Qualiticast - Catalogue

With sincere thanks to Rod Dearlove and Andy Taylor for making this available, here's a catalogue for the Qualiticast range of 20mm white metal figures - dating from 2002.

These figures are too recent to be classed as Old School, and are only "Vintage" in the sense that they are, sadly, out of production. From a personal point of view, I regret that their years of manufacture began and ended during my extended wargaming sabbatical, but I have become something of a fan recently.

From the dollar prices this must be a US catalogue (which would make it a catalog, I guess) - not sure if this listing was produced for/by Brookhurst Hobbies, major distributors in America. I thought this would be interesting for a lot of enthusiasts, and it gives us yet another means of measuring what we have lost! I am very impressed by the extent and the thoroughness of the range.

Solo Campaign Siege System - worked example

This follows on immediately from my last posting, and this is me attempting to try it out with a historical example. To be specific, the Allied siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812, and - to be even more specific - this starts off as history, but as soon as the dice start rolling, anything can happen, as we know.

One inconvenience about real history is that it is not easy to get a handle on some of the data - at least in your own pocket campaign you would know all this stuff for certain.

Ciudad Rodrigo has a Fortress Value (FV) of 6 in my table. This also limits the garrison to 6 combat units. From the appendices in Belmas, I know that the French force consisted of a very large but raw battalion of the 34e Léger, a battalion of the 133e Ligne (who were Tuscans, I am interested to note), a couple of companies of Artillerie à Pied (12th and 13th companies of the 6th regiment), about a dozen engineers and various staff monkeys and administrators and that's about it. A bit less than 2000 men, and the Garrison Value (GV) of the 4 units is - well, 4. Barrié, the garrison commander, had succeeded to the post when the appointed commandant (Renaud?) had been captured while inspecting the fortress's herd of beef cattle (the cattle were also captured). To get back to the plot, Barrié did not wish to have the position, and is generally regarded as unimpressive - we'll regard him as officially "Poor" in the motivation/leadership department, so no bonus is added to the GV.

Wellesley's force is not so easy to pin down. It is well recorded that the actual storm was carried out by the 3rd and Light Divisions, with support from Pack's Portuguese brigade, but this siege system is more interested in all the troops Wellesley had at the siege. This will then cover everyone who was available for digging and providing a threat, and who could potentially have been involved in a storm. By this wider definition, we should include the 1st, 3rd, 4th and Light Divisions plus Pack's Portuguese. If we lump together the various attached rifle companies into an extra battalion, this gives a total of 34 battalions plus 4 divisional artillery companies; 38 divided by 4 gives an Assault Value (AV) for the Allies of 10, near enough, which we should raise to 11 in view of Wellesley (supported by Fletcher and co) rating at least "Good" on our leadership scale. Wellesley appears to have had about 18000 men in these combat formations.

The designated Allied battering train consisted of 38 heavy guns which were deployed as 5 batteries - that's quite a lot of guns for 5 batteries, but we'll go with a Battering Value (BV) of 5.

To summarise, then, the defenders have FV = 6, GV = 4, the attackers have AV = 11, BV = 5.

Week 1

Bombardment: French have GV of 4, thus roll 4D6 (I'm actually rolling dice, rather pathetically, as I type...) - they come up 5 3 1 1 - the 5 deducts 1 from the attackers' AV, but there are no 6s, so no hits on the siege guns (BV),
Simultaneously, the Allied battering guns (BV = 5) roll 5D6 - 5 4 3 3 1 (not very good shooting, maybe they get better with practice?) - no 6s, so no damage to the fortress (FV), but the 5 scores against the garrison, so 1 comes off GV.

Now FV = 6, GV = 3 (total = 9) for the French, while AV = 10, BV = 5 for the Allies. The Allies do not bother asking the fortress to surrender, since their AV of 10 is extremely marginal for a storm against the defenders’ (FV + GV) = 9. No storm

Week 2

Bombardment: French now roll 3D6 - they come up 6 4 2 - the 6 hits the battering guns, and reduces the Allies' BV by 1
Meanwhile, the Allied batteries (BV still 5 - doesn't get adjusted until the end of this phase) roll 5D6 - 6 5 3 3 2 - the 6 removes 1 from the Fortress Value, the 5 removes a further 1 from the garrison (GV).

Now FV = 5, GV = 2 (total = 7) for the French, while AV = 10, BV = 4 for the Allies. AV of 10 still looking risky for a storm against (FV + GV) = 7 - bad luck with the dice could be disastrous. The Allies don't summon the garrison to surrender, and make no attempt to storm.

