line.

Croghan's Company, 17th Infantry gives fire!
(Tyler, Kevin, Nick, Caitlin, and Andy with me as wandering officer)

A few individual shots...

I have no idea why Andy was loading all by himself. No idea at all.

Beth, my wife, who is the real brains of the outfit.

Robb and Mark... serving as US Rangers.

Kim ("Many Strings") of His Majesty's Native Allies

Marty and Alex at the skirmish line.

Mike of the 21st Infantry holds the line.

Phil takes a hit. I originally thought he had really hurt himself!

Randy, showing proper form with a musket.

The Canadian Volunteers and the 22nd reload.

Croghan's Company, 17th US Infantry

21st US Infantry (Marcus, second from the right was "on loan" from the 17th)

A better look at Jordan's kit as a pioneer corporal

"Home, Jeeves! I have shenanigans to plan and execute!"

Our eldest, Wren, gives a 'thumbs-up' and a grimace.

Your humble blogger in his new plume/hackle

Well... I'd... rather not ask. 

"I isn't dead yet. Not quite."

Lot's more when on, but this is just a selection of the photos available to me. More reenactment to come!

Silver Bayonet Co-op

 

    That appeared to be the proper way to get your attention.

    In any event, since I've had a few days off now that the Easter weekend is over, my wife, Beth, and I decided to play another game of The Silver Bayonet, Osprey's "game of Napoleonic horror" (as if war wasn't horrible enough I suppose.) It adds a heavy dose of cinematic horror to the era of the Napoleonic Wars. We set our game in that little side event of what's known as "the War of 1812." I hear it's forgotten in Europe, ignored in most of the USA, and celebrated in Canada.

     So we set up the game, using Beth's Lenni Lenape (Delaware nation) warband and my squad of US troops. It was a "cooperative game" where we were in competition rather than contention. We didn't use the cooperative rules from the game... 'cause we didn't. Our common mission was to free two sisters (whom Beth declared to be the Austin sisters, Jane and Cassandra) from captors of unknown numbers and powers. We entered the table on opposite sides and went from there.

The US team - Officer commanding, pioneer, rifleman, occultist, investigator, infantryman, & scout

The Lenape warband - Sachem (in red cap), rifles, and medicine woman (gesturing)

Note: Not EVERYTHING dangerous is SUPERNATURAL.

     My advance was slowed by a band of rough terrain and a small hill. Beth entered with then band moving up a hill and receiving a shower of rocks from the edge of the forest. They encountered both a clue (a note from one of the women saying there were four bandits and a nasty cult leader in the house ahead) and a band of "Little People" from Iroquois legend, the Rock Throwers. One or two of the group were hit by rocks before they returned fire with rifles and the shaman charged the Little People and fought hand-to-hand with one for two turns.

The main Rock Thrower (Paymaster Miniatures) flings a few at the Lenape.
(Blue Moon, Trent, and Prince August miniatures)

The shaman attacks the Rock Throwers. His silvered weapon was of no use since the little guys
have an allergy to cold iron. Some of the smaller figs are old GW "snotlings." The bingo chip
denotes a wound. (We've developed a better system.)

Headed for the house with one bandit facing them.
(The white scrap of paper indicates he's fired his musket,
and yes, we're adopting a better system,)
Beth's figures are marked and named.

This is how the Rock Throwers made their presence known.

     On my end of the table, I was moving slowly, impeded by some rough ground. I headed to the house and two more bandit exited and began to exchange fire with my team. My rifleman returned fire. Eventually the fourth bandit - who had gone out for water or beer or something - came up behind the rifleman and wounded him. The rest of my team rushed the house, and the Kentucky scout and the Pioneer confronted the bandits directly.

The US force, with its newest member, occultist the Rev. Heldooser (in black)
begin their entry.

The captain and an infantryman (Old Glory and Wargames Factory)

From Beth's perspective... as the rough ground slows the advance.

Because I won the initiative a number of time, I moved first and had to split the unit as per the rules.

Lousy bandit!!

A GW Warhammer fantasy figure - Empire militia
with two pistols

As the rifleman reloads, the sneaky bandit fires.
He actually ran off at the end of the game.

    The rifleman downed one of the bandits and the scout dashed past him to get to the door of the house. My Pioneer attacked the bandit with his axe and a melee ensued.

Bandit vs. Combat Engineer while the Kentucky scout opens the door.

Bandits in the murk! I might have put my finger over the flash. Yeah, that's the ticket!
(The one figure might be a deserter from the Glangarry Fencibles although I don't know the
manufacturer. The other is an Dixon FIW ranger I believe.)

Infantry (Wargames Factory) and the Rev. Heldooser (RAFM)

My supernatural investigator passes the dead bandit.

To the house!

     When my scout entered the house, he was faced with the leader of the bandit's cult, a Possessed, and as they began to struggle, the Possessed breathed Demonic Fire on the scout, burning him badly but not killing him. The Pioneer soon took out the other bandit and joined the fray in the house. Meanwhile the Medicine Woman attacked the bandit on Beth's side of the house. My officer soon came up to join the melee and the bandit was "dispatched" as it were. Two warriors broke down the door on their side and fired into the back of the Possessed and he soon died, although he burned my scout to within one point of his ending!

My officer fencing with the bandit. Don't mess with the Regulars!

The bandit before he was attacked by everybody.

The overhead view from Beth's private Zeppelin. The d6 was there to count the turns,

More of the same,

The melee at the house door with the Austin sisters revealed on the second floor of the house.

