Tools of the trade

I so so wanted to call this post « polishing my helmet » but after the fallout from « check out my junk » (on the old blog) I didn’t dare.

Now then…one of the only downsides to zoom gaming, (of which I have been doing more of my fair share of late) is that people get to see the kind of crack den / sex dungeon / doom preppers bunker that you regularly inhabit. Last night I realised that my regular background view might require a bit of further explanation if I’m ever to get another invite to a game. 

The longest serving of the cognoscenti may recall that I used to style myself a method wargamer, someone who wanted to know what it was like to wear the kit and use the weapons that my miniature chaps are forced to wield. It was this mind set that led me into re enactment and which allowed me to accumulate quite a hoard of medieval and ECW kit - until my first move to France saw the majority of it getting sold off.

On this my second (and final) sojourn to la belle France I’ve been lucky enough to have a dedicated games room, but it was looking a bit devoid of character until a chance encounter with an Adrian helmet at a local brocante got me thinking about tarting my new space up with something other than a bit of emulsion and the odd family photo.

Spurred on by the impulse purchase of this French military icon, the initial concept was just a display of a few more helmets but it soon morphed into helmet types and equipment that I’d worn and used in the past. Since, as I said, most of my original gear is now long gone, I started looking at the websites of people who make museum grade replicas replacements.

And just like that my wallet emptied.

Now I’d be the first to admit that having weapons on the wall is a tad…I dont know…vulgar? But I’m justifying this collection as literally a personal history trail so hopefully folk won’t feel the need be too judgy. Rest assured there will be no machine guns or nazi memorabilia here…no sireee Bob. (Especially after my “tussle” with an SS Feldpolizei reenactor at the Kent military show ground in 2013 - story for another day I’m afraid). ((Mutters under breath..Man I hate wannabe nazi’s…))

My new collection will be small and limited to my main areas of interest, i.e. ECW and early to late medieval and, unlike the blunted weapons I used when teaching people how to kill each other at RegIa Anglorum, this time they can and will be fully functional.

Philosophical question. Is reenacting or war gaming military conflicts from beyond living memory more palatable? Is anyone doing Ukraine / Russia yet? And if they were how would you feel about it?  Discuss. 

Okay back on topic. 

Helmets.

Here’s a piccie of the Adrian helmet that started the whole thing.

The Adrian style helmet is a design classic in my eyes and although they can be quite commonly found in junk shops etc over here they seem to suffer from Volkswagen badge disease. On the front of the helmet is meant to be a device showing the arm of service to which the helmet was issued but almost every time you find an Adrian helmet here the damned badge thingy is missing.

This particular one was issued to the Chasseurs Pied chaps (hence the hunting horn badge) and is an M15 version made from three pieces with a single large vent hole under the crest. There’s still faint traces of blue grey paint in places and given its 1915 production date it most likely saw service in WW1.

So that was the trigger for this particular spending spree, but it was only the inspiration and not actually linked with anything I’ve either gamed or re enacted.

Let’s get on to to my personal history trail.

First up is a Spangenhelm. Worn pretty much across Europe and the British Isles between the eighth and 11th centuries, it’s made up of four metal plates, cross ribs and a brow band with a nasal. It’s pretty much a direct descendant of earlier forms like late Roman cavalry helmets but without the cheek guards. Some examples have an aventail and back in the day I owned several of them, one of which sported said aventail cos it somehow looked more war like. (Yeah. I know, right).

I used to train folks to fight with sword, axe and spear and sure the sword and the axe look more sexy, but, just like the less glamorous artillery of WW1…the spear is definitely the main killer on the early medieval battlefield. 

With that in mind here is a winged spear originally designed for boar hunting (the wings prevent an injured boar from dragging its way up the shaft to get at you and also prevents too deep a penetration (potentially getting the weapon stuck in the target). 

The wings in combat are ideal for hooking over the rim of an enemy shield and dragging it away from the holders body. If you work in two person spear teams in a shield wall your mate on the left can wait for you to hook a shield and pull it away from the opponents body then he can stab his spear into the gap you’ve created and… erm… slot him…as modern soldiers apparently say. * Attacking on the diagonal like this is a common tactic in re enactment and I’ve often wondered if that’s why chess pawns are depicted attacking that way too?

The one below is a 2m long two handed spear and you use it with your shield slung on your back (or on its strap across your left front / shoulder).

Swords. I’m still waiting on the Copper Gate helmet reproduction to go with this magnificent 7th century sword. It’s a copy of the Fetter Lane sword found in London in 1893. It’s posher than the one I used in RegIa but hey it was a 60th birthday treat so what the hell. And yes… it’s sharp. The hilt is really fancy and the blade is a very nice patterned Damascus steel but this isn’t a very good picture unfortunately. Point of balance is around 5 inches along the blade which makes it a pretty hefty piece for chopping with. 

