Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy, Issue 58

My wife gave me a subscription to Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy for Christmas. I asked for the digital version and received my first issue, number 58, within a few days of the order. This is a great issue. The theme is the 1809 war between the french and Austrians. What great timing, I'm painting Austrians!
The cover has a small diorama of Austrians marching through the mud. I plan to use the painting techniques from one of the articles to do a base of Austrians ro Volley and Bayonet crossing a muddy field.
There are also rules for Napoleonic skirmish level play, including a scenario, and a set of rules where each stand is a brigade. There i a scenario and OB for Aspern-Essling. A review of Napoleonic rules and miniatures round out the 1809 portion of this issue.:

There's also an article for gaming the defense of the hospital at Rorke's Drift, including instructionss to build a hospital model. It's one of those periods I have been able to avoid up to this point. After reading the article, I'm tempted.

Figure reviews, book reviews, columns, as i said before, it's a good issue. It's also a good value about $20 for a one year, six issue, digital subscription.

Battle of the Bulge Pictures

Like many, I belong to some yahoo groups. I get a lot of email, most of which I delete without reading. Here is a link to some pictures from the Battle of the Bulge that was in an email. The pictures are good. There's one of a PzJgr IV and when I build my next model of one, I'm going to try to copy the original paint job.
67 years since the German attack in the Ardennes. Surely that's reason enough to drag out the tanks and have a wargame.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2075565/Vivid-new-Battle-Bulge-photos-offer-seen-look-war-weary-soldiers-braving-frigid-weather-fight-Nazi-Germanys-major-offensive-World-War-II.html

Book Recommendation: Charlie Wilson's War

This book, by George Crile, is highly recommended. It is the story of the CIA's secret war in Afghanistan and the movers and shakers behind it. For me, the story of the people supporting it was secondary to the story of the war itself. It was very interesting to learn how the appropriations were handled and that part is compelling. The agreements forged by Wilson between various countries to aid the Mujahidin yielded good results, even when his actions greatly exceeded his legal limits.
The book is much better and very much more comprehensive than the movie. Larger than life characters and a desparate struggle against tyranny. What more can you want in a book.


If you have any interest in the Cold War, the CIA, or are looking for a good piece of non-fiction, this is the book for you.

Napoleonic Austrian Artillery

We used to have a member of our group with a good sized Austrian army. Alas, he finished his PHD and left Bloomington to start his career. He did not leave his Austrians behind. I have a small Austrian army; roughly one corps in Volley and Bayonet terms. It allows me to fight some of the 1813 battles such as Liebertwolfwitz. I need more Austrians.
I recently made my first purchase of painted figures from Ebay. Almost every figure in my Napoleonic collection has been painted by me. I got these for a very good price and they fill a much needed gap.

The basing is basswood, with air dry clay painted brown, drybrushed tan and flocked.


There are six bases. I plan to double my Austrian army to 2 corps, plus cavalry. Someday, I want to refight Dresden.
I plan to run the battle of Raab in the first quarter of 2012 at one of our monthly club meetings.

I Remember, Veteran's Day, 2011

I was born in the '50's, so I remember the veterans of World War I. As a child, I remember teachers, and community leaders, tall and old. My grandfather, Allen Hert, was one of them. And then in the '60's, they retired; or died.
I remember the veteran's of WW II. These men were teachers and community leaders as I grew older. My uncles, Allen Hert, Jr., and Onis Frank Hampton, were two of them. When I entered the work force, they were at every job. The man that taught me to weld was a veteran of WW II. And then they retired, and died.
It was the same with the veterans of the Korean War. My father is a veteran of that fight. I worked with many veterans of Korea. There were times that it seemed as if most of the men of that generation served in Korea. They've all long retired, and are dying.
I'm watching the veterans of Vietnam age, retire, and die. Men that I've worked with for 20 years or more.
And the veterans younger than me. Building their lives and families and contributing to the community.

It has been my privilege to know these veterans.

I will always remember them.

Battle of New Orleans OOB

Next year is not only the bicentennial of Smolensk and Borodino, but also of the last declared war between the US and Britain. Here in Bloomington, on the campus of Indiana University is the Lilly Library. It has a large collection of documents and manuscripts from the War of 1812 and they are planning a celebration. As part of it, my friend, Jim, and I will be running some demo games. One of them will be the Battle of New Orleans.
We will use Volley and Bayonet at a reduced scale for the battle. Jim is painting most of the figures and I am responsible for the OOB. Here is the first take. Each strength point is equal to 100 men or two guns.
I've rated the British 7th and 43rd Foot as morale 6. Packingham planned to use these two regiments to maintain order in New Orleans after it's capture. The Highlanders are also rated morale 6.
For the Americans, Jackson is both Army Commander and Division Commander. The militia units are not rated as militia, merely Poorly Trained. By this point in the campaign, the Americans are very confident, believing they have already beaten the British twice. Due to their training, Plauche's Uniformed Militia retain M4, but are not considered Poorly Trained.

