French Artillery (and Pulp Heroines!)

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


Some guns to support the King’s forces in New France (and elsewhere, I guess). Both guns and crew are from Rafm.


A couple Pulp Heroines that have been sitting on the workbench in a nearly finished state forever also got finished up… These are both from Artizan Designs.

In an attempt to reduce the number of aerosol sprays I use I’ve been experimenting with Liquitex paint on matt acrylic varnish to finish figures. It is stunningly similar is smell and consistency to water-based floor finish I’ve used to finish hardwood floors – except stunningly more expensive. I had thought of using some floor finish in the past, but never seemed to have any left over… Ah well, the bottle I bought will probably last a while.

It goes on a bit thick… I’m worried it might mute out some of the details… we shall see. It DEFINITELY DOESN”T do well OVER static grass – I tried it on one of the highlanders and it turned the static grass into a goo clump…. On these figures above I painted on the finish and then applied static grass… so I guess the static grass won’t be getting anything to help keep it on (previously I sprayed finish on AFTER applying the static grass - with no ill effects – with hopes that it would help keep said base details adhered!).… Guess I’ll just have to se how it holds up.

Anybody else out there use paint on finish?

I’ve also been experimenting with black gesso.

Highland Laddies

Finally finished up a few Highlanders… They’re always a paint in the butt… they do, however, look really nice when they’re done!

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


A batch of Highlanders for skirmishing in North America circa late 1750’s. These are from Old Glory


This fellow is a Foundry figure – from the ECW line actually – but I htought he’d make a fine “Bonnie” Prince Timmy…

Next I'll have to get cracking on mteh Rafm Highlanders I have for my big battle battalion! (and maybe get some work done on those masters!!)

Washington’s Ambush

At the end of the week before last, a pile of Old Glory “French and Indian War” stuff arrived for me at the Dragon’s Den. So I quickly painted up some Troupes de la Marine and some Indians to try run a little skirmish using Savage Worlds: Showdown! (with a few new house rules).

Since I’m just starting into the Seven Years War I though; “Why not start with the skirmish that started it all?” So this week’s scenario is based on Washington’s Ambush of Jumonville on 27 May, 1754.

The Battle of Jumonville Glenn, 27 May, 1754

SITUATION

In the early 1750’s the French and English entered into direct competition for control of the Ohio valley. Early in the spring of 1754, a party of Virginians under Major George Washington had been building a fort at the forks of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers to establish their claim to the region. They were evicted by a larger force of Frenchmen, who then continued to build the fort, naming it Fort Duquesne.

For the next month Washington and the Virginians have been building a road through 100 miles of rouge mountainous terrain to open a route to the Monongahela over which they could transport the artillery necessary to take the fort back!

Washington has heard reports that a detachment of French scouts is in the area and has set out from his camp at Grand Meadows to attack them.

7am, 27 may, 1754 – The party of the Virginia Regiment under Major Washington has marched through the night and approaches the French camp at dawn….

The “scouts” are actually a detail escorting Joseph Coulon de Villiers, Sieur de Jumonville. He has been sent by Comandant de Contrecouer from Fort Duquesne to deliver an ultimatum to the first British officer he comes across to “leave in peace!”

SCENARIO

The French will deploy in a clearing in the center of the table (in their encampment). Half of the force starts the game shaken (asleep) and may not test to recover until the alarm has been raised. No French figures may even move until the British have been spotted. In fact the French really shouldn’t begin to move off the table until either Jumonville has delivered his ultimatum or the British have fired upon them (but the British really shouldn’t know this lest they use this to their advantage i.e. hold their fire until theyhave them totally surrounded). Jumonville must deliver his ultimatum to Major Washington to do this he must move to within 4” of him and remain there for a turn – this may be delivered in an “intimidating” fashion!

The British and their Indian allies may deploy within 12” of any table edge. As the French sentries aren’t expecting any trouble they are considered “inactive”, therefore the British and Indians need only pass a stealth test on their activation as they move. Failure means someone had made a noise or otherwise stirred the attention of the sentries, who will then become “active”. “Active” sentries may, on their activation, try to spot any groups of British and Indians (this is an opposed notice vs. stealth – modified by cover and pace of those being spotted). If any British or Indians are thus spotted the alarm is raised and the sleeping French may test to recover from being “shaken” on their next activation. If the British or Indians manage to fire on the French before they have been spotted they will have “The Drop” (+4 to hit and damage).

The British forces win if they kill or capture de Jumonville and at least half the French force or twice their own losses (whichever is higher!). If they kill or capture the entire French force with less than five of their own lost this will constitute a Major Victory.

The French can win if they can get three quarters of their number (15) off a friendly table edge. The can claim a major victory if they escape with no losses OR if they can kill or capture a number of British equal to their own losses plus 20…. if they can to that AND kill or capture Major Washington they can claim a STUNNING VICTORY!!!

The British force has been traveling all night and are must pass a vigor test at the beginning of the game or suffer one level of fatigue!

FORCES

The British

Major George Washington
Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 6
Fighting d6, Shooting, d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Intimidation d6, Knowledge (Battle) d6
Edges: Command,

3x Virginians (9)
Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Fighting d6, Shooting, d6, Notice d4, Stealth d6, Intimidation d6,
Edges: Formed or Irregular
Hindrances:

Indian Allies
Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Pace 6, Parry 6, Toughness 6
Fighting d8, Shooting, d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Intimidation d8, Throwing d6
Edges: Woodsmen,
Hindrances: Bloodthirsty,

The French

Joseph Coulon de Villiers, Sieur de Jumonville
Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Pace 6, Parry 6, Toughness 6
Fighting d8, Shooting, d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Intimidation d8, Knowledge (Battle) d6,
Edges: Command, Woodsman

2x French Troupes de la Marine (10)
Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Pace 6, Parry X, Toughness X
Fighting d6, Shooting, d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Intimidation d6,
Edges: Woodsmen


THE GAME

I played Jumonville and the French, and Gary played Major Washington and his party of Virginians and Indian allies.

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


The field of battle and the units all set out ready to go – earlier in the day. The French are off to the left, the British to the right.

Whoops… I just realized I forgot to make the British do their vigor roll to see if they were fatigued or not… ah well…


The French set up in their camp. I decided to deploy the French soldiers as irregulars (see the new house rules). I had de Jumonville asleep in this tent, and one group of four in one unit and two groups of three in the other unit still sleeping. The others I imagine were just waking up and brewing up… well… whatever they would have been brewing up for breakfast in the bush in the middle of nowhere in 1754…


We decided that maybe allowing the British to deploy by ANY table edge might be a bit unreasonable so they could instead pick any two adjacent table edges to deploy by. Above you can see the overall dispositions at the start of the game.


The first turn I didn’t even deal anyone in as the French were considered “inactive” and unaware of the approaching enemy. On said first turn however two of the Virginian units failed their stealth rolls activating the French sentries. “Eh Jean-François… did you ‘ere someting…?”

On turn two, one of my French units spotted some of the approaching British and raised the alarm. Unit #1 recovered a couple of their sleepy soldiers and made for cover…


The end of Turn Two.

At the beginning of Turn Three the two units of Virginians in the top right of the picture above fired volleys. The one firing at the three Frenchmen occupying the same woods as themselves missed all nine shots. The other, firing from cover at the four in the open took down three of them – forcing a morale check. The three in the woods thus surrendered to the nearby Virginians. The ones in the woods opposite attempted to surrender to the Indians – but they had that funny gleam in their eye that somehow said they weren’t interested…


The Indians rushed in and killed on of the French soldiers –forcing another morale test, which was failed, and those that had only just recovered were shaken again…


Things looking bad for the French. It was aroudn this time that Gary asked if the bennies couldhave been used on those morale rolls I failed.... DOH!!! Trying to keep track of too manythings here...


End of Turn Three. The second unit of French Soldiers has mostly recovered and made it to cover only to find more Virginian Colonials approaching from the opposite direction (with Major George Washington!). Jumonville has also made a dash for cover in the woods, and abandoned all plans of delivering an ultimatum at this point!


The Indians finished massacring all but one of the remaining French soldiers from Unit #1. Everyone else was just maneuvering about in the bush.


Jumonville and the second unit of French soldiers try to make a run for it!