The Current Mrs Broom - who’s ace at needlework etc… hell she’s just ace - did me two faux Bayeux Tapestry pictures for my walls as well. One is taken directly from the tapestry but has Harold holding a spear rather than plucking an arrow from his eye (see the whole « was the tapestry altered » theory) and the other being the work of Stew (sadly not blogging at the mo) which makes me laugh every time I see it.

Here’s a slightly better picture of the sword, (in the wrong place of course thanks to blogger) courtesy of the blokes “what made it”.

Next up, here’s a Sallet helmet circa 1470.  I had two goes with my original of this at the yearly Tewkesbury battle re enactment. I was only a grunt and actually a guest of one of the societies staging the event. (I borrowed most of my kit for this). I wanted to join the group but the cost of yet more equipment, fees, and of course the time meant that I never got fully into it. 

And the item underneath the spear was what I was wielding at Tewkesbury - well a blunt version at any rate. It’s an English Bill, a close cousin of the Halberd if you were wondering. 

I reckon I should be sorted come the zombie apocalypse. Lol. 

Then there’s Meg my matchlock musket - last fired in 2016 and probably never going to be fired again…which is sad. Glad I never sold it cos I think it looks okay up on the wall, instead of locked in a gun safe as it was in the UK. I never used the apostles since my re enactment regiment (Sir William Pennymans Regiment of Foote) was a royalist one that upon re equipping in Oxford was issued paper cartridges in a leather bag (due to equipment shortages) in 1642 / 1643.

Roaring Meg - roars no more.

I think that’s probably enough militaria for one day. Might do another post on new additions as and when they arrive. 

Final thought. We only get to play at war with our toy soldiers. No one gets hurt (unless you mishandle wire spears…lol.) In reality it takes a brave man to stand against maniacs waving real weapons at you, so don’t be too hard on your chaps when they next fail a morale check. How brave would you be?

Toodleooh.

*Remind me to tell you sometime about the day I cut half of a blokes ear off and lost a tooth to a blunted axe in the mouth by way of compensation. True story. 

*Disclaimer* (I am aware that my never ending supply of wild stories can sound a bit like, BS, but honestly when it comes to life I seem to have the reverse Midas touch. Shit just seems to happen to me). The only saving grace is that given the passage of time even the worst happenings can seem quite amusing, and that’s something to cling on to in this crazy upside down world. N’est - ce pas?

AWI Campaign 9th July 1777 - The Last Hurrah

Huzzah for General Cummings and Parrott. Stout fellows!

The story so far. 

The British under General Parrott had discovered the American guns on the cliffs at Pringle Point but a stout defence from the untrained militia had fought them to a standstill. Overnight the British pulled back to regroup,  joined early on the 9th by the remnants of the dragoons and two fresh battalions of light bobs under general Sykes.

The American General Cummings had been surprised and relieved at his militias stout defence and even as the British pulled back his own reinforcements began to gather.

We take up the action sometime around turn 3. General Cummings and his continentals have arrived in the far right corner of the map, artillery following, and his fast moving riflemen outpacing the main column to take up positions at the edge of the woods.

General Parrott has retired from the previous battle at Pringles Point (top far left ish ) shadowed by two columns of Militia under General Motte. The previously mauled British dragoons swing around the hills (on the left) to join up with General Parrott. Meanwhile two battalions of light bobs finally make it to the dance under General Sykes. Supplies wise this encounter is pretty much shit or bust for the British. If they can cripple the Americans here they’ll still be able to march west and silence the now barely defended coastal artillery. 

First blood goes to General Parrott whose grenadiers turn on the shadowing American militia and inflict losses with a well timed volley to cover the unlimbering artillery.

The leading British light infantry engage in melee with the American riflemen in the woods but the advancing Continentals on their flank let loose a tremendous volley that shatters their confidence despite inflicting no real losses. Nerve broken they run. In Tricorne a flag rolled on a dice means the unit must retreat. The lights have Sykes with them and can ignore one flag but the other two means they have to retire two hexes. Sykes tests for being hit but perhaps because he leads from the back he turns out to be fine.

General Parrott’s artillery unlimber and fire at the shadowing militia. Casualties are inflicted and the militia have little choice but to try moving back out of range. Seeing that the Americans are now fully occupied by his artillery General Parrott moves his grenadiers into cover of the impassible terrain, intent on securing the central area of the map in order to bottle the Americans up in the one corner.

The light bobs under Sykes réorganise themselves after their fright and in the meantime the second battalion of lights advance towards the American rifles in the woods. Without the support of a senior officer to urge them on they are forced back by a fusillade of American rifle fire. Two flags rolled mean a retreat of two hexes and a morale check…

Which they fail! They needed to roll just 1 flag to pass and there are two flag symbols on each dice.