Week 3

Bombardment: French now reduced to 2D6 - they come up 6 5 - cheers from the battlements - they have the range now! Allies lose 1 off each of AV and BV
Allied batteries roll 4D6 - 6 4 4 1 - that's another 1 from FV - those walls are looking a bit second-hand.

Now FV = 4, GV = 2 (total = 6) for the French, while AV = 9, BV = 3 for the Allies. The Allies still don't fancy the chances of a storm, and don't ask for a surrender.

Week 4

Bombardment: French roll 2D6 - they come up 1 1 - useless. There may be trouble about this...
Allied batteries now down to 3D6 - 5 3 4 - the walls are standing up surprisingly well, but that's another 1 off the garrison (GV)

Now FV = 4, GV = 1 (total = 5) for the French, while AV = 9, BV = 3 for the Allies. Another week might improve the situation, but Wellesley decides to storm the fort now rather than lose further time (it's only a test...).

The Storm:

Defenders' Storm Strength DSS = FV + GV + 1D6 = 4 + 1 + 2 = 7
Attackers' ditto ASS = AV + 1D6 = 9 + 5 = 14, which is no contest – Attackers win.

Thus the storm is successful. The attacking force lose 1/2 x GV = 1/2 = 1 from their AV in the assault, giving a final figure for AV of 8. The surviving garrison are taken prisoner. Total loss for the Allies during the 4-week operation is 1/10 of the %age loss in AV = 1/10 x 3/11 = 2.73% which, for a force of 18000, is about 490 men. During the storm, the French lose 1/2 of (ASS - DSS) = 3.5, which is more than enough to eliminate their last surviving GV point. Thus the French have lost 100% of their GV, and actual casualties are 1/10 of this - 10% of the original 2000 men is 200, and the balance are prisoners.

OK - that worked. I'll try a couple more to see how it goes. It's not as much fun as a tabletop siege with a model fort, though. On the other hand, it didn't take me an entire weekend.

Sieges in my Solo Campaign Rules

This is getting into serious Nerd Territory, so be warned. I’d been thinking about the subject anyway, and was prompted further by Clive’s posting of Paddy Griffith’s algorithmic system for simulating sieges.

The background to this is hinted at in my previous post on my developing solo Campaign Rules for the Peninsular War. Well – not The Actual Peninsular War, of course, but a similar sort of war in the same area, using similar troops, around the same time.

They had a lot of sieges - it was a feature of the warfare. It would be lovely to be able to trundle out my model fort and fight siege games as part of a campaign, but sadly it is not practicable. The campaign has a weekly turn, and an ongoing siege would almost certainly last a number of turns. For a while I considered the possibility of maintaining a table-top siege game while the map moves went on in another room (or something), but that stopped abruptly when I realised that two or more sieges might be running simultaneously – and what then, eh?

So - like it or not - sieges are going to have to be settled by mathematical means, off the table. I have a copy of the NapNuts campaign rules, which handle sieges by means of A Duckenfield’s rules which were first published in Practical Wargaming – in fact his rules are lifted straight in, which is probably a vote in their favour. Being an awkward sod, I decided to set up my own system, though it is on not dissimilar lines.

I need the off-table siege “game” to give realistic durations and casualty levels for the siege operations, and I need it to produce reasonable results, but to operate crudely enough to work without destroying what is left of my poor brain (or enthusiasm). My earliest drafts were far too complex – this is about the fourth redrafting, and I am sure it has some distance to go. The trend has been toward progressive simplification throughout. I have glossed over many things – some because it was convenient to do so, and – doubtless – some because I just hadn’t thought of them.

This is where I have got to. It’s not finished by a long chalk, but it’s coming along. If this is the sort of thing you like, you may well like this.

Sieges in the Campaign Rules

The turns are 1 week long.

Defenders

Certain of the Areas on the map contain towns which are fortified and have a Fortress Value (FV). This reflects the size, strength and position of the installation, plus (amongst other things) an allowance for some resident artillery. The initial FV may subsequently be reduced by a combination of factors – damage to the walls, loss of guns, being compromised by siege works and siting of batteries – anything which renders the place less formidable.

