Wagon loads using Bad Squiddo scenic items

A while ago, I posted about a pair of wagons I put together, initially for Infamy, Infamy, one being an open cart that could carry various loads.

I also posted about the Bad Squiddo resin cargo items I had painted. So, I thought that I should put the two things together and put some cargo in the wagon.

I think that these look pretty good and suit pretty much any period, maybe even up to WW2, although in reality they will work best with Ancients, Mediaeval and Horse and Musket games.

A wagonload of barrels and other containers would be a terrific objective for an Escort scenario.

Another cart for the Romans

This one is more of a strongbox on wheels, ideal for transporting valuables, such as the salarium paid to the cohort.

This is another 4Ground MDF kit, that I bought from North Star, and it is another nice model. The draught oxen is, once again by Front Rank. 

I decided that this cart should be finished in a more impressive colour, befitting its importance and therefore I used Windsor and Newton Deep Red drawing ink.

This particular model is probably somewhat anachronistic in style, but it has a certain style about it. It is certainly going to see action in other settings too.

A cart for my Romans

This is something that is required for one of the Infamy, Infamy scenarios (Scenario Four: A Foraging Party).

You will immediately recognise the auxiliary accompanying the cart. 

The cart is by 4Ground, but I bought it from North Star, as part of a larger purchase. The draught oxen are by Front Rank. 

The cart can be constructed with an open top, as I have done, but also with a hooped top that can be given a canvas or animal hide cover.

I can see this cart appearing in other settings, namely Sharp Practice, but there are bound to be other uses for it. 

Encounter at Maggie's Farm - Sharp Practice in the ACW

Yesterday at the club was another opportunity to Spread The Lard again. This time it was the turn of a different player called John and the rules were Sharp Practice. The setting was the early period in the American Civil War, when most troops were rated as Conscripts and Volunteers and some on the Confederate side were still equipped with smooth bore muskets. All the figures and buildings are mine, from Peter Pig. The snake fencing is also mine, from 4Ground and the mat and scenery belong to the club.

The scenario was two small forces who were both aiming to capture the small community known as Maggie's Farm. The table looked like this, with Maggie's actual farm on the left, the community chapel on the hill and a smaller farm further away behind a wooded hill;

The Rebels, commanded by John would enter from the middle of the right-hand side of the table and my Union troops would deploy from directly opposite.

The Rebel troops consisted of;

3 groups of 8 Georgia State Volunteer infantry (rifled muskets), led by Captain Roscoe P. Coltrane (status III), with a musician, a mule train and a status I sergeant.

2 groups of 10 Hazzard County militia (muskets), led by Maj J.D. Hogg (status II) and a status I sergeant

1 Group of 6 Davenport's Zouaves skirmishers (rifled muskets), led by Sgt Enos Strate (status I)

The Union forces were;

3 groups of 8 infantry from the 3rd Miskatonic Volunteers (rifled muskets), led by Captain Randolph Carter (status III), with a musician, a mule train and a status I sergeant.

2 groups of 8 infantry from the 3rd Miskatonic Volunteers (rifled muskets), led by Lt. Charles Dexter Ward (status II) and a status I sergeant

1 Group of 6 Innsmouth Sharpshooters skirmishers (rifled muskets), led by Sgt Upton Pickman (status I)

Capt. Coltrane's troops were soon in action, firing a Controlled Volley with First Fire at long range, with devastating effect on the two group formation led by Lt. Ward.

Major Hogg's militia were soon deployed up against the fencing, firing uncontrolled at Ward's Miskatonic infantry. You can see the Rebel skirmishers just behind them, with a point of shock from some inconclusive fire from the green-coated Innsmouth Zouaves.

The main body of Georgia Volunteers maintained position on the hill overlooking Maggie's Farm, waiting for the appearance of more Union troops, while also firing at the target in front of them.

Repeated volleys of musketry from both the Georgia Volunteers and the Hazzard County Militia wreaked further havoc on the Miskatonic Volunteers, who were now much reduced, with their firing further hampered by damp powder (signified by the red marker).

The delayed arrival of the rest of the Miskatonic Volunteers saw them advancing in open column towards the small community chapel on the hill. Capt. Carter was attempting to outflank the main body of Rebels on the hill.

