All at Sea, Battle of Camperdown - Project Build, Part Eleven, The Small Ships (1).

Having completed both battlelines for the respective British and Batavian Dutch fleets my work now progresses to adding the remaining small ships that made up the full compliment of both forces which adds to the initial builds I did back in July 2021 with my two frigates and a brig constructed for my Small Ship Scenarios, link below.

JJ's Wargames - All at Sea - Revolutionary War Batavian Dutch Frigates & Brig

Hence the few additions to my planner guide already indicates some of these small ships are done, but still leaving a little bit more work to do, that said I do intend to change a few of the models with more appropriate options, so this part of the build is likely to be a bit of a moving feast, plus I have some scratch building to do as well.

The state of play with the project prior to the addition of my four new models illustrated below, namely Beaulieu and Circe for the British and Minerva and Waakzaamheid for the Batavian-Dutch

I know some folks aren't that bothered about including these smaller vessels to their big-battle line ups but to me they are an important representation of the two fleets which, if the rules used to model the battle well will enable their key roles to be represented, which I think that not only adds to the look of the game but recreates the important aspect of battle management that would be lacking somewhat in their exclusion.

Hence I intend to have them represented on the table to play a part as required in signal relay, management of prizes and in the case of the Batavian Dutch actually engaging enemy ships of the line, which saw some acting rather boldly as a second line of battle as instructed by Admiral de Winter, paying a high price for their temerity, 

So to start things off I would like to showcase two British frigates, Beaulieu and Circe, and two Batavian-Dutch corvettes, Minerva and Waakzaamheid.

From left to right, Minerva, Waakzaamheid, Circe and Beaulieu

Beaulieu
HMS Beaulieu pronounced 'Bewlee' (named after the manorial family home of the Montagu's in the New Forest in Hampshire and close by to Buckler's Hard where she was built), was a 40-gun fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy laid down in 1790 as a speculative build by the shipwright Henry Adams and purchased by the Royal Navy in June of the same year. 

The plans for HMS Beaulieu reveals her merchant ship design in the bilge cross section to the left displaying the classic box-like hull of a merchantman compared to the wider and sharply tapered tumblehome of a classic warship design.

Built at Adams' Buckler's Hard shipyard in Hampshire during the peace between the American Revolutionary War and French Revolutionary War to the dimensions of a merchant ship, Beaulieu did not have good sailing qualities.

She was the only 18-pounder frigate procured by the Royal Navy during this period and would continue to be a rarity being one of only eight serving British frigates to have thirty-eight or more guns in 1793.

Her general characteristics were:

Tons burthen 1,019 79⁄94 tons (bm)

Length of gundeck 143 feet, 3 inches

Beam 39 feet, 6 inches

Depth of hold 15 feet, 3 inches

Her armament consisted of:

Gundeck: 28 x 18-pounder long guns

Quarterdeck & Forecastle: 8 (QD) & 4 (Fc) x 9-pounders long guns.

The frigate was commissioned in January 1793 by Lord Northesk and sent to serve on the Leeward Islands Station where she participated in the capture of Martinique in February 1794, and then was similarly present at the capture of the island of Saint Lucia in April. 

The Capture of Fort Saint Louis, Martinique, 20 March 1794 - William Anderson

On 5th February 1794, Sir John Jervis and Lieutenant General Sir Charles Grey, arrived at Martinique and by 20th March the whole island, with the exception of Fort Bourbon and Fort Royal, had submitted. Jervis ordered the Asia, 64 guns and the Zebra sloop to storm Fort Louis, the chief defence of Fort Royal.

The frigate also took part in the initial stages of the invasion of Guadeloupe, but later that year the ship's crew was beset by yellow fever and much depleted, and she was sent to serve on the North America Station to allow them to recuperate, returning to the Leeward Islands in 1795. 

In the following two years the ship found success in prizetaking and briefly took part in more operations at Saint Lucia, before returning to Britain at the end of 1796.

