O.S. SYW Campaign - The First Clashes.

 

This map shows the locations of the opposing armies at the end of the first quarter move of Day Two of the campaign . The Red Stars mark the encounters between light cavalry units - these will be played out on the gaming table and the games will appear on this blog . (click on map to enlarge)

 

 

Old School SYW Campaign (1st Move)

 

Well the campaign has begun after a trouble start because of problems with my Internet ! Grr bl***y technology !. Please click on the above map to enlarge , the white squares are the positions of Austrian forces and the blue Prussian ones . Both sides have objectives but their enemy don't know them as yet . My wargaming colleague 'S' is in command of the Austrians and 'A' the Prussians .I am using the campaign system from Grant's 'The Wargame' and the movement rates are as follows -

 

Each of the small squares equals a 1" , looks like there could be some actions on the morrow and these will be played out on the table top .

 

A S.Y.W. Campaign.

A wet Bank Holiday and 'home-alone' (my dearest working) so I have been playing on the computer designing a campaign map using 'Paint' . We will be using the Grant campaign system from 'The War Game' and my 30mm Spencer Smith collection .

 

Please click on it to enlarge , I am hoping to get a couple of my gaming friends to be the Prussian and Austrian commanders and to publish the various moves of the campaign on this blog . I have tried running this type of campaign before - with varying results ! - maintaining order between the opposing commanders is a problem and keeping on top of the paper work are a couple of the troubles when running a campaign !. Hopefully using the computer to store the moves and maps will make it easier. Too be continued.

The Painting Process - Finished.

 

Behold the finished regiment .

 

 

It's title is the Royal Hungarian Infantry Regiment 'Count Joseph Esterhazy'.

 

 

Glad to have finished it as I wanted to clear my painting table ready for my O.S. FPW project . The first order of which sits beneath the Christmas tree. I got the uniform information for this regiment from the excellent SYW  website

http://www.kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=Main_Page

 

 

 

 

The Painting Process (3)

 

Just a quick update on the painting of the Hungarians which has been delayed for the lack of varnish . A new tin being purchased, the Regiment will soon be finished with only 6 more rank and file and the 6 Officers / musician to finish off . I always like varnishing as it seems to bring the figures to life (and hides mistakes somehow) . Will photo the completed unit when it is finished.

 

 

The Painting Process (2)

 

The batch of figures I'm going to paint undercoated with black spray paint.

 

 

Hands , face, hair and musket painted dark brown.

 

 

The cuffs ,waistcoat and trousers painted red.

 

 

The knapsack and strap painted brown.

 

 

The cartouche strap is lined in with white.

 

 

The coat , turnbacks and hat lace are painted white leaving a thin line of black to define the straps and turnbacks.

 

 

The musket barrel is painted  and the hands and face are painted in leaving a touch of brown to suggest facial features and moustache.

 

 

The lace work on the waistcoat and trousers is painted in.

 

 

Poly-filla is applied to the base and given time to set .

 

 

When dry they are painted a nice bright green .

 

 

The new recruits march off ready for varnishing . Only another 24 to do !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Painting Process (1)

 

A cold and grey day up here in N.W. UK so I thought I'd get some figures ready for painting . This is a order I got from Spencer Smith miniatures several weeks ago and will be a Hungarian regiment of foot for my 30mm SYW collection. First clean the figures and glue to bases .

 

 

The regiment is done and ready for spraying , there is also an extra mounted staff officer to paint - he is mounted on a large mudguard washer . It being cold I had lit the fire which is blazing in the background .

 

 

Ready for spraying . Rather a bit of a mix to spray, some Peter Pig ACW  ships and scenery in the background. My neighbour who brings the wheelie bins in after the refuse waggon has called said "I always know your bins as they always have black paint on the lids (Oops !). Will continue when I start painting the figures next week.

 

 

Prussian Fusileers.

Had to go for the CinemaScope shot to cram the complete regiment on ! 42 figures takes some getting in .

In three ranks they fit better , they are Spencer Smith 30mm figures and portray the Prussian Fusilier Regiment 'Von Kraytzen'.

The rank and file are converted grenadier figures and have had their mitres cut down and filed to make the shorter fusilier cap .

The rose coloured facings look rather pretty I think and will make them stand out on the wargaming table.

