Sunday 28 July 2013

Neil goes to the ACW

Using Neil Thomas' Wargaming C19th Europe for the ACW (1)


To return to my attempt to use Neil's European rules for the ACW, here is the next step.

I have a limited number of 6mm troops on 40 by 30mm bases. I plan to use these on a modified M44 board. As they are blocks, I will need to use markers for casualties.

My force pool is quite limited:

ACW Force Pool
 
CSA
USA
Infantry
10
10
Skirmishers
2
2
Cavalry
2
2
Smoothbore Artillery
2
1
Rifled Artillery
Nil
1
Generals
2
2

I will be using the Pitched Battle Scenario (scenario 1, page 51) from Neil's book so I need to modify the army selection table to fit my force pool.


Army Selection Table: Pitched Battle Scenario

 

Die Roll

Infantry

Skirmishers

Cavalry

Artillery

Generals

 

1

7

1

2

2

2

2

7

2

2

1

2

3

7

1

2

2

2

4

8

1

1

2

2

5

8

2

1

1

2

6

8

1

1

2

2
 

At the moment, I plan to use two generals for each army. When I consider the rules in more detail I intend to use the command rules, or at least a variant of them. For the artillery selection, where the USA player has 1 unit, they can use either the smoothbore or rifled piece.

Next step, lets do some army list things.

By the way, I found myself very pleased with the Bavarian blog piece, it went together really well with no formatting problems. I didn't expect to encounter any difficulties with this one but if I had any hair left it would all be gone by now!




Saturday 27 July 2013

Bavarians for 1809

Not there yet, just prepping


I have purchased some Bavarians for the 1809 campaign. This was a long time ago and I feel the need to get on with painting them. The rules will be Neil Thomas' Napoleonic Wargaming, or such an approximation as I can get together. The troops are from Hat.

First things first, have we got an army list? Well, we do now:


Bavarian 1809
 
Line infantry
2-4
(Close Order Infantry (Musket), Average)
 
Light infantry
 
1-2
(Light Infantry (Musket), Average)
Tyrolean Jaegers
 
0-1
(Light Infantry (Rifle), Elite)
Dragoons
0-1
(Heavy Cavalry, Elite)
 
Chevaux Legers
1-2
(Light Cavalry (Carbine), Average)
 
Artillery
 
0-1
 
Notes:
 
1.    Only the elite company of the light infantry had rifles so the whole unit is treated as musket armed.
2.    For the Tyrolean Jaegers I plan to use the Hat Austrian infantry in shakos in a suitable paint job. Strictly they are 1807 only but I couldn’t resist them.
3.    Dragoons are horse cavalry only, they do not have dismounted ability.
4.    I have no special rules for the Bavarians, although I am tempted to build in a Black Forest Gateaux moment as a command and control limit when Bavarians are fighting anyone other than fellow cake eaters, such as the Austrians!
 

And what colour do we paint them? Lets look up the book (Osprey 106 Napoleon's German Allies (4): Bavaria):


Bavarian Paint Chart 1
 
Infantry
Light infantry
Artillery
 
Coat
 
Light blue
Dark green
Dark blue
Facings (Collar, Cuffs, Lapels)
Red, yellow, poppy, green
 
Black piped red
Scarlet collar and cuffs, black lapels
Turnbacks
 
Red
Red
Scarlet
Bandoliers
 
White
White
White
Trousers
 
Grey
Grey
Dark blue
Gaiters
Black
Black
Black/yellow buttons
 
Musket sling
 
Red
Red
Red
Cartridge box
 
Black
Black
Black


Bavarian Paint Chart 2
 
Tyrolean Jaegers
Dragoons
(1st “Minucci”
Chevaux Legers
(2nd “Koenig”
Coat
 
Dark grey
White
Dark green
Facings (Collar, Cuffs, Lapels)
Light blue
 
Red collar; cuffs and lapels red.
 
Red
Turnbacks
 
Red
White piped red
Red
Bandoliers
 
Black
White
White
Trousers
 
Grey
Dark grey
White
Gaiters
Black
 
NA
NA
Musket sling
 
Red
Red
NA
Cartridge box
 
Black
Back
Black
Saddle furniture
 
Red , white/blue border
 
Grey, white edging
Sash
 
Red
Grey
 

And what colour is Bavarian blue? Some say it is a dark blue, some say the dark blue faded to a cornflower or grey blue, others say that the blue turned purple from the soldiers perspiration. Well, one guy says use Vallejo Andrea blue (841 (65)), another says do something different. hey ho, nobody knows! I'll have a look at Deep Sky Blue (844 (66)) and Sky Blue (961 (67)) as well.