Now that I have the Jaeger finished it is time to complete the Grenadier Battalions. Fortunately I have the eight battalions of the Second Division completed as part of the first army I ever painted back in the hmmmmm……….70’s. They are only a basic paint job compared to what is expected today, but they were unique at the time because I had the audacity to paint them with a dirty brown dry brush rather than the pristine white everyone expected. They are still in gloss finish, and I will continue that tradition.

The trick is to try and match these as best I can when painting the new ones. I think if I just close my eyes and wave the brush around it should work a treat!

As they were my first army I still love them and will not repaint them. Anyway here is the First Grenadier Brigade (Murray) of the Second Grenadier Division:

Ignaz Graf von Murray was an Austrian officer known for his military service under notable field marshals. He was wounded at the siege of Belgrade during the Austro-Turkish War and received the Knight’s Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa for his bravery.

After his military service, von Murray held significant staff and command roles, including aide-de-camp to the Emperor in 1789. He was Chief of the Quartermaster General Staff for various armies and was promoted to Generalmajor in 1794, though he faced challenges due to the complexity of his strategic plans.

Von Murray held key command roles in various conflicts, leading forces in battles like Cività Castellana and Günzburg. He also served as Director-General of River-Navigation from 1773 to 1801 and was promoted to Feldmarschalleutnant in 1801, remaining an important figure in the Austrian military during the Napoleonic Wars.

In 1809, the Austrian army’s grenadier battalions were an elite, semi-permanent force. They were organized into brigades and divisions, forming the “Grenadier Corps” or II Reserve Corps. Here’s a breakdown of the 1st Grenadier Brigade and its place within the 2nd Division:

​The 1st Grenadier Brigade under Murray consisted of the following grenadier battalions, which were named after their commanders:

• ​Leiningen Grenadier Battalion
• ​Portner Grenadier Battalion
• ​Georgy Grenadier Battalion
• ​Wieniawsky Grenadier Battalion

Georgy Grenadier Battalion

The Georgy Grenadier Battalion was a temporary unit of the Austrian Imperial-Royal Army formed for the 1809 campaign against Napoleon. It consisted of elite grenadier companies from different regiments and was one of 21 such battalions created for the conflict, organized by the soldiers’ recruitment origins. Named after its commander, Major Georgy, it was likely a “German” battalion.

This elite battalion significantly contributed to the 1809 campaign, especially at the Battle of Abensberg and the Battle of Wagram, where they were recognized for their bravery and tactical discipline. While specific actions of the Georgy battalion are unclear, its involvement in these key battles highlights its importance to the Austrian war effort.

Leningen Grenadier Battalion

The Leiningen Grenadier Battalion was an elite, temporary unit in the Austrian army’s Grenadier Corps during the 1809 War of the Fifth Coalition, formed from grenadier companies of various infantry regiments and named after its commander, Oberstlieutenant Leiningen. It consisted of soldiers mostly from Bohemia, classified as a “German” unit, distinguished by their white trousers.

The Leiningen battalion, part of the Grenadier Corps under Prince Johann I Joseph of Liechtenstein, served as a strategic reserve for the Austrian army, engaging in critical battle moments. Their elite status led them to intense fighting, notably at the Battle of Aspern-Essling in May 1809, where their disciplined actions played a key role in delivering Napoleon his first major defeat.

The battalion participated in the Battle of Wagram in July 1809, where the Grenadier Corps was reserves but later tasked with covering the army’s retreat as the Austrian line collapsed. The Leiningen battalion conducted a disciplined withdrawal under French pressure, preventing a complete rout. After the campaign, the battalions were dissolved, and the grenadier companies returned to their original regiments, ending the Leiningen Grenadier Battalion’s short but notable history.

Portner Grenadier Battalion

The Portner Grenadier Battalion was a temporary elite unit of the Austrian army during the 1809 Napoleonic Wars, formed from grenadier companies of various infantry regiments and serving as shock troops, often reserved for critical moments in battle.

The Portner Battalion, named after Major Portner, was comprised of grenadier companies from Infantry Regiments No. 40, No. 44, and No. 46, each maintaining their original uniforms’ distinct facing colors, creating a colorful appearance. These battalions were part of larger brigades and, in 1809, contributed to the Reserve Corps led by the Prince of Liechtenstein, a key component of the Austrian army.

