Mad Lemmey's Painting Blog

 Nick very kindly agreed to run a C19th game down, and I purposely did not ask what it was as I wanted to see where we ended up.  Imagine my surprise, neigh delight, when Nick handed us the play sheet for Big Bloody Battles game of the Battle of Coulmiers , one of the few French victories in the Franco-Prussian War, albeit in the Republican phase. He had a well thought out table, and boxes of beautifully painted 10mm Pendraken FPW forces that he hadn't used. Could Dave and I repeat the feat? In seven turns, quite an ask  The scenario is well written, with great research, clearly mapped and has clear aims for the French attack and Bavarian defence.  Yes, French attack. The Republican phase of the Franco-Prussian war actually sees some French attacks as tactics reverted away from defending with superior firepower to desperate or desultory attempts to force the allied German forces to concede ground or territory or even just get armies out of sieges. Gone are the glory...

 Andy and Dave kindly invited me back to the Aylesbury Wargames Club, and after some discussion about which armies/rules to play, we came down on The Franco-Prussian War. I volunteered my 10mm troops, and Black Powder, using my stats here . When I got there, the gents had kindly set up the beautiful terrain for me, and it was nicely neutral to boot. So, the objective became to take the two road junctions. I also left my dice and tape measure at home, so thanks Dave for the lend. You will also see jelly beans acting as 'disordered' markers, so no shooting or moving while disordered. Also, it was Andy and Dave's first game with Black Powder, so I did not take many photos as were also were laughing too much!  The Prussians, played by me, 19th Division advanced quickly, coming up the road and 20th Division was swinging right of the two copses, supported by 5th Cavalry Division. My Corps artillery were on the left hand hill, whereas 20th artillery was on the rise to the right. T...

  After many years (2019), it was time to get my 10mm Franco-Prussian out, partly to celebrate Pendraken's 30th Birthday, and partly because David and Steve both playing ACW Black Powder at Leighton Buzzard, so Franco Prussian is not too large a step away, and these armies and this period is my great (unfinished) project with at least four corps a side painted. Before you ask, it uses my modifications for Black Powder, listed here , and my basing is on Volley and Bayonet basing at 75mm squares, and the scale is regimental, so instead of brigades breaking, we work on divisions going. This was a corps level game. Unfortunately, Steve could not make it, so I took on David. We fought the Battle of Hannoville-Suzemont , a historical 'what if' where the French army had pulled out of Gravelotte/Mars-La-Tours, efficently, leaving Frossard and 2nd Corps acting as a rearguard over the bridges at Hannoville-Suzemont, which is one village West of the great battlefield, while the Pr...