Yearly recap

 This year may have proved to be the worst in the lives of many but for me it was rather good.

The lockdown early in the year didn't prove too much of a hinderance to me. Yes, I couldn't go to Switzerland, but the fact that I lived with my father meant that gaming went on as usual, and even increased. The extra time at home allowed me to clean up the pile of shame: I finished all napoleonics and 40k models and even added some nice imperial knights to round up the household.

In the second part of the year I got a new job and moved out of my dad's house to a better standard of living. This improved my drive to do wargaming stuff, with the scratchbuilt gunboat being the first of such since 2015! The extra income also allowed me to purchase more models, like the star wars fleets plus a marine librarian on the way. Of course I won't buy more until these are painted, right?

On completed projects 2020 saw two new armies in the shape of 1808- napoleonics and spanish, two new BFG fleets and the final scions of House Cervaria. Gaming went pretty much as last year, with plenty of titanicus games (Forgeworld just can't stop releasing suplements), and less historicals or napoleonics, my father only really liked the ACW skirmishes so you'll see some next year.

This year also marks my first steps in the Star Wars universe, beginning with a republic fleet. In 2021 I'd like to get into star wars legion, particularly by getting the Clone Wars starter set. Games planned are BFG, 1809 napoleonics, trenton campaign, ACW, necromunda and of course more Titanicus.

So without further ado let me wish you a happier new year!   

Top 10 of the year

1: Nighthaunts form mortal realms

These spooky boys proved to be top dog again in the blog. An identic post got the most likes several years ago, so I guess people must dig the ghostly look

2: Infanterie de Ligne 

These badly glazed french are number 2,  despite an acceptable paintjob they were ruined by vallejo ink

3: Uranus

 This BFG planet was really appreciated, as always viewers enjoy scratchbuilt terrain, wich has proved quite popular over the years

4: 30k chaplain

  This model was part of a canny purchase in wallapop, I got lysander, this guy and others for a steal

5: inquisimunda girls

 The second half of the Mortal Realms starter set, I'll probably never game with these but they are nice display models, trophy acolytes if you will 

6: Battle of Pluto

 The first report of the year proved also to be the most viewed, this 30k campaign came on the heels of the Siege of Terra novels, a fact that indubitabily added to its appeal

7: Freeman's Farm

 The culmination of a short campaign during lockdown, this game saw the glorious forces of His Majesty route the beastly rebels

8: Battle of the Pyramids

 A long hoped for setting, the egyptian games took our models to an exotic place where the french proved the victors against almost overwhelming odds

9: custodes terminators

 Slightly converted, the termies were a unit that I always wanted to have since I saw them in the collected visions book. Unconvinced by the axes, I gave them the classic bolter & fist so I could use them in heresy games, and quite effective they were too! 

10: Swiss

 As any napoleonic collector will tell you, It's a real pleasure to paint redcoat french, I choose black for the facings since I liked it more!

Bailén 1808

 

To top off the year we have a napoleonic game, the battle of Bailén, featuring the two armies pinted during lockdown

While the spaniards send two flanking divisions ahead, the french advance in line

The crappy spanish cavalry retreats from the chasseurs

On y va! French dragoons dare the gauntlet of fire to take out the guns

More spanish militia appears on the field, while the french keep their steady advance

The first french reinforcements also march into the field, a swiss division marching in column

In the right, both cavalry divisions charge, starting up a long combat

Generals Castaños and Prive are the first victims of this clash

 

 

In the left the french ligne advances, impervious to the ragged spanish fire

The french musketry proves far more effective

The chasseurs are surprisingly repulsed

The confident imperials charge the enemy

But are also pushed back, pas le jour de l'arme blanche, says géneral Dupont

The last french unit marhes into the field, the fabled marines de la Garde no less!

The swiss and artillery open up a devastating fire on the enemy

The combat in the right ends with the spanish routed, but the mauled french are too damaged to be of any more use during the battle

In the center, the french infantry mercilessly pounds the milita with their muskets

Another volley destroys the spaniards in the left

The sailors kill off the last militiamen

With both spanish flanks anihilated, Dupont moves to take on the defenders of Bailén

The swiss take over an ungarrisoned building

The battery bombards the waloon guard in the village

Concentrated fire takes down many guards

And a final crashing volley routs them

The last spanish unit goes out in a blaze of glory, charging the swiss from the cottage

But are taken in the rear by the dragoons and massacred

The battle ends in a resounding french victory. Vive l'Empereur!

Heraclea: Pyrros vs Rome

 

Rounding up the year with an ancient battle: Rome versus king Pyrros of Epirus and his tarentine allies

The legions move in line, while the greeks form a crescent, protocannae?

The roman left wheels to face the outnumbering cavalry in front

Clash of blades! Oscans annihilate the latin velites

The roman left cavalry is bloodily repulsed

And eventually, routed

The legions contact the greeks, pikemen and elefants lagging behind

The tarentine hoplites are destroyed

Oscans too

The central legions smash into the phalanx, wiping it out utterly

In the right, the roman riders have somehow survived against Pyrros and his elite companions

But they're eventually killed

The greek cavalry now falls upon the unprotected roman rear

Finally the tarentine cavalry is routed, pushing the greeks over their morale threshold and winning the day for the Urbs