We Turned Sharp Practice into a Big Battle

The latest video on the channel takes a look behind the scenes of our award-winning participation game based on the Battle of the Berezina, one of the defining actions of Napoleon's disastrous 1812 Retreat from Moscow. Rather than simply showing the finished table, the video explores the thinking behind the project and how we adapted Sharp Practice 2 to recreate a much larger battle than the rules were originally designed for.

The Battle of the Berezina has always appealed as a wargaming subject because it combines dramatic history with challenging tabletop decisions. As the remnants of the Grande Armée struggled to escape across temporary bridges over the freezing Berezina River, the French rearguard fought desperately to delay the advancing Russians while thousands of soldiers and civilians tried to reach safety. It is a battle defined by sacrifice, desperate heroism and impossible choices, making it ideal for narrative gaming.

Bringing that history to life required much more than simply painting figures. The project combined miniatures from several manufacturers, custom-built river sections and bridges, carefully researched terrain, and months of planning to produce a table that reflected both the history and the atmosphere of the campaign. Participation games demand a balance between visual impact and enjoyable gameplay, so every decision had to serve both purposes.

Perhaps the greatest challenge came from the rules. We chose to modify Sharp Practice 2 to cope with battalion-sized formations. Senior commanders activated groups of units instead of individuals, the Force Morale system was extended to create a slower-burning but more dramatic collapse, and several historical special rules captured the unique personalities and circumstances of the campaign. Marshal Ney inspired nearby troops, Jean-Baptiste Eblé accelerated bridge repairs, Cossacks terrorised broken formations, and streams of exhausted French stragglers became moving obstacles that influenced both movement and morale.

The result was a game that remained recognisably Sharp Practice while successfully handling a much larger battle. Although turns naturally took longer, the battle developed exactly the sort of momentum hoped for, beginning with mounting tension before accelerating into a dramatic conclusion.

The project also demonstrated one of the great strengths of participation games. They are not simply opportunities to display painted miniatures but a way of sharing history, discussing rule ideas, meeting fellow hobbyists and encouraging conversations throughout the day. Receiving the show's Best in Show award was a wonderful surprise, but perhaps even more rewarding were the many discussions with visitors who stopped to ask questions, roll dice and share their own enthusiasm for historical wargaming.

Best in Show at Broadside 2026

The Posties Rejects were back at the Broadside Wargames Show today, hosted by the Milton Hundreds Wargaming Club. Broadside has become a regular fixture in our calendar and we make a point of putting on a participation game every year. We all take turns bringing games to the show, and this year it was Ray and I who had the pleasure of collaborating on a project that has occupied a great deal of our hobby time over the last couple of years.

Today we finally got our 28mm Retreat from Moscow collection onto the table in all its wintery glory. Even better, at the end of the day we were absolutely delighted to be awarded Best in Show. Needless to say, we're both over the moon.

The Battle of Berezina, November 1812

Our game recreated part of the Battle of Berezina, fought between 26 and 29 November 1812 during the catastrophic retreat of Napoleon's Grande Armée from Russia.

To understand why Berezina became such a desperate struggle, we need to go back to June 1812 when Napoleon launched his invasion of Russia. Around 600,000 men crossed the frontier in what remains one of the largest military operations in history. The intention was to force Russia back into compliance with the Continental System and strengthen French dominance across Europe.

The Russians, however, refused to fight the decisive battle Napoleon wanted. Instead, they retreated deeper into their vast territory, destroying food, supplies and shelter as they went. The strategy forced the French to advance ever further from their supply lines while finding less and less to live on.

The two armies finally met at Borodino on 7 September. The battle was a French tactical victory, but it came at an enormous cost, with roughly 70,000 casualties suffered between the two sides in a single day. More importantly, the Russian army survived intact and withdrew in good order.

A week later Napoleon entered Moscow expecting Tsar Alexander I to seek terms. Instead, much of the city was destroyed by fire and the Tsar refused to negotiate. After waiting more than a month in the ruins, Napoleon finally ordered a retreat. What followed was one of history's great military disasters.

