Saturday, January 16, 2021

Wargames for 2021

I've spent some time recently planning out the games I'll run this year -- with a target of getting these games to the tabletop all before the summer.  All of these games are well within my power and capability to deliver before then.

In no particular order ...

Austerlitz, 1805



Not too long ago I posted the scenario for Austerlitz.  I have 80% of the miniatures done for this scenario and the main focus on my painting efforts now fall to completing the remaining 20% - all Russians.  The great news is all the Russians I need to finish are all needed for Borodino as well.


I've compressed the map into a 6 foot by 16 foot table (was 20 foot wide).  The gap down the middle was too large for any of the allied forces to have any chance of attempting to reinforce Pratzen.  This will greatly improve playability of the scenario.  Very much looking forward to finally getting this scenario on the tabletop and putting myself into a realistic position to get Borodino on the tabletop perhaps by late this year (if not late this year, very early next year).  Borodino is a *massive* battle that will be taking almost my entire French and Russian Napoleonic collection - including Dutchy of Warsaw units, Wurttemberg units, and other key units like the Zastrow Cuirassiers and Saxon Guarde du Corps (using the beautiful Eureka models for those two units).  There is light at the end of this tunnel.

War in Rohan



With the final batch of Rohan, Dunland and Isengard forces in hand the basing/rebasing will commence immediately.  A large number of War in Rohan scenarios are unlocked by this milestone.  First and foremost though will be the battle of the Fords of the Isen.


Rather than creating a one off river, I'd invested in a great modular river from Tabletop Modellbau.  I've really impressed with the different sections in this range (I'm having him make many of the straight sections more plain).  The waterfall section, various turns and the end piece are excellent sections to really make this set stand above others I looked at.

I'll use the Y section to create the small eyot (little island in the middle of the river where Théodred makes his stand).  This should work out well.  I figure it will be about a month though before I have the river in hand as he is still working on the order and it needs to ship from Europe.


I'll also be doing a smaller engagement I'm calling Defence of the Westfold.  This will be a more plain battle with very few (if any) characters and will be centered around Dunland forces looking to burn the buildings of a Rohan village.  I already have the buildings done/painted for this.  I can also upgrade this to an attack on a fortified village/town if I want as I have all the fortification sections complete as well.


Last but very much far from least is Helm's Deep.  My 3D printer is already hard at work on printing off the Helm's Deep files (these are sadly no longer available).  This will be the pinnacle battle for my War in Rohan series.

Battle of Brandywine Creek



The very last two AWI units I'll get completed for my collection is a unit of British 16th Light Dragoons and a unit of Queen's American Rangers.  Both of these units round out the forces I need to run a game for the battle of Brandywine Creek.

I'll be using the same river mentioned above to create this tabletop.

Battle of Freeman's Farm (Saratoga)



I have everything I need already done to run the battle of Freeman's Farm from the Saratoga campaign.  The only thing I need is the same modular river (man, that river is going to get a lot of use!).  This should be a lot of fun as there is a hefty bunch of Hessians in this battle and even some native Indian units I'll be using for the British side.

Casey's Redoubt (Battle of Seven Pines)



The only thing outstanding for me to run this scenario is to finish painting the two white buildings that are the landmarks of this battle (well, outside of the redoubt).  I'll be using the same earthworks I used for Vicksburg and Breed's Hill to create the redoubt for this battle.  All troops are done and ready to go.

Wrapping Up ...

Looking at all this now that I've written it down seems like an impossible amount of gaming to bring to the tabletop - but to be perfectly honest - outside of Austerlitz (~80% done) I'm like 95-99% done on every other scenario I've listed here.  All of this is VERY honestly and realistically achievable in the first half of this year.

So stay tuned to the blog as there is much to come over the next few months.

12 comments:

  1. Wow, excellent choices and changing up of periods. If only I could be so organized about my hobby. I would so play in ever one of your choices. Here is hoping we can meet face to face in our hobby this year.

    Cheers
    Kevin

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    1. I'm periodically organized ;-) lol It gives me a list to work off of and mostly keeps me on target during hobby time. It would be great to meet you in person. Right now I'm signed up to go to HistoriCon if it happens. I'd like to think that by June things should be getting back to normal but who knows.

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  2. Brandywine is a great battle - we really must do it again sometime! I look forward to seeing how it goes for you.

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  3. Wonderful plans Jay. Really looking forward to seeing you progress through these plans, especially Austerlitz and Rohan!

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    1. I'm really motivated on the Austerlitz front, if anything happens it will be that game :-)

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  4. Six months, that's a five year plan for the rest of us normal gamers 😀
    I see you changed up your logo again lol I don't know why but I kind of see it in a circle, almost like a vintage service station logo on the back of a jacket - probably because of the "tubular" font of 'Jay's and 'Madness'.

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    1. Lol, well these would normally take me years, but the benefit of planning and execution (e.g. smaller scenarios that incrementally complete armies for larger scenarios) over the last couple of years has enabled this level of completeness. So yay for that :-)

      Lol, now that you point it out, gas station fits the look of that font. Oh well, I'll stick with this for now ... was getting a little too far down that rabbit hole.

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    2. I like the logo, apologies if that came out differently 😀
      I'm just seeing it as something vintage or classic in style and I can't get that circle out of my head lol

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  5. Those are great plans, Jay! We did Austerlitz in 2005 and Borodino in 2012; both great games!

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