A Great Blog

21st April, London, ExCel

2012-04-29T17:38:00.004+01:00

Salute 2012

Salute seems finally to have grown into its relatively new home at ExCel in London's redeveloped Royal Docks. Yes, the venue is huge, so the acoustics are not great, and flash photography can be tricky ... But it pays to walk every aisle, and stop periodically to take another look around (there is often something you have missed - sometimes the very small games are excellent and the very big ones just very big) ...

The Society's contribution was a participation game of the First Battle of Chaeronea ...

(The Society of Ancients at Salute 2012: the 'lost battle' of Chaeronea, 338BC)

... the Macedonian defeat of the Greek Coalition, reconstructed by Philip Sabin's team of Eric Cruttenden and Alan Waller, and run by Phil using his Lost Battles system. It was, of course, Alexander's first appearance on the world stage, leading the noble cavalry in his father's army.

We know quite a lot about this battle - but by no means everything ... so it is an ideal battle to set up historically and explore the what ifs.

(click on the pictures for a bigger view)

(Chaeronea: detail: the Macedonian phalanx)

(Chaeronea: detail: Alexander leads the charging Companions)

The battle ran through quite smoothly, and as is usual with Lost Battles, was able to be played several times during the day. Alexander rode to glory at the head of the Companion cavalry but the Theban Sacred Band proved very tough opponents and drove their way across the table. And by no means a one-sided encounter if you take account of the handicap the Macedonians enjoy as the more powerful of the armies.

This year was a good year for ancients enthusiasts with a wide range of games across both the more popular scales. I can well remember some years back at Olympia when the SoA game was the only pukka ancients game in the building. Not so today.

How about this as a little trip round ...

Hail Caesar, HOTT, Field of Glory, Warlord, War & Conquest, as well as Lost Battles: there's diversity as well as quantity, these days.

(Hail Caesar - Uxbridge Gamers, Border Incursion)

(Border Incursion: detail)

Some nice 'massed' 28mm, and quite an effective use of 'cloth + scatter' type terrain.

(Field of Glory: Agincourt)

I was very pleased to see Donnington/Ancient and Modern's 100 Years War FoG game: this is a very popular, almost ubiquitous, tournament game - but rarely does it get demonstrated and profiled at shows. For good or ill, games should always meet the wider audience.

(Deus Vult - Fireforge Games)

(W.A.R. Warlord: Battle for Homs 1620BC)

(Lance & Longbow Society: Grandson)

Another splendid Lance & Longbow Society game (remember Verneuil?) - with an emphasis on the figures rather than the simple layout.

There were also a number of Japanese games at Salute this year ...

I really liked the townscape in the Oshiro offering

(Medieval Japan: Oshiro's Battle of Komagane)

Although there are some oddities in the cast, South East Essex's HOTT Kingdoms in the Dust is basically an ancients game, and I have seen it giving a lot of pleasure across a number of southern shows. I hope they had a good day at Salute.

(SEEMS - Biblical HOTT - Kingdoms in the Dust)

Society member Rob Broom and his Bristol chums were also there with the Peloponessian War battle at Amphipolis (422BC), notable for the mortal wounding of the much-quoted commander Brasidas.

(War & Conquest: Battle of Amphipolis)

A great collection of games.

If there is anything less than positive to say it might be that although there were a number of imaginative and innovative approaches to the wargame on show at Salute, mostly these were in the non-historical genres ... pulp, VSF, that sort of thing

(Salute 2012: a great Variety of Wargames)

Some very clever stuff going on ... and again, a great variety of games and ways to wargame on offer out there. I very much liked 7TV's take on classic adventure TV (the Avengers, Dr Who, that sort of thing ..).. presented with enthusiasm and confidence ...

Aside from the very big Corunna Napoleonics display (much too much to take in, and clearly there to be admired and photographed - an installation more than an exhibit, to borrow terms from the art world), there were some excellent and accessible games in other periods ...

(Black Powder ECW: Pike & Shotte)

The Pike & Shotte game going with the Warlord Games rules had a very clever flashing lights effect in the volleys markers which worked quite well - and they tell me the game has got better too.

And, having clambered around those impossible Confederate positions, I never like to miss picturing Burnside's bridge when Antietam is reconstructed ..

(Evesham Wargames Club: Battle of Antietam)

... this time in a very pleasing arrangement using Kallistra's terrain tiling system and (12mm) figures range.

There were more than 25 modern games excluding VBCW, Sci-Fi and similar non-historical genres, and the best I can do is to direct you to a brief summary I have put on my 20th Century blog (P.B.Eye-Candy)

(Some wonderful 20th Century games at Salute 2012: click for more)

... and there were some other gems.

I really do like the use of aerial/satellite photos as a table/background for aerial games ... here with 'clouds' terrain (I have some ideas about clouds ...) ....

(HMS Aeronautica REX)

And who could not like the wonderful miniature architecture of imaginary Venetian horror/adventure ... I've no idea whether Carnevale is a good game, but it must have been fun building the sets ...

(fantasy Venice: Carnevale streetscape)

A great deal to look at, then, even if like me, shopping is not a big part of your agenda and, being a historical player, a big chunk of the exhibits are of not of interest. Very well done, Warlords.

(fearsome Viking warriors share a biscuit at the end of a long tiring day)

An excellent day out, and a pleasure to meet and greet and chat to people.

