More Peter Laing Figures

The beginning of 2016 has been good to me, at least in regards to getting more Peter Laing figures. Two more packages arrived with recently purchased Peter Laing figures. In the month of January I have bought over 400 Peter Laing figures. Unfortunately it has left me low on money!

These figures have many possible uses. I am thinking along a colonial war-game based on the Egyptian war against the Mahdi. They can also be reinforcements for my Arab army, or a foe against them.

These were the other half of the above collection. There were enough native figures that, with figures I already have, will give me 3 units of Fuzzi Wuzzis, and 3 other units of native troops. The other figures, with figures I already have, will give me 5 units of Egyptian infantry and either 1 unit of Egyptian cavalry, or 2 weak cavalry units.

I also got a well painted lot of WSS cavalry.

This particular cavalry figure is probably my favorite Peter Laing cavalry figure. Perhaps because it reminds me of Britains cavalry figures.

Peter Laing WW1 Wargame; the Finale

The British attempt to hold back the Germans was for naught. The Germans had at this point overwhelming forces and was turning the British left flank. What was left of the British line was ordered to fall back to the next line. The Germans lost 1 infantry unit,as opposed to the BritishLosing 2 cavalry, 3 infantry and 1 artillery unit. During the entire game the Germans lost 4 cavalry, 15 infantry and 1 artillery unit. The British lost 7 cavalry, 14 infantry and 6 artillery units.

The Germans keep pouring in fresh troops, including sailors.

The German massed their artillery in the center, including a large siege gun.

The German infantry overrun the last artillery battery, and threaten the British headquarters.

By adding the possibility of reinforcements, it made for an unpredictable and challenging game. I can  see using this in future games. I would think using a set number of replacement units, or else having a replacement depot where, when a unit gets depleted, it would go back to the depot to get replacements to bring the unit up to strength, would add to a game, especially a campaign game.  This particular game lasted around 6 hours, over three days.

Peter Laing WW1 Wargame: Part 2

While the latest British attack is pushed back, the British brings up a strong reinforcement of artillery, while massing new infantry units behind the ridge. Once the artillery softens the German line, the fresh British infantry will push forward.

What the British didn't realize is the Germans have brought up a large siege gun ( the Germans rolled two  "artillery" symbols, which allowed them to bring up one large caliber gun. I was using Bob Cordery's Memoir of Battle rules; this gun had a range of 10 hexes.)

The German bombardment was devastating to the British line. Two batteries was destroyed, along with a machine gun unit. In this game, machine gun units counted as artillery.

The Germans then pushed their own infantry forward.

On the British left, the Germans overran one battery and forced another battery to retreat.

The British push back the Germans, but don't have enough reserves to follow up.

The Germans continue to push more units forward. 

As the second day of battle ends, the Germans have a strong foothold on the ridge. The British have lost heavily; losing 2 cavalry, 5 artillery, and 6 infantry units. The Germans lost 2 cavalry, 1 artillery, and 5 infantry units.

Peter Laing WW1 Wargame

I have been thinking of a wargame,  where both sides would get reinforcements on a regular basis. That means I need two armies that I have plenty of extra figures. I have a large collection of WW1 Peter Laing figures that I haven't used in a long time, so these seem like the ideal armies. This was just to be an experimental game, to see if having random reinforcements entering game would add to it. The game has been going on for over three hours with no end in sight. Once the fighting began, each side would roll three BATTLE CRY dice (after a few turns I increased it to 4), whatever came up was the reinforcements the side would get. The "retreat" or "crossed swords"  would not count for anything.

The battle have been going on for several turns. The Germans have launched an all out attack  on the British line.  I have played several games this week without taking pictures of them . I was originally wasn't going to photograph this game, but as I was trying something different I figured to take some pictures.

The British receive much needed reinforcements that throw the German attack back.

The British counter attack.

The British are on the verge of turning the Germans' left flank.

The Germans mass their reinforcements blunt the British push.

The Germans launch another all out attack.

And once again the British stop the attack.

One of the British units, a fresh unit of Highlanders, wipe out one German infantry unit.

