Battle of Castelcerino - 30th April 1809 - Using Shako II rules.

     Italy, April 1809, A French -Italian force under the command of General Jean- Barthelemot Sorbier, tries to cut the Austrian's line of communications at the small battle of  Castelcerino, also known as the
battle of Caldiero and battle of Souve. 

     This scenario is taken from Duel of the Princes by Michael Hopper, and is based around the Italian campaign of 1809 covering battles in Italy and Hungary. 

    All troops used are from Mike Eynon's collection he is still building. The Austrians are a bit hotch-potch to fit the scenario. The buildings are 10mm, which fit on the village footprints nicely. Mat is from Deepcut Studios. 

                                                                 Map                                                  The Troops          

  

Italians deploy first in their designated zones, and then the Austrian. Both sides have reserves available, the Austrian player will dice on turn three for their point and which turn they arrive. The Italians can then activate their cavalry off table in reserve, when the Austrian reserve reach the and starts to ascend the hill.

Initial deployment, from the Austrian position:

Turn 1, 2 and 3 were manouvers. The Austrian reserves were diced for and the were to come on next turn, (4) arriving on right of picture: bit of musketry saw both sides lose a skirmish stand each.

 

 Turn 5: Musketry, we played a house rule. Battalions occupying towns: The Battalion can fire out of one single edge per turn, but fires as skirmishers at volley fire range!

 

Turn 6 : Austrian musketry was inflicting heavy losses on the Italian defenders and in turn 7 the Austrians Charged up the hill and  routed two Italian units and in the command phase, the division broke and routed.

   

The Italian 2nd  division Grenadiers had now become engaged and the reserve Dragoon regt had arrived. 

   

Turn 8: Musketry, A few kills (not shown here)

 

Turn 9:  The Austrians are now taking casualties and the Italian Dragoons charge one of the Austrian flank units. One Italian Grenadier unit on the left of the Italian line took two hits and a Stagger.

 

The Austrian Grenz unit took one casualty and fell back and the Dragoon took the breakthrough charge, hitting a unit that was in column, which took three kills and fell back.

 

Both Austrian units passed their fallback test. 

Turn 10: Musketry, The Dragoon took a kill from the reformed Grenz and on the Austrian right an Italian Grenadier unit took a fifth hit and was broken.

 

Turn 11: The Austrian charge the Italian line and an Italian line battalion was broken in the melee and the resulting Divisional morale int the command phase broke the division and the way was open to Cazzano (north end of the table and one of the Austrian victory points)   The Dragoons managed to break one unit and force another to fallback.

 

The game was 13 - 15 game turn game, so the Austrian could reach the VP. The Austrian achieved total victory due to some really good dice rolling when it mattered.

The Ottomans are coming! Part 1 (May 2021 - July 2021)

So it begins, the first recruits of what will end up a 1000 plus figure Turkish army. Building it to cover SYW and Napoleonic periods. 400 infantry (100 were not sent by supplier, chasing them now), 18 Cavalry (to start. Over 500 in the plan), Commanders and artillery. 15mm Figures by Old Glory. Janissaries for example. Will be based for Shako II rules, but with a slight adaption can be used for Principles of War Rules.

The first unit of Janissaries. Being classed as a large unit these have four bases and not the usual three.

Next Orta (regiment) of Janissaries

Heavy Foot guns

Foot Gun

Here are the first Battalion of six Nazim units. I know most paint them with black webbing, but as most of their equipment appeared to be French supplied (much to the disgust of Britain), I thought white (and it looks nicer in the figs). 15mm Old Glory based for Shako II. Also some more artillery.

Two captured Russian guns, Foot and horse.

 

The Ottomans now have some command😂. General, Corps CO, Divisional CO and ADCs. Figures are 15mm Old Glory, Horses are a mix of AB & Fantassin. All based for Shako II.

General/ Sultan Corps Commander Divisional Commanders ADCs

The last unit for the Ottomans for April. Another unit of Nazim.

Aprils output

Third unit of Nazim-i-Cedit.  

Did these over three days. Started on the 3rd, even the horses, done in oil paints dried much quicker on the radiator). One unit of Sekhans (2nd Rate), three units of Sipahi Cavalry and an army general Base. All 15mm Old Glory. The Sekhan should be Light Infantry and only operate in Skirmish, but I have figures for skirmishers to be done later.

Sekhans

General, now with his personal standard!

Sipahi, irregular horse.

More Sipahi

All picked up from B&B over the years. The Bombard/ Mortar and a few other guns came with about 30 of this type of crew. Will probably never use it but had to join the army. The Turkish Militia unit are actually 18th C. Scots. I have based them like this as they are an Unreliable rabble, like the Bazi Bazouks.


  

Albanian Light Infantry, 15mm Battle Honours Zouves in disguise.

 

 

 

This time the first unit of Bazi Bazouks for the 18th C. 15mm Old Glory, I used block painting with brown wash on these. not too much time on them as I expect they will never be on the table for very long! based as Unreliable troops..

Another unit of Bazi Bazouks and a lancer unit of unknown make (B&B, I think these are Persian, revamped).

More Ottomans, used some colonial chaps as Light Cavalry and some lance armed Arab types. And another units of Bazouks.

 Two Light Infantry units in Skirmish order and two units of Second Rate Infantry. LI and Fellahin (Arab type) are from Fighting 15s and the Sekans are Old Glory. And next weeks units of Mamluks on the Bench!



FF15s Militia


FF15s Fellahin & OG Sekans
   

Ottoman Friday Update: Finished the Mameluks finally, also got some early Mameluks off ebay, needed a bit of TLC and re-base, More Sekans and some "Turkish" (Transylvanian really) skirmish bases. Last Pic are the Cavalry, so far!

 

Mameluks


Fighting 15s
 

Comparison: Old Glory (left) Fighting 15s (right)

Skirmish unit from "By Fire and Sword" and more OG Sekans
 

This week's meagre output. 2 units of OG 15mm Janissaries with a few Essex, and a unit of Anatolian Militia (Battle Honours ACW Zouaves).




   

15mm Ottoman Army update. Progressing well atm. Here are two weeks worth. various makes Old Glory, Fighting 15s, By Fire and Sword and some Mikes Models (these were already painted, from Ebay, just rebased them). Also found 3 undercoated French Generals and finished those off.