Category Archives: English Civil War

English Civil War, Historical, Salute 2018

Salute 2018 – ECW & Age of Piracy

April 20, 2018 Subedai Leave a comment

It seems like the Golden Age of Piracy is upon us thanks to Blood & Plunder, a game I am very keen to get involved in. At Salute 2018, the Leicester Phat Cats did a marvellous job of showcasing the system on a board filled with ships and a coastal settlement.

Five sailing ships close to a beach with a rustic settlement — Blood & Plunder by Leicester Phat Cats

Boarding action between two sailing ships — Blood & Plunder by Leicester Phat Cats

Two boats filled with pirates landing on a beach — Blood & Plunder by Leicester Phat Cats

Early colonial settlement with a market square — Blood & Plunder by Leicester Phat Cats

Maps and documents relating to pirates in the 17th century — Blood & Plunder by Leicester Phat Cats

The Tin Soldiers of Antwerp ran a family friendly participation game in which ‘The Swiss Family Robinson’ had to defend their tree house against waves of attacking pirates.

Beach with marked up movement squares leading up to a jungle settlement — The Swiss Family Robinson by Tin Soldiers of Antwerp

Groups of pirates moving up the beach towards a treehouse — The Swiss Family Robinson by Tin Soldiers of Antwerp

TGCM had brought an imposing pirate vessel to show off their miniatures range.

Pirate ship model with three masts and purple sails — Fantasy pirate vessel by TGCM

A few years earlier and back on dry land, Simon Miller & Friends staged a fictional English Civil War battle in the Borsetshire hamlet of Soggy Bottom. Not being content with just one engagement, this was played in two different scales, using the ‘To the Strongest! For King and Parliament’ set of rules.

Cavalry units charging at each other over open ground — Battle of Soggy Bottom 1643 by Simon Miller & Friends

Blocks of infantry defending houses surrounded by low walls — Battle of Soggy Bottom 1643 by Simon Miller & Friends

Musket armed soldiers in a field with sheep — Battle of Soggy Bottom 1643 by Simon Miller & Friends

Infantry with pikes and muskets advancing towards a wood — Battle of Soggy Bottom 1643 by Simon Miller & Friends

Birds eye view of a large battlefield with ranks of soldiers approaching each other — Battle of Soggy Bottom 1643 by Simon Miller & Friends

Small settlement occupied by large bodies of troops — Battle of Soggy Bottom 1643 by Simon Miller & Friends

Two cavalry units attacking each other — Battle of Soggy Bottom 1643 by Simon Miller & Friends

Colonial, English Civil War, Horse & Musket, Mexican Revolution, Napoleonic, Salute 2016

Salute 2016 – English Civil War to Mexican Revolution

April 20, 2016 Subedai 7 Comments

The most strikingly colourful wargaming tables at Salute usually feature battles from the 16th to 19th centuries, with their massed ranks of brightly uniformed infantry waving massive banners. The hobbyists dedicated to those periods also seem to have a particularly obsessive dedication to their craft and come up with the most beautiful terrain and characterful diorama pieces as part of the raging battles which are a joy to discover.

In terms of categorising all of these I’m always struggling so this time I’m bundling everything from the First English Civil War through Napoleonic and Victorian up to the Mexican Revolution into a single post. My apologies if this upsets your historical sensibilities.

First up is the Bloody Siege of Bristol in 1643 during the First English Civil War by the Crewe & Nantwich Wargames Club.

View of a wargaming table with city walls on the left and an army advancing through the countryside from the right — The Bloody Siege of Bristol by Crewe & Nantwich Wargames Club

Close up of a commander on horse next to a baggage cart — The Bloody Siege of Bristol by Crewe & Nantwich Wargames Club

Earthen ramparts with cannon and regiments of pikemen in front — The Bloody Siege of Bristol by Crewe & Nantwich Wargames Club

A fortified city harbour with a ship at anchor — The Bloody Siege of Bristol by Crewe & Nantwich Wargames Club

Oshiro Model Terrain delighted us this year with the Adventures of Paul Drake, an 18th century smuggler trying to get his way against redcoats and revenue men.

View over a wargaming table with scattered buildings, hedgerows and pockets of civilians going about their business — The Adventures of Paul Drake by Oshiro Model Terrain

A harbour with houses and a small ship with troops on board — The Adventures of Paul Drake by Oshiro Model Terrain

A market square with groups of figures — The Adventures of Paul Drake by Oshiro Model Terrain

Bill Gaskin and friends staged the Battle of Wilhelmstadt during the Seven Years War on a stunning table stretching from open countryside to the city itself.

Troops on a battlefield with hedges and trees and a city in the background — The Battle of Wilhelmstadt by Bill Gaskin and friends

Several regiments of infantry with muskets lined up in battle against each other — The Battle of Wilhelmstadt by Bill Gaskin and friends

A column of troops marching through an 18th century city towards the battle raging outside — The Battle of Wilhelmstadt by Bill Gaskin and friends

Victrix used their 54mm Napoleonic range in a participation scenario entitled Spain 1800.

Napoleonic troops on a battlefield with a small river and countryside buildings — Spain 1800 by Victrix

Ian Smith and friends brought the 40mm scale Battle of Adrados based on the novel Sharpe’s Enemy.

Ranks of Napoleonic infantry advancing towards a fortress on a rocky hill — The Battle of Adrados by Ian Smith and friends

View of a mountain fortress through buildings of a small town — The Battle of Adrados by Ian Smith and friends

The Sons of Simon de Montfort created a table for The North West Frontier to play out a tale of high adventure involving mounted tribesmen, a steam train and a prince.

A railroad line and small station in a rocky landscape with scattered infantry and cavalry units — The North West Frontier by Sons of Simon de Montfort

Tribal infantry with colourful banners on foot and horseback charging over a ridge — The North West Frontier by Sons of Simon de Montfort

Wargames Foundry had set up a table for the Congo during colonial times.

A small wargames table with a river and steamboat in front and a jungle scene with waterfall and small huts — The Congo by Wargames Foundry

The Mexican Revolution in 20mm scale was the theme of this table. It wasn’t included in the show guide unfortunately, but according to knowledgeable sources it’s a participation game by GDWS which will also feature at Claymore.