The Portner Grenadier Battalion was an elite unit that saw significant combat in the 1809 campaign, participating in key battles such as Aspern-Essling in May and the decisive Battle of Wagram in July, demonstrating its crucial role against Napoleon’s forces.

Weiniawsky Grenadier Battalion

The Wieniawsky Grenadier Battalion was a temporary unit of the Austrian Imperial-Royal Army formed during the 1809 War of the Fifth Coalition by merging grenadier companies from various infantry regiments. Named after its first commander, Major Wieniawsky, this battalion was part of the army’s Reserve Corps, serving as a shock force. After the Battle of Wagram, command transferred to Major Johann von Frisch, leading to its renaming as the “Frisch Grenadier Battalion.”

The battalion was formed from the grenadier companies of IR Nro. 10 Mittrowsky, IR Nro. 11 Erzherzog Rainer, and IR Nro. 47 Vogelsang, highlighting the strategic importance of cohesive grenadier formations that enabled the Austrian command to concentrate their best troops at critical battlefield points.

The Wieniawsky Grenadier Battalion, part of the Austrian Reserve Corps, played a vital role in the 1809 campaign, notably at the Battle of Aspern-Essling, where they contributed to Napoleon’s first major defeat, and at the Battle of Wagram, fighting bravely against French forces, ultimately establishing their reputation as elite soldiers in the Austrian army during the Napoleonic Wars.

Generalmajor Ignaz Graf von Murray

Second Grenadier Division supply train

Note the supply wagon. The rules we were using, lost in the mists of Guru’s brain, before WRG Napoleonics (remember them) required a supply wagon nearby in case your supply roll meant you ran out of ammunition.

The fictional book by JNP Goopy, The Battle for Brisbane: The Hidden US/Australian Conflict of WWII, is a new entry in historical crime fiction, based on a little-known yet dramatic real event. Released in late 2023, the novel does more than tell the story of the November 1942 riots between Australian and American servicemen. It turns the historical tension—caused by issues like pay differences, competition for women, and resentment towards US military police—into a gripping conspiracy thriller.

​The core premise of the novel centres on the immediate aftermath of the violent, two-night street battle in Brisbane, which left one Australian soldier dead and scores injured. Recognizing that the alliance with the United States is in immediate jeopardy—at a time when the Japanese threat looms large on the Australian frontier—the respective Australian and US commands form a small, diverse investigative team. This group is given a matter of days to address the unrest and prevent the full-blown collapse of the Allied partnership.

JNP Goopy’s story creates suspense and intrigue around historical events, showing that the riots were not just random outbursts but signs of a deeper issue. Investigators must quickly unravel a complex plot of deceit, drugs, and fanaticism threatening the Allied military. Early community reviews highlight the book’s fast pacing and its effective portrayal of an important part of Australian history. The authentic Australian language adds realism to the fictional military investigation. Readers interested in World War II, military thrillers, and Queensland history will be drawn to it.

Goopy includes Opus Dei, a Catholic organization founded in 1928 by St. Josemaría Escrivá. Known for its conservative views and primarily made up of married laypeople, Opus Dei emphasizes that everyday work can connect individuals to God. The organization has been criticized for its secrecy, recruitment methods targeting youth, strict spiritual practices, and physical mortification among its celibate members.

Opus Dei’s involvement in the US Military Police and the plot is completely unfounded. While some individual members of Opus Dei might have been in the US armed forces, there was no official presence of the organization in Australia until 1963.

The riot was censored, and while it was reported, there was no mention of allied forces involved.

Like all good fiction, there are elements of truth in the story. In 1942, illegal alcohol and cocaine were available in Australia, often through underworld figures like Kate Leigh, who ran illegal businesses in cities like Sydney. There is no specific record of a “mix” or “combo,” but both were sold by the same people. Leigh, known as the “Snow Queen,” supplied illegal alcohol and cocaine during the early twentieth century. The papers of the day highlight the “sly grog” problem, but there is no evidence of any involvement of it in the fight.

