French and Indian War Era - Trader Fort - Block House

The Terrain Board  is laid out so the Trader Fort will be constructed on rise, or small hill, above the surrounding territory.

The Block House will be situated at the highest point as indicated in the picture.   There will also be a Barn and a Storage Building located on the level to the left of the Block House.  

A Palisade of logs will in circle the remainder of the Fort.

Some additional detail work on the Block House.

Preperations for ReCon!

I spent the weekend looking at my preparations for the "Wars of the Jumbo Alliance" game for the upcoming ReCon!.

I decided I really need to focus on the Map.
The battlefield is 18' x 6', will be a single green sheet with terrain features put on it.   The North Side of the tabletops will be along the Mohawk River, the southside in state New York.
Near the center of the battlefield will be a Swamp/Stream with a bridge crossing.
Across the table will be a road network.
On The French Side there is a River Fortifications.   I theory the fortifications would be located on the opposite side of the river from the battlefield, but it makes a pretty boring game that way.
On the British Side of the things there is a Frontier Farmstead and a Trader Outpost. 

In theory there would be two additional 3' Tables one on each side.   I am planning on using my three 5' wide banquet tables for this as set up tables.   The British have the advantage of being able to move along the road on this fictional table to counter the French Strong Point at the Center of the Table.

I cut out the couple of pieces that I need for the road network, worked on painting the French River Fort and did the ground layout of the Trader Fort.  

So I have the all the buildings and road done short some ground work with the exception of the Trader Fort.   Shouldn't take more than a day or two to complete.

Now, how to make 400 to 500 trees.   

With the terrain all at least planned out I moved to looking at the Troops Required.

British - Assembling at the Trader Fort

• British Independent Company
• New York Untrained Militia
• New York Trained Militia
• Mohawk Indian Band

British - Assembling at the Farmstead

• New York Untrained Militia
• Ranger Company
• Ranger Company
• Mohawk Indian Band

British

• 45th Regiment of Foot
• 15th Regiment of Foot

British

• Highland Regiment
• Virginia Militia

French - Assembling at the River Fort

• Languedoc Infantry Regiment
• Artillery
• Ottawa Indian Band

French - Companies Marine

• Marine adhoc Battalion
• Militia
• Ottawa Indian Band

French

• Royal Rousillon Infantry Regiment
• Bearn Infantry Regiment

French - Companies Marine

• Marine adhoc Battalion
• Militia
• Ottawa Indian Band

What is surprising about that is how close I am to having all those figures painted, I have 36 to 50 figures left per side.   In addition I have a Brigade of Hessen Troops and Bougainville's Flying Column and the Swedes and the Austrians and .... 

Final gave some serious consideration on Rules.

• Decided to go with a completely different initative system.  Not totally happy with myself as it takes away from the BAR experience, but..   Each player will be assigned a set of chits, one +3, three +2, eight +1, eight -1, three -2, and one -3.   A player chooses a chit and than rolls a d6, adding the appropriate chit modifier to determine the final initiative.   Players move and shot from lowest to highest.

Christmas Break Figure Painting

Completed a few more 25mm French and Indian War Figures over Christmas Break, excuse me Winter Holiday Break.

British
12 - Rangers
12 - 15th Infantry Regiment
8 - Independent Company

French
12 - Canadian Militia - Languedoc Infantry Battalion

I anticipate finishing up some additional figures by the End of the Year.
I have the remainder of the 15th Infantry and Virginia Provincials primed and some first colors slapped on them.   I have another unit of British "Local" Militia primed, a unit of Rangers and a second Independent Company started.
For the French I have another block of 12 Canadian Militia which I intend to have completed for the Bearn infantry Regiment, a block of 24 Grenadiers, 12 Marine Piquets and another unit of Native American Indians already primed.

There is little question I cannot complete everything on my list.
I need to fill in the needs first.
15th British Infantry Regiment (two Divisions)
12 British Local Militia
12 Canadian Militia (Bearn Infantry Regiment)
24 French Grenadiers (Composite Unit)

Native Americans

Here's to my effort.

A Few more F&IW Figures

EDIT: COUNTS UPDATED DECEMBER 26, 2013

I finished up a unit of 12 Canadian Militia Piquets (Skirmish) with a command stand.

I also got a good start on a unit of 10 Native American Indians and it's command stand plus a over all Command Stand for my Native American Indians. 

