In which the next battle is set up and some building commences...
// Setting up the clash at Begleitenford //
The next battle will be a small clash that I can play over the weekend and get written-up, while still allowing time for some tidying up and getting ready for a photoshoot next weekend that will accompany an piece I have written for one of the UK wargaming magazines (no details, I'll say once it is published).
The game will see the advanced guard of von Trapp's forces attempting to dislodge Mantelwenden's Gallians from rearguard position where the road to Vierecksbrucke crosses a ford over a tributary of the Schwachwasser. A more robust defensive position is being established a little to the northwest at the settlement of Sagwerksdorf, so this action is a holding action only.
Forces are broadly equal. The Tattembergers have three mounted troops of dragoons, two dismounted troops and a company of jager. The latter can divide into two platoons if desired. Opposing them are two companies of the Sechshugel regiment's 1st battalion, one company of the Chasseurs de Poulet and three troops of the Hussars d'Etranger's 4th squadron.
I found inspiration in Scenario 9 of "One Hour Wargames" by Neil Thomas. This is a delaying action in which the defending force must periodically withdraw units using the road to the north while still preventing the attackers exiting two of their own units from the same point.
Looking at our campaign map suggests the following terrain:
This has very similar contours to the battle recently finished, so I left the hills in place and replaced the wide reiver and the town with a smaller river. Trees were relocated.
After terraforming and then deploying the forces we now have the following all ready for turn one to commence (looking roughly from west to east with the Gallian defenders to the left and the Tattemberg attackers to the right):
As well as the main ford there is a secondary crossing point to the east, which can just about be seen in the far distance in the photo above. This is overlooked by the wooded hills to the north.
Here are some closer views of the deployment.
A troop of Gallian hussars, flanked by foot chassuers take position on the left, overlooking the secondary ford:
Tattemberg dragoons. One mounted troop holds position on the road to support their dismounted colleagues, while the other two troops head east to reconnoitre the secondary ford:
The view from the south, with the dismounted dragoons preparing to engage the Gallian infantry in a musket duel:
The same position viewed from the Gallian side of the river:
Lastly, an ariel view of the Tattemberg dragoons shifting to their right towards the secondary ford and the Gallian hussars and foot chasseurs keeping watch over it.
// Building works //
As well as fighing battles and painting more cavalry (the cuirassiers are base coated and awaiting a wash before highlighting) I have also taken delivery of a new batch of Warbases buidlings to add to the Tattemberg collection. These are from the Napoleonic Prussia range:
I spent a busy afternoon and evening yesterday ans finished off this morning to get the basic construction and rendering done on all of these:
The rendering is done in two stages. First I use dilute PVA and toilet roll to give a textured coating to the relevant areas and to disguise the corner joins. Once dry this is stippled over by a mixture of Vallejo basing medium, paint, PVA and water (effectively a thick, textured paint). This ruins brushes but does give quite a good effect for later drybrushing and/or oil washing. The rendering also helps to blend in the greyboard door- and window-frames, so the model looks a bit less "MDF". In the photo above you can also see a dilute PVA wash settling into the half-timbered section of the "Merchant's House" model. Most of the construction was done with small dabs of superglue gel, followed by generous washing with dilute PVA. This is faster and more solid that just using PVA when one is in a bit of a rush.
My plan is to combine the Merchant's House and Cottage 6 onto one scenic base to represent a beer merchant and tavern. The other cottages will probably be based singly but with the additon of fences, barrels, etc to add a bit of character. For now I need to put these to one side until net week, when I'll get some "tiling" done on the six rooves that now need attention. This is always the slowest and most soul-destroying aspect to building these kits, but it worth the effort in the end.
I did forget to order more tiling sheets alsogside these buidlings. That is now rectified and I've also ordered a seventh kit; La Maison de Quai from the Paris 1625 range, so there is somewhere to unload the cargo of beer and raw praline when it arrives in Vierecksbrucke!
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