Bob Finally does Silver Bayonet

1st pologies for not doing a lets play on tbe”Bacontree’d’ scenario previously, as it was one players 1st run tbrough of tbe rules, plus we hadn’t seen hi. for months, didnt get time to photo and write up events. Hopefully I’ll have more chance this week. We are going to play the Ruined church scenario ftom the co-operative scenarios of the Silver Bayonets Italian supplement, Slightly adapted to a ruined tower,

A) As Keith the new player from last week, brought my old GW ruined tower, but he also built a rather mice rocky outcrop for it.

B) I dont have a ruined church

Above shows tbe table layout, as part of my updaye on painting progress I will show the Prussians and Americans later, there will.be more painting updates for 60th Rifles, French Grenadiers, Dismounted Dragoons and Nritish Footguard.

Whilst painting Napoleonic figures like mad, to help enthusiasm I watched a lot of the old Sharpe Episoodes, initially on ITVX but found that problematic on loading so reverted to those avial on You Tube,  

One I had completely forgotten about was ‘Sharpes Gold’, Which had very little in common with the Novel other than Sharpe is in it and there was gold. 

But it had a back story that I felt really fit inot the Silver Bayonet setting with a few minor changes. It had Guerillas dressed very much in the style of Conquistadors, Aztec Gold and ritual sacrifice . 

So here is my attempt at a s 1st scenario for what will hopefully become a linked campaign .

Scenario 1 Bacontree

It is July !813 post the battle of Vittorio and Wellington is pushing the French back across the Pyrenees, an area rife with old legends and dark secrets. Various Guerilla and bandit bands operate in the area, although most only harass the retreating French , many are not so particular. One of the more notorious is led by El Pizza, a group who are reported to dress in Conquistador armor . Legends of a lost treasure ship, Aztecs gold , magic and demonic rituals surroud them , it is this in mind that various nations particularly the French, Spanish, and British have sent teams into the area to uncover the truth, including all armies exploring officers  

Some 300 years before a Spanish treasure ship foundered off the coast.It carried large amounts of gold Craven idols , temple statues and slaves taken from the Aztec priesthood. The ship foundered of of the coast of Spain between Donostia/San Sebastion and Biarrist,  Most of the crew perished but most of the Aztecs  survived  overpowering their former captors and dragging them with them into the nearby Pyrannees mountains were they resumed their human sacrifices of the few captured Spanish. Once they were safely established in the hills caves they returned and scavenged as much of their lost relics as they could, leaving very little for the Spanish when they eventually found the shipwreck. 

For the next few years  the Aztec Survivors preyed on the local population in revenge for the destruction their  Empire, continuing their rity=ual sacrifce on  any captives taken in raids.  only some 10 years later was a returning Conquistador commander  able to muster enough willing volunteers to hunt down and ambush the Priests during one of their raids. Although this destroyed for the time being the bulk of the marauders he was never able to find the the Aztecs hideout, so their families were still at large, though for a time the raiding did stop. Eventually it became apparent that descendants of the survivors still remained and occasional disappearances of travellers was reported , and were chalked up to the curse of the Aztecs, as it is told that the the last of the Aztecs priests killed in their final battle cursed the Conquistador with dieing  breath.

Whatever happened on that fatal day he and his descendants continued to maintain a militia to defend against these raids , which is now the core of the local Guerrilla movement in the area under their leader El Pizza. They honour their ancient past by still  wearing remnants of archaic Conquistador type armour

Scenario One ‘Bacontree’d the Ambusher Ambushed. 

Several of you army’s supply convoys has been ambushed by local bandits, a cavalry scout has just witnessed one not to far from your party and there is and opportunity to ambush the ambushers, so you have been dispatched to destroy this group and recover the army’s supplies. If one of the bandits can be captured, they may have knowledge of the whereabouts of a lost agent sent into the area. 

Table Setup  

Around the centre ft the table place a couple of ruined buildings leaving a clear path for the trail that the convoy followed along the centre line of the non-player deployment table edges. Place a hill along each of the player’s sides of table obscuring the players’ initial deployment. 

Along this trail, place various carts (or bits of scatter terrain) that are in the process of being ransacked by Bandits, Place 5 Bandits along by this scatter terrain keeping them with 4” of the centre line but at least 5” apart. 

Place 5 clue markers one in each ruined building and 3 along the centre of the table line marking the path. 

Once all clue markers are in place, each player rolls a dice, the highest rolling player picks one of the edges with no road crossing it, deploying up 2 “in and behind the cover provided by the hills . 

Special Rules 

Rewards 

+1 for each clue marker investigated  

=+2 fof killing Shadow Jaguar Warrior 

+2 for if the unit inflicts 3 or more casualties on the opposing unit .Do not count casulties from Bandits or shadow Jaguar Warrior 

+2 for finding papers and idol of exploring officer 

Postcript, played this last Sat and on the whoke it ran well , though need to edit the Shadow Jaguar warrior to fit in more with ghost rules. Specially as it survived game and eill return dan dan drrr!.

