Boshin war display game help

[olyreed]

I am thinking about putting on a display game next year for some wargames shows and could really do with some help. I am thinking of using Black Powder and any help with ideas for force composition, battles, figures other than Bac Ninh as they will be my core miniatures, and i would like to get some  mounted units and also officers and generals so probably need to do some conversion work. I would like to incoperate a town onto the table because i have a lot of Oshiro buildings. So any suggestions would be really appreciated

[OSHIROmodels]

Big question mate.

Firstly, what size table are you going for. Are you doing a historical action or something fictional.

Obviously Jose will give you a hand with the OOB but have a look at Perry BIF and their naval brigade from the Sudan range as they will be the same as the troops necessary in Japan at that time. It might be easier to use Sharp Practice though unless you'll have a couple of hundred figures for it 

This photo (taken from the net) is of the battery at Shimonoseki and you can see the uniform is very similar to the Perry figures. I would also suggest the Copplestone ones but they are a tad on the large side.



I'll be happy to loan you some of my Edo period buildings when they are done (as long as I get a mention  ).

cheers

James

[olyreed]

I may take you up on the offer of the buildings, the table we used yesterday for a ww1 game was 8x5, the battle doesn't need to be historical. If I am going to use black powder then I will be working on units of 16-20 figures and 3 units to a brigade, with three brigades, that's all just a ball park idea at the moment. I would like to get some cavalry units on there and on my other thread nevermore posted up a picture of Artizan cav but they need a head swap so will have a look into that. Like I said any input from anyone would be great as I haven't planned anything like this for many a long year and it's quite daunting . I will definitely make sure you and Rokurota gets a mention on the display

[rokurota]

Colin you have my total support for this project, Black Powder is a good option if you want big battles but as say James you need a lot of figures.

Perry plastic ACW is a good option for officers and generals:



Footsore Miniatures Franco Prussian War range have officcers that can be useful:



For cavalry units Artizan Chasseurs can work very well like Denshūtai but their beards are a big problem:

[carlos13th]

I would love to see how this turns out.

[olyreed]

Thanks guys, I have been thinking about this last night and feel maybe black powder sized armies will be unachievable in less than a year at my speed of painting so I am swinging towards Sharp practice, which will still allow me to field around 100 figs or more a side. But this will allow me put more detail on the table. Quite exited about the project and will be cracking into the figures and buying up terrain in the next few months

[rokurota]

Take a look to my Boshin War supplement for T&T.

[olyreed]

Right, I am looking at the Perry b.i.f cavalry lancers, just head swap on them, a standard unit of 40 figs for infantry, that should give me 5 groups of eight, two of these either side plus artillery and a couple of small units, samurai for the bakufu. Plus whatever Bac Ninh releases this year as I have around ten months to collect. That should be around 100 figs or so a side

[OSHIROmodels]

Got this little snippet from one of my uniform books.

A platoon was formed from 40 soldiers, a company consisted of three platoons and a battalion consisted of five companies. You could get squads of ten men, so four in a platoon (convenient for gamers  ).

You've also got me looking at the Perry BIF cavalry for conversion potential...

cheers

James

[olyreed]

so if i used a scale of 15-1, 40 figures could represent one brigade, so could play as platoon or brigade sized. Thinking for the Imperials 1 x 40 figs Satsuma, 1 x 40 figs Chosu and 1 x 20 for Tosa, Tosa being a depleted brigade. For the Bakufu, 2 x 40 figs of infantry 10 or 20 cav and a unit if 20 Samurai, throw in there some shinsengumi, make the Bakufu troops not as well trained as Imperials but cav and samurai as vets. Have the Bakufu maybe defending a town with some earth works/ fences and give the Imperials and extra gun or two, or maybe a gattling gun for flavour, what do you guys think?

[OSHIROmodels]

That's sounds great 

cheers

James

[Lowtardog]

With the figures and style of warfare wonder if you may be able to take anything from regimental fire and fury

On heads perhaps Redoubt Havelock heads may help, not sure of fit to Boshin or Perry figures though

http://www.redoubtenterprises.com/shop/?page=shop/browse&offset=0&category_id=87f3a51d4db53d9fd5fc50be228a9668&keyword=

[olyreed]

I had a load of the Redoubt havelock heads but gave them to me dad for his Maximillian figs. I fear the heads maybe to big but will have  a look at the ones I used for my ACW stuff. I know Steve Barber does Havelock heads and his figures if i remember are a tad smaller than Redoubt. I will have to draw up a list of stuff I need to get as there is quite a bit of stuff I would like. Fire and Fury is a good shout I never thought about them, I have a copy of the Regimental rules so will dig them up and have a look,

What I like about Sharp Practice/Terrible sharp sword is the option to grow the game slowly using sentries/ pickets and have the cavalry as a probing force to begin with and let the game grow from there

[Lowtardog]

I had a load of the Redoubt havelock heads but gave them to me dad for his Maximillian figs. I fear the heads maybe to big but will have  a look at the ones I used for my ACW stuff. I know Steve Barber does Havelock heads and his figures if i remember are a tad smaller than Redoubt. I will have to draw up a list of stuff I need to get as there is quite a bit of stuff I would like. Fire and Fury is a good shout I never thought about them, I have a copy of the Regimental rules so will dig them up and have a look,

What I like about Sharp Practice/Terrible sharp sword is the option to grow the game slowly using sentries/ pickets and have the cavalry as a probing force to begin with and let the game grow from there

All sounds good Oly, the options you have discussed give you an opportunity too to flex depending on your painting and how much you manage to get done , you can then decide nearer the time.

I think you could be right about Steve Barber heads, certainly smaller than redoubt.

[olyreed]

Just realised I might have to order a couple of pots of dark russian blue paint!