In 1797 Beaulieu joined the North Sea Fleet, in which she found herself part of the Nore mutiny. Her crew mutinied twice, once in May and once in June, but both attempts were defeated, and saw four members of the crew executed for their participation. 

Beaulieu then fought at the Battle of Camperdown under Captain Francis Fayerman in October, unsuccessfully chasing the escaping Dutch ship of the line Brutus after the battle.

The Beaulieu's log of the battle serves well to illustrate the mix of duties for a light ship like her during a major fleet battle and makes interesting reading as it records her monitoring the movements of the enemy fleet and signalling accordingly to the flagship, before taking her station for battle, later taking possession of an enemy frigate, sending her surgeon's mate to help the beleaguered surgeon of HMS Ardent, before joining HMS Endymion in pursuit of Dutch ships attempting to escape back to the Texel.

BEAULIEU

Log. JOHN OSMAN, Master. Official No. 2395.

[Extracts from the Beaulieu's log from the time she sighted the Dutch fleet are here given. The full log begins at midnight on the l0th of October.]

Sunday, October 8th

12.30 A.M. Saw a strong fleet in the NE quarter. Spoke the Russell. At daylight the body of the enemy's fleet east 2 or 3 miles.

6 P.M. Enemy's fleet from NE to E by N.

Monday, October 9th

6 A.M. - Body of enemy's fleet NE 1\2 E.

9 P.M. - Body of enemy's fleet S by E 2 miles.

Tuesday, 10th.

Noon. Enemy's fleet S by E 5 or 6 miles.

P.M. At 12, light breezes and clear. Enemy's fleet SE by S 3 miles.

October 11th.

A.M. At 4, fresh breezes and clear. 1/4 past 7, tacked ship. At 8, the ships to windward made the signal for a fleet to windward. At 1/4 past 8, made the signal for the enemy's fleet in sight. At 9, joined company Admiral Duncan and the fleet under his command. In 2nd reef topsails. Set topgallant sails and foresail. In topgallant sails. Camperdown ESE 4 or 5 leagues.

A representation of the British and Batavian Dutch fleets five minutes before action commenced on the 11th October - Unknown Artist

P.M. Moderate breezes and squally weather with rain at times. 46 past noon, the rear of the fleet

began the action. 47 past noon, Admiral Duncan commenced firing. At 1, observed a Dutch frigate to leeward, bore up for her and made sail. 28 minutes past 1, the Dutch Admiral struck. 30 minutes past 1, the Dutch frigate struck. Proved the Monnikendam.* Hove to and out boats. Sent 36 men and a lieutenant to take possession of her. Received on board 80 prisoners in boats and made sail for the fleet. 3 minutes past 3, the fleets ceased firing. 1\2 past 9, spoke the Ardent. Lowered down the jolly-boat, and sent the surgeon's mate on board her at 10 in jolly-boat.

*. . . the Monnikendam took a more important part in the action than usually falls to the lot of a frigate. Among other exploits it is stated that her fire caused the Russell to desist from her attack on the Delft. The Russell does not seem to have observed this

October 12th.

A.M. - Light breezes and hazy weather. At 4, moderate breezes and squally weather. At 6, spoke the Monarch. Out 3rd reef of the topsails, 3/4 past 7, bore up and spoke Admiral Duncan. Fresh breezes and squally weather. At 11, tacked ship.

P.M. - 1\2 past noon, tacked ship. At 1, up courses, down jib and hove to. 1\4 past 1, lowered down the

jolly-boat and the captain went on board the Monarch. 1\2 past 3, up jolly-boat. Wore ship. Set the foresail and topgallant sails. 1\2 past 8, wore ship and up foresail. 

1/2 past 9, spoke H.M. ship Endymion, who informed us she had been in action with the enemy and wished us to keep her company till morning, in hopes of falling in with the enemy again. Answered in the affirmative. 1\2 past 12, backed the main topsail.

Circe

HMS Circe (named of the Greek goddess of magic, a sorceress, she was the daughter of Helios the sun god and of the ocean nymph Perse), was a 28-gun Enterprise-class sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy and was launched in 1785 but not completed or commissioned until 1790.

