The French and Indian Wars

 

A long term interest of mine. With a deep and rewarding reading list. Fascination lies therein. Not just the tribes but also the colonists. The French method concentrating on the Fur Trade.  The English one on land acquisition. It all played out with Global consequences. A painters paradise too.

The first decision of a F&IW Project is just what are you trying to model? There were big battles (relatively speaking)  formal lines and all.  They were important too. All the same the most common combats were not like that at all. No, they were like  Monongahela (where a British Army died)writ small. European methods didn’t do well in the woods. Innovation was required. The French excelled in this and the English steadily improved with Ranger companies and Light infantry. Most engagements were small scale affairs that defined the Wars. Most gamers opt for that.

Delightfully very few figures are needed to play This Very Ground or the famous Muskets and Tomahawks. In both cases a unit can be 6 figures plus a Leader with 8 being normal and 16 the dizzy heights. Rebels and Patriots might run a few more but it needn’t. This is a project that can be done with great economy. Except you probably won’t do that.

The reason being the sheer diversity of troops involved. Thus the figure count begins to grow. Which French Militia? The Montreal or the Quebec? Do they look different? Sort of. Different skills? Arguably. Better have both.

It is no better with the English. Take Ranger Companies. Roger’s, Gorham’s. Others too? Oh yes. Do they look different. Of course they do. Different skill levels? Naturally.

There are some core troop types. Indians obviously. Also American Frontier Militia. These are raiding games. The Militia are the defenders mostly. Supporting the Militia were the Provincials, trained as European Regulars-sort of. It varied a lot. Civilians are required too. They can be captured or rescued or simply protected. Sometimes actual British Redcoats were available. A Regiment or a Company.

For the French the Colonial Marines are an essential. Formidable. Also Regulars were available now and then. For counter raids you might get some Indian civilians. And so it goes. Cabins or Longhouses? Both, I’d say. The cabins you see here are from Red Vectors WW2 Russian Village.

Is it worth it? Very much. It is a wonderful gaming experience. Of course you need not wait to begin gaming. The figures you see on this page will do for a game of Muskets and Tomahawks or This Very Ground.

You might guess a significant number of Blue Moon F&IW figures have just come my way. I anticipate about four posts on this topic.

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.

Rebels and Patriots- The Greek War of Independence

 

I started this Rebels and Patriots project in 2019. Smartly got the Turks done in 2020.  You can see them here. https://youdonotknowthenorth.blogspot.com/search/label/Greek%20War%20of%20Independence   

 

Above the Philhellenes- foreign volunteers. In R&P speak, Line Infantry. A unit of 12 figures.  Conversions, as are my Greeks.  Then I got distracted-until now.   What follows is pretty much a note to myself, a project outline if you like.

On to the Greeks which in 15mm means conversions.  Happily mine are all done.

You can see what I did here and throughout this page.   The base figures are Minifigs Albanian Sekhans and Derbents.

Green Stuff hair, sashes,sleeves and a bit of head gear variety.

 

Add swords too.  Swords were important and varied.  The latter was beyond my reach in 15mm.

In 2022 I spotted a bunch of Spiros Koumoussis designed Greek independence 15mm figures on ebay.  Badly painted, over priced and irresistable.  I bought them without a quibble.  The chances of them turning up were astromical nor will we see them back in production.  I will have to repaint and re-base them.  Starting with the cavalry.

The immediate task is to put together a Greek List for Rebels and Patriots.  Here, I claim no great expertise. Some of the Greeks had extensive fighting experience and some none at all. Anyone who turned out to fight was patriotic.  Some though were intensely committed to the cause and would fight against odds. Even to the last.

What follows is my first thoughts on categorising a Greek Force for Rebels and Patriots.  The actual units are not done yet. 

Sometimes Greeks fought mounted.  Raids and such like. Rebels and Patriots cavalry come in a minimum unit of 6 figures.  

