BBC News:
Read about it HERE!
Bye for now.
Showing posts with label Battle of Hastings Demo Game; Salute 2016. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Battle of Hastings Demo Game; Salute 2016. Show all posts
Thursday, 25 February 2016
Monday, 15 February 2016
Hastings Demo; Bad News!
It is with a great deal of regret that I've got to announce that the Hastings demo that I had planned for Salute this year is not going to go ahead. The reasons are many but the two foremost are that i/ I've been struggling with a lot of stress for a while now and it basically isn't wise to proceed in terms of health. ii/ I wouldn't be able to get the painting done in time to the standard that I would want to present. It doesn't seem worthwhile to just slap on the paint and spoil a good looking game with shoddy workmanship.
I have to pass on my apologies to the organisers of Salute, to Dave Lancaster and the members of the Lance and Longbow Society et al. It is just not possible to do it this year.
Bye for now.
I have to pass on my apologies to the organisers of Salute, to Dave Lancaster and the members of the Lance and Longbow Society et al. It is just not possible to do it this year.
Bye for now.
Saturday, 23 January 2016
Hastings Ruminations I
It's been in my mind a little; the so called Feigned Flight of (initially) the Bretons.... was this the case?
With the distance of the years it's an almost impossible question to answer. There is however another intriguing possibility.
To set the scene. The Bretons have panicked and with this a general retreat of William's army is starting to take hold. Harold, thinking the time is right to strike the killing blow orders a part of his army to persue. This is a very plausible scenario and one that may well have taken place. It would certainly account for the persuit of one of Harold's flanks into the boggy ground where they were to be cut down, probably to a man.
This does of course raise another question; who led the advance? From what I've gleaned thus far about the battle Gyrth and Leofwine, the two brothers Harold had present at the engagement seem to have died at a different point in time to Harold. Does this imply therefore that they were not with Harold's Bodyguard of Huscarls but spread throughout the battle line in order to stiffen the resolve of the Anglo Danes? If so (and with the actual evidence or lack of that we have I know that it's a big if!) then one or both of the brothers may have said the counter charge.
It certainly sets my imagination away. I can see a command vignette of Gyrth or perhaps Leofwine leading the doomed persuit in my minds eye.
With the distance of the years it's an almost impossible question to answer. There is however another intriguing possibility.
To set the scene. The Bretons have panicked and with this a general retreat of William's army is starting to take hold. Harold, thinking the time is right to strike the killing blow orders a part of his army to persue. This is a very plausible scenario and one that may well have taken place. It would certainly account for the persuit of one of Harold's flanks into the boggy ground where they were to be cut down, probably to a man.
This does of course raise another question; who led the advance? From what I've gleaned thus far about the battle Gyrth and Leofwine, the two brothers Harold had present at the engagement seem to have died at a different point in time to Harold. Does this imply therefore that they were not with Harold's Bodyguard of Huscarls but spread throughout the battle line in order to stiffen the resolve of the Anglo Danes? If so (and with the actual evidence or lack of that we have I know that it's a big if!) then one or both of the brothers may have said the counter charge.
It certainly sets my imagination away. I can see a command vignette of Gyrth or perhaps Leofwine leading the doomed persuit in my minds eye.
Tuesday, 5 January 2016
Battle of Hastings Demo; Huscarl Base I (Unit I)
Since I got the Christmas Painting done it's set me into a bit of a frenzy getting the miniatures painted up for the Hastings Demo at Salute this year. Not long to go now!!
I've got the first base Huscarls finished; these will be the front rank of the four bases of Ceorls I have already done. It's going to be a race to the finish getting the armies painted but I have time on my side (only just!) and about 40 or so Norman Milites already painted.
The miniatures I have used in all my Huscarl bases are a mix of Gripping Beast (OOP), Gripping Beast (Soapy Sculpts), Gripping Beast (Patten Sculpts), Saxon Miniatures and Footsore Miniatures. There may well be some Crusader Early Medieval (oh, go on, I'll say it for you, "Dark Ages" )stuff added to this lot too. I've been collecting early Medieval miniatures for well over fifteen years so I have quite a pool to choose from!
Without further ado, here's the first Huscarl Base for the First Unit (man, it sounds like I've got a long way to go when I say that out loud!):
I've got the first base Huscarls finished; these will be the front rank of the four bases of Ceorls I have already done. It's going to be a race to the finish getting the armies painted but I have time on my side (only just!) and about 40 or so Norman Milites already painted.