The sachem and one warrior added their weight to the melee in the house. The body on the ground
in that of the Possessed. One nasty character.

     Beth's shaman proved his worth by enchanting one warrior's rifle thereby negating the injury deduction on the Possessed stats. That did the trick and he was done in by the Lenape warriors. They saved the day and Beth gets the credit for rescuing the Austin sisters.

With the Possessed laid out on the ground, the Lenape warband prepare to escort the sisters
to safety. The Kentucky scout was badly burned and would probably be taken home to his family,

The Austin sisters (Bad Squido minis) look with disgust toward their place of captivity.

The Lenni Lenape save the day!

     We're still learning the rules and we thoroughly enjoyed this cooperative game. With a little adjusting and finagling, a cooperative game can be played. I hope to battle my son again when he can make it down to our house.

     The game is well thought out and can be adjusted for varying time periods, like the French-and-Indian wars or the American Civil War. I've seen versions for the Russo-Japanese War and the wars in Japan. I'm thinking of adapting the rules (without the supernatural stuff) for a skirmish game based on the sci-fi novel, Dune. Time will tell.

     I hope you all can enjoy whatever gaming you usually enjoy!

A Little More of the Same

 I can't always take time to blog. My ministry keeps me somewhat busy... and I'm also lazy. So there.

None-the-less, I continue my interest in the game of The Silver Bayonet. I continue to collect figures appropriate to that game, like the French skirmish team I'm about to showcase. So far, my family and I have put together squads for Austria, Prussia (1807), Great Britain and Canada, the USA, the Lenape people, Irish rebels, Cryptids-and-Things-That-Go-Bump-in-the-Night, and now Imperial France. I have a small box of unemployed Janissaries, so who knows?

This is not Marshal Ney. We wouldn't waste a Marshal of the Empire
on cryptid hunting. He probably ranks as chef de bataillon or such.
The figure was a gift from my friend Ralph.
I really like the look of him.

Troops and specialists:
Flanker Grenadier of the Guard, Infantry fusilier, Sapper,
and a Haitian occultist.

Troopers:
Grenadier of the Old Guard, a young junior officer, and a line grenadier.

A close-up of the occultist.
He's in a "stable jacket" with wild trousers.
Someone remarked that the skull is massive, even for a Vudu implement.
Maybe Yorick was a large guy?

Troopers and specialist:
Line Voltigeur, Artilleryman, Sergeant of voltigeurs, Supernatural investigator
The majority of these French - Warlord plastics - were a purchase
at the Hot Lead convention a few weeks ago.
The grenadiers, the junior officer, and the sapper were bought there as well
but I saw this inscription when I looked under the base - "Stadden." 😁
The investigator is Trent Miniatures.

Death Shroud from Reaper Miniatures
I liked the look of this weird thingee and I'll find a place to use it.

Last but not at all least, the storied Mothman!
My eldest and a friend of their's are fascinated by Mothman stories.
I picked up a GW gargoyle and made some wings.
I've since redone the wings, making them more "moth-y."
I've also ordered a critter from Reaper called "the Fly Demon" who
will make a far better Mothman than my meagre skills could dummy up.
More on that when it arrives,

Since I based my Irish rebel crew on the British list, I'm thinking of using a Galloglaich figure as the "Highlander." Some Sweeny in a mail shirt and broadaxe should fill the bill. What do you think?

All for now. It's Holy Week and Easter is busy enough... plus I've a wedding to witness on top of it all!

Happy Easter to anyone reading who celebrates it and a lovely Spring to all!

Geez, it's deep here!

 

Had I know that the water was this deep here, I'd have worn my big boots!

The Silver Bayonet is a deeper dive than I expected, especially considering the breadth of folklore, legend, and myth of the entire world! I remain amazed that almost anything could be included for the Napoleonic powers to fight, even including themselves!

Well, from the painting table to the podium...

An Austrian Grenz Infantryman in the white coat
Why not? Note he still has his red cloak on top of his pack.
(Perry Miniatures)

The Irish legendary hero, Cú Chulainn in the middle of
his "warp spasm" (Gaelic: ríastrad) which changes his 
appearance... sort of turning him inside-out. A Silver Bayonet
game set in Ireland could include his nibs somehow.
(Alternative Armies)

A avenging angel or some sort of spirit warrior.
Originally it was done with my wife's Kings of War army in mind,
but most anything could be used in SB.
(Whiz Kids D&D range)

The Wee Folk are represented.
I say another blogger/player who had used these figures for Leprechauns and 
I thought they worked well. I have six of them painted.
(Alternative Armies)

"Clue Markers" courtesy of junk I had lying around the painting table.
I'm happiest about the skeletal arm with the scythe rising from the grave.

Not a Silver Bayonet figure, but you never know.
An Alternative Armies selection referred to as a "Psy-paladin."
Almost obvious, isn't it, Darth? I'm hoping to put this guy into a Traveller scenario
some way or another. It's a true 25mm figure.
I flocked the base with my usual grass/pebble mix but I flocked over a coat of 
red paint which gives it a bit of an alien ground feel I think.

I'll be looking to see if any figure could stand in for the "Mothman" of legend. That would be fun to paint!

"Leave the patio light on, Mike. He might show up again!"

I hope to have some games to blog on in the near future as the province of Ontario opens up to "The New Normal." I'll admit that I'll remain cautious about precautions like masks and distancing. I really don't want to get sick. I've had a cousin in ICU from COVID-19 and has recovered for the most part. I've also lost a friend to the disease. Now a another friend of mine -in Finland- is down with it.