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Super Secret Project and battle report

Posted by steve_pickstock on 22 May 2022, 14:29

My “super-secret” project came to an end this weekend, so here is what it was all about.
Being an English Civil War re-enactor AND a wargamer, it is inevitable that there would be some overlap. And it’s true I have figures in 6mm, 15mm and 1/72nd – quite a lot of them, actually. I also have a fair bit of 28mm stuff, even though I don’t really consider that to be a scale that I ‘do’.
My reasoning behind this was that I wanted to have some figures so that if I was invited to play a game in 28mm I would be able to do so using my own figures. Of course, with no actually need to use them they never really got painted. Assembled, yes, undercoated, yes, but properly painted? Just a few.
So, one day a younger friend of mine invited me to a game to celebrate his father’s birthday.
At last! The excuse I was looking for to paint the ECW figures! I had just about three and a bit months to get everything ready. But it is a secret he tells me, his dad didn’t know.
So, okay. I could put pictures up in some places – that would be okay, as long as I didn’t spill the beans. Now that I am retired, and getting jobs cleared from the list, people would think I am just getting on with stuff. But for you guys, here I could not go into detail.
My plan was to build an army for Warlord Game’s Pike & Shotte rules, based on the Royalists in the county of Shropshire (also known as Salop) in or around 1644-4(ish), which is my area of specialist knowledge.
There would be a regiment of Horse – 12 figures – known as Colonel John Marrow’s [Regiment of] Horse. Nothing posh, just a regiment of experienced horsemen, originally raised in the area, with some local officers, Marrow himself had been in Ireland, and had returned to take over the regiment, in 1643.
A company (12 figures) of dragoones, from the regiment of Sir Vincent Corbet. Corbet’s were raised in 1642 at Battle near Shrewsbury (on the same day as my birthday). Corbet’s were pretty much involved in the war right from the get go, to the end.
Two regiments of Foot – each regiment would be 16 pikes and 24 shot – the first regiment would be Sir Michael Woodhouse’s Blue coats and Sir Fulk Hunck’s regiment. Woodhouses was another local regiment, and went through most of the war, while Hunck’s were raised in Yorkshire (mainly) went to Ireland in 1642 and then returned in 1643.
There appeared to be some friction between the local soldiers and the ‘Irish’ regiments. Possibly it was because many of the men who had fought in Ireland saw themselves as ‘proper’ soldiers unlike what they thought of as the softer local troops. Hunk and Marrow tend to be described as brash and abrasive types.
There would also be a commander figure and a sharpshooter.
So, that was what I was trying to achieve and I brought everything I had together to take stock.
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A – is the figure I am using as the commander.
B – is the regiment that would make up Hunck’s.
C – is Woodhouse’s
D – are Marrow’s Horse.
E – are the figures that would make up Corbet’s.
Progress was shaky to begin with, as I discovered things that were missing – some things that I thought I had, and searched for – diligently, only to discover that I couldn’t find them AT ALL and had to order new.
There were some decisions that I made and probably would do them that way now. For example, each of the individual Foot figures was on a 20mm square base. Warlord’s Pike & Shotte has them as 4 figures on 40mm square bases. So that I could use the figures for other games I added steel paper to the bottom of the 20x20mm figure bases and magnetic sheet to the 40x40mm bases. The adhesion isn’t that brilliant, it’s not bad, but it could be better. I think I will add some neodymium magnets to the 40mm bases and see if that improves the situation.
I also cocked up the way that some figures are ranked up, meaning they don’t sit on the 40mm bases that well. There isn’t a lot I can do about that, but I am planning a third, possibly even a fourth regiment in the future so I can use Hunke’s regiment as a reserve.
Anyway, the images.
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This is a Perry Miniatures dragoon officer, but it also bears an uncanny resemblance to my friend Thornton. Good figure for a general.
