Wargaming Campaigns

I'm living a kind of "vintage wargaming nostalgia" so I started searching and I found the web site of John Curry, a Gentleman and editor who is building the history of wargame project. A place were you can find a lot of wargaming classics of Fathers of Wargaming like Charles Grant, Tony Bath, Paddy Griffith or Donald Featherstone. I purchased this book because I allways have been fixed with the desire of wargaming a true campaign with lines of comunication, attrition, flank marches... all the things you don't have in a "common" wargame.

The book has all this things and much more. It comes from an era where wargamers were WWII veterans (Featherstone fought in the Cassino campaign), teachers or historians: experienced wargamers that played with tie and suits! Awesome! Those gentlemen only had Airfix plastics as a cheap source of miniatures. In some cases they even cast their own miniatures.

Reading the book convinces you that everything is possible and accurate trully simulated with a little of imagination. Really, a good wargame doesn't need to be eyecandy or have a perfect layout. The thing is simulation. Obviouslly is better to have a model road than a chalk road but the budget doesn't have to limit you.

The book was written in 1970 and while some ideas are really repeated or updated in rules, magazines or websites, there are ideas that really thrilled me, like the "Matchbox method" to play a campaign without an umpire or the way in which lines of communication are simulated.

The book is a collection of ideas (and some of them really usefull) to convert a map campaign into a tabletop game. But it doesn't stop here, it also has a collection of 16 example campaigns ranging from a Viking raid to WWII. Especially interesting for me were the Agincourt Campaign (Chapter 15) and the Napoleonic Corps Campaign (chapter 18).

Well, to sum up: 227 black and white pages with few pictures and a lot of good ideas and suggestions for only 12.95 pounds. It's a really good volume for people who don't like to be held by blockbuster rules that "gives all you need" but feel like designed for championship.

Take a look at John Curry website to know more about the History of Wargaming project and to purchase some classics:

http://www.wargaming.co/books/homepage.htm

September 2011

Well, if summer was awfull regarding to painted miniatures, september has been worse. Going back to work (I'm a teacher) was not refreshing and added to my daughter who is 9 months and started to crawl...I only painted a couple of French batteries for the Barcelona 1714 project.

I also got introduced in the scenery construction with a set of roads.

So... 2 batteries = 2 guns and 7 figures (a big gun has 4 artillerymen) all from Zvezda GNW Russian artillery.

Scenery on a budget (I). Making roads

There is a time whem every wargamer feels that he needs more scenery. In my case, things went this way: I started years ago collecting and painting miniatures, last year I bought a table, a green cloth and some model trees and finally I made some fields out of an old carpet.
Well, after severall battles I feel that I need more things: roads, rivers, hills, a true forest (no scattered trees), a village, orchards, a fortress... My permanent problem is money. If I buy miniatures I cannot buy scenery so...

Well, in this first post I tried to make a modular road without spending too much money.

Materials:

- 3 DM pieces of about 3mm and dimensions of 20x30cm.
- Modelling saw.
- Flint paper.
- Marker.
- Can of glue in spray for free, it was at home from a previous project.
- Sand for the texture, free it comes from the beach of Barcelona.
- Two big brushes, cheap from a craft store.
- Paint. From Vallejo, not model color but hobby craft line instead (the big ones).
- Green grass. The same I use for the bases. Free, I have a decent stock at home.
- Matt varnish

Total cost: Les than 15 Euros





STEP 1:

With the marker, draw the road sections on the DM boards. I made straigh sections of 30cm (about 1ft) long and 5cm wide plus two "T" sections the same length and several irregular curved sections.

STEP 2:

Cut the sections with the saw. They don't need to be perfect cut. After all its an earth road, not a padded way.

STEP 3:

With the flint paper smoth the endings of the road






STEP 4:

Spray the road sections with glue and cover with sand. Let dry



STEP 5:

Paint the roads and drybrush with a lighter color if you want.

STEP 6:

Put grass at the road limits and at the center.

STEP 7:

Apply matt varnsih and let dry



At the end you get a decent road that in my case is capable to cover all my table in both directions.

Juliol/Agost 2011

Juliol/Agost 2011

Tenint en compte que les meves vacances han ocupat part de tots dos mesos i que durant les vacances poc he pintat, es pot dir que aquest mesos han estat bastant penosos pel que a calendari de pintat es refereix. Això no vol dir que no hagi pintat absolutament res. Alguna cosa s'ha fet.

Durant els dos mesos s'ha pintat:

Regiment Prinz Friederich del duc de Brunswick per a la Guerra Independència Americana. Les figures son de Hat en 1/72 i encara no estan a la venda. Son TestShots de la seva futura gamma de prussians per la Guerra dels 7 anys.