Gary was having a lot of fun having his Indians attack at a run and fall on my dispersed Frenchmen with Wild Attacks – always outnumbering them… Unit two has been caught by the rampaging Indians (though the two that are down in the foreground were taken down by a volley from the Virginians led by Major Washington – as was the remaining member of the first unit…).


The Indians massacring more Frenchmen.


The noose tightens…


Jumonville is attacked by four Indians – that burned four bennies in an awful hurry!


One Frenchman got away from the Indians and might have made it off… if he hadn’t failed a morale test (brought on by the horrid screams of his comrades being scalped no doubt…) in such close proximity to this pursuing unit of Virginians thus prompting him to surrender a mere two inches from the table edge and FREEDOM!? We thought he might have been the one to escape back to Fort Duquesne and bring the news of the ambush… alas… perhaps he, of one of the other prisoners would escape later… or some of the other that were K.O.ed and left for dead crawled away, wounded, and made it back…


Jumonville took down two of his attackers – one at the end of turn six, the other at the beginning of turn seven…


He certainly didn’t make it back to Fort Duquesne… a rather historical outcome…


REALITY CHECK

Information about the incident is sketchy and contradictory. British sources claim they thought the French were a raiding party and that they fired first. The French claim that the British ambushed Jumonville’s party and killed prisoners, including Jumonville… Who knows…? The encounter did only last a few minutes and ended up with many French dead and wounded including Jumonville. So our little scenario might not be far off…

By March of 1754 the men of the Virginia Regiment were being issued uniforms of red coats and breeches. I don’t have any red-coated figures for skirmishing just yet… So I used what I had. Who’s to say all of them had received their issue anyway?! Previous to March they were required to provide their own clothing so I imagine it’s not entirely unreasonable to assume that some of them may very well have been in their civilian clothes.


CONCLUSIONS

The game lasted seven turns. I didn't pay too close attention to when we actually started and finished. I think the game ran about two hours... but Gary had never played before so I was sort of teaching him the rules as we went and I was also trying out the new house rules and we stopped to discuss them from time to time and make some changes right there on the spot... It still seemed Fast, Furious and Fun!

Maybe I shouldn’t have made the Indian’s fighting a d8. I wanted them to be better than the Europeans in hand to hand, though… maybe I could have given them Combat Reflexes (+2 recover from shaken…?)

Mid game we modified the surrender distance to 6”, I may further reduce it to 4” or add some sort of spirit test…

I thought the irregulars were kind of weak… but this was an odd scenario… maybe I should try it with two relatively matched opponents with no one having any significant advantage (i.e. neither side are sleeping) before I do too much more tinkering…) Gary decided early on that there was no point to shooting anyone in cover it was easier to just close the distance and go in with the bayonet!

I should also try the house rules out in terrain that is not quite so dense…


Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

More painting and sculpting. Next week a Great War naval battle!

A Couple New House Rules for Savage Worlds: Showdown

These are a few House Rules I’m experimenting with for Savage Worlds: Showdown

Morale, Surrender, and Retreat

The Morale rules remain more or less the same with the following additions:

Surrender

Any figures shaken as a result of failed morale will surrender to enemy forces if, at any time until they recover, there is more than twice as many unshaken enemy figures within 8” as there are unshaken friendly troops. Also figures that are shaken as a result of failed morale and are successfully intimidated by enemy within 8” will also surrender.

Any troops that aren’t bloodthirsty should generally accept the surrender of enemy forces and take them prisoner. Prisoners should remain on the table. They are considered to have dropped or surrendered their arms immediately upon surrendering. Troops must be detailed to watch prisoners – at least one per 6 prisoners. The Prisoners will act on their captors card and may be moved at half their normal pace.

Bloodthirsty troops may ignore the surrender of enemy troops and continue as they will…

Retreat

Any troops that don’t recover from being shaken as a result of failed morale must, on their next action and any subsequent actions until they do recover, retreat at their full half pace away from any visible enemy within 24” or otherwise move towards a friendly base edge.


Units with Muzzle-Loading, Blackpowder Firearms

The following rules apply only to units armed with muzzle-loading, blackpowder firearms in Savage Worlds: Showdown. These are designed to streamline things a tad so that larger actions can be played out.

