2012 &DBN Armies ...

Well here we are in 2012 then eh! Where on earth did the last year go? So I thought, it's about time I got back onto my Blog, so I log on & find that it's all gone Fubar. Apparently my computer no longer supports the browser. Or the other way round maybe ... so I had to book into Google Chrome? Did that, eventually, and here it is .. I'm not quite sure what it will look like, and I have to say - I don't like change! Though to be fair, the photo upload was very quick. I suppose it's progress then. And maybe I'm just being a grumpy (getting) old technophobe, but I do wish 'they' would just stop changing things when what we had worked perfectly well. Phew, there, rant over. I shall have to persevere. 

So, a belated Happy New Year to you all, I hope it's a good one for you. The Peeler family had a quiet stopping in sort of Christmas/New Year this time, following the previous two years Yuletide events of myself & Mrs P losing our respective Fathers, and I'm happy to say that this year passed without anything major happening. I worked Nights in between, and that was fairly quiet too, with only the odd stabbing here & a slashing there, but overall, fairly quiet.

So, on to the wargaming wittering! As with some other gamers, I've decided - nay, decreed - that this year I must & will get my wargaming house in order. I have too many part started nearly finished not quite done or yet to start projects sat in boxes, and so I have, at last, got my butt into gear with my 15mm DBNapoleonics, and finally got them all based up. (All the painted ones that is, there are still several hundred unpainted to sort yet.) They are a mixture of figures, MiniFigs bought from BobofBrompton,Grubby Tanks Figures, and AB, some of which I have even painted myself! 

Here's some random photos of them anyway - 

a Brigade of French Light cavalry..      

and a Brigade of French Allies Heavy cavalry .. 

A unit of elite British Riflemen .. 

A unit of French Light Infantry..  

and a Brigade of close order muskets, these ones are French Allies also.  

You'll get the picture then, that for DBN, you don't need many figures, and each base represents an awful lot of troops, about 2500 for foot & 1250 for mounted. So here's the Brits .. 

 The Prussians ..

The French .. 

French Allies .. 

More French Allies .. 

Spanish .. 

Altogether, around 1400 foot, 200 mounted &  20 guns so far. This may not sound like an awful lot, but then 8 foot figures represents a Brigade - so in fact me armies are rather large, and in the case of the Spanish, perhaps even larger than the historical army was - so I may even end up selling some bits. And thus funding some others. Or funding the painting of some of my unpainted piles. Next to do is to paint, basetex  & flock the bases up & then .. get them on the table, which I'm sure will impress Mr Testo. 

When that's done,I'll need to sideline onto my 25mm SYW so as to be ready for the Ayton bash in May, then I think back to the Naps again. Then onto 15m Marlburians, and to get all my unpainted stuff painted, based & playable with by the end of 2012!! 

Well, that's the plan anyway .... I'll let you know how I get on. 

Regards,

     Peeler 

Armed Forces & Scarborogh WarTorn Show.

Well it was Armed Forces Weekend again in sunny Scarborough, this last weekend 25th-26th June, and as you can see, it was a good weekend to have it, indeed the Peeler family suffered from sun burn bordering on sun stroke just from the Saturday afternoon. Here's a view from The Spa, over the seafront toward the castle and harbour, it's a good view even on a damp squib of a day.

The Main Events were on the Saturday afternoon, and after a look round the various stalls & shows, it was parade time, led by a very smart Army band ..

.. followed by more serving soldiers ..

.. followed by retired soldiers. Needless to say, everything else came to a halt at this time, and people flocked to line the roadside and applauded as they passed.

Now I appreciate that this is a mere training aid for the sea cadets, but frankly, I want one. Preferably in my front garden.

Peeler Jnr spotted some of those sandal wearing smelly hippy anti-armed forces types in the near distance, and swiftly took positive action ..

.. actually I'm joking, there weren't any protesters this year, thankfully. They got short shrift the last time they bothered. All in all, it was good weather, a good event, and was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. It also reminded the Armed Forces that we do actually care, and that we do support them.

