Wargaming a small English Civil War action

Since returning from holiday (and catching up on some of the inevitable backlog of gardening tasks) I decided to try playing a few small English Civil War (ECW) actions. The idea is to use these actions as lead-in games to a larger battle, with any success in the smaller actions providing advantages in the larger game. This is an approach I am considering using in a future ECW campaign which is one of my goals later this year.

English Civil War game underway.

Before any small action game is played, both players select one option from the following tactical list:

• Skirmishing – In the main battle, the player may choose the table edge they deploy from.
• Foraging – In the main battle, once terrain is known, the player may swap one unit type (for example, exchange an infantry unit for cavalry, or vice versa).
• Seek Out Battle – In the main battle, the player may deploy after their opponent.

The winner of the first small action keeps their chosen tactic. (In the case of a draw neither player gets a tactic.) Both players then select again from the remaining options for the second small action. Once both preliminary games are completed, the main battle is played with the tactical advantages.

The smaller actions are played on a 4 x 4 foot tabletop, using the following sequence.

1) Decide Forces

Using the One-Hour Wargames (OHW) approach, each player rolls a D6 on a Force Selection Table to randomly generate a force of five units. If both players roll the same, then re-roll until they differ.

A force selection table that determine a 5 unit force composition.

Each force includes a commander, who may be used once per game to rally a unit removing D6 hits. I am using a variant of the OHW rules for my games.

2) Decide Terrain and Objectives

Rather than rolling dice to determine terrain and objectives, I made six tabletop setup cards showing terrain layouts and objective locations. The cards are shuffled and one card is drawn at random.

The winner is the player holding the most objectives at the end of the game.

The setup cards were quickly put together. If they prove successful, I plan to add a few more cards to the deck each time I use them. Over time, this will allow me to tailor the card decks to reflect the terrain the armies are marching through.

3) Decide Deployment Edge

Both players roll a D6. The higher scoring roll chooses their preferred table edge and becomes the defender. The other player is the attacker and deploys from the opposite edge.

Setup the tabletop.

4) Defender Pre-Action Events

The defender rolls a D6:

• 1, 2, or 3 - One unit is bogged down and does not appear.
• 4, 5, or 6 - Two units are delayed and arrive on turn 5.

Units are selected using the following priority order: 1) Artillery, 2) Infantry, 3) Cavalry, 4) Dragoons.

5) Attacker Pre-Action Events

The attacker rolls a D6:

• 1, 2, or 3 - One unit is delayed and arrives on turn 5 (use the same unit priority list as above).
• 4, 5, or 6 - One cavalry or dragoon unit must be deployed within 9 inches of an enemy unit.

6) Defender Deployment

The defender deploys first, placing all units within 12 inches of their table edge.

7) Attacker Deployment

The attacker then deploys any infantry within 9 inches of their table edge and cavalry and Dragoons  between 9 and 18 inches.

Note: Attacker pre-action events may override these restrictions for one unit.

8) Start the Game

The defender activates first.

Example Game Setup

Both the Parliamentarians and Royalists selected the Skirmishing tactic, each hoping that success would give them the advantage in the main battle by allowing them to choose the most favourable table edge for deployment.

The forces for this small action were determined by rolling on the Force Selection Table. Parliament rolled a 4, giving them an initial force of two infantry and three cavalry units. The Royalists rolled a 3, resulting in two infantry, two cavalry, and one dragoon unit. These initial force selections can still be adjusted with the pre-action events causing units to be delayed or unavailable.

Dice rolls for the force selection (Royalist red and Parliament black). 

The six tabletop setup cards were shuffled and one was drawn at random. A dice-off determined that the Royalists would be the defenders, allowing them to choose their preferred table edge. The 4' x 4' tabletop was then set up accordingly. In this scenario there was a single objective - control of the crossroads.

The Royalists won the dice off and as defenders chose the table edge to deploy (red circle).

With the deployment areas confirmed, the tabletop was set up.

Next, the pre-action events were resolved. The defending Royalists rolled a 3, meaning one infantry unit was either bogged down or too far away to join the action. Parliament rolled a 1, so one of their infantry units will be delayed and would arrive on turn 5.

