The Battle of Oberbratwurst: The Commanders

 If you are going to have an epic battle, you might as well have some epic Commanders along for the ride:

John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough. The greatest general England has ever produced. He never fought a battle he didn't win and never conducted a siege that was not successfully concluded. Marlborough's stand has a Dutch officer reporting to Marlborough while his trumpeter and an escort from the Royal Scottish Dragoons look on. Next to Marlborough is the Queen's Regiment.

Prince Francois Eugene of Savoy. One of the great commanders of the Age of Lace; ironically, refused a commission in the French Army by Louis XIV and thus entered Austrian Service. Forged a great partnership with Marlborough. Prince Eugene is escorted by a dragoon of the Prinz Eugene Dragoons and an officer of the Darmstadt Kuirassiers.

Maximilian Emanuel II von Wittelsbach, Elector of Bavaria. Max Emanuel II fought successfully against the Turks on many occasions and defeated the Imperials (Austrians) at Sieghardin on March 11th, 1703. Max is giving orders to a senior regimental officer while one of his staff officers looks on. A dragoon from the Dragoon Regiment Santani provides protection.

Camille d'Hostun, Comte de Tallard and Duc d'Hostun, Marshal of France. A highly successful commander, he received his Marshal's baton when he led 8,000 men against 20,000 Imperials at Speyerbach and captured the city fortress of Landau. Marshal Tallard is accompanied by a staff officer and French dragoons.

The Battle of Oberbratwurst: Our BIG (for us anyway) Volley and Bayonet Game

 

The opposing armies are starting to move toward each other somewhere in Bavaria near the city of Oberbratwurst. (This fictional battle is based on the Battle of Blenheim). Yep, it's 1704 and the War of Spanish Succession is in full swing. The Grand Alliance has finished deploying while the Bavarians and French are still formulating their battle plan. The Anglo-Dutch forces will be commanded by myself, while the Imperial Army, consisting of the Austrians, Hesse and Denmark will be commanded by Honorable Son #4.

The French will be commanded by Honorable Son #2 and the Bavarian Army will be commanded by Honorable Son #3.

Here is the order of battle for the French and Bavarians using Volley and Bayonet:

Field Marshall Tallard (Army Commander)

Reserve Ex=2

Garde Francaise M7 [ ] [ ] [ ]

Marquis de Clerambault (Wing Commander) Ex=12

Regt Royal Italien M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Picardie M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Greder (German) M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Rochembeau M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Soissonais M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Grancey M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt La Raimbuiere M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt St. Germain M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Lorraine M5 [ ] [ ]

Dismounted Dragoons M4 [ ] [ ]

Fr Field #1 M5 [ ] [ ]

Fr Heavy #1 M5 [ ] [ ]

Comte de Zurlauben (Cavalry Commander) Ex=4

Gendarmes M7 [ ] [ ] [ ]

Regt de Roi M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Commissaire-General M5 [ ] [ ]

Duc d’ Humeries (Cavalry Commander) Ex=3

Regt Villeroy M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Orleans M5 [ ] [ ]

Dragoon Regt Boufflers M5 [ ] [ ]

Elector Max II Emanuel of Bavaria (Army Commander) Monarch

Reserve column Ex=2

Regt Piedmont M5 [ ] [ ]

Converged Grenadier Regt M5 [ ] [ ]

Marquis de Blainville Ex=7

Dillon's Irish Regiment M6 [ ] [ ]

Regt Reynold (Swiss) M6 [ ] [ ]

Regt Normandie M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Sillery M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Bearn M5 [ ] [ ]

Fr Field #2 M5 [ ] [ ]

Fr Field #3 M5 [ ] [ ]

Count d’Arco (Cavalry Wing Commander) Ex=7

Regt Fiennes M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt FitzJames (Irish) M5 [ ] [ ] f

Regt Colonel-General M5 [ ] [ ] f

Regt Heudincourt M5 [ ] [ ] f

Dragoon Regt Dauphin M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Wolframsdorff Kuirassiers M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Arco Kuirassiers M5 [ ] [ ]

Marquis de Maffei (Bavarian Wing Commander) Ex=8

LeibRegiment M6 [ ] [ ]

Regt Lutzenberg M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Kurprinz M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Spilberg M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Tattenback M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Bettendorf M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Maffey M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Haxthausen M5 [ ] [ ]

And now, the Grand Alliance . . .

