Author Topic: Learning about the GNW while painting (Read 9512 times)

WFGamers · « **Reply #30 on:** January 30, 2018, 10:55:43 PM »

First of all I also think your posts are good and valuable.

I am afraid that I don't really have the time to go into everything. It is also often complicated and would require a book to cover correctly.

In general and looking at the bigger picture you are clearly using Western/English sources for your information which are often dated and see things from their own point of view. So for example the idea that using pikes was 'hopeless obsolete'. They of course don't know or don't say that the major Western powers (France, England/Britain, Austria) only stopped using pikes in the 4th or 5th campaigns of the GNW (1703-04). The Dutch only did this in the 9th or 10th campaign of the GNW (1708-09). They don't explain how the 'superior' Danes and Saxons who had got rid of pikes (although the Danes brought them back after losing against the Swedes) consistently lost against 'obsolete' Swedes, while 'obsolete' Russians managed to win they would say after dropping the Western tactics they tried to use in the 1st part of the war.

I am afraid what this means is at best what they are saying is that what the Swedes and Russians were doing wouldn't work in Flanders, yes maybe not but they weren't in Flanders. At worst it is just no real understanding the subject or nationalist jingoism.

On specifics there have been a few. As has been mentioned yes I think you got the Swedish fire drill wrong. The stuff about pikes, both Swedes and Russians. Swedish dragoons also, they are generally units that come from outside Sweden/Finland - units from Sweden/Finland are 'Horse' or 'Cavalry'.

There were more but hopefully that will tempt you and others to keep reading and be sceptical about what is said.

pocoloco · « **Reply #31 on:** January 31, 2018, 09:16:40 AM »

Hi, great to see people interested in the GNW.

Just one slight correction. On the first page you mention that "By the way, Charles XII. attack on Russia in 1708 was the first time a European army invaded Russia".

Actually it had happened before that as a Swedish army (consisting of mainly Finnish troops), led by Jacob de la Gardie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_De_la_Gardie) even took Moscow in 1610.

WFGamers · « **Reply #32 on:** January 31, 2018, 10:32:57 AM »

Quote from: pocoloco on January 31, 2018, 09:16:40 AM

Hi, great to see people interested in the GNW.

Just one slight correction. On the first page you mention that "By the way, Charles XII. attack on Russia in 1708 was the first time a European army invaded Russia".

Actually it had happened before that as a Swedish army (consisting of mainly Finnish troops), led by Jacob de la Gardie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_De_la_Gardie) even took Moscow in 1610.

Yes you are right about Moscow being taken in 1610 but the invaders were the Poles. The Swedish/Finnish army was allied to the Russians and trying to defend Moscow. They fought in this battle - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Klushino

Charles XII was the first of the 'famous invasions' but there were numerous others that are not so well known, including this one.

Battle Brush Sigur · « **Reply #33 on:** February 01, 2018, 02:51:03 PM »

@Ogrob: You are a scholar and a gentleman, Sir. Thanks for the heads up on that. I thought that surely there must be something like that to exclude sites from the search, but so far had been too lazy to look it up. Sometimes (well, often :p ) I tut at people who instead of using search engines to find out simple information go on Facebook and ask, thus costing themselves and others more time, and there I am not knowing how to use google search in 2018!

@jazbo: Yeah, my wording wasn't quite clear on that one. Of course I also read of four ranks, but the more remarkable thing I wanted to point out was that the salvo, fired from two ranks, spread across the whole frontage of the battalion rather than firing by platoon or single ranks. I also didn't want to go into too much detail as I post this in other forums too, which are less historically inclined and I'm constantly afraid of boring people over there. But yeah, of course the whole affair took place in 4 ranks.

@WFGamers: Alright, thanks for your input.

I don't think I said a single bad word about pikes, about them being obsolete (or them having to be deleted for that matter) given the context of the Swedish army (or the Russian army for that matter). I found it interesting that pikes were used, because it's one of the characteristics of the conflict which are instantly apparent and recognizable on a wargaming table. So I pointed out that pikes had fallen by the wayside on European battlefields, and also my wild and mostly unfounded theories (on which you can correct me any time) about why they did this and why I think it makes perfect sense. So not to worry, I'm not out to belittle the kingdom, nation or the lovely people of Sweden, Russia or anywhere else. But yeah, good to see you being passionate and knowledgeable about the topic, which is one of the best things in the world. I hope I can turn to you if I have any questions about the matter in the future.

