Sculpt & Cast - First Metal from new moulds....

 First metal, castings from a first run of my new moulds.

pleased with the results - especially the drummer. 

I also tried out the Prince August cannon and limber moulds I purchased. I can get the cannon barrels to cast nicely - need to perhaps add a few extra air vents and warm the moulds up a bit - then I may get the wheels to come out.

Mould making started...

The latest set of the moulds for the 18C foot figures progressing well. 

The most laborious part bedding the masters in plasticene is done..

I'm using part of the game table for mould making, the first half of two of the moulds has been poured..

Hopefully I'll be finished all four by Saturday, then I can get some trial castings done.

Going mouldy.....

The finished generic 40mm SYW sculpts of various figures, finished off in June, have been allocated to moulds.   There artillery crew, infantry command, march attack infantry, a jager and hussar in kolpack.

Currently working through doing final checks on the masters, before they are bedded in with plasticene prior to mixing the mould compound.

Some more 40mm Masters - artillery crew...

Just for the sake of completion, I've made up some masters for artillery crew

The rest of the figures waiting to go into a mould ... 

Moulds have been made already for the cavalry - uhlan, hussar, kurassier and dragoon.

So what army project to do in 40mm that I need to make moulds up for all the foot figures ?  hmm something to think about....

40mm Wittenberg Army review....

I laid out the bulk of the 40mm Wittenberg army to review it on the new table surface (the militia infantry and cavalry units are on border duty so they didn't get to be on parade ).   

A view along the table....

The big cheese - General Waldebeck...

From one side to the other .... Kings Jagers in the woods...

The heavy cavalry - Dragoons and Kurassiers

The infantry .....

The light cavalry - Hussars and Uhlans...

On the other flank Hofler's Pandours...

The artillery...

'Atmos' pic along the front of the infantry ...

One of the reasons for the review was to see if any repairs were needed as many of the moulds I used to cast the bulk of the figures are at 'end of life'. Fortunately no repairs or new castings are needed.

I inspected all the moulds I'd used to cast the figures - they had definitely had it and have been binned.  I have kept my own home-made cavalry moulds which are still serviceable; if I want more infantry then I'll have to make some moulds from the new masters I made last year.

Campaign PDF - Begovian Wars (Vol 2), from Sprengenhof to Minsonda

All of the last Begovian Wars campaign actions in one place in order of play...

available in a PDF file from here...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19V7FAvOkO0LT8Pjm9U323hAowNUpZM8_/view?usp=sharing

Minsonda(4) - Here come the Begovians...

 continued from the previous post....

Having seen off an attack by the Tatars; the Pandours and Grenadiers form up into column and move off towards Minsonda as quick as they can, supported by cavalry. However Begovian light cavalry appear ....

and the supporting cavalry is soon engaged; more Begovians are arriving ....

The Begovian light cavalry is pushed back.....

The Rutenian light horse severely depleted disengage and head to the rear; while Dragoons are pushed back...

Jagers and Pandours cross the river, next in turn will be the Grenadiers....

Some Begovian Spahi cut up the Rutenian light horse and are then charged by Kurassiers...The Dragoons have pushed their opponents back into some more Spahi...

The defensive line around Minsonda has been re-arranged....

The first squadron of Dragoons beaten in melee fall back to re-group...as the second squadron charges home....

The Kurassiers get pushed back, but the Dragoons have the edge and push back their opponents..

The Begovian cavalry fighting the Dragoons loses and routs ....the Janissaries hold steady...; the Kurassier beat their opponents as well - who rout bursting through the infantry behind them who panic and rout as well ....

The Wittenberg cavalry withdraw; the Begovians in disarray fall back.

With no sign of a forthcoming attack from the Begovians the last units of the Wittenberg army are able to cross the river safely.

---oXo---

Notes:

1. This last game for this mini-campaign took about 30 moves overall.

2. The game was not just about the fighting but also about the logistics of getting the army across the river.

3. If half of Begovian infantry hadn't panicked (each unit threw a Double '1' for their morale check due to a routing unit nearby) then I could have continued with a game to assault the town.

4. Approximate Wittenberg losses for engaged units...

• Rutenian light horse 65%
• Dragoons 25%
• Kurassier 10%
• Pandours 30%
• Grenadiers: 30%

5. A great solo game,  the scenario was loosely based on Sittangbad from Charge ! By Peter Young.

Minsonda(3) - Tussle with the Tatars ...

continued from the previous post...

The Land Militia start to withdraw to the other side of the river ...

The muddle as units queue up to pass through Minsonda to cross the river, with some units deployed to face a potential attack...

The fusiliers occupy the defences (replacing the Land Militia)

The defence line finally sorted, cavalry on one flank,  infantry and artillery the other

The rearguard is spotted moving slowly toward Minsonda in a marching square covered by cavalry on the flanks....

It suddenly halts and deploys, with the cavalry turning to defend themselves ..

against a swarm of Tatars heading their way ....

they avoid the square, some firing their bows and engage the Wittenberg light cavalry...

the cavalry give ground and the Tatars move past them ....

as they try and go round to outflank the light cavalry they come in range of the infantry and artillery .....

Tatar archers ride round the square,  some of the pandours and grenadiers are hit...

The Tatars get too close to the Wittenberg troops, they are blasted by cannister and a volley from the infantry....

 not liking the hot lead at all, this lot of Tatars beat a hasty retreat ...

the Rutenian light cavalry tussle with the rest of the Tatars...

Rutenian light cavalry beat off the Tatars they were fighting who make a run for it ...

As the Dragoons move up...Count Boritzy and some of the remaining Rutenian light cavalry make a dash for safety...

their opponents, the rest of the Tatars fall back - getting a volley from the square as they pass by to retreat and join up with the rest of the Tatars who are routing ...

to be continued...

Minsonda(2) - Wittenberg Main Body arrives ....

The Wittenberg main body is now in view,  so the Uhlans move off to cross the river ...

General Waldebeck & staff in the lead...

as the troops march towards Minsonda...