The battalion breaks and the demoralised men run from the battlefield. Oh the shame of it.

The American militia take more and more casualties from the British guns until they manage to retire out of range. This retirement unmasks the American artillery who begin a counter bombardment. After several turns the British gunners run, abandoning their damaged cannons. Fortunately the British dragoons finally show up. Should they charge the weak militia and brave the blizzard of fire before they can get to them or head off to support the grenadiers in the centre? Still nursing 2 out of 4 hits from the previous battle they choose the latter.

After reorganising, the remaining lights under Sykes begin a desultory long distance fire on the continentals but the results are poor and it becomes clear that must get in close to inflict any serious losses. Fortunately General Parrott with his grenadiers and dragoons come to the same conclusion and draw some of the American fire as they all advance into the centre at the same time.

The dragoons charge ahead of the grenadiers but take the brunt of the American firepower. They too break and run (or should that be gallop ?) from the field.

Finally generals Parrott and Sykes arrive at the enemy positions. But it’s General Cummings and General Parrott who face off as the continentals and the grenadiers go hand to hand.

Disaster. The grenadiers pile in - their blood up and the continentals are routed with heavy casualties. Somehow surviving the assault General Cummings takes shelter amongst the nearby riflemen.

General Parrot’s men turn to strike the riflemen in the tree line as a bonus attack but fail to dislodge them. The American militia rush to plug the gap in the pass left by the continentals.

Général Sykes men put the riflemen to the sword, chasing them through the woods. As they flee a final volley cuts more of them down and makes the survivors scatter.

Still mounted General Cummings tries to halt his fleeing men by waving his sword around in an encouraging manner but he too is cut down in the hail of fire. Shot in the back by the dastardly British!

Two crossed sabres in ranged fire = K I A. In melee only 1 is required.

Alas poor Cummings I knew him well. Sort of. 

Perhaps annoyed at Sykes’ success the grenadiers turned on the militia plugging the gap in the terrain and made short work of them. General Motte fled back to his second militia battalion.

The breaking militia unmasked the American artillery who swiftly loaded canister and readied for hand to hand combat. As the British grenadiers raced towards the gunners General Parrott riding bravely at their head the cannon let loose with a mighty roar.

General Parrott had written to his wife the day before the battle expressing his intent to be posted back to Sir Henry Clinton’s staff…and in this matter at least he got his wish. 

Shame he had to be posted back in several different parcels. Lol. 

Both sides had reached exhaustion. Sykes, knowing that his remaining troops were badly needed back at Coldstream and aware that American Provincials were somewhere to his rear (on the strategic map) called off the assault, while General Motte led the mauled remnants of his force back to the safety of the fortifications and the coastal cannon.

The loss of both Generals and the poor state of the remaining forces led this campaign i thought to a natural conclusion, though the matter of the greater strategic issue still needed to be resolved.

There were twelve ships in the British supply convoy and I intended that the coastal artillery would get a crack at them as they sailed past. I felt a 1D6 roll against each ship with a 6 reflecting its destruction would suffice for want of anything better. 

So I rolled this bucketful (apologies for the very dark image).

And found that not a single ship was sunk!

So where does that leave things?

General Cummings succeeded in his brief to protect the coastal artillery - albeit at the cost of his life, and General Parrott’s loss was also not in vain since the convoy got through and Sir Henry Clinton’s offensive could take place as planned.

Both of my generals were great sports and kept an old man thoroughly entertained as they struggled with the vagaries of fate. 

Mistakes were made and sometimes the generals made strange choices but it’s easy to criticise when you are aware of the complete picture…and they’re not.

Observations.

The use of a hexed map for the players to move their units over was a poor decision. It was overly complex and a point to point one would have been far better. Lesson learned. 

Each player was given 28 points pre game with which to purchase supplies, units, intelligence, seaborne landings etc. General Parrott spent heavily on high quality units, full intelligence and a seaborne landing but only 4 of his 28 points on supplies. Given that each turn his forces would use 1 point of supplies just marching in the field and 1 if any battle occurred this was a major error.  Fortunately for the British a lucky random event provided a few supplies from HQ which kept him going just long enough to get within striking distance of his objective. Just. The British had 1 unit of supplies left on the day of the final battle. This might help explain the mad mid game panic of promissory notes and his attempted slave rebellion. Lol. Displaying perhaps a little too much caution General Parrott had two good quality line units that never moved the whole game and whose only activity was to build defences in place. I suspect their presence would have swung the battle of Pringle Point in his favour. 

Ah well could’ve would’ve should’ve and all that.