On the Confederate left, the militia and Davenport's Zouaves had pretty much eliminated the generally ineffective Innsmouth Sharpshooters.

Capt. Coltrane managed to bring his command under control and began to manoeuvre his troops to defend their position against the advancing Union column in the distance.

Looking across the fields towards Maggie's Farm, the weakness of the Union position is apparent. Would Major Hogg (an honorary rank only, he is actually the local Mayor)  advance his militia or let them continue to fire uncontrolled? Well, probably showing his lack of military experience, he chose to let them carry on firing. They would eventually force Lt. Ward to withdraw after suffering more losses. 

Meanwhile, the Union column had deployed into formation along the fence line around the farm on the Rebel right flank. However, Davenport's Zouaves had moved from their earlier position acroos the field towards the main Union force by the chapel, firing into its flank, causing casualties and double shock. Even more unfortunately, accurate musketry from the Rebels on the hill was whittling the Miskatonic Volunteers down even more, forcing one group to break from the formation, all of this before the Union troops had even delivered their first volley.

Capt. Coltrane dispatched a group of troops under his sergeant to move around the far side of the farmhouse.

By this point, the Confederates clearly had the upper hand. Even though the Miskatonic Volunteers had managed to get off a Controlled Volley, mainly hitting the smaller group of Confederates and wounding the sergeant, Union morale was falling and the number of casualties meant that Maggie's Farm would remain a Confederate stronghold for the foreseeable future.

Another Sharp Practice American Civil War AAR

I played another game of Sharp Practice yesterday at the club against Richard, who hadn't played the game previously. He said later that he'd found the activation via card mechanism a bit odd at first, being used to I Go, You Go games generally, but once it had sunk in he enjoyed the game.
            

All the troops are from my Peter Pig 15mm ACW armies, and the resin buildings, animals and civilians are also Peter Pig. The fences are by 4Ground. The rest of the scenery belongs to the club.

Scenario

This was an mid-war scenario where both sides were made up of regulars. All infantry were equipped with rifled muskets. The Union cavalry had breech-loading carbines and the Confederate cavalry had Mixed Weapons (half rifled muskets and half close range firearms).

The Union forces (Me), led by Captain Bradley Stoke, have been sent forwards to test the Confederate defences and also to forage for food. Led by cavalry, they have found a hamlet where there are supplies (represented here by four stands of pigs and sheep). The mission is to make off with supplies but also to cause casualties to any Confederate forces they come across.

The Confederate forces (Richard), commanded by Lieutenant Nahum G. Pierce are charged with protecting the hamlet, but initially are unsure of the direction of approach of the Union troops.

 

Union troops

2 groups of 8 cavalry (dragoons) with with a Status 2 Leader, Lt Travis Perkins

4 groups of 8 infantry (regulars) with a Status 3 Leader (Capt. Bradley Stoke) and a Status 1 Leader (2nd Lt Richard Cunningham)

1 group of 6 skirmishers (Berdan's Sharpshooters) with a Status 1 Leader, Sgt. Henry Gibson)

Additional: Water Cart, Musician (bugler) , Physic and Status 1 Leader (Cpl Lyle Tate)

Confederate troops

1 group of 8 cavalry (dragoons) with with a Status 1 Leader (Lt. Byron Beausoleil)

4 groups of 8 infantry (regulars) with a Status 3 Leader (Lt Nahum G. Pierce)

2 groups of 6 skirmishers (One being Louisiana Tigers) each with a Status 1 Leader (Cpl Cooter Davenport, Sgt Randolph Cartwright)

Additional: Status 1 Leader (Sgt. Cecil Green), Musician (bugler), Colour Party and Mule Train

 Here is the table before any troops emerged.

 

The Union troops would deploy from the far end of the table, with the Confederates moving on from the closest end. The first troops to appear were the Rebel cavalry and the Louisiana Tigers skirmishers, who were rated as Good Shots. groups of sheep and pigs were placed in pens, to be the target of the Union troops and there were a number of non-combatants in the hamlet.

The Union infantry began to deploy and move forwards but the cavalry were delayed for some reason for three rounds of play. This would be a cause of concern. I had hoped to use the cavalry to secure an advanced position early on to prevent the Confederate infantry from moving at will.

