Questionable Carlist cavalry conversion - complete

Here are the completed Carlist cavalry.  A small unit of half a dozen (I'll stick with 12 for infantry and 6 for cavalry units in this era), resplendent in green tunics, red breeches and enormous red berets. 

As usual I found a flag on the internet.  Forgive the hurried photos.

The complete unit - I rather like them.

Questionable Carlist cavalry conversions - commenced

 

I painted a unit of these chaps over 10 years ago as part of my fictional Balkan-style army of Forbodia.

Here they are in action against Martin's comic-opera Prussians back in 2012.

The figures are in fact these - amazing the difference paintwork makes!

Fast forward to a few weeks ago and a conversation with my wargaming friend Diego.  He had asked me about sourcing 54mm figures for the Carlist Wars in Spain.  I explained that there probably aren't any but many exist which can be bodged into figures with a suitable  - or at least tolerable - appearance.  I undertook to produce a couple of units so Diego won't have to carry the entire project.  And I'm easily led.

A bit of research revealed that the government troops had a very 'Napoleonic' appearance.  As I have er, 'some' Napoleonic figures and a few (really this time) I painted as Neapolitan government troops (see here), so I figure that the priority should be on the Carlist forces. As always with 54mm, I find that results are yielded by a combination of looking at pictures of troops and thinking what figures could be suitable bodged and looking at figure ranges wondering what they could be bodged into.  

A painting of Carlist cavalry in the Osprey book sent me off in search of the figures above.

Initial work consisted of trimming off the carbine and cartridge box and cutting off the crown of the hat.

A dab of Milliput was used to add the distinctive shape of the Basque-style beret.

Berets came in different colours but red was popular.  I repainted the trousers red, touched in bits of damaged paintwork on the horse and prepared to repaint and tone down the tunic.

Task Force Smith again - part 3

I've somehow managed to get the photos in a jumble but here are a few more from this game.  The result was a win - albeit a costly one - for the NKPA.  A very jolly game which we cracked through in only about 2 hours.

Air support featured  - all of it WW2 surplus.  Here an ancient P-51 attempts to shoot up the NK column.

Here's an even older YAK-9 keeping the TF's heads down.

Some of the tanks managed to force their way through the pass, while some tried to outflank....

...giving the US gunners a worrying time!

The youngest element of the air support - this Sturmovik dates from only 2017!

The US figures were a mix of CTS, Deetail and TSSD

Another Mustang - but too late to stem the NK flow.

Task Force Smith again - part 2

 

The mighty NKPA armoured column advances!

An intimidating sight from the TF's point of view.

A lucky artillery round soon found it's mark!

An overview of the whole sorry mess.  Note the NKPA infantry battalion at the end of the column.

Much unpleasantness as the first tanks cross the bridge

The photos are a bit out of synch - this shows the tank column.

Predictably, Russell's new JS-2 was the first tank model to die.

TF Smith's few bazookas and the RCL platoon were kept very busy.  Would the NKs prevail?

Task Force Smith again - part 1

OK - confession first.  There has a been a slight* delay in posting this report - the game took place in early May!  

Russell and Pete joined me for this trip to 1950 Korea - the photos were contributed by all three of us.  Above - one of the North Korean Peoples Army (NKPA) battalions - mostly made up of CTS NK figures.

Meanwhile at Regiment HQ, the Political Officer (a pre-painted metal figure) carefully takes notes...

Another NKPA infantry battalion - mostly an assortment of WW2 Sov figures.

The 76mm gun battery was a Rgt level asset.

Most of the NKPA Tank Regiment - each pair of tanks represents a company.  Russell also contributed a company made up of a T-34 and a Js-2!

Major Smith makes an urgent 'phone call.

The 8x6 foot field of battle.  Mostly hilly ground bisected by a road and a small river.

A slow siege saga - part 2

 

The Duke's cavalry soon had the Markgraf's advance forces under pressure.  At least the heavy regiment did - the light cav rgt twice refused orders to charge!  The infantry - shot up by artillery just before the charge - didn't enjoy the experience and were soon in flight.

On the town walls, gunners prepared to unleash a withering hail of fire.  This was by far the heaviest piece.  Big, isn't it?

Sadly the gunners weren't awfully keen.  A roll of 1 meant it wouldn't fire this turn.  The Markgraf's dice rolling didn't help - I think this gun only managed to fire three times during the day!

Some of the Duke's many infantry regiments advancing.

Incoming!  Col. Levassor directs the fire of one of his many artillery batteries.

Artillery fire involved real (well OK - polystyrene) cannon balls fired from trusty old Britains 25 pounders.

Col Bogward's infantry trying desperately to get back through the gates to safety.

Having seen off the infantry, the remaining cavalry troopers turned on and overran the gun battery

In town, the militia was assembled under the Markgraf's watchful eye.

Directed by expert engineers, the Duke's forces were soon digging.  A lot of digging.  And not all of it visible.  We then 'fast forwarded' through a few days of bombardment and digging.

In time, a zig-zag of saps reached out to the town walls...

...and eventually reached them.  As the Duke's infantry rushed along the trenches, a might explosion rocked the wall.  OK, it was a party popper and we all shouted 'BANG!' A section of the wall then collapsed.  As well as digging the sap, the engineers had been digging a mine!

A distant view of the trenches and explosion.

As the Duke's infantry surged through the breach and cleared the walls, the remaining militia and citizens fled into the keep.  

At this point we had a chat about what would happen next.  It was agreed that the Duke's forces probably lacked the time to reduce the keep and would instead content themselves with slighting the town's walls and carrying off or spiking the guns.

A most entertaining day of gaming.  Thanks to all the players and in particular to Pete and Russell for the use of their photos.

If you want more info about any of the toys please let me know in the comments.

A slow siege saga - part 1

On Friday and elite band (John A, Russell, Pete & Lloyd) again joined me to push some 54mm toys around.  The small force above was commanded by Col. Bogward who was looking a bit nervous...

...and no wonder, for a considerably larger force was gathering under the leadership of no less a personage then the Duc de Tartiflette.

Col. Bogward's force had been sent forward by the sinister Markgraf Besenberg from his castle in the walled town of Taptonhalle.

The good citizens looked on anxiously.

Many prayers were said near the historic statue of Saint Lloyd the Dubious

Will Col. Bogward's brave lads see off the attackers?

Has the Duc de Tartiflette remembered his siege train?

Will the good citizens of Taptonhalle notice the the statue of St. Lloyd the Dubious is only plastic?

    More excitement coming soon!