Scenario 9 Attack on a Camp

Rather like Bernard Cornwell discovering a Sunday afternoon in Richard Sharpe’s life he has not accounted for, and turning it into two novels and a short story, we launch ourselves into the further north German adventures of Generals Lebasque and von Wreckedoffen with a Sharp Practice doubleheader.

When camping here in Ontario, the biggest risks to a good night’s sleep are the local wildlife checking to see if you have left any of your food unsecured, or the kids at the next pitch over deciding to stay up all night partying. For Lebasque’s scouting force, fresh from their success at Dreibrücke, their sleep is interrupted by those most unexpected of visitors, Prussians seeking revenge.

Having foolishly camped by the sole bridge over an unfordable stream, the French line of retreat is constrained. Their only hope is that the Prussians are spotted before they get too close to the sleeping grognards. 

That was the year that wasn’t

Well, that’s not been great. A full year without posts is a pretty accurate reflection of my hobby life in 2024. No games, no shows, no purchases and not much painting. Why? Nothing too dramatic, just all the components of IRL conspired to make it a monumentally crappy year. No need to be alarmed: I still have my health, food on the table, a roof over my head and Mrs Dog continues to tolerate me.

In amongst the never-ending nonsense, I did manage to squeeze in the odd 10 minutes of painting here and there (when my mojo wasn’t completely AWOL). Almost exclusively devoted to preparing the terrain and figures for Scenario 14, which given that the last one played was number 8 suggests either impressive preparedness or an unhinged level of optimism.

The Syldavian Women’s Militia Battalion (commanded, obvs, by the Syldavian Women’s Militia Battalion Officer…ask your parents).

Scenario 8 Dead Ground

WTF happened to 2023? One moment it's May, and I'm contemplating playing this scenario over the Victoria Day long weekend, and next thing it's gone Christmas and I've done nothing hobby related other than build an Italeri church. I guess 'real life happened' is the answer, and after a blizzard of house guests, trips to see family, a vacation (3 whole days of camping) and work, work, work, the dust has finally settled. Momentarily, at least.

Those Byzantines have been back from Sri Lanka and all based up since this time last year, so they're ready for the first battle to feature them against the Sassanians. 

Typical Canadian winter terrain welcomes our new arrivals from Sri Lanka

Taking a leaf from the book of Ken Riley, the Yarkshire Gamer, I am making this battle as big as possible, by basically sizing it to use the maximum number of the units I possess. In practice, this leaves only a couple of Byzantine cavalry, some skirmishers and an odd unit of Sassanian archers, off the table.