John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough (Army Commander)

Army Artillery, Colonel Blood

Eng Field #1 M5 [ ] [ ]

Dutch Field #1 M5 [ ] [ ]

General Charles Churchill (General of Foot)

LTG Lord John Cutts (Wing Commander) Ex=11

1st Foot Guards M7 [ ] [ ] *pf

Scots Regiment of Fusiliers M6 [ ] [ ] pf

North and Grey's Regiment M6 [ ] [ ] pf

Queen's Regiment M6 [ ] [ ] pf

Gardes Te Voet (Blue Guard) M7 [ ] [ ] *pf

Regt Welderen M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Brandenburg M5 [ ] [ ]

Colyer's Scottish Regiment M6 [ ] [ ] pf

Murray's Scottish Regiment M6 [ ] [ ] pf

MG the Prince of Holstein-Beck Ex=5

Regt Beinheim M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Van Bulow M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Van Waes M5 [ ] [ ]

Tatton's Regiment M5 [ ] [ ]

Portmore's Scottish Regiment M5 [ ] [ ]

Erbprinz of Hesse-Kessel (General of Horse) Ex=6

Cadogan's Horse M5 [ ] [ ] eds

Lumley's Horse M5 [ ] [ ] eds

Sachsen-Heilburg Horse M5 [ ] [ ]

d'Obdam Horse M5 [ ] [ ]

Royal Scottish Dragoons (Scots Greys) M6 [ ] [ ] d

Royal Regiment of Dragoons M5 [ ] [ ] ns/d

Prince Eugene of Savoy, Imperial Army (Army Commander)

Aus Field #1 M5 [ ] [ ]

Danish Light M5 [ ] [ ]

Imperial Infantry Corps, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (Wing Commander) Ex=9

Prince Carl Regt (Danish) M5 [ ] [ ]

Prince George Regt (Danish) M5 [ ] [ ]

Livgarde Til Fods (Danish) M5 [ ] [ ]

Prince George Regt #2 (Danish) M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Konigsegg M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Alt-Salm M5 [ ] [ ]

Regt Wallis M5 [ ] [ ]

Prince Maximillan Grenadiers M5 [ ] [ ]

Converged Grenadiers M5 [ ] [ ]

Imperial Cavalry Corps, LTG v. Natzmer Ex=5

Lobkowitz Kuirassiers M5 [ ] [ ]

Alt-Hanover Kuirassiers M5 [ ] [ ]

Darmstadt Kuirassiers M5 [ ] [ ]

Bayreuth Dragoons M5 [ ] [ ]

Prinz Eugene Dragoons M5 [ ] [ ]

Next up, the commanders.

Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla with his "teleforce ray" which projects concentrated non-dispersive energy through the natural media. Billionaire socialite Bruce Wayne of Gotham City describes it as an open-ended vacuum tube with a gas jet seal that allows particles to exit, with a method of charging slugs of tungsten or mercury to millions of volts, and directing them in streams through electrostatic repulsion. 

Nikola Tesla (Serbian Cyrillic: Никола Тесла, [nǐkola têsla) is a Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, and futurist. He is most famouslyknown for his contributions to the design of the alternating current (AC) electricity supply system in wide use. Unknown mostly to the rest of the world, he keeps a lonely vigil against threats that can threaten humanity.

The neutralization of the Crimson Scorpion's Mechanical Man. Tesla would later "reprogram" the Mechanical Man and call him "Markie" after his good fried Mark Twain.

 Born and raised in the Austrian Empire, Tesla first studied engineering and physics in the 1870s without receiving a degree, he immigrated to the United States, where he became a naturalized citizen. With the help of partners to finance and market his ideas, Tesla set up laboratories and companies in New York to develop a range of electrical and mechanical devices. His AC induction motor and related polyphase AC patents, licensed by Westinghouse Electric, earned him a considerable amount of money and became the cornerstone of the polyphase system which that company eventually marketed.

