LASALLE: A Battle Report: Part 1

Hi All

I thought I’d post an AAR and Review of Sam A Mustafa’s latest offering “LASALLE”. So what is “Lasalle”?

Well from the HONOUR web page (Lasalle is a rule set within the HONOUR series)

The game is small-scale and tactical in nature, focusing on the movement of individual battalions and regiments of cavalry. The player will manage a small force of roughly a dozen units as he tries to complete some specific mission assigned to him, such as “Hold the village and our bridgehead at all costs!” or: “Drive the French from Plancenoit!”

Lasalle is ideal for a small gaming table, and it plays in real-time with most battles lasting 2-3 hours. It is perfect for pick-up games or tournament play. It therefore includes sample army lists enabling players to collect and paint typical small forces from a large number of possible nationalities.

Right then; let’s see for ourselves!

I’ll admit right from the start I am slightly bias towards Sam Mustafa’s work, (Shock, Horror)!!!.

I have played his MIGHT AND REASON rules for the 7 Years War and really like his FAST PLAY GRAND ARMEE (FPGA) rules. I have high expectations that these rules will be well written in an easy to understand and logical manner that will give a realistic game, (as realistic as any game can be).

You’ll find heaps of reviews of the rules on the web and in various magazines, so I’ll stick to the basics and devote more effort to an actual After Action Report, (“Play Test” so to speak):

Presentation.

The rules are presented in a hard bound book with lots of illustrations and pictures of miniatures in scales from 6mm right up to 40mm. A sturdy book that can take the beatings one normally subjects their rules to; (and NO, I don’t mean actually BEATING your opponent with the book, no matter how tempted to do so).

There are plenty of examples inserted at the appropriate places within the book, with diagrams to ensure that nothing is left in doubt. There are Army lists for the major combatants and most Minor States. Oddly enough there is no list for the USA(!?)

There is a Quick Reference sheet (QRS) of sorts in the book. I say “of sorts” because it’s not a card like QRS, but rather pages. That said, you can download a QRS (exactly the same as that within the book) for free together with an Errata and “Tips and suggestions” and there is already a free Army List for the OTTOMAN EMPIRE. In fact, all future army lists will be available for free! It states in the “ARMY BUILDER section of the book:

“You will never have to buy and Supplements to play Lasalle”

Obviously Sam is no businessman in the mold of the teams at Games Workshop or Battlefront!

First Impressions

The rules are very well written.

Rather than writing the rules to mirror the sequence of play they are written in a logical order by way of introduction to the Sub-systems, thus enabling the reader to better understand each subsystem as they are introduced.

There are Advanced rules, Historical Scenarios, a FAQ section and as mentioned before, a QRS, an Army Builder and Army List section. Another useful “bit” is the “Learning The Game Concepts" section, dealing with Unit Sizes and Formations, Depicting Skirmishers, Fronts and Flanks, Terrain and lots more.

So How Does It All Play Out?

Well, like I said, I could rattle on about the actual rules and how well they are written and what nice quality the paper is and "are the lists truly representational of the Armies they represent",. BLAH BLAH BLAH but let’s face it, your here for the AAR and the pictures; sooooo......

The Battle of Pyranesia, 1810

The French ORBAT

A Infantry Division from the Peninsular List:

2 x Veteran Infantry (plus 1 extra, see note) = 3 Vet Btns

3 x Conscript Infantry (Plus 1 extra, see note) = 4 Con btns

1 x Dragoon Regt

1 x Divisional battery

NOTE: Because the French are attacking in this game they get 1 extra Veteran Infantry and 1 extra Conscript Infantry battalion.

I also added an “Organic” Brigade of Light cavalry:

2 x Hussars (1st and 5th)

2 x Chasseurs (but I changed one of these to lancers ‘cause i wanted to see what effect lancers had).

The British ORBAT

An Infantry Division from the Peninsular List:

4 x Infantry (33rd, 44th, 69th and 42nd)

1 x Large Elite Infantry (these are not Guards, but for this game I’ve made them the 1st Foot Guards)

1 Royal Artillery Battery (Minden Battery RA)

2 x Skirmisher Bases (95^th Rifles?)

I also added a “Reserve” Dragoon Brigade *:

2 x Heavy Dragoons (the 2nd and 7th). These should be + Large units, but I've kept ALL cav in this game as small 4 base units.

*(this Bde should also have a Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) battery, but I don’t have one. Instead I’ve added a Spanish Militia Battalion, (just for shits’ n’ giggles).

PART 2: The Game! to be post soon!