Deployment followed. The Royalists placed their units within 12 inches of their chosen table edge. Parliament as the attacker then deployed, with their cavalry positioned 9 to 18 inches from their table edge and their infantry following up behind, within 9 inches.

With forces deployed, the game was ready to play with the defending Royalists moving first.

Both forces are deployed.

Game Report

The Royalists, having sighted Parliament’s cavalry, moved forward quickly to meet the threat. On their left flank the dragoons advanced and took up a strong position behind a hedge. One Parliamentarian cavalry unit dashed forward to engage the opposing Royalist horse, while the remaining Parliamentarian cavalry and infantry were slow to respond. After an initial exchange of musketry, the Royalist dragoons were charged. The lone Parliamentarian cavalry unit which found itself engaged by two Royalist cavalry units in a fierce melee was hoping support would arrive quickly.

A lone Parliamentarian cavalry unit bravely charges forward.

The remaining Parliamentarian units are slow to engage to defending Royalists.

The Dragoons are putting up a good fight from behind the hedge.

After a brief fight, the dragoons, secure behind the hedge, forced the Parliamentarian cavalry to withdraw and regroup, only to find themselves now confronted by advancing infantry. On the opposite flank, the first Parliamentarian cavalry unit was routed, and a second cavalry unit was committed to the fight.

The Dragoons drive off Parliament’s cavalry who retire and regroup. While the cavalry melee continues as a second Parliamentarian cavalry unit engages.

Parliament’s cavalry are driven off.

The Royalist forces having held firm after the cavalry onslaught were confident of their position. By this stage of the action both commanders were heavily involved in rallying wavering units. Then a fresh Parliamentarian infantry unit arrived on the field. Seeking to capitalise on their cavalry’s earlier success, the Royalists advanced their horse. The last remaining Parliamentarian cavalry unit, which had previously regrouped after attacking the dragoons, charged the advancing Royalist cavalry. After a short melee it was routed, leaving the Parliamentarian position untenable, and they chose to retire from the field.

Fresh troops arrive for Parliament.

With their cavalry lost, Parliamentarian forces opt to retire.

A small victory for the Royalists, earning them the advantage of choosing their deployment edge in the upcoming main battle. But first, another small action must be fought out on the tabletop.

Painting and Gaming Plans for 2026

There has been no wargaming for me over the past couple of weeks, as we have been travelling to Seoul, South Korea for a family wedding, and as I write this post (on my iPhone) resting up for a few days in Singapore. The break from painting and gaming has given me a chance to gather my thoughts on what I would like to focus on wargaming-wise in 2026, which will be my second year of retirement.

Projects to complete or finish off

• Gaul army using 20 mm HaT plastic miniatures, currently about two-thirds complete.

• Star Wars Legion, finishing off a couple of models that are still sitting in the plastic pile.

Adding to or enhancing existing periods

• Napoleonic armies, with the addition of artillery, cavalry, and officers with standard bearers.

• English Civil War, adding two cavalry units and some dragoons.

• WWI, strengthening my British army for the Mesopotamian front forces with more Indian troops and cavalry. The HaT 20mm miniatures are already in the plastic pile.

New projects

• Revamping my Warhammer 40,000 terrain, which is currently rather bulky and not well suited to gaming on square or hex grids.

• Battle of Britain / Blood Red Skies, a small project of four aircraft to try my hand at air wargaming.

Campaigns

• Gauls vs Romans, most likely a mini-campaign of about 3 to 5 tabletop battles, though the how I will run it is still to be decided.

• English Civil War campaign, smaller in scope than the one I ran between December 2018 and February 2020, which involved over 30 tabletop battles (original campaign posts start here). This will again be an area-based campaign, but with far fewer regions to control.

• WWII desert campaign, using a board game as the campaign map and guide to drive the tabletop battles.

Anyway a few things to get going with, which will no doubt change once I am back at the painting table. 

That is it. It is hard writing a post on an iPhone. But here are some more photos of the changing of the Guard Korean style…

Painting a few more 20mm Gauls

I have been busy clearing the painting table of some 20mm plastic Gauls (mostly HaT with a few Italeri). So far I have completed two Warband units (96 figures) and half a cavalry unit (10 figures). Adding them to my existing collection which are used as part of a Carthaginian army. I am continuing with the larger unit approach, with infantry and cavalry made up of four bases, and skirmishers and chariots using just two bases.

