Together with another building I completed earlier, this should be enough for the industrial suburbs plus one or two for the town itself. I will need to complete scenic bases for them in due course. These buildings are all from Leven Miniatures.
With my 15mm sale progressing I have begun to plan for their replacements in 6mm. This will create two new projects, the ECW and Zulu Wars. Orders have been sent to Baccus for the figures so now a little more about these projects:
When casting around for suitable rules for the ECW a few years ago I found these, coincidentally by one Pete Berry of Baccus. I have yet to play them but at first glance they appear to suit my wargaming style. I particularly like the way in which pikemen and musketeers in the same regiment are treated as a single unit. The higher the ratio of muskets to pikes increases their firepower and more effective in melee if the opposite is the case. So often they are treated separately in rules resulting in muskets acting independently of pikes in the same unit.
Eventually it is my plan to start a campaign for the ECW as in all the periods I play. Initially however, I will play some historical scenarios to get the ball rolling.
This particular book, while for any game system, was primarily written for Forlorn Hope. A couple of factors attracted me to it - it has a campaign element - and the location for many of these battles are not far from where I live. In fact the first two linked battles: Glastonbury and Chewton Mendip, are only 20 or so miles away.
Those two battles will be the start of the project and the appropriate figures have been ordered.
For Colonial I have opted for the Zulu War of 1879 and Chelmsford's campaign. Again, I intend to fight this as a campaign in time but to start with I will refight Isandlwana and Rorkes Drift.
And finally, an update on my 2mm Napoleonics. I should have my first test bases up on the blog tomorrow evening and I am impressed! It is a surprising challenge painting such small figures in a way to make them look attractive on the tabletop. I agonised over the bases trying to strike the right balance to make the blocks of figures stand out rather than detract from them. I will cover this in more detail tomorrow.
For the first battle I have chosen a fictional scenario designed for Grande Armee as a test battle called 'Austria 1809', set around the time of Aspern-Essling. I have re-read parts of the Blucher rules and I believe I can get around the command and control solo problem without too much difficulty. When the time comes I may well test them out versus Grande Armee.
The 'Collections and Projects' page has been updated with the latest developments.
Nice work on the Leven Miniatures, which paint up really well.
ReplyDeleteFor the ECW, Baroque has good options for different Pike & Shotte ratios IIRC. Apparently the ECW supplement for Warlord Games Pike & Shotte not combines them as one unit, which makes complete sense to me.
The campaign book sounds good and I'll check this out:)
Many thanks Steve. Not familiar with Baroque, will check that out. I will cover more of the campaign book when I play the games but definitely looks good.
DeleteMost of the ECW rules I have seen from the past decade or two treat the pike and shot as an integrated unit, as well they should. The only real exception would be detached shot, shot without pike (like Montrose's Irish), and rare "pure pike" units, like perhaps some Cornish troops. That is certainly the case with Fopr King and Parliamnet, which I am about to put on the table myself.
ReplyDeleteI should have worded that better to "most of the rules in my possession". I have to admit to being a little ignorant of the newer rules out for the ECW although I am familiar with the Black Powder family and they are not for me. For King and Parliament looks interesting. It will be some time before I get the figures ready and onto the table so will check those and others out in the meantime.
DeleteI have to agree, I just cannot get away with the Black Powder family as I like to remove figures
DeleteThe buildings and scenario book all look suer, by the way!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Peter.
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