The fortresses on the map, with their FVs, are:

Abrantes (P)           4

Alicante                  8

Almeida (P)            5

Badajoz                  8

Barcelona               8

Bayonne (F)           6

Bilbao                    6                              Towns marked (P) are in Portugal, (F) are in France

Burgos                   7

Cadiz                     12                           This is not intended to be a complete historical list -

Cartagena              10                              it is drawn up simply for the game!

Ciudad Rodrigo      6

Elvas (P)                5

Figueras                 8

Gibraltar                15          

Granada                 7

Jaca                       4

La Coruna              8

Lerida                    6

Lisboa (P)              7

Pamplona               6

Perpignan (F)         6

Sagunto                 10

San Sebastian         7

Santander               6

Tarragona               8

Tortosa                  6

Valencia                 7

Vic                         7

Zaragoza                7

Fighting troops in the fortress contribute a Garrison Value (GV). The number of units stationed in a fortress may not exceed its basic FV. For this purpose, a unit is a battalion of infantry (strength usually 4 CCN “blocks”) an artillery unit (3 blocks) or cavalry regiment (3 or 4 blocks). Initial GV is equal to the number of units (though cavalry and militia count 1/2 each), and its reduction during a siege will represent both casualties and diminution in “resolve” of the garrison. GV may be increased by a further 1 if the garrison commander is an identified Leader rated as Good or Outstanding (2 or 3).

Besiegers

The besieging troops are not limited in number, though supply may be an issue. The initial Assault Value (AV) is equal to 1/4 of the number of fighting units present (rounded to the nearer, half up), and may be increased by 1 if the overall commander of the besieging force is Good or Outstanding. The Battering Value (BV) is simply the number of specialist siege batteries present – these may be battering guns, mortars or rockets.

Thus, at the start of a siege, the defenders will have a FV and a GV, and the attackers will have an AV and a BV. These factors may all be impacted subsequently by enemy action.

If FV becomes zero, the fortress can be entered at will and the garrison will surrender.

If GV becomes zero, the garrison is no longer able to resist, and any survivors will surrender.

If AV becomes zero, the besieging force is no longer able to continue.

If BV becomes zero, the attackers have no bombarding artillery available, and will normally call off the siege (unless they expect some to arrive!).

If AV + BV is less than FV + GV then the attackers will normally call off the siege.

Each turn (commencing at the end of the first week of siege), the procedure is

Bombardment phase (all bombardment is simultaneous, so don’t make any deductions for hits until both sides have fired - the dice throws include the effect of accidents and bad breaks as well as direct hits).

* Defender throws [GV]D6 (i.e. a handful of 6-sided dice, GV in number) – any 6s will put a siege battery out of action (reduce BV by 1 for each), any 5s cause loss and demoralisation to the attackers’ forces and engineering (reduce AV by 1 for each).

* Attacker throws [BV]D6 – any 6s will damage or compromise the strength of the fortress (reduce FV by 1), any 5s cause loss and damage to the garrison and their resolve (reduce GV by 1).

* Adjust FV, GV, AV and BV for bombardment.

Protocol phase

If besiegers have not abandoned the siege, and if the fortress has not automatically surrendered, the attackers may summon the fortress to surrender. If AV > FV + GV + 5, then the fortress should at least consider surrendering, since they could not withstand a storm. However, a storm would kill more of the besiegers, and, if the defenders are French, they will be aware that the Emperor has given strict orders that no fort may surrender until it has withstood at least one assault....

The besiegers may elect to storm the fortress.

Storming phase

Defenders’ Storm Strength, DSS = FV + GV + 1D6

Attackers’ Storm Strength , ASS = AV + 1D6

* If ASS >= DSS then the fortress falls and the garrison surrenders. Attackers lose a final, further ½ GV from AV.

* Otherwise, if DSS–ASS is positive, storm is repulsed; attackers lose (DSS-ASS) from AV; defenders lose ½ this amount from GV

[Remember that losses in GV and AV are not just casualties – they represent all manner of loss of ability to continue].

Whenever it is necessary, at any moment during the siege (or when the siege is broken off or completed), actual casualties may be computed as one tenth of  the %age loss of AV or GV since the start of the siege.

Example – if successful besieging force started out with AV = 8, and end with AV of 6, then they have lost one tenth of 25% = 2.5% of the total force present.

Relieving forces will cause the besiegers to break off the siege, or at least divide their forces.

Sorties are abstracted as part of the unpleasantness which the defenders can inflict during the Bombardment.

Thus far, I have not explicitly addressed the question of the defenders’ supplies....

