Happy New Year

Here's to 2014 in EvE! A Happy New Year to you and yours from all at the Duchy of Tradgardland!

Old school sepoys sought

Morning all!
I'm looking for suggestions for "old school" style sepoy figures of the mid 18th century in 25mm.All suggestions most welcome...
many Thanks
Alan

God Jul!

God Jul to all of you- the splendid company we call E v E.
 Greeting from all in the Duchy of Tradgardland!

Merry Christmas to all!
Bill
Campaigns in Germania
Campaigns of Gen. Pettygree

Help sought...

My middle daughter has a request-

"As part of my university course I am doing a group presentation about the colour white.  My section of the presentation is the associations of the colour white in war.  I have already come up with the ideas of a white feather for cowardice, white flag for surrender and white bandages.  I was wondering if anybody had any other thoughts?Thanks Anna"

Let's see what you can come up with chap

Sad News

I received some bad news from Archduke Piccolo (Ion Dowman) via The Oddfellows Lounge a week or so ago regarding Barry Taylor of Herzogtum von Rechburg and Vales of Lyndhurst fame,

Unfortunately, it looks as though the Vales of Lyndhurst narrative will never be finished. Its author, Barry Taylor passed away about a fortnight ago. Although Barry and I have been acquainted for five or six years, now, I never knew him all that well, and that only through wargaming. I rather regret that. Even before then his health had been indifferent on and off, and this year opened badly for him. Just when he seemed to be coming right, he was again struck down, but this time the cancer was terminal. Although he thought he might improve enough to receive visitors, as I understand it, he never quite managed it. I'll miss him, and I'll miss his projects. Good-bye, Barry...

I found Barry's enthusiasm for imagineering and story telling compelling and I echo Ion's words, I too will miss his projects, particularly the story telling, and the spirit with which he approached them.

I'm sure he is standing around that 6' x 4' in the sky keeping an eye on us, rest easy Barry.

Regards
Dave

Imagi-Militia

Awhile ago I posted about the problems of small tinpot states (like mine) when larger armies come near them. This is doubly problematical when (like mine) your main army is off fighting somewhere else (we took French coin and went off to Saxony, problem is the Hanoverians approacheth...)

Anyway, I got interested in recruiting more troops - especially a Militia - and did a quick survey of Kronoskaf and so concocted the following table:

Its not particularly accurate, if they had a number for Garrisons I put them in here. if not I didn't, and I tended to grab the most readily available numbers on the site for any one army, and came up with a number of about 40% of Militia to Line battalions.

But....the lowest ones % wise were States that either took British money to build more line battalions than they would afford naturally (Hanover, Hesse Kassel) or were KO'd early on (Saxony). France and Prussia re probably more indicative of the maxima numbers, c 50%.

At any rate, this gives my tinpot state, with 3 line battalions, a Garde demi battalion, a converged Grenadier battalion and another near-battalion worth of the 3 line battalions' depot troops, a magnificent theoretical total of about 2 Militia battalions.

I needed more.....

Another quick scan - Aha! - there are Freikorps, Legions, Volontaires etc - the French model is typically 2-3 squadrons of horse and a battalion of Foot volunteers. Surely any half decent tinpot state could raise its own Freikorps of Gentlemen, Scholars, Romantics, Patriots and Bounders! I decided mine clearly could

And, another quick reading showed that countries like Austria were quite good at grabbing frontiers men, mountain men, hunters etc into light part-time battalions, so surely there is such a battalion I can make from my hunters, foresters, mountain men etc.

So there you have it - the theoretical muster for your Imagi-Nation is about 50% of the Line battalion strength, and at least one FreiKorps and Light Jager/Grenzer/etc unit.

Which gives my tinpot state - well, its over here

Caricature figures?

I saw pictures on the web somewhere of a new range of mid 18th century wargame figures that were catoonish/caricature  with exaggerated noses proportions etc.I can't for the life of me recall who made them I quite fancy painting a few..Can you help?
Thanks
Alan

An update

Due to a change of direction and redesign the "Beimbach-Schonau Chronicles" has changed name!

