The League of Augsburg

Wonderful cover art by Neil Roberts

I have been talking about it on an off over the last few months. We are pretty much there now. Over the next few weeks the first full scenarios book for BLB 3rd edition will be sent to print. 

Each scenario begins with some historical context

The book is entitled A Taste of Victoryand offers eighteen scenarios set between 1676 and 1693. The table set ups are all...

Dave (DOB) O'Brien has been a gaming buddy for a long time. Covid has kyboshed our usual get togethers and we both have been filling in with alternative gaming options. 

He sent me some cracking pictures of a recent Donnybrook game which I know he has already shared on Facebook but some more detail here and links to other useful threads of the Moorish connection for gaming. 

Tangier and North...

The overnights are in on the two small warships for the Anglo Dutch Wars period. I have blocked in basic colours only on everything except the decks which habe been drybrushed  UP 3 as I would say (ie basic coat + 3). 

Some of the colours shown are not the end coulours which will be used for example, the yellow will be overlaid in gilt. The ochre hull will be darkened down to a more oaken shade.

No...

Lots of prep work. The masts are scratchbuilt. Some additions to the hull were needed.

I have been working pretty intensively on multiple projects over the past 6 months the largest of which has been the two books due to be published this year. One is finished the other just about to be. 

The 4Play scenarios came out of nowhere but have consumed probably 200 hours - nevertheless, that has been fun...

4Play has proved to be popular. Visitors to the blog will have noticed the high level of output which has been matched by a lot of inbound emails regarding content. That is just what I need. As an example, requests this week alone have included; more GNW, a pack covering a WTK tutorial game, The Covenanter Rebellions, more on Flanders campaigns, Sedgemoor, more Ireland focused material and,...

Malplaquet - played on a 20 x 12 foot E shaped table

Of Marlborough's four victories Malplaquet was the last and most marginal if it was a victory at all. It is a tactically blunt sledgehammer battle during which horrendously costly frontal assaults incurred casualties at a alarming level for the army of the Alliance. 

The French cavary reserve - over 100 squadrons (50 model squadrons)

Comparing the...

Normally overshadowed by a few myths and tourist-focused, trivial details such as Scotland versus England, the death of the hero Dundee, a Highland charge and Soldier's Leap, the Battle of Killiecrankie receives much less attention than it deserves. 

The outcome was decisive, the tactical approach of both sides markedly different, the armies dramatically different in size, culture and leadership...

Kinsale scenario on a 4PlayX table

Exactly a year ago I was sitting in a very quiet part of Mallorca planning the next book. It'll be quick I told myself. Six months maybe. Well, it is just about ready and it took a year. It would have been sooner but Lockdown affected the layout process. That's all done now. It is a 128 page scenario book for Beneath the Lily Banners and is called 'A taste of...

Anyone interested in the period will automatically associate the year 1685 with James II & VII's ascension to the throne and.... The Monmouth Rebellion. The Argyll Rebellion, which overlapped and was inextricably linked with Monmouth's adventure is not very well known and often dismissed in a few lines allowing all gunsights to be retrained yet again on the West Country Protestant rising. 

Royal...