Forced back along the same devastated route his army had already stripped bare, Napoleon's troops faced starvation, disease, exhaustion, relentless Cossack attacks and an unusually early Russian winter. By mid-November the remnants of the Grande Armée had reached Smolensk only to discover that its supplies were already exhausted. Worse still, several Russian armies were converging to cut off their escape.

The Crossing of the Berezina

By late November Napoleon's army found itself trapped against the Berezina River. The main bridge at Borisov had been seized by Russian forces under Admiral Pavel Chichagov, while other Russian armies closed in from different directions. The situation looked hopeless.

Napoleon responded with one of the most impressive deception operations of his career, convincing the Russians that he intended to cross further south. Meanwhile, French engineers identified a crossing point near the village of Studienka.

Under the leadership of General Jean-Baptiste Eblé, several hundred Dutch pontonniers entered the freezing, ice-filled water and constructed two temporary bridges. Working chest-deep in near-impossible conditions, they made the crossing possible at the cost of their own lives. Most would die from exposure and hypothermia in the days that followed. As French troops crossed the river, Russian forces attacked from both sides.

On the western bank, Marshals Oudinot and Ney fought desperately to keep the escape route open. On the eastern bank, Marshal Victor's IX Corps formed a rearguard and held off the advancing Russians while tens of thousands of stragglers, wounded soldiers and civilians struggled towards the bridges. It was this desperate eastern-bank action that we chose to recreate at Broadside.

The fighting was brutal. Artillery pounded the French positions while Victor's outnumbered troops fought to buy time for those attempting to escape. By the morning of 29 November, Napoleon ordered the bridges destroyed to prevent pursuit. Thousands who had failed to cross were abandoned to their fate.

Although Napoleon escaped, the cost was horrific. Between 20,000 and 25,000 French combat troops were lost, along with perhaps another 20,000 stragglers who were killed, captured or drowned. Russian losses were also severe, but they had failed to achieve their ultimate objective of trapping Napoleon himself.

The crossing saved the Emperor and his surviving officer corps, but the Grande Armée was effectively destroyed. Of the approximately 600,000 men who had marched into Russia in June, fewer than 40,000 effective soldiers emerged from the campaign six months later. It remains one of the greatest military catastrophes in history.

The Game

For the game itself we used our collection of 28mm Napoleonic miniatures to recreate the desperate struggle on the eastern bank of the Berezina.

The figures are primarily from Perry Miniatures and Front Rank Miniatures, supplemented by miniatures from Wargames Foundry, North Star, Essex and Murawski Miniatures. The ruined buildings are from Charlie Foxtrot Models, now part of the Blotz range.

One of the centrepieces of the table was the Berezina itself. Special thanks must go to Last Valley, who produced the river sections and bridge to our specifications and helped bring the battlefield to life.

Rules-wise, we used a large-battle adaptation of Sharp Practice. Rather than activating individual Groups, we activated entire Brigades, allowing the game to flow more smoothly while still retaining the character and decision-making that makes Sharp Practice such an enjoyable set of rules.

The result was exactly what we had hoped for: a visually impressive table, a game that played well throughout the day, and plenty of opportunities to talk to visitors about both the history and the hobby.

A Wonderful End to the Day

Putting on a display game always involves a considerable investment of time and effort. There are miniatures to paint, terrain to build, research to undertake, rules to adapt and countless practical details to organise before a single dice is rolled. That's part of the fun, of course, but it makes recognition from fellow gamers especially rewarding. So to be awarded Best in Show was a fantastic surprise and a wonderful way to end the day.

Many thanks to the Milton Hundreds Wargaming Club for hosting another excellent Broadside show, to everyone who stopped by the table to chat, ask questions or roll a few dice, and to all the traders, clubs and participants who helped make the event such an enjoyable day. As for the Rejects, we're already discussing what we might bring next year. Though for the moment, we're still enjoying the glow of a hard-earned win.

