The League of Augsburg
Every bullet...
I was keeping my head down and quietly getting on with this but now it is out there I guess it's OK to mention it here.
I am working on a book for Helion which is a guide to wargaming the period from the 2nd Anglo Dutch War through to the Nine Years War. It is not a beginner's guide. It is an enthusiast's guide. I have tried to distill 30 years of digging in this patch of earth into something which...
Gone live - 7 4PLAY scenarios now available in the LoA online store
After some final UAT modifications the first seven scenario packs in the 4PLAY series are noe commercially available in the LoA onlone store. Click on each in the shop to get a description of content. All contain 16-17 full colour pages
All are priced at £3. Use the pdf postage charge which is 1p.
001 1667 Medway campaign (land and sea)
002 1689 Scotland (land and sea)
003 1689 Western Ireland (land...
Snorkel up..
Aha! you say, where is he? Locked up at home and not blogging? Yes but...
I have been using all non-core work time to get these scenario pdfs packs produced from scratch. So far I have created six packs and play tested and photographed 18 scenarios for inclusion. All the games have brief AARs to help players with tips and recommeded rules or adjustments where necessary.
All games are played on...
MIA? Ma - ma!
I may have appeared missing in action over the last few days... not so. I have been using every spare hour to set up, play and photograph small games for a series of pdfs I hope to release within the next 3-4 weeks. This has already involved nine x 90 minute games since Sunday last, with each of them having to be written up as a scenario, photographed and AAR completed. All are based on research I...
The perfection of military discipline by Mark Shearwood
I was delighted to open a package from Helion delivered by our trusty postal service this lunchtime because, I knew what it would be:
The perfection of military discipline: The plug bayonet and the English Army 1660-1705
The book is written by Mark Shearwood, friend of this blog, good friend of mine, wargamer and modeller extraordinaire and most significantly of all, an authority on 17th century...
Marlborough's amphibious campaign 1690 - pdf release
It is with delight and some pride that we release our latest pdf detailing the campaigns in Ireland between 1688 and 1691.
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| Charles Fort, Kinsale - scene of a bloody siege, sallies and assaults |
This one deals with the ambitious and extremely successful amphibious campaign undertaken by the Earl of Marlborough against Cork and Kinsale in the autumn of 1690. Involving thousands of troops fresh from...
Ottoman cavalry update
I have been slowly but surely painting Ottoman cavalry in between other projects and am just about to base the first units.
I had to get at least one of each figure done in the six packs for the shop and seeing them all together demonstrates how nice this range has turned out.
Recent reading and referenceto source material has reassured me that these figures will be usable for the north African...
Campaign report: Run for home, Mull October 8th 1689
The third report from round two of the campaign.. Jan Baert kidnaps a very important person dear to King William and burns some Scottish assets in the process. Taking on no less than twelve enemy ships he runs for home!
Turns 1-4
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| Baert's ships approach the island chain. |
The fresh westerly winds created heavy seas and made sailing extremely challenging for Baert’s four ships as they nosed northward.
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| Th... |
10 Reasons why this is my favourite wargaming period
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| Neerwinden/Landen 1693 |
I have been gaming the period 1666-1720 for thirty years this year. Despite forays into other periods of which I am fond, I always return to my favourite. Recently, I have agreed to write a title for Helion about wargaming the period 1666-1697 specifically and that has made me reflect on why I maintain an enduring fascination for this 60 year span of history.
So, here are my...
Saved the best to last.. Caribbean test 3
It's a funny old game (to paraphrase Greavsie). Having experienced two wins from two for the single 'blinged up' privateer Sea WolfI thought I'd give the European power trio's third leg a chance to prevail over the pirates. It turned out to be the best game of all with so many little twists that I played on for 15 turns to get the final result. It took about 90 minutes altogether but of course I...
Launching a privateer - Small ship action using my naval rules
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| The game setting... tropical paradise or, mosquito infested hell hole? Europeans in the Caribbean. |
I took an inevitable diversion into the world of piracy by painting a 4th rate up and flagging it as a late 17th century privateer of indeterminate nationality.
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| The frgiate Elizabeth set sail to meet the privateer threat |
Having further developed the points system for my rule set I thought it would be...
Campaign report: One thousand Irish 19th March 1689
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| The game is underway... Akkerman hugs the coast and O'Brien has to reposition to block the channel at Duncriege. |
Dave O'Brien's nautical Jacobites are once again, all at sea!................
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| Late in the action - Indomitable pounds Komeetster from an advantageous angle. |
King James, newly arrived in Ireland is mustering his forces to take possession of the entire island and reinforce his loyal troops...