The League of Augsburg

The Bonnets o' Bonnie Dundee!

The Battle of Killiecrankie, July 27th 1689 is of enduring interest to me. It has all of the romanticism of a Hollywood mini series. A hero, who was long seen as a traitor and villain by his co-religionists and had both the sobriquet of Bluddy Clavers and Bonnie Dundee. A fractious army held together by the strength of his personality and that of other giant human...

I have made a Battle of The Boyne video focusing on how to get the most from the wargaming opportunities presented by this iconic battle.

It features information on the armies, features some tabletop examples and offers tips on how to set up your own games.

I am still experimenting with the format for videos but am trying very hard to keep both my mug and my mits out of shot! I don't like either in...

Apparently sharks die if they stop swimming. I don't know if that is true but it is an interesting thought. As a trained metallurgist, I do know that if you let a blast furnace cool down too much, it is 'gubbed'. And then I realized that I need to find the next project or.....

Of course, Clarence and I are well advanced with Mad for War,  but the 4Play scenarios combined with the proof of concept...

Despite Brexit, Covid 19, National lockdown and a snap snowfall in Scotland - A one tonne pallet arrived from Lithuania via Thames Gateway and I unloaded it this morning.

A Taste of Victory! will ship to pre order customers on Monday and Tuesday next week which is 10 days earlier than I had anticipated. Hurrah!

I am happy that this project got from drawing board to market quicker than any I have...

While we're at it, there is a Facebook...

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...

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...

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...