Thanks to those of you who called by the Society stand to say hello. Thanks to the Warlords for making us welcome.

(twilight descends over the Royal Victoria Dock)

Next outing for the shows team: Campaign in Milton Keynes - it's in a shopping centre, so you can bring the whole family.

We will have a participation version of the new game 'Call it Qids' and another chance to try DBA V3 with my classic flats collection.

14th - 15th April, Witney

2012-04-19T16:45:00.001+01:00

Society of Ancients Doubles Masters 2012

Again a one-off event, this years Doubles Masters went to the Oxfordshire market town of Witney ... very smart, in these days where the local MP is Prime Minister of the country (it was a little less polished in the early 60's when I was a village boy just down the road).

There are very few vacant units in the prosperous town centre and more antique shops than pound shops ...

As last year, the masters was contested in Field of Glory and DBMM, and some spare space was allocated to an associated FoG-R event. The DBMM was 500 points, themed 500BC to 476AD. The FoG was 900 points themed 450BC to 200BC.

10 FoG teams and 8 DBMM teams played for the Alexander trophy (in addition to which there was a FoG-R event) ... 34 Ancients players (after the host team had to split owing to a 'no show')

(our Parthian/Median 900 point FoG army)

Chris and I had struggled to find a suitable (easy to use and reasonably authentic) army within the highly restrictive period theme - in the end we realised that we could put out a reasonably attractive Parthian army which complied with the time thread.

(DBMM)

(Field of Glory)

We had a very pleasant weekend - although it started fairly slowly with a bye in the first round (despite the organisers' best efforts to get an evened-up entry) . Our second game was against a Warring States Han Chinese army, and on Sunday morning we faced eventual winners Nik and Dave who also had Parthians.

(Parthian heavy metal ... in round 3 we came up against this lot, ably played by Nik and Dave ...)

It isn't unusual for we four to meet up on a Sunday morning - indeed we faced Nik with the same army but a different partner at Burton with out Libyans (we won that one) - but over the years they have had the edge on us ... they often go on to do well in the final placing and we generally achieve an undemonstrative mid-table.

This event was not unusual and after what felt like a fairly even game in which we one or two weaknesses the attrition points escalated in the last couple of turns (our army broke on the last phase of the last turn).

(several teams conspired to ensure this wasn't a 'pikefest')

The final game was no more than a skirmish against a Seleucid which put all its eggs into a flank march that took all game to turn up, meanwhile packed itself in behind a wall of bronze which we could not dent.

The presence of an IC meant our shooting never built into decisive collapses, and our reserve prefered to wait for the flankers rather than impale itself on a wall of undisrupted pikes.

We took no casualties and in so far as there was a result it was decided by a unit of stragglers lost on the march.

(some games were dominated by the infantry however)

David Fairhurst presented the prizes. We had a small membership stand at the event and took some renewals - and, no Committee members being present, I was pleased thanked the organisers on behalf of the Society (as I would have done in former times).

Lawrence Greaves and Oren Taylor won the DBMM, and Dave Handley and Nik Sharp the FoG. With the higher overall score, Greaves and Taylor were made the new
Society of Ancients Doubles Champions.

(DBMM winners Greaves and Taylor - right - alongside FoG winners Sharp and Handley - with the higher overall score, Greaves and Taylor were awarded the Alexander trophy)

There is talk of changes to the formula here - possibly pairing armies in the original Doubles way ... variations to the points or table arrangement etc.

Hopefully, the event will become 'open' again (or at least inclusive, like say Burton or Usk), rather than the recent trend towards highly restrictive periods which may not be of interest to members and enthusiasts.

Still, a lovely venue in a pretty town, good company plus two good games and a stalemate. And the Alexander trophy goes to new winners.

Many thanks to the BHGS and Oxford club for organising and hosting the 2012 Doubles Masters. I'm looking forward to next year - and if you have any great ideas for enhancing and improving the event, please feel free to air them (the forum is open) ...

Full scores and finishing positions can be found on the BHGS website in due course.

The Society of Ancients will be at Salute on saturday 21st April.

See you there, perhaps ..

31st March, Bletchley

2012-04-07T18:50:00.009+01:00

2012 Society of Ancients BattleDay - Plataea 479 BC

This year's BattleDay featured the epic clash between the Persian army of occupation under Mardonius and the Greek alliance forces laed by the Spartan Pausanias.

The day started with a comprehensive introductory guide to the battle and the sources by Philip Sabin and a quick note by myself on the nature of the sacrifices which immediately preceeded the battle.

These will be available to Slingshot readers in due course together with views on the how the battle was fought under the variety of rules enthusiasts contributed to the event.

Here's a quick tour ...(Lost Battles)

(Warmaster Ancients)

(Command & Colours)

(modified AMW)

(Armati II)

(War & Conquest)

(Warlord II)

(DBMM)

(Peltast & Pila)

(DBA)

(Command & Colours)

Lunchtime then accomodated a forum with Duncan Head on matters arising, weapons and equipment etc. ... and more on sources and interpretation.

A second session of wargaming was followed by organiser Richard Lockwood's customary awards and debriefs ...

(President Boss and host Richard Lockwood distribute largesse)

Best game: Command & Colours;
Best Terrain: Warmaster;
Most Hoplites: DBMM;
Plus awards for the notable deeds of commanders and players.