EUREKA! Guns for my Minden Miniatures Gunners

ABOVE: The competitors go muzzel to muzzel!
(Old Glory on the left, and Eureka Miniatures on the right. MINDEN Miniatures French gunner check them out)
Hi All
The question was asked recently "who's Guns will you use to equipe your MINDEN MINIATURES gunners"?
I considered my options.
A) I could put my OLD GLORY ARMY CARD to good use and purchase the guns from OLD GLORY at a very reasonable price, (a 40% discount, and the Aussie Dollar is VERY strong at the moment); OR,
B) Go with the "LOCAL" option and purchase the magnificent EUREKA MINIATURES guns.
The Eureka guns are expensive in comparison to the OG guns, (but then every other manufacturer's gun is expensive in comparison I guess); but they (Eureka) are a better quality product I think.
BELOW: OG (silver) and EUREKA (undercoated black) guns side-by-side. MINDEN MINIATURES French gunners survey the contenders. "Well Fronk, what do you think? Silver is sooooo 70's no"?


ABOVE: They French gunner's chose their "weapon of choice"! "Ohhhh LA LA! Qui qui, (poo poo). Look, zay even throw in zee equipmont. Manifeequ!"
Well, I've chosen to use EUREKA MINIATURES fantastic Artillery Pieces from their Age Of Reason range.

I went with the EUREKA guns for the following reasons:
1. Better quality, (being a GUNNER myself I knew I had to get the best guns for my Gunners);
2. EUREKA are a "Local" product. (I like to support Nic and his team at EUREKA as he's an Aussie, provides great customer service, and is a nice guy);
3. Even though the EUREKA guns are more expensive, I was only buying a few; so the price difference in the end wasn't such a big consideration, and;
4. The OG guns came with gunners, (that I didn't need).

I eventually purchased three packs of the OG Guns (and gunners) anyway to add to my AWI army.

You can never have to much Artillery!

The OG guns (and Gunners) represent EXCELLENT value for money, and with the extra 40% off with the ARMY CARD are an absolute BARGAIN!!! Add in the excellent customer service from the team from OLD GLORY and you're on a winner,...

Cheers

Minden Miniatures: Regt Bulkeley Infanterie (28mm)

Hi All
I've just finished paining my second unit of MINDEN MINIATURES 28mm Figures. These guys are from the French range.
This time I painted them as the "Wild Geese" Regiment Bulkeley, the heros of Fontenoy.
I've include in these photos the first MINDEN MINIATURES unit I painted; the white coated Royal La Marine Regt.
The flags are from GMB Flags.
I didn't make the same mistake I did when I painted Royal La Marine,.... this time I put my glasses on and put the flags on the staffs the right way up!
These Flags are truely little works of art.

BELOW: A close up of the Grenadiers of Regt Bulkeley!

Below: The Drummer urgers the Regt forward!

BELOW: A close up photo of the magnificent GMB Flags!

BELOW: Two more pictures of the Colours!

Below: The Wild Geese maintain excellent dressing ("By The Right"!), as they advance!

I've come to the conclusion that Minden Miniature are probably the most anotomicaly correct miniature I've ever painted. Fantastic miniature that deserve better than my feeble attempts at painting them,...

Feel free to leave a comment!

Cheers For Now!

A Roman Work Party! 28mm Ancients.

Hi All
Here is a few pictures of some Early Imperial Romans I painted about three years ago. The Roman Officer with the big nose is from OLD GLORY. The Legionaries at work are 1st Corp (I think). The officer with the parchment is a figure I purcased via the DBA FANATICUS page.




Feel free to leave a comment or two!
Cheers!


"So Centurion, what are the men up to"?
"Urm, digging Sir"!
"Ow wheeeeeellllly"!
"Urm, Yes Sir, really"!
"Oh! Well, do cawwy on"!

VICTRIX Peninsular British: 32nd Foot

(ABOVE) "Blimey Sir; steady on! The Frog's ain't goin no where,.." !

The Colour Party of the 32nd Regiment Of Foot. The Colours (flags) came with the PERRY Plastic British Box Set! Unfortunatly the Flags are for the 33RD FOOT!!! oooops. Oh well, I'll do the 33rd soon, so I'll just swap out the Ensigns.

Hi all!

Here is the second unit of VICTRIX 28mm plastics I've assembled and painted. This time it's the British 32nd Regiment of Foot. I tried a different method of painting this time, and am happier with the results. (See this entry on the 44th Foot I painted earlier).

DISCLAIMER! I freely admit I'm not a brilliant painter, so these are pretty much painted to what I consider a "Wargames standard". I don't do faces very well, so I don't bother trying.

As usual, I did use some parts from the PERRY Plastic box set, ( including Flags).

(Below: A close up of our "Enthusiatic Tommy". One of the advantages of plastic "kit" figs is the ease of "conversions" such as "Tommy" here).

(Above: The Brave 32nd advance on the equaly Brave Frenchmen)

I also used a differnt basing method. Again, better results I think.

Painting: I still undercoated the figures with a Matt Black spray, (available from any harware shop). I painted the coats with a base coat of Games Workshop Mechrite Red, then did a highlight of Vallejo AV Red and then a 2nd highlight using Vallejo AV Scarlet.

I also painted the soldier's pants as various shades of off white, pale greys' and the occassional browns.