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Didn’t actually use him the game. Shame really as he turned out quite nice.
Corbet’s
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The second figure from the right is a Warlord plastic figure of a firelock charging. With the addition of a head from a Games Workshop Warhammer Empire figure he looks very like another friend of mine, actually in the modern day Corbet’s.
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They turned out okay, though I think with some work, I could do a better job, and make them look a bit more rag-tag, but that is something for the future.
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Woodhouse’s Pike block. Two things to note 1) Woodhouse’s are known from existing sources as ‘Blue coats’ so that made that decision easy, 2) those steel pikes are damned lethal!
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The two shot blocks, officers aren’t necessary under the rules but the idea of a shot block running around without an authority figure just appals me.
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Hunke’s pike block, and the issue with ranking the figures. Rookie error, but it happens, and there is no way that I can just take them off those bases and reposition them, at least not without some collateral damage to the figures.
The decorative tassles were off the original plastic pikes from Warlord – I cut them off, drilled them and placed them onto the steel pikes.
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Hunke’s shot.
The largely completed army laid out as per the original photo.
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One thing that did stand out after these photos were made, was how bland the bases looked. I went back and added a bright green flock into the mix on the bases, which really worked well.
Having completed the army in reasonable time, the last thing was to actually use it. So, yesterday , 21st May, I travelled to Shrewsbury, where the game was being held, and less than a mile from where Corbet’s was raised in 1642.
20 ft by 8ft table. Now I am guessing, but there were 32 regiments of foot on the table and assorted companies of commanded shot, Horse regiments and assorted artillery pieces as well as vignettes of civilians, so I would suggest that there were at least 5,000 figures on the table, 13 or fourteen players. HUGE!
From my side of the board -
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From the other end -
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The thing is that as player games like this, unless you are the overall commander, devolve into smaller battles – you versus your opponent. It may have been different in the middle with so many players jostling alongside each other, but on our end of the table with a river separating us from the rest of the action, we just got on with it.
I had five regiments of horse, including Marrow’s, my own foot and dragoons, and a light gun which didn’t really do much.
Initial set up – Horse to one side, foot in the middle and the dragoons set up so that they can go and get the bridge.
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The Scots on the other side getting a bit aggressive.
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The situation at the end of the game.
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My Horse had fought themselves to exhaustion (3 out of five regiments were Shaken) and were considered ‘broken’, but in a dice roll ‘blunder’ the Scots that they had been facing retreated two full moves towards the back end of their side of the table. I was beaten, but as in so many examples in the actual civil war the newspaper would have probably proclaimed it a victory as I was where I wanted to be and the Scots Horse weren’t.
Similarly, on the very last turn of the game both regiments of my infantry brigade were considered Shaken so that brigade was broken as well. But the game had ended.
The dragoons on the bridge had a reasonably quiet game, they were bothered by some Scots dragooners at one point but they saw them off without too much trouble.
I was beaten! But to be honest to feel the loss.
Considering what I had achieved to be in the game – getting the army painted, getting out of my cave to go somewhere, and playing a system I don’t normally play, I really enjoyed it.
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steve_pickstock  England
 
