Enfilade 2022

Just got home after attending our annual "big" convention, Enfilade. This was the first year we've gone back to the usual Memorial Day weekend time-frame since 2019 (pre-Covid). Our friends and allies from Canada showed up in force since border crossing requirements have eased up. Attendance was up from last September's ad hoc convention - there were about 300 attendees and around 120 games. A bit less than our record high in 2019 - around 400 attendees and 140 or so games. I was able to host four games: two Black Powder La Haye Sainte games and two Pike & Shotte Marston Moor games. There were 6 players for each Black Powder game and 8 players for each Marston Moor game. I managed to retain most of my voice through Sunday morning's game. Pints of Guinness Stout during and after games (except this morning) helped to fortify my resolve. Here are some pictures from the games I ran and also some of the great games others hosted. 

From the first La Haye Sainte Game. The KGL quickly moved into the farmhouse and stables and took pot shots at the approaching French. This allowed to French to return fire - the mechanics allowed them to shoot back once the KGL fired out of buildings.

French infantry and engineers approach the main gate of the complex. Hanoverians and 95th Rifles providing support to the beleaguered KGL inside. In both La Haye Sainte games, the players running the 95th and Hanoverians were both aggressive and had good die rolls. Unlike history, the 95th quickly moved out of the safety of the sandpit and advanced to engage the French. Providing devastating fire with their longer ranged rifles and Sharpshooter rerolls.

French infantry broken into smaller detachments shooting and fight around the barn. The scenario had units represented by two stands once they reach the outside of the farm complex.

The farmhouse and stables on fire. The GM (me) rolled a D6 at the start of each to see if the farmhouse, barn and stable would catch fire from off board artillery. On a 6 it would catch fire and then another D6 roll would determine it's "ferocity". The KGL inside could attempt to put out the fire with a higher roll than the "ferocity". It not put out in 3 turns, the structure would burn and not be able to be occupied by KGL. The KGL successfully put out the fire in some of the structures in both games. In both games, the French were not able to destroy the required number of KGL occupants in both games. They needed to destroy half of them.

One of the two Marston Moor Pike & Shotte games - view from the Royalist side with Rupert's Bluecoat regiment of foote to the left of Newcastle's regiment of foote. The Marston Moor games were held on Saturday night and Sunday morning. I was able to leave the table set up in the gaming hall overnight. It would've been painful to reset the game with the amount of figures used.

Royalist cavalry led by Prince Rupert on their right wing. A unit of Rupert's red coated commanded shot screening their advance.

A view of the Royalist left flank. Their cavalry facing the Parliamentarian cavalry led by Thomas Fairfax.

Center of the Allied army with regiments of Scottish foot holding the line.

Royalist cuirassiers supported by cavaliers charging into Parliamentarian commanded shot.

 Cromwell in the background with his Ironsides.

Royalist foot arrayed along the hedges and ditch running the center of the battlefield.

Dismounted dragoons from both sides engaged in the rough.

Parliamentarian right attempting to advance.

Cromwell with his remaining Ironsides. It was a close Royalist victory in both games.

Next up are pictures of the others games which I will endeavor to caption (hopefully correctly) once I go through the events listing.

Aspern-Essling - General du Corps

Ancients game hosted by White Rock Gamers from B.C. Canada.

Skirmish at the Walnut Grove Mill - AWI - Muskets & Tomahawks

Lena Lamont and the Jungle Fortress - Congo rules

Battle for Richmond, 1862, ACW, 28mm, White Rock Gamers

Chain of Command "Serafimovich 1942:Battle of the Sunflowers"

Alpine Fury -Tyrol 1809 - The Third Battle of Berg Isel - Black Powder

The Sand Pebbles

Gnome Wars

The Fall of the Philippine Republic: Battle of San Pascual - The Men Who Would Kings

Pulp Alley: La Playa de Parador

Circus Maximus - Chariot Racing

Black Seas

Duel of Aces - Wings of War WW1

Con Sonar

Kursk - The Second Day

Wagram using Shako 2. This was the last game being played on Sunday - most of the players were from Canada and were staying until Monday.

Well another great convention - almost, but not quite, like old times. Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy the pictures.

Wargames Atlantic French Poilus

Here are the 35 figures from the Wargames Atlantic French WW1/2 set. I ended up using some Vallejo Grey Blue to highlight some of the cloth. A pretty good match for the Army Painter Wolf Grey spray paint.

The helmets were painted a little darker using a mixture of black, Dark Prussian Blue and Grey Blue.

They're based on Litko 25mm plywood rounds (3mm thick). Same as the German set painted a couple of years ago. I've waited this long for these Poilus. Plan to get some WW1 gaming in after next weekend's convention. Probably using Bolt Action - at least at first.

