More wargaming fun @ Lanyon (scalp-um plenty Paleface!)

One of my wargaming buddies at the Lanyon club reminded me last weekend that I obviously hadn't been doing any blogging lately.  I checked the blog and noticed that its been over a month since I posted anything! So sorry for my recalcitrance and general slackarsed tardiness as I have got heaps to post - but have simply not got around to doing it!

I have been busy with wargaming stuff and must have made a subconscious decision to paint rather than post as I have done plenty since finishing the Poles.  I've painted and based up some rather good temporary earthworks and gun emplacements which will go well with anything from TYW to WWII games. And I've finished the French Napoleonic wagon from Perry's complete with petite cantinierre  just for a bit of whimsy.

The last lot were a box of Perry's Desert Rats done up as a platoon of the famous 2/7th AIF for the Greece/Crete campaign - the start of my AIF force to go with my Fallschirmjaeger force - still waiting for someone to do some decent Gebirgsjaeger (mountain troops) to go with them.  If desperate I may have to do up a box of Perry's wonderful DAK plastics as mountain-men (trouble is you need mostly Feldmutze peaked caps - and there aren't enough of them).  I've included a few teaser pics as I will blog on both at length in a future post.

BUT - I digress!!!  First cab off the blogging rank has to be the games just played at the Lanyon club last weekend. It was a good turnout with four cracking games played: an ancients (and I mean really ancient!) Sumarian game complete with donkey-powered chariots. These looked like the ones produced by Castaway Arts who make the best asses in the business (pun intended). Fortunately my mate Greg took some photos of it which he has kindly allowed me to post on this blog.

I think you'll agree - that's some nice ass!

There was also Leigh's Eastern Front game with hordes of AFV's and a beautifully painted Stormovik which I should have photo'd (Leigh if you're reading this - send us a piccie of it!)

Another game was a Saga(?) Dark Ages skirmish game devised by Greg: 'Save the Relic' (and no, it did not refer to any of those playing it!!!)  It looked great with some really nice decorative pieces on the table including a farm replete with pigs and a yard full of Kiwi's delight (also known as sheep) and as well as the awesome-looking Holy Relic, even a fearsome-looking Druid with a mini-Stonehenge and virgin begging to be sacrificed (not!) This game looked like it had everything: 50 Shades of Dark (Ages) Grey!

The actual Relic - Greg's photo of the Grey Band which is much better than mine!

The Druid on the hill with apprentice Virgin on hand

Mind the bacon! That big woman guarding them was too formidable for even the most ravenous warrior!

Warriors thinking about a quick sausage sizzle before battle!

The real fun at Lanyon for me was Doug's Tomahawks and Muskets skirmish game. In this scenario the British were raiding a French/Indian village on the frontier to put a stop to the Frenchie's incessant raids.  The object was to torch the French barracks (three houses on the table) and hold onto our French hostage, a militia officer who was 'helping us with our inquiries' (sans the odd fingernail or excess body part).  If we lost him and failed to fire the buildings the French win the scenario.

The Highland regulars advancing against the eastern edge of the village soon come under fire from French tireurs 

The American militia with hostage, Roger's Rangers and Indian friends stealthily try the same thing from the western end.

Greg's photo of Les Runaways French militia. Tres pretty. They very unsportingly hid in the trees and shot down Highland Grenadiers but our Indian allies opposite soon had their measure.

Those Indian chappies making damned fine use of their tradestore muskets.

The Highland Grenadiers continue their advance - all of Doug's magnificent collection are Galloping Major figures save for the Scots Light Infantry who are Perry's AWI.

The British stirred up a hornet's nest out of which erupted the French.
Marins irregulars ready for a fight.

At the other end my co-commander Paul was having a very hard time of it getting across the stream.  Bushwacked by Jack's Indians in the trees opposite (unlike his father, young Jack has developed an uncanny ability to roll really good dice!) Caught mid-stream, Paul had already lost half his Indian and Ranger scouts.

Young Jack's Indian warband ambushed, got shot, ran away then came back again throughout the entire game, but successfully prevented the American militia from crossing the stream and enveloping the French flank.

The French regulars and militia unleashed some deadly volleys in reply.  The Indians didn't dare come out of the woods opposite into the open - that was best left to the British regulars!

My kilted arsonists the Scots Light Infantry had already burned the first French building and joined the Grenadiers who had just destroyed the remaining French militia opposing them.  Although good with the bayonet they were terrible shots as their massive combined volleys did little damage to the French regulars.

It was the Indians firing from the woods who did the most damage.

The French regulars volleyed and charged the Highlanders, inflicting four casualties to one in the ensuing melee. After a second melee and more shooting the surviving Grenadiers (less than half the unit) held but the French finally broke. The unscathed Highland LI, having fired their second building (the militia barracks) caught the retreating French enfilade, killing all save the valiant officer.

Paul's American militia gave up on trying to cross the stream, content to hold on and keep the Indians and French militia engaged AND their hostage in custody!

A rueful Monsieur contemplates a lonely walk back to Montreal with nothing left of his command but his pointy stick while jeering Anglais with hairy legs in dresses give him a resounding farewell raspberry. C'est la Guerre, mon Ami. Warfare on the frontier can be very cruel.  

Situation at the end of the game: the Indians and American militia keep the French Indians and militia engaged while the Highland regulars destroy the French regulars and set fire to a second building.  At this point Doug conceded as he had no means of preventing the Highlanders from completing the mission by sweeping across his rear and firing the remaining building in the village.

 Many thanks to Doug who provided his superb figures and a great scenario written by Andrew. Young Jack rolled great dice and kept his skittish Indians in the field and the American militia out of the village. My American commander Paul raised the entire tone of the meet by bringing his other half Deb along who showed great patience watching us lot rattle dice, shuffle lead and gas on about all things wargaming. A great lunch at the club topped off another meeting of the Gentlemen Wargamers at Lanyon with a fun time had by one and all.