A model of HMS Enterprise, sister ship to Circe, shown wearing the command flag of a Vice-Admiral of the White

First commissioned in September 1790 under the command of Captain George Oakes, she was paid off in October 1791, and Captain A. H. Gardiner commissioned her in April 1792.

Her general characteristics were:

Tons burthen 599 55⁄94 tons (bm)

Length of gundeck 120 feet, 6 inches

Beam 33 feet, 8 inches

Depth of hold 11 feet

Her armament consisted of:

Gundeck: 24 x 9-pounder long guns

Quarterdeck & Forecastle: 4 x 6-pounder long guns (QD) & 2 (Fc) x 18-pounder carronades.

Promoted to post-captain on 4 February 1793 Joseph Sydney Yorke was given command of Circe, then part of a squadron under Admiral Richard Howe, and patrolled off the French port of Brest, taking the French ships Diane, Vaudreuil and Jeune Felix in March, and sharing the prize money for Diane and Vaudreuil with HMS Druid. On the 18th  March Circe captured the Danish brig Pelican.

Later in May Circe took the French privateers Didon (or Dido) and Auguste, the former armed with 14 guns and with a crew of 100 men,  the latter armed with 18 and a crew of 160. Lastly, Circe captured the privateer Coureur (or Courier), of 10 guns and 84 men, sharing with HMS Aimable in the prize money for Courier, which they had captured on the 26th of May.

With Nymphe, Circe captured the corvette L'Espiegle on the 20th of November, armed with 16 guns, and manned with 100 men under the command of Mons. Pierre Biller, Enseign de Vaisseau. that would see the Espiegle taken into Royal Navy service under her existing name.

HMS Crescent, under the command of Captain James Saumarez, capturing the French frigate Réunion off Cherbourg, 20th October 1793 - Thomas Whitcombe 

Circe played a minor, supporting role at the action of 20th October 1793 and consequently shared with HMS Crescent in the prize money for Réunion. At some point Circe and HMS Phaeton recaptured the brig Venus and sloop Ant, "laden with Butter".  On the 24th of May 1794, Circe recaptured the brig Perseverance, while in company with the rest of the squadron under the command of Rear-Admiral Montagu.

In October 1794 Captain Peter Halkett took command of Circe.

Sir Peter Halkett, seen here as an admiral in 1830 took command of Circe
in October 1794. 

In May 1797, due to the exertions of her officers, Circe's crew did not join the Spithead and Nore mutinies, and Halkett received orders to put out to sea, which he did, leaving Yarmouth and sailing, together with some hired armed vessels to protect merchant trade. He continued to cruise until his supplies were almost exhausted and then he sailed Circe into the Humber, waiting at Hull until the mutiny was over. 

Halkett received the "thanks of the Admiralty and the freedom of the town of Hull for the conduct of his ship during the alarming period." On the 23rd of August 1795, Circe captured the Swedish corn vessel, Auguste Adolphe, in the North Sea.

In October 1797 Circe was part of the squadron under Sir Henry Trollope that was at the Texel to watch the Dutch fleet, and on the 11th of October Circe served to repeat signals for the Starboard or Weather Division under Admiral Adam Duncan at the Battle of Camperdown, and I have included her log of the events that day and the 12th that show her activities in more detail.

Log. ROBERT DAVISON, Master. Official No. 2489.

October 11th.

A.M. - At 12, moderate and cloudy. Enemy's fleet S by E 5 miles. Squadron in company. At 7, answered our signal to look out NE. Made sail, 3/4 past 7, saw a fleet ahead. The Russell made the signal for a strange fleet. At 8, observed the fleet to be English. Fired a gun. Made the signal to them for an enemy in sight bearing S by W. Hoisted a weft at the fore topgallant masthead to speak the Admiral 40 minutes past 8, we made the signal the enemy's fleet were 16 ships of the line.