The Battle of Rivoli 1797 - Posties Rejects demo game at Broadside 2025

Yesterday I posted my photo review of the Broadside Wargames Show, which took place in Gillingham, Kent over the weekend. Posties Rejects were there in force to put on our annual demo game at the show. This year, we presented the Battle of Rivoli, 1797. I say 'we' but in actual fact it was entirely the work of Richard, a fellow member of Postie’s Rejects. He painted all the figures, built the terrain, designed the scenario and acted as umpire for an epic clash that wasn’t just a visual treat but a historically rich and tactically engaging experience for the players and onlookers alike. Check out my short video of the game for a close-up look at the miniatures and all of Richard's hard work. 

The battle he recreated, the Battle of Rivoli, was fought on January 14–15, 1797, during Napoleon Bonaparte’s first Italian campaign in the War of the First Coalition. Near the village of Rivoli Veronese in northern Italy, Napoleon’s Army of Italy faced a significant Austrian force under the command of Feldzeugmeister Jozsef Alvinczi. The Austrians were attempting to break the siege of Mantua, which had been under French pressure for months. Their plan involved a multi-pronged attack through the mountainous terrain north of Verona, with the hope of catching Napoleon’s forces by surprise and forcing them to retreat. However, what followed was one of Napoleon’s most famous early victories.

The French, numbering approximately 22,000 troops, occupied high ground near the Rivoli Plateau. Despite being outnumbered, Napoleon's mastery of terrain, timing, and tactical concentration enabled his smaller force to hold firm and repel around 28,000–30,000 Austrian troops. The Austrians attacked in multiple columns, hoping to converge on the French position, but coordination issues and the rugged terrain made this difficult. Napoleon reacted quickly, reinforcing critical points of the line and using his artillery to great effect. By the second day of the battle, French reinforcements under Generals Joubert and Masséna arrived, overwhelming the fragmented Austrian columns and forcing a general retreat. Austrian casualties numbered over 14,000, while the French lost around 5,000. The victory at Rivoli secured Napoleon’s control of northern Italy and led to the surrender of Mantua shortly afterwards, effectively ending Austria’s hopes of reclaiming the region.

For the demo game, Richard chose to represent the armies and battlefield in 6mm using laser-cut MDF miniatures from Commission Figurines. These figures, painted entirely by Richard himself, allowed for sweeping, realistic unit formations and gave the game an epic scale that larger figures often struggle to capture. The entire battlefield, terrain, and all the models on the table were part of Richard’s personal collection. He not only painted every figure and built the terrain from scratch, but also designed the scenario to reflect the key historical dynamics of the real battle. He also acted as umpire during several test games in the lead-up to Broadside, refining the balance and ensuring historical accuracy, and also ran the game on the day with help from other members of the Rejects.

The rules used for this demo were Volley & Bayonet, a well-established system ideal for large-scale battles like Rivoli. We have played these rules many times and have found them ideal for recreating large Napoleonic battles. The 6mm scale figures were especially effective for conveying the scope of the battle. With large brigades represented by compact but detailed bases, visitors to the show were able to appreciate the overall flow of the battle in a way that just wouldn't have been possible in larger scales. The terrain included rolling ridgelines, the Adige River valley, and the key plateau where the French made their stand. Everything was constructed and painted to a high standard, with Richard’s craftsmanship receiving frequent praise from passers-by. And many attendees commented on how effective 6mm MDF miniatures can be for portraying big battles when painted and based well, as these were. 

The game was a gripping and dynamic experience for those that took part. I spent most of the game circling the table and speaking to visitors ('working' the crowd😆) while several members of the group focused on the ebb and flow of the game.  In the version we played at Broadside, the Austrians once again struggled to coordinate their attacks effectively, though they managed a strong push on one flank before French reinforcements and the uncanny dice rolling skills of Chris dashed their hopes. 