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Posted by Minuteman on 22 May 2022, 16:56

Superb work on these 28mm figures, you have clearly been busy with your secret project !! The pictures of the huge game are also very impressive. With those thousands of figures it is approaching a medium-sized battle by ECW standards, even on a 1:1 scale ! The Royalist army at Cheriton in 1644 was probably hardly bigger than, say, 6, 500 effectives including foot, horse, dragoons and the artillery train.

My first ECW figures were 25mm Miniature Figurines, but these were too expensive for my meagre resources at the time, so I built up some Minifig 15mm ECW armies instead...and still have them, all painted. More recently, I have collected a lot of 15mm ECW figures from Museum Miniatures, Donnington and others...and these are primed but not painted! The lure of some great 28mm figures has almost got the better of me, but I really ought to paint what I have got first. And then there is that collection of as yet largely unpainted 1/72 TYW figures, a collection not as large as that shown recently by Steve (ells10) (posts in the Gallery) but nonetheless substantial.

But...your 28mm collection is already impressive. And why not add some more infantry...and some more horse...and maybe a gun or two....and play another game featuring Arthur the Sniper in a starring role..and so on :yeah: :-D
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Minuteman  United Kingdom
 
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Posted by Michael Robert on 22 May 2022, 18:22

Impressive overall set-up, Steve
Sure looks like a lot of fun
And nice painting of yours
Michael
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Michael Robert  France

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Posted by Bessiere on 23 May 2022, 03:17

Very nice paintwork on those fellows. Your game table looked like a lot of fun, true epic scale. Gotta love that. Did you fight Shrewsbury or an imaginary scenario?
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Posted by steve_pickstock on 23 May 2022, 11:24

If my Eurolottery had come up the other week my new house would have this sort of space in it. The guys at Shrewsbury Wargames Society have a nice little facility, which as well as accommodating this sort of humongous table also has room for other sized tables as well, and they have quite a lot of scenery to go with it.

I have been invited back for more games, so I think as well as adding some more to the 28mm army - just a few figures, you understand :yeah: ;-) - I may build some forces for the Pike & Shotte rules in 1/72nd, so that i can get some practice games in, here at home.

Thank you for those that have expressed kind words about my figures. There is always that uncertainty - when you are working in isolation and going somewhere when you don't know the standard of painting - is my work going to be sufficient?
It appears that I didn't embarrass myself at least, so i am happy in that respect.

Here are some pictures that Tym - the chap whose birthday it was - took.
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steve_pickstock  England
 
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Posted by C M Dodson on 23 May 2022, 11:49

Excellent stuff in the Grand Manner.

This sort of presentation is both visually and mentally stimulating.

Best wishes,

Chris
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Posted by Rich W on 23 May 2022, 23:39

Congrats Steve! Your figures look the part and the table with everything on it is just excellent! Looks like you had a great time.
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Posted by Waterlooman on 24 May 2022, 01:53

Excellent work - another of my interests -I nearly joined up to the ECW society as a Royalist but we moved and things changed - still very interested though, the first show I went to was at Warwick Castle when I was a lad (I was Blown Away by it all) then where we lived the Sealed Knot put on a small display at our towns castle -

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Posted by Peter on 24 May 2022, 12:27

You did a great work on those figures Steve! :thumbup:
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Peter  Belgium

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Posted by PaulRPetri on 24 May 2022, 21:05

WOW!!!! Fantastic Steve!! Just reat I love that sort of thing!!
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Posted by MABO on 10 Jun 2022, 07:28

Wow Steve. Very interesting report and a nice army to play in a big battle. I still try to understand the rules of Warlord - in my case Black Powder.

Thanks for sharing!
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Posted by k.b. on 10 Jun 2022, 12:53

Enthralled by your writing and the photos are what got me to read your story in the first place.
Beautiful war games table full of colourful figures and your miniatures did you proud.
Pity you didn’t have photos of some of the other regiments on the table - would have loved to see more.
The English Civil War is a fascinating period that yours truly has neglected despite an incredible variation of uniforms, troop types and larger than life personality figures to depict! Who knows …… maybe there’s still time…..
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Posted by steve_pickstock on 10 Jun 2022, 15:18

k.b. wrote:Enthralled by your writing and the photos are what got me to read your story in the first place.
Beautiful war games table full of colourful figures and your miniatures did you proud.
Pity you didn’t have photos of some of the other regiments on the table - would have loved to see more.
The English Civil War is a fascinating period that yours truly has neglected despite an incredible variation of uniforms, troop types and larger than life personality figures to depict! Who knows …… maybe there’s still time…..

I would have got more photos, but to be honest, I was a bit busy. New rules, a club set up I wasn't familiar with, trying to get my own stuff organised, answer questions and just generally, get my act together. Once the game got going, we didn't stop.
If you are on Facebook look for the Shrewsbury Wargames Society page, there were a lot of photos there.
And if you're just into the period, may I suggest googling the "Slag om Grolle" - there are some stunning videos of this reenactment in Gelderland, it's just worth watching.
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steve_pickstock  England
 
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Posted by k.b. on 10 Jun 2022, 20:01

Cheers Steve........will check it out when i get through for the day!
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