More fortifications to come.

I've been reading Chartrand's French Fortresses in North America 1535-1763.
One of the forts I'd like to build is Fort Senneville as it's a square stonework castle like fort. So I shall see what I can accomplish.
5/27th
So far I have built 2 stone block houses to add to my 18th century forts.
Now that I have glue and some basing they
Shall rise

Jacobite Rebellion 1746 Prince Charles on the run.

This Scenario comes from Wargames illustrated October 1997.
The crown forces are made up of 2 infantry sections 6 figures with an officer each, and a mounted patrol of 5 troopers.
There are 2 checkpoints which have a garrison of 4 men each with an officer.

Charles has a party of 3 and there are 4 additional Jacobites.

The objective seems simple enough. The Prince kits make it from one end of the table to the other.
But its not so cut and dry.
It should make for an interesting battle

King Phillips War 1671-76

August 1999 Issue of Minature Wargames
Had an excellent article on a colonial north American war.
The article describes the basic history of the conflict as well as both sides.
There are 3 scenarios set up. The first  Governor Winslows attack I played and did an article on in my blog about 5 years ago while still in Japan.
Scenario 2 is Benjamin Church's March to Tiverton. The Scenario is for Church's men to reach the river or the town without being attacked.
Scenario 3 Warriors attack (originally named Indian attack)
So once the weather stops being sub zero, battles will commence.

Battle of Rocoux October 11, 1746

Rocoux anyone? It sounds like a French dish, which begs the question is it better served hot or cold and with a Bordeaux or a crisp Chardonnay?
This was part of Marshall de Saxe's campaign. It pits the French against the British, Dutch, Hanoverian and Hessians.

The article I have from Minature  Wargames is only half, this was from issue 195, August 1999. I must have bought the issue before I left for Japan, gee 20 years already.......
Anyhow, I shall be working on an order of battle.

the French line

Looking towards the Hessian and British lines

The British left wing made up of a composite Grenadier Battalion with a strong Highlanders contingent 

The Allied horse waiting to smash into the French

the Royal Artillery on the Allied right.

the French Horse begin to advance

the French cavalry attempt to hit the Allied left

The last of the Brunswick and Hessian troops

French musketry is punishing the Allied line 

Royal Artillery desperately attempts to move the guns to support an assault. Eventually the Allied force suffered so many casualties. The French emerged victorious 

18th century figures painting

Since the dead of winter is upon us, I am going to content myself with painting up figures of mine which need a lick of paint.
Mainly my French cavalry, and some of the infantry.
My Brunswick troops also need a touch up as do my AWI Americans (5/14/2019, painted the Virginian brigades uniform coats and their tricorns. The militia types I got as a bonus with my magazine are also coming along.)

I also think my British Light Infantry need to be finished as do a few other units.
Stay tuned
02/24/2019
I was working on my British troops today. Tidied up my British cavalry and Lights today. They need a bit more paint but will be able to take on his majesties deluded subjects

And winter 2022, I'm tackling my RAFM metals for touch ups

2019 Plans, 17th century, 18th century, 1812,

Now, if I start out this year with a set out plan, I may actually get to doing them right? Sure, keep dreaming.
As far as some of my gamming periods go, I really should set out to do some interesting campaigns.

1. King Phillips War. Somewhere out in my library, I have one of the wargamming magazines which has an article about playing this war. I have begun following a Facebook page of this and should get about to do one.

2. King William's War: I'd like to put together a siege of Port Royal 1690s. I have figures to do this, just need to find a time to throw it together.

3. Seven Years War 1755-56 campaigns, including Battle of Lake George, Siege of Fort William Henry, and Montcalm's raids on Oswego

4. American Revolution, 1778 Monmouth Campaign. I've done a few of the battles but now that my British army has increased, I'd like to put together some more battles.

5. 1812. Summer 1813: get in some action with my American, Canadian and British troops.

With every second weekend off, and periods of the week when I have 3 days off, I might actually be able to get in some more gamming.

At present, the tempretures outside are around -25c so I don't feel like doing much out there. So any chance I get I shall be painting.
The first up will probobly be the American infantry I hadn't finished last fall.
I have also made a challenge for myself, not buying anything else for my collection for a year. This is mainly to try and claw back on spending and to work with what I have.