Broadside Wargames Show 2025: Show Photo Review

Join me for a photo review of the 2025 Broadside Wargames Show, hosted by the Milton Hundreds Wargames Club in Gillingham, Kent. This popular annual tabletop wargaming event continues to grow in size and reputation, drawing gamers, traders, and clubs from across the UK. Although this is a partial photo review—as I was busy running a game with Postie’s Rejects—you’ll still get a glimpse of the stunning demo games, passionate wargamers, and bustling trader stalls that made the show so memorable.

Whether you're into historical miniatures, sci-fi skirmish games, or just love the energy of UK wargames conventions, Broadside is fast becoming a must-visit event in the tabletop gaming calendar. From detailed terrain layouts to beautifully painted armies, there’s plenty of inspiration here for miniature painters and wargame enthusiasts alike.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more tabletop wargaming content, show reviews, and behind-the-scenes looks at events from a gamer’s perspective. 

#Broadside2025 #TabletopWargaming #WargamesShow #MiniatureWargaming #UKWargamingEvents

Broadside Wargames Show - Meet the Rejects

Posties Rejects are running a demo game at the Broadside Wargames Show in Gillingham this Saturday, 8th June 2024. We have been running games at this event for many years and this time it's Ray's turn to put in a game. We have had a couple of practice games recently and a very nice-looking game for visitors to see. I don't want to give away too much at this point, but Ray has put together a lovely-looking game which tells the story of what is often called the only successful slave revolt in history. Here's a sneak peak, but check out this post on Ray's Blog for more details. 

If you're in the Medway area next Saturday, or within driving distance, please pop along to this great little show and come and say hello. 

Broadside 2023: Posties Rejects Smugglers on the Kent coast

The Broadside Wargames Show at Gillingham is our 'local' show and Posties Rejects always run a demo game at this event. For 2023 we put on a fictitious clash between Government troops and smugglers somewhere on the Kent coast. A few days ago I posted a video of the show featuring our game and a short slideshow of the other games at Broadside. The quality of the games was very high this year and despite the rising heat during the day, everyone seemed to be having a great time. We were busy with visitors all day long and had a really excellent day. 

Skirmish at Francis Bay - June 10th 1784

Smugglers on the Kentish Coast by Posties Rejects

“Smuggler.—A wretch who, in defiance of the laws, imports or exports goods without payment of the customs.” Dr. Johnson

Kent is a perfect location for smugglers. Close to France, with good transport links to London and with gently sloping beaches making landing goods easy. Smuggling is as old as taxation itself but in the 18th century high import taxes on goods such as silks, brandy, tobacco, and tea were highly prized by so-called ‘free traders’. And with plenty of wealthy customers to service, there was a lot of money to be made for those that could avoid being caught.

One group of smugglers that would have been well-known in the local area was the North Kent Gang. They operated in areas like Chalk, Gravesend, Reculver, and Ramsgate. During the 1780’s they brought their contraband ashore and stashed it in caves near Margate. Initially, trade was small, supplementing low incomes, but eventually the ‘business’ grew into what would now be called an organized crime network. Violence was soon being employed to ‘protect’ the business and clashes with law officers or revenue men were common. In Gravesend where our group meet, the Three Daws Pub is a famous smugglers' den, and at one time there were tunnels from the pub up into the town so that contraband could be moved without being seen.

The game portrayed today is a fictitious encounter, but may still have been an occurrence many times in reality, as the government tries to stop the smuggling operations. Our game is set on the South coast of Kent, hence the white cliffs. Various locals have gathered to await the arrival of their goods from France which unfortunately have arrived late due to a swell in the channel. So, as the French fishing vessel lands on the beach with barrels of Brandy, silks, and various other goods the sun is just starting to peak over the horizon. This is not good for the smugglers as they will have to unload all the goods in the early morning sunshine. A very dangerous time to be moving contraband indeed. A local snitch has decided to make some money on the side and has informed the local government forces of a landing in the area. As they search along the coast they spot a group of men and women behaving suspiciously close by on the cliff tops. Let the game commence!

