My friend Art Fossa died the other day.  Some of you might have met him through his side business Aide De Camp books.  He always had a smile and a quick laugh and was fun at the table during a game.  I remember a game where is put civilian figures out and farm animal's.  He laughter and soon were were playing is the next hidden animal.  He especially laughed at the cats by the farm house.  I will miss him a lot.  And just to upset to say more ..read more

    Amos Doolittle (1754-1832), a New Haven silversmith and engraver was a member of the Governor's Second Company of Guard.  Receiving word of the fighting on 19 April, 40 volunteers of this company marched to Cambridge, MA, arriving on 29 April. Among the ranks were Doolittle and a portrait painter named Ralph Earl. Although Earl is not recorded as being a member of the company he nevertheless came along.    Camp life being dull, the two received permission to journey to Lexington and Concord in order to investigate sites of the recent conflict.  In earl ..read more

    If anyone out there happens to be in the area I will be giving a talk at the Fort Devens Museum on Saturday 29 April.  Please stop by and say hello! The Sudbury Fight, King Philip’s War April 20, 1 PM Fort Devens Museum, 94 Jackson Road, Devens, MA On April 21, 1676 over five hundred Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Narragansett warriors attacked the frontier settlements of Sudbury (today Sudbury and Wayland) in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.  Various companies of English militiamen from nearby settlements marched to that town’s defense and were drawn into ambushes and suffe ..read more

    I have seen a lot of talk about the Cigar Box Mats over the last couple years.  Almost always positive reviews.  They are printed on a blanket type material which folds nicely over  hills and gives a good appearance.  In addition fields, woods and roads are printed on the mat.  Helps with the set up or you could just put terrain. Pieces over it.   I was able to pick one up used at a good price.  Unfortunately it was for 15mm and has narrow roads but it should still work for my 25mm figures.  After it arrived I set it up and threw a few mi ..read more

  Does every Napoleonic wargamer have painted a battalion or more of the French Imperial Guard?   Probably; and how many games do they really get used or see the table top.  Again probe not many but you just have to have them.  So here is a new use for those figures that may be gathering dust.  And once again we turn to that neglected but excellent for wargameing period the War of 1812 in North America and the Battle of New Orleans!    The Battalion d'Orleans or Plauche's Battalion was one of the most colorful units in the American army of the War ..read more

    During the Niagara campaign of 1814, the US Left Division included a brigade of  volunteers under the command of General Peter Porter.  The including troops from New York and Pennsylvania. They acquitted themselves well in both the battle of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane,  much to the surprise of  skeptical regular army officers!     Pennsylvania and New York each had various state militia uniform distinctions. However during the 1814 campaign they were supposed to be equipped by the US government and dressed much like the remainder of the Left D ..read more

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    One of the things that make the War of 1812 unique is the use of native warriors.  The Mohawk (properly called the Kanien'kehá:ka), Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca and Tuscarora in the East, and the tribes of Tecumseh's federation in the West, were heavily engaged throughout the War. Native warriors fought on both sides, but primarily for the British. They are essential figures to possess in order to game the , Queenston Heights, the Thames, and numerous smaller conflicts.  By the time of the War of 812,the native people's had adopted a lot of European items for their ..read more

      The  battalions of Canadian militia were active throughout the 1814 campaign.  The 2nd Regiment fought at both Chippewa and Lundy's Lane.  When I started this project I was confused over the terms "embodied" and "sedentary" militia.  These troops who served for longer tours of duty were termed "embodied" militia while those who were called  away from their farms and businesses only during times of dire emergency were the "sedentary" militia.   The Sedentary militia units seldom had uniforms.  They might have castffs from stores bu ..read more

    A major question when creating your British/Canadian army for the War of 1812 is which shako type will your regulars wear?  Opinions, debate and speculation about what equipment might have been in stores, Horse Guard's attitudes toward equipping  units in far-flung quarters, and isolated and obscure eye-witness accounts all flavor the question.  I still have not pinned down sources but here are my thoughts and opinions and I sincerely welcome you to draw your own conclusions.  Stovepipe Belgic A British infantryman's cap (shako) was meant t ..read more