League Of Augsburg - Fighting Talk

Hi Theo,

You are correct in the assumption that most of my Crimean collection are from the Foundry Range, though not exclusively. I have added bits and pieces from Britannia, HLBS, Copplestone and Perry. Foundry have a number of figures suitable from other periods as well that can be used, eg, Indian Mutiny, Franco Prussian War, ACW, even some Napoleonics should you wish. A good example of range interchangeability would be Barry Hilton's adaptation of Foundry Crimean Russian Uhlans doubling for his Napoleonic Russian Uhlan "Litovski" regiment.

Eureka do a Russian/Turkish War range in 28mm, but I believe this range to be post Crimea, however, there may be some suitable figures there for you, though I have not purchased any to comment on. Eureka also do a Crimean Range in 18mm scale. This may be an alternative cost wise when compared to 25/28mm figures.

Rules Sets The bane of my life. I keep on procastinating on this. My collection grows bigger and bigger, and the figures never seem to take to the "Front" for action. I am currently painting away, as well as having a good number of figures painted professionally for me. As one of the "League of Gentlemen Wargamers" (L.O.G.W.) I have been aiming at hosting a major battle next March. There is enough painted lead to undertake lesser sized battles just now at my Local Club (Kirriemuir Wargames Club ) prior to next years March bash. So, it would be my intention to undertake a number of "Dry Runs" at the Club.

The Rulesets, well we have been using Barry Hilton's Napoleonic rules for that particular theatre of warfare at the L.O.G.W. Napoleonic games. This is currently unavailble commercially, and from the above posts by Barry, some tweaking may be necessary to enhance the play for Crimea.
So, I do intend (with permission from to Barry) to intitially use his L.O.G.W. Napoleonic Rulesets, tweak them and use them. These rules are becoming familiar to me (that's a First by the way), and Kevin Calder and Adrian Howe introduced some nice little adaptations for our recent Ligny game that worked well.

As to elements, well yes. I personally have gone for Infantry on 40x40mm bases, with 4 figures per base; Cavalry on 60x60mm bases with 3 figures per base, and artillery pieces on a 60mm frontage.
Each base wll represent 4, 3, or 1 figures irrespective of composition, so that leaves you free to include casualties, extra terrain, or vignettes to the base, whilst maintaining a uniform figure density for Rule purposes. When it comes to differing troop types, eg Heavy v's Light Cavalry, combat modifiers are used.

I shall post comments on the results of forthcoming games in this thread as and when they happen, and I am sure, that if the March Bash next year is indeed Crimean, that you will see a wee bit more on L.O.A. website.

Best Wishes,
Thinredline

thinredline wrote: You are correct in the assumption that most of my Crimean collection are from the Foundry Range, though not exclusively. I have added bits and pieces from Britannia, HLBS, Copplestone and Perry. Foundry have a number of figures suitable from other periods as well that can be used, eg, Indian Mutiny, Franco Prussian War, ACW, even some Napoleonics should you wish. Thinredline

Bob, Good new! or maybe not? I was talking with Aly Morrison last week and he confirmed what Stuart Parkin had already mentioned that Aly and Dave Andrews are very keen to produce a new range of Crimean figures particularily doing troops with a more campaign style look to them rather than the full dress uniform that most companies produce.

This news can either fill you with joy, more new figures to buy and paint or dread, more new figures to buy and paint

Cheers
Dave

ps, as to rules we could try and arrange a game sometime and try out my Blood and Iron rules. Although they were initially written for the 1866 and FPW most of the technical details are there to earlier periods. They were produced to fight reasonably large battles, Divisional/Corps level games at a normal club night.

Nice to hear from you Dave

Every cloud has a silver lining, even if that means the bank balance in the red, think of the added variation a new range in 28mm would create.

"Campaign" dress would be nice too, only reservation would be size compatibility with the existing Foundry figures. We both know of ways and means of diguising size variation, but my Copplestone BOB Cossacks look like amazons next to Foundry. Still, they make up nice Siberian and Cossack contingents for now - could easily be replaced with a "New Range" though if and when available. One other road of enquiry was "Perry" Miniatures Sudan Range. The Egyptian and Sudanese infantry look awfully like some of my "Turks" (Not surprising though as they were under Turkish Dominion at the time) Must check it out with a few sample packs.

Rules, Blood and Iron I would certainly give a try. You know that where I fall down is reading and understanding rules, let alone tweaking some one else's. Mind you, if Barry goes commercial with Republic to Empire, it could end up as a Mid Nintenth Century Supplement for R to Empire.

When I take "some" of my lads along to the Club for a dry run or two, I must definately steer clear of Mr Smith's favourite rule set - General de Brigade, it does "ma heid" in

Kind Regards,
Thinredline

thinredline wrote:When I take "some" of my lads along to the Club for a dry run or two, I must definately steer clear of Mr Smith's favourite rule set - General de Brigade, it does "ma heid" in
Thinredline

I know what you mean Bob, I've had a couple of AWI games with Angus using the General de Brigade variant for the period and I wasn't too impressed with the rules. It didn't help that Angus who put on the games didn't know the rules very well either and some of the rules seemed to conflict with other statements in examples. I also found the rules quite slow.

