Winds of Change: A New Direction (well almost!)

 When I started this blog back in the days before COVID, I wanted to celebrate and acknowledge the toy soldiers of my past and the changes that occurred as I changed from boy to man, and man to elderly gentleman. I started this with the intent also of pushing the variety and potential of the newer, more recent offerings in plastic 54's as they related to the American War of Independence (AWI). That was soon followed, off and on, with the War of 1812, the Seven Years War ("Franconian Succession" in my world), and on one occasion, World War Two in the Pacific (my Dad being a veteran whose war started at Guadalcanal and ended in the Philippines, including a number of months in New Guinea).

My preferences for gaming have also changed. I still enjoy painting and playing with 54's, but increasingly find myself returning to my wargaming roots and the revolution brought about by the introduction of Airfix OO/HO figures (and successors), AHM/Roco Mini-Tanks, and the incomparable Don Featherstone. Along the way, I met, mentored, and learned from other more experienced gamers like Dick Bryant and the late Leo Cronin. Having one of my oldest and closest friends sharing the same interests certainly helped. Thanks, Tom!

While this might read like a farewell at this point, I assure you it is not. But my focus is going to expand. While I enjoy painting and playing with 54's, the old Siren of 20mm (well 23mm, actually) has beckoned once more as I recently discovered a set of rules from Great Britain called Rapid Fire Reloaded! (RFR!) (https://www.rapid-fire.uk.com). This small, A5 booklet of less than 20 pages has provided me with an alternative to the current sets we use at my club, Old Colony Wargamers, namely Chain of Command and Command Decision. 

Chain of Command by Too Fat Lardies is primarily a skirmish game pitting basically platoons verses platoons with some limited support. While an enjoyable set of rules, all too often our games devolve into almost Napoleonic firefights as both sides seem to line up and blast the other. While I have often tried to influence the players in the virtues of fire and movement and fire and maneuver all for nought.

Command Decision on the other hand is more of a grand tactical game where battalions, brigades, and even divisions can maneuver and fight. This is more the level I am looking for but (always a but...) the scale we most often use is 1/285 micro-armor. At my age, even with my reading glasses, I can barely tell what unit is on the stand. Some things (like eyesight) really don't get better with age.

RFR is for me a good compromise. It was also cheap in terms of figures as I have literally bags of 23mm Airfix, ESCI, and other plastic figures, going back in some cases 40+ years or more. Many were already painted is acceptable style. A little touch up, a few newly painted ones, and I was in business. I've played a couple of solo games, along with two at my club, and I think they show promise.

So this is a new direction: plastic is still in, but the 54's will now share space with the 20/23's. To me the rules are new enough to be exciting and the re-creation of the belligerents of WW2 and their unique organizations has rekindled a new-old  interest in me. More next time!

The Grenadiers of Burgundy, Part 2

In the last installment, I presented some unpainted Spanish Seven Years War figures from Chris Parker (Chris Parker Games) that I had drafted into Burgundian service. Well, they have since been painted up along with some additional figures from Chris' line. These are 3D resin printed. Officer figures are complete with no assembly required, while the grenadiers and light infantry require you to attach the arms and heads with CA. A nice feature of these 3D printings is a light washing allows for a clean figure that can be painted as soon as they are dry. Personally, I use Vallejo primers and paints almost exclusively. Coverage is excellent and the colors have a richness that other paints don't often have. After painting, I will finish them a glossy varnish (I like the "toy soldier" look!). A battle is looming, but that's for next time!

Spanish SYW Light Infantry

Spanish Grenadiers (note that they are out of step.Perhaps they're on "route march"

Spanish Light Infantry Officer

Spanish Line Officer

Close-up of the Grenadier Officer

Spanish Grenadier Officer. Speak softly, and carry a big sword.

The Grenadiers of Burgundy

In my last post, I noted the recent developments in the on-going War of Franconian Succession. Two new powers were introduced: the small but doughty Duchy of Grand Fenwick, and the ever rapacious Duchy of Burgundy. Now of course, an independent Duchy of Burgundy has not existed for several hundred years, and Grand Fenwick was invented by author Leonard Wibberly in the early sixties. But since this War of Franconian Succession was never fought, I figured it's a wash. 

 

Some time ago I mentioned that the Ducal Army of Burgundy started off as a project last year or so to paint up the Irish Brigade in Spanish service during the Seven Years War (SYW). This is a war I've always found fascinating because of the variety of major and minor powers and armies, often each with its own uniform. I mean, who wouldn't want to have the entire army of one of the Imperial statelets of the Holy Roman Empire? The Duchy of Burgundy was an outgrowth of that: the Irish Brigade wore red uniforms with simple facings, but more importantly their standards all bore the Burgundian Cross. The line infantry are Armies in Plastic French infantry painted up to resemble the Irish Brigade. 

But, something was missing. Up to now, there were no good Grenadier figures in fur hats, at least not in plastic. I had high hopes that HaT would come out with their long-promised Austrians...someday perhaps!

 

Until three weeks ago, the picture was bleak

 

Then I received an email from Chris Parker (https://www.chrisparkergames.com) highlighting his new 3D printed Spanish for the SYW. They looked really good, so I ordered a bunch. (Full disclosure: I've known Chris for many years both as a friend and fellow gamer.) They arrived within a week. I'm happy to say they are excellent!

 

The figures are resin printed, so the texture is excellent. Heads and arms for the most part need to be attached with CA, but they go together well as seen below. I would suggest a good washing before priming and painting.  The photo shows the grenadiers, officer, and fifer. I also received four mounted generals, which I will talk about next time. Until then...

