Thanks for your great answers in the previous post. It was indeed the battle of Koge 1807, wellington’s first victory in Europe. In 1991 Jan and I had to cancel a holiday we had booked. To make up for that we had a mini break in Copenhagen. It was then I got smitten by Danish military history, bought my first uniform book on the Danes in a hobby shop and visited the great military museum there.
That interest has stuck with me over the years . There are now terrific books available on the Napoleonic Danes and in English too! We are most fortunate nowadays. Perry do a terrific range of figures. Long ago I commissioned some 1807 Danes from a dentist who ran Eagle Miniatures. Finally l have put paint to some of them, they mix with Perry figures well for officers etc.
The other week I had an enjoyable Zoom catch up with P& G . Part of the chat was what to game here. Big games are played at P’s and wee games here. The conversation got onto the fun we have had playing Musket & Thomahawks set in the French Indian Wars and the AWI. The rules work well for us so we are taking our gaming with them into the Napoleonic period. The plan as it stands is to use Shakos and Bayonets to do some games set around Koge and Copenhagen 1807. The skirmishes out with the city walls would work well-
Including units interesting Copenhagen garrison units like the Livjaegers as depicted in the above painting. I have some British as mentioned so a trial run of S&B is on the cards soon. I was all excited when Helion were scheduled to release volume three of their fantastic Napoleonic Danish Uniform series ( the one I had waited for with volunteer and militia uniforms) but it has been postponed until Spring. I guess l will have to be patient !
I have also decided to use Musket and Tomahawks for skirmish games set in the Forty Five too. This a wee project Ronnie and I are working on. The excellent article in the Wargamer’s Annual of some years ago will be the basis for our 45 adaptations. Rebasing as single figures is on the cards for this and then a game can be played.
P.s I missed the 30th anniversary of our first Danish visit last year due to Covid but am seriously considering going this year but I can’t make up my mind wheter l ought to or not…
We had a couple of family holidays in Denmark in the mid seventies in fact I think Denmark was probably the first foreign country I ever visited - DFDS car ferry from Newcastle to Esbjerg then across to Copenhagen for about 4 days then a farm stay near Odense (I think) for the remainder of the holiday. I do remember getting some pre painted lead soldiers in a horrendously expensive toy soldier shop in Copenhagen - they were Spanish Conquistadors - wish I had them now! I dont really remember many details - I was probably about ten! We went to Aarhus and a safari park somewhere as well as Legoland of course, plus a few Viking long ship sites as well as some days just on the beach getting sunburned - it was incredibly warm for Scandanavia - but that may be their normal summer, I dont know! If you want my advice - make the trip. You never know what another two or three years waiting might bring!
ReplyDeleteWe took a car to Aarhus in the early nineties by ferry from Newcastle with our six month old daughter. Ferry ride there was brilliant, horrendous gale on the way back.
DeleteI’d second that. Go when you can. Never know what is around the corner.
ReplyDeleteGood points .
DeleteI agree with the others, you ought to go! We've all been cooped up for too long, and that sounds like a really special trip.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, much to think upon…
DeleteI completely disagree! Save yer guineas and come visit The States instead. A trip and ramble around Gettysburg is just the thing for you!
ReplyDeleteEric
Tempting also!
DeleteI have had a wee hankering to do a Denmark/Sweden project using the Perry range so always interested in seeing your pictures of the Danes, some great inspiration for me.
ReplyDeleteSounds a plan indeed!
ReplyDelete