Sunday, January 23, 2011

15mm Vauban Fortress from Stone Mountain Miniatures

Hi folks,

Just found this gem that I had no idea existed. As you know I'm working onVauban's Wars  to all gamers to fight 18th century (and early 19th century) sieges.

Currently I have several different Vauban fortresses in 15mm.
  • PaperTerrain
  • JR Miniatures
  • Unknown Manufacturer
I was going back to Stone Mountain to look at their colonial range of figures and saw they have a 15mm Vauban fortress with zero pictures on the site:

http://www.historicalminiatures.com/terrain15.html#Fortifications

Of course, without photos you can't get a good idea what someone's interpretations of a Vauban fortress are. Hence, I emailed Dave, the owner of Stone Mountain, who quickly provided me with the following photos of the fortress. Wow! I had no idea how cool his fortress looked. There is a five star and six star version.






Anyway, I'm trying to get the word out along with some photos. I would like him to make the Ravelins available separately as I could use several more of those. Wish I had know about this product sooner.

If you have questions about the fortress, please contact Dave @ Stone Mountain directly.

Eric

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Massive Assault - Day 1 - Russians vs. Ottomans

This scenario came into being after doing a large amount of research for the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1792. I have large Potemkin army for the Russians and an ever growing Ottoman army. Many of the battles turned into assaults against Ottoman fortresses of fortifications.

The orginal premise was to have the Russians assault Ottoman fortifications. Little did I know this would turn into 3 different games with 3 different assaults.

This is DAY1 of the assault. The Russians are hoping to neutralize the Ottoman cavalry and completely surround the fortifications, while overruning the outer works, and if lucky breach the Ottoman main defenses.

Rules: Piquet (Cartouche)
Figures: 15mm, all from Eric's collection
Russians: Almost all are Falcon UK figures
Ottomans: Minifigs, Essex, AB Miniatures, Falcon Miniatures
Terrain: My old handmade 8 x 4 foot terrain boards, and Musket Miniatures earthworks

First photo is of the Russian right flank, ready to storm the hill and take the fortifications.


View from the center of the Russian lines, including the two heavy batteries.


Russians mass of the assault against the big redoubt held by Greeks and Arnauts.


Russian Cossacks and Light cavalry (bottom left) arrayed to battle the Turkish cavalry.


What the Turks are eager to smash into on their right flank


View from the Ottoman left flank. Sure are a lot of Russians swarming in front of them.


The little redoubt, with more Arnauts in them, is facing 4 times their number.


Ottoman medium guns moving to a hotspot.


Ottoman baggage train


Arnauts shatter one Russian Regiment (one stand left), but are quickly overrun.


Russian main assault against the Ottoman left has already shattered one unit, and there is a large gap in the defenses.


I love this camera angle! Here come the Russians!


Nice view of the Russians attacks on the far right, and against the little redoubt.


The Turks send in their cavalry!


Ottomans scramble and throw a Janissary unit (yellow) into the breach, as the Russians seem unstoppable.


Grand Vizer commits the Janissary reserves to the battle (in march column).


Mameluks charge into the Cossacks, but are routed, along with several other Ottoman cavalry units. The Cossacks really destroyed the Ottoman cavalry brigade in a very short time.


Janissaries didn't make it to the wall in time as 3 regiments of Russians stream over the earthworks.


Action from the Russian perspective


Good view of the battle. Russian right flank engulfed in a firestorm, little redoubt overrun, large redoubt being assaulted, while the Ottoman cavalry is streaming to the rear.


Ottomans waiting patiently for the Russians in the Center.


Big Redoubt being cleared by a Russian Grenadier unit. Hit the Arnauts on the flank. Ugly!


Back on the Russian right flank the Russians try to secure the fortifications.


Russians attempting to get an artillery battery up close and personal.



Janissaries smash another Russian infantry regiment. Brutal fighting along the trench line.


Janissaries deliver a point blank volley shattering another Russian Regiment.


