Hedges and Covenanters

So after getting some decorating done, I spent the weekend full steam ahead on the Marston Moor Project. First up was completing another 8ft of hedges. A mix of my type 3 and 4. I even managed to start another 4ft, so hopefully should have enough soon.

I did use up the last of the fencing I had left. Just wish I knew where I got them from to pick up some more.

Next up was a couple of buildings from Battlescale. This should round out all the buildings that I'll need.

And just to end, 2 more regiments of Covenanter foot. I've earmarked the front regiment as Lord Leven's own. The rear is just another generic regiment.

That brings the Covenanters up to 50% strength for the game. Just 6 infantry, 3 horse and a few commanders to go.

During a current playtest of the rules, casualty markers will be required, so I've put an order in to Peter Pig. I'll base them with a dice holder to cover multiple casualties, keeps the numbers required down.

More dour Scotsmen

The benefits of a little time off, well apart from decorating is that I got a little time to actually get a batch of painting done. This time it is a 3rd cavalry regiment, mainly Warlord plastic with a standard bearer from Alternative armies. These are the first of either 3 or 4 regiments of lancers. There was also an additional brigadier and a 4th Pike and shot regiment. All the flags are from Wargames design.

I've also made a start on the next 2 pike and shot regiments, hopefully I may get them finished over the weekend. I also made some more progress on the hedges as they near completion. I also ordered a 3rd fleece mat for the Marston Moor game. On the gaming front a bit of a disaster as 2 players are down with the lurgy and will not be attending. May just have to abandon the game and set up a set piece encounter with the available players.

Another Covenanter Regiment

My enthusiasm for this project has picked up recently as I feel I can finally concentrate on getting the last of the required troops done in readiness for September. This is the 3rd regiment of foot for the Covenanters. The flag is from Wargames Designs for an unknown regiment.

This gets me to 3 of the 12 regiments required. I've got another 3 undercoated and ready to paint  up. There is also a 3rd regiment of cavalry just requiring basing. Overall this brings the project to over 75% complete. Quite a feat. I've also ordered a couple of extra sprues as I want to replace the individual pikemen on a couple of units for Rupert's command.

On the scenery front I've also made some progress on another 8 foot of hedges. A mix of my type 3 and 4. Hopefully get these finished this week. After that about the same number again should be sufficient.

Type 3 hedges

Type 4 hedges

This is definitely my last batch of type 4 as using clump foliage is a pain and very messy to use. I've also got a couple of sheets of pan scourer to use up and find these much easier to produce.

A clash of Pike n Shotte Part 1

So to game time. Thankfully we were only 1 player short, so just a little shuffle on the Parlaimentarian side. The game began with the Royalists camped upon a hill between the villages of Newton Bog and Upper Twot. They had been pursued by a larger Parliamentarian force while trying to link up with Prince Rupert. The dawn broke to find the Parliamentarians upon the field.  Riders were frantically dispatched to bring Rupert to the field while they tried to hold the high ground.

Newcastle organises the defence

Copley and Fairfax advance

Leslie and Lawson bring up the infantry

Cromwell looks to probe the right of the Royalist position

Royalist infantry pour devastating fire from the woods

Mackworth secures the Royalist left

Parlaimentarians struggle to get their infantry into position

Langdale's horse finally get moving

Tillier with Rupert's infantry finally arrives upon the field

Copley's horse have taken a terrible pounding with 2 regiments routed from the field

Ashton's infantry begin their advance on Newcastle's foot

Fairfax urges Ashton's foot on, into a hail of musketry and cannon fire

Langdale and Cromwell come to grips 

Ashton begins his assault

Lamplugh's battalion is swept from the filed leaving a rather large gap in the center

So the game is in the balance. On the Royalist right, Byron and now Rupert have arrived with a large body of horse. Lawson and Crawford have moved to try and block their attempts to reinforce Newcastle.

In the Centre, Leslie has brought up his brigade of infantry and numerous guns to support Ashton's assault across the stream. Meanwhile over on the Royalist left, Goring is keeping a watchful gaze on the remains of Copley and Fairfax's horse while covering Mackworth as he begins to realign his infantry to support the centre.

The game is on a knife edge and can go either way. If Rupert can get his horse onto the field before Leslie can box him in, he can create havoc among the exposed Parlaimentarian infantry. He needs to be quick as Newcastle is heavily outnumbered in infantry and cannon and under severe pressure.

Covenanters

Finally I've been able to get some of my own stuff completed. Even better is it gets me 1 unit closer to completing the Marston Moor project. This is the second Covenanter pike and shot regiment. I went with all grey uniforms as it helps speed things up as I just wanted to get something done. I should also get a 3rd regiment done this weekend.

The flag is from an unknown regiment, produced by Wargames designs. The bonnets could possibly do with another highlight, maybe for another day. At least they will be ready to take to the field of battle tomorrow night.

Game Preparation

So after finishing Simon's figures it was time to get a game in to help get the creative juices going for the last push on my Marston Moor project. So off to the club I went with figures and terrain to prepare the layout for Thursday. 

The game will revolve around a Royalist force holding the highground beyond the stream against a slightly larger Parlaimentarian force. Mitch will also be bringing along his figures to round out 2 of the Parlaimentarian commands. This will give each side 7 commands.

Oliver Cromwell awaiting Mitch's troops

Sir Thomas Fairfax

Prince Rupert

Marquis of Newcastle

Both sides will be equal in horse regiments (my dragoons are standing in as Raw horse regiments). Parliament will have a superiority in both artillery and infantry. Just hope enough players turn up for the game to flow. This set up actually inspired me to complete a Covenanter infantry regiment, just need to get the basing done. As well as making a start on another regiment.

Project is a go

As I've been putting the finishing touches to the last 5 mounted commanders for Simon (just some highlights to do), it was time to kick start the Marston Moor project. I decided to prep 2 sprues of Covenanter infantry ready for painting. I'll be able to crack on with these over the next week or so. Also for a bit of inspiration I'm putting on an ECW game at the club on Thursday. This normally helps me focus on the figures needed. In the meantime I painted up the last of the building I'll need for the game. Just 3 more I picked up from Pendraken miniatures.

Definitely not my best work, but the'll be fine mixed in with the rest of the collection. I'm pretty sure this brings me up to 16 buildings.

Thought I was done

These last 2 weekends I made a concerted effort to get the last of Simon's figures done. 2 regiments of Scottish infantry, dragoons and lancers all done, bagged up and ready to post off on Monday. Then to my horror I realised that there were also 5 Royalist commanders to be done, so it'll be at least another week before I can crack on with my own  projects.

All bagged up

So the list of completed regiments based upon the flags that Simon had.

Regiment	Coat	Flag
Sir George Lisle	Light blue	White
Marquis Newcastle	White	Red
William Wyne	Not known	Red
Francis Cooke	white/grey	Blue
Nicholas Slanning	Blue	Blue
Kings Lifeguard	Red	Kings
Queens Lifeguard	Red	Queens
Tillier	Green	Green
Earl Rivers	Light blue	Black
Sir Henry Carey	Green	Yellow
Strathbogie	Mixed	Scot
Lord Kilpont (former Covenanter)	Grey

I'm rather please these are all done. it equated to 970 infantry, 10 mounted and 4 frame guns so far. Just those pesky last 5 mounted to do.