Cheers
Dave

Was he cheating Dave?

Of course he wasn't! he was just using the Angus version of the rules

Cheers
Dave

Here we go again
Curiosity got the better of me
and I ordered up some of the Perry Miniatures from their Sudan Range
No, it was'nt a sally into a new period
just some more reinforcements.
The Perry web site carries a host of photo's, so it was'nt difficult picking out a few sample packs. Needless to say, the scuplting is beyond question, my only concern was campatibility with the hordes of Foundry figures already in Barracks.
Mounted figures are spot on size wise with their Foundry counterparts, infantry only slightly taller, but not insurmountably so. True, the infantry are armed with Remington's, but its a long thing made up of a wooden stock and barrel that doubles for a musket without too much imagination
I forsee a few additions to my Turkish contingent in the Crimea now, infantry, gendarmes, and even some irregular Bashi Bazooks
And I thought I had finished my Turkish contingent

Did I mention the "compulsive and acquisitive behaviour" before

Thinredline

Dear Thinredline,

Thanks for the extensive reply! The Foundry range does seem quite full - given the little I know about the armies of the era!

I see Osprey have about 3 titles for the British and Russians. Is their book on the French for the Franco-Prussion War any use for the Crimea? Are there any other sources for the French (and Turks)?

Any 'bible' for the battles and orbats?

Thanks in anticipation.

Theo

Hi Theo,
Dave O'Brien's post above looks like there may be a completely new Crimean Range in the offing from Stuart Parkin and Dave Andrews. If that transpires, I doubt if I'll ever finish my Crimean Collection

The one last large contingent that I have to tackle is my French/Sardinians. So as yet, I have not done very much as to their Uniforms and Organisation, but the day will come. Presently, there are 400 Foundry Infantry, 84 Chasseurs, and 10 field pieces to paint. On the subject of of Franco Prussian War I cannot rightly comment with any authority BUT, that is the way I shall probably follow in addition to the following :-
Uniforms & Weapons of the Crimean War by Robert Wilkinson-Latham, ISBN 0713406666 gives excellent details for Brits, French, Sardinians, Turks and Russian. Can be picked up on E-Bay easily.
As you mentioned Osprey Men at Arms Series 196 and 241
Also Osprey Campaign Series 6 + 51 for Balaclava and Inkerman.
Next little gems are Crimean War Basics Organisation and Uniforms for Britain, France and Sardinia, and seperately for Russia and Turkey.
These are A5 size phamphlet type books by Michael Cox and John Lenton. ISBN 185818015 5 and ISBN 185818019 8. These do not have any illustrations, but they are excellent for Organisation, Uniforms and - ORBATS

One last pointer depending on how deep you want to delve would be "The Crimean War Research Society" see http://www.crimeanwar.org. There you will find an insurmountable amount of information. Membership of this Organisation cost £15 per annun for UK residents, £20 (or $40) for overseas members. Their quarterly Journal, "The War Correspondant" is well worth it.

Best Wishes
Bob

Bob,

Thank you very much for the info and the comments on the books.

Who are the guys who are thinking about a new range of figures for the war?

I think I might have (finally!!!!) found my war!!!!

Theo

Dave,
You had written earlier

"Bob, Good new! or maybe not? I was talking with Aly Morrison last week and he confirmed what Stuart Parkin had already mentioned that Aly and Dave Andrews are very keen to produce a new range of Crimean figures particularily doing troops with a more campaign style look to them rather than the full dress uniform that most companies produce. "

Need to forigive my ignorance Sir
Can you elighten Theo and myself as to who Aly and Dave are.
"A new range" even the mention of it has me drooling

Bob

thinredline wrote:Dave,
Need to forigive my ignorance Sir
Can you elighten Theo and myself as to who Aly and Dave are.
"A new range" even the mention of it has me drooling
Bob

Bob, Aly Morrison and Dave Andrews are both designers with Games Workshop, they have both designed ranges in the past for Foundry and currently have their own fantastic range of Great War Miniatures. Aly has also branched out and produces his own range of Shiny Toy Soldiers which are multi-part 40mm figures for the mid 19th century and based on German 19th century toy soldiers. We did a demo game with them at Salute last year which was a battle from the 1st Schlesvig Holstein War and was designed to look like a battle for H.G. Wells Little Wars book.

Cheers
Dave

Thanks Dave,
I have been "enlightened"
Kind Regards,
Bob

Bob,

How might we find out more about the proposed new range of campaign types?

Theo

Theo, I wouldn't hold your breath waiting as this is definitely a future project. Aly and Dave have only started desinging their early WW1 range and it's not until that is complete that the will start to take a look at the Crimea. Although knowing them they could easily get inspired by some new period instead I know Aly is very keen on the Hungarian 1848 revolt against the Austrians.

Cheers
Dave