French Foreign Legion: Beau Hunks - A Posties Rejects Demo Game

A few days ago I posted my pictures from the Broadside Wargames Show and revealed a few pictures of the Posties Rejects demo game, Beau Hunks. As promised here is a video telling the story of this game from conception to completion. I've also had a few requests for some background information and I have tried to share as much of it as I can here today. Where I have used material from other sites I have included links so you can go see the original documents. In addition, I have a bunch of material saved on Google Drive and I'll put links to shared files below. If these don't work and you want me to send anything (such as the QRS or the Beau Hunks rules) please let me know using the contact form on the right.

Hollywood meets History

Hollywood has given us many heroic and dramatic stories about the French Foreign Legion battling impossible odds in the Sahara. From several adaptions of P.C.Wrens novel Beau Geste to more comic depictions of the Legion such as Laurel and Hardy’s Beau Hunks, we have a romantic image of the steadfast and stoic Legionnaire. But as with all such stereotypes, the real story of the Légion étrangère and the French conquest of Algeria and Morocco is somewhat different. 

Fascination with the French Foreign Legion started long before Percival Christopher Wren’s novel Beau Geste was published in 1924. French troops in faraway exotic cities like Algiers & Oran to the almost semi-mythical Timbuktu could hardly fail to excite the imagination. But Wren's story of high adventure - set in pre-1914 French Algeria - took the romantic image to a new level, and it wasn’t long before the first screen adaption of his book was made in 1926 starring Ronald Coleman. Part of the success of the book was due to the detail of military life that Wren wove into his story, prompting unproven claims that he himself served in the Legion. A second adaptation of the story, starring Gary Cooper, was released in 1939 and this cemented the romantic image of the Foreign Legion in popular culture.  However, the real story of this period of French Colonial history is much more interesting. 

For much of the 19th Century, the government in Paris had been divided between liberals who saw no real need for expansion into North Africa and a conservative pro-colonization party that wanted land, no matter the cost. After the humiliation of the Franco-Prussian War, military adventurism in Europe was (for the time being at least) held in check and ambitious politicians and eager young officers looked outward for glory and career advancement opportunities. 

By 1871 much of northern Algeria had been pacified. The grazing and agricultural land of the ‘Tell’ had been confiscated and the Arab and Berber tribes had been displaced or subdued. But in the southern pre-Sahara, the situation was much more precarious. The notional border with the sovereign monarchy of Morocco was little more than an invisible line in the sand to the nomadic people of the region, and many on either side of that line owed religious allegiance to the Moroccan capital rather than to Algiers. As French authority began to be extended ever southward (following the progress of the Railroad) conflict was almost inevitable. In December 1899 French Irregulars occupied In-Salah, an oasis in the Touat group, and set in motion a chain of events that would make a wider conflict inevitable. 

French control of Algeria was maintained by the Armée d’Afrique. This consisted mostly of indigenous Arab or Berber volunteers as Mounted Spahis, Goumiers and Irregular infantry or Tirailleurs. These were supported by regiments of French settlers doing their military service (Zouaves and Chasseurs d'Afrique) and the non-French volunteers of the French Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère). It was not uncommon for officers in remote postings to overreact to minor incidents as a pretext for glory and the chance of promotion. And once these ‘French’ troops had taken a region, the government in Paris couldn’t abandon conquered territory without losing face. In this way, France acquired colonial conquests in a haphazard and unplanned fashion that has been described as an “orgy of military indiscipline”.

After the initial bloody occupation of the Touat, the tribes that had relied on trade with the region inevitably began to push back. The French occupiers had upset the delicate economics of the Sahara. To sustain their military forces the Armée d’Afrique was forced to transport vast amounts of supplies to a region that could barely support the local population, let alone their new European masters. This necessitated the acquisition of tens of thousands of camels, up to 40% of which died on the long treks south. For many Berbers, the majority of their personal wealth was invested in their camels. The requisitioning of animals lost to poor handling and often without adequate compensation, was a ruinous policy for many. In addition, the water of the Oasis chain could not sustain all the extra troops and camels, so the French sunk artesian wells which lowered the water table, simultaneously drying out the ground and creating stagnant disease-ridden pools on the surface. Little wonder that many of the indigenous population turned to raid as the only way to support their families. 