('Most Hoplites' featuring in the DBMM game)

(Award winning Warmaster terrain)

(an unexpected contingent: Eric's Hoplites for the Lost Battles game were half the height he expected them to be!)

(30mm flats: the commanders from my AMW interpretation)

(another interpretation: Rob's diviner from the War & Conquest game)

More on all these games and talks in Slingshot (non-members will find a welcome on the Society of Ancients website) ... and chat on the forums (guests welcome) ...

Keep an eye out for an announcement of next year's battle.

A wonderful and illuminating day out. What wargames events should be.

Well done, Richard.

24th - 25th March, Ascot

2012-04-05T14:56:00.007+01:00

The BHGS Challenge

The BHGS Challenge is an event not often found on my blog - it usually clashes with Salute, and anyway, it is one of those competitions I'd decided to give a miss.

It is singles ... it doesn't offer lighter games like Armati, Impetus or DBA ... it has the nightmare 3 back-to-back games on the Saturday ... it is a touch rough and ready ... and the catering is not what it could be.

Still, never say never - and some of the locals were all for going.

As a spur to tidying up the last of the groundwork (all the bases now have their flowers and shrubs ...) I rejigged the good looking if underpowered Italian Condotta.

(Hawkwood's Florentines arrayed before the earlier English)

And splendid they looked.

And I got 5 very pleasant games - and despite being an open competition, the c.1400 AD Florentines drew a pretty reasonable series of opponents - 3 virtually contemporary, the other 2 western medieval at least.

(packed in, shoulder-to-shoulder, to fend off the wily Ottomans)

Florence is a city of fashion and culture - and the name means city of flowers.

After the Peace of Bretigny in 1360, the English Captain, Sir John Hawkwood (Giovanni L'Acuto) plied his trade in Italy, ending his career as Captain General of the city of Florence. The football team is known as the vilolets.

Hawkwood is celebrated in mural tomb by Paolo Uccello in Florence Cathederal, an icon of the Italian Renaissance.

(a collage of pictures from the Italians' weekend at the BHGS Challenge)

And, aside from the last game (in which I got 'Sunday afternoon-ish' against a small but tough Free Company), the army performed well enough - pushing, even, towards ultimate victory.

Plantagenet English, Ottoman Turk, Later Sicilian, Santa Hermandad Nuevo Castilian and Free Company. Not a bad mix. A couple of 'tigers', a couple of my favourites and an oddball.

(Chinese, Britons, Middle Plantagenets and Ghaznevids against more Chinese)

The biggest event was, as ever, the 15mm Field of Glory (Ancient and Medieval) ... FoG-AM.* I was very impressed by the variety of armies ... Ancient British and Waring States Chinese in there - mixed up with the Dominates, Turks and Hungarians.

There was also Flames of War, DBMM, FoG-R and FoG-AM 25mm.

In the end, I still don't really like the formula. FoG 800 point games take too long - as a rarity, even all 5 (yes, all 5) of my games were drawn.

Appropriate, you might think, for Hawkwood's mercenaries at work you might think ... but I like to finish my games off within the time limit, and then chat and put away over a leisurely drink.

(DBMM)

Doubles and bigger armies seems to cure a lot of the problem - and I'm happy enough with two long games per day. Or three shorter ones (like Armati, say) ...

(FoG-AM 25mm)

The top places were ...

FOG: AM 15mm ... 1. Graham Evans 94 points; 2. Ian Stewart 81 points; 3. Dave Handley 76 points;

FOG: AM 25mm ... 1. Richard Collins 95 points; 2. Richard Jeffrey-Cook 83 points; 3. Simon Elliot 79 points;

DBMM ... 1. Greg Mann 91 points; 2. Mike Bennett 89 points; 3. Jer Morgan 84 points;

Top Junior ... Byron Emsen 71 points

(RJ-C presents Society awards. Everyone got a complimentary packet from Fluttering Flags too: nice one, Graham)

Honorary Treasurer Richard Jeffrey-Cook presented prizes on behalf of the Society of Ancients.

FOG: AM SoA Annual Champion 2011 ... Dave Handley;

DBMM SoA Annual Champion 2011 ... Tim Child

FOG Rennaissance SoA Annual Champion 2011 ... Alisdair Harley

See the BHGS website (and click the e.g. 'Challenge' ... and 'past results' navigations) for full details.

Back next year? Well, stranger things have happened. But these studious and indecisive tournament singles games are not really what I am looking for in a weekend of wargaming.

* 32 FoG-AM 15mm (+ 12 in 25mm); 28 Flames of War; 25 DBMM; 16 FoG-R. Everything 15mm except the FoG 25s of course.

11th March, various locations in the UK

2012-03-15T16:11:00.005Z

(Hawkwood's English mercenaries occupy an orchard in Manchester)

A BUSY DAY IN THE SPRING

The Northern Doubles, WMMS and Skirmish in Sidcup all happen at the same time and there were good things going on all round. The Society's Shows North stand went to Wolverhampton ...

Will and Graham F volunteered to do the Alumwell event and took along Will's developing Armati II contribution for this month's Plataea BattleDay.

Many thanks to everyone who stopped by ... we recruited some new members and Will got to network about the game with other Plataea contributors.

(Plataea - in Armati 15mm)

It sounds like it was a great show. Thanks to Graham for sending me some pictures.