The battle has been one of attack and counterattack. I had to stop as my wife got stuck in the snow  and I had to get her dug out.  At this point both sides pulled back to reform their lines. The British had got some good rolls that bolstered their artillery, so that the British could spread them evenly along their line. The game will continue, hopefully tomorrow. At the end of the day, the Germans lost 2 units of cavalry and 9 infantry units, as opposed to the British losing 3 cavalry and 5 infantry units.

New Peter Laing Figures

I recently bought three different lots of Peter Laing figures. The first two lots came in the mail today.

The first lot is an Ottoman Turk Army. The cost was very high; I almost passed on it. The painter spent a great deal of time painting these figures. Most of the cavalry is painted with none being the same.

The Janissaries likewise are painted individually.

I don't know exactly what this figure is; it seems to be some kind of standard bearer.

Some of the Janissaries.

Unfortunately the new Turks are larger an the first Turkish cavalry I got.

These are some of the next lot I received. There are other figures in this lot that  that are new to me. My favorites are the 2 on the right, that look like dogs with spears (berserkers?).  Needless to say, they have me thinking of some uses which they probably weren't intended for.

One blog worth checking out: gridbasedwargaming.blogspot.com . The blog's author has been working on an American War of Independence game, using Peter Laing AWI figures. There are some great pictures of the figures, which leave me green with envy.

Egypt va. Assyria Wargame

The Assyrian army is on the left, the Egyptian army is on the right.                                                                                      All terrain was put down randomly before the armies were deployed.
I rolled for who would go first at the start of each turn, along with how many units could move.
I do want to get some average dice for such occasions.

The Assyrians grab the hill on their right while one of their chariot units hit a light Egyptian infantry unit and pushes it back. The Egyptians lose 3/4 of the unit.

The pharaohs personal chariot unit strikes back at the Assyrian chariot unit, with help from a heavy infantry unit.

Together, they eliminate the Assyrian chariot unit. The first side to lose 5 units loses the battle; the Egyptians are off to a good start.

The Egyptian left bears down on two Assyrian light infantry units.

The Egyptian continue to advance. At the top of the picture an Egyptian light infantry unit  mounts the hill and attacks the light infantry unit there.

The Egyptian advance has the Assyrians running. The Pharaoh might win an easy victory.

The Assyrian left strikes back. The Egypians start losing heavily; the Pharaoh's unit loses 2/3 of their  unit.

The Egyptian chariots come to the Pharaoh's aid.

The light Egyptian unit on the right, in a previous move, was attacked by an Assyrian chariot unit and managed to force the chariots back, and held off the Assyrian light infantry. This unit tied up valuable  troops that could have been of better use elsewhere.

The Assyrians try to push back the Egyptians, with some success.

The Egyptian chariots launch another attack. The Pharaoh leads his unit  around the hill in an attempt to take some of the pressure off the Sheriden Guards on the hill. The middle chariot succeeds in eliminating  another Assyrian chariot unit. On the Egyptian right the infantry pushes forward.

The Assyrian infantry on right eliminates both the Pharaohs unit and the Sheriden Guards.

With the loss of both the Sheriden Guards and the Pharaoh chariots, the Egyptians start trying to consolidate their  line at the base of the large hill. The last of the Assyrian chariots  attacks an Egyptian light infantry at the top of the picture.

An Egyptian chariot unit goes to the aid of the light infantry and wipes out the Assyrian chariot unit.

With the aid of another infantry unit, the Egyptian light infantry captures the hill.

The Assyrian right flank swings around towards the large hill.

The Assyrians start pushing back the Egyptian left. The Assyrian light infantry that was pushed off the hill slips between two Egyptian units to join the rest of the army.

The Egyptians turn to attack the new Assyrian line.

The Egyptians overrun the Assyrian light infantry; this is the 5th unit lost and the Assyrians are defeated.

Most of the chariots used in this game came in a large lot of Peter Laing ancients I got last year. I don't know what  army they represent. I am thinking of just keeping them as they are and use them as generic units. I do have a large collection of Peter Laing Assyrians, including many chariots. After this game I might work on making a proper Assyrian army.