Falcata - size comparison

Ian sent a comment, and I've had a couple of emails from people wondering how Falcata's idea of 1/72 scale or 20mm lines up with other makers.

I cannot speak with any authority on the new figures, since I haven't seen them, but it is pretty clear from the yellow-coated dragoon figure in the pics in the last post that his horse is very recognisably one of the previous lot of Falcata horses - so I guess they are the same size as they were. In fact, I would guess that any sets of figures which match the old 34-in-a-box sets will be from the same masters - e.g. Spanish line infantry in bicornes.

Here's a size line-up from my Cupboard - from left to right are some Falcata French infantry (from the old series - presumably the same size), some Hinton Hunt Cacadores and some Les Higgins riflemen. On checking the picture again, I think the officer in the second row on the extreme left is Kennington, so there are more types in here than I intended! Falcata are maybe a tad bigger, but they stand on pretty chunky bases, so some thinner MDF would square things up a bit.

I'm quite interested in what has been announced thus far - particularly the cavalry - but my real interest is in the militia, guerrilleros (quite a few different regional types), generals and "personality" figures which appear to be in the pipeline. It would be a big help to us poor customers of dinosaur banks if La Flecha Negra could take PayPal. If anyone successfully obtains some of these new figures, please let me know how you get on - severe shipping costs are sometimes a problem to the UK from Spain (viz Hobbies Guinea).

Falcata - Relaunch

Today I received an email from a Madrid model shop, La Flecha Negra, who have been keeping me posted on progress with the long awaited reappearance of Falcata's 20mm white metal figures.

I emphasise that I have nothing to do with any of this - I am merely bringing the note to the attention of anyone who is interested in the range. The pictures at the top of this post are of rather poor quality, and show some factory painted pre-launch samples - these pictures did not form part of today's email.

What follows is the main content of the email, with some slight correction of typos and translation here and there. La Flecha Negra's website has not yet been updated to show any of this. Please don't direct any questions to me - the shop will be able to help you and, I believe, supply you with figures.

The email:

This is the 1st list of Falcata 20mm napoleonics.
The bags are incl x12 soldiers in different poses, cast in white metal.
The prices are 9,50 euros per bag, 10 or more [bags] 9 euros each.
Normally, with foreign customers we use bank transfer form paid.


SPANISH


INFANTERIA - line 1808


ES01 Line Infantry marching - bicornes
ES02 Line Infantry advancing
ES03 Line Infantry firing & skirmishing
ES04 Line Infantry command - drummer, flags, officers
ES05 Line Grenadiers marching
ES06 Line Grenadiers advancing
ES07 Line Grenadiers firing
ES08 Line Grenadiers command
ES09 Catalan Light Inf - 1808 uniforms (green)
ES22 Line Infantry marching - campaign dress
ES23 Line Infantry advancing - campaign dress
ES24 Line Infantry firing - campaign dress

ARTILLERIA - each bag one gun plus x5 gunners


ES50 4 pdr
ES51 8/12 pdr
ES52 Howitzer(? - obus)

CABALLERIA


ES70 Line Cavalry/Dragoons at attention
ES71 Line Cavalry/Dragoons charging
ES72 Line Cavalry/Dragoons command - pack x3 - officer, musician, flag


In the next days, militia in chisteras (round hats), hussars, regional regiments, etc.......


For info, email info@laflechanegraminiaturas.com
If you are interested in the 1st list of 20mm Carlist wars, please get in touch

And Those Caissons Keep Rolling Along

More wagons ready. Two Lamming French caissons, horses and riders are Scruby. Heavy powder wagon in the background is Minifigs, waiting for a suitable seated driver.

Portuguese Cavalry - done!

Very pleased to have my Portuguese cavalry brigade finished and fit for action. As discussed previously, no-one makes proper figures for these in the scales I can use, so the best I could manage was converted Dutch cuirassiers from Kennington.

The whole effect is enhanced greatly by Matt's very fine paintwork. Here they are, ready for The Cupboard - the 1st and 11th regiments, with the brigade commanded today by Lt Col Loftus Otway (later Maj.Gen Sir Loftus Otway, from Tipperary).

I originally intended to use the more correct brigading of 1st and 7th regiments (or was it the 8th? - can't remember), but the facings differed only in the cuff colour, and with gauntlets on they would be indistinguishable. Thus I went for the Salamanca line-up of 1st and 11th, which is more satisfying all round. I consider that deciding the order of battle by comparing facing colours is a fine wargaming tradition!