I've been fascinated by the Crimea since, aged 11, I saw my first metal wargame figures (miniature figurines) which were Crimean, a highlander, a lancer and an hussar. I was spellbound, I thought there was only Airfix, then a friend who'd been to Edinburgh (Archie Alexander's shop, The Toytub) appeared with a little box of shiny, beautiful metal figures .... love at first sight. I'd like to game it but is there any balance at all, aren't the Russians fated to lose every time ?

Quote from: cameronian on 14 September 2016, 12:54:00 PM
.... love at first sight. I'd like to game it but is there any balance at all, aren't the Russians fated to lose every time ?

You could always have the French switch sides?
Thanks to "Flashman at the Charge" and the 1968 movie, "Charge of the Light Brigade", not to mention being tasked with reciting the poem in fourth or fifth grade, like you, it has always held a fascination. FPW is probably as close as I am going to get however

Quote from: d_Guy on 14 September 2016, 01:14:25 PM
You could always have the French switch sides?
Thanks to "Flashman at the Charge" and the 1968 movie, "Charge of the Light Brigade", not to mention being tasked with reciting the poem in fourth or fifth grade, like you, it has always held a fascination. FPW is probably as close as I am going to get however

Try BBB, it has a whole slew of Crimea scenarios where victory is determined essentially by doing better than reality

Quote from: toxicpixie on 14 September 2016, 02:05:47 PM
Try BBB, it has a whole slew of Crimea scenarios where victory is determined essentially by doing better than reality

TP, thanks for the honourable mention!

Quote from: cameronian on 14 September 2016, 12:54:00 PM
I'd like to game it but is there any balance at all, aren't the Russians fated to lose every time ?

No, Cam, they're not. Far from it. Yes, at the Alma the Russians are just a speed bump, being heavily outnumbered by foes who are better armed, better trained, better motivated and better led.

But before that at Kurudere they beat the Turks soundly.
And Inkerman was touch and go for a very thin red line.
And Balaclava was pretty tough on the Brits too, and could have gone differently if the Russians had been more committed.
And at the Chernaya the French and Sardinians are sorely tested.
I haven't wargamed the storming of Sevastopol, but I understand the Great Redan was no picnic.

Actually until 5 years or so ago I had a similarly negative view of the Crimean War for wargaming, thinking it would be rather dull and limited. But the truth is that, in part because of the very asymmetric armies, it produces some really different and interesting games. Even the Alma: yes the Russians will be crushed, but in my scenario it's a question of whether the Allies can do so quickly and effectively enough to count it as a win in game terms, and also both sides have some interesting pre-game strategic choices.

There's an account of our BBB mini-campaign, in which we played the four biggest battles in two days, in the BBB Yahoo group files. We had a great time.

Chris

Bloody Big BATTLES!
https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/BBB_wargames/info
http://bloodybigbattles.blogspot.co.uk/

Pleasure, Chris! There was another thread recently I thought you might pop up in as well

Your reasons to play the Crimea are much the same as ours - always thought it dull, one sided, not really significant. Then looked at it, and went "wow". We tried a few rules but nothing stuck, and now we're set to do it with BBB from the Alma onwards (not enough Turks! We might revisit Kurudere if I get my "I can't believe it's covering four hundred years" Turkish army going again :/ ). We've missed the slot last two opportunities though, but I'm hoping we can sort it come end of October

Okay ... it would have to be 10mm Pendraken so are there enough figures in the range ?

Magister Militum do it too, I think, though they're decidedly pricey.

Not appallingly so, especially if you buy the brigade packs. I painted about five hundred or more and they're decent figures.

I've built Turkish, French, British and Russian armies from magister Militum. The range is very comprehensive and recently augmented. I use Black Powder. I also have some Pendraken Crimean figures but they form part of the Anglo-French army in an ACW intervention scenario.

Heresy I know, but the Irregular 6mm range is about as comprehensive as you can get, including siege guns, engineers, camps, nurses, and even the British railway.



Yes, the figures are a bit blobby in the raw, but they paint up well and fit nicely onto a 30mm frontage base for BBB.

They look good, Andy!

Bet they're quick to do, as well.

I've a fair bit of Irregulars 6mm for ancients and in the raw they're a bit off putting but all paint up nicely