(more good ancients stuff from WMMS captured by Graham Fordham's camera)

Meanwhile, I caught sight of an interesting ancients Participation Game in Bob Cordery's coverage of the Sidcup show ( Wargaming Miscellany )

(Let the Dominoes Decide on Heroscape terrain tiles: photo by Bob Cordery)

The Old Guard had this Gladiators game using the Society of Ancients game Let the Dominoes Decide. It uses (and includes), of course, Graham Hockley's combat mechanism Anno Domino - the same mechanism used in last year's popular Domino Double Header (GitS and The Elephant in the Room).

Both publications are still available through the website (webstore: games ) - and are great after dinner games ... just add a few packs of dominoes!

Thanks Bob ... you can see more of Skirmish by visiting Bob's blog on the link above.

Meanwhile, I took Hawkwood's Florentine Italian Condotta troops to Manchester:

(Florentine Elmeti press forward: Field of Glory Ancient and Medieval)

Thanks to everyone for two enjoyable games giving my Italians their annual run out. We got a bit tangled up by some tough and aggressive Anglo-Danes in the first game, but were back on warm Mediterranean ground tackling some Spaniards (Crown of Aragon) in the second.

Nice opponents and a draw that didn't take us too far out of period ...

(in 'open' competition, we were very fortunate to draw as appropriate opponents as these Medieval Spanish caballeros)

Having muddled up the first game - it was a good game, but I messed up the list - we were all sorted out for the afternoon, and got in a good, see-saw, chivalric stand-up fight which eventually resolved itself in our favour.

(The Florentines in pursuit: photos by Phil steele)

Some mistakes by our opponents and some luck by us were embraced in the best possible spirit and we came out about par after the 2 games. Within NDBML's 3 level handicapping, this was our class 3 army (1 being good!) ... so we were pleased with our day's work ...

Here's a quick line up of the FoG glitterati ... Mike and Colin enjoying the limelight for a change.

There were also FoG-R and DBMM divisions, and full results can be found on the MAWS site.

All that was on Sunday - we are blessed with choices these days, that's for sure.

I hope you enjoyed your's as much as I enjoyed mine.

3rd-4th March, Bournemouth

2012-03-14T14:38:00.007Z

Armati by the Sea 2012

(I have edited the title onto the deployment screen in my first game: this how Armati-by-the-Sea begins - in anticipation of what what will be revealed)

Many thanks to host Peter Barham and sponsors The Society of Ancients for another excellent Armati scenarios tournament. 5 great games; great company and everything provided; followed by an optional Monday excursion for those on longer trips (Fort Nelson, this year) ...

The organisers lend everything you need ... armies, dice, rulers, hit markers, the lot (a special approach developed in the early days of the Armati League with particular regard to those travelling by air, and so restricted on what they can transport) ...

The armies are mostly from Roy's huge collection (with a little help from scenario editor and event umpire Mark Fry): 46 armies to cover the 23 scenarios (and that's quite a pile on the army pool tables)!

Here are some of the toys ...

(all 15mm figures, of course - I fought against these warriors)

(lovely Assyrian army: maybe I'm biased - I won with this one!)

(French Crusaders being outflanked by Mamluk Egyptians)

(one of many favourites in the Armati-by-the-Sea draw)

All the games are drawn at random from a series of fixed scenarios (no choices allowed other than dismounting etc.). A coin with the scenario number on it is drawn from a bag by one of the players, then flipped to see who has which army.

The players then collect the armies and specified terrain, lay up the table and set the screen ... then (more often than not) scratch their heads trying to decide how to deploy an army they may never have commanded before ...

(the screen is lifted!)

It is a great leveller, of course, as the other player is no more likely to be practiced with his army!

It also allows the scenario devisers to throw in balanced games between less fancied armies (as they control both sides): I have not seen either Transalpine Celts or Etruscans taken to a tournament, for esample - but, against each other, they made for a great game ...

(Pete plays Craig)

It's a formula which attracts a couple of dozen players - a mix of familiar faces and newcomers, locals and overseas visitors ...

(Bruce plays Matthew)

(President Roy Boss presents the prizes on behalf of the Society of ancients)

Vincent Auger won, followed by Malcolm King and Craig Tannock (with me a distanct fourth ...) ... they all got book tokens along with their trophies - Mick Owen killed the most generals, and Richard Shilvock got best newcomer ... and an army pack for his efforts ...

(tournament winner, Vincent Auger (France) relaxes after the event with a game of DBA!)

Those of us who stayed over enjoyed a relaxing evening and an excursion on the Monday to one the Palmerston forts ringing Portsmouth - Fort Nelson - restored and run by the Royal Armouries ..

(a postcard from Fort Nelson)

A brilliant event, well-conceived and well-organised. My thanks to all involved. If you have even a passing interest in Armati, you really ought to do this one!

There is an extensive post on Fort Nelson and a selection of pictures from the gunnery collection on my P.B.Eye-Candy blog ( Fort Nelson ) ...

26th February, Tonbridge

2012-03-09T16:00:00.008Z

CAVALIER 2012
Parking seemed easier than usual at the Angel Centre/Sainsbury's car park this year (has the recession hit Tonbridge, now?) ... A better than usual start to what is always a good show.

This year we were parked back in the Jubilee Room rather than the main Hall. Have we upset someone? I surely hope not - the Society's mix of enthusiast meeting point and tabletop exploration of ancient history certainly seemed as constantly popular as ever.

