Updated! Project: Great Northern War in 28mm

Update January 2020

I recently ran a demo game with Osprey's Rebels & Patriots rule set for properly dressed gentlemen!

Pictures from my blog were used in the latest issue (387) of Wargames Illustrated:

Update Fall 2018

* Miniature vendor links upgraded
* See a blogpost on Project Stäket here - demogame we ran in Salute (it was covered in October 2018 issue of Wargames Illustrated too)


Update Fall 2017


Spring 2017 was quiet as we jumped 100 years forward and started playing "The Finish War 1808-1809" also known as the Russo-Swedish War 1808-1809.

In the summer the campaign picked up again as I run a Napue demo game in Ropecon. After the summer we were given a demo on the game system Maurice (by Sam Mustafa) and we played the battle of Lesnaya . I had painted several baggage train elements for this.

Next game (another go on Lesnaya) is scheduled for 6th of November 2017.


Update 10.11.2016

We had a great visit to Stockholm and played noth GNW and Russi-Swedish waqr 1808-1809 games.

See posts on them:

http://25yearsofminis.blogspot.fi/2016/09/visiting-stockholms-historical.html

http://25yearsofminis.blogspot.fi/2016/10/day-2-visiting-little-wars-in-stockholm.html


Next up in our campaign is the battle of Klissow

Update 15.9.2016

A few more games were played before summer holidays:

http://25yearsofminis.blogspot.fi/2016/06/gnw-battle-of-narva-1700-black-powder.html  

http://25yearsofminis.blogspot.fi/2016/05/gnw-black-powder-demo-porocon.html

Next thing we're going to do is to visit fellow GNW & gaming enthusiast in Stockholm: http://littlewarsstockholm.blogspot.fi/


Update  26.4.

There has been so much activity on this project, that I haven't had the time to update this page. Instead, there has been many blogposts on the matter:

http://25yearsofminis.blogspot.fi/2016/04/gnw-camping-out.html

http://25yearsofminis.blogspot.fi/2016/04/gnw-double-trouble-in-humblebek.html

http://25yearsofminis.blogspot.fi/2016/04/gnw-campaign-kick-off.html

Games will continue next week.

In the meanwhile here are some pictures on ongoing modeling and miniature painting work:

Update 21.2.2016 Pikemen (Ebor Miniatures: http://www.eborminiatures.com/products-page/gnw-swedish-army/ )

Update 27.1.

Recruiting of players have been quate successful and first play test will be next week (Friday 5th of Feb.). For that I have toiled on with painting - Russians coming up as well. Tonight however I have worked on army lists for Swedes and Russians. I must say I'm quite please with the result and the flavor the lists have.

Contact me / comment this page if you're interested to learn more.


Update 19.1. Campaign plans proceeding

I'm currently recruiting players for the GNW-Campaign. I've modified content I've received from my Swedish contacts - Tack ska ni ha Miniature Mayhem & Black Powder Games!

Update 18.1.2016

Charles XII / Carl XII & Kaarle XII himself

MORE SWEDISH TROOPS FINALIZED

3.12. Edit more pictures added

See them from my One Drive;

These minis are from Ebor's Kickstarter last year and should soon be available in their webstore.

Update 22.12.2015

I'm currently working on adaptation of rules and activation cards for M&T for Great Northern War. Let's call it "Muskets & Pikes".

Here's an example of the cards I'm working on:

Here are the rules adaptations etc., that I've so far planned:


Swedes

* 40% of the regular infantry unit must be pikemen (no shooting weapons)
* Swedish Grenadiers have the "gå på" - special rule, equals to Savages -rule, with out the "Must charge".
* Army list WIP

Russians

* 20% of the regular infantry unit must be pikemen (no shooting weapons)
* Russian regular cavalry test reactions as Militia in the early war games
* Army list WIP

Activation cards

Sweden: Grenadiers / Guard / Normal infantry (2 actions), Cavalry, Jaegers  = Irregulars (1 action),
Garrison / Fresh recruits = Militia
Sweden special: Gå På = all units get one movement activation (must move)

Russia: Grenadiers / Guard / Normal infantry (2 actions), Cavalry, Jaegers  = Irregulars (1 action),
Garrison / Fresh recruits = Militia, Cossacks = Cossacks(1 action),
Fresh recruits / Militia / Garrison /  = Militia (1 action)
Russia special: Volley! All units get a reaload / fire action. Must fire if able.

Special rules

Pikes +1 A in the first round of melee per pike model (represents pikes striking early and then fighting on)

Special Characters:

Charles XII 50 points
* 2 wounds, eg. dies from the second killing hit
* Elan! All units get +2 on reactions within 10" of Charles XII. If he dies, all Swedish units within 10"
must test reaction, if passed, get one immediate free action, must charge if able
* Warrior
* Good star
* Inspiration

Peter the Great 50 points
* 2 wounds, eg. dies from the second killing hit
* Visionary
* Good star
* Authoritarian
* Drill

Update 18.12.2015

I got back to this project, since the big Mare Nostrum campaign is over and there nothing "dead lined" to paint. I also got in touch with Nick from Ebor Miniatures and am painting some minis to take pictures for him.

