Comic Book Toy Soldiers Wargame

     In an email I received, someone mentioned getting some of the dreadful comic book Roman flat toy soldiers in his childhood and the disappointment with them. Surprisingly, several years ago I bought some of these figures; what's more I knew exactly what I was getting! After receiving them they were put away, never to see the light of day, until today.

    I haven't had any interest in wargaming (or anything else) recently. I decided to play a quick game today, using these figures. Both armies had the same units: 2 cavalry, two light infantry, and two medium infantry units.  I was using Battlelore rules and dice.

The blue army has their cavalry on the flanks, their light infantry alternating with  the medium infantry.

The yellow army has their cavalry on the flanks with their light infantry grouped in the center.

Both sides move their light infantry forward. 

The blue army sends a spear unit forward in support.

First blood to the yellow slingers!

The yellow cavalry moves up to support their light infantry.

The yellow light infantry drives off the blue spearmen and slingers. Blue swordsmen move up to back up the archers.

The blue swordsmen move through the gap in the line.

The swordsmen attack the yellow center. Meanwhile, the blue cavalry closes in from both flank.

Yellow army starts pushing all their remaining troops forward.

The yellow light infantry drives off the swordsmen, and the blue cavalry on the right loses two men.

The blue swordsmen and slingers rally.

Blue cavalry kills one yellow cavalryman on their left flank.

The blue army launches a strong attack on the left.

They kill one slinger, forces the archers to retreat, and kill one cavalry.

The yellow spearmen move forward.

The yellow army kills one cavalryman, a swordsman, and pushes back the slingers  and one cavalryman.

The yellow army continues their attack, wiping out the blue right cavalry unit. The right cavalry loses another man, and the swordsmen loses two men.

The blue swordsman kills one archer, and the slingers drive back the yellow spearmen.

The blue cavalry kills one swordsman, the blue spearmen kills two of the slingers, and the archers kill a cavalryman.

The yellow swordsmen kill the last cavalryman on the left; the spearmen  finishes off the last of the swordsman.

If the blue army loses one more unit, they have lost the battle. The yellow army focus their attack on the slingers...

... and succeed in wiping them out.

The blue army flees, with their general leading the way. The yellow general charges forward in his chariot, his presence sounded by his trumpeter.

Using these figures can be tricky, with their thin stands. I can image all the disappointed kids, trying to use them, only to have them fall like dominoes, like they did to me a couple of times. It was a fun game, although I think these figures will end up back in the drawer where they were for all those years.

New Books and an Austrian- Ottoman Wargame

     Yesterday I went to the used bookstore that at the last visit had received a good selection of British Army books. Below you will see the volumes I bought. The book on "Records of the Scottish Volunteer Force 1859-1908" was a great find that I almost missed. The plates are filling my head with visions of Peter Laing and 40mm figures painted toy soldier style with the uniforms in this book.

    I made it a point to leave myself time for a wargame. I had decided to use my Peter Laing Ottomans and WSS Austrians. After buying these books, I almost brought out my Peter Laing Victorian Parade figures, but in the end went with the Ottomans. For rules I used The Stronghold Rebuilt GNW version of "See the Elephant". I tried to use the rules as written, even using regular 6d dice instead of Battle Cry dice. I proved an enjoyable game, with some of his rules that I normally don't use playing a big part in this game.

The best find of the day. A large collection of color plates to give plenty of inspiration. Below is three pages of the plates.

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Another great book with the regimental badges and history  through WW2.

I finally saw most of the movie "Lawrence of Arabia". That, and a Man of Tin  wargame  based on a train ambush in the desert made me want to find out more about this part of WW1 history.

The two armies deployed. The Turks have three cavalry and three infantry units.  The Austrians have two cavalry and four infantry units.  I used the same size forces as I used in the last game.

The deployed Ottomans.

The Austrians deployed.

The Turkish cavalry kills two infantry, and the janissaries kill another Austrian.