This year, the Sabin-Cruttenden-Waller team was reconstructing the Lost Battle of the River Bagradas, the catastrophic First Punic War defeat of the consul Marcus Atilius Regulus at the hands of Hadsrubal and the Spartan mercenary Xanthippus.

(click on it for an enlargement)

I was invited to play Regulus in the second game, and did my best to thwart the in-built (on table) advantage the bullish Roman took on.

In Lost Battles 'points' the Carthaginians have an edge of around 15% (for what it's worth*). That's enough to mean the Romans are outnumbered, in particular on their flanks, where it is almost impossible to hold the ground.

(Big, big, trouble for the Roman flanks ...)

The Roman strength, of course, is in the Legions - but the battle sets a real challenge in how to bring that strength to bear before everything collapses around it.

(Roman and Italian infantry - the heart of the Roman array)

In the following photo, I have marked in the sweep of the Carthaginian flank under Hadsrubal - almost unopposed. You can see how much trouble the Romans are exposed to:

(this was the position after a couple of turns in both of the first two games)

My instinct is that when, earlier in the campaign, the Carthaginians wanted to make peace on reasonable terms, Regulus should probably have given it more consideration.

Historically, of course, this is the Regulus who was captured by the Carthaginians after the battle, then subsequently released on parole to argue for peace and prisonner exchanges: he argued strongly at Rome for war, then kept his word and returned to Carthage. They put him to death.

You'd have to call him inflexible.

Also in the Jubilee Room Loughton Strike Force presented a good looking Alamo Participation Game with appropriate gusto all day. It seemed much appreciated by a good mix of veteran wargamers and yougsters. Excellent

(storming the Alamo)

In the Bring & Buy hall, more good games on show, including the HOTT mini campaign in Bronze Age Mesopotamia ...

(Kingdoms in the Dust - SEEMS)

I often don't get much in the camera on these great show pieces ... so here's a couple of 28mm eye candy shots ...

Otherwise, there were some good WWII games, amongst them Staines/Tim Moore's 'Climb mount Niitaka' Pearl Harbour raid (a follow up to the successful Taranto game) ...

While in the main hall 'Defending the Bridge at Obourg' featured a very popular (but appropriately fragile) flying machine ...

(there are more flying machines on my 20th Century blog P.B.Eye-Candy)

(a typically chatty moment chewing the fat over the crowded Lost Battles table)

Meanwhile Bagradas got played throughout the day, very much to the satisfaction of those with a soft spot for the infanticide Carthaginians ... indeed Professor Sabin rattled through a final game taking the role of Regulus himself - he did better than me, but he didn't beat Xanthippus ...

A very enjoyable day out - as always at this well-organised middle sized show.

South Coast next ... Bournemouth and our annual Armati event ... I'm sure you can't wait.

*about half the advantage Alexander enjoys in his battles against the Persians, since you ask ...

18th - 19th Feb, Burton on Trent

2012-02-25T18:23:00.007Z

Badcon 2012 - Burton Doubles

The second of the year's big doubles events comes round quickly after Usk at Burton on Trent, the home of the brewing industry. I always make sure I have a pint at lunchtime.

Traditionally Burton followed the four DBM books of Army Lists in rotation, and this would have been the first of the four books - Biblical (and my favourite next to Book 4 - Medieval*).

In this age of FoG, however, the hosts have decided to extend the period to incorporate the armies of the Hellenistic world and the Roman Republic (to maximise the appeal to players, one has to assume) ...

I'm not sure it's quite fair to put men in loincloths with bronze weapons up against Phalanxes and Legions, really - and judging by the popularity of Graeco Bactrian and Seleucid armies, many players agree (rules aren't always at the fairest when the spread over technological watersheds like the end of the Bronze Age ...)..

(Game 1: Early Libyan vs Myceneans)

We chose to go with a traditional Biblical army ... Early Libyan (a great fun, massive army in the hey-day of DBM ... but out of favour since the V3.1 changes made Wb(F) armies almost hopeless).

It looked pretty useless under FoG (naked guys under a system that favours armour ...)... but we didn't want to use pikes or cataphracts ... so 'brave' it was ...

(massed skirmishing ... something the Libyans do well ...)...

The main thing to say is that the event gave us four really enjoyable and nicely fought games.

Sometimes you will read chuntering about 'competition wargaming' - nearly all of it written by ill-informed pundits who think they know better but don't actually play (or who maybe lost a game thirty years ago and haven't gotten over it somehow): they should get off their high horses and play doubles at Usk or Burton. They might enjoy it.

(against Carthaginians: various Sea People and Libyan Warrior blocks and columns march up behind the skirmish line)

We didn't have particularly high expectations of victory, so were more than pleased to finish about half way, and to have recorded a decisive win, sacked a camp and killed several generals amongst our tally of achievements over the weekend ...

(muscling up for combat ... )

In the end our games were decided by the skirmish and the charge of our warriors. If we could destroy the enemy front lines with our bowmen, we might be in business. In FoG the warriors are unprotected (Medium) Impact Foot. Against armoured guys that gives us one real shot - the Impact Phase. If, as in our big win, we can disrupt the enemy with the charge, we can make headway in the game.

If, as in most of the games, the enemy can stand the impact of the charge, the warriors will likely be cut to pieces in the melee.