The Rebel cavalry embarked on a long flanking movement on the left flank as more Rebel skirmishers appeared, led by Cpl Davenport.

The Union troops began to advance, with the main body of infantry in the centre, supported by Berdan's Sharpshooters. One group of infantry were given the task of defending a line of fences against the threat from the Rebel riders.

Finally Lt Travis Perkins arrived with his two groups of carbine-equipped cavalry, swinging round to attack the Confederate right flank.

Unfortunately, at this point the Union troops were crippled by inertia for two turns, with no Blue Leader cards being dealt. This would prove to be a fatal problem for the infantry in the centre, while the Confederate cavalry continued their flanking movement.

The main body of Rebel infantry soon deployed along the perimeter fences of the hamlet, pouring volleys of fire into the hapless immobile bluecoats.

Union casualties mounted, as did their level of shock. The musketry of the Louisiana Tigers was especially damaging. The advance stalled.

The Confederate cavalry stayed clear of the fighting and attempted to get behind the Union troops. In the end, though, they would be seen off by Union musketry, accumulating a lot of shock in the process, leaving them unable to mount a convincing threat to the Union Troops.
 

Things looked a bit brighter on the Union left, as the cavalry pushed up before dismounting in the wooded ground, from where they could deploy their carbines too good effect.
    

Things were definitely grim in the killing ground in the Union centre. No ground was made at all and before long the infantry were forced to withdraw. Force Morale suffered. The Berdan's Sharpshooters were able to fire back, and had some success against the Louisiana Tigers who had advanced into the broken ground outside the village.
     

The Confederate skirmishers in the woods were driven off by accurate short range fire from a group of Union infantrymen.
    

The Union troops advanced, causing casualties and forcing the Confederate infantry in the village to redeploy to meet the threat. To the front of the village, a huge cloud of black powder smoke hung over the field, obscuring the view for both sides.
    

This fire-fight took up the last few rounds of combat before it became apparent that the Union troops were never going to be in a position to make off with any livestock, having suffered more casualties than the Rebels and with their troops taking a lot more shock. Therefore, the only prudent course was for Capt. Stoke to order his bugler to sound the recall.

So, in the end, a first Sharp Practice victory for Rich and his Confederates.

Peter Pig resin buildings and 4Ground fences

All wargames need scenery and terrain, and most tables look better with buildings too. I've made buildings in the past and they are OK, but when I was putting together my ACW armies for Sharp Practice I was very taken by the Peter Pig resin buildings, so I splashed out and bought some.

They are very nice models, I think, nicely detailed and they paint up really well.

First, here is a log cabin and a small camp of tents with a few barrels and a camp fire for added interest. The figure is there to show the scale.

These can be used as actual items, but can also be used to mark deployment points.

Next we have a large and imposing house with some outbuildings. The large house is a very good-looking piece, I think. There is a nice staircase at the back. I suppose I should have photographed that too.

And finally, here is a smaller farmstead and a wooden church.

I am happy with the way they turned out. They were all undercoated using spray paints, mostly grey but brown for the wooden cabin and then the colour was built up using washes of colour and dry-brushing. The campsite had texture added in the form of fine grade calcium sand, a pet shop item which was intended for use in reptile vivariums and then flocked and given some clumps of static grass.

There are other buildings in the Peter Pig range that are designed for their Wild West figures and which could be used for the ACW I suppose, but I think that these will do for now.

One of the features that seem to be a common sight on ACW battlefields are fences, lots and lots of fences. Snake, or split rail fencing seems to be the standard and 4Ground do some very nice snake fencing in 15mm, made of MDF. So, here it is;

There is about 2 metres of fencing here. It comes in brown and takes a little time to assemble, but it is well worth the effort. With some flock etc on the bases, it looks pretty good, I think.

4Ground also do picket fences. Here are mine.

This fencing comes with gates and I decided to cut one out and reposition it open. Of course, you could also paint this fencing white, but I think that might be a bit too neat and tidy.

You get a fair amount of leftover MDF slats with the snake fencing kits, so I made up a couple of simple scenic items; a signpost and a pile of lumber.

Of course, buildings mean people, and when they are farms, they mean animals too. Here are some Peter Pig farm animals and civilians. These will all be useful for certain Sharp Practice scenarios.

I have some more civilians, from the Wild West range, in different poses still to be painted.