Would somebody please add or edit the listings to reflect this.

We are now known as:

http://beimbacherreichskreis.blogspot.co.uk/

Thank you good sirs!

At it again

Do pop over to my blog and see the age old struggle betwixt Borduria and Slydavia is ongoing.With Tradgardlanders in the wings anything can happen...
http://tradgardland.blogspot.co.uk/

18th C. Female soldiers

Historical: Catherine II's Amazon Guard:

Good information about this 100-strong ceremonial unit raised by Potemkin in march 1787 from wives and daughters of soldiers of the Balaklava Greek Settled Battalion to escort the Empress during her tour of Crimea with Joseph II on the *excellent* Oderint Dum Probent blog dedicated to Russian military history in the 17th & 18th C., and full of rare information.

Imaginary: Les Carabinières de la Reine

(Btw I also posted on the Alternate History Forum some musings about the possible uniforms of an imaginary Teutonic Order surviving in the 18th C. as a nominally independent military border district Banat).

Lead mountain conquered

Just a short note to say we handed in a ton of  unpainted 15mm and 28mm figures to the Stockbridge Cancer Research shop in Edinburgh today if anyone is interested...

18th Century firing ranges?

I don't know if this is a daft question or not but did they have set aside firing ranges in the 18th Century?
I guess not but can anyone tell me otherwise?
In previous centuries communities had archery butts set aside for practice for example?
Info and piccies appreciated.
many thanks
Alan

Creating Tabletop Terrain

Murdock (of Murdock's Marauders) has posted a series of short home-made videos showing how he dresses his tabletop with terrain.  To watch them, go here.


-- Jeff

What Happens when a Big Army wants to move through your tinpot Imagi-Nation?

This occurred to me yesterday when writing up a game we had recently, where my small Imagi Nation of Saxe-Märchen faced a part of the Prussian army . Now my lot (by my narrative) are currently a contingent in the Franco-Imperial army, and faced off a part of a Prussian army which had clearly moved through one or more of the various Hesse-Hatlands.

In the Seven Years War the Various Hesses are (nominally) on the Prussian side, so maybe then they give them passage while guarding their daughters, ducats and livestock - but what if the Prussians want to move through your tinpot state and its nominally on the Other Side?

(I'm thinking of a storyline here for my Imagi-Nation btw....) 

AAR in three acts

Just posted on the Defiant Principality blogsite the first one of a series of three AAR reports, reflecting the development of a critical battle from three different points of view, in a chronological sequence leading to the battle climax and aftermath...
This first report is intended to reflect the point of view of the entrenched defending line men (and women), heavily bombed at the battle start while the enemy tide approaches.

The battle was actually gamed on last weekend using BLB 1st edition (we haven't had the time to read thoroughly enough its 2nd edition) with 15mm miniatures of my own collection. I played the Spanish side and my gaming mate Jordi lead the Catalans, while Herr Rittmeister Krefeld (Stephan) performed as privileged witness, reporter and international adviser to the Catalan side (grrr). Quite a lot of fun, wish we can repeat such events more often!

Ambush in the Pyrenees AAR

A pretty small, albeit furious battle has taken place on 7th December 1713 in a remote, snowy valley in the Pyrenees. A full battalion of Walloons escapes from anihilation in the last minute, thanks to a momentary loss of control in their ambushing enemy's lines.
If curious, you can read the AAR here.
Cheers,
Lluís

The Grand Duchy of Fennwyck

"The Empire is a large and diverse place full of minor kingdoms, duchies and baronies. For the past 500 years the emperors have maintained power by keeping all those princes, dukes and barons at each other's throats. They are allowed to own small, personal armies. These armies may be called up in an instant's notice to defend the Empire from its vast number of enemies, or used to settle petty grudges and territorial disputes between nobles. War, in the Empire, seems to be the pastime.

