For Sale: Painted 6mm Bacchus Figures

I am not that keen to use my blog to flog things, but there is no real way to post photos of a lot of figures on line especially through TMP.

This is one of those hoped for projects that I know is not going anywhere. When Blucher came out I thought it would be cool to do some Grand Tactical Napoleonic Gaming. It is still cool, but I just know that I am never going to find the time to play the game or even more difficult to find someone with whom to play the game. My local gaming club is unlikely to stray far from any games that are not DBA based or from Warlord Games. I feel quite fortunate to find a couple of gamers in the vicinity who like TFL games, SAGA or who are willing to take on something different.

At the time I was flush with cash from the sale of my 28mm army and had some left overs from the purchase of the 18mm AB Napoleonic army. I jumped in with both feet and commissioned two UK based painters to paint both a French and British  Baccus army. I got the French army based and half the bases terrained except for two bases of artillery. The bases are card sized and are exactly the same sized as the card sets from Blucher. The bases are specialized, I actually have the two card sets (100 days as well as the peninsular set) put out by Sam Mustafa as well as the cards he published through drive thru games which I believe Russians, Austrians, Prussians and Ottomans as well as the Hard Back Rule book. The British are unbased but I have 25 of the same bases for them as well as another 12 bases (small Baccus Bases) of 24 Prussians (at least I think they are) which I bought independently on TMP. There are also some playing aid discs from somewhere or other. 

British (unbased)

640 Infantry

96 Scots

27 Heavy Cavalry

27 Light Cavalry

12 Cannon with artillerymen

8 Artillery Caissons with Horses

9 Generals

Prussians

288 infantry

French

18 Large bases of Infantry (most with 64 figures)

2 Large Bases of Light Cavalry (18 figures each)

2 Large Bases of Heavy Cavalry (36 figures each)

1 Large Base of 4 Cannon with 16 men

8 Cannon with 32 men (unbased)

8 Artillery Caissons with horses (unbased)

4 Command Stands with 9 figures

You can get a better idea of the collection by looking at the figures below and there are more photos of the based French army at http://fuentesdeonoro.blogspot.com/2016/02/and-now-for-something-much-smaller-new.html

Oh the price, well I must of spend at least $1600 on this not counting the time to base. I will sell it for $1000!

Horses for the Artillery Caissons

Prussians I believe

French Army

British Army

Prussian,Austrian, Russian and Ottoman Card Sets as well as 2 bases required to finish French Army.

Flags, and the Peninsular and Cent Jours Card Sets

Finished French Bases

Playing Aids, British Bases and Rulebook

French Infantry Base

British Infantry

Unbased British Infantry, Scots and Artillery

Martlet: Pushed Through!

We had our 5th game in our CoC Martlet campaign today at the Hobby Bunker in Malden, MA. My back was really against the wall now in this campaign, I had already lost 16 men and have had to use my reinforcements in the 2nd turn. Additionally the Germans were intact without loss, and their morale was high. I was getting killed on the Force Morale every game. It was time to really have a plan.

We were playing Table 2 a second time, the terrain is as laid out below and is scenario 3 in the main rulebook.

I diced for my free moves and threw a 6, which was excellent. I ended up pretty well where I wanted with my JOP's and had held the German patrols to no more then 1/2 way up the terrain.

Time to select Supports. Mike was +2 so that gave him 9 supports while I was -1, but cancelled out because this was my second go on this scenario. I ended up with 16 supports. The OB was as follows:

British
Force Morale 8
SL x 2
3 Rifle sections with a total of 30 men
1 Bren team with JL
1 Piat Team
2 2" Mortar Teams
1 HMG Team
Churchill AVRE

Germans
Force Morale 11
SL x 2
3 Panzergrenadier squads with a total of 20 men
2 Panxer IV's

The game played out as follows.

In the first few phases, I decided to get the troops on the table quickly. I had pretty good JOP positions so could cover the ground well. I did not want to expose myself but had to be in position to lay down some fire when the Germans did appear. One squad in the house and one squad in the orchard. I decided also to place a HMG in the house with one of the SL's. With 3 units in the house shock can be easily spread out. I also put a 2" mortar on the edge of the orchard. Mike cautiously put one PG squad in the forest well out of my LOS, and brought on a Panzer IV on the road. Once he committed himself to an advance, I placed my Piat team in good LOS.