The push to clear the painting table is largely because we are heading away for a couple of weeks to attend a family wedding in South Korea, followed by a short break in Singapore on the way back to New Zealand. I do not like leaving units half painted, as I find it difficult to get back into the flow after a break.

The Gaul army as it currently stands with the recent additions.

Who doesn’t like a few chariots!

Gaul Warbands (48 figures per unit).

One of my Christmas presents was the Blood Red Skies starter set. I’m looking forward to building the kits (two Spitfires and two Messerschmitts) and giving the game a try when I get back. I think this will be my first foray into air wargaming, and something to look forward to after the trip.

A first foray into Air Wargaming

Two Spitfires and two Messerschmitts to make and paint.

As for my wargaming plans for 2026, I am still mulling that over. At the top of the list is finishing the Gaul army - the remaining half of the cavalry unit (10 figures), a unit of skirmishers (14 figures), and a unit of chariots (four chariots). I would also like to complete the Blood Red Skies starter set pretty quickly.

The time away should provide me with a good opportunity to ponder on what to paint and play over the coming year, and to firm up a rough plan for 2026.

Waste not, want not, terrain and a Starfighter

In my last post I made some alien-looking plants using seed pods from a Banksia tree which I found on a walk on Christmas day. While making the terrain (see previous post for details), I cut the bottom off each of the seed pods. These offcuts still looked interesting, so I decided not to throw them away.

More alien plants added as scatter terrain.

A day or so later, while sorting through my stash of various plastic plants I have collected over the years, but never fully used. I found some sprouting flower pieces that looked like they could be attached to the Banksia offcuts to create a few more alien-looking plants. With that in mind, I drilled holes to attach the flowers and then painted the pieces.

The following is a quick overview of the steps involved in making the plants.

The off cuts of the Banksia seed pods.

Some unused plastic pieces of plant not used with sprouting flowers.

Holes were drilled into the off cuts to hold the flowers.

The off cuts were given a green wash, dry-brushed with a light green, and finally dabs of yellow added. 

The finished plants on the tabletop.

I think I have now done my dash with creating alien-looking plants for the moment. Keeping with the Sci-Fi theme, a recent addition to my Star Wars Legion collection is a 1/72 scale X-Wing Starfighter for the Rebel forces. I already have a TIE Fighter for the Imperial forces. Although the 1/72 scale models are smaller than Star Wars Legion figures, which stand at around 30 mm tall, the fighters do not look out of place and appear suitably proportioned when mounted on sticks so they stand about 12 inches above the tabletop. With this addition, both forces now have access to air support, and the X-Wing will be used in the same way as the TIE Fighter, providing scenario-driven air support.

The latest addition to my Star Wars collection.

The X-Wing and TIE fighter.

That’s all for 2025…

A find on a walk adds to the sci-fi terrain collection

Christmas Day and Boxing Day have turned out to be quite productive on the hobby front. While out walking on Christmas Day, I came across a Banksia tree and was able to collect a few of its seed pods with the idea of turning them into sci-fi terrain. The pods have a wonderful alien look. I decided to paint them with a yellow and dark pink colour scheme and added them to the other seed pods I have already been using to create colourful and interesting looking terrain features.

In addition, I painted up two Imperial officers that were a small Christmas present to myself.

The latest alien terrain additions.

Two imperial officers.

Here are a series of photos showing the steps I used to create the terrain features:

One end of the seed pod is sawn off so they can stand freely (avoiding the need to base them and saving both time and effort).

Once cleaned up and given a flat base, the seed pods were covered with a yellow wash.

After the yellow wash had dried, the seed pods were dry-brushed with yellow to help highlight the texture.

Finally, a dark pink wash was applied to the openings in the seed pods to add contrast to their alien look.

With these new terrain pieces finished, they will soon find their way onto the tabletop for a Star Wars game.