Fennwyck is a small Duchy of the fringe of the Empire with big plans. It is a foggy, dismal place, populated by people much the same. The current Grand Duke, Oswald the Bold, tired of being a backwater, has decided to extend the boundaries of Fennwyck. Better government through ruthless expansionism! Oswald has left the command of his armies to General Vanderwalt Klegg, an able tactician of intemperant nature."

Following an earlier post, most of our group is building their armies for Maurice. We have settled on each person taking a barnyard animal as their personal sigil. I have chosen the rooster (or cock) as it matches my Chinese zodiac symbol. Here's the army, their colors and standards:

Tricornes and zombies!

A fellow 18th C. wargamer who regularly regales us with eye-candy and excellent action reports starts to do 18th C. Horror: cheers!

 (Furt, if you feel that in my enthusiasm I 'stepped on your shoes' please post a comment here and I'll edit or delete this message as you wish)

(OT) Blogger Blackout

Gentlemen,

For much of the day I have not been able to access any "Blogger" sites (including "EvE").  I believe that this was a deliberate "blackout" by Blogger in protest of the passage of CISPA (the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act) by the US House of Representatives.

A significant number of major internet companies have protested this event by "blacking out" their services today.  Nevertheless, Blogger (and thus EvE) now seems to be back online.

-- Jeff  (EvE's Inhaber)

French Flag information sought...

Did the Milices Bourgeoises volunteer units carry flags in the 18th century? If they did can anyone point me to some info about them?
cheers
Alan

L'Estato dou Langdouc

'EvE', our dear dazibao, is 'not the place for... the history of your country or other things that belong on your personal blogs'. But on the other hand it is a little...dozy these day, so I dare to intrude and invite you to the Estato dou Langdouc. 
(result of a collaboration born here, years ago) 

 

. Lo boier

Back again

Willing this to be a final return back, I've just posted a new scene on my Defiant Principality blog --thus bringing the survival struggle hectic to it again.

I strongly wish things start running better from now on --or, at least, I hope to be able to deal more calmly with the unavoidable eventualities linked to any self-re-invention...

Well, that's all what I wished to say. Glad to be back.

Lluís

French Duc de Joseph invades the Reich Duchy of Beerstein

Reich Duchy of Beerstein's Elite Cavalry advances to stop Duc de Joseph's aggression!

New Battle between the Duchy of Beerstein army and the Sicilians. Pictures on the Kingdom of Sicily Page

"Fog of War" Challenge

Gentlemen,

The term "Fog of War" refers to various methods by which uncertainty is introduced into our table top games.  I am a great fan of them and recently posted one of the ways in which I introduce it in my games on my Saxe-Bearstein blog.

What are some of your favorite ways of introducing the "fog of war" in your games?

Don't answer here (game mechanics are not appropriate on EvE) but on your own blog or website . . . and then add a link in the comments section of this post.

Let us share some of the ways in which the "fog of war" can be introduced onto the table top.

-- Jeff

Thanks, I'm back with Firefox

One of three new portraits presented to Reich Duke Wilhelm by Sir David Linienblatt. Please vote to see which image will appear on our new currency. The Reich Duke is very pleased to be back in battery with Firefox. Thanks to everyone for their help!

Help!

I have been unable to upload photos to my site for some time. When I try to use the insert image icon it cycles past the select photo box before I can click on it. Does anyone have a suggestion?

Further frolicking in Frankenberg

1794 and the French Republic is on the offensive, penetrating into parts of Germany beyond the Rhine. One French force is pursuing an Austrian army as it backs its way into the principality of Frankenberg. Although the Prince Archbishop Klaus VI is loyal to the Emperor there are grumblings that may support the idea of revolution in his tiny fiefdom. Will the forces of order prevail over the Revolutionary chaos sweeping Western Europe? Will liberty, equality and fraternity come first in the land of the wurst? Further frolicking in Frankenberg fighting the French fashion for ferment is about to commence!

