A carriage for Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Lewes

 

Next weekend at Partizan our crew of Morris and Chums will be recreating the Battle of Lewes 1264 and a key part of the battle was Simon de Montfort's carriage that Prince Edwards troops took time to loot after defeating the Londoners rather than returning to the fray. By the time Edwards contingent re-joined the battle the Rebel barons were victorious!

But, we don't have a carriage! So a quick order to Warbases  and I was quickly to work!

The horses are also from Warbases while the driver and dog are left over from the Reconquer tanners that I painted previously, this chap looks like he's getting a piece of South Downs flint from one of the horses hooves. The bottle is from Bad Squiddo, a really useful set of accoutrements to add a lived in look to your dioramas.

The carriage itself is done from a basecoat of VMC Flat Brown, but I wanted it to look quite dirty after travelling over the South Downs so dirtied it up a bit.

I've since brushed off the clinging static grass that's showing up in the images!

Although my Barons War collection will be at Partizan I'll not be, inattention to the calendar means I'll be in Italy vacationing with Victoria that week!

Napoleonic French additions

 

Last year I started on some 6mm 1815 French to use against my Prussians - shamefully I've not painted another figure for this collection for nearly a whole year .

I needed a few more commanders for our General d'Armee 2 games so these represent a CinC plus three Brigadiers 

A battery of artillery comprised of three 6pdr guns and a howitzer.

A battalion of French light infantry to join the seven battalions done so far.

The movement trays are from Warbases and allow me to deploy them in either column or line.

The standard is a bit rough, the pre-printed Baccus ones are a bit too big for the figures, so this one was knocked up with paint markers.

The next unit added is a regiment of Chevaux Legere lancers, representing the 6th Lancers, although at this scale they really could be any of them.

The second unit of this light cavalry brigade is the 4th Hussars.

Barons' War additions

 

Those following me on the socials will know that I've been quite taken with the Barons' War range from Wargames Atlantic.

We have been playing a lot of games set in the Second Barons' War using the Midgard rules.

I've now got over 400 figures painted, but do keep adding "just one more box" to the collection.

Pair of mounted Knights

Unless painting a specific noble, the livery is not based on any specific Knight, I just try to use plausible designs in accordance with the emerging rules of heraldry in the 13th century.

Pair of mounted Knights

Six foot Knights

Shields and banners are hand painted, although in some instances, like the swan, a VVV decal is added as part of the basecoat and is then highlighted.

Six foot Knights

Pair of mounted Serjeants

The crossbowman arms on the serjeant on the left are from the Foot Serjeants set, the Wargames Atlantic sets are really good for mixing and matching.

Pair of mounted Serjeants

Trio of peasants

Again arms from the Foot Serjeants set were used to make these militia crossbowmen.

Trio of peasants

Civilian

I think this last figure was a Partizan Show give away, but I may be mistaken.

The many spare shields that come in the Wargames Atlantic sets area great for making stamina markers for our Midgard Games. 

Civilian

This is my first post in over a year, must try harder!

The Battle of Bairen,1097 at Partizan

It seems that everybody else who went to Partizan has already updated their blogs, but pressure of work and a trip to London last weekend have left me rather tardy.

James, Martin, Tom and myself put on a rather huge game of Midgard to refight the Battle of Bairen  1097 using the extensive El Cid collections that we have been working on these past twenty years or so.

I'll not write a full report, it's been far too long for me to recall all the details, but what follows is a selection of photographs from the action.

Moorish boats offshore prepare to raid arrows on the flank of the Aragonese forces

A rather spectacular shot of the initial deployments

James fashioned the sea and shore from a sheet of perspex

The Aragonese Jinetes launch themselves at the massed Moorish camels

The one where Martin points at Toms cock, so Tom does too.

They have calmed down a bit now

After an initial missile duel, eventually the battle lines close to contact

The Moorish camels supported by the boats swiftly gain the upper hand on their left flank

Forces start to clash in the center

King Pedro leads his Caballeros in the charge, but is swiftly cut down in single combat

The Aragonese left force the Moorish right almost back onto their camp

With King Pedro dead  and the Moorish camels raiding their camp the forces of El Cid and Aragon collapsed, El Cid cut his way out through the Moorish camp and would live to fight another day.

The game played really well, it's by far the biggest game of Midgard we have ever played by, I reckon, a factor or about three, but the rules scaled up really well.

We were well chuffed to win the McFarlane Shield for the best demo game. Not bad considering some of these figures were painted 20 years ago.

Hope you enjoyed, I'd suggest that if you are thirsty for more check out James', Tom's and Martin's blog posts:

Partizan Round-Up and El Cid Vignettes

El Cid: the Battle of Bairen, 1097 CE

El Cid at Partizan 2021 (1)

El Cid at Partizan 2021 (2)

Partizan.. an actual show.. in real life! (El Cid battle of Bairen 1097)