Gaul Warband, Robots, and Sci-Fi Terrain

Most of my available wargaming time this past week was spent getting some painting done and scratch-building simple Sci-Fi terrain. I had prepared and undercoated a 48-figure 20mm plastic Gaul Warband at the start of the week, but in an effort to delay tackling them I decided to first painted a couple of Spider Robots for my Star Wars Legion forces. One was the official kit, which came with some spare legs and guns. This gave me the opportunity to build a second robot using a scratch-built body assembled from whatever suitable parts I could find in the spares box (mostly unused bits from old Warhammer 40K kits).

The completed Spider Robots. The closest one uses the spare legs with a scratch-built body.

The Spider Robots from the front. Official kit on the left.

With the Spider Robots finished, there was no avoiding the Gauls. Once I got started painting them, I quickly found my rhythm and completed the unit over a couple of days. My approach to painting Ancient armies is deliberately simple. Basic block colours over a mid-brown base coat, which helps hide any missed areas. A final coat of PVA glue gives the figures a durable and glossy finish which I like.

The complete Gaul Warband made of 4 bases.

A view from the front. The figures are mainly 20mm HAT miniatures with a few Italeri Gauls added in.

Finally, while tidying up the storage in my wargames room, I came across some plumbing items picked up at the hardware store that I must have bought with scenery in mind. These were quickly mounted onto some MDF offcuts left over from last week's container construction to create a set of vents for my Star Wars terrain. I will use them either as scatter terrain, or added to the roofs of block buildings to make them look like a factory (and a suitable scenario objective to be destroyed). 

The vents used as scatter terrain.

The vents on a factory building roof. They add a bit of colour to the buildings.

Making custom containers for Ancient miniatures

In my previous post, I mentioned that I was planning on expanding my Carthaginian Gauls so that I could field a full Gaul army, and that once painted and based I would need to find some additional storage space. My current storage system for my Carthaginian and Roman armies consists of nine stackable containers, each one is capable of holding up to nine bases. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any more containers of the same type, and even if I could, a stack of four does not fit in the available shelving space.

After a bit of thought, I decided to have a go at making some custom containers using MDF sheets and my  schoolboy-level woodworking skills.

The current storage situation for my Ancient armies.

Each container holds 9 bases. The bases are 3x4 inches.

The plan was to build eight custom containers, each measuring 3 inches high, 16 inches wide, and 15 inches deep. The shelf space dictated the width and depth, while the height was determined by the 20mm miniatures (the elephants being the tallest). Each container would hold 18 bases, all my bases measure 4 x 3 inches. 

The finished containers.

The new containers hold 18 bases.

After thinking through a few ideas, I decided on the design shown below. This allows the containers to stack securely without sliding and toppling while still be easy to slid in and out.

A drawing of the design. Forgive the combination of imperial measurements and metric. With all my bases being in inches (the traditional wargaming measurement) it was easier to use inches for the construction while the purchased MDF sheets come in metric.

All the MDF pieces cut out for one container. The darker pieces are the side 12mm MDF.

The 12mm MDF is used for the sides.

3mm MDF is used for the front and back.

The thin 1 inch strips of MDF are glued to the bottom so the containers do not slide and topple in on each other.

A close up of how the containers are stacked.

A few quick notes on construction. The 3mm MDF sheets were attached to the 12mm MDF sides using PVA glue and 25mm (1”) panel pins. Five pins were used along each side to secure the base, and one pin per side was used when fixing the front and back 3mm MDF pieces. I did not glue or pin the front and back panels to the base. This simplifies construction and the containers are sufficiently strong without being fixed to the base. The thin MDF strips used to prevent the containers from sliding when stacked were simply glued to the base. 

One word of warning, avoid hammering panel pins too close to the ends of the 12mm MDF, as it will likely split.

PVA glue and 1 panel pins is used on each side to attach the front and back.

PVA glue and 5 panel pins secured the base to the sides.

25mm or 1 inch panel pins were used.

The base with the strips attached near the sides.

The end result is that I can now store 144 bases of ancients in the same shelving space that used to hold 81 bases. With each container holding 18 bases, eight containers will provide more than enough room for the planned expansion of the Gaul army. Best of all, this was a cheap solution which I completed over 2 days.