Onto the WarTorn Show, organised by Scarborough Wargames Club & Richard Jackson of the Loughton Club, both of whom I've known for some years, on and off. I have been a member of both, and originally got into the Loughton Club, in my 'down south' years, by meeting up with Kevin Brazier, which led to a renewed interest in Napoleonics & the rather good GdB rules written by fellow member Dave Brown (yes yes, I know, I'm name dropping ..). They were attending & putting on a very nice looking 28mm game, and also, a fair amount of beer & curry was to be had ... oddly, we met up each evening in The Cask, a pub I haven't frequented since my youth, so it was quite a nostalgic weekend really. I think the curry house was The Eastern Promise, opposite the Market Place, and a fine meal was had. With beer, obviously. Then more beer, back at the Cask again. Myself & Norman managed to fit in a visit to the Forge on the Friday too, just for good measure. I did forewarn them, and the cat was ready for him. Thinking on it, beer seemed to be quite prominent over this weekend.
Now, a couple of years ago, for various reasons, some of us local gamers departed after some years, from the Scarborough club, and have 'done our own thing' since then as the 'Yorkshire Coast Wargamers', and a happy time we've had of it too. We did wonder, in that soft fluffy concerned sort of way, if we should go to this show or not, as in would there be tears & tantrums, faceslapping at the door, harsh stares , giving of the evil eye and so on .. and we decided that we'd be daft not to go, as it's on our doorstep and heck anyway, like we're all grown ups aren't we? (Well, some of the time at least!). I'm happy to say that there was no daftness. Or if there was, then I missed it...
So several of us went along, merely as punters, and I have to say I'm glad that we did - it was a well planned, decent quality show, with a number of decent games on, and enough traders to fill the two halls. There was also a bar - which served a very decent Wolds beer - and we had two good lunchtime nattering sessions with Andy of Old Glory, Brown, Richard, Norman, Kevin, Alex et al, during which I think we almost put the world to rights. I don't know what the door numbers were, it's maybe fair to say that it wasn't exactly heaving (not a bad thing though), but these things can take a while to really take off, and given the right support we're hoping that it becomes an annual event. For a first show, I'd say they did well enough. If you can get to next years show, as a gamer, trader or punter, then I'd suggest you make the effort - it's a right good weekend, though I can't say that we can grantee the same decent weather!
An early port of call for me was to have my 'Complete Victoria Cross' Book signed - in person - by the Author himself, the good Mr Kevin Brazier. I have to say Kev, it was an honour!

Meanwhile, poor Gary showed the effects, to put it politely, of a Southern chap overindulging in far too much Northern Ale. And other alcoholic beverage besides, I reckon. This was several hours after his recovery began, and he still wasn't his usual ambient self. He did, to be fair to him, recover during the Saturday evening curry, during which he drank some milk.

The Loughton game, Basauco, in 28mm. The boards were put together by Richard Jackson, and here we can see Mr Brown affecting to be not at all bothered whilst Derek does his best to blow his columns away. The table was really effective & made to a modelling standard, rather than just the usual boards that we all generally use. The photos don't do it justice.

A general shot of the lower hall. As said, it wasn't really busy, but I think there was enough at a first show to say that it was worthwhile and bodes well for the future. In some areas, the lighting could have been better, but hey, you can't have everything eh.

An interesting Roman Warlord figures game, lots of beastly Britons erupting from the woods on the unsuspecting columns.

One shot of a small part of the spectacular game put on by Mr Rob Ringrose, this was an absolute joy to see.

Scarborough Wargames own game, stacks of 28mm Naps on there.

And last but not least, Kev Braziers Alamo game, a marvelous model, stacks of Mexicans, and individual defenders too. It looked & played well, and had clearly been well researched.

Purchase wise, I only really wanted a few more of those Blue Moon 15mm Marlburians from Old Glory, but, whilst naturally I would hesitate to label Andy 'a temptress', he did in fact push a box of AWI under my nose - so I had to have some of them too. Just enough for a DBx type game you understand .. and I hear that Blue Moon are soon to release Napoleonics too. So many figures, so little time ..

Overall, a right good weekend was had, it was good to meet up with my local chums, me old Loughton bunch, Norman, Andy and others besides. Oh, and Gary & Glynis! And the beer intake was pretty darned good & manly too. Now, I really need to get painting. Marlburians first I think.

Regards,

Peeler

GdB Leipzig Game, London.

On the weekend of November the 5th, the good people of the GdB Forum put on a rather large & hugely enjoyed Leipzig game, held in the Officer's Mess, Wellington Barracks, London. Myself & Hairy Dave had booked up early, and took the train down to the Metropolis on the Thursday, thence to take in the sights, visit both the Imperial War & the National Army Museums, and also to visit as many central London pubs as we could manage. We did rather well I think, and I would so like to take you on a verbal walk through the many pubs we attended in, but frankly, my memory is rather hazy. So, that must mean that we had a good time, drank lots, and as neither of us recall , didn't get arrested or do anything bad. I do recall that we met some really pleasant people, and had a good talk with some members of the Armed Forces too.
Oh, and if that rather unpleasant chap who was abusing that young lady in Trafalgar Square is reading (which I very much doubt!), then just think on - if you behave in such a manner, then you can't complain when passers by intervene and make you stop.
So, we stayed at the St Ermins, Caxton Street, which is a wonderful hotel near to St James' and just round the corner from the Barracks. Luckily, it also has a bar which serves Guinness & Boddingtons, stays open til late, and has a pleasant and chatty group of 'locals' who drink there too.