Through the first few years of the 20th Century, the classic ‘Beau Geste’ Legionnaire (white fatigues, blue-grey capote greatcoat, white covered and flapped Kėpi and armed with the Lebel 8mm repeater) saw regular action in the Touat and Sud-Oranais. Mostly this was dealing with hit and run raids but also on occasion, larger actions against large well organised Harkas several thousand strong. The Legion suffered its share of losses but a combination of mounted companies, and hard fighting pushed the Arabs and Berbers into exile or into submission. 

Between 1904-7 BrigGen Lyautey was given increasing freedom of action with French military posts pushed further and further westwards, even across the debatable border into Morocco. On two occasions he reported the creation of recon outposts (soon to become permanent forts) using unmapped local names to conceal how far west he had pushed. Thus he ignored the official policy of the Foreign Ministry in Paris by shaping policy on the ground. Meanwhile, the rail line moved ever further south and west eventually, reaching Bechar in 1905. This supplied operations in the region for many years to come and solidified French control of this previously contested land. 

With French incursions into Morocco, the Sultan began to face growing anti-french sentiment but was impotent to do anything about it. Corruption, lack of money and incompetence made the problem worse, eventually putting Europeans living in the major cities in danger. The French were eventually ‘forced’ to react, occupying Casablanca in 1907. This increased Arab anger both at the French and the Sultan, eventually resulting in a rival Sultan being proclaimed and a call for Jihad against the French. The Arabs were eventually defeated but by the end of 1908 the Sultan had abdicated, his wannabe usurper was dead, and Morocco was firmly on the road to becoming a French Protectorate.  

The Beau Hunks Rules:

Needless to say, Laurel & Hardy can't be killed and won't have any offensive capability in the game. They are here for purely comic value. They will move around the table in much the same way as other units, just at the end of the French turn, as a final move by the French player. 

The aim is for Laurel & Hardy to travel around the table visiting as many French Officers as possible (ie they have to end their move in base to base contact). Each officer can only be visited once during the game. Laurel & Hardy have a movement rate of 8", and can move through French units at no penalty. Berber units block movement, although the pair's presence on the table does not hinder movement for any unit (ie units of both sides can move across them) 

Whenever L&H end their movement in contact with an officer one of the players (or guest) around the table will draw 2 Chance Cards. There are three types of cards in the Chance deck:

• Jeanie-Weenie Cards - Pictures of the unfaithful heartbreaker, each dedicated to a different lover! Laurel & Hardy will gain Victory Points for each Jennie-Weenie card collected and if they get enough to win the game Hardy decides she wasn’t worth it after all and they get out of the Foreign Legion. 

• 
  Slapstick Cards describe various ridiculous events caused by the bumbling heroes. Some of these cards are just comic descriptions, but a handful has a limited effect on a single unit or officer in the game. These cards will be evenly subdivided into French Cards and Berber Cards. The opposing player gets to decide which enemy unit is affected. Some cards are immediate, but for those which indicate an effect in the following action phase, place the card by the officer as a reminder and remove it from the table once the action has been taken. 

• Event Cards - Rare but significant events that affect all the units on the table.

Laurel and Hardy will gain Victory Points for each Jeanie-Weenie card found and could, potentially be declared the winners of the game, leaving the players to contest second and third place!

Recommended Historical Reading List:

The Conquest of the Sahara
Douglas Porch (Farrar, Straus & Giroux 1984)

Our Friends Beneath the Sands
Martin Windrow (Weidenfeld & Nicolson 2010)

Uniforms of the French Foreign Legion
Martin Windrow (Blandford Press 1981)

The French Foreign Legion 1872-1914 Men-at-Arms Series No.461
Martin Windrow (Osprey 2010)

French Foreign Legionnaire 1890-1914 Warrior Series No.157
Martin Windrow (Osprey 2011)

Files for download: 

I have several files to share from my Google Drive, click the links to open them and you should be able to download a copy. There also links to external sites where I found other useful downloads. 