First units must be declared as “Formed” or “Irregular”. Each type has different rules for unit cohesion and firing. Some units may be deployed as either – but once deployed they must remain as such for the entire encounter (I may change this… allowing such troops to spend an entire action to redeploy – I’d have to do some play-testing…).

For the purposes of cohesion and moving Formed Troops must remain within 2” of other members of their unit. When firing Formed troops will always fire in volleys. They may fire every other turn (i.e. taking one turn to reload between each firing) but may not move more than half pace on any turns that they are either firing or reloading.

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


Above is an example of a “Formed” unit. As long as they don't move more than half pace the entire unit may fire every other turn.

Irregular troops on the other hand must stay within 2” of at least two other members of their unit, effectively creating mutually supporting “cells” of three or more figures. These “cells”, however, must only maintain the regular 5” unit cohesion (i.e. a member of each cell within a unit must be within 5” of a member of another cell within the unit…). Each full cell of three or more figures may fire once every turn – as long as no member of the cell moves at more than half pace. Cells that are reduced to less than three may not fire but may split up and/or join other or form new cells.


Above is an example of an “Irregular” unit of three cells. Each of these cells may fire every turn as long as no memebers of the firing cell move more than half pace.

Is this totally crazy…? I’ll try it out tomorrow night. I’m hoping it will be intuitive enough and keep the game Fast, Furious and Fun – an hopefully make it faster and more furious (and hence, more fun!) by dispensing with the need to keep track of who is loaded and able to fire and who is loading, etc.

Wildcards can keep track of their loading process as per the normal rules.

Gentlemen, Creepy Assistants, and a Lady

I finished up a few more 18th Century types last night…

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


These three are from West Wind Productions Gothic Horror line – The Headless Horseman collection – They were either from the Icabod Crane and companions or Town Elders packs… I can’t remember just off the top of my head. I added the cuffs to the two gentlemen and have painted them up as French and British officers – to use in tomorrow nights Battle of Jumonville Glen scenario I have cooked up.

The French officer will be Joseph Coulon de Villiers, Sieur di Jumonville – who I believe would have been an officer in the Companies Franches de la Marine (hence the blue cuffs, breeches and waistcoat). According to his Wikipedia Entry he had been present in New France during the War of the Austrian Succession so I imagine he would by 1754 be a seasoned bush fighter and dispensed with the usual trappings of a continental officer as this figure has (wigs, fancy hats, swords, etc).

The Redcoat will be Major George Washington. I have no idea if he ever wore a redcoat such as this, or would have been wearing a powdered wig in the bush… I kind of doubt it… but I don’t have any other appropriate figures at the moment so this will have to do.


A couple more “Creepy Assistants” from Old Glory’s “Fat Governor and Creepy Assistants” pack from their Pirate line…

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

The Battle of Jumonville Glen – A Savage Worlds: Showdown skirmish scenario.

The Pirates of Port Dular

I have a regular Savage Worlds game on Saturday nights. It’s been going on and off for years – sometimes on different nights, sometimes with different rules, and a number of different campaigns and genres. Currently it is Savage Worlds (and has been exclusively for the last couple years), on Saturday nights, and the campaign is a sort of fantasy-ish campaign set in a world that very much resembles early to mid 18th Century Earth.

I rarely do game reports of the games we play as often there is actual role-playing going on. When there is action I don’t always have appropriate terrain to use so end up drawing stuff of a vinyl hex matt. Neither of these makes for pretty pictures – and this blog is all about the pretty pictures!

SITUATION

The Characters are in the employ of the Duke of Lafleur – a rival of the Archduke of Rodia. With intelligence provided by Mr. Drake (one of the characters, who was, at one point, a high ranking officer in the court of the Archduke) the group is sailing for Port Dular – a small station operated by the Achduke which is a base of operations for pirates and smugglers in his employ. With them is a unit of Colonial Infantry.

They sailed to the continent where Port Dular is located and found a cove where they could anchor and march overland to the port so as to observe and attack from land when there was a minimum of ships in the harbour – as they were few and this place was the base of operations for MANY. As luck would have it when they arrived there was a single sloop in the harbour – so they planned to attack at dawn the next morning.