Shakos and Packs I painted in a flat black, and then highlighted with a mix of flat black and "Flesh", (Dwarf Flesh by GW). You need to experiment a bit to get the right mix, but it does produce a very good "black highlight"

(Below: The Light Company)

BASING: This time I simply used some fine "gritty" sand I found in the gutter at work. Cost? Just some personal pride as i must haved looked like some lunatic derro as a gathered it up into an old plastic bag! Other than that; it was FREE!

I glued the figures to the VICTRIX bases using common PVA (woodwork) glue, and left to dry. A few hours later I covered the bases with the same PVA Glue and then dipped the entire base in the "gritty" sand. Again, I left to dry (overnight).

Next day I covered the base with a diluted dark brown ink wash, and (again) left to dry. I then Dry Brushed "Fawn / Light Brown" hobby Paint on the base, and then added dabs here and there of PVA Glue. I then sprinkled on the flocking grass and I was done!
Rather good result I think!

(Below: One last look at the 32nd Foot).

I based each member of the Regimental Colour party individualy on 20mm x 20mm bases. I also based the Flank Company soldiers (the Grenadiers and Lights) singularly.

As I intend to use the figures mainly for playing "SHARP PRACTICE", so I figured I'd need some single based figures.

The rest are all based 4 to a base, (40mm sqare).

Feel free to leave a comment!

Cheers.

28mm Ancients!

ABOVE: The backbone of the late Empire; battered old Veterans! "Bloody Vandals! Far to much Arson around these days"! Foundry 28mm figures with LBM shield transfers.

Below: Late Romans advance towards the waiting Vandals!


Below: Xyston Miniatures Alexander The Great

Hi All

I thought it was about time I uploaded some pictures of something other than Napoleonics.

Here are some photos of some 28mm Ancients (Late Romans, Spanish and a personality Figure).

Below: A young Alexander, (not yet Great)! The miniature is by Xyston Miniatures,painted by me.

Below: Ancient Spanish from the FOUNDRY MINIATURES stable. I still need to add javlins, but I thought I'd share all the same. They were painted by FERNANDO ENTERPRISE to Showcase Quality. They really are beautifully painted!

Next are some GRIPPING BEAST, WARGAMES FOUNDRY and OLD GLORY 28mm Late Romans. All painted by me with some Little Big Man shield transfers.

Below: Auxilia with archers in support! I've aded a fallen barbarian here and there,...

Next is the Heavy Infantry:

Below: A Close up of the heavy infantry:

Below: Massed Late Romans as seen from behind

Below:The Late Romans as seen from the business end!

Please feel free to leave a comment!

Cheers

OLD GLORY 2nd Edition Pre-Painted and VICTRIX Metal 28mm

Hi All
It's been a long time since my last entry on the Blog; (work keeps getting in the way of my social life). Anyhooo, I thought I'd share with you some pictures of some OLD GLORY 2ND EDITION (OG 2nd Ed) Pre-painted miniatures I recently aquired a few months back, (before my car blew up)!
Well, they aren't ALL OG, the two mounted officers are the very nice VICTRIX French Mounted Colonels. I painted the two mounted Colonels myself.
Now Old Glory (OG) have a reputation of producing figures that are either very good, or very bad. Their 2nd Edition figures though are, in my opinion very nice. I don't think they are as good as PERRY's, but for the price they are pretty good at "bulking" out your line.
I think they were sculpted by the same chap who does the very nice SASH AND SABER 28mm figures.
The Pre-painted figures also are rather good value for money, with 20 painted "center" company figures setting you back $70.00 USD, or 8 "flank" company or "Command" figures costing $33.50 USD. Now they are not painted to what I'd call SHOWCASE or MUSEUM standard, but certainly a good to very good WARGAMER's standard. Bottom line was I happy for what I paid? YES.
Will I buy more? Hmmmm,... well I hear REINFORCEMENTS BY POST may well be doing a similar deal with the OG 2nd Ed figs, so when I see what they look like I'll spend my hard earned on what ones take my fancy,...
BELOW: French 36th Line Regt with a Mounted VICTRIX Colonel.
Notice the beautiful VICTRIX Colour (flag). It's as good as any flag you'll pay a couple of dollars for and you get about 8 of them FREE with a box of VICTRIX Plastic 28mm French infantry!!!

BELOW: The Eagle bearer, drummer and Officer of the 36th Line Regt. A much better look at the VICTRIX flag in this picture.


BELOW: The Grenadier Company of the 36th Line. I did repaint the Pom Poms and wings on the Grenadiers, (as the red was to subdued for my liking).

BELOW: a closer look at the Mounted Colonel of the 36th. The photo has made the horse look a lot "whiter" than it is, and has blured / blended the shading. This miniature looks a bit nicer in the flesh than this photo actually shows, (honestly).

BELOW: The Mounted Colonel and his charges of the 27th Line! The VICTRIX metals are beautiful miniatures. I'd rate them the equal of the PERRY's, (and that's saying something)!

BELOW: the 27th and 36th Line Regiments advance!

(BELOW) Old Glory 2ndEd Pre-painted figures as viewed from behind:

I based the figures on VICTRIX 40mm square bases.

Feel free to leave a comment!

Cheers

Trailape