Corp d'aérostiers

The compagnie d'aérostiers was the world's first air force, founded in 1794 to use balloons, primarily for reconnaissance and airborne invasion.

Numerous suggestions had been made for the use of balloons during the French Revolutionary Wars, and in 1793 the Committee of Public Safety began testing their potential. Initial tests of airship designs proved unsatisfactory.

Unable to create airships which were proven safe to transport French soldiers, the French Army ordered the invention of steam driven automatic soldiers who knew no fear nor pain. Several leading engineers were tasked with this almost impossible task but the Emperor granted the use of immense amounts of money and war material. Due to the unlimited resources, inventor Henry Coudé was able to reduce the size of a steam engine from immense to the size of a military bag pack!

This massive break through led to the development of the soldat mécanique, a steam driven automaton which was able to self propel himself but was unable to handle any kind of weaponry. To solve this problem, some military engineers strengthened the automatons arms which made enabled them to rip off men’s limbs or bend rifles! They also added a thick layer of metal armor which made them able to resist most rifle rounds.

Another problem which was needed to be solved was the commanding the mechanic soldiers into battle. Following the standard procedure of the French Army, the automatons were drilled to react onto the beat of the company drums. This reaction was made possible due to the invention of a small device called “l’oreille” by the engineers, that was placed into the automatons body.

With this device the automatons were able to react onto several commands such as march, forced march, charge and many others.

This new invention was viewed by leading figures of the Committee, who passed an Act creating the Aerostatic Corps on 2 April 1794. The first corps consisted of 2 companies each consisting out of 1 large balloon, 4 balloon handlers, drummer and 7 automatons.

The 5 corps d’aérostiers played a huge role during the invasion of England in 1812 because of their ability to cross the Royal Military Channel and create havoc in the British rear.

One blog enough?

Hi, as some has noticed 2 new blogs have been added to my bloglist! These 2 relativly new blogs are also owned by me and are solely used as "fluff" blogs for ongoing projects! This to keep them going and also as some kind of notition block.

The first blog is used as part of my ongoing VSF project "conquering the unknown" or "the conquest of Mbuij Mayi". This project's focus is the conquest of an independent and unexplored kingdom in the dense jungles of Central Africa in 1880-19....

http://conquestofmbuijmayi.blogspot.com

The second blog is a "fluff" blog for my other 28mm project "Chaos on the Red Planet" which deals with gang wars, colonisation, tales of conquest and greed, etc on the Red Planet around 2220-22....

http://chaosontheredplanet.blogspot.com

I hope you like the fluff!

Greets,

Three small wargames played!

Hi, today I've got visit from a mate with who I started to collect Gamesworkshop Lord of the Rings miniatures several years ago. In the beginning we were playing massive battles with our collections such as Helmsdeep or small scale scenarios which were descripted in the magazines that accompagnied the miniatures. But our gaming time dwingled and battlegames became scarce, ...

But after a visit to Crisis this year the wargaming spirit revived and so we played some small games to try and remember the LOTR skirmish rules.

Warg attack! (1)

Forces

Goblins (commanded by me)

- 3 Archers (15 points)

- 4 Swordsmen (20 points)

- 3 Spearmen (15 points)

Warg pack (commanded by my mate)

- 6 Wild wargs ( 48 points)

Short battlereport

During this game the goblin force was able to resist the fierce warg charges due to a good defensive position and some pour dice throwing by my mate during the priority phase. The goblins managed to defend a small watercrossing with the use of a good combination of spear and swordsmen. My goblin archers weren't able to kill any of the approaching wargs because I needed to throw a 5+ followed by another 5+!

The result of the battle was clear with only 2 goblins killed and the warg pack utterly destroyed.

Warg attack! (2)

Forces

Goblins (commanded by my mate)

- 3 Archers (15 points)

- 4 Swordsmen (20 points)

- 3 Spearmen (15 points)

Warg pack (commanded by me)

- 6 Wild wargs ( 48 points)

Short battlereport

During this game the goblin force was also able to resist the fierce warg charges but suffered a bit more casualties due to a goblin manoevre which made it possible for me to outflank the goblin battleline.

The result of the battle was also clear with only 4 goblins killed and the warg pack utterly vanquished.

The battle of Orthanc

Forces

- Gandalf the grey (commanded by me)

- Saruman (commanded by my mate)

Short battlereport

This game was played using the fast play rules described in magazine 15. These rules were really easy because you only could chose 4 methods of attack and 3 methods of defence. The two main attacks were "throw" and "thwack" both of these attacks could be combined in 2 different ways. Each wizard had 15 lives which could be reduced by thwacking or throwing.

