Things That Go Bump In The Night

 Even though I don't get much chance to play (because of my present state of health), I enjoy the concept and flow of the game, The Silver Bayonet, a Napoleonic horror game in the skirmish style. Just about any and all Napoleonic period soldiers and civilians can be used and the barn door is wide open when it comes to monsters and myths. I've obtained most of the books and I'm waiting (Hint! Hint!) for a book on Ireland or the Scottish Highlands. Things there are not what we expect. As an example, a werewolf in the Irish mythos is a protector of the innocent! Now that's a switch!

Anyway here are a few of my most recent painted figs for the genre. 

Skeletons are always interesting as on-board nasties.
This guy certainly needs a hot meal!
(Northstar miniatures)

He's listed as "Dr. Barnabas of the Infernal Embassy."
I suppose he's a ghost of some sort and I certainly like the figure.
I'd say a hot meal in is order for him as well.
(Brigade Games Miniatures)

A ghostly knight
I like my ghosts green even though many prefer blue.
(Ral Partha miniature)

Two infirmiers for a French force.
I'm not sure how much use they'd be on the table, but they're nice
old Minifig offerings picked up at a Bring-n-buy.

Two French officers who could be commanders or specialists
of some sort. Always good to have a few extra. One is uniformed
as an engineer!
(Unknown make)

A French Voltigeur who could be handy in a tough spot.
(Unknown make)

An Austrian Grenz regiment trooper loading.
(Perry Miniatures)

Russians... a grenadier officer and a Pavlov grenadier soldier
(Purchased through Mirliton Miniatures in Italy, who actually
provided quick service, considering the distance from Canada.)

A British soldier of a light infantry regiment.
(Mirliton Miniatures)

I've been wanting to do a Swedish Silver Bayonet crew for a while.
Here we have a infantryman in the old "round-hat" uniform, an
officer in similar kit*, and another infantryman in 1814 kit with a 
Russian style "Kivar" shako, much admired by the Swedes.
{* these two are originally figures for the Cisalpine Republic.}
(Mirliton figures)

Two more troopers of the Swedish army.
A jager of the Savolax Regiment - although a Finnish outfit
disbanded after the Russo-Swedish War, I wanted to add a Finn
to honour a friend of mine in Finland. Since we can play pretty
"fast and loose" with uniforms, I used the grey uniform and added
the Kivar.
The other is an infantryman of the Bohuslans regiment who were
referred to as "The Parrots" because of their light blue coatees, 
yellow facings and shako festoon, and green plumes for the light platoons.
(Mirliton figures)

I have other figures I'll be blogging about shortly (sci-fi, Pulp/Gangster, etc.) but this is today's theme. I hope you like them.

Seven Years War Swedes

 

  For better or for worse, I've been fascinated by the armies of Sweden in the Seven Years War and in the Napoleonic wars. I have no idea why. Maybe it's Ikea's meatballs with lingonberry sauce.

   In any event, last Saturday at the Hamilton Road Games Group, Andy, Glenn, and I tried out my Swedes against Andy's Wurttemberg troops who were allies of Frederick the Great's Prussia. Neither side had seen the table before so the "New Unit Curse" was in full force. (For those not "in the know", units of toy soldiers pretty much always fail, run, or get demolished on their first time out on the gaming table.) So off we went, using Osprey Publication's Honours of War rules. We may have stretched them to the limit with some things that went on. I like the rules and the rules, being somewhat abstract in counting casualties, do not lend themselves easily to a campaign setting. The rules count casualties as both actual losses in numbers and decline in unit morale. Did the unit choke and break or did they get decimated? The rules don't say and we can't be sure. Maybe someone else knows.

Well, here are some photos of my troops from my perspective. I tried to paint up a number of Finnish units out of deference to my friend, Vihtori, in Finland. At that time in history, Sweden and Finland were united... and I'm not sure that the Finns have ever forgiven the Swedes for that.

A view of the Swedish left flank and left centre.
A small light unit is headed for the town.
The Swedes were quite deficient in light infantry for quite a while.

 

The Swedish centre exchanges fire with the Wurttemberg infantry.
Hence, the cotton puff-balls.

French Cavalry in the service of Wurttemberg square off against Swedish infantry.
The figures are 15mm and the small 10mm cannon indicate the presence of "battalion guns."

Cavalry forces tentatively approach.
I soon formed my heavy horse into single lines. Double lines don't help.

Heavy Horse of the North Scanian and South Scanian regiments lead the way.
They are backed by the green-coated Bohusläns Dragoons

Action front! Load and fire in best time!

More firing between the lines.
The house is not happy and I can't remember why.

The right centre of the Swedish line pushed forward to engage.
The smaller white die (behind the battalion gun) indicates casualties on that unit.

The firing continues.

The Swedish C-in-C was not happy,

Most of the figures were either Essex or Minifig Russians. The grenadiers were Old Glory 15s or Laming figures picked up at Bring-and-Buy/Flea Market. A large number were figures from TundraWorks, a Canadian company. I used the figures for Prussian garrison regiments. The figures are nicely molded with a lot of variation. They're not highly detailed but quite enough for the likes of me.

The cavalry were Old Glory 15s or Laming (I think).

    The game didn't go far because we began to discuss the reality of a cavalry regiment charging uphill at an artillery battery. The guns fired and the cavalry melted away. Realistic? I can't say. I haven't ridden a horse in years and I have worked a 3# cannon in reenacting recently, but I still can't say.

   The rules have their limits and I still like them. Just my opinion.

More to come shortly.