See:

Cairns post feb18 1942

Bundaberg Daily News 12 March 1942

The Brisbane Courier Mail 5 Sept 1942

The “real” Battle of Brisbane was a two-night riot that occurred in the streets of Brisbane on November 26 and 27, 1942, between United States military personnel and their supposed allies, Australian servicemen and civilians. This event, while not a military battle against an enemy, was a violent clash that exposed deep-seated tensions in the relationship between the two nations during World War II. It remains one of the most serious examples of friction between Allied forces during the conflict.

Many factors contributed to the outbreak of violence. First, there was anger over the difference in living standards and pay; American soldiers earned much more than Australian soldiers and had better access to luxury items like nylon stockings and chocolates, which were hard to find in wartime Australia. The phrase “overpaid, overfed, oversexed, and over here“, attributed to British comedian Tommy Trinder, captured the perceived arrogance of American troops.

Secondly, this economic gap created strong social competition, especially among local women. American soldiers, with greater spending ability and seen as more appealing, attracted more Australian women, causing jealousy among local servicemen. The real cause of the riot, however, stemmed from anger toward the US Military Police (MPs). Australian servicemen viewed the American MPs as too aggressive and unfair in their authority, unlike the more subdued Australian military police. The impact of over 1 million US servicemen in a country with just over 7 million total population cannot be underestimated.

​The “Battle of Brisbane” riot started on the night of November 26, 1942, when a scuffle broke out at an American canteen after Australian soldiers intervened in a US Military Police (MP) action against an American private. This quickly escalated into a mass brawl involving thousands of soldiers, centered on the American Post Exchange. The violence turned deadly when US MP Private Norbert Grant fired a riot gun, and a ricocheting bullet killed Australian Gunner Edward S. Webster and wounded several others. Clashes continued on November 27, with Australian soldiers aggressively hunting American GIs, before order was finally restored by Australian provosts taking an aggressive stance and US Military Police keeping a low profile.

A map of the Battle of Brisbane

​By the time the violence subsided, one Australian soldier was dead, and hundreds of servicemen from both sides were injured. The true extent of the unrest was immediately suppressed by wartime censorship in Australia and effectively ignored in the United States, as neither government wanted to publicize a fight between Allies. Today, the Battle of Brisbane is a key incident in Australian wartime history. It serves as a potent symbol of the social, economic, and cultural stresses placed on the host nation by the overwhelming American presence, challenging the simplified historical narrative of a perfectly harmonious alliance against the threat of Japan.

I can see a wargame scenario here!

The book is a great “yarn” accurately portraying life in war time Australian. Whilst it will never when a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction it is worth picking up.

Rift’s skin shimmers with an unnatural, almost bioluminescent blue-green hue, a striking mark of their meticulously engineered lineage, distinct from the common mutations of Corrupt. While subtly present, the toxic scars that mark others from the city are conspicuously absent on Rift’s unblemished features. Their eyes, a startling violet, possess an unsettling intensity, often seeming to process multiple streams of information simultaneously. I used the plural “their” because inherits the spirits of her ancestors which enable to draw on “their” combined psychic powers.

They wear bespoke, form-fitting combat-weave armor, engineered for maximum flexibility and protection, its dark sheen a stark contrast to the grime of Corrupt, suggesting both wealth and readiness for conflict. A sleek, integrated rebreather system is typically retracted into their collar, ready for deployment. Subtle, highly advanced neuro-synchronizers are flush with their temples, seamlessly integrated beneath the skin, channeling and controlling their powerful psychic emanations with unparalleled precision.

Born not from the desperation of Corrupt’s squalor, but from its hidden, elite enclaves, Rift’s is the product of generations of carefully curated genetic lines and high-level corporate psychic research. Their blue-green skin is a deliberate, rare marker of this privileged origin, signifying potent psychic potential nurtured from birth. Rift’s early life was one of rigorous training, insulated from the toxic reality of the city’s lower levels, yet immersed in the intricate power struggles of its corporate overlords.

Their raw psychic abilities, already formidable, were honed into precision instruments by the best private instructors, not through street-level survival, but through cutting-edge neural augmentation and psychological conditioning. They were not recruited by a unit; they were groomed to lead one, a strategic asset deployed by a powerful faction within Corrupt to maintain order, eliminate threats, and enforce their will. Rift operates with the cold, calculated efficiency of someone who has always been at the top, a potent weapon wielding immense power for their patrons.

