Best guns for FPW period

Still going strong! Not being able to acquire genuine S range artillery I have been looking at the various models available with which to arm my Prussians in particular.

I have looked at what is available on the UK market.  I do know that their are  some good models available in the US but when I have tried to purchase these, they either aren't posted to the UK or the postage is really high and makes them prohibitively expensive.

So this is a look at the guns that are easily available over here.  I have had to rule out what look like some excellent looking field pieces on the Northstar 28mm 1866 range as they come with gunners and the guns are not sold separately.  Call me mean but I don't want to spend £12 and throw away 4 gunners. I also ruled out the 20mm B&B FPW artillery as having bought some I considered them too small.  They are shown as unpainted guns in the pictures below.

Basically, this left me with 28mm Foundry and Old Glory.

Franco Prussian War Artillery - Prussian
Make	Type	Length (inc Barrel)	Wheel Diameter	Width	Barrel length
Old Glory GSG-002	Krupp Gun	57mm	25mm	30mm	37mm
Foundry FPPG001	Prussian Field Gun	52mm	22mm	25mm	30mm
Foundry FPPG002	Prussian 90mm Krupp Field Gun	65mm	20mm	38mm	37mm

These are the Krupp Guns available (L to R  25mm Old Glory, 28mm Foundry 90mm Field Gun and for scale a 20mm B&B Prussian Artillery piece.  The Foundry guns can be bought separately and after adding VAT (tax) run in at a little over £6 each plus P&P  for the Prussian Field Gun whilst the 90mm Krupp gun is  £8 plus VAT and P&P.  whilst the Old Glory are around £12 for 2 guns plus P&P.  The 20mm guns are the cheapest.  They could be 'light field' guns given the size, but the seats make them look a bit odd.

The only gun capable of seating my 'Minifigs/S range conversion' is the 28mm Foundry Gun.  The Old Glory gun would probably sit a 20mm gunner.  

As you can see the wheels on the Old Gory wheels are much larger than their Foundry counterpart.

Just to prove a point 20mm and Old Glory 25mm side by side.

 My original artillery from my Crimean War S range army.  This piece is from the S range era, although I don't know whether it is actually an S range piece. Oddly it has a rammer moulded onto the underside of the gun carriage.  The guns were painted way back when by the original owner and I have left them in the same painted condition.

So these are the guns I settled on 2 Foundry guns and the Old Glory Krupp guns.

The real surprise is that the Foundry Prussian Field Gun has a longer gun carriage that the 90mm Krupp gun by comparison. I haven't bought the Prussian 21cm Foundry Krupp Mortar at £8 plus VAT and postage or the 15cm Krupp Siege Gun again at £8 plus VAT (although oddly this looks the closest to the style of the original S range flied piece.

I hope this is of some help.

The Hardest Blog to write?

Well went to see the doctor with a bit of indigestion at the beginning of March and by the end of the month was told it was terminal cancer.  No cure months, not weeks at least!

Having been a gym person and passed all my medicals up to this point it was a bit of a surprise but I guess we all have a shelf life and mine is coming up.  So back home and then looking at 40 years or more collection of Wargame stuff and where to start to sort it all out?

Bit of a bummer as I had cast up figures for my ongoing 1866 project and they sit and stare at me.  Decided that I may push on with these for a bit.  But what to do with them all?  So many home made moulds.  Quality varies but they work.  Castings and other bits and pieces.

Last week, John has sent me examples of the various Belgium/Austrians and French in Mexico figures I made up for him.  The castings look very nice and are available from him.  Annoyingly, as I can see how some of them could fit into my French 1870 army.  I hope to paint some of these too show the finished article. 

So I am looking for advice, rather than sympathy.  The 15mm Napoleonic stuff should be easy to move as their are many collectors but when it comes to the old S range it is a bit more selective and beauty is in the eye of the beholder so to speak. Not everyone's period either.