• Show Leaflet
• TMWWBK's Quick Reference Sheet
• Unit Block Labels
• Beau Hunks Card Deck
• Askari Miniatures Guide to North African Dress (pdf file)
• French Foreign Legion Uniform Guide by 1898 Miniatures
• How to Paint French Foreign Legion by 1898 Miniatures
• French Foreign Legion Organisation Charts 1900-1914
• The Tuareg-Wanderers of the Desert (from Swiss Air Gazzette 1984)

Broadside Show Report 2022

A very quick video from today's Broadside Games Show. This is one of our favourite shows in the South East and the one where we usually run a demo game. Our game did rather well this year but I'll do a bigger video on that later in the week. This very short video features pictured of the games on display today. 

Beau Hunks: Hollywood meets History

I thought I would drop a sneak peek of a game the Rejects played over the weekend. For several years now we have run a Demonstration game at the Broadside Wargames Show (formerly in Sittingbourne, now in Gillingham, Kent). The last Broadside was in December 2021 and Richard ran an excellent French Revolution game using his own set of rules (see article and video HERE). Then the baton was passed to me to come up with a game for this year's Show, just six months later! Anyone that has followed this blog, or my YouTube Channel Miniature Adventures TV, will know that I have been working on French Foreign Legion in 15mm as my project for the show. 

So on Sunday, the Rejects gathered in the Shed-o-War for the first and only test playthrough of the battle I will be running as our demo game on the day. Five players gathered around the table as a Berber force attempted to ambush a Company of French Foreign Legionnaires as they returned to their lonely desert fort, somewhere in Algeria. The game itself is fictional but is based on the sort of raiding and patrolling that took place across the region in the first decade of the 20th Century.

Hollywood has given us many heroic and dramatic stories about the French Foreign Legion battling impossible odds in the Sahara. From several adaptions of P.C.Wrens novel Beau Geste to more comic depictions of the Legion such as Laurel and Hardies’ Beau Hunks, we have a romantic image of the steadfast and stoic Legionnaire. But as with all such stereotypes, the real story of the Légion étrangère and the French conquest of Algeria and Morocco is somewhat different.

For the Demo Game, I will actually be running two sets of rules (yes folks, two for the price of one!). The main battle uses The Men Who Would Be Kings as the base ruleset with a handful of minor rules tweaks for this game. Overlaying this is an entirely silly (and deliberately comic) card-driven game featuring the legendary comedy duo, Laurel and Hardy. They must move around the table looking for evidence of the infidelity of Ollie's unfaithful heartbreaker, Jeenie-Weenie. Whenever they encounter a French Officer, someone will draw two cards from the Beau Hunks inspired deck of chance cards. Some of these cards affect one side or the other, some just affect Laurel and Hardy and a few a more general Event cards. All feature comic scenes from the film Beau Hunks and their other films. If you happen to be passing our demo game at the show, expect to be roped in to draw the cards, sing one of the Duo's theme songs or do a little dance! 

It's not all silly, of course, I have also produced a short leaflet talking about the history of the period, comparing it to the glamorous and romantic image of the Legion portrayed by Hollywood. There will be a small display of pictures maps and other information for anyone wanting to research the period for themselves and there are even a few "test your knowledge panels" to see who knows their movie history and the history of the Legion. 

So, back to the practice game.... A big thank you to Ray (of Don't Thow a One fame) for sharing these pictures. I was so busy running things I didn't take any pictures at all! The session on Sunday was really useful because it gave me some much-needed practice umpiring a game with a rowdy (but good-natured) bunch of gamers. It also revealed several small mistakes with the QRS I was using and threw up a useful to-do list of minor changes I want to make for the Demo game itself. 

