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Our group is looking forward to this years Easter Friday Wargame at my place. This year it will be a refight of the battle of Hastenbeck, 26 July 1757. Some troops and terrain still needs to be completed. I'm under real stress. My latest paint-jobs have to take part in the game at any price.
Below see a view of my new Hannoverians of regt. Kielmannsegg (IR 12A).
Just a few more brush strokes to give the flag its finish and they'll be ready for play.
Off course this gorgeous Saxon Quick-Firer has to take part in the game. Finally, I painted some more command figures.
From left to right you see my take of English mylord Waldgrave, lieut.-general, accompanied by a Highlander.
The Highlander is an old figure of mine which I improved a bit. Remastered, so to say, rather than entirely painted anew. Centre is a Hannoverian general. It could be Wangenheim, once more a remastered rather old figure. He is accompanied by an Hannoverian aide-de-camp from the Foot Guards (new). On the right its general Luckner (new) alongside his aide-de-camp from the Hannoverian Jagers (old).
All of them will be placed in command somewhere in Cumberland's order of battle. Even though Waldgrave and Luckner certainly had no general command in this battle, I shall find them some division to command, anyway.
I also did a huge pile of scratch-build stream sections along with a bridge, and a good number of field work sections which are awaiting they finish.
The field-works are the result of my trauma suffered in our Saxenhausen game. Those field works (substituted by stone walls then) left me with a deep impression. I needed to have some more realistic looking models. The gabions seen here are plastic models I recently purchased from Nottingham UK based Warlord Games. you can't beat 8 GBP incl. shipping to Germany for 20 pieces. Just 4 more are scratch made for they had only 20 to sell me – and I needed 24. All needs to be finished by Wednesday night. Thursday night is planned for setting up the table and arranging the troops needed for the game.
Below see the result of my extensive research I did many years ago.
My God, I can't believe its 12 years from this illustration to the first time it is turned into a game with My SYW Armies. I must say, my research back then, directed mainly at the historic order of battle of the French forces committed in this battle, stands pretty well to the present day. Of course, I have grown wiser in the meantime. The composition of the cavalry could need a revision. Only many years after I made this map I learned about the identity of the horse of Broglie's Reserve (regts. du Roi, Condé, Beauvillers, and Lameth with total 8 esc) and 4 esc of d'Aubigne dragoons. This will add a 4th regt of dismounted dragoons into d'Armentières division and the order of French cav brigades should be reshuffled somewhat. I haven't had the patience to do that yet.
For our game, we will use the scenario provided by Frank Chadwick's "Battle's of the Seven Years War", vol. 2: The Strategic Flanks for Volley & Bayonet rules. For the greater part, his orbats are based on my work anyway.
I converted his orbats 1:1 into my preferred visual layout play sheet. Just his suggested French "Ghost" Light Division" I cut down somewhat, as it includes units that have remained in France or were assembling with Soubise's force near Hanau at that time. You may delete it alltogether. I accounted for 3 skirmishing stands. Fine enough.
I'll post some pictures and AAR within short.
