Welcome to Marauder Moments - a chronicle of the Mortimer Street Marauders; the games we play, the rules we use, the figures we play with and the scenery they fight over. Hope you enjoy these pages and maybe call back to catch up with our escapades.

Saturday 27 February 2016

Bolt Action pick-up games & some Nappies for the Marauder Moments veterans

As mentioned before we have been knocking about with Bolt Action pick up games. These are good fun, quick, bloody and about as competitive as we get. List building is fun too, decisions, decisions! This post isn't a battle report it just shows off an aspect of our scenery collection you haven't seen before and some of our mostly unfinished Bolt Action forces. Right at the end are a few Nappy shots from the archives - ie unpublished batreps!

My Brits square off against French Tony's Germans. The terrain boards were made by Russian Tony and I years ago for
Rapid Fire and Flames of War. Note rusty Airfix pontoon bridge and toy bridge which needs painting.  
The colourful buildings are a pre-painted set available at some wargames shows for about £75 - a steal! 


The massive diecast armoured car is a stand in until the proper one is built.
Resin Churchill painted by Nigel Cox, not sure who makes them.
A Hetzer approaches... 

Snapdragon Studio ruin. These are gorgeous models from this now defunct company, luckily we have tons of it!   

More Snapdragon ruins, crate and craters. Warlord Hetzer from French Tony's collection.

Panning left to show off some more scenery...

and more of the same.

Elsewhere on the table. All the hedges and trees are Last Valley. 

This looks strangely empty compared to great mass of humanity in our Napoleonic games.

Random shot!
This pile of devices I confiscated from just two of my three daughters at 10-45pm one night!
All were in use simultaneously; i-con?

A different game. Here Rich's Russians commanded by Russian Tony take on French Tony's Germans.
Rich donated this army to us when we left - generous chap!

Scenery details as before.

This impressive JSII was built and painted by me! Just needs a coat of matt varnish.
The kit is 1/48th Tamiya. I've picked up a few more similar kits since.  

Rich built, painted and based these Russians who I think are from Plastic Toy Soldier Company, possibly!  

Snapdragon trench system with Warlord plastic occupants - they need basing Tony.
The tiny black counter is removed once the Panzerfaust in fired - clever.

Russians occupy the coal bunker, they will eat today!

Yet another game this time Tony's Russians against Nigel Cox's Germans sporting some very pretty kit.

This shot shows off the Snapdragon Bocage and hills rather well.
The diecast half track houses the objective which both sides must retrieve and carry off table to win.   

The Puma.
Quintessential German armoured car superbly painted by Nigel.
Here it provides covering fire as the foot sloggers advance. 

The PzIV, work horse of the German Panzer Divisions.

The Russians are all over the objective.

Russian HMG fires from a prepared position. 

Nigel's Germans in a trench and bunker system.
While some of these games were playing out I sat and built this KV2 model from Hobby Boss. It's not quite finished but very nearly, the tracks are a nightmare. I don't know how Hobby Boss compare to Tamiya but they are a lot cheaper so I picked up a KV1 as well. Also a BA-64 armoured car and two Bren Carriers from Tamiya. Next will be a T-34 and SU-122 from Hobby Boss. Might secure some other kit like planes and ground crew plus transports for an airfield scenario?      


JS2 and KV2 - same scale.
A few pics for the Napoleonic fans.

This is a shot from a May Day Bank Holiday game Chris and I played some years ago.
I  massed the French cavalry in the centre and simply went for it.
Result? Disaster!
Maybe one day I'll write up the whole game.

I'd follow these two to the gates of hell itself!

So would this lot!
CHARGE!!!
There you go, that's it for now, a little bit of various areas. Next post might be a background chat about the Bautzen scenario which kicks off next week, thoughts and orbats, the table set up etc.

Have a great weekend. Very best wishes,

Jeremy

Wednesday 24 February 2016

Starodub Cuirassiers

Russian Tony has found his mojo again!

He's been busy painting Maurice stuff and the odd ECW pike and shotte block but not much Napoleonic since the Saxon Division was completed. The Backwald Schloss game has reignited his enthusiasm once again!