In looking at what I have Painted:

British

• 45th Infantry Regiment (54 of 54)
• 15th Infantry Regiment  (12 of 54)
• Virginia Militia (12 of 44)
• Artillery (12 of 12)
• Highlanders (23 of 23)
• Highlanders (23 of 23)
• Highlanders (8 of 50)
• Rangers (12 of 12)
• Rangers (12 of 12)
• Rangers (0 of 12)
• Independent Company (12 of 12)
• Independent Company (6 of 12)

French

• Languedoc (38 of 44)
• Royal Roussilon (32 of 32)
• Bearn (32 of 32)
• Artillery (8 of 8)
• French Piquets (12 of 12)
• Companies Marine (44 of 44)
• Companies Marine (32 of 44)
• Marine Piquets (0 of 12)
• Canadian Militia - Formed (16 of 16)
• Canadian Militia - Unformed (14 of 14)

Native Americans

• Unit 1 (12 of 12)
• Unit 2 (12 of 12)

British Allied - Hessian

• Mansbach (54 of 54)
• Erbprinz (42 of 54)
• Artillery (8 of 8)

Saxon in French Service

• Graf Bruhl (20 of 44)
• First Lubomirsky (0 of 44)
• Artillery (8 of 8)

Austrian

• Artillery (12 of 12)

Swedes

• German Grenadiers (26 of 46)
• Jagers (12 of 12)
• Friekorps (12 of 40)
• Artillery (8 of 8)

I guess I am beginning to see the end of painting the figures I currently have mounted up and primed, scary thought.  So I started looking through the unmounted and unprimed figures...

• Two Battalions of French Marching
• One Battalion of French Advancing
• Three Battalions of Prussian Muskeeters
• One Battalion of Austrians
• 30 Native Americans

In addition I have some ungodly number of American Militia to remount.

My Goal between now and next week is get a good number (30 to 60) Native American Figures painted and remount at least two units of American Militia.

A Ford Too Far - Preliminary Discussion

The Irish historian Cornelius Ryan wrote several narrative histories on the Second World War; the most famous include The Longest Day, The Last Battle and A Bridge too Far.  Cornelius Ryan's writings and the films made based upon his books had a serious impact on my views and choice of hobbies.   I have slowly been painting up the figures to run Operation Market Garden using 15mm figures and "Spearhead" rules.  

Over the years the Centurions have discussed using historical scenarios in different periods; for example the Battle of Gettysburg set in 1779 between the British (Union) and the Continentals (Confederates), or Waterloo in 1870.   

However an intriguing idea was presented as Operation Market Garden set in the French and Indian War, dubbed a Ford too Far.   Would it work, can it be played, what rules, scale...

Obviously with a far number of 25mm Figures painted up already (even though not much is playable, see last post) the scale of the project was chosen for us.

As for rules, my love hate relationship with all rules is clearly in play, however we have been leaning towards Batailles de l'Ancien Régime (AKA BAR) locally and for now with nothing else peaking anyones interest BAR gets the nod.

So we have rules, scale, figures and now the start of creating a scenario.

To me the first step was breaking the game into playable areas or tables.   Specifically the space the table becomes the rivers/canals.   Between Table 1 and Table 2, the Rhine with Oosterbeek and Arnhem on Table 1.   Between Table 2 and Table 3 is the River Waal with Nijmegen located on Table 3.  Between Table 3 and 4 you have the Wilhemina Canal with Eindhoven located on Table 4.

The next step is locating whose where and how do you represent them.
The 1st British Airborne is located on Table 1 holding the crossing there in Arnhem.   The Polish Parachute Brigade is on Table two attempting to take the crossing from Arnhem.   The 82nd is attempting to take the crossing from Nijmegen on to table 2, and the 101st is attempting to take Eindhoven and the crossing onto table 3.
The Germans have a series of Kampfgruppe on each of the tables, including an SS Division, a Parachute Division, a Panzer Brigade and several unique divisions.  

The 1st Airborne - 80th Regiment of Foot
Polish Parachute Brigade - Allied Native Americans
82nd Airborne - American Rangers
101st Airborne - American Rangers
Guards Armored - Highlanders
Wessex Division - Regular infantry
Northumberland Division -  Regular Infantry

The question then becomes how many figures....
If you figure each player will command four units of 10/12 figures than ...
80th Regiment of Foot (Gage's Light Infantry) - Five skirmishing units of 10 figures.
Native American - Three Skirmishing units of 15 figures
American Rangers - Three Skirmishing units of 10 figures
American Rangers - Three Skirmishing units of 10 figures
Highlanders - Four Regular Foot Divisions of 15 Figures
45th Regiment of Foot - Four Regular Foot Divisions of 12 Figures
15th Regiment of Foot - Four Regular Foot Divisions of 12 Figures

Additional Figures
Grenadiers - 8th Armoured Brigade?

