Project Round Up

You will have noticed I have a few small projects on the go.  I thought I’d do a quick round up to remind myself where I’ve got to.

French and Indian Wars

All done apart from two bases of abatis.  Though I’m tempted to add some French standard bearers in full uniform as opposed to waistcoats.

Jacobites ’19 and ‘45

A lowland/ English unit, the Irish Piquets and another unit of Highlanders to paint.

Boxers

I have a Russian force to paint and I want some of the new Blue Moon Tigermen and Jingals.  I have enough ready for a game of The Men Who Would Be Kings.  I’ve also got a lot of Chinese scenery planned.

Chariots Rampant

Two Syrian chariots to paint and we are game ready. 

Nap' Rampant
Awaiting figures but a good start made.

Romans Rampant

I’m finessing the stats which is proving straightforward and searching out what figures I have to hand.  The latter is good reflection of later Roman realities-you field the army you can rather than the one you’d like to.  Luckily, I found an unpainted legion, well 12 figures, it wouldn’t have been a show without Punch.

Zulu War

Both sides are now done, cattle have been bought, painted and based.  I’ll stick some pics up shortly. 

Most of this is Dan Mersey's fault and I thank him for it.  Lots of lost projects revitalised there.

Did Alasdair Mac Colla invent the Highland Charge?

I’ve blogged about the Highland Charge before and so it was with keen interest that I read David Stevenson’s case that the tactic was invented by Alasdair.  Stevenson, a financial journalist by trade is author of Highland Warrior a biography of Alasdair, of Scottish Covenanters and Irish Confederates and a fair bit more.

To briefly summarise his case:

Mac Colla originated the Highland charge at the battle of the Laney fought in Ireland in February 1642 as this seems to be the first recorded incidence of it we have.  The tactic was enabled by the adoption of the musket, sword and targe as standard equipment. The abandonment of Cotun and Mail armour also resulted in a swifter closing speed.  The inspiration came from the traditional tactic of sword and targe armed Kern but substituted a volley from  the more effective musket for the less deadly shower of darts.

I find this interesting and think Stevenson could well be right.  The impact of a Gaelic charge was a serious matter.  Mountjoy, Elizabeth the First’s most successful general noted “When it comes to hand-strokes the Irish will usually prevail”.  That said the Irish tended to separate out their shot from their targeteers not least because the latter were drawn from the traditional military class.  Many of the Irish shot, better shots than the English says Mountjoy, were not drawn from the military classes and so were not all trained swordsmen. They therefore could have carried out the effective volley required but not the superior swordsmanship needed upon contact, nor for that matter did they carry targes.

Although the ‘New Scots’ Highland soldiers who fought alongside the Irish were dual armed we find them shooting with their bows or charging fiercely with two handed swords depending on the tactical situation.  I cannot think of a single incidence during the Nine Years War of the combined shooting and assault required by the Highland charge .  

I can note that some of the McDonnell’s of the Route are recorded as carrying targes in the time of Shane O’Neill.  It was a targe that saved Sorley Buidhe (Blonde Charles) McDonnald from being brained by a Galloglaich axe.

All of which suggests that the tactic was an innovation and one that might well lie with Alasdair Mac Colla of Clan Donald.

More Jacobites

Roundway make a pack of Royal Ecossaises for the ’45, well I couldn’t resist, so here they are.

This probably means I’ll be doing the Irish Piquet’s too, Baggot’s Hussars and Fitz James’s Horse.

I now have three units of Highlanders based for TPL and intend having a fourth.  They are almost all from Roundway Miniatures (A venerable manufacturer of quality 15mm figures).

I thought they could do with some flags so I could tell them apart so I added some to the last bunch I painted.

I intend to try out big TPL using 36 points in three commands of 12-like brigades really.

Aftermath

Another Spanish volley downs three more of Hamilton’s men but the tough regulars stick to it.

The Highlanders and Sir John stop to drink a toast (failed their movement test).

All of the patrol is now moving but it’s really too late.  Hamilton’s unit down a Spanish Grenadier.

The Spanish volley into their much - reduced foes killing three and routing them.  Pleasingly Colonel Hamilton survives, still surprised that the damn French turned out to Spanish.  What a world.

As for Sarsfield he is Fortuna's blessed child.

The Jacobites begin to move off as the Highlanders with Sir John disappear over the horizon . When the patrol arrives it can bury the dead.  

Game over.

So that’s TPL, a fast-moving, fun game with lots of uncertainty.  The outcomes and the story told were plausible to me so I’ll be playing more of it. As it happened my Highlander adjustments never got an outing and I’ve now re thought them, more of which anon.

In TPL terms Hamilton was characterised pre game as old wound and Sarsfield as lucky.

Sarsfield’s luck was uncanny but did not extend to the actual fighting where the results for both sides were less spectacular. His ability to roll successive sixes was another matter, the Jacobites positively bristled with newly minted heroes. Still, strange things happen in combat as the late General Flashman often noted.

