Silver Bayonet: Johnny Turk Finale

The last of the models for this mini-project are some Bashi-Bazouk cavalry, I've painted these up in the same scheme as the foot versions so they can be used to represent the same person mounted or dismounted.

That concludes all the models I've got for the squad in Silver Bayonet and should give plenty of options for building a balanced force.

Next up a four more Halo models to complete all of those that I have.

Silver Bayonet: Johnny Turk Part 2

In between the waves of extreme heat that have sapped any will to paint over the last couple of weeks I've managed to complete some more Turks for Silver Bayonet.

The first group are mostly holy men and mystic types with a halberdier and water carrier thrown in as well. As per my idea of painting each group of six in a different scheme these chaps are in a rather fetching purple colour.

The last of the infantry are European irregulars which I used Perry Bashi-Bazouk models for, I have in my mind that these chaps are more used to skirmishing so went with a more subdued colour scheme for them.

I have three matching cavalry for the Bashi-Bazouks which are currently part done and waiting for the temperature to dip. Once those are complete then the whole force will be done.

Silver Bayonet: Johnny Turk

A while back Mr T made a purchase of some new rules The Silver Bayonet for us to play. These are for a gothic horror skirmish game set during the Napoleonic wars. Mr T was keen to play the Russians so I had to have a look around for some opponents. As it happened the Perry brothers had just started to release a range for the Ottoman Turks of around the right period so I purchased a few packs to make up my team of investigators. The team sizes are only around 8 models but I purchased several packs to allow a nice variety of models to represent the various different classes available in the game. I don't think an Ottoman list has been released yet so I will probably need to play as a different nation.

I've opted to paint each pack with it's own uniform to add even more colour into the mix and they have been loosely based on the paint jobs on the Perry website. These are half of the infantry I have and then I also have three cavalry to paint up as well.

Napoleonic's: The Bank Job, part 1

For the final adventure in our Napoleonic campaign both sides have converged on the bandit stronghold with the intention of securing the pay-roll. The French have the cannon with which they can knock down the gate and pierce the house wall. We planned to play this game over 2 weeks and increased the points to 800 a side. 

The Spanish would shoot at the closest enemy within 24" on each clock card and needed to be cleared from the walls to stop them doing this.

Due to the number of troops on each side we deployed half the units we had on the table at the start and then would be able to bring on the rest once the 3rd clock card had been drawn.

Both sides left their cavalry off table and deployed their infantry with the aim to move towards the compound and also seize the wagon. The wagon could be used to transport the gold much faster than if it was being carried by hand.

The opening moves saw the French lay down accurate cannon fire that quickly breached the gate and then the house wall. The French line infantry also forged ahead with a series of rapid moves in column towards the compound whilst the British infantry was rooted to the spot.

This meant that a unit of French Grenadiers was first to enter the compound whilst other French Line units reached the wall running along the road whilst the British had barely left their starting posistion.

The French cleared one wall of defenders but took several causalities whilst doing so.

The French consolidated their position outside the compound but their shooting was largely ineffective as whilst they managed to score several hits on the British their powder must have been wet as they could not convert these into kills.

By this time the first three clock cards had been drawn and the off table troops started to move onto the table. The British line had also started to get into the action and they advanced towards the French lining the walls.

It was going to be a tough ask for the British to shift the French from their walls but they positioned themselves to unleash volley fire into the enemy.

The double volley didn't cause many casualties but the leading French unit's morale did waver and it retreated back from the wall closer to it's friends.

Further fire from the British Light's caused more French casualties and the Fusiliers retreated further back allowing the British to advance themselves.

On the British right the Light Dragoons had seen the French lining up their cannon to fire on the advancing line troops so they dashed into combat and put the French to flight. This did open them up to fire from the Voltigeurs massed on the French left who thinned their ranks.

In the compound things had turned to the worse for the French as Spanish fire started to take it's toll and the unsupported Grenadiers made a run for the exit.

On the French left more fire from the Voltigeurs emptied saddles and the Light Dragoons looked to be in very bad shape.

In the centre things looked better for the British as their infantry gained the wall along the road and their reinforcements started to arrive as well.

This is how the battle stood at the end of the session with all to play for still. The French have taken the greater casualties but neither side holds an objective so it's all still very much in the balance.

Napoleonic's: Escorting the Cannon

This week's battle saw the British trying to escort their cannon across the table in the face of stiff French resistance. The French had opted to field some extra Voltigeurs in place of their Hussars.

The opening moves of the encounter saw the French push their Grenadiers and Fusiliers towards the road with their Voltigeurs opening an ineffective fire.

The British pushed forwards with their infantry and as the French exited the woods their Light Dragoons entered the table behind them.

By this time the French had occupied the cover around the road and the way ahead looked tough going for the British.

On the right the Light Dragoons charged in against the Voltigeurs and sent them reeling.

A second charge proved more bloody for both sides with the lone Frenchman making for Paris. The nearby French Grenadiers then charged in.

This proved bloody for both sides as the Light Dragoons where wiped out but the Grenadiers also suffered numerous casualties.

The British Grenadiers finished them off as the cannon started to make progress down the road. The cannon escort had been picking off the Fusiliers who blocked the road.

The cannon made more progress as more French Fusiliers fell and things looked good for the British so they kept pushing on.

At this point the second unit of French Grenadiers decided to push on towards the road and leapt over the wall they had been sheltering behind. The normally reliable British Lights for once failed in their shooting.

This allowed the French Grenadiers a chance to shoot and they killed many British Lights and the rest fled. At the same time the French Fusiliers charged out and after a brief fight managed to take charge of the cannon.

This left the British with one unit close enough to try and recapture the cannon but with the light failing they could not catch up in time.

So the French managed to win their first encounter and seize control of the cannon which will be all important when it comes to taking the British pay chests from the Spanish bandits.

The French win moves them onto 6 VP's with the British on 15 VP's after Major Berkeley completed his objective to get into 2 melee's.