Attempting to develop inventions he could patent and market, Tesla conducted a range of experiments with mechanical oscillators/generators, electrical discharge tubes, and early X-ray imaging. He also built a wirelessly controlled boat, one of the first ever exhibited. 

The oscillating transformer, better known as the Tesla coil. The mobile coil can be used to produce high-voltage, low-current, high frequency alternating-current electricity. Tesla would uses this resonant transformer circuit in his wireless power work.

After hearing of Röntgen's discovery of X-ray and X-ray imaging (radiography), Tesla proceeded to do his own experiments in X-ray imaging, developing a high-energy single-terminal vacuum tube of his own design that had no target electrode and that worked from the output of the Tesla coil (the modern term for the phenomenon produced by this device is bremsstrahlung or braking radiation). Tesla noted the hazards of working with his circuit and single-node X-ray-producing devices. In his many notes on the early investigation of this phenomenon, he attributed the skin damage to various causes. He believed early on that damage to the skin was not caused by the Roentgen rays, but by the ozone generated in contact with the skin, and to a lesser extent, by nitrous acid. Tesla ibelieved that X-rays were longitudinal waves, such as those produced in waves in plasmas. These plasma waves can occur in force-free magnetic fields. It was then, in his own words, that the reality of what he had invented forced him rethink the use of technology and what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands:

    "I could feel a sharp stinging pain where it entered my body, and again at the place where it            passed out. In comparing these particles with the bits of metal projected by my "electric gun",     I determined that the particles in the beam of force will travel much faster than such particles -     and they will travel in concentrations".

It was shortly after this he mentioned a mysterious and cryptic revelation and moved to Colorado Springs,  Colorado where he built a reclusive laboratory. During his time at his laboratory, Tesla observed unusual signals from his receiver which he speculated to be communications from another planet . . .

Tesla's Colorado Springs Laboratory: “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” 

Tesla has an Eidetic memory and can speak 8 languages: Serbo-Croatian, Czech, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, and Latin. Another friend, Randolph Carter recently mentioned, then denied that Tesla was experiencing blinding flashes of light that would appear before his eyes, often accompanied by visions. 

The rift between Doctor Jill Trent and Nikola Tesla after the REDACTED Affair. Tesla stated that Doctor Trent was trying to outdo men. This "new woman" was met with much indignation from Tesla, who felt that women were losing their femininity by trying to be in power. "In place of the soft-voiced, a gentlewoman of my reverent worship, has come this woman who thinks that her chief success in life lies in making herself as much as possible like man in dress, actions and achievements of every kind. The tendency of this woman, and others like her to push aside man, supplanting the old spirit of cooperation with him in all the affairs of life, is very disappointing to me."

Another great 28mm hard plastic figure that comes with Unmatched Adventures: Tales to Amaze. And those possible sounds for space?

 

A Giant of a Heroine: Annie Christmas

"You are goin' to meet my fist you overgrown catfish!"

From Sam's Journal: Nick's back from following a lead in Louisiana. I don't care for Louisiana because of a case Charlie and I did there . . . too many bad memories and too many unexplained answers - and that was the clue. Now if we can get Annie Christmas to help . . . and she doesn't trust outsiders.

A surprising figure and character included with Unmatched Adventures: Tales to Amaze is the inclusion of Annie Christmas (also known as Flatboat Annie), a character in the folklore and tall tales of Louisiana. Annie is described as a 7 feet (2.1 m) tall, supernaturally strong African-American woman keelboat captain. 

Annie Christmas is imposing in height with a 28mm Pulp Figures Chinese Warrior of comparison. There is no doubt that she is 7 feet tall on the tabletop!

Annie Christmas was one of the first original heroines in African American folklore. Her tales were a favorite of the enslaved and freemen African Americans in pre-Civil War Louisiana and along the Mississippi River. Like many tall tale characters, Annie Christmas defied social convention: Annie Christmas runs away to the frontier of the Mississippi River, where many tall tales find her, and where she challenges the male-dominated hierarchy to become a respectful keeler captain.

In fact, an important symbol of her power is her pearl necklace. Each pearl represents a paid tribute by one who challenged her authority and was bested. Her twelve sons become her crew, although she has no husband. As one son describes her, “Can’t tame Mam anymore than you can tame that Mississippi . . . 