And it's only 25 yards from here ..

And about 150 yards from here ..

Naturally, we wandered by both places and paid our due respects. Here's The Albert Pub, on Victoria Road, a great little place squashed in between two modern monstrosities. Good beer and food, good company too. This was our first pint of the day on Thursday lunchtime..

.. and we then trawled our way across to and up & down and around the Whitehall area, visiting every pub at least once. We went to the one opposite Big Ben three times I think, as I remember being in it in daylight, presumably at 5pm ish, and also at last orders too ..

Being able to have a beer & fag outside whilst also hearing Big Ben chime away was, being from Yorkshire, rather great. Other drinkers, obviously seeing it every day, plainly thought we were just a pair of daft yokels who'd wandered in off some desolate Northern Moor. Naturally, we ended the day in the hotel bar, chatting with people who we saw this time last year, which was nice.
After doing the museums & sights on the Friday, we met up with Brown, Gary, RJ and others, and got ourselves talked into having some strange meal called 'Tappas'. It took a while for the 'share the bowls' theory to sink in, but when it did, it was ok really. This was followed by a pub visit, where oddly it ran out of beer. The Lithuanian lager wasn't too bad though, and again we repaired to the hotel bar till the early hours.
So to the game, on Saturday morning, by which time myself & Dave were feeling a tad tired if not quite emotional. We were cheered by the sight of the large table of around 30ft by 6ft deep, stacked with around 6,500 AB figures, all well painted & supplied by members & chums of The Loughton Club. They don't do things by half, and it was a great layout. Here's the setting up..

We played on the Allied side, and for our own specific part in the game, we were to assault & take this hill & area, hold it, draw off some French Reserves, and not take too many casualties whilst doing it. This all proved rather difficult, but was good to play. Here's my attempt at a swift cavalry charge, supported by infantry, to clear the hill top.

I realised, rather too late, that I was facing elements of the Imperial Guard. And they weren't in a mood to let us off lightly.

My cavalry attack faltered in the face of some rather furious canister fire.
Though they did their best, and hung around long enough to reform and try again, though without any more success.

At one point in the morning, a despicable event occured .. someone had left a cup & saucer atop a Gents GdB edition. We were preparing to lynch the culprit, until it transpired that both cup & book belonged to the same player.

After three courageous attempts at closing with the massed guns, my original cavalry Brigade finally gave up, and decided to Retreat rather than get wiped out. Can't say I blame them really.

So I had no choice but to continue with the infantry attack, supported by my one remaining cavalry Regiment. Those French guns were still blazing away happily.

Saturday evening beckoned, with a good feed at The Albert, and then, that's right, loadsa beer followed by more beer at the hotel bar.

Sunday morning, and things were looking up as to my left on the hill, Gary got some units into the French lines.

The French artillery began to wobble - I think they'd actually run out ammunition, they'd fired that much - and one of them routed away.

A general exchange of musketry began, with casualties on each side. As seen, the French had rather a lot of reserves here, but at least we were keeping them occupied!

My remaining cavalry unit did a marvelous charge & breakthrough, making three units retreat & rout, though without causing a single casualty. It did buy us some time & space however.

The high point of our attack, over the hill and very nearly far away..

But then, Mr Jackson swept into our rear with a Guard Light Regt, riding down three - yes, three - batteries, one after the other. Whilst he was evidently happy with this, we affected not to be bothered too much. Though we were actually very bothered, and there was much gnashing of teeth.

On the hill, things went a bit to & fro, as we were gradually worn down.

Mr RJ again, gaily charging about, taking out guns as if he was a collector of them. I have to say, I threw some pretty awful dice around this time, even worse than during the rest of the game, and it was never good really.

At the same time, we got well and truly bounced off the hill and sent packing for a while.

Though we did reform a semblance of a defence line, which held on for a bit, and for my saving grace, my last Btn's last volley of the day resulted in Faltering two attack columns. Honour was thus duly saved before we left the table!

Following such a good volley, I then attempted a Charge, to top things off and to go out in style. It didn't work, and I ended up in Retreat. Hey ho, I then had to leave to catch the train.

It was decided that overall the game was a draw, and there is a write up & photos of the entire game over on the GdB forum, here..

http://generaldebrigade.greatboard.com/viewtopic.php?t=4646

Whilst on the balcony, having a fag, we saw part of The Changing of the Guard. Smart chaps all, and brought home what our hobby represents.

Overall, a right good weekend was had, though it has taken a while for my liver to recover, and Hairy Dave has not been seen out in daylight since. It was good to meet up with old gaming chums, and my thanks to Dave Brown & the GdB group for having us take part in an absolutely wonderful game.

Regards,