Rift is a formidable combat psycher, their innate gifts amplified by unparalleled training and advanced technological integration. Their Precognition (Rift-Sense) allows them to experience fleeting, fragmented glimpses of the immediate future, typically within a window of 1 to 3 seconds.

This isn’t broad strategic insight, but a hyper-tuned battlefield awareness that enables them to anticipate an opponent’s next move, the trajectory of a projectile, or the precise moment a circuit will overload. This near-instantaneous foresight allows Rift to react with uncanny speed, predicting and evading attacks that would hit a less attuned individual, making them incredibly difficult to target. The constant influx of these future echoes can be disorienting, often leaving them with a detached, distant gaze, yet they manage it with elite discipline.

As an offensive capability, Rift possesses a Mental Stab (Cerebral Shank), a potent, short-range ability. They can project a focused, agonizing burst of raw psychic force directly into the mind of an organic target within approximately 10 meters. This attack manifests as an excruciating, debilitating spike of pain, often accompanied by disorientation, nausea, and temporary sensory overload.

It’s designed to incapacitate, stun, or disrupt an enemy’s actions, creating critical openings for their unit. Prolonged or frequent use can lead to severe mental fatigue and debilitating migraines, but Rift’s conditioning allows for rapid recovery. Furthermore, they can induce Confusion (Psychic Static). By subtly manipulating the neural pathways of a single organic target within close proximity (up to 15 meters), Rift can cause temporary confusion, vertigo, or even a localized, fleeting hallucination.

This isn’t outright mind control, but rather a psychic “static” that disrupts their target’s awareness and decision-making. Enemies affected by Psychic Static might hesitate, misidentify allies for foes, fumble equipment, or lose their bearings entirely, allowing Rift and their team to bypass or neutralize threats efficiently.

Their primary defensive ability is Blur (Elusive Anomaly), both passive and active. Rooted in their precognition, Rift’s movements are inherently unpredictable. They subtly shift and flow an instant before a threat materializes, making their silhouette difficult for both optical targeting systems and organic eyes to lock onto. When actively focusing their psychic energy, they can further augment this, subtly bending ambient light and creating fleeting perceptual distortions around themselves. For an opponent, Rift appears to “blur” or “flicker” out of precise focus, making them notoriously hard to acquire as a target in a firefight. This effect, while powerful, consumes a significant amount of their mental energy and cannot be sustained indefinitely.

In terms of personal attributes, Rift is exceptionally Resilient. Having been bred and conditioned for peak performance, they possess an extraordinary capacity to endure both physical and psychic hardship. They can push past pain and exhaustion, their blue-green skin a living testament to their innate toughness and superior genetic makeup. They operate with an almost unsettling Confident self-assurance. Their precognitive abilities and the sheer destructive power of their psychic attacks have forged an unwavering belief in their own capabilities, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

This isn’t arrogance, but a cold, hard certainty born from elite training and consistent success. Finally, Rift is utterly Merciless. When engaged in a mission, they show no quarter. Their upbringing in a cutthroat corporate environment, combined with the rigorous conditioning of their unit, has stripped away any lingering sentimentality. They prioritize mission success and the elimination of threats with chilling efficiency, viewing targets as obstacles to be neutralized, swiftly and without hesitation, for the greater good of their patrons.

Often disguised in this blog as “Roberto” I have painted another figure in his honour

The Saga of the Wargamer Rob

Poor Rob, no longer all bright eyed,
At the tabletop, he’d often preside.
His die rolls were vile,
He’d just terribly rile
The foes he was trying to snide.

His armies, all painted with care,
He’d deploy with a haphazard glare.
“A flank attack!” he’d yell,
Then his forces all fell,
Leaving his heroes quite unaware.

He’d forget all the rules of the fight,
Misread every movement in sight.
“Those tanks move too slow!”
His opponent would show
The chapter he’d studied all night.

His opponent, a slim, guru like chap,
Would spring every well-thought-out trap.
Rob would moan and he’d sigh,
As his regiments did die,
Then reach for a chip or a snap.

So he’d lose every battle, alas,
With less skill than a worm on the grass.
But Rob didn’t mind,
Left the war far behind,
And enjoyed the cold beer in his glass.