For Unmatched Adventures: Tales to Amaze she has been moved to the Pulp Era and gets to challenge the unspeakable horror of the Mothman and Martian Invaders - with or without allies! A unique figure that is a pleasant surprise.

"Go git your own shrimp!"

A Golden Age Hero: Doctor Jill Trent, Science Detective

From Sam’s Journal: “There’s this smart dame with legs that go up to her shoulders. I’ve got it on good authority not to call her a dame to her face - plus she’s some kind of scientist with weird gadgets and big words - and don’t get me started with her smart ass sidekick Daisey . . . anyway the the police think she interferes too much and the goons hate her so I guess she is okay in my book. Plus she's a looker. Did I mention her gams?”

Doctor Jill Trent is a genius with a number of Doctorates in physics, chemistry, optics and other disciplines. Her true passion, however is justice; but, because she is a women she could not get a position she wanted the FBI, the police, or any of the large detective agencies. As a result, where college friend Daisy Smythe, she opened her own unique business calling it Science Sleuths. 

"Hello Nazi scum."

Business has been good. Combined with her scientific knowledge and natural detective skills, and Daisy’s expertise in judo and firearms, has provided a quick and impressive record for the team.

Some of Jill’s inventions include a device that can monitor the atmosphere in the city were they worked making it possible to tell when and where dangerous gases are being used, a pair of glasses that work as a super magnifier and even low level X-ray, a fountain pen that fired a concentrated beam of electromagnetism that looked and acted suspiciously like a laser. 

As Sam has recorded, she is no-nonsense person. Dr. Trent is pragmatic and inventive, a true lateral thinker. She is able to synthesize data from multiple sources and use them to develop solutions to abstruse problems. She is adept at ‘on the fly’ thinking and problem solving. Somewhat sarcastic, she isn’t afraid to stand up for herself, even against super-villains, though, as a pragmatic person, she knows when to back down.

The Dr. Jill Trent figure is from Unmatched Adventures: Tales to Amaze board game based on the Unmatched series of games. I will do some posts later on Tales to Amaze and other Unmatched games but for now I'm just going to focus on the Dr. Jill Trent Figure. The Unmatched games have some great, 28mm hard plastic figures that are compatible with most figure ranges for Pulp or other genres of gaming.

Dr. Trent compared with "Sam" from Copplestone Castings.

The Jill Trent figure is not the first Unmatched figures I have painted (more posts to come, I promise!); but, honestly, I found the figure intimidating to paint. It was the legs - and not in a sexist way. As I analyzed the figure, I quickly realized why Sam mentioned her legs - if I messed up the legs, it would ruin the impact of the figure. 

A picture from the original comic that I used as the basis for my interpretation of Dr. Trent.

I usually prime my figures black, but this time I used a white primer as I wanted a brighter, overall look. I took my time with the legs - and I ended using GW Tallarn Base Flesh as the, well, base, followed by Vallejo Dark Flesh and highlighted with Vallejo Pale Flesh. I was very pleased with the way the overall figure turned out.

Dr. Jill Trent will be showing up in upcoming adventures but first she has to survive the solo/cooperative game Unmatched Adventures: Tales to Amaze.

Second Quarter Update for 2024: Plan, what plan?

I have had to radically change my painting plan do to the "Year of Travel." I've actually have put together a decent travel painting kit that needs to be updated as I shift focus to another project. I can't use my "normal technique" of bouncing back and forth due to space limitations for figures and paints, so I'm focusing on one unit or project at a time. Here is the recap at the midway point of 2024: 

Last known photograph of Charlie.

1. The Search for Charlie. During "Operation Big Move" last year Charlie disappeared. Sam, his partner, suspects foul play. Little does Sam know that his life will change - and possibly his quest will have world shattering effects.

Sam.

     a. Pulp Campaign: Hard boiled detectives, dangerous dames, returning heroes, menacing mechanical monstrosities, Nazis, The Canine Corps of Justice, unnatural science experiments, ancient and mythical beings, and evil geniuses eliminating the competition so they can take over the world! Globetrotting Adventure! What more could you want? [The campaign will probably be postponed to the end of the year.]

     b. Sam needs a car; he is tired of walking.

