Wednesday 29 February 2012

My rain & snow gear

Despite the Tokyo region being as far south as it is, relative to where I'm from in Nova Scotia, Canada, we do get snow from time to time. This winter we've had about 4 snowfalls. Yesterday was the biggest yet, at a paltry 15cm! Back home that's just flurries with slight accumlation.
My gear consists of a British Army issue Balaclava for AFV crews, a Mk II DPM NBC suit (because of Fukushima Dainichi blowing up, we're not sure if the rain is not radioactive) and beneath that, a nylon camoflage suit.
In Japan, I'm always stared at as I'm a foreigner. My feeling is, if you want to stare, have a reason. Nothing like going on the train in this stuff, or showing up at my schools. My students and teachers all think I look cool, though I'm not trying to invade anywhere.
The nylon suit I picked up at a Japanese shot called Workman, and my other military gear comes from the excellent British company www.cadetdirect.com which sells British and NATO gear.
I`m calm, I`m at peace, I`m enlightened





Saturday 25 February 2012

Dunbar 7

I'm awaiting Cromwell's attack but my massed musket block ala Swedish Slavo will clear him from the field. My Scottish army smashed the English line in two places. After destroying the English army in front of their camp, the Scottish simply crawled over the entrenchments and looted to their heart's content.
This was my first victory using the Field of Glory Rennasience rules. It was also the first victory over Ian in a long time. He was a little annoyed as he made a big mistake. But he's just a little guy. He has usually blunted most of my attacks. 





Dunbar 6

Full view of the English camp. According to Reid's Dunbar 1650, Cromwell may have been attempting a breakout which he was able to turn into his own victory. In this game however, Cromwell was overconfident and charged his entire army save one gun crew at the Scottish army.





Dunbar 5

The Highlanders and Moss Troopers smash their way into the English army. The English musketeers make a line to fire into the massed block.



Dunbar 4

The Highlanders charge the English pike block. The rest of the English army pour out of their camp
 



Dunbar 3

The MacKay's were pressed into Cromwell's army for this battle. The Moss troopers have pulled back after the pike block advance
 







Dunbar 2

Cromwell's forces charged out of their entrenched camp to take on Leslie's Scottish Army. The English pike block attempts to break the Scots line but are being challenged by Moss Troopers


Dunbar 1

Ian decided that he wanted to be Cromwell at Dunbar. After reading Osprey's Dunbar 1650 we decided to play the game.








Saturday 18 February 2012

Ste Foy part 8

More Canadien milce and gunners
By nightfall, with most of their force spent, the French withdrew to their trenches. The British withdrew to the ruins of their walls to wait to see what the French would do next. In the end,  it was an inconclusive action, but resulted in casualties for both sides which they could not easily replace. Spring would decide the outcome as to which country would send troops first.
 



Ste Foy part 7

My beloved fellow gunners, be they French, British, or American
The Canadien militia and Cannonier-Bombardier shot these down, but the British still came on.



Ste Foy part 6

Plus I have these Amerindians which can be used for any conflict from 1680 up to 1820
 The Amerindians were unfaultered and went back for a second attack covered by the French guns.



Ste Foy part 5

Though these ARE Seven Years War French Infantry I have painted up.
The Canadien militia and Cannonier-Bombardier shot these down, but the British still came on. By nightfall, with most of their force spent, the French withdrew to their trenches.


 





Ste Foy part 4

The remaments of the proud French army in New France
 
The British assault collum reached the French trenches only to be cut down by accurate musket fire. Stunned by this volley, the British regrouped and attempted to rally. The French left then flanked the British line, cutting it apart. A further Canadien militia group then flanked the rest of the line and procceded to shoot them down. Murray then sent further British infantry out towards the French.


Ste Foy part 3

One of the things I have to do as a father/graduate student is to try and be a bit creative and expand on the figures I have. I used American revolutionary figures as some of my French.


 

Levis had been forced to procure several different sources of clothing to keep his troops from freezing. He had one battalion dressed as though members of the Royale Eccossais, blue faced red while another brigade was dressed as though of the old uniforms of Royale Italien of brown faced red. The Canadiens kept their regular clothes but retained the coloured caps of red, blue and white touques.
While the French advanced, the gunners fired most of their shot at the gate. This resulted in a large breach being made. The Royal Artillery attempted in vain to beat off the Amerindian attack with grape shot, but due to the weather, most of the gunpowder had spoiled during the long winter. The Cannonier-Bombardier then fired over the heads of the Amerindians and smashed the British guns. At this, the Amerindians then rushed the position slaughtering any who still stood there.


 

Ste Foy Part 2

The British in the fortification of Quebec winter 1760
The Royal Artillery attempted in vain to beat off the Amerindian attack with grape shot, but due to the weather, most of the gunpowder had spoiled during the long winter.



Ste Foy Part 1

This battle was one of the possible "what ifs" of Canadian history.
The refight 2/12/12

The French and Canadiens were thirsting for revenge on the British for capturing Quebec 6 months earlier. All through the winter, General Levis had trained his army in a combination of Canadien/French tactics to overcome the British in the walls of Quebec.
The British were deployed around the (gate). They had been able to reconstruct one redoubt to serve as a gun battery to protect the gate. Behind the redoubt, Murray kept his Grenadiers ready to repulse any attack. The first move Murray made was to advance a combined brigade of 15th/58th/28th/48th towards the main French battery. This was countered by Levis advancing his motly crew of regulars towards the British collum on the left while his Amerindians stormed the main British artillery position on the right.

I`m calm, I`m at peace, I`m enlightened




Sunday 5 February 2012

Field of Glory! WOW

I recently bought a copy of Slitherin's Field of Glory Renaissance and after reading it cover to cover, I really like it!
However, even with using some of the new rules and actions, I still lost to my son this morning, but that may have also been because I helped him out a lot.
He used a Samurai attack formation to crash into my Scottish troops. My massed musketry still didn't slow him down, while his sword and buckler troops cut up my musket troops.
Next time, Daddy isn't helping him out.