While we are waiting to see what happens to King Edward here are some pics of Jeanne d'Arc and her companions. Newly painted Perry miniatures

The most noble and right victorious Prince Edward, by the grace of God, King of England and of France, and Lord of Ireland, in the year of grace 1471, has arrived in England to reconquer the realm from that traitor and rebel the Earl of Warwick.

The King is now at Nottingham and has sent his Scourers into the adjoining countryside to spy and search for any gatherings of men who might stand against him. He has learned that the Duke of Exeter the Earl of Oxford, Viscount Beaumont and other traitors are marching towards him with a great fellowship, which they had gathered in Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, and Lincolnshire.

Battle will be joined in Wangford, next Sunday.

My second skirmish game was set somewhere along the Ohio frontier in 1758. A British force is advancing on a French fort spearheaded by a company of 60th Foot and American Provinicals guided by Rangers. Their orders are to secure a perimeter around the fort and hold it until the main body arrives. If possible they are also to attempt to take prisoners for intelligence.

The French are aware that a British attack is likely but they do not know that it is already close. A woodcutting detail is active at the forest edge, and there is a company on standby in case a sortie is needed. At the same time a hunting party of Indians, friendly to the French are returning to their camp close to the fort.

The French woodcutting party start the game on table at the forest edge,, beyond rang of the fort’s guns. The picquets are alert to possible danger but do not yet expect an attack.

Led by Rangers, the British column follows a stream which leads them towards the French fort. At this point the French and British are unaware of each other's proximity.

The British and French encounter each other just as the Indians return from hunting. After a brief firefight the Rangers take casualties and fall back. The British form a defensive perimeter with their backs to the stream. This gives the French the chance to pull back to the fort while the Indians harass the British. When they realise the French have left, the Indians also withdraw. The British are left in control of the edge of the cleared land outside the fort but with casualties and no prisoners.

I seem to be in a mood for dusting off old projects, games and figures that have not seen the light of day for some time. The other day it was North American skirmish games using La Petite Guerre rules which David Blanchard and I put together back when I was living in Canada in the late '80s.

The first scenario was set in the Canadian northwest in 1888. A small column of Canadian militia headed up by scouts of the Northwest Mounted Police are advancing to secure a small settlement when they come under fire from Metis and Indians hidden in pre-prepared rifle pits.

The Northwest Mounted police covering the advance of the Canadian column.

When they come under fire the militia deploy into a firing line while the NWMP to their front, and Winnipeg Rifles to their right, try to dislodge the enemy from their positions.

Cree Indians covering the left flank of the Metis positions have been forced back from their first line of rifle pits but have occupied a prepared secondary position from which they continue to fire on the enemy.

The action was inconclusive. The Metis and Indians did not inflict serious casualties but they did bring the columns advance to a grinding halt so the Canadians were unable to reach their objective

The second scenario was set in the French and Indian War which I will post shortly