Off topics: ELITE Dangerous

Elite was one of the first computer games I played, back in the 80's, on my Commodore 64 home computer. In Elite you were a trader flying from planet to planet, carrying goods, fighting the pirates, and using the profits to upgrade your spaceship. Even I reached the 'Archangel' grade, reserved to commanders achieving the destruction of a space station in a system invaded by the Thargoids (the bad guys of the game). When I changed my Commodore 64 for a more 'serious' PC clone, I played Frontier Elite II and its sequel Frontier: First Encounters, although really was my son Sergio who actually played these last two versions!

Elte screens in the 80's. Crude but effective graphics!

After many legal problems, the game go away from scene, substituted by 'state of the art' games, but it still remains as one of the best computer games ever. Some freeware and shareware versions can be still found in internet, and after an inconcluded open-code Elite 4 project, David Braben (one of the initial Elite designers) has launched a new project, financed through crowfounding, named Elite: Dangerous, to be released in 2014. See below a game teaser.

I am waiting for the final releasing!

Share |

The (unfortunate) debut of the Soumy Hussars

The Soumy (Soumskii) Hussar Regiment is the last addition to my miniature armies (see here and here for the painting process). During the battle of Pirna, they were brigaded along the Grodno Hussar in the Rüdinger's 1st Brigade of the Milesinov's 1st Hussar Division in the Pahlen III's Cavalry Corps (see here for the OOB).
With some excitement, I did attend his first combat during the 4th turn of the Pirna combat. The Milesinov's Brigade was screening the Russian central sector, when it received the order to charge the German-French 21e Light Cavalry Brigade.
See below the graphical sequence of their fatal fate.

The leading Russian unit, the Grodno Hussars, receiving the converging fire of the French artillery

The Soumy Hussars also suffered, in a lesser extension, the accurate artillery fire

The Anhalt Jager zu Pferd charge the Grodno Hussars

And the Soumy Hussars countercharge to help their comrades

But the Grodno Hussars fall back leaving alone the Soumy Hussars

That are broken by the German Jagers in the subsequent hand-to-hand combat!

Has anyone had a similar frustrating experience with his/her best painted unit?: only 4 turns played and they were broken!

Share |

Pirna. The deployment

Vandamme's I Corps is in the way of the Ostermann-Tolstoy's Russian column, that is retiring towards Bohemia after the Dresden defeat. The Russian salvation depends on the taking of a bridge at the other side of a wood, but Ostermann-Tolstoy is currentnly weaker than Vandamme and must wait for the arrival of reinforcements, while simultaneoulsy the road is held open for the retreat of the slow baggage train. Vandamme has decided to attack frontally the Russians to fix them waiting for the arrival of his flanking forces.

The objective of the combat

The village of Zehista under the Mill heights.

The Russian escaping route

A view of the French deployment area

Both armies are ready for combat

Watch this space!

Share |

Painting time: Russian Hussars (II)

I have finished the painting of a large-Lasalle unit (6 bases) of the Soumy (or Soumsky) Hussar Regiment from the Strelets 019 Russian Hussars.

Miniatures after first color layer

Miniatures after lighting

Wargaming (three-feet) view of the finished unit

Ditto

Close view

Ditto

Ditto

The next thing will Pirna battle... or maybe another new painted unit? Watch this space!