The battleground was hexed with in the middle, the palantir which enabled anybody who contacted him to predict his enemies actions.

In this game, Gandalf lost the duel against Saruman!

I hope you enjoyed these small battle reports!

Greets,

Basing madness!

Hi, here another post about my bases! I've just got another load of these from my dad.

• 4.5 x 9 cm = 25 bases (will be used for basing 28m guns and other)
• 4.5 x 4 cm = 45 bases (will be used to base my 28mm napoleonic French)
• 4 x 3.5 cm = 120 bases (will be used to base my 1/72 figures)
• 4 x 7 cm = 30 bases (will be for gun tow teams and limbers 1/72)
• 6 x 3.5 cm = 30 bases ( will be used for 28mm cavalry)
• 6 x 5 cm = 50 bases (will be used ?)
• 7 x 7 cm = 20 bases ( will be used to base large 1/72 guns)

A wopping total of 320 new bases!

The prove, ...

Enough bases for now!

Greets,

New mini's

Hi, here are some new posts about recent purchases for my ongoing VSF project!

http://wargameterrain.blogspot.com/2010/11/british-navy-gun-crew.html

http://wargameterrain.blogspot.com/2010/11/porters-and-civilians.html

http://wargameterrain.blogspot.com/2010/11/aeronef-boarding-party.html

Soon to appear on the blog: a British landship in progress!

So keep tuned!

Greets,

Japanese Imperial Army revisited

Hi, here's a post about my 1/72 Japanese Army! This army has slowly expanded during the course of 2010. The entire army is made out of Esci, Waterloo 1815 and some Matchbox figures.

The army know exists out of

- 2 Battalions of 17 bases ( 2 x 33 figures)

- 3 Light machine gun bases ( 3 x 2 figures)

- 2 AT rifle bases ( 2 x 2 figures)

- 3 Heavy machine gun bases ( 3 x 2 figures)

- 3 Light mortar bases ( 3 x 2 figures)

- 2 70mm guns/mortars ( 2 x 3 figures + 2 guns)

- 2 Tow bases for the 70 mm guns ( 2 x 1 figure + 2 horses)

- 1 "No retreat" marker ( 1 x 3 figures)

Total of figures: 96 figures (+ 2 guns and horses)

Now some pictures!

The 70mm guns with tow teams.

Close up of one of the 70mm guns.

Close up of the other 70mm gun.

Close up of a modest tow team.

First battalion of the Japanese Imperial Army.

Close up of some bases, you can clearly see the Matchbox, Esci and Waterloo 1815 figures. I really like the guy with the explosive pole!

The second battalion of the Japanese Imperial Army.

The AT rifle crews

Now I need to paint them!

Greets,

British navy gun crew

Hi, here's the third post about my VSF project! This time I'm showing to you my Foundry gun crew I've bought on Crisis 2010 and guess. Yes, on the Dave Thomas stand! Really liked the idea of boxes filled with loose Foundry figures of all sorts and era's at bargain prices! And on those bargains another discount!

Greets! I hope I can paint them all up fast before they disappear in the cabinet!

Porters and civilians

Hi, here yet another new post about recent purchases done to expand my VSF project. This time I'm showing you some African porters and a victorian lady complete with mule! All the figures are made by Foundry and were bought on the Dave Thomas stand during Crisis 2010. With special thanks to Dave Thomas for the discount!

The victorian lady and her bagage mule.

The porters and African civilians

The unpainted Foundry porter compared with a Dixon Miniatures porter

I hope enjoyed the post,

Greets,

Aeronef boarding party

Hi, here's another post about my ongoing VSF project set during the conquest of the African kingdom of Mbuij Mayi. This time I'm showing you one of my recent purchases the Ironclad miniatures: Boarding party.

I really love these figures because of their really cool body plates and modern pistols! These figures will be used as part of my Wargames Factory navy contigent as a boarding party which will enable the British to attack enemy aeronef crews in close combat.

I hope you enjoyed this small post about an almost forgotten project!

Greets,

Armistice Day

In remembrance of those who fell in the Great War and gave their lives for freedom.

Crisis!

Hi, here's a post about my adventures on the largest wargame convention on the European mainland! The event is organised by the Tin Soldiers of Antwerp and is for me the only opportunity to buy figures and materials without postage or on a B&B.

As usual the convention place was quite packed with stands and eager wargamers causing a rather high temperature in the mainhall. But that don't spoil the fun! Tables of which many can be seen on the LAF and other forums were simply breathtaking. Such as the Quiberon allied invasion game with a stunning fortified village as the strongpoint of the German resistance and the game in which superb painted swedish are attacking a russian stronghold fortified with cannons and lots of gabions! The WWI table was also stunning! Awesome tanks and figures tight together by a nice table.

