Barinaeum and the death of a King.

Last night we fought the latest battle in the Isle of Fob campaign. Following up their victory at Ghazzan, Gudrupee the Malik Fob advanced southward in an attempt to take the Christian capital. They were met on the open Plain of Barinaeum by King Louis with a large force of mixed cavalry. The winter battle that followed was very short and sharp. The forces of Gudrupee were almost destroyed and Gudrupee himself fell in the fight.

Christian Deployment:

 Moslem Deployment:

 The Moslems in trouble:

 The Death of Gudrupee:

 Knights crash home:

 Horse archers harrassing civilians in the Christian rear:

Trebbia part 2

The Roman infantry clash with the Carthaginian hordes in the centre - the meat  grinder whirs into action.

But on the Roman right flank the Carthaginian envelopment is into full swing.

On the Roman left the allied cavalry has collapsed and the Romans are in serious trouble - they are running out of mrale chips.

The Roman centre just before it collapsed on a failed major morale check.

I don't think many Romans got away.

Cheeky Gauls

I've managed to sneak in a few units of Gauls this month. 6 x 22 Gallic war band units and 13 chariots (and a few un-pictured command figures). This almost completes the Gallic contingent. I only have 18 cavalry and 32 skirmishers to do - giving an army of: 396 war band figures, 32 skirmishers, 13 chariots, 80 cavalry and a dozen or so figures on command stands; enough to do Telamon, I think [?].

The latest additions:

Once I get the Gauls out of the way, I'll start on the completion of the Spanish contingent.

Flight stand construction for 15mm aircraft

Following a question from Bill in comments.........

Before I start, ignore the drilled hole in the first few pictures. I have used a similar method for 1:144 aircraft, but I wanted to check that the base was heavy enough for 1:100 diecasts. I'm still grinning..........

 Materials: Jam jar lid (60mm diameter), plastic(ish) pole, a crocodile clip and some lead (ignore the hole).

Melt the lead and pour it into the lid on a level surface (a thank you to Giles, who laid my stone floor) up to just below the rim (ignore the hole).

Whilst you have the gas on, holding the crocodile clip with a pair of pliers, heat up the base end of the crocodile clip until it changes colour. It does not have to be red, just changing colour, you want to melt it into the plastic not burn the plastic. Then push the clip gently but firmly into the plastic pole. This 'plastic' pole is actually a venetian blind opening thingy that I laid aside when the blind was replaced - it's always a good idea to keep such things. 

Now drill the hole for the 'plastic' pole (the hole!).

Normally, I would have spray painted the base, for a finish, and stuck it all together before showing the final assembly, but as this is a bit of home grown precision engineering, I'll show you the construction before I disassemble it for painting (remember that hole?).

Diecast Hurricane repainted for the Desert

This time it's a Hurricane MkIId. Although I've kept the original lettering (easier to do that way), I've painted it as 6th Squadron - only the pedants will object to such heresy and they can call for pitchforks and torches at their leisure. For their information, it also made its appearance a year later than I'm gaming!!!

The model is a Postage Stamp plane by Model Power. It is 1:100 scale. Obviously, the colours were wrong for the desert so this is a total repaint rather than a revamp. Note: I filed away the 'sticky out bits' on the engine cowling as they do not feature on the ones I have pictures of. 

Trebbia report

The battle started with Roman velites advancing on the African skirmish line where a brief but bloody contest took place along the whole infantry front. The honours were just about even. Then, the Carthaginian cavalry charged. On the Roman left the allied cavalry just about held their own, but the Roman cavalry on the right were bowled over and chaos ensued.

Here are some shots of last night's action.

 

 

 

 

To be continued........... 

Beefing up some diecast Stukas

Earlier this week, I picked up these 1:100 Fabbri / Italeri Stukas for my 15mm Western Desert collection. They cost £3.00 each plus postage.

I think they are very nice little models and they would pass muster as they come........but, I thought a bit more work on the paint job would make them fit with my wargames models better. I used Humbrol enamels over the existing colours. This is how they came out - upgraded model on the right.

 

 

 

 

Big Time Trebbia

Next week Peter J. and I will re-fight Trebbia again. This time we will be doing at double the size we did it last time. Figure scale has been set at about 1:60. Peter, BTW, is actually pictured below - for those interested in what at least one of us looks like.

Ager Sanguinis Punic Wars is now with Miniature Wargames. It will, all being well, be published as a one article, centre fold, pull out in the December issue.

 

 

The pictures above show the general deployments. The Romans, in triplex acies formation, stand in the sleet with their backs to the freezing water of the River Trebbia which they have just crossed, sodden and cold to the bone.

Carthaginian Army: BLUE
Hannibal : Blue / Blue officer stand.

Command A: Blue / Green officer stand.
2 units each of 12 Spanish cavalry figs, 2 units each of 16 Gallic cavalry figs an 2 units each of 8 Balearic slingers.

Command B: Blue / White officer stand.
3 units each of 24 Libyan spearman figs, 2 units each of 24 Spanish scutarii figs, 2 units each of 8 Libyan skirmisher figs and 2 units each of 1 elephant fig.

Command C: Blue /Brown officer stand.
3 units each of 44 Gallic war band figs and 3 units each of 8 Numidian skirmish figs.

Command D: Blue / Yellow officer stand. As per Command B.

Command E: Blue / Pink officer stand. As per Command A.

Roman Army: RED

Consul, Sempronius Longus: Red / Red officer stand.

Command A: Red / Green officer stand.
4 units each of 12 allied cavalry figs.

Command B: Red / Blue officer stand.
Legion (including ala) comprising 2 units each of 12 velites figs, 2 units each of 24 hastati figs, 2 units each of 24 principes figs and 2 units each of 12 triarii figs.

Command C: Red / White officer stand. Legion as per Command B.

Command D: Red / Brown officer stand. Legion as per Command B.

Command E: Red / Yellow officer stand.
Legion as per Command B, plus 1 unit of 50 Gallic war band figs.

Command F: Red / Pink officer stand.
2 units each of 8 Roman cavalry figs.



The deployment map shows the number of stands (bases) in use in the game. Here are some close up shots of those stands.

 

 

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