The League of Augsburg

Sense the scale of this epic!

Devotion to the cause is the mark of the 17th century gamer. It doesn't come at any higher level than Jean de Dieu Labedoyere's (aka Ian C) game modelling the epic 21 years siege of Iraklion (Heraklio), Crete between 1648 and 1669.

Close in naval support

I am told it was perhaps seven years in the making. My game and this tour de force were side by side at The Other...

Christians approach through the narrows

With the anniversary of this enormous sea battle occurring yesterday, I thought I would fight a little game to mirror the setting and the ships. This is a 1/1200 scale game using Ark Royal Miniatures and a few Langton Christian ships. 

The Ottomans are holding a strong defensive position

I used Mad for Warcombining the galleys and square rigged rules sections...

Field guns at Oldbridge

We packed a helluva lot into four and a half days visiting Oldbridge, Donore, Duleek, Athlone, Aughrim, Portumna, Nena and Limerick. We spent long enjoyable days walking the fields, forts, castles and sites of the campaigns of 1690 and 1691 in Leinster, Connaught and Munster.

Sean O' Brogain's artwork in the cafe at Oldbridge

We had an outstanding group of friendly, curious...

We've recently begun a campaign recreating the adventures of the itinerant Royalist Fleet on the West African coast in 1652. Under Prinz Ruprecht von der Pfalz known more commonly in Engish as Rupert of the Rhine, a small battered squadron 'privateered' between the Islas Cabo Verde and The Gambia for some weeks. 

Campaign Map

I have manipulated a few facts but nothing too outrageous. We have...

Tomorrow sees a return to Claymore for me. Last time I was there was three years ago and I was lucky enough to win the Best Display game with a land based Ottoman Wars effort in 28mm. This time I am significantly downscaling in line with my green-policy of getting rid of the German tank of a car and opting for a quiet little Nipponese hybrid with much less space inside. 

Having downscaled the...

Let me begin by saying that wargamers and figure painters should have no complaints about this book. It is the most lavishly illustrated guide to the Swedish Army of the GNW period yet produced. My immediate response to a quick flick from front to back was extremely positive. The type face is larger than usual for recent Helion offers which makes the pages look less intimidating. The author is...

The bonus ball of a recent few wonderful days on Skye was the chance to visit Glenshiel battlefield on the inbound leg of the trip. I decided to do a little scrambling and ended up grabbing enough footge to make a wargames focused video of the battle. 

It falls just within my normal scope of interest with a 1719 date. Regardless of the period, it is a fascinating military encounter and unique in...

Helion has very kindly offered followers of the LoA  Blog an opportunity to receive a 20%  discount on the new title focused  on the Blue Machine  of 1700-1720.

If you order the book and quote the discount code Narva20  you will get the discount. Offer valid till August 15th. So get in there!

I have not yet seen the book but I am confident it will be a super addition to the resources available on...

I have just uploaded a new League of Augsburg style video called a Flypast. It gives a 5 minute primier on a topic of interest in this case, the legendary yeniçeri or Janissary Corps of the Ottoman Empire. 

If you enjoy it, please give it a like and subscribe to the LoA channel

A grand fleet - Charles II's battleships 1666

At Partizan this year I am doing something different. I am running a 'demo rules-workshop' where anyone curious about Anglo-Dutch naval wargaming can come along, throw a few dice, try a few mechanisms and ask lots of questions. 

Line of battle developed between 1652 and 1660

I will set up gaming scenarios in three different scales to explain the scope of...

If you don't know much about the Four Days Battle of 1666 there is a hole in your life! This epic sea battle between the Restoration English Navy and that of the Dutch Republic involved a massive number of ships - around 160, over 40,000 men and in excess of 9,000 guns. It was fought over four days (hence the name!) with some fighting also happening at night.

It is crammed full of desperate...

This took a while but it was worth it purely from a personal point of view. Having been a bit unwell I needed something to motivate me and cheer me up. I decided to play a big solo wargame but with a difference. I wanted to do it slowly, recorded everything in text and photos and produce an analysis and compendium reference work for others to learn from and enjoy. 

That meant, playing the game in...