With these rules, you roll 1 dice for each unit on the board . If you roll 4-6, you can activate one unit.  If you roll  1-3, the unit isn't activated, but if it has suffered losses, you roll 1 dice for each lost piece. For each  5 or 6 you roll, the piece "rallies" and the unit gets that piece back. One of the Austrian units has one piece rally, and it rejoins its unit.

The Austrian cavalry has no success against the Turks, but infantry fire kills two  janissaries.

The janissaries rally. The Turkish cavalry hits the Austrian cavalry in it's front.

The Austrian cavalry retreats.

The Austrian infantry push forward to try to divide the Turks.

The blue janissaries lose 2 men, but hold fast. One Turk cavalryman is lost and the unit falls back.

The Turks push their forces forward. The blue janissaries don't move, but rallies. In the upper right of the picture a Turkish cavalry unit can be seen. This unit eliminated one of the Austrian cavalry units.

The Austrian general sends his cavalry reserve across the back of the army. to protect again the Turkish cavalry that is now behind his line.

The Turkish cavalry behind the Austrian line attacks the Austrian cavalry, while all the janissaries push forward.

The Turkish cavalry drives es off the Austrian horse.

What's worse, the janissaries force one infantry unit to retreat, eliminates another infantry unit, and kills  an Austrian in the other unit.

The situation facing the Austrian general after this move. The Turks have yet to lose a unit. The Austrians flee the field.

The victorious Ottomans.  An army that needs to see more action. I am thinking of making a GNW Russian army, that could also engage the Turks.

2mm Wargame

       I have been trying to get a game in since my wife went back to work and things are getting back to normal. However, I still couldn't figure out what to play. I found myself looking though my collection trying to decide which armies to use.  On Sunday I was looking at the stats for my blog, along with the most popular hits. And then I did something I rarely do; I went back and started reading some of my posting. In the last year I used my 2mm armies quite a bit. I decided to use them for a game.  When in doubt, they are the answer to get a game going.

    I have been reading David Chandler's " The Art of Warfare in the Age of Marlborough". I was surprised at the amount of cavalry the armies had back then.  I have also been thinking of wargaming battles between the Austrian Empire and the Ottoman Turks.  During this period the Turks had 45% cavalry in the 1648-1715 period ( the period I'm thinking of wargaming), the Austrians 30%. For this game both sides will have 6 units, so the Turks have 3 cavalry and 3 infantry units. The Austrians have 2 cavalry and 4 infantry. I used A Stronghold Rebuilt "See the Elephant" rules, with minor changes.

The Turks are at the top of the photo, the Austrians at the bottom.

The Turks send forward two cavalry units to seize the hill in front of their line. They manage to drive off one Austrian  cavalry unit.

The Turks move off the hill to engage the advancing infantry.

The turks push back the other Austrian cavalry.

The Austrians move some infantry to the hill on it's left flank.

The Austrian cavalry and infantry engage in "close combat". With this rule, if they eliminate or force the other unit to retreat, they can advance into the vacated space, then engage again with one dice. However, if the enemy unit is not eliminated or forced to retreat, they get to battle back with one dice.  For the Austrian cavalry, which has already lost one stand, it is a dangerous move.

However, it paid off. The Turks lose one stand and retreats. The Austrian infantry  force the Turks back up the hill.

The Turks now bring forward their infantry to give the cavalry time to reorganize.

The  Turks on the hill causes 50% losses to the infantry in front of them; the Austrian cavalry loses another stand.

The Turks eliminate the last Austrian cavalry stand.

The Austrian infantry is now trying to hold back two Turkish units.

The Austrian infantry loses another base.

The Turks hits the infantry's left flank.

The Austrian infantry is pushed back two squares.

The Austrians are almost down to 50% and the Turks still hasn't lost a unit. The Austrians wisely retreat.

It was good to get a game in, even if I had to rush it.