Alba gu bràth: The 42nd Black Watch in the French and Indian War:

 I started a diorama project many years ago to portray The Battle of Bushy Run. The project did not materialize beyond purchasing some excellent French and Indian War (FIW) from Dixon Miniatures in the UK.

Dixon figures were marketed as 25mm but were always closer to today's popular 28mm figures.

I painted some up but they served as a garrison in a cigar box until I reentered wargaming. A friend wanted to do the period using Rebels and Patriots and I was all in.

My FIW collection is large. I have core units for three configurations using Rebels and Patriots. One core force consists of British Foot, and another consists of Provincials, regulars, and militia. 

The third consists of four units of the famous Black Watch, the 42nd Highlanders.

A core force in Rebels and Patriots is 24 points, although we frequently go up to 36 points in our games.

Below is my core force of the 42nd Black Watch for Rebels and Patriots.

This unit of Highland Grenadiers is from RAFM. RAFM makes a small but fine line of figures for the period. The scale is old school, 25mm, which I like. A unit of 12 Grenadiers without an upgrade costs 6 points.

These figures are the "line" RAFM Highlanders for the period. I use them as line infantry, and without an upgrade, the unit would cost 4 points.

 My friend had painted a unit of Dixon Highlanders that also garrisoned a cigar box for years. He gave them to me as he was more interested in doing French and Native Americans for the period. I use this unit as line infantry. Without an upgrade they cost 4 points.

These Dixon figures are the batch I ordered for the diorama that never was. I liked the action poses in the front rank followed by the marching figures in the second line. The figures captured the moment in the Battle of Bushy Run when the 42nd broke out of the ambush. I use this unit as light infantry in Rebels and Patriots given the action poses. The point cost is 6 points without an upgrade. Alba gu bràth

The two RAFM units side by side.

The two Dixon units side by side.

The total point cost for the four units without an upgrade is 20 points, but seeing as Highland units rate the fierce upgrade and the discipline upgrade, we would be way over the 24 points for a core army.

Rebels and Patriots Union Forces in 1\72

 This is the counterpart to my last post, which featured Confederate forces.  The majority of figures used for both collections are 1\72 plastics from Italeri, Airfix, IMEX and Hat. 

My metal Union forces include some excellent 20mm sculpts from Newline. Also featured are some old Musket Miniatures and a few RSM figures.

Both armies are organized for Rebels and Patriots by Osprey. 

Command stands for Hat's Union Cavalry skirmishing.

Newline mounted cavalry painted as US Regulars. The dismounted figures are Musket Miniatures marketed as 22mm back in the day.

My other Newline unit, this time the dismounted figures are also Newline. I like a lot of figure lines but Newline is at the top of the list for 20mm metals.

Hat dismounted cavalry from the Union Cavalry skirmishing set.

Italeri is near the top when it comes to 1\72 plastics. These are from their Union Cavalry set.

IMEX makes a set of Union Cavalry (or Confederate since the figures are the same). The mounted figures have a limited utility value since they are all firing from the saddle. The dismounted figures above are unique because they feature the very rare Colt pistol\carbine. They are among my favorites!

Hat Union Cavalry (mtd). Carbines and revolvers are much in evidence. Excellent set by Hat.

Airfix artillery crews with Musket Miniatures Napoleons.

Italeri Union Infantry (NY Regiments) Command figures are from Newline.

The 26th Wisconsin was a "Sigel Regiment." Sigel Regiments were raised in 1862 from the heavy German areas of Wisconsin and Ohio (and other areas or cities like St. Louis, MO). The figures are Airfix and I painted them up before the Italeri.

Italeri Infantry on skirmish stands.

The 5th New York was named Duryea's Zouaves. One unit is organized as line infantry for Rebels and Patriots and the 12 figures unit is organized as Light Infantry. Both units are a mix of Italeri, Hat and Musket Miniatures. Any Union collection must have at least one Zouave unit!

Rebels and Patriots Confederates in 1\72 plastic

 When I got back into wargaming 10 years ago, I was committed to 1\72 plastics. It's where we started way back in the 1960s. My friend and I have quite a few armies in the old classic scale.