            

        [The model has been purchased.]

     c. Figures that have been painted.

        1). The new Shadow from Pulp Figures. The actual sculpt is not new, but I have painted the figure again.

“Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"

    2). The Woman in Red from Pulp Figures.

    3). Financing the search by making a "movie"; figures from Pulp Figures (are we starting to see a pattern?). I love this set! [I'm reading the free down load rules for Pulp Alley! and a director figure is very important!]

     4). Hollywood Nazis! (Yep, Pulp Figures).

    5). A "Pulp" era Joker and crew from Pulp Figures.

    6). If you are going to have a Pulp Joker, you have to have The Batman. A Heroclix conve

[Holy base swap out! Yep, I swapped out a new base this quarter]

    7). The Movember Men. Each November Bob Murch of Pulp Figures sculpts a special figure to promote Men's Health that he will provide for any donation to the link on the Pulp Figures website. Past figures are still available and these gentlemen may show up in the search!

    

    8). Mysterious Additions: [I finished the Canine Corps of Justice this quarter. Woof!]

"Gott im Himmel! Vere did the little weiner hundt go?

"Hey hombre! Do you have an extra smoke?

The Canine Corps of Justice.

"Hmmm . . .What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie?

I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky.

The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the weapons sing;

Rush in and die, dogs - I am a beagle barbarian and one day I will be a king."

The Nazi never stood a chance.

    d. Scenery and terrain need to be made. (TOP SECRET).

        [A slight pause on this and I'm going to cheat with a new product I discovered so there is no rush.]

2. The Northwest Frontier Uprising of 1897-1898.

"Death to the Infidels and hopefully he's a slow painter."

The tribes are ready. The Indian army is on the frontier - but they need reinforcements:

    a. One British (Anglo) infantry unit. Figures arrived!

    b. One Gurkha unit. Figures arrived!

    c. One Sikh infantry unit. Figures arrived!

    d. One British (Anglo) mountain gun. Figures arrived!

    e. Tribal Cavalry if @#%& Wargames Atlantic ever releases their hard plastic Afghan Tribal Cavalry. Wargames Atlantic surprised me and the box is now out. Need to order. [Have to check with the Ministry of Finance.]

[The Indian army will be my major focus in the 3rd Quarter.]

f. Major General Pavel Ivanovich Mishchenko of the Imperial Russian Army wants to know when his Cavalry Brigade will show up for the ongoing Anglo-Russian War. I don't think this is going to happen this year. [I know for a fact it's not going to happen this year!]

"When will the Trans-Baikal Cossack Brigade get here?"

3. The German Division in The Peninsular War. I plan on using WoFun Miniatures: Hesse-Darmstadt, Baden, the Dutch, minor German States and maybe some Poles just for fun.  I have the figures but need to organize. [Yep I have the figures . . . but will I have the time? Not a high priority.]

Confederation of the Rhine Battalion Number 3 (Frankfurt).

4. One Hour Wargames. Easy to learn and always a tactical challenge. One Hour Wargames is one of my favorite set of rules and I haven't played it in years. I used it to teach a history class for several years but I donated all of the armies I had to the school. I think it's time to play again - the big question is which period. My tired brain will have to ponder.

And the winner is: The English Civil War for OHW. [I have the figures, maybe the 4th quarter.]

5. New Discovery: The Unmatched Series of games. I like the trend of hybrid miniature board games and the Unmatched games have some great figures for the game and very useful for the table top. I have finished Houdini and I am working on 13 more figures before I shift over to the Indian Army:

"Nazi scum! No one can keep Harry Houdini imprisoned!"

Future posts to come but here is a preview:

Doctor Jill Trent from Unmatched: Tales to Amaze" compared to Sam who is a 28mm Copplestone Castings figure.

Annie Christmas, all 7 feet of her from Unmatched: Tales to Amaze.

Also from Unmatched: Tales to Amaze . . . but you can probably guess who this is!

Doctor Trent, Science Detective wants you to have a great 3rd Quarter with the hobby!