Had a very good evening last night with Peeler, Richie and Dave trying to work out how to appropriate the Toy Soldier rules we have to be able to fight horse and musket era battles. It turned out to me more complicated than I thought it would be. The use of cavalry is going to need a lot of thought and play testing. There were quite a few issues with movement and melee but we tinkered about and have some ideas to try next time. We also had artillery and have some good game mechanisms for the use of shot and canister, these also need some more play testing. The most important element will be how bodies of troops move around in line formation, how many should be in formation and what effects will breaking up from formation and fighting as individuals would have on firepower. That probably needs to be the starting point and we can build everything else around that. We had a good game despite figuring things out as we went, I think this adds to the enjoyment sometimes. The day was won by the Confedaracy after making good use of massed infantry and a daring, if not slightly suicidal, cavalry charge into the main Union force at the start of the battle.
Extra hot jallypeenoes pizzas and pies were consumed. Peeler brought me some fantastic 1/32 WWII figures and some vehicle kits a Sherman and some Bren Carriers. The figures had in them the Italeri 75mm gun and the TSSD German Cavalry, which I didn't have! Also some Conte Germans that I haven't seen before. So lots of painting to do now. We will be at a couple of shows soon so hopefully will get the new figures done and ready for those.
First four done. I'm hoping to put on an Airborne wargame in December so painting many Airborne, British/Polish and American. I have the Airfix Horsa glider on order from Airfix through cashing in my Airfix Flying Hours tokens. I'm torn between using Rapid Fire rules or making some smaller scale rules from the Toy Soldier set? Have some ideas about rules for making the 'drop' itself that will add a lot of weather dependant uncertainty to it. Need to paint up some Fresh Germans too. I've been using quite small bases as with the Nam figures I have been doing, Italeri figures lend themselves well to this and it means they look good but can be crammed into small spaces for skirmishing in dug outs, buildings etc.
Done the first two, have three boxes of these to get through. Of all the new Airfix these have been the biggest let down, loads of mould flash and some dodgy figures. These two are the best and the skiers will come in handy. I plan on using my Comandos as Norweigians and the British infantry in Vaagso type raids.