Share |

Ferrer-Dalmau: a Spanish painter of battles

Agustina de Aragon by Ferrer-Dalmau

Augusto Ferrer-Dalmau Nieto (Barcelona 20 January, 1964) is a Spanish hyper realist painter specialized in Spanish military history. He currently lives in Valladolid (my home town). I don't know him in person, but I have watched several of his works in internet and today I have seen his pictures in live: a sample of 35 chosen pictures, privately owned, are exhibited in Valladolid.
My favourite Ferrer-Dalmau picture is 'Agustina de Aragón' shown above. Agustina Raimunda María Saragossa Domènech, or Agustina de Aragón (March 4, 1786 – May 29, 1857) was a Spanish heroine of the Spanish War of Independence (the Peninsular War for the english-speaking people). The action that made her famous, took place during the first French siege of Saragosse. "On July 2, 1808, the French army stormed the Portillo, an ancient gateway into the city defended by a hodgepodge battery of old cannons and a heavily outnumbered volunteer unit. Agustina, arriving on the ramparts with a basket of apples to feed the gunners, watched the nearby defenders fall to French bayonets. The Spanish troops broke ranks, having suffered heavy casualties, and abandoned their posts. With the French troops a few yards away, Agustina herself ran forward, loaded a gun, and lit the fuse, shredding a wave of attackers at point blank range. The sight of a lone woman bravely manning the cannons inspired the fleeing Spanish troops and other volunteers to return and assist her."
The picture shows the moments after the firing of the gun. A young Agustina (she was 22 years old) remains challenging at the side of the artillery piece, amongst dead and wounded, waiting for the next French attack and knowing that she can no longer do anything.

General Alava by Ferrer-Dalmau

Another favourite mine is the above picture showing the General Alava along the British 15th Hussars.

The above video is a summary of the exhibition. You can enjoy more of the Ferrer-Dalmau's work in Wikimedia Commons

Share |

Painting time: Russian Hussars

Several Russian Hussar Regiments participated in the Campaign of 1813 in Germany. In the Pirna Scenario, the 1st Russian Hussar Division comprised three of them: the Grodno, Soum and Loubny Regiments, being the two first regiments 'large' Lasalle units, so the number of required miniatures is: 12 x 2 + 8 = 32. Although I own a sufficient number of Russian Hussars for the scenario, I want to enjoy the painting of a new unit, and this time I have chosen the Strelets 019 Russian Hussars set (see this link for another Strelet Russian Light Cavalry units).

Strelets 019 Russian Hussars

The miniatures wear the standard Hussar uniform of all nations: pelisse (trimmed with white/back wool edging for men and black for officers) and dolman, both outfitted with buttons and tresses. The breeches were white o (after 1809) facing-coloured and the waist sash was of the color of the pelisse with bands of the color of the tresses. They wore Hessian boots, facing colored sabretache and shako. In 1812, the khiver shako was adopted with pompom, chinstrap and tresses of the same facing color and white plume (red for trumpeters). Their weaponry consisted in a carbine, suspended from a white belt, a pair of pistols and a curved sabre. In 1812 the first front-rank was equipped with lances.
There were 11 Russian Hussars Regiments in 1812 with different facings. For details you can see the Mark Conrad's translation of the Viskovatov work and the classical The Russian Army of the Napoleonic Wars (2) Cavalry by Philip Haythornthwaite and Bryan Fosten. Men-at-Arms 189. Osprey Publishing 1987.
I'll paint the Soumy (Soumsky) Hussar Regiment, which wore the following assets in 1813: grey pelisse (trimmed whit/black for privates and black for officers) and dolman, red breeches and collar and cuffs on the dolman; white braid, galloon, and buttons; red sabretache with white trim and monograms and grey saddlecloth with red trim and monograms.

Soumy (Soumsky) Hussar Trumpet

Don´t expect to see a final look like the above miniature.... my painting work follows the 'three-feet' rule!

Share |

Painting time. French Chevau-Legers Lanciers (III)

I have finished the painting of the French Chevau-Legérs Lanciers de la Ligne. These are metal 20 mm miniatures from Newline Designs.
See below a new series of pictures after varnishing (with white glue), addition of the lance pennants and decoration of the bases. For the first steps of the painting process you can see this link.

The miniatures based on Lasalle-style bases

Near view of the miniatures

Ditto

The brigade in line formation

A three-feet view of the miniatures

Frontal view of the brigade

I have enjoyed this intensive painting, so maybe I'll paint a new unit this summer!