Apologies parficularly to Gerry for no lets play, what little free time we got during game, was taken up by having to watch a toddler!

I specifically didnt mention one of the Rifleman in last 3 photos. It was an idea I got from Peachy in his you tube videos.

I have an Alice a Grym Lock but no me. So I decided to convert one of Wargsmes Atlantic figures I chose a suitable head with beatd ( I know I shouldnt have a figure with a beard for that period but its fantasy, or maybe I’m a Rifld Sapper!). Flattened the head and stuck a forage cap on.

I made him a corparal as I had been one in tbe Napoleonic Associations 1st dabble with 5/60tb Rifles way back in late 70’s.

I added large books potions  scrolls, and a silvered ssord in sheath from Frostgrave Wizards and although not perfect will do nicely at table length

Well they turned up and were worth the 2 week wait for sbilping from States.

The Veteran Hunter on the right reminds me of Kevins Nephew known to many as Grym Lock. ,a okk he is thinking of cooying for cosplay.

These figures were a joy to paint particularly tbe faces.

To these charscters I added some 3d print fivures I found on Ebay and a scratch build. One I will mention inext segment, a later Harper with the spare Rifle from tbe Harfis kit and an Obadiah Hawkswill. The figure on far left justbhappenex to look like Perkins from TV series.

Of the previous ones section only the Female Hussar needed any research, again she is of a 16th Hussars, who by end of war had become 16th Dragoons, who post war became another local regiment the 16/5th Lancers.

Painted up as Kevins Neice the Infamous Alce, tobhelp cheer her up, as javing health issues at the moment.

Well having brought British 2, wasnt satisfied so brought British 2

The Highlanders was painted as Black Watch, purely on the fact they didnt have the same Yellow Facings as 38th Foot. Forsome reason I painted the Light Infsntry Officer as 43rd Ft,nit  sure why as I was planning on 71st Highland Light Infantry.

I stuck with 95th for Rifleman, mainky as I had found some 3d prints on Ebay that I planned to 5/60th.

This will be in a few parts as the British was may main focus, particularly as It was likely to have a theme. Therefore The British may take up multiple entries.

My meat of any British Silver Bayonet force was going to be of Rifles , particularly with Wargame Atlantics single figure a boxe dRifle sets.

I already had Sharpe and Hagman, so Made a couple more riflemaen from the Wargames Atlantic Rifles Box and a single 2 figure sprue form the Perry’s range that I picked up of Ebay.

As with the Line units the don’t paint the white method was used even if in these cases there wasn’t much. I had a good idea on the Their uniform details, but did catch up with bits form show and various Napoleonic Ospreys I have in my Library.

The central figure with the Bandana was o of the head options from the base Wargames Atlantic Rifleman’s box and allowed me to do an Isiah Tongue form Sharpes 1st Series. The Rifleman on his left is a Foundry Perrys figue whoh I have Silver Bayoneted with extra bools and scrolls from the Frostgrave Wizards Box.

With these as I base I added Northstars British 2 set .

I did split the painting with these, Redcoats and not , The Grenedier represent 1st Foot or Grenadier Guards as they are now, The officer I did as a Royal Marine officer as the old one I had from Redoubt miniatures was a bit naff.

Strangely enough the line units shown are some of the later painted units which have so far been done for the this project. As I said I was originally waitin for my order from Lost Heresy to arrive , so I started on what which was the Northstar Spanish, Rescued form the final sale of Asgards stock otherwise they probably wouldn’t have bee on my list of units , but they are a nice set of figures not only for Silver Bayonet but as characters in more historical based Napoleonic Skirmish’s.

Spanish Uniforms very much tended vary greatly during peninsula war through reforms and local recruitment needs. Add to that the changes made to kit whn hiding out as guerrilla units etc, so I basically just generally followed the schemes shown on the painted figures on back of ox, though I did dcheck the sapper below.

The next set was a unit of French, particularly as I wanted them as a unit for the game in the lets play at beginning of project. A had some ides of  their uniforms , but did a little bit of googling to confirm particularly with the Currasier  and Grenadier .

all above were painted using th avoid the white style previously mentioned with the line units even if there wasn’t much white.

The technique described works very well with Both British and French line units in the Peninsula campaign as  their dress uniforms do have a lot of white , which lacing, belts, trousers etc. Though as will be shown later if does work as a guide when doing units like Rifle, Prussian etc who have less colourful uniforms .

As can be seen above it woks well for British here the prev mention light company, 38th Foot.

As said it also  works well with French, if anything better as they take less time to do.

Here is ostensibly my Votligeur unit from the 100th Line Regiment, Though as the French Infantry was more universally dressed it could be one of many regiments.

One thing I noticed when taking photo is, I nee to amend the rear of some of the bases, as the colour code for my Volitgeurs is Red/light Green , some are showing White Green. This colour coding is to help players recognise their figure types in Silver Bayonet for players who don’t have knowledge of Napoleonic units or the various characters used in the game.