Thursday Game - III Corps vs. III Korps - This Time, It's Napoleonic

This Thursday we will return once again to Napoleonics! The scenario will be set in Bavaria, 1809. Archduke Charles has sent 140,000 troops into the Confederation of the Rhine, proving the war of the fifth coalition (Fifth? Must have been fun negotiations - "no, really, THIS time we'll get him!").



The Austrians have had a rough go of the weather, but are pushing the Bavarian troops back. Marshal Berthier, a gifted chief of staff for Napoleon, has performed poorly as an army commander for the French, and Napoleon is racing to the scene to take command himself. In the interim, Davout's III Corps has become isolated near Regensburg. The Austrians sense an opportunity to pounce and take out one of Napoleon's most experienced formations, potentially winning the war!



Austrian columns march to pin the French against the Danube. Prince Hohenzollern's III Korps encounters the lead elements of Davout's III Corps near the village of Teugen. Davout is on the move, trying to break through to the retreating Bavarians. The Prince looks to hold them back while he sends messengers to the Archduke, pleading for reinforcements. Will the Austrians hold? Will the ultra-cautious Charles even bother with reinforcements? And if he does, will they arrive in time?

More (slow) 25mm Napoleonic Progress

Last night I finished another unit of Perry French - this time a unit of Light Infantry. I've based them in the goop, and after a good two days of drying, these will be ready to have the bases painted up (no, they are not marching through the snow) and they can join my burgeoning 25mm French army, which will then consist of all of four units - three line batallions, and one light battalion. Slowly but surely, I guess....

Another unit of Perry French, waiting for the basing goop to dry out. The officer, drummer and standard bearer are metal - the rest are plastic.

Also, as a testament to my lack of focus, I am also working away at some opponents for these guys (and of course perhaps the poll will send Mike F in the 25mm direction, but so far the 15mm Portugese seem to be winning). Initial progress is below. These are not recently painted (I first started on these guys about two years ago!!!) and I have not yet completed a 24-man unit for the Austrians, but again...slowly but surely.

Hungarian troops going on to the bases - the castings are from Foundry (which I think the Perrys scultped but I'm not sure).

I hope to have a small game in 25mm scale sometime late next year, pitting the Austrians against somekind of French rear-guard in the 1813-1814 time frame. Of course, detail types will know that these two opponents don't even really add up - the French are in the post-1812 uniforms, while the Austrians are still in their pre-1809 helmets. On the other hand, who cares? It will be really fun to have these out on the table one day.

I am thinking about 10 units per side would do it for a starter game....oh man, that's lots of figures...

New Poll

Well, it was getting to be high-time for another Fawcett Poll, so I have switched them up. This one will help you provide input into a very important question - which faction should we pressure Mike F into collecting and painting for Napoleonics? After all, I've been pressuring him for some time, but he has always been able to say back "well, where should I start?". A fair question. This poll should help close down that avenue of escape, and push him toward something that will help our overall Napoleonic gaming efforts.

As for the last poll, which dealt with "what should happen next" on the friendly planet Toxo IV, the winner was "brutal street fighting". Watch for a game invite before the end of the year that will provide for this.

Now let the pressuring of Mike F begin!

And Cam, FYI - don't take this as a signal that we're letting up on you in any way. You had better paint a platoon of modern PLA - and soon...

Time to put the pressure on Cam

Looks like modern 28mm Chinese are now available.

TMP

From the Painting Table - Veteran Sgt. Goat Boy and Perry French

A little update from the Greg B painting table. Now that I am coaching hockey again, my productivity has slowed, but I have been working away on a few projects and thought I would post some progress on the blog.

First up, a classic figure from the Rogue Trader era, the Beastman Sergeant with plasma pistol. This is from the time of the human bombs, penal legion troops with exploding heads, and other Imperial Guard odd-xilia. Acquired in some sort of unwise Ebay purchase at least two years ago, I have finally painted him up. I would love to find a pack of the old metal Beastmen (as in, Imperial Guard Beastmen - seriously - they were in the army list - standards have changed) I don't think it will be worth the time or the OOP mark-ups. So he'll fit in fine as some kind of "veteran sergeant". Certainly he will confuse Chaos opponents.

"For the Emperor - and better grazing rights!"

While Goat Boy was fun, my primary efforts lately have been on a renewed push on 25mm Napoleonics. I've been working my way through toward a 3rd unit of Perry French. This unit will be mostly plastic, with a metal NCO, mounted Colonel and a "porte-aigle" mixed in. A few of the finished models are below.





Now I just need to base them, fix one of Brian's awesome banners, and they will be ready for battle. Still a long way away from a force ready for a game, but at least it is progressing. Up next I hope to finish a unit of Legere troops (essentially the same in terms of quality, but blue pants) and a unit in skirmish formation. An order for reinforcements was made to the Perrys this month - hopefully they arrive around the end of October to keep the momentum going, although chances are I will have switched projects by then (like my entire squadron of blue Valkyries for 40k).

I did receive a pre-order box of Perry Plastic French Heavy Cavalry - and they are gorgeous! I have never painted a Cuirassier in any scale, so I have one model assembled for test-painting and mistake-making purposes. Watch for further updates!

FutureBritz Progress

Here are the repainted and converted AT-43 suits that I'll be using with the FutureBritz force.

Thursday Game - Jailbreak!

Long-time Fawcett followers might recall a fun game we had in January of this year. Taking place in the Star Wars universe, the game featured Han Solo and his "terror gang" attempting to escape from Imperials and local authorities after a daring heist. Read the details here: http://wpggamegeeks.blogspot.com/2009/01/spice-mines-of-kessel-here-we-come.html

Thursday's game will explore the ramifications of "the duty of fair representation" in labour relations, as Han had contacted his staff representative in the Brotherhood of Smugglers and Bounty Hunters Local #4587 (Corellia). The BSBH duly determined that one of their members was in trouble and has sent a union delegation to file a grievance and negotiate for his release from the Spice Mines.

Solo being Solo, of course, he convinced the union reps to assist him in making his case for freedom more forcefully, and is about to make good (or not) his escape from the Spice Mines!

See you on Thursday at my place, usual time. Also it's my birthday this weekend so there will be cake!!