Historicon 2024: Wednesday

I had a great time at Historicon this year, once again. I was unusually organized this year, and had the car all packed up by Tuesday night. With plans to run 9 games, and provide figures for Tim and David’s multiple smaller games with their new Test of Resolve: Hundred Years War rules, that was a necessity! I actually managed not to forget anything this trip, either. Perhaps because of those things, I actually slept well the night before the drive to Lancaster, which was unusual!  The drive was exceptionally smooth, and I arrived circa 2:30, and was able to check into my room at the convention center, and unload the car. Tim and David arrived from the UK circa 5 PM, so I set up the table and troops for the Battle of Tewkesbury, and then we headed out for dinner. 
 I was too busy GM’ing to take many pictures, but this is the crisis of the battle: Somerset’s flank marching command is being intercepted by the Reserve Battle commanded by Gloucester, who just became aware of Somerset’s presence as the Lancastrians crested the small ridge that had heretofore concealed them. At the same time, the Yorkist ambush has been sprung, and the mounted Scurrers hidden in the woods have struck the flank of Somerset’s Battle with effect. At the top of the picture, Devon (L) and Hastings (Y) have been battling it out, with the action rather favoring the Yorkist cause. After much exchange of arrows and cannon fire, the centre battles of Wenlock (L) and King Edward IV (Y) have met, with the figurehead Prince Edward and his small retinue deciding who they might best aid (without losing the vital Prince in the process!). At this moment, in a furious melee, both King Edward AND Wenlock are simultaneously laid low (both rolled 1’s in melee against one another at the same time!).  The Yorkist lose heart and the victory goes to the Lancastrians!
Some Weds night table setups for the following morning

Gettysburg – Pickett’s charge in 54 mm on three 6 x 20 foot tables!

Union defensive position

The wide open field to be traversesd, with some fences to hinder the advance without providing much cover! 

Picket’s boys and their supporting artillery. 

Pratzen heights assault in 3mm

All of Austerlitz in 3 mm. 

Jumble in the Jungle!
I spent all of 10 minutes in the dealer hall this year, picking up a bottle of super glue for repairs for $5; just too busy running all of those games! I browsed Wally’s basement every evening, finding little of interest to me.  Unfortunately, I did pick up something else at the Con. Saturday night I started felling hoarse (not unusual at game #8, but then later developed a runny nose and a cough. I felt worse Sunday AM, donned a mask, and had Tim and David take over for me, then drove home feeling gradually more flu symptoms. A test upon return home confirmed that I had finally gotten COVID after 3.5 years of avoiding same. Went straight to bed for 36 hours! Resumed working remotely yesterday and will do so again tomorrow. Hence the big delay in Historicon posts this year!

Pike’s Point

Tim My friends from the UK, Tim Couper and David Knight, will be running 8 games at Historicon with their newly released Test of Resolve: Hundred Years War rules.

   

One of them involves a number of units of Scottish Spearmen.
Rummaging about, I found these chaps in the Lead Pile from ? 20 years ago.

They are Essex figures IIRC. 

I gave the unit Scottish an Burgundian flags, so with some shuffling, they could represent either. 

The Scottish Royal flag was created from an image on the web. 

The Burgundian flag is a download from Warflag. 

All ready for the trip to Lancaster, if not the House of Lancaster! Packing the car starts tomorrow for Wednesday AM departure…

Carinthian Landwehr, 1809

 

A unit of Inner Austrian Landwehr is next to march off the painting table. 

The uniform coats of the Inner Austrian Landwehr were dark green with facing colors according to the Province… at least officially. 

Most likely the officers and wealthier men approximated the regulations, while many other probably wore grey uniforms faced in the provincial color… if they were lucky. 
The facing color for Carinthia (Kärnten in German) was red, with the cockade being red-yellow- red-white, for Styria (Steirermark) white facings, cockade white-green, Carniola (Krain) light blue with white-blue-red cockade, and Salzburg yellow facings with cockades white-red. 
The figures are once again from Piano Wargames, and the flag is from the previously referenced Mal’s Small World blog site. The coat of arms of Carinthia are displayed on this side. 

Lower Austrian Landwehr, 1809

 

I finally got around to painting this unit of Austrian Landwehr, which will appear in my “Rapp n’ Raupenhelms” games at Historicon later this month. 
These fellows are wearing fairly standard Austrian Landwehr gear for 1809, although probably far more uniform and neat than would likely have been reality. Hey, they’re toy soldiers!

These wonderful sculpts are yet again by Lucas Luber of Piano Wargames in Germany. 

The flag is printed out from Mal’s small World flags. There was a total embarrassment of riches for selection there! 

Für König und Kaiser!

Announcement: Next Snappy Nappy Campaign in a Day is set for Saturday, October 5, 2024

 

Napoleon
and the struggle for Germany, Spring 1813:

A
Snappy Nappy Campaign-in-a-Day Event

Where: The
Portal, Manchester, CT 
When: Saturday,
October
 5,
2024 10 AM – 5 PM

Rules: Snappy
Nappy, by Russ Lockwood 
GM:
Mike
Seibert;  
AGM
Peter Anderson, Mark T. Contact
Gonsalvo@aol.com

After
the devastating retreat from Moscow during the winter of 1812 – 1813,
there was little left of the 500,00 men who invaded Russia less than
a year earlier. However, Napoleon has raised new armies, and along
with his increasingly shaky allies of the Confederation of the Rhine,
seeks to re-establish his dominance over Europe. The battered
Russians and their new Prussian allies aim to thwart his plans. If
they do well, perhaps they can draw Austria into the Coalition, too!

SnappyCon’s
Tenth (10!!) campaign-in-a-day event will use over a thousand 28 mm
miniatures to maneuver across a 100-mile wide campaign map, simulated
using fifteen 4’x6′ tables. Players maneuver their figures from table
to table to engage, out-flank and combat their opponents!

Each
player commands roughly half to a full Corps of troops, with 8 French
Commands plus Napoleon as C-in-C, and 3 Prussian and 5 Russian
Commands, plus Kutuzov as C-in-C (with two Coalition Monarchs for
moral support.)

This
event is free, but to support our host, The Portal, we encourage you
to make some gaming purchases while you attend.

If
interested in playing, register for the event and let us know with
preference for side if any, (French or Prussian/Russian Coalition)…
especially any players interested in being the C-in-C (Kutuzov or
Napoleon).

Further
information and pre-event planning will be provided via email by the
GMs. All registration should be sent to Peter Anderson at
Gonsalvo@aol.com

Napoleon
at Lutzen