Greek War of Independence- first game

 The scenario was simple- 24point force each- two units of Ross' Greeks were holding a small village and were being attacked by my Ottoman forces. The remainder of the Greeks had to break the siege.

The Greeks had a unit of regular cavalry ( which got destroyed pretty quickly) a regular infantry unit and three units of irregulars.

The Ottomans had 2 cavalry ( One regular  - which got shot to bits by the Greek regular infantry) and one irregular (which also got shot to bits by the same Greeks!), a field gun, two irregular infantry units and one regular infantry.

Our first small attempt using the Men Who Would Be Kings rules. 

A unit of Greek Klephts ( Brigands- irregulars) holding the ruined house. ( Wargames Foundry figures- Greeks from their Russian Crimean War range)

Ottoman irregulars ( Steve Barber models) , taking casualties and moving towards the Greek stronghold.

Ottoman artillery blasting at the Greek village in support of the irregulars. I rolled some spectacular dice in the first two turns- lots of '6s'!....and missed every turn after.

To the south of the village- Greek irregulars move through the woods- Greek Regulars in support- the remains of the Greek regular cavalry in the distance- casualties of a melee with the Ottoman cavalry. It was at this point I thought I might win the game!

Greeks in the ruins

Ottoman regulars ( Steve Barber Models) : Infantry to the left- and a very depleted cavalry unit - it had trounced the Greek regular cavalry but which had taken volleys from the Greek infantry regulars.

Greek irregulars amongst the trees.

Greek irregulars were usually given two different names; Klephts, or bandits, who proliferated throughout the countryside. Or Armatoloi, who were Greeks employed by the Ottoman authorities to keep the peace...so in other words they were klephts who had been employed by the Ottomans (as armatoloi) to stop the others............and who changed sides regularly!! They fought each other almost as often as they fought the Turks. It wasn't until leaders like Theodore Kolokotronis reformed the ad hoc recruitment and imposed some discipline on them that they were able to create solid opposition to the Turks. Kolokotronis' reforms enabled him to win the first major Greek victory at Valtetsi in May of 1821.( just a bit of a history lesson!)

Ross' Greek regular troops- Steve Barber again!.  In the first couple of years of the war, Greek Regulars wore uniforms identical to French light infantry. By 1824 they were wearing a very Bavarian looking uniform like those above. By 1828 they had switched back to the French model as the helmet was not very popular.

Ottoman irregulars

The village- -Ottoman cavalry to the right riding around to get behind the Greek regulars at the top of the picture and the irregulars in the trees.

Greek Regulars forming into close order to volley fire against the Ottoman irregular cavalry.

Ottoman irregulars- a mixture of Foundry and Warfare Miniatures.

Greek irregulars ( Steve Barber Models) taking pot shots against the Ottoman regulars

Only a small game that was just designed to get the lead onto the table- it lasted an hour and the Greeks took the victory- a trial run !