They march off to war past the new wargames rules book by C.S. Grant , a much needed expansion and explanation  of the original 1970s rule set. One of my problems at the moment is the number of new rule sets I have bought recently -very hard to sit down and read and absorb more than one at once !.

P.S. Thanks to Scott B. Lesch for pointing me to this reenactment group who portray the unit.

Prussian Grenadiers

Continuing my New Years resolution I've got some more Spencer Smith 30mm figures painted .

These are the Grenadier Battalion Jung-Billerbeck , it comprises of the Grenadier Companies of the Regiments Alt-Braunschweig and Zastrow . In reality the officers should  have tricorne hats not  mitire caps - but they look much cuter with them !.

New Year Battle (3)

The second (newly painted ) Austrian battalion deploys on the right flank as Prussian reinforcements in the shape of Von Guttenberg's Hussars (a fictitious unit) arrive . A fire fight between the Austrian grenadiers and the Prussian Frei Korps turns the Austrian way. The Prussian Jaegers fled the table having lost their melee with the Hussars .

The Von Guttenberg Hussars move to attack the Austrian cavalry . In the background the Austrian pioneers can be seen placing barrels of gunpowder on the bridge ready to demolish it.

The Von Guttenberg Hussars are a plastic Spencer Smith unit I picked up on EBay this last summer and revamped and re based .

The turning point of the battle ! - having taken heavy casualties the Prussian Frei Korps break and flee and the Prussian CinC is hit twice by stray shots and falls, failing his saving throws . With their commander gone and now no support the Prussians quite the field ! , a resounding victory to the Austrians . A strange little one sided game where the Prussians didn't get the breaks - reinforcements turned up late and in the wrong places and their shooting was poor , but an enjoyable game even so . One of the advantages of solo games like this is that you just can play them and see what happens without having to entertain another player. Interestingly both new units on the table didn't get to fight and so broke the trend of freshly painted units having bad first games.

New Year Battle (2)

The Austrian Hussars charge the militia before they can fire a volley and break them in the melee.

Prussian reinforcements come onto the board .

The Prussian Frei Korp open fire causing casualties on the leading Grenadier Battalion and wounding General Mouters twice ! BUT he made his saving rolls !.

The Prussian Jaegers deploy ( not dark object to rear of board).

It's Sheba ! hiding in a clump of trees watching the action - a keen student of 18th cent. warfare .

The Austrian artillery reach the bridge and deploy . The Pioneers with the gunpowder move towards the bridge to demolish it.

The Jaegers open fire and get lucky killing the Austrian Hussar Colonel and halting their charge . (click on photos to enlarge) To be continued .....

New Year Battle. (1)

Inspired by various Christmas presents in the form of SYW  books and my recent painting of Spencer Smith Austrian Grenadiers I  decided to play a small raid type game using Grant's 'The Wargame' rules.

The two Grenadier Battalions move forward in the early morning gloom towards a secret river crossing . General Mouters sends the accompanying artillery and the Pioneers with the explosives towards the bridge .

 The Grenadiers are lead towards the secret ford by a Austrian spy in disguise as a shepard.

Meanwhile a Hussar Regiment makes a dash for the bridge to capture it before the newly aroused Prussian village militia  can form up.

The village militia form up and move forward to defend the bridge .

 Warned of the oncoming Austrians the Prussian Frei Korps Battalion Kalben form up .

 The Prussians have been caught napping and the Commanding officer Von Grunte orders his men into line ( note his mistress Mitzi runs to say good luck !)

 The Austrians start to cross the ford . All troop positions where diced for randomly at the start of the game and the Austrians were given a double move to get things going. Prussian forces were activated on a increasing dice roll. (click on photos to enlarge) Too be continued ....

The Austrian Grenadier Battalion is finished.

The Austrian Grenadier Battalion is brought up to strength with the addition of a company of Grenadiers from the Infantry Regiment 'Daun'. As they march into camp they are greeted by their comrades in arms.

The Austrian General Staff inspect the Grenadiers.

General Mouters is impressed by their drill and conduct and promises them action  against the enemy soon. Grenadiers are of course Spencer Smith , the Generals are Willie -Tradition , tents by ? can't remember - had them years.