I'm going to use two types, both of light cavalry. Type one is Agressive Light Cavalry, type 2, Light Cavalry Good Shots.

For City Greeks, I have opted to use Green Line Infantry.  Most of them had no previous military experience.  International trading links and the Greek Diaspora meant there were enough arms and ammunition. A unit of 12 figures.

In the mountainy countryside it was different. There, warriors could be found.  Men who lived accustomed to violence. 

Even those who were not full time Klephts (more or less bandits) didn't lack fighting experience.  Clan feuds were common and deadly.

For a general turnout I have opted for the Native Category. A unit of 12 figures.

For a unit of Klephts  I use Veteran Skirmishers who are good shots. A unit of 6 figures.

 

For the hard core of Greek resistance I'm using the Light Infantry category and Good Shots too.  Such a unit would be mainly comprised of very patriotic Klephts.

There were also some Greek Regulars.  I'll field them as Line Infantry a unit of 12 figures.

I'll produce a full stat's list shortly with pic's of the units and some pic's of my recently aquired figures.  It will probaby take a couple of posts over the Summer.

For the moment using the above a 24 point Greek Force might consist of:

1 unit of  Patriotic Klepht Light Infantry Good Shots-12 figures. @ 9 points

1 unit of Klepht Veteran Skirmishers- 6 figures.@ 6 points

1 unit of Natives-12 figures. @ 4 points

1 unit of Aggressive Light Cavalry -6 figures. @ 5 points

I'd say that is an affordable array even in the larger scales. Truly lovely 28mm Greek figures are available from Old Man Creations and Steve Barber.  For me, as ever, it is 15mm. 

The Pope's Army and the Red Shirts

I should be bringing you my first game of Gonzalo but events have intervened.  The Gonzalo game will appear when things return to a gentler post Christmas pace.   In the meantime I thought I should post something and this one has the virtue of being about Italy too.

A while ago (3 years) I thought I'd do something (else) different for Rebels and Patriots and spurred on by a QRF sale bought some lads for the Pope and Garibaldi.  

Here we see the Papal Chasseurs, lively and jolly figures.  Light cavalry.

Here are the Irish perhaps a tad more dapper than the reality.  They could fight though.

These little fellows are also from QRF, nice and lively with good detail.  They were all volunteers from Ireland and included some men with military experience.  Myles Keogh, who died at the Little Big Horn with Custer was one of them.  They fought aggressively through out the war and with great distinction despite being equipped with inferior rifles. I’m rating them Shock Infantry @ 6 points.

These Papal Zouaves are from Peter Pig's ACW range as the QRF ones don't look like the images I've seen of the unit.  To me the QRF'ers look like Ridgeway period Canadians, a good thing if further research confirms it.

The Zouaves had a fearsome reputation.

That's as far as I got.  This project is currently way down the painting list but I think it has potential.

Greek War of Independence-Ibrahim Pasha’s Army

This is my take on Ibrahim Pasha’s Army for the Greek War of Independence.  It is based for Rebels and Patriots.  The figures are all from Minifigs Napoleonic Ottoman range.  I’ve included my categorisation of the troop types under the rules.  It’s informed guess work at best.  If you have other suggestions I’d be interested.

The light cavalry at 4 points 6 figures in the unit. A couple of officers and some Yoruk volunteers.

The Egyptian Regular Infantry.  Line Infantry on the European model. Aggressive Line Infantry at 5 points 12 figures in each unit.

I have two units of these and may do three.

Balkan Sharp Shooters.  Skirmish troops good shooters 6 figures per unit costing 4 points.

Provincial Sekhans.  Irregular infantry who can skirmish or fight hand to hand.  Categorised as aggressive natives who are poor shooters.  Costing 4 points with 12 figures per unit.

A light gun with crew and limber.  Costing 6 points.

I will probably add a couple of units of Albanian skirmishers of six figures each.  Ibrahim Pasha will then have choices about what sort of force to field.  As it stands I have 24 points worth that constitutes a side in Rebels and Patriots.