The ACW has always been a favorite of mine. I painted up these Confederates early on in my return to wargaming.

My original theme was early war Hampton's Legion since it comprised of infantry, cavalry, and artillery in the manner of the War of Independence legions.

I added units to the theme but kept the basic idea of a South Carolina Rebels and Patriots "company" although I use unit names.

These are IMEX figures. This was my original Hampton's Legion battery. I use two guns instead of the RP one for looks purposes.

These are my metal exceptions in the group. They are Musket Miniatures they picked off of eBay because they are cool figures. In RP they will be used as mounted skirmishers.

Italeri Confederate cavalry. Beautiful set of figures. I did them in regulation uniforms to depict early war Hampton's Legion.

The mounted cavalry figures are Italeri and look like they are supposed to be the famous 1st Virginia. The dismt figures are IMEX. 

General Wade Hampton from the Italeri set.

In Rebels and Patriots, dismounted cavalry are in 6 fig skirmish units. I use them in 12 fig units as light infantry but change their stats to 5\12" to represent the carbines and mixed weapons. Most of these are Italeri, but the command figures are Musket Miniatures.

Italeri Confederate infantry. I have two units of 18 for Rebels and Patriots.

The unit in front is ESCI except for the command figures, which are metal 20mm from Newline. The back unit is classic Airfix. They are the infantry component of Hampton's Legion.

Three units of skirmishers. They are a mix of Italeri and ESCI.

Rebels and Patriots: Mexican-American War Scenario

Rebels and Patriots by Osprey (Daniel Mersey) has opened a wide world of gaming that we could not accomplish prior simply because we are interested in just about everything.

Being interested in all things historical gaming is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing, because interest means gaming in many periods of interest. The curse is finding the time to paint and organize the armies in our chosen scale which is most often 1\72 or 25mm.

Daniel Mersey's rules (the ones we use are Rebels and Patriots, The Men Who be Kings and Lion Rampant 2) have enabled us to produce armies that number less than a 100 figures in 6-10 units.

While the official scale is for skirmish games if you don't care about that so much you can call your units whatever you want like we have in the orders of battle below.

We like it that way and the units all have historical names.

The scenario chosen for this engagement was drawn from One-Hour-Wargames by Neil Thomas. I modified it a bit.

The Americans were the aggressor. The Mexicans held a forward position with light infantry and cavalry.

The Americans contested the advanced position (a ridgeline that ran alongside a road) with light infantry, dragoons and Texas Rangers.

The Americans easily pushed the Mexicans off the ridge but the dragoons were destroyed by Mexican follow up units. That's what you get for being cocky.

Both sides brought up reserves to contest the ridge and road. The Americans has a qualitative advantage with 46 points while the Mexicans had a numerical advantage (two more units) but with 36 points.

Both sides struggled with units that simply would not do what they were told. That kind of FOW rule always makes our games interesting and hard to predict.

While the American regulars were rated aggressive (fighting 5 or 6) and were in large units (18 figs each) I could never quite get them in a decisive position to use their advantage. The Mexican reserves formed a formidable battle line and the surviving Mexican cavalry did good work on the flank I hoped to turn. 

The result was a major Mexican victory because they easily retook the ridge after losing it early on. After the OB's below I will attempt to say something about the actions in the pictures.

American OB

2nd Dragoons

3rd Regulars

7th Regulars

1st Regiment of Voltigeurs (never saw historical action)

Provisional Battalion of Artillery men serving as infantry.

2nd Indiana (Volunteers)

1st Mississippi (Volunteers) (Jefferson Davis's regiment)

Bragg's Flying Artillery (a type of horse artillery as the Americans pushed their artillery forward)

Texas Rangers company of scouts

Mexican OB

3rd Line Infantry

11th Line Infantry

4th Light Infantry

Standing Battalion of Mexico City (Militia)

Pueblo Activo (Militia)

Marine Battalion

San Patricio Battalion (Irish deserters from the American army)

Tampico Coast Guard

2nd Line Cavalry

7th Line Cavalry

Tulacingo Cuirassiers (how could a person not paint this unique unit?)

