JOHN'S DUGOUT

(d'Agenois Regiment, 1/72 Italeri)  So you can get a lot of mileage out of a late eighteenth century French army, it's not just Yorktown! The French fought in the West Indies at St Lucia 1778, Grenada 1779, Dominica and St Kitts . In America at the Siege of Savannah  1779,  Siege of Yorktown and the Franco-Spanish assault on Penascola,  1781. A French army can be used in the Second Mysore War, Siege of Gibraltar and invasion of Minorca. In the   Revolutionary period the  Battle of  Quiberon Bay, Jersey, Ireland and Fishguard .  "Vive le Roi" Santoigne Regiment, advance with the bayonet Organisation: The French infantry regiment consisted of two battalions of 400-500 men. Each of batalion consisted of four fusileer companies. The regiment had one company of grenadiers and a company chasseurs (light infantry.) The French army made use of foreign regiments, some Irish and German units served in America. The French had colonial regiments gar...

This was a small cavalry battle fought between Hannibal and Scipio in the 2nd Punic War. Hannibal had crossed the Alps and had been recruiting local Celts and Italians hostile to Rome. The Romans were surprised, but one Consul, Publius Scipio led an Army along the north bank of the Po.  (Hannibal's Cavalry verses Scipio's Velites, Gallic and Roman cavalry)   The battle was fought on an open plain in the county of Pavia, 218BC. The River Ticinus was of the left of Hannibal's line and to the right of Scipio's. As such there needn' be any scenery. Hannibal's force was 6000 cavalry with his Libyan and Spanish in the centre and Numidian light cavalry in the wings. Scipio's force was 3600 Roman cavalry, 4500 Velites and 2000 Mounted Gauls. Scipio had his allied mounted Gauls and Velites (javelins) in the first line and his second line was Roman Cavalry. He was behind them with a small reserve of cavalry. The view from Hannibal's side. HAT figures painted by Al...

"And we'll go and conquer Canada for we've nothing else to do." (1/72 Canadian Militia, converted from ACW figures.) I got interested in this obscure period reading Wargames Illustrated 214 (2005) It has an article The Fenian Raids of 1866 by a Canadian wargamer Dave Hoyt. It provides a small colourful project as the troop numbers are limited, with minimal cavalry and artillery. Most of the figures on the Fenian can be made up of ACW figures in slouch hat and kepi. The Canadian and British side is more challenging with the figures being converted (from kepi to pillbox hat) or poached from other ranges (Maori Wars!) The numbers are low like the Battle of Eccles Hill had 600 men on either side which in 1:10 gives us 60 per side! Ideal for skirmish games like Patriots and Rebels or Sharpe Practise. Stylised painting of the Battle of Ridgeway, 1866  (The Sage Sons & Co Lithographer, Library & Archives of Canada, Wiki Commons) Many Irish had emigrated to America t...