The question is do I sell all my S range as a collection, or in parts?  My desire is for them to go to someone who would appreciate them for what they are and maybe keep altering them.  But, by the same token, that’s a big ask and there may be many who would like some, but not all and what price does one ask?  It is not an immediate issue.  I am told that since I am ‘fit and well’ (bit ironic) that starting the treatment early means I have a chance of responding better and (maybe) some extra time. 

Before getting a chance to post this l got rushed into hospital this time last week.  If someone had told me it was all over I would have been happy.  But the brilliant nursing staff and doctors at our local NHS hospital got me back home 'fit-ish and more important mentally well enough' to at least post this blog and continue the clear out. 

Setting myself goals and milestones Christmas being the first, then see how things progress.  You never know.

Still aim to wargame with Jack and Bob for as long as I can and hopefully post lots of pictures.  Promised Jack a Franco Prussian/Austrian/Allies mega game with my S range figures may look silly getting everything onto the table but what the hell.

28mm Pike and Shotte Ottomans V Poles - Part 2

As I mentioned in the earlier blog Bob set this game up and after a bit of a ‘test’ we decided that the Polish Winged Hussars, whilst looking spectacular in a mass, were just a bit too powerful all together.

Bob reset the table and we met to replay the game.  The scenario was the same.  In essence the Turks had to get the pillaged supplies back to their base.  The Poles aim was to free the captives, take back the supplies and see the end of Gothrin the mad who had led the raid of the Polish frontier and if possible his father Etrogul the Brutal.

Gothrin the Mad and his train and captives.

Bringing up the rear he has his main force led by his infantry

The revised Polish lines

Gothrin managed to get this train moving towards the safety of his father's ‘field army’  

We allowed the Turks a two move start but not everyone got the message!  The Poles begin their assault. On the right the Polish light cavalry spotted the horde of Ottoman irregular infantry and charge!

Some pathetic archery doesn't stop the Poles from ploughing in.  However the sheer size of the Ottoman unit holds the Polish cavalry – just.

In the centre a unit of Hussars senses the opportunity to attack the stationary Etrogul and his field army and charges  his elite bodyguard infantry

In support some of the Polish infantry move forwards slowly but many stay put.  Elsewhere the other Polish heavy cavalry advance slowly.

On the left the light cavalry move forward cautiously.

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In the centre the Polish Winged Hussars don’t have it all their own way against Etrogul’s elite infantry bodyguard but eventually they break and run.  At the same time Etrogul seeks shelter behind his mounted bodyguard.  The Poles surge forward in a sweeping advance and crash into them.

Whilst they weaken the bodyguard it is a step too far and they are eventually broken and flee!

Gothrin decides to send his cavalry to ward of the advancing Poles whilst staying with the train to ‘guide it to safety’!  The cavalry charge an infantry unit whilst the horse archers fire at the supporting Hussars.

The cavalry are already carrying casualties and suffer at the hands of the ‘two handed’ axes wield by the poles.  The fail a ‘Break Test’ and are pushed back.

Meanwhile of the right the Polish light cavalry have seen one unit come from the fortress to support Etrogul and decided to act launching a charge on the Hungarian infantry defending the gates.

The Polish Winged Hussars who had been supporting the infantry take advantage of the push back of the Turk cavalry and charge.

Another unit of Hussars attacks the Horse archers

The Turk cavalry can’t stand the Charge and are beaten and flee the horse archers scatter to avoid the other unit of Hussars and suddenly Gothrin and his unguarded spoils and captives are in sight.  The Hussars push on to capture the supplies and Gothrin is taken in a battle with the ‘wagoneers’.  The captives are freed and flee towards the safety of the Polish lines.

More winged hussars push forward to support the light cavalry engaged with the Hungarians

 With Gothrin defeated and more Poles advancing Etrogul heads for the safety of the fortress supported by his bodyguard.

The Turks still didn't manage to field all their support forces before the Poles descended upon them.  But a good game nevertheless.  

Both army look superb with all their banners and pennants and you almost feel that this is one of those games were all the figures should go on the table for a 'slog it out game' just because it would look so effective.  The Hinchcliffe Polish Winged Hussars look brilliant with their huge wings and long lances.