That's it for now, more will be revealed on the day. It goes without saying that we would love it if you could come along and see our efforts at Broadside on the 4th of June at the Medway Park Sports Centre, ME7 1HF. 

Broadside Show 2021

Posties Rejects went to the Broadside Show on Saturday at its new venue in Gillingham. We had an excellent day and ran a long overdue Demo game - The Battle of Montenotte (12 April 1796). This was Napoleons first Battle as Commander in Chief, so quite early in his career. We had a lot of engagement from the public which was absolutely fantastic and kept us busy right up to the end of the day.

I also shot a few photos of the other games but we were so busy that I literally had to run around the hall in the last hour or so. 

Broadside 2019 - Rejects go Red!

The sports hall filled up quickly and stayed busy most of the day; the company was friendly with wargame regulars rubbing shoulders with families who popped in having been to the pool next door; the club demo games covered a wide range of periods and were generally of a high calibre. This could describe every Broadside Wargames Show we have attended over the years and Sunday's event was equally good as any we have been too before. A small but very friendly show with great games and a good selection of traders.

Posties Rejects have sort of adopted this as our 'local show' and put on a demo here every year. This time it was Ray's turn to devise a game and we were able to have two goes at his recreation of the Battle of Killiecrankie. Not only did we put on our annual demo game but this year saw us 'rebranded' with new Red polo shirts. Black seems to be the colour of preference for the majority of people attending these shows and we sort of merged into the background with our old black polo shirts. Now there is no denying we stand out!

Running a demo can best be described as exhausting fun, and we were all shattered by the end of the day. We had gathered at Posties at 7am to load up the cars and were at the venue by the time the doors opened to exhibitors about 8am. Once we had set up we all had a brief chance to look around the traders and club games before we started on our demo. Interest seemed to be high and we had several detailed conversations with experienced gamers interested in the period we were playing or the rules we used. We also had several family groups pass by and the kids seemed to enjoy the colourful figures we had on display.

Setting up before the show started. The terrain was all items we use for our regular games and Ray used a lot of it for this scenario.

With visitors beginning to arrive we got started on the first of two games. Ray and Postie umpired and handled all the 'admin' while Richard and Surjit played against Dave and John. I was nominally helping the latter pair play the Jacobites but I was so busy talking to visitors they got little assistance from me. 

There was a good selection of traders at the show this year but we were so busy with our game that we didn't really get a proper look around. I still managed to get a good book on the campaigns of Alexander the great and some modelling supplies, as well as another T-Shirt from Art of War. I also didn't get much time to look at the other games but did snatch five minutes to whiz around and snap a few pictures.

Corsair vs Mustang - Dogfight ‘69 (Participation) by Maidstone Wargames Society

The Colonel’s Jammed and the Gatling’s Dead (Demonstration) by S.E.E.M.S

War in Middle Earth (Demonstration) by Shepway Wargames Club - Winner of best Game in Show

Trophy Hunting in the Lost Valley (Participation) by Friday Night Fire Fight

A Song of Ice & Fire (Demonstration) by Medway Wargames Society

Star Wars Legion (Demonstration) by Emotionally 14

Assault on Cap D’Enfola - Elba 1944 (Demonstration) by Deal Wargames Society

Flames of War ‘Late War’ reveal (Demonstration) by Battlefront Miniatures

Kill Team (Demonstration) by The Emperor’s 10th Games Club

There were also a selection of Boardgames for Participation being run so all in all a wide selection of games and genres. 

I didn't get much time to wander and join in, but that's only because we were so busy with our game. As always we had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed running a demo game and meeting so many nice people. We were all exhausted by the time we got back to Posties and unpacked. We had a quick cuppa and a post-show chat then I decided to hit the road home. Unfortunately, instead of my usual, 35-minute drive took over two hours due to an accident in one of the Dartfort tunnels, so by the time I got home I just slumped on the sofa, utterly spent. Still, there's worse ways to spend a Sunday.