The Starodub Cuirassiers ride over the horizon to terrify their foes.
Duka gallops away in the opposite direction!

Hello sailor?

These are old Foundry sculpts and stuffed full of character - note the fellow with bandaged head.

Command group, these look like veterans.

Bugler, trumpeter or whatever, that light blue is lovely. 
Zooming in a bit.


This is an innovation gentlemen - double based elements!
What a damn good idea that is! 

The back side of this spanking new 32 strong regiment.
An awesome addition to Tony's collection and soon to see action at Bautzen. 
Also new is this command element. These were picked up prepainted by Tony at the Penarrth show and rebased, not quite up to his standards but very passable nonetheless. Quality perry sculpts.  

The rear shot is more flattering strangely!
Next up Tony proposes more Russian hussars, mounted jaeger and more dragoons!
I can't wait to be honest.

Sneak preview of the Bautzen table before we deploy - Russian Tony already looking worried!
Hope you like this latest batch and applaud Tony's return to form by commenting. Bautzen kicks off next week but may take a while to get posted so I have some funnies and other new toys to fill the gap.

Fond regards to all, Jeremy

Friday 19 February 2016

Reinforcements are on the way Sire!

Marauder HQ has seen a few weeks of smaller games since the last post, three Bolt Action and two very small General de Brigade games - only six units per side. None of these were photographically satisfying so not much evidence remains! Instead I have some pictures from Barry Hill of his latest batch for me, these are packed and in transit so I'm excited about this lot arriving soon from the Philippines. Here goes...  

Fifty shades of gray.
French 3rd hussars in splendid silver gray, red piping & plumes - super sexy.

Note the officer's red boots and silver piping. Note also the elite company trooper lurking in the background.

Rear shot of the bugler and standard bearer.

The regiment is 24 strong, 4 squadrons of six.troopers.
Rich's treacherous departure from the Marauders removed his collection from Marauder use, much of this has been made up since but French light cavalry and dragoons were a bit scarce so this order helps to balance the account a little. Rich is doing well, working hard in his new job, drinking harder and hopefully settling in nicely. Happy Birthday mate!

Here be Dragoons!
One of two regiments of 32 dragoons arriving soon.

I elected to depict the elite company in bearskins, mostly for the look of it to be honest - I love them.

Lovely rear shot of the command group showing some fine detail on these Perry plastics. 
Similar rear shot of the next dragoon regiment this time with pink facings.



Front shot of the above, Pretty in Pink? 
A whole regiment of dismounted Perry French dragoons. These aren't mine but are soon available for sale from Barry Hill on ebay so keep your eyes peeled.  

These look lovely. Perry plastic sculpts again.

A brilliant mounted officer - to cool to dismount a take pot shots with a carbine!

Obligatory rear shot - facings this time in orange.
Arise!
These are Hungarian or Czech insurrection troops for my Austrian army, I'll check out which regiment they are as I forget, possibly von Riess?

Lovely banner pole and sapper, these will make for something different amongst the acres of  white in the Austrian army.

Rear of the above.
 And now for something completely different...
Perry plastic Wars of the Roses Men-at-arms.
Old school heavy metal!

I sent these to Barry and forgot to offer them as part payment for the Napoleonics, he duly painted them so I either use them or sell them, there's only 36 I suppose but a costly mistake!  
More completely different!
ECW or TYW regiment of foote! This is a another unexpected return, I have already found them a home in exchange for further painted goodies - phew, costly mistake otherwise.  



These are Warlord Miniatures and mighty fine they look - I just can't get distracted by another big project so they must go.
So that's it, when these arrive I'll send more Poles and some other tasty morsels for painting. Tony L and Alan Tuckey of Blue Turkey have similar schedules so there is as yet no let up in the Napoleonic collection. One small piece of breaking news though - I built a model - yep a Tamiya 1/48th armoured car for my Bolt Action Brits and I've ordered some more bits too, I'll enjoy building and painting these, yes painting!

In other news we set up the table on Thursday for our next big Napoleonic game - Bautzen 1813.
I like to think of it as a pounding in the ponds. This will be an "inspired by" game as opposed to strict refight. Call back for more.

Best wishes, Jeremy