The Battle of Dirschau 1627....(1) Information and Setting Up...

The battle of Dirschau was fought during the Polish-Swedish war of 1626-29 (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dirschau). I'd wanted to play a game based on this battle for a while; I noted down the basic particulars and found some maps in 2022 ready to tighten up the scenario definition. However as I got stuck into my Samurai project this battle game went on the back-burner. In 2023 I noticed the Via Regia blog was doing a game for Salute, so I followed the relevant posts with interest.

Finally I've taken my post-it off the reminder board (side of the filing cabinet next to my modelling desk) and decided to fight the battle with my 40mm collection. A chance to get my Polish army into action again.  I've drawn information form the Via Regia blog, including a scenario map; relevant posts below...

• https://theviaregia.blogspot.com/p/the-battle-of-dirschau-tczew-1627.html
• https://theviaregia.blogspot.com/2023/04/dirschau-tczew-1627-battlefield.html
• https://theviaregia.blogspot.com/2023/05/dirschau-tczew-1627-at-salute-50-game.html

For the purposes of the game, I've used some of my TYW'ish horse and foot regiments to stand-in for the Swedish. Initial setup pictures of the battle Polish on the left, Swedish on the right... the whole table....

The Polish end of the table ...

the Swedish end of the table....

I may make a few tweaks to the setup before battle commences ....

Cossacks ... first metal...

 Moulds made last weekend and some trial castings done yesterday..

I've had to add a few more air vents to the moulds, so far the figures are coming out reasonably well. I have a defect in one mould - air bubble from pouring provides and extra lump on the front of one figure - it may be possible to fill the hole with some mould compound.

Cossacks ... pouring reservoirs...

 Master sculpts tidied up and pouring reservoirs fitted....

ready to started mould making; need to order some more mould making compund.

Cossack War Wagon (WIP)....

I've been building a cossack war wagon for 40mm figures; made from lego wagon wheels, cardboard, bamboo skewers and a cocktail stick.

This a prototype for a number of wagons to support a cossack army.

Cossacks ...sculpting

 I've been working on sculpting some 40mm cossacks, to home-cast a cossack army and/or some registered cossacks to fight with my Polish army.   I've reworked the generic rider and musketeer I did in 2020 and I've added a ten more ...

Two options for riders (which I can vary with different weapons and modify with green stuff as needed)...

Officer (?), three variants to hold half-pikes (or standards) and six musketeer variants

Next step will be to make some moulds...

The Courier ... deliver the dispatch ...

At the Palace, Captain Schmidt, handed the despatch to Mlle Lisette Givenchy (who tucked it away in her cloak). The Captain said - "Get it to the main commandery as quickly as you can"

Meanwhile, M'lady de Vintner had found out by some means that the despatch was being couriered to the commandery. She instructed her best man Rutger Roquefort and one of his cronies to arrange for the message to be intercepted (Roquefort would get his associate the Hook and his men to do his dirty work)

---oXo---

Mlle Givenchy changed for some suitable street clothes and set off, along with her trusted friend Otto Bahn ...they were soon in the city...

and headed towards the bridge into the quarter where the commandery was located.....

Suddenly blocking their way was tall and wide man... 

Swords drawn and Givenchy moved up cautiously to persuade him to stand aside ....

A couple of swishes of the blade and he staggered backwards off the bridge with two rather nasty wounds ...

after they'd crossed the bridge Givenchy and Bahn were attacked by three more men....

Two were downed and one fell back down the street....

Givenchy and Bahn chased him and after a brief encounter he too was down clutching a nasty wound..

By the time they reached the edge of the small market square, it looked like they were OK; waiting for them as arranged was their friend Johannes von Tiddenheim.... 

"Had a bit of trouble eh ?" said von Tiddenheim 

"Just a little" said Givenchy. 

Bahn said "Not far to go, it should be easy to get to the commandery now....."

As they turned to move on, they were confronted the Hook and his men (some in front of them and two behind them..)

"Time to Dance" exclaimed von Tiddenheim and soon they were embroiled in some furious swordplay ...

They easily repulsed the first attack (but von Tiddenheim was wounded)...

They tried to work their way round the egde of the market square towards the commandery..

Soon they were crossing swords again ....

They'd managed to hold them off and had edged backwards slowly towards their goal ...

After pushing the opposition away, they moved back again slowly....

in came the Hook and his men again .....

Both sides stepped back to catch their breath ....

As Givenchy ran to the commandery nearby...the Hook made an attempt to get through after her 

The Hook failed; the Hook and his crew slowly fell back, all of them wounded in some way; von Tiddenheim and Bahn watched them leave.. 

Givenchy reached the commandery ... and hands over the dispatch ...

... Mission Successful ...

Tatar Segban ...

 To make my Tatar Segban I  used up a variety of my own castings and made a few modifications - mostly the head-gear; in addition I made up a mould for a standing horse, casting some to go with the horse holders.

All painted and ready for action...