Steve loves a project. He loves to paint big armies and he loves to do it fast. I am a constant disappointment to him as in the time it takes him to paint an entire army I have usually managed about 17 models and then butterflied off to something else.
Not long ago he was hankering after something to paint - I made some of my usual suggestions (6mm Hitites, 54mm Burgundian Ordonanace) but this time one of them stuck. Seven Year's War - bit of lace, tricornes, horsey men, guns, colourful uniforms. I think I may have vaguely suggested I might paint a unit or two of French. For whatever reason it resonated with Steve and he went ahead and made several large orders with Front Rank.
And so on Saturday we were ready to play. I had painted nothing.
We used some homebrew rules because there wasn't anything available that looked like it would do - so why not?
I took command of the Prussians led by the renowned Johan-Tomas Schwanschtucker. Kenton took control of the Austrians commanded by Wilhelm von Stüchy
Austrians assemble
The field of war
Johan-Tomas takes the salute
Von Stüchy gazes about
Too war, Austria!
The cavalry clash on the right flank
Austrians reach the hedge line
..and begin to exchange fire with Prussian grenadiers.
Meanwhile on the road the Prussians drive back the Austrian grenadiers!
Russians join their Austrian allies.
The Prussian cavalry attempt a rather rash charge
On the road the firefight continues.
The Prussian lights catch the Austrian guns
But the Grenadiers rally and turn to help the cannon.
It has not gone well for either side at the hedge.
At last the road is clear, the guns are gone and there are just a few grenadiers left to deal with.
The Russians make a belated push toward the Prussian centre
But the death of the Grenadiers mean Von Stüchy concedes the field.
That played well and looked splendid.
Thanks for doing all the hard work, Steve!
The rules were simple but worked. A few tweaks and I can see us just using them for more Horse and Musket games.