(Gaddafi's tribal ancestor, alive and well and leading the Libyan charioteers)

The light chariots proved really useful and durable, but were mostly outnumbered, the skirmishing bowmen were always a threat ... but we had centred the army around the warriors and the (slightly better armoured) Sea Peoples allies.

In the end, there just never seemed to be enough of them to compensate for their weakness in the protracted melee phases of combat. Ignoring the last game against Parthians, which was really a long and exciting skirmish encounter**, we got three goes at infantry based armies (Carthagnian, Mycenean and Later Dynastic - i.e. mostly mercenary Hoplite - Egyptian) winning one handsomely, otherwise just running out of troops to support the front lines. The points system just doesn't give you the second wave you need to have a real chance of breaking armoured infantry.

(eager to seem sophisticated, the Libyans made their encampment amongst the Sphynxes of the detested Egyptians ...)..

Full results are available (say, TMP ), but an enjoyable weekend, great cameraderie and plenty of fun with an army that can lose with its heads held high ... Thanks again Burton.

You might also like this (Simon's Lurkio Blog)

Time to think about Armati, now ...

*this is not a slight against the Classical period for interest ... the age of the Greeks and the Romans is at the heart of 'ancient' wargaming - just I have never felt the warfare of the period is done well by the popular tabletop rules (where pike blocks tend to swirl around like Napoleonic battalions - who themselves didn't really swirl around anyway - rather than hold long steady frontages as they did historically). So it's a game thing.

** our naked Warriors were never going to charge headlong at Cataphracts, but the metal men were always going to be too slow to bundle through and chase us down.

DBA Special - Egyptian Double Feature

2012-02-17T15:40:00.005Z

Here's a quick look at the two armies featured in our DBA Participation Game 'Lords of the Nile' ...

They constitute the first delivery phase of my refurbishment of the flats collection I acquired at Fiasco last year. The presentation is to what I would call 'wargames standard' rather than flats collector standard: (a) I'm working with an existing collection, rather than painting from scratch; (b) a few experiments revealed that the aesthetics differ between figures destined to be viewed flat and individually and those destined to be viewed en-masse on multiple bases.

The basing is in the modern landscaped idiom (and to standard 25/28mm base sizes).

So these are the results so far (I am still learning). People seem to have liked the refreshingly different look of these traditional figures - and have enjoyed them as collector curios ...

The lead army is New Kingdom Egyptian, which I have cast on a punitive mission on the banks of the Nile. Their enemies I have styled 'Rebellious Tribes' as although the figures are mostly Nubian, I have chosen to organise the army using the Libyan list. The rationale is simple enough: using the Libyan list gives the rebels a chariot general! Otherwise there is little difference between the Libyan and Nubian lists.

NEW KINGDOM EGYPTIAN 1543-1200 BC

(The Egyptian host arrayed)

(Chariot general + 3xLCh)

(archers: 4x4Bw)

(infantry: 3x3/4Bd + 1 Ps)

THE REBELLIOUS TRIBAL SUBJECTS (Early Libyan 1250 - 660 BC)

(The rebellious tribes arrayed)

(The Libyan Chariot General)

(Warriors: 3x3 Wb)

(archers: 3x3Bw)

(tribal skirmishers: 5xPs)

The armies follow the existing DBA V2.2 lists, although the games have been played using the latest trial version of V3. Victories have been even between the armies.

Lords of the Nile featured at Vapnartak and Hammerhead. The next shows outings will feature Phil Sabin's Lost Battles (Cavalier) and Will and Graham's Plataea (WMMS). Lords of the Nile will probably be back for Campaign in May ...

12th February, Newark (Kelham Hall)

2012-02-14T16:10:00.009Z

HAMMERHEAD 2012Hammerhead is the other wargames show at Newark's splendid Kelham Hall - COGS not Newark Irregulars (and by reputation, more fantasy and Sci-Fi than historical) ...

Perfect ground, then, for the Society of Ancients to go promoting the historical wargame, and to be showcasing ancients.

And, indeed, although the show is smaller - and less historically focused - Hammerhead gives us a sensible, main hall (the Dome) position ... so we got more visitors and more players than we got in our (300 mile round trip!) visit to Vapnartak last week.

We played twice as many games.

(Lords of the Nile 30mm DBA V3 game at Hammerhead)

We took along 'Lords of the Nile', our DBA V3 30mm flats Participation Game.

People certainly seem to be enjoying the unique look of the traditional flat figures, and I have to say that DBA V3 is providing us with a good, reasonably quick and balanced game.

Lords of the Nile will do most of the Shows North (north and midlands) shows until 'Call it Qids' - the show version of the Society's brand new Ian Russell Lowell/Graham Evans Kadesh game - debuts at Campaign in May.

There are far fewer big 28mm static 'games' at Hammerhead than at most shows we visit (it does more of the 'small and interesting' games ... and has more of an emphasis on them being played) ...

Nevertheless, I enjoyed seeing and chatting to the paper terrain people (haven't had a good look at one of theirs in a while)

(French beachhead done in folded paper)

Actually, talking of beaches, there was quite a lot of sand at Hammerhead ... Not only did our game feature the lands of the Nile, a number of the fantasy games explored similar themes (in their own quirky ways). I liked the look of this offering from the WarGods people (who were also very helpful in my despairing quest to find a half-decent 28mm Ramesses for the Qids game).