Share |

Pirna: the map and the Scenario rules

The above map depicts the gaming table for Pirna with the road leading to Bohemia crossing the battlefield. The the C1 road end is an objective. The units that start on the table are
Russians: Wurttemberg's 2nd Corps and Pahlen III's Cavalry Corps
French: Vandamme's 1st Corps and 21th Light Cavalry brigade

Reinforcements
The units not marked as Reinforcements (Russian Yermolov's 5th (Guard) Corps and the French 1st Light Cavalry Division and 1st Brigade (23th Division))  may enter as reinforcements. Use 2D6 for the Arrival Turn (p. 91 of e-Lasalle). The units arrive in march or attack column as desired. Each commander arrives with his first unit.
Russians
Each brigade arrives separately. Baggage units enter simultaneously in march column formation (they take 10 turns to clear the table).
Arrival point. Infantry A3-A4-A5 (30%/30%/40%); Cavalry A1-A2-A3-A4 (15%/20%/25%/40%); Baggage A5-road
French
Each brigade arrives separately.
Arrival point. Infantry D1-D2 (40%/60%); Cavalry B1-C1-D1-D2 (10%/20%/30%/40%)

Optional rule for baggage units (As for my suggestion in Lasalle e-book p. 143)
(1) The wagon moves as if it were a foot artillery unit, always limbered.
(2) The wagon neither fires nor can charge the enemy. It has only one formation: limber. It does not block line of sight or fire. It may not be fired upon.
(3) Friendly units may move through it, as they move through a limbered artillery unit.
(4) Any enemy unit - regular or irregular - may charge the wagon, as long as that unit is eligible to charge (it is in a formation that permits it to charge, it is facing the right way, etc.)
(5) In its reaction phase, the wagon may attempt a Fall Back, as if it were a foot artillery limber. It succeeds on a roll of 4+, but if attacked by enemy cavalry, it must re-roll a success, even if within 1BW of friendly infantry.
(6) If it fails to fall back, then the wagon is automatically captured in the ensuing combat. Combat must be “resolved” against it, as if against any other unit, but the resolution consists simply of removing the wagon, advancing the enemy unit(s) that captured it 2BW, and awarding the captured Objective to the enemy.
(7) Any enemy unit that contacted the wagon suffers 1DISR, unless that would break it. (The men are dispersed, plundering the loot). The unit must then take a discipline test. If it fails, it is marked in some way, showing that it is disordered and still plundering.
(8) A unit that is still plundering is considered “Out of Command” for the entirety of its side’s next turn.

Optional rule: Irregular cavalry (Cossacks)
1) Irregular cavalry units may charge enemy units standing in 'limbered' or 'march column' formation in open terrain.
2) Irregular cavalry units must to pass a 'Discipline' test to initiate the charge in open terrain.
3) If routed in 'decisive combat', the irregular cavalry unit is immediately broken.

Victory conditions
The Russian aim is to retreat into Bohemia with the two baggage units and the largest possible number of combat units, while the French should try to avoid it. The C1 square is an Objective for the game and the rules of p. 67 and 91 (e-Lasalle) are of application.

Next the gaming table itself!

Share |

Painting time. French Chevau-Legers Lanciers (II)

Unexpected rainy weather in summer means more time in home to paint. See below the pictures of the different steps of the painting of my Newline Designs French Chevau-Légers Lanciers de la ligne.
I have used Citadel Black Chaos for priming, Vallejo paints and white glue. For the horses I have followed the system I used in 2007 for Painting horses, whereas for riders I have followed, almost to the letter, this  2007 post about Italian infantry.

Miniatures are glued to wood sticks

Riders after black priming

Black primed horses

Horses after the first layer with dark colours

Another view

Rider and horses after the highlighting

Ditto (I)

Ditto (II)

After gluing on cardboard bases

Ditto

The next step will be individual re-touch of details and decoration of the bases.

Share |