Continuant amb el Projecte Barcelona 2014 he pintat 4 companyies de la Coronela de Barcelona: fadrins sastres, taverners, ferrers i calderers i llibreters i flassaders. De Zvezda en 1/72

Finalment he tornat als 28mm amb una nova campanya. 1a Guerra Carlina. Infante Don Sebastian i estat major dels germans Perry. Absolutament fabuloses.

Així:

1/72 a peu:

Regiment Prinz Friederich @ 16 figures = 16
4 companyies de la Coronela @ 2 figures per companyia = 8

1/72 a cavall:

1 coronel del regiment Prinz Frederich = 1

28mm

Infant Don Sebastian i Estat Major = 3 figures muntades

Total: 24 figures de 1/72 a peu, 1 a cavall i 3 de 28mm a cavall.

July/August 2011

Taking into account that my vacations were between July and Auguts and that I have not paint anything during this period, I can say that both month have been a little bit discouraging referred to miniature painting. However it doesn't mean that nothing have been painted. There is always something that can be done.

In this two months I have painted:

Prinz Friederich regiment from Brunswick to be used in the American War of Independence. The miniatures are TestShots from Hat in 1/72 and are not for sale at the moment. They will be Prussian infantry for the 7YW.
Following with my Barcelona 2014 project I've painted 4 companies of the urban militia of Barcelona (Coronela de Barcelona). From Zvezda in 1/72

Finally I've started a new campaign in 28mm. 1st Carlist War of course with Perry miniatures. At this moment only with a command pack of Infante Don Sebastian and ADCs.

So:

1/72 on foot:

Prinz Friederich regiment @ 16 figures = 16
4 Coronela companies @ 2 figures/company = 8

1/72 horse:

1 officer Prinz Frederich = 1

28mm

Infante Don Sebastian and ADCs = 3 figures on horse

Total: 24 figures 1/72 foot, 1 on horse and 3 in 28mm on horse.

June 2011 painting Inventory

Aquesta vegada no he estat a la altura del mes passat però, això si, he complert amb la proposta del projecte Barcelona 1714-2014. En concret he pintat dos batallons del Regiment de la Marine i una bateria. Tots ells Borbònics però realment russos de Zvezda. També he començat a pintar figures per recrear la batalla de Bunker Hill (1775). De moment un batalló de milícia americana (IMEX/ACTA).Només penjo les fotos dels francesos perquè la milícia està esperant que els sigui entregada una bandera.
Les banderes son dels meus companys wargamers de Vilafranca:

http://desperta-ferro-ed.blogspot.com/2008/08/in-1713-united-kingdom-and-netherlands.html

Ha quedat així:

Juny de 2011
Infanteria 1/72: 2 batallons @ 10 figures per batalló = 20 figures. Russos de la Gran Guerra del Nord de Zvezda. Dues figures de cada batalló estan separades en una peana més petita per representar granaders que es poden destacar per formar regiments ad hoc.
Infanteria 1/72: 1 batalló @ 16 figures = 16 figures. De IMEX
Artilleria 1/72: 1 bateria @ 1 canó = 1 canó i 3 artillers. Artilleria russa de Pere el Gran de Zvezda.
Total: 39 figures a peu i 1 canó.


ENGLISH TEXT

This month has not the same level as May because I have painted far less figures. However, I started my Barcelona 1714-2014 project with two Bourbon French bons of La Marine Regiment and one battery. In addition I’ve painted one American Militia unit for a Bunker Hill refight. I only post pictures of the French because the militia is waiting for his flag.
The French flags come from my fellow catalan wargamers:

http://desperta-ferro-ed.blogspot.com/2008/08/in-1713-united-kingdom-and-netherlands.html

Here is the summary:

June 2011
1/72 infantry: 2 bon @ 10 figures per bon = 20 figures. From Zvezda’s Russian infantry of the GNW. Two figures of each bon are based in a smaller base representing grenadiers that can be detached to form ad hoc units.
1/72 infantry: 1 bon @ 16 figures per bon = 16 figures. American militia from IMEX/ACTA
1/72 artillery: 1 battery @ 1 gun = 1 gun and three gunners. Zvezda’s Russian artillery of Peter the Great
Total: 39 foot figures, 1 gun

Ultonia

Després de l'historial de la unitat, avui penjo les fotos del Regiment d'Ultonia.
Les miniatures son de Eagle en 28mm pintades amb Vallejo i The Army Painter. Les banderes d'Adolfo Ramos.

ENGLISH TEXT

After posting the regimental history, today I post the pictures of the Ultonia regiment. Those are Eagle miniatures painted with Vallejo and The Army Painter. Flags from Adolfo Ramos.

Regimiento Irlandés Ultonia

Fou el tercer i últim regiment d’irlandesos que entrà al servei d’Espanya. El seu renom és “El Inmortal”.