I started to lay down smoke and to assist with this I brought on my second Mortar team.  Once enough smoke was laid I advanced one of the mortars to my right flank to cover the asphalt road.

Mike responded by reversing the Panzer IV and changed his line of advance.  He then deployed a 2nd Panzer IV ( I had really hoped that he had not taken a 2nd Panzer as a support and had chosen a the 2" mortar as a 2nd support rather then a 2nd Piat team.......guessed wrong). Under cover of smoke I ran the Piat team down the road and got them in the stone farmhouse. Mike then brought a 2nd squad into the house next to his central JOP. OK this was what I was hoping for so I deployed the Churchill AVRE to my left flank, out of LOS of the Panzers. 

The game was now afoot. I needed more targets and as bait, I deployed my 3rd section into the road and jumped over the hedge, Mike deployed his 3rd squad behind the wall. Now finally there were lots of targets with my men in fairly good position. Mike ended the turn with a CoC dice but I was able to interrupt with my CoC of command dice and move the section which I had used as bait out of LOS of the PG squad in the garden. I advanced the AVRE and got 3 shots off at the forward Panzer, I needed an 8 to hit. I threw a 7 three times! Out of Ammo. Mike was able to fire back at the house with the CoAx MMG and the main gun of the Panzer. Some shock and one kill, all manageable. Back in forth fire but I was able to take out 4 panzergrenadiers in the garden with my HMG and Rifle section. They were pinned. I advanced the Churchill. Next phase I was ready with 16d6 of HE to bring down on the house that the other PG squad was holed up. Mike decided to cut his losses and withdrew. Table 2 was taken, a British victory. 

Some photos of the action.

JOP's

Panzergrenadiers keeping doggo

Remembered to keep on Overwatch

Finally something to fire out

Panzers

The Bait

The Result

Never got to fire the big gun

I was happy to secure a victory, the campaign is going to still me a tough slog, but there is now some hope and we move on to a different scenario.

More Sharp Practice

The Saturday before last we got in another game of Sharpe Practice 2, this time we played at Mike's house in RI. Bit of a delay in getting there as I got lost, never rely on the SatNav completely!

Order of Battle

British

Level III Leader

3 Groups of British Line Regular Infantry

Musician

Physic

Level I Leader

2 Groups of Spanish Line Conscript Fusileros

Level I Leader

1 Group of Brunswick Skirmish Light Infantry

Level II Leader

1 Group of 95th Rifles Skirmish Light Infantry

French

Level III Leader

2 Groups of Dragoon Skirmishers

1 Group of Voltiguer Skirmishers

Physic

Holy Man

Musician

Level II Leader

1 Group of Regular Line Carabiniers

1 Group of Regular Line Vistula Legion (lent to me by Mike)

Level II Leader

1 Group of Regular Line Voltiguers

1 Group of Conscript Line Chasseurs

We again played Scenario One from the book, we diced for Morale, mine was 9 and Mike's was 11. On to the game.........

Mike sizing up the terrain while he shuffles the cards. French starting position is to the left.  The French Deployment Point is just to the left of the hill, the British is just to the right of the Hacienda. 

Mike advances the 95th.

These are a very tough nut, they have a 36" range and have the +1 to hit light infantry bonus

I advance my large formation of skirmishers to my right flank behind a hill.

Mike advances his Brunswick Light Infantry, fortunately they are armed with muskets. 

The Spanish conscripts are close behind, followed by the British line.

Looks like they are heading down the road.

The French Chasseur/Voltiguer Formation heads to the road, while the Carabiniers and the Vistula Legion maneuver around the hill, unfortunately the tree line did not block LOS

First Fire at the 95th, little success

Big powerful group of skirmishers shriking behind the hill

Time to advance

The 95th gets a little skittish and withdraws to the cover of the building

Mike decides the threat is to his left flank

The French advance and fire, those Fusileros are not an easy target

The French skirmishers fire with little effect

The thin red line fires and kaboom, down go the voltiguers!