Hi all just a quick note to let you know that the second in a series of wargaming rule books is out now on Amazon

Written in “pirate speak” this is a fast play set of rules for up to a dozen pirates a side. The winner is the one at the end of the game with the most chocolate doubloons!

Scurvy Dogs ain’t yer grandpappy’s ponderous ruleset, no sir! Forget the dusty tomes and endless charts. This is a treasure map to swashbucklin’ action, built for small gangs of up to a dozen of yer most scurvy, cutthroat pirates.

Whether ye be fightin’ a rival captain for dominion over the high seas or teamin’ up against a landlubber invasion, these rules be quick as a sea shanty and sharp as a cutlass! Dive into fast-paced skirmishes where every decision matters, from outflanking your foes to seizing vital strongholds. “Scurvy Dogs” strips away the unnecessary, leaving only pure, unadulterated pirate combat designed for quick setup and thrilling, dynamic gameplay. Grab your crew, roll the dice, and let the cannons roar – adventure awaits!

May ye timbers be never shivered!

Hellfire Heroes is another Guru Pig rule set in the midst of play testing.

Thus time we using British army 2009 versus Tier 3 Insurgents.

Scenario: Checkpoint:

Narrative: Your squad has been tasked with establishing a new checkpoint along a known insurgent supply route. Your goal is to secure the area, show a presence, and deter enemy activity. The insurgents, however, have no intention of letting you disrupt their operations and will attempt a quick ambush to drive you off the road.

• Modern Force Objective: Secure the checkpoint. The game ends in a Modern Force victory if they have at least one figure within 2 inches of the center of the checkpoint marker and have no enemy figures within the same radius for two consecutive turns.
• Insurgent Objective: Disruption. The insurgents win if they have caused at least two casualties to the modern force and successfully withdraw at least one of their teams off the board.
• Forces:
  • Modern Force: One Section, consisting of two Fire Teams. All teams are Regular quality.
  • Insurgents: Three Fire Teams. All teams are Irregular quality.
• Battlefield Setup: A 3’x3′ board with a dirt road running through the center. The road has a checkpoint marker in the middle. The rest of the board is open desert with scattered rocks and dunes providing light cover.
• Deployment: The Modern Force deploys within 6 inches of a board edge. The Insurgents may deploy their teams anywhere on the board outside of 12 inches of the Modern Force’s deployment zone.
• Special Rules: Standard ROE and Collateral Damage rules are in effect.

British Squad 1 manning the checkpoint.

Second British squad on over watch on a hill behind the checkpoint.

Insurgent Squad attempting outflanking maneuver.

Insurgent Squad ready to provide fire support.

Insurgent MMG support squad receives two suppression points from shooting.

More firing and additional suppression tokens effectively eliminates the squad,

The British at the checkpoint receive a casualty seriously jeopardizing the mission

The rules required a few more tweeks but the core mechanisms are working well.

The Veteran Hunter is a highly valued and elite soldier option within The Silver Bayonet: A Wargame of Napoleonic Gothic Horror, a skirmish game that blends Napoleonic warfare with supernatural threats. This soldier type is explicitly defined by their extensive experience battling the creatures of the night, making them much more than just a regular line infantryman.

Their substantial recruitment cost of 30 points reflects their superior training and survival instincts, placing them among the most costly non-Officer figures a player can field, alongside unique national figures like the Russian Werebear. This high cost is justified by their reliably strong combat stats and their exceptional flexibility in a monster-heavy environment.

A core advantage of the Veteran Hunter lies in their excellent combat values, typically boasting a +2 to both their Melee and Accuracy rolls. This means they are equally dangerous whether firing a precision shot with a rifle or engaging a brute monster with a sabre and bayonet.

Furthermore, their Defence of 14 and Health of 12 give them respectable staying power, allowing them to absorb more punishment than lesser soldiers before becoming fatigued or falling. Crucially, the Veteran Hunter comes with the ability to choose an additional Officer Attribute, a rule-breaking allowance that players almost universally use to boost their access to specialized equipment, a necessity for confronting supernatural enemies with specific weaknesses.

