The Maximillian Adventure in 15mm

 

Should you look at page 61 of Michael Leck and Dan Mersey’s Rebels and Patriots you will find suggested forces (Companies in R&P speak) for the Maximillian Adventure. These being the French Intervention Force, the Mexican Imperialists and those of the Mexican Republic.

This has always appealed to me as a potential gaming period. It also looks quite doable with R&P in terms of outlay.

The French need 36 figures equating to 3 units of Foreign Legionaries at 24 points.

The Mexican Imperialists require 12 cavalry, 36 infantry and 6 skirmishers.

The Mexican Republic has 48 infantry, 6 mounted Skirmishers and and 12 lancers.

These are merely suggestions but you get an idea of the size of forces required.  Now, it happens that I already have some suitable figures.  They are 15mm from QRF.  Let’s have a look.

The aim is to get to 24 points. The French first.  Six Chasseurs d Afrique here who enjoyed a fearsome reputation. 

That considered they will be a small unit of shock cavalry and cost 5 points.

Next La Legion 12  Shock Infantry at 6 points.

I had 12 Turco/Zouave figures. R&P allow for small units. I decided to do 6 Tirailieurs Algerian and 6 Zouaves.

The Tirailieurs are a small unit of 6 Light Infantry who are good shooters and cost 7 points.

The Zouaves are a small unit of 6 Shock Infantry who are aggressive and cost 6 points.

There is our 24 points for the French. It gives a fair range of tactical options.

Turning to the Mexican Republicans our first unit is of 6 green skirmishers who are sharp shooters and cost 5 points. 

The USA provided some repeating rifles to their fellow republicans. These are they. The idea being that they will keep their distance and blaze away.

A unit of 6 veteran light cavalry lancers who are poor shots cost 5 points.

That's it but it's not a bad start. I need 14 points more for the Mexican Republicans and the whole 24 for the Mexican Imperialists.  Part of the fun is selecting and rating the units.

You might notice that I have opted for multi figure bases. This is because I might expand this collection to 12 units a side or so.  That would provide for Field of Battle games. It also means I need more soldiers of the Mexican Republic because the Imperials and French can be combined.

Luckily for me a fellow gamer is going to sell me what I need.  For that reason what you see today has an unfinished look. They await reinforcements before units can be completed.

Let me draw your attention to how nice these 1980s designed figures are. Look at the detail.  Some of the ones your see here are that old. Most are from renewed moulds and use better metal.  Chas and Geoff at QRF ensured the survival of the range. Happy retirement boys.

Crimean War Russian Artillery in 15mm

 

Russian armies liked lots of artillery.  Big guns and big batteries.  The Russian artillery had a good Crimean War.  Including, you may wish to know, sounding the death knell of wooden warships. 

My Russian batteries will have 3 cannon and most of them will be 12pdr's.   The gunners will be "Trained" and I'm flirting with the addition of the "Elite" suffix.  That won't make them better but will keep them firing.  That is important what with the Minié and all.

For Crimean War games I will be using Republic to Empire and Field of Battle and Battle Command. A battery in the last two comprises 2 guns. In Republic to Empire it is 3 for the Russians.  I'm showing both today.  They are, of course, the same guns.

 

Field of Battle/Battle Command above.  Below Republic to Empire.

Republic to Empire requires a larger deployment space for artillery and also that guns are withdrawn  to refit after a certain amount of firing.  That sort of granuality is what I want for Crimean War games. It may not suit all.

I intend achieving the demarcation by positioning the limbers to indicate the extent of the artillery position.

Of course this means buying limbers or cassions or what have you.  In short, more expense.  Once again it will not suit everyone.  I decided to do it, having reached the age of "if not now, when?  I may have to buy more limbers.  That said I'm limiting it to one per Battery. 

On the current count I have 3 batteries Republic to Empire style and two limbers.

 

Happily, I have a Minifigs Napoleonic Cassion somewhere that can be pressed into service.  All good, except I have enough guns for another Russian Battery.  It may have to do without for the time being. 

League of Augsburg- The Scots Brigade in Dutch Service

 

I needed these fellows for Killiekrankie and other theatres too.  As you can see I have mixed in some bonnets among the hats.  You can see the odd new recruit too.  The latter appealed to me for various what if scenarios.  Above, MacKay's.  Below we see their supporting pike men.

 

Next, we have Balfour's.

Lastly, Ramsay's. 

A tidy brigade, well drilled and equipped to regulation standard.  Also, I got around to painting a Powder Cart.  I was surprised to find only Peter Pig could supply me with a 15mm one.  None the worse for that.

At last I have begun painting the French Maison du Roi. One squadron done, two to follow. Once they are done I'll show the whole army here.  Speaking of Armies I'll parade all my League of Augsburg Scots shortly.  Regulars, Highlanders, and all.  I'm simply waiting to take delivery of three frame guns.

 

League of Augsburg Dutch, English and Scots in 15mm

 

Above we see George Fitz Roy's Regiment.  In the uncertain year of 1688 George discreetly raised and trained a regiment of foot to protect his interests.  The Armoury of Alnwick Castle enabled him to equip it.  If not quite to modern standards.  Discretion prevented him from purchasing more arms and red coats but the men are well trained and motivated.  The level of intrigue in 1688 England was endemic. Ireland and Scotland kept pace.  It paid to prepare.