1808

Després d’haver combatut durant la Guerra Gran el regiment queda de guarnició a Girona amb únicament 73 oficials y 351 soldats.

Juny: 1r Setge de Girona. El general Duhesme amb una divisió intenta prendre Girona per sorpresa i ataca la ciutat (19-21/06). El sergent major del regiment Enrique O’Donnell, acompanyat dels granaders i de la milícia de Girona (Cruzada Gerundense) efectua una sortida i rebutja els francesos de les torres de Sant Lluís, Sant Narcís i Sant Daniel. Els francesos es retiren cap a Barcelona.

Juliol-Agost: 2n Setge de Girona (21/07-16/08). En una sortida (16/08) tropes del regiment claven l’artilleria que estava obrint bretxa al castell de Montjuic i provoquen la retirada francesa.

Octubre: El regiment es reorganitzat amb nous reclutes arribant a 300 homes agrupats en dos batallons. Passa a la divisió d’Avantguarda a l’Empordà.

Novembre-Desembre: 8 oficials y 118 homes són enviats a defensar Roses on combaten durant el setge (07/11-05/12). 30 baixes i la resta del destacament feta presonera.

1809

El regiment queda reduït a 213 homes que protegeixen Girona. Un petit destacament és enviat a Tarragona.

3r setge de Girona 2/05-11/12

Juny: Sortida contra els atrinxeraments enemics (17/06). Un destacament creua les línies enemigues, arriba fins a Hostalric i torna a entrar a Girona amb 200 homes de reforç (20/06).

Agost: El mateix destacament torna a sortir fins a Hostalric i amb les tropes que allí hi havia combat a Banyoles (16/08). Aquest destacament no torna a entrar a Girona.

Setembre: Sortida per clavar l’artilleria enemiga (1/09), sortida per protegir l’entrada d’un comboi (05/09). El destacament exterior combat a Bàscara i ajuda a entrar un nou comboi. EL MOMENT DE GLORIA: Durant el que es coneix com El Gran Dia de Girona (19/09) rebutja l’assalt als baluards d’Alemanys i de Santa Llúcia. El Coronel Rodolfo Marshall mort a la bretxa. Les tropes exteriors entren l’últim comboi a la plaça (26/09).

Desembre: El MOMENT DE DESGRÀCIA: Girona es rendeix després d’un setge de més de 5 mesos. Les restes del regiment son fets presoners i internats a França. Es perden tres banderes.

1810

A partir dels destacaments que havien quedat a l’exterior es funda el “Batallón de distinguidos de Ultonia” que combat fins al final de la guerra.

ENGLISH TEXT

It was the third and last Irish regiment that entered in Spanish service. It was nicknamed “The Immortal”.

1808

After having fought in the war against the French Republic, the regiment remained in garrison duty in Girona (Gerona in Spanish) with only 73 officers and 351 soldiers.

June: 1st Siege of Girona. General Duhesme, with one division (mainly Italians), tried a surprise against the city (19-21/06). The mayor of the regiment Enrique O’Donnell, with the grenadiers and the militia (Cruzada Gerundense) makes a sortie and attack the French at the towers of Sant Lluís, Sant Narcís and Sant Daniel. The French retreat towards Barcelona.

July-August: 2nd Siege of Girona (21/07-16/08). In a sortie (16/08) troops of the regiment spike the French artillery which was breaching the walls of Montjuic Castle thus provoking the French retreat.

October: The regiment is reorganized into 300 men grouped in two battalions.

November-December: 8 officers and 118 soldiers are sent to defend Roses (Rosas in Spanish) where they fight during the siege (07/11-05/12). The whole detachment minus 30 dead become prisoners of war.

1809

The regiment is reduced to 213 officers and soldiers in Girona. A tiny detachment is sent to Tarragona.

3rd siege of Girona 2/05-11/12

June: Sortie against the French entrenchments (17/06). A detachment crosses the besieging lines, arrives at the fortress of Hostalric and returns to Girona with 200 men of reinforcements (20/06).

August: The same detachment arrives again at Hostalric and joins the troops there fighting at Banyoles (16/08). The detachment remains outside the city of Girona.

September: Sortie to spike the French artillery (1/09), sortie to protect a supply train that enters the city (05/09). The outer detachment fights at Bàscara helping in the entrance of a new supply train. MOMENT OF GLORY: During what is known as the Great Day of Girona (19/09) defends the bastions of Alemanys and Santa Llúcia against the French assault. The colonel Rodolfo Marshall dies in the breach. The outer troops enter the last supply train into the city (26/09).

December: MOMENT OF DISGRACE: Girona surrenders after a long siege (more than 5 months). What remains of the regiment is made prisoner of war. Three flags are lost to the enemy.

1810

With the detachments that remained outside the city and new recruits the new regiment “Batallón de Distinguidos de Ultonia” is founded. The regiment fights until the end of the war.