Tratvian Cossacks

After a gap of many months I have finally painted some 1/32 toys.  These Armies in Plastic Cossacks form the first unit of the Army of Greater Tratvia (Army Dark Green in Funny Little Wars-speak).  Tratvia, for the benefit of those of you struggling to locate it on maps, is a huge country which straddles Europe and Asia.  Among the countries it borders in the west are Forbodia and Vulgaria.  While economically somewhat backward in our period (1910-ish), the country is rich in natural resources and has vast reserves of (as yet mostly unpainted) manpower.

The figures are straight out of the box - the only slight conversions being the bugler and standard bearer.  By mixing and matching from several boxes I managed to kit out the whole regiment with the same horse pose - in my view this enhances the 'toy soldier' look of these chaps.  As indeed do the two coats of gloss varnish...

The chap on the grey is the CO, to his left are the bugler, standard bearer and the beardless youth who is the unit's junior officer.

Bussaco 1810 (Ney's assault)

Played at the Sheffield Club on 5 September, this Command & Colours scenario was based on Ney's assault on the British right.  My Hexon tiles played host to 15mm toys - mostly mine but with Portuguese and Grenadier Guards from John's collection.  The former were only bought at Triples this year and were by far the most expensive figures on the table (the others were very cheap!), so what could go wrong? 

John led the Anglo-Portuguese forces while Martin fully expected to preside over a French defeat.

The action opened with Marchand's troops rushing to occupy the village of Cerquedo on the French left.

An overview of the setup - seen from the French left/Allied right.

Cerquedo was soon under attack from the Allies (including the Guards) and some interesting cards and dice meant that the streets were soon piled high with dead.

After suffering 60% casualties the Guards prevailed.  But for how long?

Oh, not that long then.  The French gunners were in line for a bonus.

In the centre, British and Portuguese lights engaged the French with long range musketry.

The centre soon came under pressure from a French advance.

By special request I photographed the Portuguese light battalion - who were doing awfully well.

Soon a French light battalion was using the Portuguese for bayonet practice.

This opened things up considerably.

The British (heavy) cavalry made a dramatic charge on the French artillery.

Despite casualties, there were plenty of French battalions left - here they are moving forward in the centre.

The dramatic French assault soon carried off another British unit - seizing a narrow and hard won victory.

 

60 Division d'Infanterie

60DI is my original French infantry division and featured in some of the early Megablitz playtest games.  The figures were mostly sourced from the then-new FAA range and I still rate them very highly.
As well as nine infantry battalions, the division includes an artillery regiment (above) with a Hinchliffe 75mm gun and Raventhorpe limber.

Above and below - The divisional HQ - complete with a rather antiquated staff car.

The recce squadrons - Raventhorpe horseman and bicycle.  The reluctant cyclist is another FAA figure.

The complete division.  The Renault UE (right) functions as the transport element.

Tigranocerta 69BC - part 3 - the rematch

 As the first playing of this scenario was such an Armenian walkover (or rideover?), I set the game up and played it through again.  This time the Romans opened their over on the right flank, moving the intimidating mass of legions toward the rag-tag bunch of enemy infantry.
What Tigranes really needed at this point was a card which would facilitate the movement of his heavy cavalry.  Like this one:

Before Lucullus knew what day it was a wall of cataphracts piled into some Roman cavalry.  It didn't look good.

Good it wasn't.  The Roman cavalry was able to take three hits.  And sustained four...

An essential accompaniment to a game.  Tea and a scone.

Time to get the legions moving again.

And off they go - pushing back some enemy skirmishers.

Tigranes responded with some skirmishing on the flanks.

 At this point there is a gap in my narrative - in all the excitement I forgot to take photos.  The legions continued to grind forward while the cataphracts had a breather after dispatching a further Roman cavalry unit.  By now the 'victory banners' score was 5-4 to Lucullus

By now the 'victory banners' score was 5-4 to Lucullus.  The winning sixth banner was provided by a cataphract unit which attacked some Roman infantry, bounced off and disintegrated.  Tigranes was not a happy chap.

 

 This was a much more closely fought game and by it's end units without losses were something of a rarity.

Even Tigranes The Not So Great (as he is now known) came face to face with the enemy.

So one game each to Lucullus and Tigranes so far.  I'll try it with 'real' players in a few weeks and see what happens then.