The American Voltigeurs, 2nd Dragoons  and Texas Ranger Scouts approach the ridge line.

The Mexican 4th Light Infantry. The unit is something off an elite for the Mexicans, Sadly, it did not last long and routed after only a few turns. 

The 7th Line Cavalry of the Mexicans. The American 2nd Dragoons charged them as soon as possible destroying them as a unit. The ridge belonged to the Americans. Huzza!

The 2nd Dragoons were rated aggressive and had a plus 1 to discipline. They were the best unit in the American OB. (and cockiest)

The charge noted above. The Americans were converted from old Airfix US Cavalry set.

The Texas Ranger scouts were mounted skirmishers in the game and good shots. They got off one shot before being ridden down. The figures are from the Italeri Confederate Cavalry set supplemented by a few  dismounted figures from the old Airfix Confederate Infantry.

The 3rd Line and Marine Battalion avante! 

The Standing Battalion of Mexico City (blue pants) and 11th Line (red pants) form up with the Marine Battalion and 3rd Line.

The Tulacingo Cuirassiers (converted from the Airfix French Cuirassiers)

The 2nd Dragoons impetously charge the Tulacingo Cuirassiers unsupported and are destroyed but take most of the cuirassiers with them. The Texas Ranger scouts finish off the cuirassiers as they refuse to move after their victory over the cocky Americans.

American reserves start to move up. The Provisional Battalion, Bragg's Flying Artillery (I need a limber!) The 1st Mississippi in red, the 3rd and 7th Regulars and the 2nd Indiana (barely seen), The 2nd Indiana simply would not move until it was too little too late. 

Nice shot of the 1st Mississippi. Converted from the Airfix Confederate set and painted by JZ. It's hard to see in the picture but JZ put ramrods in the ground in front of the shooters.

The Mexican battle line begins to cross the road. General Vega (on the right) directs them.

The San Patricio Battalion (Irish). If captured by the Americans they would be hung and historically were. In the game they must have known their fate because they usually refused to move!

The Mexican 2nd Line Cavalry. They rode down the Texas Rangers as the Rangers failed to evade. Sigh. The cavalry would survive the game bragging about the destruction of the hated Texans.

Nice shot of the 3rd Regulars. Figures by IMEX.

The Provisional Battalion of artillerymen serving as infantry. Historically, the Americans had more artillery crews than they had guns!

The Americans form a battle line to face the Mexican battle line. The difference was the American battle line fell apart.

The American Voltigeurs did their job until they reached 1\2 strength. They fell back to the woods and stayed there.

The Mexican 2nd Line Cavalry. I believe they are converted from the Strelets set of Napoleon's Guides

The Mexican left center. My opponent mixed his militia and regular units well minimizing the risk to poorly trained militia. The Mexican artillery (far right) was well served.

The 3rd US Regulars get to the top of the ridge only to be driven off by the Mexican artillery and an  impressive battle line of Mexican infantry,

The picture is a little blurred but I think it's the Tampico Coast Guard. My friend (JZ) has produced a very colorful and unusual army. It added a lot to the game.

My ill fated flanking move. Once the 1st Mississippi left the cover they got shot to pieces by the Mexican artillery and infantry. It proved to be a poor decision on my part since the 1st Mississippi were as good as the regulars.

The Americans have lost the advantage by now. My flanking move is doomed to failure and the regulars are held in place by the Mexican infantry battle line and artillery. My own artillery was taken out and largely ineffective.

The Mexicans are refusing their left. I hoped to take advantage of the weakness but to no avail. The cows were not concerned with the sounds of battle.

Looks like one of the last scenes from the 1962 version of The Alamo!

You can see disorder markers on the 2nd Indiana, 7th Regulars and the remnants of the 1st Mississippi. The Mexican battle line is intact. A charge on my part would have been a forlorn hope so I conceded. Viva Mexico.

The game was a lot of fun. The Mexican War is a period we never thought we would get too but Rebels and Patriots have made a lot of things doable.

As noted some of the figures are conversions from various sets but most of the figures are from the IMEX sets for the period.