'Allons, mes enfants!'

Yes, after two years blogging  hiatus a new campaign in the land of Frankenberg begins. You can read more at http://frolicsinfrankenberg.blogspot.co.nz/

The Lemuel Gulliver Fellowship

(the 18th C. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen)
in London by the time of King George's War

From left to right:
Lemuel Gulliver,
Sir Percy Blakeney,
'Lady Blakeney' (Amber St. Clare) as 'the White Dove',
the Reverend Doctor Christopher Syn,
Fanny "Mana Peel" Hill,
Nathaniel "Hawkeye" Bumppo,
Orlando as the Chevalier d'Eon. 




(Updated) LINKS for those curious about Lacepulp (mid-18th C. Horror) and Lacepunk (mid-18th C. Sci-Fi)

Thoughts on 2012-2013

Well its that time of the year when after the hustle and bustle of Xmas and New Year doings are finally out of the way and I can sit back and reflect on how last year went and what my plans are for this one.

On a personal level 2012 was not one of my best years, but I guess every now and again one must expect a year where everything gets tipped in side out and 2012 did that for me.
As far as wargaming went I think it was a better year, I made a few new friends, reinforced some older ones and finally became a committed blogger.
Of course the Mayan's didnt help, because they resorted to threatening to end the world I had to take time out to pack my remaining armies up and have them ready in case the this world ends and I end up joining you lot in the next, at least I would have had a head start on having an army. But knew they got that wrong when I woke up the day after the world ended and I was still laying in a casket lined with little lead men, quite silly really.

I have finally decided to challenge my reluctance to resume painting figures and that is purely because of the very good friends I have made both over the web and in person regarding the two blogs I run. As some of you are aware I have early parkinson's disease and that has created problems with shaking hands, this frustrated me so much that I eventually swore of painting any more.

However in creating the Vales of Lyndhurst (Vales of Lyndhurst blog) this has awakened the desire for me to get back into big battalions and Charles Grant type rules rules. Speaking of rules Archduke Piccolo sent me a copy of his Horse and Musket rules and I am a convert to them.

For readers of my Vales of Lyndhurst I must apologise for the recent large text postings in regards to events that are occurring in England and Lyndhurst. The reliance on  large text posts is deliberate in that I want to hurry the story along so that I can get it near to the point where County's start mobilising their military units and the wargaming (hobby) aspect can take over from the heavy writing.
I am not a fan of situations where one morning Duke X woke up, had a bad cup of tea which only darkened his already foul mood so he decided to invade bloggerville by midday just because.
I like to cover the why's and where for, and even though its a imagi nation I really wanted the Vales of Lyndhurst to have some slight relevance to reality and some history.

However in another two or 3 postings I will have the storyline up to where I can leave it to just tick over as the Knights and Lords begin their military posturing's. That will allow me to spend less time thinking about the story and the subsequent writing and more on trying to paint a new army.
Because of the painting issues it will take some time to create a reasonable force but my fellow wargaming buddies Ion (Archduke Piccolo) and Paul (where the hell is your blog Paul) have kindly suggested I can borrow some of their units if I need them, this will at least allow me to keep the storyline ticking over.

In regard to where my personal life goes in 2013, well I am hoping for the better. I am due to go back into hospital for surgery in a month or 2 so once that is out of the way I intend to look for a new house and get back into gardening and of course continue wargaming.
I have been looking for a house but it seems that trying to find a house with a wargaming type den in earthquake broken Christchurch is quite difficult, at least finding one that doesn't require me to raise a mortgage the size of the national debt is at least.

I wish to thank all of you for your absolutely great blogs, they have certainly made interesting reading and sparked some new life into a tired old wargamer, in particular I want to thank the readers of both the Rechburg ( The Herzogtum von rRchburg) and the Vales of Lyndhurst  for staying the course with me and to send each and all of you the highest regards and hopes for 2013.