First Maximillian Adventure Game

As I have enough figures painted we can have a first run out with the Mexican Adventure figures, Chris already has a bunch of Republicans so we only really needed Imperial and French troops from me.

For our game a village sits off centre of the table held by an Imperial force, the Republicans have a force attacking the village and the French have sent a relief column

Steve has two groups of Imperial Mexicans with a level 2 leader in the village supported by a 6 man unit of Belgian Skirmishers and their level 1 leader.

Attacking the Village Chris has a 24 man formation Republican Line infantry with a level 2 and level 1 leader, two groups of National Guard with their level 1 leaders, a unit of Town Militia led by their Alcalde and his dog, also level 1,  2 units of dismounted cavalry skirmishers and a light gun.

Coming to rescue the Imperials are a unit of Chasseurs D'Afrique, a formation of 24 Legionnaires with their level 2 and level 1 leaders and a skirmish unit of Legionnaires led by Sergeant Knocker.

First on are the dismounted cavalry skirmishers who currently have no target.

The first objective for both sides are the chocolate biscuits which have already nearly gone (I finish

these off to avoid any conflict)

  

The Republican Rurales deploy and fire an ineffective volley at the Belgians, as three command cards come out next one after the other this triggers a response, Chris rolls 9 and charges 3 moves towards the Belgians leaving the Rurales dangerously exposed.

The Republican gun deploys in effective range and fires, it causes little damage initially but it has the range.

As the rest of the Republicans deploy Steve starts to wonder if we have lost the cards for the French, tiffin is drawn before any French manage to deploy on table.

The Belgians however do get to fire at the Rurales causing two casualties and 4 shock.

Next the Imperial foot fire at the Rurales, another casualty and 4 more shock cause them to break and Chris loses 1 force morale as the Rurales leg it to the table edge.

Finally the French relief starts to appear with Sgt Knocker leading his Legion skirmishers followed by the Chasseurs D'Afrique.

The Republican regulars open their first volley onto the village and the Imperials start to take casualties.

The Belgians have now taken 4 casualties and have 3 shock forcing them to fall back.

However the French get 4 command cards and this allows the Chasseurs to get two consecutive moves sweeping around the flank of the Republicans. 

The regulars unleash another 25 dice volley.

One unit of Imperial Mexicans takes 3 casualties and multiple shock forcing it to retreat from the village along with its commander.

Meanwhile the Cavalry card is out again and they charge the Republicans, by bad luck (or good if your French) the troops in their way are the poorest on table, Militia led by the Alcalde and his dog.

Net result is 5 Mexican Militia and their commander casualties and a broken unit with another 2 force morale removed for Chris, they do ok though and take two Chasseurs D'Afrique with them.

The Republican left is not looking too good with the cavalry poised, however if the Republican guns card comes out first all may yet be saved.

To slow the cavalry down Chris pushed a unit of dismounted cavalry skirmishers through the long grass and volleys them, unfortunately the firing is ineffective and you have to wonder if they can run away in time.

The Legion formation at last turns up, perhaps someone found some Tequila on the march and they stopped to finish it off?

The Chasseurs card is drawn first and they charge the dismounted cavalry. f

The Cavalry take another casualty but the skirmishers lose 5 troopers and their leader. This leads to three tests for loss of leader, loss of melee and breaking, Chris rolls badly and loses 5 more force morale reducing him to just one and losing all the red command cards from the deck.

Not surprising next turn the Cavalry come out first and they bounce on to the gun and wipe them out removing the last force morale. Its a French/Imperial win but we play through the deck.

The Legion advance again, two turns with no red cards coming out at all.

Knockers Legion skirmishers get their first shot away at the Republican regulars with minimal effect.

The triumphant cavalry pull back to regroup.

The Legion formation volley the Republican regulars inflicting the first casualties of the game on them.

The last card sees the National Guard step from behind the regulars and volley the Imperials, the casualties and shock rack up forcing them out of the village, unfortunately too little too late for the Liberals.

A resounding victory for the French in the end, the Chasseurs D'Afrique earning their soubriquet of the Blue Butchers. As often happens the French managing to snatch victory from the Jaws of defeat as the second half of the game turned on its head despite the Imperial Garrison almost being wiped out.

Fun game and great to get the beginnings of the collection on table for a first time.

Thanks Chris and Steve and as always thank you for stopping by.

Viva Maximilian! More Mexican’s

So the title just for balance after the last one. Lots of progress to report.

First figures are in fact Liberal. Dismounted Rurales

The Rurales were a Police force, mainly used to supressing banditry and Indian activity, however they did fight in companies during the Intervention. An all grey uniform often with brown leggings, I will of course have a mounted unit at some point.

For now a perfect use for my dismounted irregular cavalry figures, I am short of Liberal skirmishers so these will fit the bill for our first game which is forthcoming. Two spares here which will be the initial base of another unit of dismounted cavalry, this time non-uniformed irregulars. The taller Black Scorpion figure will be their Sargento. 

A few more Republicans, 

These dismounted cavalry will form another skirmish unit. I have a lot of these so undecided if its lots of skirmishers or a battalion of dismounted Vaquero's

I have a stack of Gringo 40's to do, nice figures, a few more on the painting table just now.

And the first of the 3d printed Wargames Atlantic Mexicans, think they are OK the Poncho isn't uniform these will mix into different units and future ponchos will be different designs.

A finished unit of Rurale Skirmishers below with their leader. Pretty happy with these.

Followed by a unit of dismounted Irregular Cavalry Skirmishers again with their leader for Sharp Practice games. Lovely characterful figures.

Also working through some Militia with the sand coloured base coat/primer, happy with the result and it certainly speeds things up.

Three Machete armed militia, they really did have units armed with no more than a Machete. Foundry Camerone range.

This was from a set of part painted figures, Old Glory I think, not the best but will fit in as a rear ranker.

These two are both Wargames Atlantic 3d prints, small heads but other than that fit really well, although they do test my modelling skills getting the arms to fit under the poncho.

Next unit of Finished French, this time a Metropolitan battalion. Foundry Camerone Legionnaires with the more obviously Legion uniforms missed out and a Perrys standard bearer.

A junior leader for Sharpe Practice. Foundry again, nice figure with a very large revolver.

These Turco's are all Perry, 6 from the Triple alliance metal range with two addition ACW plastics. Lovely figures.

Added here to the rest of the unit to give me 4 battalions of French. 

Taken as a whole that gives me 7 battalions based and ready to game with, a further one just needs basing plus the skirmishers and Cavalry I reckon I am nearly one  third of the way there, certainly over 25% complete.

And a few more to share.

Foundry Mexican Milicia, not far off having enough for three battalions of these now.

Three Imperial Mexicans, the first from left is a 3d print Wargames Atlantic Legionnaire printed by Paul at Sabotag 3d. Fits in very nicely.

Three Mexicans I picked up second hand, I think the outer two are Old Glory, no idea on the inner figure but all 3 will be ok as rear rankers I think.

Two more Mexican Milicia from Wargames Atlantic, again 3d printed by Paul at Sabotag3d, will mix in nicely with the metals. One per base I reckon is fine.

I tried this one with a white background, I have gone straight back to black!

Lastly another 5 Imperial Mexicans and Foundry Milicia Peon. All of the Imperials are Peryr Metals the two in Kepis are Argentinians from the Triple Alliance range but could equally be ACW, the Officer is from the same range and the two outer figures are Bombay Infantry from the Victoria's Little Wars ranges with Turbans swapped for Havelocks.

Not a great picture the light was getting poor but happy with these.

Overall great progress, thanks for stopping by.