I'm glad to have these done as I always liked the Horizon Bleu uniform. I sold off a bunch of Old Glory French some years ago - so these are nice replacements.

What I need to be doing is refreshing myself with the La Haye Sainte Black Powder and Marston Moor Pike & Shotte games that I'll be hosting next weekend at Enfilade. I prepared QRS specific for the games and even emailed copies to some of the players. Hopefully it'll make the games run that much smoother. In any case, looking forward to hosting the games and seeing old acquaintances - some of whom I haven't seen since the 2019 convention. Thanks for stopping by and wishing you all the best!

Wargames Atlantic WWI French Infantry - WIP

Managed to get to the Minwax staining phase rather quickly as the uniform is very basic. Only used a handful of colors: Vallejo Beasty Brown for the rifle stocks, boots, leather equipment and hair. A mixture of Vallejo Bonewhite and Khaki for the breadbag and Elf Skintone for the face and hands. Finally, Vallejo Gunmetal over a black undercoat for the metal parts of the rifle/bayonet took care of the rest. The three officer's kepis were given a little more attention - Vallejo Dark Prussian Blue, Bloody Red and Gold.

Below image shows the figures before the staining.

Found the image below on a Google search - a very good painting guide for Poilus.

Thanks again for stopping by and wishing you all the best.

Wargames Atlantic French Infantry - 1916-1940 - WIP

Well, I just couldn't stay away. Actually, a box of long-awaited Wargames Atlantic French Infantry finally arrived the other day. I had ordered them last September, but to get the free "over $50 shipping" I had added a box of yet to be released Italian Infantry. As it happened as soon as one set was available, the other went out of stock. This happened several times to the point they were kind enough to send me the Italian box ahead of the French one - and sent both when available with the free shipping.

As with the previous WW1 German and WW2 Italian Infantry sets, these figures are really nice and allow for multiple poses and weapon combinations. This set has seven unique body poses of five each (including one for the officers) and various arm/weapons choices. The set also includes separate sprues with Senegalese heads and WW2 weapon/arm combinations. I chose to do all as WW1 Poilus and base coated them with a can of Army Painter Wolf Grey primer (which was used for the big McFarlane Space Wolf figure a while ago). 

Just a quick update to let you all see that I'm back to painting figures again. Next weekend (Memorial Day Weekend) will be our annual big convention, Enfilade. I have four games to run starting on Friday afternoon and until Sunday. Hope to post some pictures of the convention - should be more games and attendees than the ad hoc one we had last September due to the restrictions. Until next time, best wishes to you all!

Just Checking In

Sorry for not being on the blogosphere for awhile, but I've been on a quest for fire, or more appropriately a firearms quest recently. Here in Washington State, a new law prohibiting the sale and transfer of firearms with more than a 10-round magazine capacity will take effect 1 July of this year. It does not affect (at least for now) the possession and sale of these prior to 1 July. This was announced a few months ago, and it prompted to me feel the "need" to acquire a few of these soon to be prohibited weapons. Prior to this, I really didn't have a burning desire to own anything of the sort - having spent 28 years in the Army, guns really didn't hold any special aura for me. However, that all said - just the thought of someday possibly wanting to own one of these soon to be "outlawed" guns made me go on a mini-buying spree of sorts. I already had a Walther P1 which I picked up over 10 years ago at a local outdoor store for $330. I honestly only fired it a few times over these years - mainly because I thought I could spend the money for ammo on other things - like figures and such. Anyway, I ended up buying not one, not two, but four new firearms.These are a Springfield Armory SA-35 (Browning Hi Power clone), an Uberti repro of a Remington New Army Revolver, a Smith and Wesson M&P 15 semi auto rifle - and just last night I ordered a Girsan Beretta M9 clone. Still awaiting the arrival of the Girsan. Granted the revolver isn't impacted by the new law, but it's such an iconic gun. With these acquisitions, I've spent a lot of time (for me anyway) on the range test firing them these past few weeks. 

Fired 100 rounds of .223 today with the AR 15. 

Target below is from the 25 yd target; also had a 100 yd target - but that one wasn't shot at too much. It was a nice day to be at the range.

Below are shots from last week with the Remington and the SA-35. I used a 45 Colt cartridge conversion cylinder with the Remington. It can also fire black powder with the cylinder it came with.

I had several 15 round magazines for the Browning Hi Power clone - and also this 30 round one.

Not to worry as I haven't quit the hobby. In fact, I packed up the figures and terrain for the games I'm hosting at Enfilade in a couple of weeks. Pictured below are the bins for the La Haye Sainte game on the right and the Marston Moor game on the left.

Well, I hope I haven't offended anyone with this post, but just wanted to share a bit of what I've been up to lately; and why I haven't been able to visit your blogs. Until next time, thanks for stopping by and wishing you all the best.