[Colin Ashton]

Thats a great idea. I might just pinch it.

[Colin Ashton]

I don’t think Jackdaw figures would fit in with the likes of RSM, Minden or Cran Tara. Very different in style.

How about troops from the Reichsarmee. If you did Spanish you’d need to do Portugese.

[Colin Ashton]

Steve, try this http://carryingsonupthedale.blogspot.co.uk

Rossbach

[Colin Ashton]

They look great!

[Colin Ashton]

willz wrote:

Welcome to the forum Colin, now where do I know you from. An excellent AAR, fantastic figures and terrain. Think I will do some winter terrain as your photo’s have inspired me.

 

where indeed?

[Colin Ashton]

I was tempted to do 1859 as I can use my Crimean French and Sardinians. Would need more of the latter though and technically my 1866 Austrians are in the wrong uniform so I’d have to do them all again minus greatcoats. What tempts me even more are the armies of Naples and the Papal States, but thankfully I have run out of room for any more 28mm armies at the moment!

[Colin Ashton]

OMG they take me back about 25 years to when I had a large collection of these in 15mm. I also published a set of rules “A little more grape, Captain Bragg!” if anyone remembers them, together with a couple of articles for WI!

[Colin Ashton]

I agree with the post above that games and rules have to be structured to fit the period otherwise with 1866 and 1870 you may as well not put the Austrians and French on the table. It also depends on the mindset of the players, especially anyone commanding the alleged ‘underdogs’.

In 1866 games I don’t allow the Austrians to march around in lines and engage in firefights unless they happen to be holding a particular position as part of the scenario. Even then, historically, the Austrian idea of defence was to attack! Getting them to move in line is difficult so the rule amendments I use make it almost a necessity for them to remain in assault column if they are to manoeuvre effectively or even at all, and have any chance of assaulting the Prussians in enough numbers to overwhelm them, albeit usually only temporarily!  I also amend the rules/characteristics so they don’t allow the Prussians to use their artillery aggressively as they did in the FPW. For example, for encounter games where troops are entering the table, artillery attached to a formation always enters last, and the army reserve artillery always enters last of all. I also limit how close they can deeply to the enemy as they were more timid in 1866.

In FPW games again I agree the mitrailleuse ought not be deployed in the ‘front line’ as in the Imperial period at least they didn’t do it, so I make the French player deploy theirs paired up with an artillery battery, again a given distance behind the leading infantry, unless they are defending a village or similar of course.

I could go on as I’ve been gaming and researching these wars passionately, especially 1866, for much of my wargaming life, i.e. maybe 25+ years, first in 6mm when I had both armies for Konigratz, and lately in 28mm.

[Colin Ashton]

Henry Hyde wrote:

Great blog, Colin, and it certainly looks like you’re having fun! And you should never dangle a potential magazine article in front of an editor. He just might take you up on it…

Henry, well way back in the 1980’s/90’s I did have quite a few articles published by one of your illustrious predecessors so now I am enjoying (earlier than expected) retirement perhaps I shall take up the pen again!

Colin

[Colin Ashton]

Black Powder for AWI and SYW/WAS. Suitably tweaked and played in the spirit of the period they work really well.

[Colin Ashton]

Hi Henry

I play the Franco-Prussian and, my favourite, the Austro-Prussian Wars in 28mm (yep! but I have a big table) using a slightly modified version of Black Powder. They work really well and have produced some extremely exciting and challenging games.  My armies for the Austro-Prussian war lean heavily towards the campaign in western Germany where the forces engaged/involved were much smaller than in Bohemia, but even the initial battles on the frontier can (and have) been fought perfectly well in 28mm given that they’re usually only a corps or so on each side. As long as the players adopt the historical tactics for the armies concerned then some great games can be had. We’ve certainly managed to reflect the periods well; plenty of silly Austrian storm columns getting shot to pieces for example. I’ve tried other rules as well as Black Powder but even rules specific to either of the wars either don’t ‘feel’ right or are too clunky for my liking.

There are loads of pictures of my collection and game reports on my blog for anyone who may be interested http://carryingsonupthedale.blogspot.co.uk

I jokingly (?) keep thinking that I must get painting as the summer of 2016 sees the 150th anniversary of the Austro-Prussian War and the Battle of Konigratz! Now THAT would be a hell of a game in 28mm!!!!!!!! And a magazine article…….

Colin

 

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