Off to Donnington park

Early tomorrow morning my dad and I are heading south to attend the Derby wargames show held at donnington park, a venue I used to take my tent with me to camp  for the weekend with 60000+ metal heads for the monsters of rock or Download festival as its called now. It's a show I look forward to, second only to the York show earlier in the year. I'm particularly looking foward to tomorrow as it will be only my second convention I have been able to attend this year for a number of reasons. I have sold off some of my surplus WW2 German tanks and figures so I have enough money to have a decent spend, what I am going to buy I have absolutely no idea but having a look at the trade on show I'm sure I will find something that wets my appetite. 

Action from a recent Blucher game between our French and British 10mm armies

French light cavalry from my 10mm collection

I am also going to make a conscious effort to view as many of the games as possible as a few of the   demonstration games are of a historical period that interests me, in particular the napolionic games on display I'm keen to see. My dad and I are going to note our favourite games in order to see how it compares to each other. 

My dads British holding back the French attack columns

So I've got my bait ready in the fridge and my rucksack sorted, all now is to get a early(ish) night ready for the early morning alarm going off, although I probably won't get that much sleep as I'm excited for the day out (sad I know but hey I'm a big kid really 😄) . Hopefully the show lives up to my expectations which I'm sure  it will!

Down town gunfight

I had a couple of spare hours on my day off work this week so I popped up to my dads for another attempt at trying dead mans hand. We picked our gangs at 21 reputation points per side and used a scenario from the book, I took control of the Lawmen and my dad decided to use the desperado gang

The bad guys enter the town and catch the good guys by surprise while the Desperado big boss enjoys a cigar at the tobacco shop. (Expecting his men to do his dirty work and kill that pesky interfering sheriff) 

 The Desperado big boss is attacked by a couple of deputies who shoot up the tobacco shop with their pistols, not hitting to much else mind but at least they let him know they were there!

The law men's Marshal calmly walks across the town gunning down the Desperado foot soldiers

The effects of a gun fight sees two lawmen and two desperado skilled, but at least the cattle survived the cross fire

The Yellow bellied Desperado boss loses his nerve and rides away from the town with the remains of his gang, obviously his henchmen had really let him down been unable to kill the towns sheriff  so he thought it best to return at a later date with a gang who maybe up for the job. (A more likely reason is that the local Marshall had proved to be as tough as old boots and the Desperafo boss just got the hell out of town before he ended up in a gun fight he would not win)

Safe to now come out of hiding the local town folk congratulate the Sheriff on driving the evil desperadoes gang from town......well at least for the time bring

I have quite taken to these rules and definetly they have a fun eliminate to them which to me was important when undertaking this small side project.  I will now have to watch the magnificent seven remake and the upcoming West world to series to swat up on some  cowboy  lingo 😄

Ireland late 16th Century

Our latest game last weekend saw me fight with the Irish army of around 1570+ in a pitched battle against the invading English army using Pike and Shotte rules. Although I am familiar with the rules I have zero knowledge of the conflict so my dad was King enough to give me a few pointers on how to fight tactically with the Irish army. I tried to use the cover presented on the battlefield as much to my advantage as possible, to give me a solid defensive line and allow my dad fighting with the English to advance onto my position, this in its self was was tricky for me as normally I can be quite aggressive in attacking when wargaming, so I was itching to just jump over the hedges with my Gallowglass troops and charge head long, double handed axes and all into the deep ranks of English pikemen (which would not be a good idea mind you). However I stuck to the plan and I just about managed to hang on to a draw as a couple of my brigades became broken, my dad definetly was getting into a position to win the game and would have but for a late charge from the Gallowglass troops in the centre who broke a English brigade and reclaimed there lost position around the hedgerows. The game was definetly interesting and different from the normal games we play and definetly fighting with the Irish was a challenge. I'm not going into a blow by blow account of the game but I'm sure the photos will tell their own story......

The English battle lines in the valley

Irish Light brigade (Kern) in reserve on the hill, they would be called upon late in the game

Gallowglass brigade in a strong defensive line

The English army advances onto the Irish line

The Irish light cavalry Harass the English's slow advance over the fields 

English halbadiers attack the Irish defenders in the centre of the battlefield

The Irish are pushed back from the hedgerow as the English advance gathers momentum 

The commander of the Gallowglass troops orders a follow me to hold the crumbling centre

The Irish kern brigade comes down from the hill to try and protect the left flank

The Irish cavalry await any break through by the English from the top of the hill, ready for action if called upon

The Gallowglass troops get the better of the attacking English brigade which eventually becomes a broken brigade and retreats.

Led by the General him self the English knights run a mock as the Irish left flank collapse with some rather shocking morale tests

The English Halberdiers push deep into the enemy lines breaking the Irish brigade opposing them

However,despite been broken the Irish manage to pass their morale over the last two turns of the game to remain locked in combat stopping the English of a certain victory.

Just about managing to hold on the Irish force claims a very nervy draw as the game comes to a close