Hamilton’s patrol never saw action neither did Sarsfield’s re-enforcements.

My post first game verdict on TPL?  A lot of fun and loads of potential uses. I halved all distances as I use 15mm figures.  My next TPL game will be from the French and Indian Wars but I’ll be returning to 1715.

I'm already painting Sir John Wauchope's Horse comprised of Cumbrian and Northumbrian gentlemen and their tenants.  Algernon Percy will doubtless be wearing his French coat. 

Here are the re-thought Highlander stats.

Unit:  Clan	12 Models inc’ 1 Hero	Points	5
Attack	5+	Attack Value	4+
Move	5+	Defence Value	4+
Shoot	4+	Shoot Value/Range	Only half the unit fire Hit on 4+ Max ‘9
Morale	3+	Maximum Move	‘4
Stamina	3+	Special Rules	Ferocious No firing post charge Counter charge v foot, wild charge, fleet footed

Gang aft agley...

Sarsfield receives re-enforcements his luck is becoming proverbial (He threw three sixes in a row).

The patrol continues its progress but the new men cannot (poor dice) keep up the pace.

Sarsfield continues his advance into range as he does so he notices among the grenadiers the heroic Gonsalvo (another three sixes) and gives him a gallant halloo.

Hamilton’s dragoons press on while his grenadiers wait (poor dice) for the new men to catch up.

The Jacobite cavalry can now see Hamilton’s dragoons, one them, Algernon Percy, reminds his comrades of his French service (another three sixes) which is well received.

Hamilton’s grenadiers volley the Highlanders dropping three of them.  A cry of Claymore goes up.  Hamilton’s foot volley into Sarsfield’s unit killing three but, naturally enough missing the man himself.

The Spanish grenadiers down two of their opposite number.  The Spanish foot shoot three of Hamilton’s men but the Colonel is unscathed. Clan Mac Iain charge the grenadiers killing four and forcing the rest to retreat-but at the cost of three casual casualties.  

The Mac Iain frees Sir John Wauchope.

Meanwhile Hamilton’s dragoons press on while the patrolling foot pause (poor dice) to re-organise themselves.  

More soon.

The Best Laid Plans

Sarsfield’s plan is to use his regulars to pin the foe in place while his irregulars attack them. If necessary he will commit the infantry while the grenadiers effect the rescue.  He will then execute a fighting retreat covered by the regulars.  He knows Hamilton may be reinforced but will deal with that if it happens.

Hamilton intends to hang on until help arrives he relies on the devastating volleys of his well- trained men to buy him time.  He will therefore fight in the open hoping to discomfort the enemies less experienced troops and even the odds.  White coats he muses, the rustic was right-Frenchmen!

Sarsfield’s grenadiers step off but the rest of the regulars aren’t ready, he does some tri-lingual swearing to help things along.

Meanwhile the new men of Hamilton’s patrol have taken a wrong turn.  Hamilton draws up his men so the cottages protect their rear.  

Sarsfield has got everyone moving and the war pipes are skirling. All quite inspiring he thinks.  The Highlanders are moving fast in a three- deep formation.  He didn’t know they could do that.

Hamilton’s patrol is now in good order and marching homewards.  There's everything to play for.

Highlanders For The Pikeman's Lament

I did a blog on the Highlander way of war a while back and now I’m using The Pikemans Lament (TPL) for an imaginary 1715 Rising series of games.  Highlanders are represented in TPL as Clansmen with high melee and movement factors but no firepower.  No chance then to practice a provocative volley from the gentlemen of the clan before the charge goes in.  I wanted to do that so I did a bit of tweaking to Mr Mersey’s opus.

Here’s Clan Mac Iain Mhor ready for TPL action. Two units in TPL terms the gentry in front -naturally.

The Mac Iain, a big lad from Mick Yarrow Miniatures, (Hero at 1 point) and the gentry from Roundway. Rated as Forlorn Hope but note the specials and the increased movement.

Unit:  Tacksmen	6 Models	Points	6
Attack	5+	Attack Value	4+
Move	5+	Defence Value	4+
Shoot	4+	Shoot Value/Range	Hit on 4+ Max ‘9
Morale	3+	Maximum Move	‘4
Stamina	3+	Special Rules	Ferocious No firing post charge Counter charge v foot, wild charge, fleet footed

The men of Clan Mac Iain. Rated as TPL Clansmen.

Unit:  Clansmen	12 Models	Points	3
Attack	5+	Attack Value	3+
Move	5+	Defence Value	6+
Shoot	-	Shoot Value/Range	-
Morale	4+	Maximum Move	‘4
Stamina	2+	Special Rules	Ferocious Counter charge v foot, wild charge, fleet footed

Here’s the thing, the two units of the clan will always move as one as determined by the actions of the Gentry.  I'm about to find out if this will work on the table.