The miniatures I have used in all my Huscarl bases are a mix of Gripping Beast (OOP), Gripping Beast (Soapy Sculpts), Gripping Beast (Patten Sculpts), Saxon Miniatures and Footsore Miniatures. There may well be some Crusader Early Medieval (oh, go on, I'll say it for you, "Dark Ages" )stuff added to this lot too. I've been collecting early Medieval miniatures for well over fifteen years so I have quite a pool to choose from!
Without further ado, here's the first Huscarl Base for the First Unit (man, it sounds like I've got a long way to go when I say that out loud!):
I'll hopefully have another base ready tomorrow at some point (fingers firmly crossed!!)
Bye for now.
Friday, 20 March 2015
Battle of Hastings Pics IV
More. This time some skirmishers. I'm not sure that I'll use them as I'm not convinced that the Normans nor Saxons were that well versed in the tactical use of skirmishers. Still, that said, i may as well post up the pics! The first unit was painted up many years before the second. They are really nice Wargames Foundry miniatures sculpted many many years ago. I still think that they stand the test of time but could certainly do with more variation! The first unit is as from the blister whilst the second has had the slings snipped off and the hands have been drilled to fit Javelins.
Bye for now.
Wednesday, 18 March 2015
Battle of Hastings Pics III
Yet more pics of my Norman WAB army that will be getting re-based for for the demo game of the Battle of Hastings next year. This time it's the turn of the Crossbowmen. These will be interspersed on on more loose bases than the normal infantry, more in the spirit of how I would base English Archers for the HYW.
I wonder if anyone has any suggestions as to the sizes of the bases? I was thinking of basing the melee infantry on bases either 50x50mm or 60x60mm and building up the units from there. should I use different sizes of bases for the looser Archers (bad pun) or just limit the number on a base? Lots to contemplate:
I wonder if anyone has any suggestions as to the sizes of the bases? I was thinking of basing the melee infantry on bases either 50x50mm or 60x60mm and building up the units from there. should I use different sizes of bases for the looser Archers (bad pun) or just limit the number on a base? Lots to contemplate:
Tuesday, 17 March 2015
Battle of Hastings Pics II
A couple more pics, this time Harold Godwinson feeling blue- the mini was a free giveaway on the 1066 and All That WAB Campaign back in the glory days of the WAB Campaigns held at GWHQ in Notts. mini was sculpted by Soapy and produced by Gripping Beast.
Bye for now
Announcing: Salute 2016 The Battle of Hastings!
Next year, as a demo game I am planning on putting on Hastings as a demo game. I know that there have been some rumblings that Salute may not be on next year, or at least not at the same venue but failing Salute, there's always Partizan and The Other Partizan!
I've got quite a large collection of Normans, mostly cavalry and Crossbowmen, a legacy of the WAB rules from back in the day. I just couldn't afford the infantry, which wasn't that steady in WAB terms.
I'm planning on using Simon, Big Red Bat's To the Strongest rules so it should be a very different experience to the normal run of the mill wargame.
After re-basing what I've already got painted up I reckon that I've got to double the total of cavalry and the infantry and Anglo Danes will be painted up from scratch. Luckily for me I own a lot of Norman and Anglo Dane miniatures to it will really be a case of filling up on a few extras and buying some of those lovely Footsore Late Saxons that Bill has been working on. As soon as Footsore have unit deals available that is.
I thought that it would be fun to run through the various units as they stand now and then there will be a record of them prior to the units being re-based:
We'll start with the cavalry or Mounted Milites as would have been known circa 1066:
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I've got quite a large collection of Normans, mostly cavalry and Crossbowmen, a legacy of the WAB rules from back in the day. I just couldn't afford the infantry, which wasn't that steady in WAB terms.
I'm planning on using Simon, Big Red Bat's To the Strongest rules so it should be a very different experience to the normal run of the mill wargame.
After re-basing what I've already got painted up I reckon that I've got to double the total of cavalry and the infantry and Anglo Danes will be painted up from scratch. Luckily for me I own a lot of Norman and Anglo Dane miniatures to it will really be a case of filling up on a few extras and buying some of those lovely Footsore Late Saxons that Bill has been working on. As soon as Footsore have unit deals available that is.
I thought that it would be fun to run through the various units as they stand now and then there will be a record of them prior to the units being re-based:
We'll start with the cavalry or Mounted Milites as would have been known circa 1066:
Next up the Skirmishers and Crossbowmen
Bye for now
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