New Year, continuing projects

Hi!
I've not been one for looking back at what I've done, achieved, or not in the past year. Preferring, instead, to look forward to the coming year. But this is a first as I'm nearly up to date with the figure painting.

I've not quite finished the French for the French and Indian Wars. They aren't looking too bad. I've struggled with them to be sure but they are looking half decent now they are nearly completed. Now I have the Vallejo Ivory for the French coats I can finish them.
Sadly, I haven't started the British which I had hoped to complete before Christmas. I can start them soon though along with some Huron and Mohawk figures form Galloping Major (Galloping Major) which were a present for Christmas. Each pack containing 6 figures enough for a scouting/tracking party. The warbands can come later if I want to expand.
Also. I am awaiting some cabins as a present, so am making headway with the project on all fronts. Now I need more trees.
Once these are complete I will look to purchase some Heroics and Ros French Napoleonics (Heroics 7 Ros) for Blucher.

I've been scouring the internet for Ronin scenarios and been a little disappointed at the lack thereof. I will try a one or two.

A lot to look forward to, and happy to be on top of the lead pile.
Have a good New Year.

Merry Christmas

Hi!
It's the time of year to put the figures aside for a couple of days and enjoy the Christmas period with family and friends with undivided attention. Church, carol singing and overeating are optional.

I hope your wish lists are fulfilled in whole or, at least, partially.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

To Ur is Human, AAR/Battle rport

Hi!
I took time to wargame a skirmish with To Ur is Human.
Nothing grand. Plain 2' x 2' board with 4'' squares marked off with stones. I could have gone down to 2'' squares as I was using 40 mm frontages with only 1 element as a unit. Similarly to Neil Thomas' 6 unit wargame.
This is my first use of a gridded wargame so it felt a little odd.

I used the suggested amendments from 'You do not know the north' (youdonotknowthenorth) (and supported by Graham) for the chariots.  Namely, using the massed bow stats for shooting. It helped both only slightly. I kept it simple by not using javelins or spears for close combat, bow only.
I also added one die for first contacting an enemy for the four horse heavy chariots. It didn't have an effect on this game but could possibly inflict another casualty.
I used die to keep tally of casualties. Normally I would have used pen and paper.
The spectacle of it wasn't the uppermost priority, just the testing of the rules

The forces consisted of:-
2 chariot units
2 auxillia
1 heavy infantry shielded
1 medium infantry bow.

Assyrian went first advancing rapidly with the right wing chariots and the auxiliaries and heavy infantry advancing. The left wing stationary
The Egyptians advanced slowly.
Assyrians charged with the right wing chariots taking bow fire from the Egyptian chariots and javelins of the auxiliary on the way in. No appreciable effect, either in casualties or fear impact.
The rest of the Assyrian army advanced, except the bow who shot, and missed. Obviously out of range.
The Egyptians showed better morale through-out the battle. Their chariots, though charged, held up well, especially the right-wing chariots. The left-wing chariots did succumb eventually leaving the Assyrian chariots free to charge the Egyptian bow. By then the horse were blown and the impact lost,  and fight was mostly even. But being elite the chariots wouldn't back down.
The Egyptian heavy infantry charged the Assyrian bow who soon , fearful for their lives, ran. But rallied before leaving the battle. The Egyptian right-wing auxillia sent the Assyrian left wing auxillia running also. And they didn't look back until reaching Nineveh.
This left the Egyptian right-wing infantry free to engage the Assyrian heavy infantry. Who, in fright, ran. Straight into the fight between the auxillia to their right. It could only end one way with the Egyptian heavy infantry following up. And did.
The chariot battles continued  but the auxillia of the Assyrians, now flanked didn't last long.
Although the Assyrian bow rallied the battle was lost.

I found the rules quite easy to learn. The fear tests were quite even to both sides and it became easier to judge whether the fear test was passed without looking at the rules.
Each side had drops in morale, mainly due to losing the round of combat. Some, the Assyrians, due to very low die rolls on the fear test dropping two levels of morale.
But the Egyptian massed bow stood up well to elite chariots, tired though the chariots undoubtedly were. Very low rolls for these miserable creatures against the bow!

Using the increased die for combat is a good idea. Better. IMHO, than a raft of amendments.

The amendments were not critical so I think passed the test. It didn't make them super troops

A few pictures to set the scene:-

Egyptians army top most in all pictures

Assyrian right-wing chariots charge in.