French Ship of Renowned Formidable

Formidable  is indeed worthy to b be called a ship of Renowned.  She took part in the Algeciras campaign making an appearance in the book Master and Commander.  Her captain was killed in the Frist Battle of Algeciras as she repaired damage and a new commander took the reigns.  She sailed on July 13 1801 and was chased by 4 English ship  a frigate HMS Thames and the ships of the line HMS Venerable (74), HMS Caesar (80) and HMS Superb (74).  She allowed HMS Venerable in to rage and in a sharp engagement dismasted her and left her in danger of sinking allowing Formidable to escape. 

Formidable latter too part in the Battle of Cape Finisterre, Trafalgar and Cape Ortegal where she was captured and renamed HMS Brave though she seems to have only served as a Prison ship. 

Her Leaping sword fish figurehead may be my favorite among the ships made by Warlord Games.

The Stern is elegant but Not quite a clean as sister ship Indomptable.   She a fine addition to my French Fleet. 

 

French Ship of Renowned Indomptable

 I'm in the process of "Clearing the Decks" ahead of Challenge XII so you'll be seeing a few new posts in the next few days and then probably silence for a little bit. 

As with most of the "Renowned" ships from Warlord Indomptable fought at Trafalgar and did fight quite fiercely exchanging fire with several English ships before breaking off action in company of several Spanish ships. She managed to save about 500 men from the Bucentaure when she wrecked in the Trafalgar storm. Unfortunately she sank in a storm the following night.

Her stern is quite handsome probably my favorites among the French Ships of the line.  Its simple but eye catching with its Scallop like "coat of arms".   

I am not sure why a Pegasus is the figure head by it does look quite majestic and I guess you really don't need a better reason than that 

Challenge XII with Earth shattering Kabooms

 

It's that time of year again Curt Campbell is once again launching the winter challenge.  I'll be taking part again with a target of 1000 points. 

I've been preparing some stuff, a few items have been prepped for years now LOL.

One thing I do not have a good supply of is female miniatures and no ships don't count (silly rule) it looks like Sarah's travel assistance is going to be significant this year so I may need to look into some options. Anyone got some female miniatures they need painted?

Captain William Smith House

 A lovely kit made by Jorge at Things From The Basement. 

This is based on a historic house that is part of Minuteman National Park.

It's available in both 15mm (the one I am showing) and a somewhat more detailed 28mm version.

It's a lovely piece and I hope they will make more 15mm colonial pieces.  

If you like the style there is a another historical building (that is literally down the road from this house) available in 28mm Hartwell Tavern 

East Indiaman

 Another 3D provided by Arofan.

I added a couple of boats to the quarter deck making it stand out from a few similar ships I have.

The frigates sten plate added looks good along  with the extra boats.

I also added a mermaid figurehead to the ship to give it a bit more personality.  The extra anchors, stern plates and figure heads with the Warlord kits have been quite helpful dressing up these 3D prints. 

Family Dragon Rampant

 My Brother and his son's came by this weekend and he and his oldest Will helped me test a game for Ayer Con next weekend.

Kevin with the brotherhood of death launched an attack on both flanks. It was a good plan ruined by bad command rolls.

Will focused on turning back the left flank attack his dragon to protect his archers.

The dragon got the better of the bellicose foot (Gnolls) and a unit of skirmishes.

With his left flank secure Will begins to drive back the Barbarians and monsters. It was a good play test and a lot of fun to get my nephew involved. 

Pisa 1505

Friday night Arofan hosted a game using his Grand Capitan rules (adapted from Art de l' guerre) a fictional battle between the Borgia pope and the imperials.

I was selected as commander of the Imperial forces with Bill and new friend Dan. Mark and Kelly handled the Papal and French forces.

Dan had the center but he faces a pair of guns.

He got hammered early. 

First by artillery they by French knights.

 My gendarmes move into rescue the landsknecht! And was manage it. 

The the Swiss pikemen come for my gendarmes.

That battle soon becomes a whirling melee with knights, pikemen, light cavalry and crossbowmen using hand weapons all killing each other with wild abandon.

The battle rages for a couple of turns but my Side manges to win though just barely.

The Papal forces make a final attack driving off the imperial Pikemen

A stalemate of armored knight happens on the hill.

On the right flank my Pisa infantry had drive off mini Ted crossbow men and a unit of skirmishes this is enough to break the Papal Army. We got very lucky on initiative rolls had we lost any of three turns we won the game would have probably gone the other way.  Great fun.

New ships for Black Seas.

 These are two ships printed for me by Arofan.

An Elizabeth class ships of the line and Swan class sloop. 

I've painted three of these and they are a great prints. I added a figure head left over from the Black Seas. 

I also used some left over stern prices to dress it up the only real flaw to this print is there low detail sterns.

The Swan class was a 14 gun (later 16) sloop of war.  That served in both the American Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. The most famous of the class was probably HMS Vulture which helped General Benedict Arnold escape from West Point after his failed treason.  I'll  probably use Schooner stats as these ships had very light armament.