Venerable made our signal to pass within hail. Tacked ship and spoke her. The Admiral ordered us to hail the Russell, and order her to lead in battle and the Adamant astern of her *, and the Beaulieu to fall in where an opportunity offered.

*The Russell and Adamant had probably not received the order of battle given out on October 7th.

Spoke them and gave them the orders. Then we bore up and joined the Admiral. Cleared ship for action. The enemy's fleet ahead lying to in a line of battle. Squally and showers of rain. Egmond SSE 9 miles.

P.M. - Fresh breezes and squally weather with rain. The enemy's fleet lying to in a line of battle to leeward. At 5 minutes past 12, the Vice-Admiral and several other ships began the action upon the enemy's centre and broke through their line. 

A representation of the British and Batavian Dutch fleets five minutes before action commenced on the 11th October - Unknown Artist

At 45 minutes past one, we observed 4 of the enemy's ships had struck their colours. Bore up occasionally to close with the Admiral. 13 minutes past 2, observed one of the enemy's ships on fire and one more had lost her main mast. Land in sight, bearing ESE 4 or 5 miles. 1\2 past 3, the action ceased.

Bore up and spoke the Admiral and inquired if he had any commands for us. He ordered us to take the disabled ship in tow. Made sail for the Dutch Admiral's ship. Sent an officer on board and took possession of her and carried Admiral de Winter on board the Venerable. 1\2 past 7, got her in tow. Proved to be the Liberté (Vrijheid) of 74 guns, totally dismasted, her captain and 250 men killed and wounded. In taking her in tow lost a 4-inch hawser, 3 hatchets and a Union Jack, which were all left on board the prize. The Director sent a lieutenant and took charge of the prize. At 8, obliged to cut away the six-oared cutter with all her masts, sails and oars. Egmond ESE 4 or 5 miles. 

At 11, saw 8 sail of the enemy's fleet SSW. 1\2 past 11, made the signal to the weathermost ships for seeing a superior force of the enemy, 3/4 past 11, the enemy wore, and hauled their wind. Took in the signal, it not being answered. At midnight, moderate and cloudy. Venerable's light NW by W. The prize in tow.

October 12th.

A.M. - At 1, a cutter hailed us, sent from the Admiral to know why there had been false fires burnt in the rear. At 3, the Montagu took us in tow. At 6, answered the signal to close. 1\2 past 7, wore ship to join the fleet. At 8, light breezes and clear weather. Fleet in company and prize in tow. 1\2 past 10, cast off the Montagu's hawser. At 11, wore ship. Prize in tow. At noon, cast off the prize, the Montagu took her in tow. Made sail to close with the Admiral. Fleet and prizes in company.

Waakzaamheid

The Dutch corvette Waakzaamheid (meaning alert or watchful) was launched at Enkhuizen in 1786. 

Engraving of a painting of HMS Sirius capturing the Dutch ships Furie and Waakzaamheid, 24 October 1798 - Thomas Whitcombe.

The French Navy captured her in 1794 and renamed her Vigilance. She was part of a squadron that in 1794 captured or destroyed a large number of British merchant vessels on the Guinea coast. 

The French returned her to the Dutch Batavian Republic, in 1795, and the Dutch Navy returned her name to Waakzaamheid.

A representation of the British and Batavian Dutch fleets five minutes before action commenced on the 11th October - Unknown Artist
Note my positioning for Waakzaamheid is a supposition is a supposition based on various accounts of the Batavian Dutch line.

The Waakzaamheid was in the second line of the Batavian-Dutch fleet at the Battle of Camperdown on the 11th October 1797 under the command of Kapitein ter Zee van Mierop.

On the 24th October 1798 HMS Sirius (1797) captured the Waakzaamheid and the 36-gun frigate Furie in the Texel. Waakzaamheid was under the command of Senior Captain Neirrop, and was armed with twenty-four 9-pounder guns on her main deck and two 6-pounders on her forecastle, as well as 100 Dutch seamen aboard her, and 122 French troops, and was also carrying 2000 stands of arms and other ordnance stores. Waakzaamheid put up no struggle.