New 18th century Osperys for Christmas for my library

Osprey Publishing had a sale, so I bought British Redcoat vs French Fusilier, Continental vs Redcoat, Patriot Militiaman in the American Revolution, and French Fortresses in North America.

Several of these books I have had on my wish list for nearly four years, and since the sale was such a discount, I jumped at the chance.
the militiaman one may be out of stock, so i will see if they send later.
All the books save the Patriot Militiamen arrived on 12/11/2018. I now have some more campaigns I can fight.
I shall also build a few more stone forts based on the new fortification book.
The Militia book is on the way as well as Osprey contacted me to update that they had a copy.

my other Christmas presents 

All of these books were very enjoyable to read the Seven Years War French and Indian War volume was quite enlightening with some other battles which I was unaware of,  the American Revolution title for the British versus Americans was also enlightening. The  American Patriot militiamen volume however was what I expected very heavy on a pro-american stance however it did give an insight into the southern campaign.

Iroquoian Warriors pre contact to 1700

Around 1988, I really got into wargames, and my first big influx of figures was from the Canadian company RAFM based in Ontario. They had a figure series called Flint and Feather which is the name of a new skirmish game system by Howard Whitehouse, Lee VanSchaik and Roderick Robertson
The First Nations figures I have in metal are mostly carrying war clubs and wooden armor.
When I use these figures for my Seven Years War, its stretching it a bit as many of these warriors would have been armed with muskets.
I shall post some shots of them shortly.

Fontenoy 1745

So my next mid 18th century battle will be Fontenoy.

The main reason for doing this battle is the fact that the Wild Geese had such a main role as did the Black Watch.
My French metropolitan army is gaining strength as is the British, Prussian and Hanoverian.
Mostly, it's filling out the Cavalry and the infantry.
So over my restaurant shutdown, I will see what I can do.

the main French line

the Allied centre made up of Hessian, British and Dutch troops

oday's battle

The Highland Brigade take the hill supported by the Royal Artillery

The main British force, two columns of Troops and horse

looking towards the French lines

the first battalion of Highlanders reaches the hill with gun support 

the French right begin to fire

a French heavy gun fires, neat effect with cotton wool

the Brunswickers line fire

both lines begin to exchange musketry enveloping the battlefield with gunsmoke

the French cavalry open fire with their carbines and pistols scattering the Brunskers

musketry continues to be exchanged

the French cavalry charge the Brunswickers, breaking their line

the Prussian horse counter charge

the French right wing eliminate their opponents (who were made up of the 43rd Black Watch). 

the 64th and 88th Highlanders attempt to hold the hill. The French eventually drive off the Highlanders but suffer horrendous casualties in the process.

The British Grenadiers break through the French line

but the move is negated by the Wild Geese flanking the entire Allied right wing. As French guns begin to decimate the Brunswickers and Prussians, the Allied Army withdrawls.

Once again a historical win for the French.

American Continental Units 1779

One of my other purchases recently was two boxes of Italeri American Continental Units. My goal is to paint up some more American units for the main campaign for the later part of the Revolution.
My British units could also use some extra but as a large amount of Highlanders and Light infantry were bought, the Americans need some recruitment and training.

So far with the two boxes of infantry I bought, I was able to make five infantry regiments.
One regiment I have painted in blue coats to be faced buff with white waistcoats and breeches.
The other regimental coats I will paint as blue faced red. The majority of the units I shall paint up for the Virginia Line, the Maryland Line and Pennsylvania

10/22/2018 update
I have taken a look at my units I have painted and mounted and have found I have about five brigades of infantry!

This means I can field an army for Saratoga, Philidelphia, and Monmouth.
As I paint up my units I shall of course be adding pictures.
I've found some of my resource books are all over the place on what the units wore, or the condition they were in.
I have reflected this in the choice of colour in the breeches in some units. I have also painted up a few units in captured uniforms or a mix of uniforms.

It's been fun to find the information, base and paint the units. Most will be of the blue faced red variety.

Eventually, I may build some more units for cavalry, Lights and such. I have enough artillery