Few pictures on my progress:

Ebor miniatures

 Cavalry and officers by Warfare Miniatures. Horses by WLG (Pike & Shotte plastic cav.)

 Leibsgaard by by Warfare Miniatures

 Cavalry by Wargames Factory (only horse from them on the left)

Charles XII himself by Ebor



One of my favorite projects currently is to build the Swedish (Finnish) army for it and then play with friends at our gaming club (www.nopat.fi)

I started this project already more than a year a go. My inspiration was started by a Russian made movie about the Battle of Poltava in 1709, see a sample here.

Also a great inspirator was a visit to the Swedish War Museum in Stockholm in spring 2014. See pictures here

I started by joining in on a kickstarter project by Ebor Miniatures (check i out here) and then modelling / converting and painting few first miniatures by Foundry, Wargames Factory and Warlord Games:

Russian Dragoon is a conversion of a WLG's Pike & Shotte -cavalryman, with a tricorne hat from Wargame Factory's Horse & Musket -range. Swedish Dragoon is from the same range. The standing Russian officer is from Foundry's 7 years war range.

Key to painting is off course getting a reference for historical matching. Swedish regiments were not all in just blue and yellow combination, even if it's probably the most striking one. Best reference so far for different regiments is here. Also important, I think, is that the unit has the correct regimental flag, excellent source for these is Warfare Miniatures. They also have a growing range of miniatures. I have their cavalry figs, yet to be painted.

The project kicked forward, when the kickstarter stuff from Ebor finally (just some 5 months late from the estimated delivery) arrived in early December 2014, hurray! A nice bunch of minis that was:

Here are the first Swedes painted:

Which rule sets could be used?

The obvious choice is Black Powder; it has army lists and even special rules for Charles XII and Peter The Great... But since my collection of painted miniatures is still quite far from what is needed, I'm planning to start playing with Muskets & Tomahawk -ruleset. This was further encouraged since I found Kaspar's blog on 1812 - retreat from Moscow, where he uses adapted rules for napoleonic war gaming. (22.12.2015 edit) I'm currently working on adaptation of rules and activation cards for M&T for Great Northern War.

Third interesting set of rules is "Gå På" made by a Swede Thomas Arnfelt. Thomas runs a blog here and the ruleset can be bought from www.lulu.com here.

I also bought Lace Wars rule set since it had a supplement with OOB and scenarios for several battles of GNW.

But as said I haven't played any games on GNW just yet...! So any comments on these rule set would be most welcome!

Sources - miniatures

Plastic: Wargames Factory's miniatures now sold by Warlord Games: War of the Spanish succession series

Russians in Resin: Kordegardia

Metals:

Ebor Miniatures has a great range

Wee WOlf Miniatures (former Musketeer Miniatures / Footsore MIniatures range):

League of Augsburg / Warfare Miniatures

Makers of Donny Brook are currently active on  GNW. Excellent Swedish troops and flags! (Russians coming)

http://www.leagueofaugsburg.com/gallery/view-347-376-2161.html

http://www.leagueofaugsburg.com/shop/product-518.html

http://www.leagueofaugsburg.com/shop/product-527.html

Saxons: http://leagueofaugsburg.blogspot.fi/2013/11/one-mans-story-building-saxon-army-for.html

http://russianjames.weebly.com/great-northern-war.html

Other figure sources with some old stuff (not really recommendable):Foundry, Old Glory and Reiver Castings

http://www.underbed.co.uk/

In 15mm

https://www.bluemoonmanufacturing.com/index.php
http://www.cpmodelsminiatures.co.uk/15mm%20Great%20Northern%20War.htm

In 6mm

https://www.baccus6mm.com/catalogue/Early18thCentury/GreatNorthernWarSwedes/

Sources - gaming and history 

Modifications for Black Powder rules

* Use "Last Argument of the Kings" -supplement or this

• http://www.conflicts.rem33.com/images/The%20Baltic%20States/nordkrieg.htm
• http://greatnorthernwar.blogspot.fi/
• http://leagueofaugsburg.blogspot.fi/search?q=Great+Northern+War&search-button=
• http://defence.pk/threads/battle-report-14-poltava-campaign-1709.304036/
• http://www.conflicts.rem33.com/images/The%20Baltic%20States/nordkrieg.htm
• http://www.tacitus.nu/gnw/
• http://snv-ttm.blogspot.fi/2011/03/russians-repulse-swedes-at-holowczyn_2271.html

• http://dalauppror.blogspot.fi/2015/05/battle-at-holowczyn-1708.html
• http://the-miniature-mayhem.blogspot.se/2015/05/the-great-northen-war-project-new-units.html 
• http://www.thehistoricalgamecompany.com/ 
• http://blackpowdergames.blogspot.fi/2015/06/russian-dragoons-and-great-northern-war.html
• Flags: http://www.khanage.net.nz/page8.php

Future topics to be covered

* More painted Swedes
* More painted Russians
* Finding an opponent(s) to play Russia / Poland / Denmark