William James in his Naval History of Great Britain Volume II states the Waakzaamheid after her capture in 1798 thus;

'the 26 guns of the Waakzaamheid, a ship of 504 tons, were all, except two brass sixes, long Dutch eights: two of these also brass and, we believe, mounted in the bridle-ports. Even then, 24 ports, calculated for 8 or 9 pounder guns, appear to be a great many for a ship of 504 tons. It is true, that the Waakzaamheid had two ports of a side on a lower or birth-deck; but the official letter expressly states, that she mounted 24 guns on her main deck.'

This model is a 3D print from Turner Miniatures of the Dutch corvette Minerva of a similar size and armament and has been fitted out with masts, ratlines, boats and anchors from the Warlord Games frigate, slightly modified with enhanced plasticard channels and the addition of a figurehead from the spares box.

Her general characteristics were:

Tons burthen 504 tons (bm)

Length of gundeck 114 feet, 6 inches

Beam 31 feet 7.5 inches

Depth of hold 10 feet 6 inches

Her armament consisted of:

Gundeck: 24 x 8-pounder long guns

Quarterdeck & Forecastle: 2 x 6-pounder long guns (Fc) 

Minerva

Minerva (the Roman virgin goddess of warfare, among other attributes, more precisely strategy rather than the muscular aspects personified by Mars), was launched in 1787 at Veere for the navy of the Dutch Republic.

Dutch 6th Rate Minerva 1787 - 1802. HMS Braak in British service

On the 28th August 1799 Admiral Mitchel's squadron captured her in the New Diep off Texel, and she became HMS Braak, but the Navy sold her with the arrival of the Peace of Amiens. 

The Minerva was in the second line of the Batavian-Dutch fleet at the Battle of Camperdown on the 11th October 1797 under the command of Kapitein ter Zee Eilbrecht.

Daniel Bennet purchased her and she became the whaler Africaine or African or Africa, and made two whaling voyages. After 1805 she was still listed in Lloyd's Register for some years but there is no record of further whaling or other voyages.

A representation of the British and Batavian Dutch fleets five minutes before action commenced on the 11th October - Unknown Artist
Note my positioning for Minerva is a supposition based on various accounts of the Batavian Dutch line.

Similarly this model is a 3D print from Turner Miniatures of the Dutch corvette Minerva and has been fitted out with masts, ratlines, boats and anchors from the Warlord Games frigate, slightly modified with enhanced plasticard channels and the addition of a figurehead from the spares box.

Her general characteristics were:

Tons burthen 613 tons (bm)

Length of gundeck 126 feet, 6.5 inches

Beam 38 feet 8.5 inches

Depth of hold 13 feet 10 inches

Her armament is not recorded at capture but likely consisted of:

Gundeck: 24 x 8-pounder long guns

Quarterdeck & Forecastle: 2 x 6-pounder long guns (Fc) 

These two little corvettes will add to the look of my Batavian Dutch fleet and the detail on these prints are excellent, with the models printed and supplied by Only Games, link below.

Only Games - Turner Miniatures

The next posts in the series will look at the other outstanding small ships.

More anon 

JJ

Partizan Wargames Show 2024

 

Another year in the hobby and another Partizan Show to be enjoyed as I was joined last weekend by Steve M and Mr Steve on our 'Boys-Beano' to Newark for a weekend of fun, banter and great wargames.

This year was a little different from previous occasions in that we were not planning to travel up to play a game on the Saturday and so took things a little more leisurely which definitely suits the vintage of the boys involved, arriving up at Newark on the Saturday afternoon, in time to take in the Newark Air Museum, located on the former Royal Air Force Bomber Command station at Winthorpe, as is the George Stephenson Exhibition Hall in which Partizan is held each year.

An Avro Vulcan, one of the exhibits at the Newark Air Museum, we enjoyed on our pre-Partizan trip up to Newark on the Saturday afternoon.