FORCES

The Duke of Lafleur’s Men

Arna – Elf Ranger– played by Amanda

Andiel – Elf - played by Darrin

Agnar – a shoe-maker by trade, originally, and the meanest Dwarf that ever lived - played by Andrej

Sir Pwent – a Dwarven knight - played by Lloyd

Lieutenant Laroche – Naval officer in command of the Colonial Infantry.

2 units of Colonial Infantry (10 each)


Inhabitants of Port Dular (in the employ of the Archduke of Rodia)

Jean-Louis Prideau, the Administrator-General

Marc Leclerc – Clerk

The Guard (10)

Capatin Mortimer Noir - Pirate Captain

Pirate Crew

Natives

The Inn Staff

THE GAME

Andiel decided to scout out the town before the attack. He checked out a couple of buildings which were locked (warehouses) then decided to sneak into the Administrator’s compound and take out the two roof-top sentries. He failed to do so quietly and so the alarm was raised and the action began about an hour before they originally intended it to – in darkness, so all the humans were at -2 to do anything!?

Because the Lieutenant was ordered to wait until Andiel returned and was aware that the plan was to attack at first light – he stalled I said he was “shaken” and recovered at -2 (because it was dark!) and his troops would not leave their start positions until he had ordered them to do so. It tooke him three ofr four turns to get them going.

At the sound of the first shot Arna, Sir Pwent, and Agnar all made for town with much haste! Agnar made for the Inn to deal with any pirate crew that might be hanging out there… and if there weren’t any – he would just help himself to some spirits.

Arna and Sir Pwent met some armed natives in the street out front of the Administrator’s Manor – they were quickly dealt with, but in the meantime Prideau was up and awake and had mustered his guard in the courtyard of his Manor.

Arna dashed across the street to help Agnar who was single-handedly battling the crew of the pirate ship anchored in the harbour. Agnar didn’t really need any help, so Arna would quickly return to the manor to help out Sir Pwent and Andiel….

Sir Pwent dashed into the courtyard of the manor.

I started taking pics part way through the game…

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


In the courtyard of the inn, Agnar, the meanest dwarf that ever lived, destroys the pirate crew single handedly… well almost. Arna stepped in for a moment and finished off one of the pirates that Agnar had only shaken….


Then Agnar carried on into the Inn killing the captain with a single blow and the remaining pirate in view…


Lieutenant Laroche leads his colonial infantry into the town.


Arna, Andiel, and Sir Pwent fight the governor’s guard in the courtyard of his Manor.


The second division of the Colonial infantry sweeps west of town.


Having heard their mates die below the remaining pirates upstairs (that had been sniping a people in the street) decide to skedaddle! What’s that menacing thumping noise coming up the stairs!?


It’s Agnar! Certain that there had to be more Agnar charged up the stairs to the rooms above in search of more pirates to kill.


They tried to surrender – but Agnar takes no prisoners!


After he sliced one the other two jumped hoping to surrender to the colonial infantry…. One broke his leg falling… Agnar followed. While the colonial infantrymen were perfectly willing to accept the surrender of the pirates – they weren’t exactly about to stand in the way of the raging, bloodthirsty dwarf!


Back across the street the battle continued in the courtyard of the Administrator-General’s Manor!



The Colonial infantry charged in just in time to see Sir Pwent strike down three more of the guards and the governor attempting to make a hasty exit up the stairs.


Arna and the colonial infantry take the surrender of the surviving three.


Sir Pwent and Andiel subdue the post’s Administrator-General.

Indians!

I know, I know…. It’s not politically correct to call the original inhabitants of North America and their descendants “Indians” anymore… They’re “First Nation’s Peoples”. But, keeping in mind the historical context of the campaign and whatnot, that is what they WERE probably called at the time (if not something worse..). I guess I could call them Algonquians or Iroquois or Huron, or whatever – actually that’s what I’d probably prefer to do… but I have no idea which these particular warriors are… and if I did some smart alec would point out that the blanket colours or hairstyles or whatever were wrong... So for now they remain generic "'Indians". Indeed, they will likely be used as all three, and more, at one point or other in their lifetime….

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


First batch of (many) Indians from Old Glory.