The expanded access to the Special Armoury is the Veteran Hunter’s defining trait. While most common soldiers are severely limited in the esoteric gear they can carry, a Veteran Hunter can load up on essentials like Holy Symbols, Silvered Weapons, or Cold Iron shot. This means a single Veteran Hunter can be geared up to counter multiple monster types—a vital tactical consideration when facing a mix of undead, were-creatures, and demons.

They act as the unit’s specialized arsenal, ensuring that when the officer’s unit discovers that an enemy is immune to conventional lead or steel, the Veteran Hunter is the one who can step forward and deliver the one attack that truly counts. As such, they are often the most crucial figure to keep alive in campaign play, as their continued survival means greater flexibility against the escalating supernatural horrors.

The Highlander is a pivotal troop type specifically available to the British forces in The Silver Bayonet: A Wargame of Napoleonic Gothic Horror. Set during the chaos of the Napoleonic Wars, the game features elite, clandestine units from various nations—the Silver Bayonets—tasked with hunting down the vampires, werewolves, and other monstrous entities that the bloodshed has awakened.

The Highlander represents a soldier drawn from one of the famed Scottish regiments, such as the 42nd (Black Watch), bringing a unique and essential skillset that balances the unit’s need for both disciplined soldiery and raw, fearless combat ability in the face of the supernatural.

The primary battlefield role of the Highlander is that of a tough, courageous melee specialist. Unlike standard line infantry, they possess a naturally higher Courage attribute, making them significantly more reliable when facing the terror and madness inflicted by the various creatures and occult forces encountered during investigations.

This bravery is crucial in a game where a failed check can see a soldier flee or freeze in fear. Furthermore, they are typically excellent in a brawl, excelling in close-quarters fighting where their strength and traditional weapons shine. A Highlander is often armed not only with a musket, but also a formidable weapon like a heavy claymore or a Lochaber axe, making them the ideal choice for anchoring a battle line or charging headlong to dispatch a monster that has closed the distance.

On the tabletop, the identity of the Highlander is immediately recognizable through the distinctive uniform of the Highland regiments, most notably the kilt. Players constructing their Silver Bayonet units often customize these models—sourced from historical ranges like Victrix or Perry Miniatures—to represent their unique battlefield experience.

This customization can include painting specific regimental tartans or adding accoutrements such as bags of salt or cold-iron shot, reflecting the anti-supernatural gear their character has acquired. While other nations may field champions or berserkers, the Highlander provides the British unit with a disciplined, yet ferocious, man-for-man fighter who serves as the sturdy backbone for any monster-hunting expedition.

Tomorrow a Veteran Hunter

In the gothic-horror skirmish game The Silver Bayonet, the Doctor is a vital support specialist who enhances a squad’s survival and strategy. Although not a front-line fighter, their ability to heal wounded teammates is crucial, as permanent injuries can be devastating.

By keeping experienced soldiers in play, the Doctor helps maintain the unit’s strength during the campaign against supernatural threats from the Napoleonic Wars.Beyond healing in battle, the Doctor’s abilities enrich the game’s story. He can defend himself with a pistol and handgun if needed, but it’s best to avoid combat.

The thematic background of the Doctor can also vary, adding a personal touch to each player’s unit. A Doctor might be a hardened military surgeon, grizzled by the horrors of both conventional warfare and the terrifying supernatural entities that stalk the battlefield. Their equipment, typically a silver scalpel and a pistol, reflects their specialized, defensive role, ensuring they can protect themselves while focusing on their primary duty: keeping the squad alive.

Choosing to include a Doctor requires a strategic trade-off, balancing raw firepower with invaluable resilience, making the Doctor a consistently tactical and worthwhile choice for any Silver Bayonet force.

I like to include a doctor and the leader with Medic attribute sitting behind the main body of troops healing as required.

More Silver Bayonet characters over the next few days.

This arrived a couple of days ago.

The Konflict 47 rules and some add-ons i purchased.

Some Axis and “rift” dice

Axis dice bag

The Axis figure which came with the rulebook

Hauphtmann Heinrich Gross and his team (special figure)

A couple of blister packs are being sent separately for some reason.

Not sure if this one will be a winner for me or not. At first glance I still prefer “Secrets of the Third Reich, but only a play through will tell.