I will do an additional post looking at the museum and its collection, but the Vulcan V-Bomber hopefully will whet the appetite for my take on the museum.

After our exploration of Newark Air Museum we enjoyed a very pleasant sunny drive out into the Lincolnshire countryside to our accommodation for the Saturday night, staying at the Fox and Hounds Country Inn at Willingham by Stow, where we enjoyed yet more fine weather out in the beer garden followed by a superb dinner and the next morning an excellent cooked breakfast prior to making our way back to the show-ground.

The carpark outside the exhibition hall was rammed as was the show itself and despite having had a leisurely drive over aiming to arrive about half an hour after doors opened there was still a queue to get in.

A rammed show is a great outcome for the organisers and the traders and so I can't bemoan that fact which ensures premier shows like Partizan keep going and I think it is indicative of the excellent quality of Partizan in terms of games on display and the traders present that keeps wargamers like us making, in our case the 4-5 hour drive up to Newark each year, to be there.

A very busy start to Partizan 2024

That said Mr Steve and I decided to take some time out in the mid-morning to enjoy the sunshine outside, grab an ice cream and wait for the usual crowd that come to shows to pick up their stuff from traders and leave, which certainly seemed to have eased the earlier crush when we went back in a bit later.

I didn't have much stuff to get as I had ordered and received prior to the show some new ships from Warlord and just had some sets of playing-card mdf tokens to pick up from Diane and Martin at Warbases for friends at club, so after a pre-lunch perusal of what was on show, went for a closer look at the games that grabbed my attention this year later in the afternoon session when game tables were much more easier to enjoy.

As well as the usual traders and display games to be seen there were the usual societies on duty featuring this year representatives from the Lance and Longbow Society, Northampton Battlefield Society, 21eme Regiment de Ligne, National Civil War Centre, Battlefield Trust, Models for Heroes, Society for Army Historical Research and a charity sale.

I have the excellent book by the Northampton Battlefield Society that contains their game recreating the Wars of the Roses battle fought at their local golf club, although I don't think the fairways looked quite like they do now back in 1460, but I seem to recall that the Society did magnificent work in challenging the golf club's plans to build a car park on this important historical site and seeing their terrain model of their game reminded me that I must have a go at playing it one of these days.

Battle of Northampton, the game, produced by the Northampton Battlefield Society

I come to Partizan to get inspired and just enjoy soaking up the atmosphere, chat and the historical knowledge and great art expressed in the games showing as they do our hobby at its best, however  I should say that this was the first year that I had left home without my trusty camera in hand and so had to resort to the phone which is not ideal and I apologise for the lack of the usual standard that I like to show here on the blog, but the camera on the phone did a fairly good job to capture the look of the games I focused on and so in no particular order I present them here for your enjoyment. 

Jutland 1916 - The League of Augsburg

Barry Hilton is a very talented chap and it was with much glee that I took the time to see the marvellous new WWI model ships in 1/4800 scale that he has produced with the chaps from the League of Augsburg here giving a birds-eye view of the Battle of Jutland 1916.

It's folks like Barry that inspire my own efforts and I love his attention to detail expressed here in these tiny destroyer flotillas with each destroyer carrying its yard-brush filament mainmast and picking up where he left of with his wonderful Anglo-Dutch Wars models I seem to remember enjoying at the last Partizan show I attended.

It's Hot Here Sir, 28mm Sudan - The North Riding Wargames Club

I love most things colonial and this Sudan inspired game with British and Egyptian troops up against a Mahdist army ticked quite a few boxes, and reiterated how in modern times a well turned out set of figures can be greatly enhanced with nicely turned out, simple but effective scatter terrain and a suitable terrain cloth, gloriously creating the right effect.

The Battle of Gabene 316BC, Macedonian Successors in 28mm - Westbury Wargamers

The Westbury chaps set their game up based on the original sources, mainly relying on Diodorus and using the maps from 'The Wars of Alexander's Successors Volume II' by Bob Bennett and Mike Roberts; that saw them combining the smaller cavalry units into one formation.

