Waterloo 200th Anniversary (2)

Continuing on from Waterloo 200th Anniversary (1) the second re-fight was staged by our own Auckland Wargaming Club, here in Auckland on the 21 June 2015. The game was played in 6mm scale using Sam Mustafa’s ‘Grand Armee’ rules to facilitate the more sweeping view of the battle and assist in reducing the workload of producing the troops for the battle (there were still over 5,000 figures, in 1/300th scale, painted especially for this refight by several of the club’s members). Continue reading “Waterloo 200th Anniversary (2)”

Waterloo 200th Anniversary (1)

The 18 June 2015 is the 200th Anniversary of Waterloo, the battle – that along with Wavre on the same day – saw the final defeat of Napoleon and ushered in the ’50 years of peace’. Here in New Zealand there’s a couple of historical refights taking place to commemorate the battle. First up in Wellington on Saturday & Sunday 13-14 June there was a large 28mm scale re-fight at the Wellesley Club, then following on from that there was another 28mm refight at the Christchurch Wargaming Club on Saturday & Sunday 20-21 June, and our own re-fight here in Auckland, at the Auckland Wargaming Club, in 6mm scale on Sunday 21 June. Continue reading “Waterloo 200th Anniversary (1)”

A Spanish Village near Waterloo

In a Spanish Village somewhere between Quatre Bras and Waterloo, in Belgium, Napoleon’s advanced guard clashed with rearguard elements of Wellington’s retiring British & German allied force. My detachment of dragoons were in the vanguard of the returning Emperor’s advance, and had stopped for the evening in a strangely Spanish village not far from Quatre Bras, having pursued the English since the battle and the last mentioned place. We selected the village to billet in and establish pickets for the evening in anticipation of the arrival of the leading infantry elements of the following Corps. Unknown to us the English and their their new Allies had sent forth aggressive rear-guard patrols to the village with similar intent, and presumably hoping to deny us the village for the evening, setting the scene for a brisk late afternoon action! Continue reading “A Spanish Village near Waterloo”

The 95th Rifles’ Song of Drums and Shakos

Chosen Man Cooper followed by Riflemen Harris advance in the Song of Drums and Shakos game.
“Chosen Man” Cooper, followed by Riflemen Harris, takes a shot in the Song of Drums and Shakos game.

I’ve been giving some thought to skirmish gaming over the last year or so – it started with Fantasy, as I was looking for something to do with my collection of classic D&D (Dungeon’s & Dragons) RPG figures that I’ve collected over the years (some dating from the early 1980’s, others being more recent 2000 acquisitions after the release of 3rd Edition D&D tempted a (very) brief revisit to the P&P (Pen & Paper) RPG world), however the idea rapidly spread to Napoleonics (to use my assorted surplus figures from my Lasalle/SHAKO armies) and then it’s spread to thoughts of doing the F&IW (French & Indian War); and with the new releases by Empress Miniatures this year, the 19th Century New Zealand Wars!

Continue reading “The 95th Rifles’ Song of Drums and Shakos”