Blücher wargaming ; all over by Christmas!

It’s happened again! The Principality is in lock-down and our gallant police force is guarding the borders from hordes of migrants intent on spreading a deadly virus via their buckets and spades! Nevermind the shattering economic cost, or the human costs of isolation and lack of routine healthcare, our gifted leader is protecting us. Thankfully the First Minister’s son is safe in prison for a violent rape, so Mark can forget about his family for a moment, and help with the crisis.

But enforced leisure times means hobby time. I did manage to put up two blinds yesterday so I’m in the Kaiserin’s good books. On a related theme, I am now officially classified as “moderately able at D.I.Y.”by said blind manufacturer! Although, this could still come back to haunt me with the demands for more of my handiwork! But, it’s time for planning and organisation. Uncle Ken has taken the bit between his teeth with S.A.G.A and also came up with the idea of a “link person” for the Tercio i.e. Someone who is willing and able to introduce new players to a chosen system. Steve Timjin would be an obvious choice for Kings of War plus Napoleonics, with James for Commands and Colors. The ominous package that arrived a week a go signalled my intention to rival Mr. Sam Mustafa with my knowledge of the Honor system.

Steve Timjin has made a Terriffic start to Napoleonics too over Lockdown!

Mike Lane has also been busy with his Seven Years War masterpieces, including an amazing coach and more hussars!

We can always rely on Panzer Pete and Chris T for all things Flames of War. But stay tuned for recent developments on this system. I meanwhile will aim to get two Christmas games sorted out, both using Blücher. The first batch of minis were from Lancashire Games and are delightful, chunky sculpts. I’m sure there are other words to describe them but when you see them, you will see what I mean. Being  eighteen millimetre minis they are surprisingly large and a positive side-effect of this is that you only need five or six per cavalry base.

I picked up Across a Deadly Field: the War in the East for armylists and this inevitably led to my discovery of Cigar box battlemats. Whether the project will grow into the whole of Gettysburg, we shall see…..

I’d be happy to get two armies to use the proto Commands and Colors “Battle Cry” system. For this I would need ten units of infantry, three guns and three horse units, plus a few generals. This would allow us to utilise the excellent scenarios fro the GMT site.

The Blücher system uses playing card sized units and these I intend to be my standard. Don McHugh uses his 40mm wide base collection to play but I think now that I’ve committed myself, I’ll do all mine on the instantly recognisable rectangles, the unit stats may have to be a print out on paper below the base.

Don’s newly rebased Grenzers

Above are more of Don’s collection in action. Don uses large sheets of paper for the battlefield, allowing terrain to be drawn on where needed. Cigar Box have also come to my ai’d with this beauty below, and I think I know what Santa is bringing me for Christmas!

So there you have, lots of plans are in the air. I do hope you will follow us as the plans come to fruition.

Best wishes

Michael

Jeffe of the Despertaferres Tercio ( wargames association and dining club)