 

The bulk of the infantry is from Victrix and the cavalry from 1st Corps with them using their own period specific rules, 'Spear Won Land'.

The Battle of Unao September 1857, 28mm Indian Mutiny - Boondock Sayntes

The Boondock Sayntes are regulars at Partizan and given the standard of game they produce have regularly appeared on JJ's reviews of previous shows, and their speciality of all things Indian Mutiny always impresses, although I did notice the chaps normal flair of an accompanying bottle of claret seemed to be missing from proceedings, but that certainly didn't detract from their lovely setup and game.

Oscar Mike, 28mm Vietnam - Rubicon Models

Rubicon Models have a wonderful selection of WWII and Post War vehicles and infantry on their website and were featuring their Vietnam inspired collection of figures and rules 'Oscar Mike'.

JJ's Wargames - Vietnam 2016

I was initially drawn to their stand where I noticed they had a wonderful diorama of a Vietnamese tunnel complex complete with US troops cautiously checking out the jungle terrain topside, and it reminded me very much of our visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels near Saigon during our visit to Vietnam back in 2016, with a link above for those interested in the six posts I put together recounting that extraordinary trip.

I then turned about only to notice their display game which immediately remined me of our time on the Perfume River and our visit to Hue with the balustrade wall lining the river side roadway brilliantly capturing the feel of the place as I remembered it. 

On the Perfume River in Hue City Vietnam 
JJ's Wargames - Vietnam 2016

 

I have never built a collection for Vietnam but this is the look of the game I would hope to create had I done so. 

Conquistador, 28mm - Like a Stone Wall Wargames Group

A certain member in the Devon Wargames Group sprang to mind when I saw this wonderful Conquistador game from the Like a Stone Wall Wargames Group, and Chas, I reckon you will like this one.

As well as some lovely looking figures on display, I was aghast at the attention to detail shown on this amazing collection of period buildings, right down to the cascade of blood shown running down the steps of the obligatory sacrificial dias.

Warriors of Rome: The 3rd Century Crisis, 28mm Rome Vs Sassanids - The Bodkins

As described above, this game was inspired by Harry Sidebottom's novel 'Warrior of Rome' and the adventures of Ballista, appointed Dux Ripae, military commander of the Empire's eastern frontier, by Emperor Valerian.

It is 255 AD and the borders of the eastern empire are under threat from the Sassanid Empire led by their ambitious and ruthless King Sharpur I, and Ballista, a distinguished soldier, has been given the task of defending and holding the city of Arete, a strategically crucial fortress on the border.

Unfortunately for Ballista, the city is in a state of disarray and its garrison poorly equipped and undermanned with the defences in desperate need of reinforcement from a Roman relief column and this game setup assumes the arrival of that relief column.

I was very interested to see the excellent looking game as I had read the book and this certainly looked like a great 'What if' setup.

The figures are from A&A Miniatures and Aventine and the rules being used were Warlord's 'Hail Caesar'.

The man himself, Ballista, complete with Raven emblazoned shield, ornamental helmet and white Draco flying defiantly overhead.

One Steppe at a a time, 28mm Eastern Renaissance - Mr Phil Olley

Phil Olley's Eastern Renaissance theme illustrated well that you don't have to have a huge table to produce a gloriously turned out game and his collection of figures, the teddy bear fur married with scatter terrain and a wonderful steppe style village really captured the look of this period.

The colours of the armies and their banners makes this a very attractive period to model and I thoroughly enjoyed taking my time over the pictures of this superb little collection. I might have to get my copy of George Gush's WRG Renaissance rules back out!

Across the Rio Grande, 28mm Mexican-American War - 1st Corps

This fictional battle was set in the Mexican American War of 1846-47 and features a Mexican army under the command of Santa Anna, arrayed along a ridge blocking the advance of the Americans under Zachery Taylor.

The village is being used to secure the Americans right flank as well as acting as a supply depot astride a tributary of the Rio Grande and is guarded by American dismounted dragoons.

