Last Game of 2023

 Ziggy and I threw dice on December 30th for our last gaming of 2023. I brought out the Blood and Plunder toys for a battle between the French and English in the woods of New England. More than anything, it was an excuse to use as many soldiers as I could field and we each had around 30. 

We played a "Capture the Objective" scenario - the rectangular crate in the midst of the barrels in the picture above is the objective in this case. I commanded the English militia and Iroquois while Zig used the French and their Abenaki allies.

We both worked the flanks since going right up the gut was going to be dangerous.

Blast em!

Well, the musket-fire was pretty ineffective and the Indians smashed into my militia on the right flank taking out four.

Over on the left, it was a similar story but in my favor, with the Iroquois proving to be quite efficient.

A wider shot from the left side of the table. Those Canadian militia on the hill are quite a target, but how to get to them? It didn't help at all that the weather degraded twice during the game and it was now Sweltering Heat! That meant units moving more than once per turn would receive a fatigue point. No "run and smash" for either of us now.

I did push some militia forward right up the gut to contest the objective. They actually hung in there really nicely for a while, dice gods smiling on them for much of the battle.

At the end of the evening though, my troops in the middle had fallen and although I'd gotten two unit around the left flank, they weren't able to capitalize on their situation. My casualties continued to mount and by the end of the fifth turn, the English were done.

Blood and Plunder always delivers an entertaining game and this was no exception. The game handled the higher unit count nicely and it really makes me consider adding to the collections. Maybe after I paint all the Halflings, Goblins and Mechs!

It's a Painting and Posting Streak!

 Happy Fourth fellow Americans! And to those of you who aren't American, Happy Tuesday. I've taken a couple days off with no plans in particular. It's been terribly hot and humid the last week or so, so there's been little reason to go outside without a specific task in mind. Today's high is supposed to be 94 F / 34 C and I've been made responsible for grilling burgers, dogs and sausages for dinner this evening. I think I'm going to wait until after 7:00pm to light the grill.

  Enough of the chit-chat. I painted up a few packs of North Star Native Americans to add to the ranks of my early American colonials. I painted up half for the Iroquois and half for the Abenaki. 

The Iroquois contingent

And the Abenakis

And all together...

Be well!

And There They Are... The Redcoats

 Those Sash and Saber Brits I started painting a couple of months ago finally found their way back to the painting table this weekend and are now permanent members of "the collection!" These are 28mm castings for my Blood and Plunder games set in New England and Canada. Uniforms are probably inaccurate and, well, they look like English troops and that's all that really matters. 

I sense a good-sized battle in the future.

More Canucks

 I've been hard at work on the next batch of Frenchies and English for my New England/Canada battles. My most recent order included more militia for both as well as command figures. I finished up the French yesterday - it went much more quickly than I anticipated but waking up at a stupidly early hour will help! The English are still "in progress" seeing as though their uniforms need to actually be uniform.

Ta da! Nothing that fancy, but a useful addition to the collection for sure.

Muskets and Mayhem... B&P AAR

 My recently completed New Englanders and Canadians made it on the table for their debut outing on Saturday evening. We played a small 100-point encounter; my wife chose the French Canadians and defended in a Breakthrough scenario. I had to push my troops into the French deployment area while the trappers focused on keeping me away. We played on a 4x4 table with the prescribed 18 inches of no-man's land.

My militia in the foreground. In the distance are Abenakis and Coureur des Bois who will from this point forward be known as CDBs.

Indian Fighters (left) and Iroquois (right)

The IF and Iroquois move forward early in the proceedings. I've got to get a move on; my orders are on a timer. The native with the IF group is my commander - I didn't have a suitable honkey and ol' Standing Moose would do just fine.

The militia creep around off to the left.

The uncropped goodness of a busy game table!

The militia push out towards the Abenakis. The Indians take some long-range shots and kill one of my men! The militia was ranked up in formation to take advantage of their "Drilled" special ability which would give them firepower bonuses with a rank & file type fusillade. 

I've decided that the French Militia on my right should be my focus. The CDB and Injuns get close. One brave warrior is sent to the happy hunting ground by a French musket ball. Just one casualty, fortunate me!

And WHAM! In they go, yelping and swinging their war clubs!

Three kills! The trappers fall back.

The Rangers join their brethren, advancing on the weakest point.

Goodman Samuel Wheeltoothe's militia band continues their advance against the unwashed heathens.

The sneaky summanabatches CDBs decide that flanking my Indian Fighters is a clever idea.

The heathen's musket fire is strong. Goodman Wheeltoothe's militia takes more casualties. What tricks of the Devil are these?

The game's drawing toward a conclusion. I really need to get units into the French deployment area.

Alack and alas! The CDBs charge into my Indian Fighters and deliver an Almighty whoopin'. Morale holds and my Iroquois allies join the fight but fortunes doesn't shine on them this moment.

The Canuck militia who now have some rather hard feelings towards the English realize this might be their time to shine. Crappe on a sticke.

The Abenakis have learned a thing or two from the disgusting French Canadian allies. Goodman Wheeltoothe's detachment, well, detaches.

And after another round of pretty one-sided melee, my Indian Fighters are wiped out and the Iroquois decide it isn't worth it.

Well that was a hoot. Blood and Plunder delivers another damn fine game. It's been a little while since I had it on the table last and I've excited for the next outing. My wife rather enjoyed it. It's a simple enough system with decisions to be made, not just a dice-fest. I need to get some English reinforcements and a proper leader for each side them so the next game can have 4 or maybe 5 units per side. I think I've got enough Canadians; there were a lot of CDB still in the box.