British Army

Pakenham AC

1st Brigade, Reserve, Lambert DC Exhaustion 16

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

14th Light Dragoons, dismounted M5 OOO
7th Foot, Left Wind M6 OOOOO
7th Foot, Right Wing M6 OOOO
43rd Foot, Left Wing M6 OOOOO
43rd Foot, Right Wing M6 OOOOO
5th West India, Left Wing M5 OOOOO
5th West India, Right Wing M5 OOOO

2nd Brigade, Right Wing, Gibbs DC Exhaustion 17

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

4th Foot Light Co, M5 SK O
21st Foot Light Co, M6 SK O
44th Foot Light Co, M6 SK O
5th West India Light Co M6 SK O
95th Foot, 1st Detachment M6 SK O
95th Foot, 2nd Detachment M6 SK O
95th Foot, 3rd Detachment M6 SK O
4th Foot, Left Wing M5 OOOOO
4th Foot, Right Wing M5 OOOO
21st Foot, Left Wing M5 OOOOO
21st Foot, Right Wing M5 OOOO
44th Foot, Left Wing M5 OOOOO
44th Foot, Right Wing M5 OOOO

3rd Brigade, Left Wing, Keane DC Exhaustion 14

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

7th Foot Light Co, M6 SK O
43rd Foot Light Co, M6 SK O
93rd Foot Light Co, M6 SK O
95th Foot, 1st Detachment M6 SK O
95th Foot, 2nd Detachment M6 SK O
95th Foot, 3rd Detachment M6 SK O
93rd Foot, Left Wing M6 OOOOOO
93rd Foot, Right Wing M6 OOOOO
1st West India Foot, Let Wing M5 OOOOOO
1st West India Foot, Right Wing M5 OOOOO


Artillery Reserve Dickson DC Exhaustion 10
OOOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOO

Carmichael's Battery 2 9 pdrs, 4 6 pdrs
M6 OO Field
M6 OO Field
M6 OO Field

Crawley's Rocket Battery
M6 OO Rocket
M6 OO Rocket
M6 OO Rocket

Naval Battery
M6 OO Heavy
M6 OO Heavy
M6 OO Heavy







Americans

Jackson AC Exhaustion 11

OOOOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOOOOO

7th US M5 OOOO
Plauche's Uniformed Militia M4 OOO
Lacoste's Free Men of Color M4 PT OOO
Redoubt Battery M5 OO Field
Battery 1 M5 OO Heavy
Battery 3 M5 OO Heavy
Hind's MS Mounted Riflemen M4 Light OO
Ogden's Troop, 1st US Dragoons M5 SK O
Harrison's Bn, KY Militia M4 PT OOO


Caroll DC Exhaustion 10

OOOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOOOO

Daquin's Free Men of Color M4 PT OO
44th US M5 OOOO
Caroll's TN Riflemen Left Wing M4 PT OOOOO
Caroll's TN Riflemen Right Wing M4 PT OOOOO
Battery 4 M5 OO Heavy
Battery 5 M5 OO Field



Coffee DC Exhaustion 9

OOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOOO

Coffee's TN Riflemen Left Wing M4 PT OOOO
Coffee's TN Riflemen Right Wing M4 PT OOO
Adair's KY Riflemen Left Wing M4 PT OOOO
Adair's KY Riflemen Right Wing M4 PT OOO
Battery 6 M5 OO Heavy
Battery 7 M5 OO Field

Command Decision AAR

The Indiana University Conflict Simulations Club met Sunday for it's monthly meeting; a WWII, Command Decision game and Gladiator combat were the two games played.
I have played many games of Command Decision since it was published in the late '80's, but this was only the third time I have played the latest version, Command Decision-Test of Battle. I like this version, it's faster and the spotting and artillery rules are improved. We played a meeting engagement with generic forces as a learning game.
Jeff provided the terrain and vehicles. He has a very nice collection of HO scale tanks, tracks, and trucks. My old friend Bob the Knob made a special guest appearance; he and I played Germans and Jeff and my son, Brady took the Americans.

The table:

On the first turn, the Gemans did a Hasty Advance with everything, racing for the center of the table.
My Panzer IV's pull up as an overwatch. The AA asset watches the sky.

The Germans reach the woods near the center of the table and deploy.
Also on the second turn, my Puma races down the road, looking for Americans and finds the head of their column, and an M8. The armored cars exchange fire and my Puma blows up!

Bob's infantry make it to the woods and deploy.

The US forces move down the roads leading from their entry point. My Panzer IV company moves past the woods to engage. They kill two M8's and then find themselves facing 8 enemy tanks and tank destroyers.

A disengage order allows my Panzers to escape.

View from the US end of the table.

After a few more turns of long range sniping with tanks and some effective artillery, I decided to send my tanks to Bob's flank and help him against the three Shermans on that end.

Seeing his position about to be overrun, Jeff moved his company of Shermans onto a hill, trying to get hull down. Bob and I advanced our tanks and the Panthers cleared the hill. At that point, the Americans conceded.
A fun game, Command Decision is back in the rotation.



On the other table, Big Mike ran a couple of games of gladiator combat. It sounded like great fun.