From left to right: Officer, Fifer, 2 Grenadiers

Some Things I Should Have Learned By Now

In my last post, you met two wildcards in the ongoing War of Franconian Succession, the Duchies of Burgundy, and doughty little Grand Fenwick. If truth be told, both started as after thoughts. Burgundy started out as the Irish Regiments in Spanish Service, circa 1756. But I needed another player and since all of their standards contain Burgundian Crosses, why not make them, say, Burgundian?

 Grand Fenwick started many years ago. I was either in high school or college at the time, so probably the late 60's (that's 1960's for our younger readers), and I picked up a book at my local library by Leonard Wibberley titled The Mouse That Roared. It was a satire on post-war diplomacy so absurd in concept that I not only loved it, but sought out its 2 or 3 sequels. 

Now as for the Grand Fenwickian Army, I turned their longbows in for muskets and their chain mail for Massachusetts Provincial uniforms for the French and Indian War. The figures are made by LOD as part of their Barszo  line of resin figures. Originally representing British infantry at the time, I just painted them up as Provincials (seen below). The flag was found online, downloaded, and resized.

Doughty Defenders of the Realm

My mistake having a few figures left over. "I'll just paint up one', I said to myself, 'just to see how they look as British regulars."  In truth, I have just painted the one below. "No more...just the one"

"Yup, no more..."

The order went out this morning. So much for things I should have learned by now!

Until next time...

The Spring Campaign Begins!

With the melting of the winter snows, the armies of the Ducal War of Franconian Succession began their moves. The Burgundian Army advanced with the intent of taking a short cut through the Duchy of Grand Fenwick, obscure and small, but with a strong sense of their independence. If the Burgundian host was fool enough to trespass, they would pay a heavy price!

The Burgundian Force, six battalions strong (one is off to the right of the photo) advance in Grand Fenwick!

The doughty defenders of the Realm! Would they be able to hold on long enough until the Duchy's Militia Reserve could reinforce them?

Until next time!

The War of Franconian Succession, or, The Ducal War?

Both the armies and your intrepid reporter, having entered into winter quarters, a relative calm had descended over the lands of Franconia and its neighbors. Securing a foothold in the disputed lands, the Hessian forces of its "fraternal assistance", set up housekeeping. In keeping with their assumed role, the troops behavior was remarkably good. Merchants were paid, taverns remained intact, and the farmers received real money for their supplies. The Yule Revelries maintained good cheer (for the most part) throughout. 

But beneath the supposed calm, the sinews of war (such as they were) were about. Franconia had mobilized! The Franconian capital, Nurnberg, saw the small army of the duchy mobilize. Volunteers were eagerly sought, and the local militias were called up. A day of reckoning was coming soon.

 On the diplomatic front, frantic efforts were made to enlist the help of the major imperial powers: the Empress was getting a bit tetchy about all the pleas for intervention; the King in Prussia was unimpressed, at least for now, (the prospect of picking up a province or two, at small cost, however, interested him greatly). Saxony's king was non-committal. France was still smarting over the recent loss of her American colonies. And George of England, after muttering something in his odd Germanic dialect, shook his head, and promptly went back to his vegetable garden.

 But other powers were very much interested. 

The ambitious Duke of Burgundy saw an opportunity to increase his lands in the east. He offered his aid with both gold and supplies. "We can work out the details later..." was his reply to Franconia's envoy who thought the vague terms offered seemed just a bit too good. But, hey, not his job... Within days of the agreement, a strong Burgundian force began to move toward Suabia and Franconia. 

Tensions began to rise, however, as the line of march would take them a little too close to yet another Duchy that had hoped to stay neutral. Founded in the middle ages by an English Baron fighting with his mercenary band in some war long forgotten, Sir Hugo Bascombe seized a valley no one seemed to want. The Duchy of Grand Fenwick entered the European stage. 

They had kept their independence for hundreds of years. Aggressors would trespass at their peril. To that end, the army was expanded and mobilized: long bows were turned in for muskets (France had a really good deal on surplus firearms that had been intended for New France). New uniforms, originally intended for the British Provincials in North America, and practically brand new, were purchased and issued. Another duchy had joined the fray!

Once more into the Breach! (or something like that)

 It's been two months since my last posting! Where did the time go? It's a good thing I don't get paid for this otherwise I would have been out on my ear long ago! So, what news from Franconia?

The local powers have been mobilizing their forces, while the big ones are just biding their time. The King of France has offered Duke Ernst Gustav "advisors" for a "small" consideration, oddly inquiring how well the Duke spoke French. The Soldier King of Prussia strangely made a similar offer, while the Empress merely smiled serenely at the Franconian Minister.

The Duke of Burgundy has mobilized his army in support of Franconia and they now march to meet the Hessian foes. The Landgrave of Hesse has called on his relatives to form a combined Hessian Army, while Thuringia has promised its support. The wheels of conflict are turning. 

So what of the gallant, albeit pedantic Herr Major Burgebrach and his company of Grenzschutz? After firing a token volley and a round or two from their 3-pounder, it was off to the races (as fast as they could) from Le Baron's now enraged "fraternal assistance" force of Hessian Regulars. Of course, this being a stately conflict, a few niceties had to be maintained: the 3-pounder was spiked, the Grenz Kasserne was locked, and the local merchants got stiffed. Finally, in keeping with the unwritten rules of fraternal invasions, Le Baron ordered his army and staff to turn around in place while he closed his eyes and counted to a hundred.

And with that, the War was on!