WSS paper soldier dragoon unit completed

During the week I was able to complete a paper soldier dragoon unit. Actually two units were cut out and based, one of mounted dragoons and a second of dismounted dragoons. While designed for the War of Spanish Succession, I will be putting them to use as Government dragoons for some Jacobite Rebellion games.

Mounted dragoons

Dragoons on dismounted

The current project has completed so far:

• French - 4 infantry and 2 cavalry
• Dutch/British - 4 infantry, 2 cavalry, and 1 dragoon

As much as I try to line up both sides of the cut out paper soldiers there are occasions where the front and back can be out of line. This is particularly so for mounted units. One trick I use is to colour in with a felt-tipped pen the out of line area. While not perfect it certainly helps to disguise these areas.

Out of line after cutting.

Touched up with felt-tipped pen.

Effect once all based up and finished.

Looping back on the Jacobite Rebellion paper armies, which I completed about a year ago (May 2019) with a one or two later unit additions. I have had a number of games with them to develop and tryout different rules and these seem to be reasonably settled for the present. So I was thinking it is time to use these armies in a campaign.

The rules created in a zine style.

The layout of the zine.

While my main campaign focus is the WW2 Western Desert currently underway. It is always fun to sneak in a small campaign of a few battles or smaller engagements. Having recently completed a area based campaign with my English Civil War and the WW2 Western Desert being a linear style campaign, I though a different style of campaign would be good to do.

The campaign approach I am planning is going to use ideas from the children's snakes and ladders game. The snakes and ladders will be replaced with red and blue arrows and represent the success and tribulations of campaigning. For example: muddy roads, supporters join the cause, desertions, no pay, intelligence arrives from spy in enemy camp, etc.)

Snakes and ladders game example

The arrival at the finish by one side or the other will result in a final and decisive battle. Obviously, getting to the finish first will be beneficial in terms of troops and/or terrain placement on the tabletop. Along the way there will be engagement squares which will unlike the original game will have both a snake (tribulation) and ladder (success). When landing on these squares a battle occurs and the campaign moves to the tabletop. Win and you ascend towards the finish, lose and you descend back towards the start.