Xmas Dinner Table Battle

 My daughter and I had turkey for our Xmas meal, and we also played a small wargame on the dinner table.

 Below is my hand painted foam snowman for the Xmas tree. I deliberately made it creepy, which was appropriate as we later watched Xmas horror films featuring Krampus.

 I chose two forces of Confederates and British line infantry. The British are in uniforms at least ten years later than the ACW but then they didn't fight the Confederacy either!

  I wanted some suitably old-fashioned figures and these were handy. They are mostly re-painted hollow-cast. The bugler I was given as a child in the 1960s. It had belonged to some older third cousins, Peter and Graham. They had their childhood when metal toy soldiers were still common playthings. They passed on to me a handful of hollow-cast, including the bugler, guardsmen and a horse guard as well as some plastic circus figures, guardsmen and a couple of Cherilia knights. I always liked the bugler; he served in WW2 as part of a detail guarding the royals, in their tinplate car, from German ambush AND in my ACW games. The movable arms held a great fascination. He has been retouched in the original colors and style.

   The nutcracker figure is part of the random terrain.

            I got these Confederate hollowcast from another wargaming enthusiast who had already repainted them. I added my own touches, including haversacks, cross-belts made from paper sticky tape and putty Mexican War style caps. I also repainted them a second time.

   This Brit was a home-casting and has a new bandaged head. I counted him as a hero.

   Some Confederates still have the original kepis. You can see the added canteen with CSA painted on it.

                                                                       Lemax scenery.

   That statue of the old man and girl was once given to me by my daughter and is meant to represent us!

 I wrote up some very simple rules which could be absorbed very quickly. Range of rifles was unlimited and moves were measured by the blue stick.

  The game went my daughter's way when she scored some early hits. Despite my attempt to concentrate fire on one flank the CSA was plainly doomed, and I surrendered, partly because casualties were high and partly because I needed to get the turkey out of the oven.

  Despite my daughter's apprehension about my ability as a cook she came back for seconds.

  Next Xmas I am going to employ fantasy creatures, maybe Xmas zombies versus town folk.