(more Egyptian mayhem)

But the 'sand kings of Kelham' were undoubtedly the Peterborough club (with more fantasy nonsense) who brought and set up their own sand table.

It was quite shallow, and wasn't really coloured up (other than as sand ...) but nevertheless, it was interesting to see it (cleverly) done - and yes, even though it was comparatively shallow, it was a big table and there were heaps of sand ... as became apparent when they started scooping it all up at the end of the day.

(more sand ... much more sand)

My sand was just a dry brush effect using household emulsions ('Prairie Gold' and 'Parchment' colours over a 'Coffee' base - there, you see ... I knew you'd ask)

DBA V3

Even seasoned players have found the 'base widths' movement pleasing and well balanced, and with Egyptians and Libyans, the play runs very smoothly and plausibly.

We need to get Phil to clarify a wording issue on shooting, otherwise the rules and play are nice and clear.

As well as liking the movement, players have liked the changes to rear support (less of it), Psiloi movement (group moves in bad going etc.) and Psiloi outcomes (e.g. fleeing when doubled in shooting). with the Libyan army nearly half Psiloi, it is good to see they can do well against the heavier New Kingdom forces (we have done this set up over a dozen times and the armies a roughly level pegging) ...

We allow a little bit of diced-for terrain (as that is a feature of V3). I'm so pleased to see Phil replace the irrevocably broken terrain system in previous versions of the game. Time will tell what needs adjusting in the new mechanism, but the new set up is already better.

Not being destroyed by blocked recoils is a significant improvement, especially for us using the game as an introduction to ancients at shows (and for all comers) - explaining to players why they must lose elements just because they recoil at an inconvenient angle (despite there being precious little justification for it in military history) has always been thorny. The newer approach seems much truer to DBA's game scale.

I have to own up I couldn't resist a few snaps of this game (played between a father and son, neither of them familiar with DBx or with ancients) ...

Against Dad's linear tactic, and against our better advice, the lad chose to block his Egyptian army up into a huge single group wedge. It looked awesome, but we were all pretty sure it wouldn't work.

(New Kingdom Egyptian Panzerkeil)

As the enemy approached, the wedge split apart into three columns (it was like watching a well choreographed movie).
(Charge! You can get a bigger image by clicking on the picture)

Each of the fronts subsequently got overlapped, but survived, the columns spread out, and ... defeated the shallow lines of warriors. And we really thought it couldn't possibly work.

Then again, it was an example of a lad beating his Dad at DBA (and that I have seen on numerous occasions!).

DBA Version 3 seems a better game than Version 2.2 from a historical player perspective. I have been surprised by how well it has stood up to all comers (the real 'road' test) ...

Dale has summarised the main diferences V3 brings neatly on his DBA Blog ( here ... )

I have time off this weekend to play some FoG at Burton ... and the Society Shows Team will be out and about at Cavalier at the end of the month.

See you there ...

5th February, York Racecourse

2012-02-08T16:49:00.008Z

VAPNARTAK 2012

The snow bound trip into York for Vapnartak was something of an adventure and had I known that I would end up driving my notoriously slithery German RWD vehicle on fresh compacted snow, I probably would have bottled it (overseas readers: bottled it = chickened out/not gone).

As it was, I was tail-gunner on the Gentlemen Pensioners (Lance & Longbow/SoA) expedition and just followed where the vanguard led. And that got us into the show just about by opening time (and if some of it was achieved more by faith than judgement, I'm not telling ...)...

Saturday was an altogether sunnier affair as we had all gotten together in Salford for a big Sudan battle the day before the show (see below). What a great idea for a wargaming weekend (big battle on Saturday, show on Sunday. What's a few snowflakes?!).

(Vapnartak: York Racecourse, 5th February 2012)

Back with Vapnartak, although some Societies get pride of place, The Society of Ancients does not. Nobody will tell me why. We have loyally supported this show since back in the Merchant Adventurers' days - yet every year they find a way of pushing us even further off the beaten track. This year we were out of the show proper up amongst the competition tables. A few visitors found us but most didn't.

(wargame in a box ... tucked away in a corner - the Society of Ancients at Vapnartak)

I guess it must be because they don't want Participation Games and anything other than 28mm, but I wish they would tell us as we always try to involve people and introduce newcomers to historical wargames etc. whenever asked, they always approve (then stick us where we can't be found by any potential players! Doh!) .

(Lance & Longbow Society's simple but effective Ravenna game)

(Curteys put on this big if slightly anonymous version of Plataea)

Many evenings of work went into this year's 'Lords of the Nile' project (which will see better locations at other shows ...) so it was a pity so few saw the combination of tradition German flats with modern terrain presentation and WRG's latest trial of DBA V3. Looks splendid, don't you think? Ah, well ...

More on Lords of the Nile below. And you will get a better opportunity to see it at Hammerhead this coming weekend.

(display tables at Vapnartak)

(WWII: German columns doing what they do best)

(some nice early 20th C. soldiers in the Middle east)

Vapnartak is therefore a trade show mixed with 28mm clumsy tables and a labour intensive Flea Market. There were some good offerings amongst the 28mm stuff (though, as is increasingly the case at York, nothing much new or imaginative) ... here's a quick tour, but you are better served by visiting 28mm drool sites for this show if you like that sort of thing.

