I have been away for an early family holiday so apologies for the lack of updates. Anyway, this week is a Fescennia week and I got in early with a small solo game from the Hesperides War. The Arcadians have overrun most of the Duchy of Hesperides, but the latter have retreated to the eastern province and rallied their forces there. The Erymanthians have intervened with a force to support the deposed duke and the allies are now advancing against the Arcadian invaders.

I decided to play on a 4 feet by 3 feet table as the two sides were not, initially, large in size, each having six units. The allies were reinforced half way through the game by another five units, but I thought this would be manageable on the small table, especially as they were all infantry or artillery - no room needed for sweeping cavalry charges! The river is passable to infantry and cavalry; artillery must use the bridge. Woods passable only to infantry. The object of the game was for the allies - Hesperides and Erymanthia - to capture the bridge and village before nightfall; the Arcadians had to hold them until then. The Arcadians - in this case mainly from their Foreign Legion in pale blue uniforms - deployed first, up to the river, but were not allowed beyond it during the game. There's was a purely defensive role. The allies first brigade came on at Turn One, their second brigade at Turn Seven, astride the road. The game was set for 12 turns. It being easier for the defence to be the non-player in a solo game (at least I always find so, as they can be given simple defend orders), I took the attackers.

Figures are metal Essex or Hinchliffe 25mm of considerable antiquity or hard plastic Perry Miniatures and Warlord Games 28mm. Rules, on this occasion, were a version of A. Taylor's Rules for Wargaming, amended a little, but which do not use any dice!

One person's eccentricity - Napoleonic "imagi-nations" in this case - is another's bafflement, I am sure, but it's my piece of escapism and you can always use the scenario, I am sure! Plus you can always play "identify the original model"!

The Arcadians deployed for action.

Arcadian Foreign Legion Chasseurs.

Arcadian Foreign Legion Field Artillery.

   Arcadian Foreign Legion Line Infantry.

Arcadian Foreign Legion Lancers.

Arcadian Grenadiers - a regular line unit, identifiable from their white uniform/greatcoat.

The Arcadian brigade commander and his ADC.

The Allied first brigade enters the table - mostly Hesperides troops

(dark green uniform), plus some Erymanthians (dark blue uniforms).

Hesperidean Heavy Cavalry - the duke is a traditionalist,

so his troops still wear 18th Century style uniforms.

The Hesperidean brigade commander.

Erymanthian fusiliers deployed for light infantry action.

Hesperidean line infantry in their bicornes.

The Hesperidean Field Artillery - tricornes this time

(separate heads from the bits and bobs box on old Hinchliffe figures).

Erymanthian grenadiers.

Battle begins.

These two units exchanged musketry for most of the game, whittling away at each others strength, until the Hesperideans finally charged across the river and drove back the Arcadians.

The Arcadian Chasseurs were rapidly driven back by the numerically stronger Erymanthians

 and then retreated off the table.

The Allied second brigade arrives, all Erymanthians. The latter are enthusiasts for artillery compared to the other countries in Fescennia, so invariably have two batteries per brigade.

Erymanthian line infantry.

One day I will buy gun teams and limbers!

An Erymanthian militia unit. Bearskins, you ask? Surely they are for grenadiers or guards? The King of Erymanthia has a sense of humour - put them in bearskins and the enemy will think, viewing them from a distance, that they are elite troops! However, these are not poor quality troops in this campaign, think of them more as old reservists called up for duty (late 19th -early 20th Century Turkish Redif troops would be a good example).

The Erymanthian brigade commander and his ADC.

The Erymanthian fusiliers shot down most of the Arcadian gunners

and the rest fled, abandoning the gun.

The Allied grand battery.

The abandoned piece is captured - extra victory points!

The only hand-to-hand fight of the whole game.

The Allied weight of numbers about to tell, with the Arcadians flanked by the Erymanthian fusiliers and three columns approaching their line and grenadier units already weakened by artillery bombardment.

The Allied charges went in and the Arcadians broke and ran!

The village is reached on the last turn; victory for the Allies!

The end of the game, with the Allies across the river in strength, village and bridge secured, and the Arcadians soundly beaten. I finally managed a win against the non-player! Or AI as seems to be the fashion these days!