Fitz Roy's Regiment is officered by George's old military companions.  It is they who have inculcated drill and discipline. In Beneath the Lily Banners speak this is a Raw or Drilled Pike and Shot battalion. The regiment is fictional of course. Interestingly, Barry Hilton's Republic to Empire has a Raw Elite category. I imagine it would fit this unit were it used in Beneath the Lily Banners.

There was a George Fitz Roy and he could have raised a regiment.  The flags gave me pause for thought.  George was an illegitimate son of Charles 2nd.  His coat of arms is the Royal Arms with a bar sinister.  I may use it if I model George and a standard bearer.

What with Monmouth and all, I thought it unsuitable for covertly raised troops.  I settled on the red and yellow bars of Northumbria and repeated the colour theme on George's Leopard banner.  A nod to his royal paternity with the Leopards.

Next to Scotland and another fictional battalion.  This is the Aberdeen Militia.  A well equipped formation.  The City fathers of Aberdeen had felt no need for discretion in procuring arms.

A couple of military professionals have been hired to keep drill up to scratch. No one has bought uniforms yet.  Securing the full complement of modern weapons took precedent.  Accordingly, the Aberdeen Regiment is a Raw or Drilled Regulation regiment.

You can see how I now intend to represent pike men in my Beneath the Lily Banners "Regulation" regiments.  Much rebasing and provision of additional officers or sergeants looms.

Back to the historical record with Eppinger's Dragoons.  I already have two mounted squadrons and here they are dismounted.  A first rate unit.

Above, a pair of Dutch light guns.  Crews from Irregular and Essex.  These will mostly be deployed singley as was the case in the period. 

Next up, William's Scots Brigade.  To my amazement my League of Augsburg project is nearly done. Two, maybe 3 squadrons of the French Maison du Roi remain outstanding.  The project began in 1998.

 

Summoned by the drum

 

Here we have another addition to my League of Augsburg collection. These are local levies of civilians.  They will do for the fellows turned out by their landlords, or by a national emergency or local threat. 

As a rule, the local noble could count on the support of the gentry and stronger tenant farmers to produce a unit of cavalry. Often a family member had some military service to help things along. 

 

I’ve given this unit above castle keep flag.

Here is another such unit with a simple cross patee guidon allowing multiple identities. 

Depending upon when and where an enterprising leader might cobble together a unit of musket armed men mounted on farm nags.  

Not quite cavalry but useful.  Consider them dragoons as may of them became.

Others,lacking horses, might have fire arms and be proficient using them.  There were never many such men.  They could be used as loose shot.  Here is a full size unit.  Mostly they would appear in smaller numbers.

Town and village would produce the infantry.  I'm currently working on a un-uniformed unit equipped in the old-fashioned way.  One third pike men and so less muskets than in the more modern regular battalions. The next two units have only improvised weapons.   

 

They have a stiffening of more experienced men.  They could be well motivated but morale is likely brittle. 

 

We may ask, what motivated the notables to raise troops?  The reasons could be various and not mutually exclusive.  Prime was to protect their property and to secure future rewards for their allegiance.  Secondary, was to eclipse their local rivals and if possible to predate upon them.  Yet, we also find men of genuine heroism.  Men, and women too, resolved to do what they saw as their duty regardless of danger.  They were not limited to the notables.

I’m pleased to have got these done.  They allow for a range of scenarios. As you can see all of the unit flags could do for Jacobites, Monmouth’s men or Williamites.

 

More League of Augsburg 15mm

As a result of the Great Rebasing sundry soldiers of my League of Augsburg collection were rendered unitless  I knew I’d get round to doing something with them eventually.  Their time has now come.  A squadron of the Dutch Gardes du Corps above.

A Squadron of Oxford’s Horse from Essex above.  The Friesland Garde below.

 

One of the things I enjoy about Beneath the Lily Banners (BLB) is that period detail abounds throughout the rules.   

Here we have a Master Gunner ready to improve artillery performance.

When assaulting works or buildings attaching a unit of pioneers to your storming party improves the chance of success.  They can break the perimeter. Otherwise, you can get them to make gabions.  BLB allows a unit of pioneers per 2 brigades

I’m currently painting units of Dragoons mounted and foot.   Handily, some of them will also serve as the sort of local levies you might find in the various upheavals from 1688 onwards.  

Speaking of which I'm just finishing of a couple of cavalry units.  Local gentry and their better off tenants the like of which rose for Monmouth or James or William. Their flags are suitably non specific. You will see them all shortly. 

Here is a unit of Scythe Men, could be Monmouth's men or indeed Jacobites.  

I intend to give all of these Scythe units fairly plain flags so they can represent a wide range of newly raised bodies of men.  

As a youth I mowed with a scythe.  Scythes are terrifying things, heavy and very sharp.  Once moving they have there own momentum.  Controlling that requires muscle.  A moving scythe blade can cut through flesh and bone with ease.  That is why in my young day experienced mowers often wore thick leather gaiters.  Such a blade mounted on a straight shaft would be a deadly weapon.