Even the Status III Leader is knocked over, the physic ministers with success

It was a busy day for him as he rushes back and forth

I bring up the Carabiniers and the Vistula Legion, but by now the British Line has repositioned itself and fires causing the Poles and the French to withdraw, the French Morale plunges the depths et le jeu est terminé. Victory to the British.

It was another great game, no question this is a great ruleset and I suspect that we will be starting a campaign before too long. But for now back to Chain of Command Martlet, hoping to get the next turn in this weekend.

Finally: A Game of Sharp Practice 2

Yesterday, I finally got to play a game of Sharp Practice 2. I had refereed a game last summer but had yet to play. Myself and Mike got together at the Hobby Bunker to play an 1811 Napoleonic game. I believe Mike has played several times and has put on games at various cons over the last 6 months so he was pretty acquainted with the rules. It took me a several turns to get them down but about half way through the game I was pretty comfortable with them and the game moved quickly.

Mike has a very nice British force table ready and is getting a French force painted, I also believe he is painting up both sides for the Indian Mutiny. I had to supply the French, it was a bit of a scramble to get ready as although I had some residual troops left from my major 28 mm Napoleonic sell off, they were not based. It was interesting as some of the figures were some of the first I painted 10 years ago when I was starting out in the hobby. They were pretty rough, hopefully I will get around to touching them up. Mike's troops were spectacular mostly Front Rank painted by Dan Dunbar, of Gunnar's Wargaming in Australia. This will all work out well for future games as I do also have a pretty good British force, so for Napoleonics anyway we will both be able to supply our own figures for a variety of games. I always have felt that I play best with my own troops!

Mike brought all the terrain and the mat which was quite nice. We played scenario 1 from the book which is a straight forward encounter between two forces with victory to the side which forces his opponent off the table by withdrawal or morale failure. We diced for Force Morale and Supports, we were both 10 on Force Morale and I had 10 supports and Mike 9. I believe Mike's core force was 62 points and mine 61.

British Force

3 Groups of  Line Infantry (Status III Leader)

2 Groups of Line Highlanders (Status II Leader)

1 Group of Skirmish Light Infantry (Status II Leader)

I think Mike spent his supports on extra leaders

French Force

3 Groups of Line Voltiguers/Grenadiers (Status III Leader)

2 Groups of Skirmish Voltiguers (Status II Leader)

1 Group of Skirmish Voltiguers (proxy dismounted dragoons) (Status II Leader)

My supports included a Musician, and extra fixed deployment point and a group of Kirmess Voltiguers.

On to the game:

Our set up this is looking from the French left flank

Initial dispositions, I place my line troops in a single 3 group formation and 2 groups of skirmishers to  my right flank. Mike place 3 groups of his line troops in formation behind the wall.

I decide to send my skirmishers to the right in an attempt to flank Mikes troops. They run so take a shock for each group. 

Mike brings on his Highlanders to protect his left flank.

A firefight opens up in the middle between our line troops, I am lucky with my dice, Mike less lucky with his. I think Mike had little better card play than I, his command cards appeared regularly and his leader cards popped up with more regularity than mine. We also found that the tiffin card came up severally in the first 3 draws, so we had quite a few turns. I cleverly place my third formation of skirmishers on a hill so they can fire over my line troop's head but alas I was not so clever as they were out of range.

I slowly advance my troops with the hope that by the time we engage in fisticuffs, I have whittled down the British  line and inflicted lots of shock. Mike brings on his skirmishers on his right flank.  

I advance my skirmishers and I now have 3 formations firing on Mike's line troops.................

.............it works as the British line starts to crumble, one group withdraws, the other 2 are teetering  and although the British Highlanders and Light Infantry are largely intact, the French have punched a hole through the British centre and the British withdraw. A French victory.

Well I have to say I quite enjoyed the game, it certainly appears to have little less complexity of command choice than Chain of Command, but just as much friction. They say the game is a meld of Chain of Command and Dux Brit, taking the best from each game; I can only agree. I will look forward to more games.