More later on all the Kampfgruppes

BAR Update - December 2

WOW!  Has it really been 9 months since I blogged on Miniature Gaming?   According to BlogSpot it has been, I just cannot believe it has been that long.

Any how...

Over the long Thanksgiving Weekend I spent some quality time with brush, paint and figures.   It seemed like I didn't complete much in the way of completed figures, twelve French Piquets (One Unit), four Austrian Artillerists, three command stands, half-a-dozen French Canadian Militia, and a solid start on another half-a-dozen French Canadian Militia.   That's 30 figures, plus 6 half-painted figures.   I shouldn't complain but...

I also spent some time looking over my French and Indian War / Seven Years War 25mm figure collection and attempted to decide upon some priorities.  I suppose that having the attention span of a six year old doesn't help me all that much; however here goes.

I think that creating playable forces has got to be the most important aspect.

On the French side you have Bougainville, Dumaz, Senezergues, and Montcalm's commands, Brigades if you will, however that is not the proper term, columns or lines is more of the vernacular for the period.
On the British side you have Wolfe, Monckton, Murray, and Townsend's commands. 
I also have two Saxon Regiments in French Service, two battalions of Hessians, and a number of Swedish units in the works for other SYW projects.

As I take a closer look at the French Side for the F&IW:
Bougainville Flying Column
Levis' Militia Cavalry - 200 Men - Don't own figures
French Piquets (IR) - 100 Men - Completed
French Piquets (CdM) - 100 Men - Figures Primed
French Piquets (Militia) - 120 Men - 6 Painted / 6 half-painted
Composite Grenadier Battalion - 240 Men - Not started
Native American's -

Dumaz's Column
La Sarre (II) - 360 Men - Not Started
Montreal Militia - 8 Figures Painted
Quebec Militia - 8 Figures Painted

Senezergues' Column
Guyenne (II) - 360 Men - Not Started
Royal Roussilon (II) - 360 Men - 12 Figures Painted
Montreal Militia - Not Started
Trois River Militia - Not Started

Montcalm's Column
Langdoc (II) - 360 Men - 24 Figures Painted
Bearn (II) - 360 Men - 24 Figures Painted

Levis' Brigade
Compagnies Franches de la Marine - 960 Men and 240 Militia - 48 Figures and 24 Figures 

The problem, even though I have 150 to 200 figures painted I haven't complete one command, what worse is that each of the commands needs about 50 figures to make it playable.   

On the British side I am even more in shambles as many figures are half-painted.    I have commands stands completed for four or five battalions but very few actual line figures painted.  

So what can I get completed to make pained playable forces.
Bougainville's Flying Column needs Militia Piquets and a number of Native American's completed.   arguably this is my closest to playable command.   One I should focus on in the short term.
The next closest to playable is Montcalm's Column of two battalions, I am short 24 figures and actually have these figures primed and based up.
Levis' Brigade is in practical purposes playable, but under strength, a couple of artillery pieces and some more Marines are in it's future.

The British, well since I cannot put what I have painted into any kind of semblance of order I am practically starting at ground zero.   I have two divisions of the 48th Foot done (24 Figures) and 24 figures primed I need to finish those before moving on to the 15th Foot.   I also have 30 figures of the 78th Highlanders started and well I also have the 60th (Royal Americans) and a Virginia Militia Battalion started, plus two Independent Companies, three Ranger Companies (basically done).   Wow are they a mess.   I guess that why I am focusing on the French.
Dumaz's and Senezegues' Columns are the furthest from playable.

BAR Update

A quick look at four of the sixteen Prussian Artillerists that I am painting up for Jim.    I actually have eight of them done and started on the other eight.

Jim is working on Prussian Brigade with a Musketeer Regiment (two battalions) and a Fusilier Regiment (two battalions) plus artillery.

For the Imaginations games of Jumboed Alliances I am working on a Swedish Brigade and a Saxon Brigade.   My plan is that once painted the Saxon's would be sold to someone locally.   Hopefully at some point I can get back the Royal Swede and Royal Bavarian Brigade for the French Army, but that is now on the back burner.

Speaking of the Swedish Brigade I have really given some thought on its organization and have decided to get back to work on it.   The brigade will have Narke-Varmlands, Dalanars as a single battalion of three small divisions of 15; two battalions of a Vavarde Regiment.   To be supported by one battalion of Grenadiers, more artillery than you can shake a stick at (It is a Swedish Command after all), plus a company of Jaegers.