Off course I already forgot the names and many others of cool games!

The B&B wasn't much this year due to a reorganisation of the system and the lack of sellers but I managed to buy some Esci WWII British. Other things I bought were some foundry darkest africa figures such as porters, a victorian style lady and a mule! I also bought some Ironclad boarding party members (4) when painted they will serve on a aeronef or landship! And the last thing I bought! Some Japanese AT guns from Waterloo 1815!

All together an awesome 3th edition of Crisis for me in person!

Greets,

Crossing the Werra

1945, Germany and Japan have been defeated! Americans and English are celebrating, their soldiers are eager to see their families again, entire armies are demobilised! But what's that roar? The Red army unleashes a lethal and decisive final offensive against their former allies!

Location and objective

The Red Army crosses the Werra river in order to secure the town of Gerstungen and especially the German munition factory. The allied command is aware of the danger and orders the allied forces in the area to hold the line! The battle will be tought but we need to slow down their leading columns!

Factions

The spearhead of operation "Red Tide" consists out of 2 infantry battalions of rather modest quality supported by an armoured formation consisting old T-34 and KV-1 tanks! Luckily for the Soviet tank crews the American forces defending Gerstungen are lacking adequate anti-armor weaponry!

The American force who's task is to hold the town of Gerstungen and stop the Soviet advance consists out of a single undermanned American Engineer battalion who task was to disarm the German munition plant. Armed with nothing more than a handful of riflerounds and handgrenades they make there stand at the banks of the Werra!

Luckily for the allies the banks of the Werra were already fortified with some antitank obstacles and trenches!

The game

Turn 1&2: The 2 armies are advancing toward each other with the Russian armor stopped by the concrete obstacles. Some fire is exchanged but no casualties due to the dugged in Americans.

Turn 3: The Americans are calling in some artillery support killing 3 bases of Soviet infantry but also destroying 3 concrete obstacles! The Soviet commander laughs and orders his tanks to advance with no remorse!

Turn 4: The Soviet tanks are pounding the dugged in 1st American platoon killing 2 bases but loosing the KV-1 by a lucky bazooka round! (The Americans only have 1 bazooka!) The Americans succeed to kill another 3 Soviet infantry bases!

Turn 5: Aware of the bazooka, the T-34 ignores the other trench and concentrates his gun and machinegun on a single foxhole. (1 base destroyed 1ste platoon) In the meanwhile the 2 other American platoons have crossed the tables and are taking cover in the cornfields!

Turn 6&7: Another Soviet battalion enters the battle by crossing the pontoonbridges, ready to advance throught the gaps in the allied lines! In the meanwhile the American line crumbles under the weight of the "Red Tide".

Turn 8: Hordes of Soviet infantry close in and manage to kill another base of the 1ste platoon in the meanwhile the T-34 kills the American fieldcommander destroying the American moral! Now with the death of the attached fieldcommander the first platoons strenght is reduced to zero!

Turn 9: Some brave American soldiers jump out of the corn and charge the T-34 with nothing more than a couple of handgrenades! They succeed! (who need molotovs?)

In the meanwhile the Soviets are in possession of the main trench, ready to advance into Gerstungen! American 3th platoon awaits the attack in cover of the cornfield.

Turn 11: The American platoon defending the cornfield is whiped out! Unable to hold their position some elements managed to reach the safety of another cornfield!

On the other side of the line, the surving elements of the 4th American platoon are retreating (fleeing) toward the factory. Their flamethrower manages to kill 2 Soviet infantry bases which were advancing throught the cornfield. (see flame markers)

Turn 12: The American commander lays down another artillery barrage killing 4 soviet infantry bases and killing their moral!

On the other side the American flamethrower manages to kill another 2 infantry bases but is eliminated by some Soviet soldiers.

Turn 12: Soviet infantry enters the town of Gerstungen! Steadily advancing toward the munition plant! With the American moral an numbers fallen they meet almost no resistance.

Turn 13&14: The Soviets are advancing and the Americans are retreating toward the objective! The two remaining American platoons make a last stand but are killed, the Russian soldiers are able to secure the plant and claim their victory!

The battle ended with a Soviet victory from the 34 Russian bases only 8 survived! But they succeeded and secured the beachhead. Now operation "Red Tide" can finally begin!

After game comments

We played this game with some improvised rules so the balance wasn't quit even. In the start of the game the Soviets were able to secure the trenches relativly easily with a minimum of casualties! However the American barrages were a succes. They weren't sufficient enough to kill enought Soviets to restore the game balance. In the next game I will modify large parts of the homebrewed rules and add more details.

I hope you enjoyed this first battle report!

Greets,