General Cummings probably had less of a difficult job overall, but his reliance on cheap militia units nearly cost him dear. In his total command only the 1 unit of continentals and a battalion of rifles could be considered reliable. The good General spent heavily on supplies and expended lots of them building the large earthen fort that protected the militia and the guns at Pringle Point. Diplomatically he was very sure footed, showing steel in his dealings with the deserters and compassion with the errant farmers taking supplies to General Parrott. 

Should he have diverted a battalion of militia to protect the settlers from the Cherokee raiders? Mmmm. Maybe. Maybe not. Their absence wasn’t to prove decisive so any criticism is a little harsh. 

Despite the many positives I’ve listed here we have to remember that he still got shot in the back as his men ran away. So there’s that I suppose. Lol. 

Overall the campaign was quite short with only three battles - but in fairness I designed it that way so that it didn’t turn into a ball ache for all concerned. Hopefully it kept the two participants and you dear reader, amused?

Toodleooh

AWI Campaign 8th July 1777. The battle of Pringles Point.

You won’t be surprised to learn that I was actually eating Pringles when I needed to find a name for the site of the forthcoming battle. While other crisp like comestibles are obviously available for inspiration I felt that the clash on Smokey Bacon hill, or the encounter at Monster Munch heights didn’t sound quite so good somehow.

Ahem… where was I? 

Ahh yes.

General Parrott had finally reached the location of the main American coastal battery at Pringles Point, but with a force only half the size that he required. Supplies were running low and the two battalions of light infantry under Sykes that were meant to have joined him had become delayed and disorganised by an unmapped area of marshland blocking their route to the rendezvous.

Hopes however were still high in the British camp when the newly arrived dragoons took up position to the right of the grenadiers and their attached artillery. Despite the extensive fortifications (that General Cummings had been building since game start) there only appeared to be a couple of battalions of militia and artillery defending the coastal artillery position - surely a walk in the park for the British elite.

General Parrott took up position at the head of the dragoons and they cantered off across the left flank while the grenadiers marched about and made a bit of a noise to fix the enemies attention.

The dragoons were pulled up short by a volley from the American militia in the half moon defences ahead and an unexpectedly productive cannonade from the artillery on the hill at the back of the field. (Receiving intelligence that the British were closing in on the coastal guns General Cummings had instructed his subordinate Motte to redeploy the battery to fire inland). Their extra firepower was a major help.

Suffering 50% casualties the dragoons fell back a good distance, but were eventually rallied by the exhortations of brave General Parrott, who cursed them for cowards and demanded that they stand and do duty by their King. (I’m aware, through exposure to Family Guy that this might have another meaning for an American audience - so please feel free to snigger).

Seeing the flank attack fail the grenadiers began an oblique advance on the fortification, taking shot and shell from the defenders as they walked forward in line. They took casualties but their elite status allowed them to shrug off the losses and keep going.

In an effort to add encouragement General Parrott left the shaky dragoons and joined the grenadiers - urging them on (with presumably a lot of sword waving and huzzahs).  Shamed into providing some back up the dragoons started to follow but fell foul of another brutal cannonade that hit them in the flank.

Lacking Parrott’s steadying influence they broke under the fire and fled the field.

(Note I was going to declare a loss for the British and a withdrawal if two of the three units took 50% casualties. At this point it was very close. 2 losses on the dragoons and 1 on the grenadiers).

The only plus point for General Parrott so far was that his artillery crew had driven the militia out of the half moon defences - though they suffered no casualties and eventually rallied themselves when out of range.

Reaching the lea of the defences the grenadiers could no longer be shot at by the enemy cannon and their own disciplined fire drove the militia out of the fort. Left alone in the redoubt the remaining American gun crew were cut down as the grenadiers scaled the central defences. 

The American militia were quick to break, but quick to rally again. Now outside of the main fortification it was their turn to find cover in the lea of the defences. Pot shots forced the victorious grenadiers to retire from the exposed central position and by the close of turn 9 a curious stalemate had settled over the battlefield.

As dusk fell I drew matters to a conclusion. The British had failed to destroy the coastal battery (on this occasion) and worried that they might lose their elite grenadiers by forcing matters to a conclusion they held back. The Americans for their part faced a similar dilemma. While they seemed to have saved the day the militia had limited staying power and there was no guarantee that a frontal assault on the grenadiers would go their way. As night fell the last of the gunfire petered out. Both sides were at an impasse.

I gave both players the opportunity to withdraw during the night, but it was the British that eventually slipped away under the cover of darkness. 

Messengers galloped forth from both camps, rallying whatever forces could be mustered before dawn. 

Somewhere nearby a fat lady was getting ready to sing.

The British had been given a bloody nose at Pringles Point but even though their supplies were running critically low they were not beaten yet. Could they still pull something out of the bag?

Toodleooh for now.