Battleground 2014

Just returned from a successful trip to my local war-game venue battleground, links here :

http://www.battlegroundshow.co.uk/

 Facebook to battleground 2014

This was my first opportunity to display my WW1 kriegsspiel game and it attracted much attention.

Thanks to everyone who who visited , showed interest and commented on the game set up.

I have included some photos below.

Making the set : click here !

Durham Tactical Society

Hello folks,

Well some time has passed and I have not been idle.  I have been working on a new project the  Durham Tactical Society as a forum to bring like minded people together and contribute to my KS game.

Whilst I will continue my 3mm project, I was keen to develop a fully transportable Kriegsspiel box akin to the original examples, like here and the original here.

Utilizing Irregular Miniatures 2mm blocks/figures I have compiled two armies of divisional strength, inclusive of machine guns, signals, aircraft and observation balloons, as well as cavalry, artillery, infantry motorized vehicles and armoured cars.

As a commemoration to the start of WW1 I would like to Umpire a game set in the opening months of the war.  More to follow...

useful links

Link -Rules for the Conduct of the War-Game on a map, 1896 ed.

Link - Photon Cutter Studio's - Kriegsspiel Blocks

Link - Poppyfish.  KS as a management training

Link - Irregular Miniatures - Kriegspiel Blocks

Link - Too Fat Lardies

Link - British Army Kriegspiel - 1885

Link - Lieutenant von Reisswitz's Kriegspiel

Link - Original rule set

Link - Richard Madder's Kriegspiel Site

Link - Tiny Tin Troops - resources

Link - American war game, page 135

painting 3mm napoleonics (2)

Well after several delays I have finally completed and based my 'red' battalion.

Painting 3mm Figs

Having done some reading on line to seek guidance for painting 3mm figs I would like to share the link that provided the best inspiration for me and to share some pictures of how I got on.

Link on the TMP Napoleonic discussion forum here.

As you will know from earlier posts, I have already painted the full battalion in line but I thought I would include my painting guide in picture form on the light company skirmishers that I have recently completed.  The principle was the same for the close order infantry.

1/
Base coat in brown

2/
Red jackets picked out

3/
Grey trousers picked out

4/

Brown ink wash. I'm still not fully convinced about this as it seem to wash the trousers out. However, it does seem to give some definition

5/
Face and hands picked out

6/
Caps picked out in black and cartridge box followed by a few dabs in white to pick out belts and musket slings

7/
Final finish included;
-green plumes
-blue canteens
-gold for the cap plate
-silver for the musket barrels, then a little highlight in red and grey to pick out the detail:

Hopefully I will get this based soon.  Then that will be my 'Red Battalion' completed in full !

Finished battalion:-

 Company:-

 Sergeants with spontoon's and officers:-

A little drill manual

Some years ago my father purchased in auction a pocket drill manual for the British Army, published in 1805; 

An exposition of the nineteen manœuvres As ordered by his Majesty, to be performed at every inspection or review By every Regiment of Foot. Likewise of the exercise and manœuvres directed by His Royal Highness the Commander in Chief, for the practice of the light infantry and rifle corps. 

The wallet forming part of the binding contains: “twenty figures, representing the companies and half platoons of a battalion; by which the manœuvres of a battalion, or operations of a live way be easily practised in theory” (p. vi) Contents With errata. - With 3 p. of music, titled: Signals of the bugle. - Includes one folded leaf of plates. Binding information In a nineteenth century red goatskin wallet-style binding. 

After a bit of research on line I found the following link from the author, who frustratingly remains anonymous as 'A humble servant'.  Never the less it is an interesting article on the application of the Rules & Regulations.  Follow link here , (specifically page 261 and 262 refers to the publication of this little wallet manual).

Well done dad ! Having only just being reaquainted with this little book I will enjoy a good read of this !

Of course, it wouldn't do not to share some pictures !

The tactical regulator

If ever there was a book written that described in the minutiae of detail the movement and timings of a Georgian infantry battalion then this work is at the top.  Lieutenant John Russell was a man of obsession when it came to distances, timings and cadence of pace, recorded in this book and "Approved by the highest authority" this alone formulates a complete picture of the battalion and indeed brigades and more in motion.

The veil of smoke that has prevented , for me at least, having a clear picture and full understanding of the battalion deployed is now lifted.  This for me answer many questions.  In respect to the game of war clearly, this is invaluable.

Link here

As an addition to the above, it is also well worth a look at Russells experiments, 1806, link here.

Once you start looking at such things, you get drawn to others :) instructions on the eigtheen manouveres, 3rd ed. 1814 here.

A Treatise on British Drill

This treatise, of all contemporary documents is one of my favourites and am keen to share this link to Suasso's Treatise on British Drill (2nd Ed).
Having read the various editions of the Rules & Regulations, understanding or visualizing their meaning and indeed practical application has always been a challenge.

Since finding Suasso, it has clarified many of my questions and is an invaluable aid to my game !

Follow link to read more here.

Tactics

I confess I spend too much time reading historical texts on military drill and tactics.  Usually I read a bit and think, 'interesting, I will add that to my favourites' and move to the next page.

I will start to share what I read in this thread.  I came across these two comments in the following article, found in the Royal Militay Chronicle,  1810  on a Course of Tactics, follow link here.



"...in England,  the officers enter the army without any military knowledge whatever. They have everything to learn."


"I regret to say; but France is still the school of war, and by her science, more than even by her numbers, has conquered the Continent. "

An interesting contemporary article on the capability of British army officers.  Further to this again another link from Hoyt's Rules and Regulations for Cavalry, dated 1813, here provides a catalogue of reading for our contemporary officer.  A must read.

progress... ? maybe...!

Well, I thought I would write an update if , for no other reason, to write something on my blog.

I have come to realize that it is a bit cold in my garage so my enthusiasm to finish my 'red battalion' has waned somewhat.  That said i have been planning my next stage.  I think for clarity it is worth putting some of my thoughts in blog, since my last post on where I want to go with my little project.

I have for many many years had a specific interest in British army drill of the early 19th century.  I have had the honour of drilling up to company strength military enthusiasts in the world of reenactment and it is from this experience that I have come to recognise the skill in the battalion, brigade and divisional commanders and so on; in the movement of men on the Napoleonic field of battle.

Kriegsspiel is a field I have taken a great interest and it is from this that I have taken inspiration in focusing the game of war at battalion level.

I want to see at a scale of 3mm a battalion in full being moved in formation on representative terrain in order to get a feel for the challenges faced by the battalion commander.

Specifically, I think these will be understanding the terrain, distances and timing. Akin to sailing a large oil tanker.  The ship movement must be planned well ahead to ensure that the formation arrives at its destination in order and at the right time.  If that makes sense !?

The challenge therefore is also doing this in the face of opposing forces and achieving the  target objectives assigned as part of the game play.

All too often i see Napoleonic wargames with clusters of infantry being manouvered around the table randomly at times and I feel that it doesn't really represent actual conditions or challenges faced.

Anyway , I have recently ordered john curry's recent book volume 2 on kriegsspiel the game of war for further background reading.  Follow link here.

I am also now thinking of the board.  I would like this to be transportable , a bit like the original concept. So, I am thinking of making tiles in the same fashion - plaster of paris painted accordingly as in the original kriegsspiel

More on that later ...