I've post processed my pictures from day 1 of ValleyCon 2016 and will work on putting together my battle report.

There were about 100 gamers at the Convention which featured DBMM, Flames of War, Bolt Action, Malifaux, Warmachine and WH 40K comps as well as four demo games.

Public entry was free and we got a reasonable amount of visitors, many overflowing from the IMAGINARY WORLDS exhibition (Science fiction, steam punk and fantasy art from over 40 award-winning NZ designers) next door.

In the meantime here are some general shots of the Convention

The west (fantasy, except for us) end of the hall from the entrance
Those in pink shirts were on the committee of the Hutt Miniature Wargames Club, the organisers



The east (mainly historic) end of the hall



The one and only trade stand



A closer look at Cowpens as seen from the entrance to the hall



The table with the Americans deployed and the British waiting to be deployed



We got a lot of interest from the public, of all ages

Nicely done Paul!

I really like the last picture, with the lad getting down to get a miniature's eye view of the game. Get them hooked young!!

The trade stall looks a bit sorry for itself...

Quote from: fred. on 01 February 2016, 09:44:04 PM
I really like the last picture, with the lad getting down to get a miniature's eye view of the game. Get them hooked young!!

The trade stall looks a bit sorry for itself...

They went away with some figures, 28mm WSS, to paint from the Bring & Buy, the seller kindly tossed in some extras

Traders are pretty thin on the ground over here

Pictures taking 3billion years to load so I sort of half get what's going on. No lad getting down on my last picture, just the other one looking askance.

Quote from: Leman on 01 February 2016, 11:00:21 PM
Pictures taking 3billion years to load so I sort of half get what's going on. No lad getting down on my last picture, just the other one looking askance.

Time to clean out your Interwebs perhaps

Quote from: Leman on 01 February 2016, 11:00:21 PM
Pictures taking 3billion years to load so I sort of half get what's going on. No lad getting down on my last picture, just the other one looking askance.

Ah.... Going back to your point about slow 'intraweb' service from yesterday, Bob.

I forgot to say that I noticed this problem here, starting a few months ago now.......I've got used to it now.....BUT.....I put it down to the 'system' getting busier (hence slower) as other folk around here start using the web. (Bet I'm one of the few folk awake and using it at this time of the morning.  )

It's absolutely fine at the mo'........But it'll get slower as the day progresses.....To the point, that like you, piccies will take a long time to load later in the day/evening.

I USED to get about 6mb per sec....But now, the best I get is around 1.45 Mbps.

Cheers - Phil

Nice piccies Paul !! 

As promised the Cowpens Battle report

Peter and I commanded the Americans, Peter commanding the Militia and Cavalry Brigades and in overall command. I commanded the Continentals. We deployed first and chose to deploy pretty much historically.

Roy commanded the British and deployed second. Roy also deployed fairly historically except for the British Legion Infantry that he deployed on his extreme left separated by the forest from the rest of Tarleton's Column.



The Americans get first turn and rushed the riflemen of the Militia Brigade forward into the woods to harry the flanks of the British forces. After some discussion it was also decided to use the Continentals to see off the isolated British Legion Infantry.



The British reaction was swift and decisive. The 7^th Foot and 1^st Battalion, 71^st Foot ignored the skirmishers on their flanks and charged the Militia to their front. The right wing of the 7^th Foot forced the 1^st Spartan South Carolina Militia back in disorder but the left wing, to the surprise of all was repulsed by the 2^nd Spartan South Carolina Militia. The Highlanders of the 71^st Foot destroyed the remainder of the Militia.

The British Legion Infantry also charged the approaching Continentals, routing the State Troops Battalion and repulsing the right wing of the Maryland/Delaware Light Battalion.

The Converged Light Infantry covered the left flank by skirmishing with Cunningham's Battalion in the wood. The Artillery engaged McDowell's North Carolina Riflemen in the right hand wood from beyond effective rifle range. 17^th Light Dragoons and the British Legion Dragoons advanced in support of the infantry attack.