All the figures are from 1st Corps and the rules used were General D'Armee.

Far East Chain of Command - Too Fat Lardies

It was fun to see Nick and Richard at the show giving an airing to their new theme for Chain of Command, focussed on the Far East theatre in WWII with this wonderful Malaya inspired set up complete with a Japanese light tank and opposing 2-pounder anti-tank gun.

I know my paternal Uncle Les who was a Singapore and Malaya veteran and who survived the Burma Railway, no thanks to the best efforts of the Imperial Japanese Army, would have been thrilled to have seen this game and Chain of Command is an excellent choice of rules to fight this infantry heavy theatre of battle.

Guildford Courthouse 1781, 28mm AWI - Huntingdon & District Wargames Soc.

If you are putting on a 28mm AWI themed game at a show that I'm at you're very likely to have me standing close by having a look and having gamed Guilford Courthouse a few times over the years I always love to see how others interpret this very well known battle that left General Cornwallis victorious with his Pyrrhic victory but would see him retire from the field of battle and end up in Yorktown to surrender seven months later to General Washington, that would ultimately cause the war to end two years later.

Lovely terrain, Perry miniatures, nicely turned out, what's not to like?

The Battle of Bladensburg 24th August 1814, 28mm War of 1812 - Forest Outlaws

The War of 1812 is also another period I have always fancied building a collection for and the Paul Hicks range of figures from Brigade Games is what I would use if they were available here in the UK.

In the meantime I focus on other projects and scratch the itch by enjoying others efforts in producing games for this theme such as this rendition of the 'Bladensburg Races' as it became known to the British troops involved on the march to the American capital, Washington, unable to run quick enough to keep up with the retreat of the US militia sent to to halt their progress.

I have a feeling the chaps recruited a few Portuguese infantry and their mules, seen below, to accompany the British Peninsula Veterans! 

The Battle of Freeman's Farm 1777, 28mm AWI - Mr Steve Jones

Steve Jones was back at Partizan with his lovely AWI collection recreating the Battle of Freeman's Farm with his own rules, 'Bloodybacks' version 8.3 which can be found on his blog; 

Steve's Paintingshed - Bloodybacks, Version-8

Again a very nice AWI game to see.

The Silmarillion (28mm), Midgard Heroic Battles - Morris and Chums

I love a bit of classic fantasy and it doesn't come more classic than The Silmarillion by Professor Tolkien, a book I read before Lord of the Rings and so am well aware of the feast of battles it contains within it from the first and second ages of Middle Earth.   

I have seen the Midgard Heroic Battles rules system from the pen of James Morris previously and I see from the information presented by Morris and Chums that they are still awaiting publication by the Too Fat Lardies Reisswitz Press, which I look forward to and this game was a great example of what you can produce using them, with High Elves going toe to claw with a fire breathing dragon and accompanying orcs and trolls.

Bloody Omaha, 6mm WW2 - All Hell Let Loose

Finally, a game that appears at the start of this post certainly caught my attention even though I am not a 6mm gamer but can appreciate the artistic effort in the game presented by the chaps from All Hell Let Loose and their rendition of Bloody Omaha in this the year of the eightieth anniversary of D-Day.

I find with these smaller scale games that the terrain is as big a draw to the eye, if not the biggest draw, than the figures, and they create a different type of game to that of the larger scales and when done well, as in this case, are very appealing, although at my age and declining eyesight this is a scale that I am very unlikely to indulge in.

A game such as this seems to combine all I love and enjoy in a board game with all the aesthetics I look for in a tabletop figure game and makes for a nice combination of the two.

So I hope you have enjoyed my take on Partizan 2024, and I know Steve M, Mr Steve and I thoroughly enjoyed our day and I would thank the organising team, traders and game presenters for making another enjoyable show.

Next up: I have the first of my small ships for Camperdown to showcase, plus my take on the Newark Air Museum and Carolyn's and my adventure to meet the 'Jumping Crocodiles' on the Adelaide River near Darwin.

More anon

JJ