God is Belgian or I rather watch "Le tout nouveau testament"...

They forced me to play with naked men and Belgians in bathrobes!

It was ancients Romans against (Belgian) Celts with the magnificent rules "To the Strongest", which is based on a card driven game engine ...  developing their strategems on battle field divided into squares!!! Two of my pet hates!

And as well similar to colonial games,the Romans were all well drilled veterans (all of them) while the rabble (i.e. naked Belgians) were just that. Sounds like a football game to me. At least the set up/scenario had the same complexity.

So Campbell, Angus and Bart played the civilised Carpenters-warriors while me, Peter and Ken hold up the mistletoe for all the savages east of the Rhine!

First Bart attacked with his Cavalry (sorry, horses with Roman allies on it) and failed and then we hacked see-saw like at each other. I even tried to do a flank attack .. ooouuh bad, and stand there for them Romans to take ... but in the end we had the better mayonnaise!  - and we drowned them in it!

(I vow to paint Ancient Germans if anyone sponsors me the plastics and I have never to read these rules!) I'm aware that there is no such a thing as Frederician flank moves in the ancients, but squares ... really? ...

Donec aliter provideatur ...

The set up -  the Roman pointing towards the culprits (later catholic tradition in paintings)

the Roman line 

The Belgian Celts 

Naked men

More naked men and some in bath robes

My "haufen", rotte, my warbands 

Campbells Roman Legionaire Veterans opposing me

The centre of the Belgians 

The finger of defeat pointing at the (soon to be)victors 

the Centre were Peter  pressed Angus‘ Romans

My decimated flank next to a penthouse somewhere near Flanders

Still my Celts are attacking ...

more attacking (and dying)

first continental ancient attempt of an ceilidh 

my last unit after annihilating their opponents and forcing the Romans to break morale

More Renaissance!!! Aut picturae, aut nihil!

Nothing much going on in the club as some crusaders and some WW2 so ... As promised, some of my latest Renaissance try at a somewhat Borgia body guard, which I envisaged as some sort of highly over fitted sword and buckler man with Borgia "heraldry" (oxymoron as they just invented themselves) much of a style mix between War of the Roses fashion and the new Landsknecht (Northern renaissance) influences. The miniatures are from the Perry Brothers, the flags and the shield design are by myself and the buildings are from the late but great Michael Scott available on the forthcoming CLAYMORE here in Edinburgh on the 5th of August ... see you there!

Achtzehn OH! Nein! Oh, all cut dead!

Warning this battle rap is unfair:
 First, you got to listen to a Jesus and the Mary Chain song, to get into the mood of the battle, (copyrights with the artist of course),  please listen:
https://youtu.be/MFkOpBmpfIs

What can I say ... Angus came up with a scenario found at a dried up river bed near Aberdeen and a reason to show up his nearly camouflage-like painted Russian and Swabian (Würtemberger) 28mm Napoleonics. So we used the "Over the Hills" rules (which are very fine by the way). Me and Peter and Angus played the surrounding Russians outnumbering some 11 units of Würtemberger played by Campbell and MDF Mike (the one from the 1809 blog). And then we rolled who‘s first ... the Russian won –  and that was it. We moved one turn, and then I went to the bar for drinks for everybody and when I came back, the Germans were defeated already. I guess Angus just rolled them up and charged into their artillery ...

As I said near a dried up river bed next to Aberdeen .... or worse ...

here are some pictures .... I bow my head to Campbell and Mike to endure that turkey shooting ...

but still we won so ...

so at last, you got to listen to a Misfits song, to get into the mood of winning the shooting, (copyrights with the artist of course),  please listen:
https://youtu.be/9MDOKVSN_YM

" ...ooh baby, when you cry, your face is momentary ... "

Obscure Alternatives

This evening we met to test the General d‘Armee, also to see, if it would be any good for the Seven Years War. Angus umpired along MDF Michael played the Hessian Adjutant ... I was to play the Hessians first, but Bart was moaning after the 1st turn, that it was impossible to win and so I offered to switch -  so I ended up to play the French, well alors, merci for the house numbers and eau the cologne!

I just played very christian and hold my left and right cheek to my enemy (my cavalry and my best Grenadiers (die Garde!) to block Barts shooting my train.
To cut it short due to abysmal and phenomenal dicing - it worked. My baggage train reached over the hills my troops and cavalry were storming out of the small town "Siegen" ... but it was already 10 o‘clock so Angus (the undulating umpire) spelled it a draw – Ha! Nothing is impossible if you fight against Hessians! (AWI experience ...) ...

As for the rules, I think they work for Napoleonics (very well), and they have some nice smooth engine innovation, but I can't see them for the Seven Years War just right now. The brigade thing is just sooo different form the lines ... well sorry personal opinion ...

.. as an EXTRA some WIP pics ... of my Renaissance minis to come ....

The small depressive town called Siegen ("winning")

My Hessian all Grenadiers (borrowed AWI von Rall‘s)

Getting the baggage train from right to left (to Siegen) and The French will win

My Hessians are pouring down the hills: Get the train!

The v. Knyphausen (AWI) posing as probably v. Knyphausens ...

The French Garde (Grenadiers) will hold the line!

While the  train sneaks past behind them

And heading for the main hill the town can see the train is coming !!! 

Angus‘ Frenchies opposing MDF Mikes Hessians 

there in the Woods MDF Michael  comes forward ... 

"Die Gare stirbt, aber sie ergibt sich nicht!" Old Colognian carneval quote!

The train passes but no break - they loving it!

Uphill with the mules the town is in sight!

Finally the train passed - now the "Garde" can die ...

But there are new Hessians in the way blocking the street ... (MDF Mike‘s)

Finally Siegen stirs!! Was is schlimmer als verlieren? - Siegen!

Too late the road is blocked

A final 10 minute before 10 cavalry charge against a Napoleonic square  was failing ... OK its a draw!

George, Paul, John and Ringo

Some more plates for the ruthless Borgias ....

and yeees, there is more to come ... even on that base ....