@pocoloco: No worries, that's been pointed out to me elsewhere, the thing about the Polish invasion, the Polish Tsar and all of that. That's just a weird little line I found in the Osprey book and it would be interesting to hear how the author got to that statement.

Right-o, now that we got that out of the way, here's a photo of unfinished miniatures:

Should be all done soon.

wolfkarl · « **Reply #34 on:** February 01, 2018, 05:33:38 PM »

You're customer should be very happy. A beautiful set of matching armies.

Battle Brush Sigur · « **Reply #35 on:** February 01, 2018, 08:20:18 PM »

@wolfkarl: Thanks very much; thus far he's pleased with how things proceed.

Right, I think we're done!

Swedes:

full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_02/5a7374f69c2bb_swedone3.jpg.89fdce3a832e9a960779a9e9967a0f85.jpg

full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_02/5a7374f4ef881_swedone2.jpg.39abbd4f71e370629f2cfde72c2a72f3.jpg

Size comparison:

full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_02/5a7374f35f21d_swedonesize.jpg.f0f607d62a7df7766ea169b8b913f3d3.jpg

Swedish Infantry:

full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_02/5a7374f1dc291_swedoneinf.jpg.1221d2c6c42da741a0f565a3ec66020c.jpg

Swedish Cavalry:

full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_02/5a7374ee9eabb_swedonecav3.jpg.6db8d539e69ed074e547b4b40b4be878.jpg

full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_02/5a7374f074c44_swedonecav4.jpg.10361982c7c78ed8e3d5918dbfe46c61.jpg

Russian army:

full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_02/5a737508ebf92_rudone1.jpg.1889e08e4e6c18c3eaae41c2b7bff112.jpg

Russian infantry:

full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_02/5a73750797426_rudoneinf2.jpg.459cf4c5d5e0322df5889cb5150df787.jpg

Russian cavalry:

full size image: https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_02/5a73750599905_rudonecav1.jpg.20e9d3ea96635bd2bf1ec75888dd4698.jpg

...and that's that! Hope you like them!

DintheDin · « **Reply #36 on:** February 01, 2018, 09:50:08 PM »

With grass on their bases and banners flying, two mighty armies in all their splendor!
A great job you did there! Eager to see them in a game! Cheers!

jambo1 · « **Reply #37 on:** February 02, 2018, 05:41:38 AM »

Super looking armies, great job done on them.

The Grim Mariner · « **Reply #38 on:** February 02, 2018, 07:23:08 AM »

Now don't they look splendid. You should be very pleased with those.

Battle Brush Sigur · « **Reply #39 on:** February 21, 2018, 04:49:14 AM »

@DintheDin: Thanks very much!

@jambo1: Cheers! I'm rather happy with how they turned out myself.

@The Grim Mariner: Thanks, Sir!

Two weeks ago I was rather sick and wasn't quite able to paint. During recuperating I started doing simple stuff like finally gluing some Z scale trees to bases for terrain. At first I just wanted to glue some small (Z scale; ca. 1/220th) trees to single bases as 'scatter terrain' for smaller scale tables. I'd ordered the trees off ebay a few years ago. 70 single trees:

Then I decided to give that thing for denser forests a try that I'd planned to try for years now. Unfortunately I ran out of foliage, so for now it's just 2 pieces, but I think it works reasonably well:

I also made some dirt roads for smaller scales while I was at it.

Then I wanted to put it all on the table for some nice photos, but I noticed a severe lack of the one thing you'd on ANY table/landscape if any villages, buildings or towns are around at all - fields. They not only make a lot of sense, but also make the thing look 'right' and add a bunch of colour. So I made a bunch of those as well and put it all on the table:

Of course this covers just a few square inches of a proper sized table. Roughly a quarter or up to a half if I add some hills and such. Still, I should add a few more things:
.) a few more buildings would be nice
.) roads are OK for now
.) I definitely need more fields
.) Seems like 70 single trees were not bloody enough.

I should add a few more.
.) more dense forests, at least three to four

Here's the table with some 6mm Swedish troops: