Meanwhile back at the ranch.....

OK, so its not the ranch. The centenary of the start of the First World War (or as my granddad called it "The Great War") got me thinking about my long languishing trench project. I dug it out and resolved to add the sandbags to the trench parapets. After that all that was left was flocking and it was ready to go.........that and I have to paint the minis!

I made the sandbags by rolling sculpting clay out into 1/8" diameter sticks, then squishing them a bit with my thumb and slicing them into sections about half again as long as they are wide. I then pinched the ends to create the "bag" shape and stacked them while they were still soft. After they had dried I painted them with a 50/50 mixture of wood glue and water to ensure they stayed stuck in place. I was going paint them but I think I like the color just as they are.

Leipzig, Action in the East, Updated

Again, more photos for which I have little explanation, but they are very pretty. I rely on the respective commanders to provide their (unbiased, ahem!) versions of events. Some of these are duplicates of the action in the center because the photos overlap.

I have now added the Housemartin's (clearly unbiased and nonopinionated) notes to the photos.

Young and Middle Guard on the hill at the center of the Battlefield

with their artillery positioned in front of the battalions.

Leipzig, Action in the center

        My hectic schedule has prevented me from sitting down with the Commanders and the photos to go over what happened and then annotate the pictures. Thus I will present the photos and ask the Commanders to provide their version of events in the Comments section. I will them add the comments to the photos as fits.

Leipzig After Action report Part I

     For starters I would like to thank Tom and his lovely wife Laura for allowing us to use a (small) portion of beautiful home to stage the game. This is especially important as Tom and family has just moved to Michigan from Texas in the week before. They were gracious and generous hosts. Thank you again!

     I have long heard of the famous quote by a British soldier regarding the battle of Waterloo, "As for myself all I know it that I spent the day lying in the mud while every scoiuyndrel with a horse rode over us". I do believe that I now have an inkling of what he was talking about. My fight for Connewitz and its environs left me with only a vague understanding of events elsewhere on the battlefield. I will post further pictures later so the other generals can provide their insights.

    As events played out for the big Leipzig refight we came up short-handed on generals so we trimmed the game down to just the southern front. Even then we found ourselves commanding more than one Corps each in several cases. Perhaps the weekend of the 4th of July wasn't the best choice after all.

    I commanded Merveldt's troops facing Connewitz, R.U.P. commanded Poniatowski's troops facing me. The Austrians were south and east of the river trying to cross on two bridges in to the teeth of the deployed French and Polish troops who were wisely deployed just out of close cannon range from the bridges, effectively forcing me to pass through the defiles into a "field of death".

the Austrians, nice and orderly, prepare to cross the bridges

Leipzig update

Players, and interested observers:
It seems that I have missed some of your email addresses, if you have not gotten an email from me with Tom's new address please send an email to me at daftrica89@yahoo.com with the title "Leipzig location" and I will send you Tom's address in a reply. We are aiming for 0900hrs Saturday 5JUL14 as a start time so you all will have to control your intake at my party on Friday!

Markings and identification

Hello all,

A quick note from Tom, seconded by myself.  Everyone bringing figures to the big dance, please include some sort of marking, say on the bottom of the stand, to facilitate repatriation after the fact.  In these sort of games, the figures just melt off and tend to get lumped into pools-o-dead in any handy woods or BUA.  Trying to make sure everyone gets back what they put in gets to be a nightmare without some sort of markings.

If you thought you were done with a couple of weeks to go, think again. 

"You don't have to be Polish" to be in the Polish Reserve Army

Polish Reserve Army  General of Cavalry Bennigsen

The Swedes wear Tweeds, and everyone needs better steeds

Swedish Army  Field Marchal  Stedingk

Russians in the North

Russian Corps  LtGeneral Baron Winzingerode

Prince Charles John of Sweden ... aka the return of Bernadotte

Here we begin the Army of the North  Bernadotte, crown prince of Sweden

The Last of the Russians in Silesia

8th Corps LtGeneral St. Priest
                    All Battalions are 8 figures except as noted, all cavalry regiments are 8 figures. 

More Russians in Silesia

 Langeron's Corps, he leads the attack on the 16th, therefore he is there.