While Brigadier General Morgan raced to rally the State Troops Battalion the Maryland/Delaware Light Battalion counter attacked the British Legion Infantry. The left wing routed their opponents but the right wing was again repulsed and the survivors left the field.

The cumulative casualties on the South Carolina Militia Brigade caused their morale to collapse. Cunningham's Battalion disengaged from the British Converged Light Infantry while McDowell's North Carolina Riflemen found what little cover from artillery fire they could in the forest.

The 2^nd Spartan South Carolina Militia gallantly again repulsed the left wing of the 7^th Foot despite fire from the right wing of 71^st Foot. Triplett's Virginia Militia Riflemen advanced from their forest on the left rear and poured a deadly fire into the right wing of the 7^th Foot. Combined with the casualties already inflicted by McDowell's North Carolina Riflemen it was too much and the survivors of the 7^th Foot left the field.

In desperation the South Carolina Dragoons charged in support of their Militia comrades and routed the left wing of the 71^st Foot.



Casualties were rapidly mounting on both sides and Tarleton had almost 'run out' of infantry. He launched an all-out attack. The remaining wing of the British Legion Infantry charged the surviving wing of the Maryland/Delaware Light Battalion but were routed from the field.

The Converged Light Infantry re-engaged Cunningham's Battalion but couldn't inflict significant casualties on the woodsmen in the forest.

The 17^th Light Dragoons moved up to cover the left flank of the remaining wing of the 71^st Foot. The 71^st Foot and a troop of the British Legion Dragoons charged and destroyed the gallant but over matched 2^nd Spartan South Carolina Militia.

Another troop of the British Legion Dragoons made Triplett's Virginia Militia Riflemen pay for their attack on the 7^th Foot catching a company skirmishing in the open and riding them down.



The casualties suffered by the Continentals had almost broken the morale of the brigade. The survivors of the Maryland/Delaware Light Battalion therefore withdrew and the remaining companies of Triplett's Virginia Militia Riflemen ran for the cover of the forest.

Cunningham's Battalion continued skirmishing inconclusively with the Converged Light Infantry in the forest on the British left. One troop of the British Legion Dragoons had strayed too close to the McDowell's North Carolina Riflemen sheltering from the British artillery in the forest on the British right. Enough rifle shots struck home to drive the troop from the field. (The Dragoons failed both their saving throws.)

In the centre half the Continental Dragoons charged the 17^th Light Dragoons while the other half supported the South Carolina Dragoons charge against the remaining wing of the 71^st Foot. The 17th Light Dragoons repulsed the Continental Dragoons. The 71st Foot was routed.



The casualties were enough to exhaust Tarleton's Column giving the Americans a minor victory.

One more casualty on the Continentals would have given the British a minor victory, a very close run game.

Great stuff, Paul !
Cheers - Phil

We had all enjoyed a very intense deadly game and it was only 11:30

We had played five turns or about 15 minutes longer than the historic battle (1 hour).

We tidied the table and broke for lunch

After lunch we played it again, this time Peter would command the British and Roy the Americans. I commanded the Continentals again.

I'll put the second report together over the next couple of days

Great report and nice idea of how to mark the edge of the woods. Personally everytime the Spartan Militia moved, I would have put on my best actor voice and said "This  is   Sparta!!!". Maybe I'll grow up one day

My internet connection is behaving incredibly well this morning. so very nice to see all the photos from NZ. Definitely looks to be a very different atmosphere to a British show. Looks like the trader got hold of the entire historical stock of the Southport wargames shop.

Lovely report, sounds like a good fast paced game!

Had a great couple of days at Valleycon.

Both games on Saturday went quickly....but confirmed my interest in playing C18 games with 10mm figures using wing scale V&B rules.....Keen on doing some Jacobites now...since some of my forefathers were involved somewhere along the line through one of the clans.

Avoided a few temptations on the bring and buy table to put money towards the next PM 10mm order  

You'll have to wait for Paul to post his next report to find out what happened in the second game  

What a desperate fight! Looks like a really enjoyable game for everyone. Also, first time I've heard of Wing scale V&B.