St Leonard Wargaming

The sleepy little seaside town of St Leonard was my recent holiday destination. Nine fugitives from the real world gathered there to plot each other's demise, at least in miniature representation.


David Palmer hosted us for four days to fight it out in 54mm and 15mm. The former was an English Civil War game between Scots and English in the back yard. The latter consisted of two Crimean war games inside.

Below are the troops before deployment on the backyard. The mounted Vikings saw service as Scots.

Jamie and Andrew (the latter of Military Hobbies, Adelaide) discuss English strategy. (It was never made clear which side was Royalist and which Parliamentarian).                                                                          

Bob Bolton, in the cap from a different civil war, studies the players moves. Steve Wardle mutters considers his next move.                                                                                                                                            

The temperature was 30 odd degrees centigrade so we deployed in the shade of the giant apple trees that provided the occasional slightly sour but crispy snack.


Each side had three players. My side consisted mostly of Scots. All units had to be activated each move. My units activated more easily than the other brigades among the Scots. In fact, General Palmer's men steadfastly refused to move for most of the battle.

The Scots lost the initial dice roll and had to place the first brigades. then the English placed their's. And so it continued until the Scots looked almost like they were in a giant square awaiting the unknown direction of an English attack. In the end the English had one long strong line of troops with their cavalry on one flank. The Scots had to attempt to frantically withdraw into a serviceable line of battle. This they failed to do.

In fact my artillery were left dangerously exposed and were overrun by enemy cavalry under Commander 'Swift' Wardle. My pike and musket units had to form square but although safe from cavalry they were then shot to pieces by artillery ad musketry.
My Scots were chaffing at the bit as the English peppered them with musket balls. Finally the general gave the go ahead and they made progress as they smashed into the English line but their numbers were too few as the rest of the Scottish army lagged behind.

The Scots finally acknowledged defeat and left the field to the English. Below, yours truly, in decidedly un-Scottish gear, positions the highlanders out of musketry fire behind the barbecue!

Most figures were provided by David and Paul. The strange yellow and blue flag with star and rooster is held by a Renaissance figure converted  by me from a Cresent knight. It has nothing to do with the ECW but the flag was copied from a Warhammer Empire flag!

15mm CRIMEA