Minitrains Engines

In the last month I managed to buy 4 new narrow gauge trains, to go along with the 2 I already owned.

Liliput engine; it came with three passenger cars. At first it didn't want to run; after warming up it finally started around the track.

The first  narrow gauge train I got. A Jouef copy of Egger Bahn diesel engine.

Minitrains  western loco and coal car.

Another new loco. This engine ran fine right from the box.

I got 2 of these engines. Neither of these are in running order right now. One the frame was broken and contacts were bent. The other engine is getting power but still isn't running. Maybe after giving it some oil…..

Peter Laing Minitrain Ambush

      I haven't done much wargaming recently and wanted to squeeze a game in. I also wanted a break from ancients and wanted to use my Minitrains western train.
      As I wanted to use my Peter Laing home cast Victorian Parade figures, the scenario is a train  bringing reinforcements to an outpost dealing with a local rebellion (I was thinking along the lines of one of the Canadian rebellions or Fenian raids).
      The rebels know the train is on it's way. What's more, it had a battery of artillery on board which would boost the rebels firepower. In the game, the artillery plays no part, I just wanted to use the flatcar.

The rebels have dropped a tree across the track to stop the train. They wait in the woods at the top of the photo.

The train screeches to a stop.  

The rebels emerge from the woods as the Brookshire Fusiliers disembark from the train.

Rebel fire kills one soldier and forces some other to seek shelter behind the train (retreat roll).

The gunners push forward to protect their guns. They kill one rebel and with support from the infantry push back two units of rebels. In the background, another infantry unit has advanced and killed one rebel.

Another view of the above encounter.

The rebels rally and manager to bring all their guns to bear, inflecting heavy losses to the troops, including 3/4 of the gunners.

The rebels close in on the last gunner, who goes down protecting the guns.

The infantry manage to kill two more rebels and force one rebel unit to retreat.

At the extreme right a rebel unit closes in on the righthand infantry unit. Another rebel unit has lost another man and was forced back.

The rebels attacking the front of the train now starts rolling up the infantry's right flank, killing 5 infantrymen in the process.

Another view of the above move, at the end of the rebels move. One rebel unit is trying to cut the infantry line in half.

The captain in charge of the Brookshire Fusiliers, who is with the rightmost unit, now tries to link up with the rearmost units.

The rebels pour fire on this unit killing three. Only the captain remains standing.

A rebel sniper manages to pick off the captain.

Rebel fire at the back of the train kills another man and the last man in that unit panics and retreats. The other unit suffers no loss, but realizes all is lost and uses it's move to retreat.

The rebels swarms over their trophies; a great addition to their firepower.

I used Bob Cordery's "Memoir of Battle" rules to fight this battle. The rules make for a quick, exciting game.