Russians sense that it is time to regroup. They have defeated the Ottoman cavalry, and secured both the little and big redoubt. They suffered heavy losses on the right, but nearly broke the entire Ottoman army. Without the Janissaries the Ottomans would have been overrun. The Russians pause, regroup, and prepare to assault the fortress on DAY2.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Dawn Raid (part 5) - Boxer Rebellion 15mm

This is part 5 of a 5 part series on the Dawn Raid game we played last year. Here you will see the International powers working their way through the city trying to clear out the remaining Chinese and Boxers.

Starting with two shots of the inner workings of the city. First is the busy harbor. Lots of goods come and go from this prosperous city.


Once the goods arrive they arer taken to the large local market for trade.


When we left the battle in part 4 post, we had the French landing party hitting the beach near the market and armory. Below is a Marine and Naval Infantry landing parties.


Turcos and more sailors hit the beach, the Annamite rifleman heading to the right to land closer to the market.


Marines clear the warehouse, but run into some Western Trained Chinese (in red) between the Pagoda and Armory.


One of the goals for the International forces was to destroy the armory, with the green roofs. It is currently being guarded by Western Trained Chinese.


We see the first of the Boxers, as they roll out an old smoothbore muzzle loading cannon up in the city.


USA infantry (3 stands left) and French Marines begin their assault of the Armory.


Here we can the devastation inflicted by the Russians on the Imperial Chinese forces that had been occupying the barracks. At least two Chinese units wiped out, plus artillery, and gatling guns. Great victory for the Russians. The Russians are actually in the barrack's buildings, but the roofs don't come off so they are just sitting on the outside.


Action winds down in the barracks and Black Citadel area. Not many Chinese left in this area.


What's this? Another Boxer cannon?


Boxer cannons knock out the Gubrett's only Hotchkiss revolving cannon.


Several Chinese units have fallen back to the main city. You can even see the Chinese gatling gun situated just to the right of the Pogoda's red roof.


This is a good overview photos from the Armory side of the battle. US Infantry and Italian Bersaglieri are driving through the subburbs of the city.


French and US soldiers swarm the Armory. Look like they are going to be able to take this without much trouble.


Where are all the Boxers? Indian troops probe the city near the Dragon Gate.



Thousands of Yellow Banner Boxers swarm out of the city!



Three Indian unis and Gurkhas move to take out the Boxers


US Infantry clearing out a small subburb of the city. House-to-house fighting is staring to take hold throughout the city.


US 9th infantry have the honor of being first into the Armory.


The fires are starting to burn in the armory. Chinese forces were moving to try to reclaim the armory, but are too late.


Boxers spring an ambush on the French Sailor! They were hiding in the Pogoda. All they need to do is beat the French die roll in melee and they will rout the sailors.


Ben, Boxer Commander, lamenting his bad die roll! He did end up routing the sailors, but not inflicting heavy casualties on them.


The armory Explodes! Italians shake out into line.


Sailors routing (red marker on them), while the French Marines are disordered by a Boxer flank attack.


French Marines win their melee and turn and defeat the boxers.


Indians have driven off one Boxer horde and have moved into the city.


A second Indian unit is not that lucky and routs (red marker in the right bottom corner). Looks like the British will need to send in the Gurkhas and Highlanders.


Fighting in the city. Yellow Banner is putting up a good fight.


Ambush!!! The rest of the Black Banner Boxers flood out of the buildings surrounding the market. French Sailors and Annimite-Tonkinese try to fight off the hordes of Boxers.


French Marines overrun the Boxer gun batteries.


The French managed to shred the Black Banner Boxers and the English cleared out the Yellow Banner boxers, effectively ending the game. All objectives were obtained by the International forces: Black Citadel captured, Boxers destroyed, and Armory eliminated.

This was an amazingly fun game! I'll have more Boxer posts from my Boxer Rebellion Campaign in the coming weeks.

Cheers!