A couple months ago Son #2 surprised me by staying up after his homework and setting up a Black Powder Game to inaugurate our 28mm collection for Marlburian Wars. Our figures so far are largely plastics from the former Wargames Factory range, now developed and produced by Warlord Games. To my shame, I also have a fairly large collection of 25mm Foundry miniatures painted for the period which have never seen the tabletop. I have a problem, I realize….

So we’ve managed six painted foot regiments and two units of cavalry and guns for both French and British. It covers a lot of ground on a 6x 4 table.

I was the British commander, assaulting the barricade farm just before the crossroads.

The French had regiments manning the barricade, in the farmhouse, barn, and along a fence line adjacent to the farm house. After assessing my options, I decided for the subtle frontal attack with my left wing concentrating against the fence and working to suppress the regiment firing from the farm complex itself.

The British Left Wing commander urging the attack forward…

I forgot the the bluecoated French are painted as guards foot regiments – Son #2 did not forget. The result was the leading regiment was shot up fairly thoroughly, with excess casualties, and eventually the frontal attack turned into a disaster.

I submit that conducting a successful frontal attack in Black Powder against reasonable troops can be very difficult. I’ve always failed….

So if you’ve read any of the blog posts before, you know my track record, I lost. The large left wing force disintegrated under the fire of the French regiments and then reacted adversely when they lost the melees one after another…. #spoileralert… I lost.

A few more pictures to show my toys:

I look forward to painting another regiment or two at a time. These are really nice figures, and the optional heads and choices make it a bit of fun. I also need to flock/ smarten up my Foundry collection – I probably have enough figures to do 15 regiments per side… quite a big game for 28mm.