Black Powder – Battle of Auerstädt July 7, 2018

On July 7, 2018 my club mates decided to recreate the Auerstädt battle using Black Powder rule system. The scenario and the table are prepared by Ezio and they simulate the fights from 9 am to 1 pm.

The battle of Auerstädt was fought on October, 14 1806 between the forces of Napoleon and Frederick William III of Prussia and, it was part (with his twin and best known battle of Jena) of the decisive defeat for the Prussian army.

Below an imagine of Jena and Auerstädt battles from Wikipedia.

and another detail of the Auerstädt battle movements during the day.

My mates played this scenario on a 240x150 cm table and with around 900 miniatures (scale 15mm). 

The French forces are controlled by Ezio and Luciano while the Prussian-ones are under the control of Antonio and Alberto. The miniatures are mainly painted by Alberto (around 95%) but also by Ezio and Riccardo ... and now the battle

An imagine of battle preparation

Troops are arriving on the field

The Davout’s French divisions advance even if further west respect what heppened in the real battle. While the left wing commander decides to cover the flank with a line formation…

… the right wing are more aggressive maintaing the attack columns

The Prussian forces start their fires …

… and continues to hammer French lines that absorb part of their shoots thanks from voltigeurs screen (as well as happened on the real field).

The Prussian cavalry starts his attack but even if they break the central French division it is too late.

… the Prussian infantry divisions leave the field and so Auerstädt remains another Napoleone’s victory.

I have to point out that also in the real battle Blucher's cavalry was been not able to break Davout’s men and so the Prussian commander was force to order the withdrawal. Below a Richard Knötel’s imagine that can witness very well what have been happened

Casale Monferrato – La Rocca Implacabile IV – June, 17 2018

On June 17, 2018 my club (“La Piccola Armata”) took part to La Rocca Implacabile IV, an exposition that held in the castle of Casale Monferrato. It was a local exhibition organized in cooperation with Casale Comics&Games and another club: I vendemmiatori implacabili that kindly invited us.

Below some pictures of the Castle of Monferrato. The castle is a 15th century military construction with a hexagonal plan and four round towers encircling by a moat

The exhibition was not dedicated to miniatures but to role play games and ghost players as it is possible to see below

Our stand was dedicated to Paolo Montinaro’s wargame expansion: “Garibaldini all’attacco!”

In addition to Castelfidaldo scenario we prepared also another table with some miniatures of different periods to help people to understand our hobby

Paolo published with Chillemi Editore the first expansion of his game dedicated to Italian independence wars but I’ll treat this topic in another post as is correct to do considering the great work (ie to write rules, play tests and so on) that my club mates did to prepare it.

The scenario prepared by Paolo (and re create for the exhibition) was Castelfidardo battle. A battle between Sardinian and Papal troops fought on Sept 18, 1860 that was permitted to new Italian kingdom to take control of Marches and Umbria.

Below some imagines of the miniatures and table prepared and painted by my mates.

During the day many persons decided to play with Paolo’s wargame and, considering that the event was not for miniature players, I have to point out that Paolo created a very good system rules

WWII German Army 1/72 - Bolt Action/Rapid Fire part two

To close the post wrote last week I post other photos of my 20 mm miniatures.

Miniatures are a mix of Italeri, Orion, Zvezda, Preiser and Caesar Miniatures while tanks are plastic soldier and Mondadori models.

Pictures are taken on tables prepared by my club mates (Ezio, Luca and Alberto F.) a couple of weeks ago. Another friend of mine (Maurizio) prepared for me all German tanks. Models for which I painted only some details (tracks, wheels and so on)

A panzer IV waiting for his prey and …

… the same panzer that is going to hit the enemy

Some pictures of my 88mm and …

… other examples of German fallschrimjager artillery:

 A 7.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 40 or LG 40.

A 2.8 cm Panzerbüchse 41 or sPzB 41

And an stolen Italian “Elefantino”

Other fallschrimjager in action

A mix of Italeri and Zvezda miniatures painted for winter period

Some German officers in different situations

A German column marching in Normandy and …

… a Allied column that is going to receive a surprise

(German tank is painted by Alberto F. English units are painted by Ezio)

(German tank is painted by Alberto F. English units are painted by Ezio)

(German tank is painted by Alberto F. English units are painted by Ezio)

WWII German Army 1/72 - Bolt Action/Rapid Fire part one

I spent the last months painting miniatures in 20mm scale to complete a WwII German army for Bolt action.

Miniatures are a mix of Italeri, Orion, Zvezda, Preiser and Caesar Miniatures while tanks are plastic soldier and Mondadori models.

Last Saturday I went to my Wargame Club (La Piccola Armata - Turin) to take some pictures of the miniatures I painted.

I want thanks for the photos below:

- Ivano that gifted me a lot of Zvezda and Preiser miniatures. Models that I did not know and that I have to admit are very detailed ones   

- Ezio that prepared the scenario

- Luca and Alberto F.  that lent me their splendid houses: Luca the Italian ones and Alberto the Normandy buildings

- Maurizio that prepared for me all tanks. Models for which I painted only some details (tracks, wheels and so on)

... but now the photos

Some men of the Ramcke division somewhere in Italy before their departure for Africa

The Sd.Kfz. 231 8 rad in the background is Mondadori model re-painted ... his original aspect was this ...

I'm sure that his new colors are better

A Stug IV and some soldiers that are resting

Some German soldiers hit by the enemy artillery in a Normandy road and ... 

... others  that are hiding in a crop field

A German column in Normandy

A Pak 40 crew that is preparing a surprise to an American tank and ... 

... their English colleages that are working for a reply (the background tank is painted by Alberto F.)

Some volksgrenadiers and Green devils near to a destroyed tank

Other green devils under the artillery fire