Muenchengratz, 1866

Martin has already posted a report of this game over on his blog - see it here.  So I'll not say much except where I feel the Austrian point of view needs representing more accurately!

In the game I was General Clam Gallas - derided by the Prussians who claimed 'he eats better than he fights."  Which just makes me like him all the more!  Anyway, in between ordering and eating a seventeen course lunch I conducted a masterly defence of the area.

Here is my Austrian corps deployed for defence...

...and here my tardy Saxon allies march lethargically into position.

As hordes of unsmiling black-clad Prussians flowed over the bridge my chaps set to with shovels and dug in.

As my chaps came under pressure I managed some inspired dice rolling!

Meanwhile the Saxons  - having had a brief glimpse of the enemy - buggered off.

In between courses Clam Gallas had displayed enough leadership to hold off the Prussians and then extricate his men.  Clearly a major Austrian victory then.  No really.

A Knight to remember?

You'll no doubt recall my recent Agincourt game?  As if to prove that the players not only forgave me for such a travesty but actually liked it, John A turned up a couple of weeks ago with some figures he'd turned up in a charity shop.
Timpo, Crescent and Herald are represented in their ranks.
The survivors are seen above during their programme of refurbishment.  The three mounted chaps will be joining the French army for the next outing of Agincourt while the foot figures include what looks like Henry V in person (centre front).

I hear that terrain a comin'

Last Wednesday it was back to the Old West.  The Hollywood low-budget version.
The five players represented the Sheriff (OK, the new Sheriff...), the Preacher and three gangs of notorious gunslingers - The Big Hat Gang, The Blue Hat Gang and The Leather Chaps.
All toys and buildings from my own collection.  Players were invited to bring their own silly hats.

The town had grown a bit since last time.  As usual a simple set of 'rules' governing movement was overlaid with matrix arguments.

As the Blue Hat Gang swaggered into town their leader got into a brawl with a Deputy and knocked him down.  He repaired to the saloon to drown his sorrows.

The assembled players.  From left - Richard (Leather Chaps), John G (Blue Hat Gang), Martin (Sheriff), Jerry (Big Hat Gang), John A (Preacher).

The Sheriff (in black waistcoat with rifle) was keeping an eye on things but here comes the Big Hat Gang!

The dodgy duo of Leather Chaps in the foreground centre appeared to be digging a hole but a Deputy was taking an interest...

 ...to distract him Richard argued that the Deputy was going off to investigate the hotel bar.  Apparently there had been some raucous behaviour and the bar had been selling - wait for it - 'more ale'...

 Sadly Richard's dice rolling wasn't up to his verbal skills...

Next the Chaps were assailed by the Preacher and his wife and treated to an hour-long sermon on vice and criminality.  What a treat!

 The Sheriff meanwhile was engaged by the Big Hat Gang in a conversation about the weather.  Whereupon it started raining.

 While the Leather Chaps dug on the Blue Hat Gang strolled past the Hotel.

While the Preacher bored a new audience the Big Hat Gang removed from his wall the wanted poster for their leader.  But what was the Blue Hat Gang up to?

Blowing up the wall of the bank, apparently.  Fittingly their leader was mortally wounded in the ensuing blast!

And the title?  Having dug up the sack of swag which had been their objecting, the Leather Chaps treated us to another innovative use of a matrix card to make good their escape, claiming they had to get to the railroad station to catch a 'Terrain'....

Once you finish groaning enjoy this week's music link:

Sheffield Wargames Society bring & buy

On Wednesday 1st March SWS held it's first bring & buy evening.
The rules were simple - £1 gets you a 6-foot table and vendors were encouraged to donate 10% of their takings to the club.

John tempts Steve with some boxes of old tat*

In the event we had nine tables (and four games) and I think we all sold something!  I don't yet have confirmation of the club's income from the event but I'd guess at over £60.
I'd like to think we'll develop this idea and perhaps invite other clubs to participate.*

Some more old tat

I sold about £30 worth of mostly books.

But "enough of this!" I hear you cry "how much crap did you buy?"

I managed to part with no less than £17.  £5 bought me this set of mdf river sections.  About 2 inches wide, there is enough for around 8 feet of river.

These aircraft kits were a no-brainer at £2 each.  Or at least that's what I told myself at the time...


* vendor's own description.
** my personal thoughts - not necessarily those of the SWS Committee or membership!