(my favourite downstairs game: Ilkley's old school game with traditional wargames soldiers)

So ... nice venue, nice people, strange priorities. I'm sure we will continue to support the show as long as they continue to accommodate us (but I'm not sure that will be for much longer as out in the car park is probably next for historical wargaming's biggest volunteer association ...) ..

Gentlemen Pensioners Big Game (day before Vapnartak) ...

This was a Sudan game played with 28mm figures and using The Sword and the Flame roughly based on the battle of Firkat.

(Firkat mounted Mahdists emerge victorious from the desert flank)

For a balanced and fuller view of the game, you might like to visit other Gentlemen's blogs ...
Fire at Will
Wargames Amateur

Now commenting on a game played using the hugely popular TSATF rules is tricky ground. The rules are extremely clumsy and characterless: slow to resolve and very arbitrary. Inevitably, as a pioneer of the use of cards, I quite like the sequencing of movement and shooting by playing card (but in all honesty, most other games that use that mechanism do it better). And using D6 for some rolls, D20s for others, isn't gaining points for elegance. Then, of course we must have saving rolls. The combat system is a triumph of tedium over efficiency.

(twilight at Firkat and the Mahdists celebrate as the Egyptians run away)

I am a great social wargamer and really enjoyed pushing the colonial toys around with friends I have known now for as much as 30 years. We could make the game worthwhile and entertaining using any old mechanism, however dubious or un-promising. But just for balance, given the misleadingly positive spin The Sword and the Flame so regularly gets, I thought it proper to record my view of the rules themselves: the worst so-called 'historical' wargames rules I play all year ... not even close on Black Powder, Science vs Pluck or PitS (or something you scribbled down the night before) in my opinion. All the things I dislike in a set of rules rolled into one package. I commanded the Mahdidsts, by the way, and we won. So don't let that cloud your judgement.

And yes, I'd happily do it all again (as the whole thing was a great game despite the rules) ...

Lords of the Nile (DBA V3) at Vapnartak ...

I'll say a little more after the game has its second run at Hammerhead. Phil Barker kindly emailed me the latest trial version of V3 a couple of days before the show and we played the game through a few time both with seasoned DBA enthusiasts and complete newcomers to the DB system.

(DBA V3: close combat in the lands of the Pharaoh)

Of course, it worked very smoothly and cleanly in all the games and V3 generally seems both to work better than 2.2 and to give a more intuitive and cleaner game (less 'gamey'/easier to play). The movement is in basewidths and seems to work better than the older system. Rear Support and consequent losses are much simplified giving a more authentic flavour and better balance. The games themselves took about the same time to play as previously (despite an expectation that the games might be a bit quicker) ...

Those people who were able to find the Society stand at Vapnartak seemed to enjoy seeing the game played with these refurbished veterans of yesterday's wargaming and they are, indeed, a pleasure to play with. They have the size of 28mm with none of the clumsiness - in a different world they might even catch on :O)

(The Egyptian army's lone element of Psiloi heads for the security of the Teddy Bear fur)

21st - 22nd January, Usk

2012-01-28T13:41:00.009Z

Godendag 2012

Back on the road again after the short winter break. Short winter break? OK, it has felt like a good break courtesy of a family Christmas down at Dartmoor and hasn't felt like winter because the weather has been kind.

The Usk weekend is more an annual weekend away with old friends and toy soldiers than a 'competition' (but don't they all feel like that these days? - well, OK, let's leave Britcon out of the assessment then ... I'm talking about Doubles ... )...

Hats off to Field of Glory, though. I had long argued that the 'renaissance' period was a surprisingly poor relation to 'ancients' given the period's unique mix of pageantry and military innovation. Commonly thought of as covering the transition from the high Chivalry of the Italian Wars to the uniform coated regular armies at the start of the 17th Century - it is hard to see what doesn't appeal ...

(FoG-R ... adding artillery to the combination of Men-at-Arms and pike blocks)

FoG-R seems to haved tapped into this less exploited vein of military history, and at events like Godendag has attracted player numbers not at all typical of previous tournament offerings (say, DBR). At Godendag, FoG-AM (Ancient and Medieval) needed to combine its player numbers (20 teams) with DBM (12 teams) to keep 'ancients' ahead in popularity. FoG-R with 24 teams was the single most popular choice.

Astute mathematicians will have come to their own tally already :) ... Over 100 people playing Ancient to Renaissance wargames for a wet January weekend in south Wales ... indeed you can't doubt how healthy and appealing this sort of thing is.

(FoG-AM ... feudal and medieval splendour)

Choice of periods for the AM category gave us a free run at the medieval period and we picked with moist eye rather than a cynical mind, maybe. The good news about my old Feudal Spanish (7th edition and DBM veteran) Aragonese is that, resplendent in its 11th century FoG version, it has won its last 5 engagements (including a whole day of decisive bonus wins that earned it a pot in Halifax ...) ... The not so good news is that (only Armoured in FoG) it can easily get found out by heavily armoured troops (like most of the entrants you might expect in this event), and its principal skirmish weapon - the javelin or dart - needs careful handling (or a bit of luck, like we got in Halifax) to bring any advantage.

OK - that's a bit pompous: the risk is there will be plenty of troops who can outrun us, plenty of troops who can out fight us, plenty of troops who can outshoot us, and plenty of armies that will outnumber us. Feudal Aragonese have an endless will to fight but have top trumps in no department!

Day One hamstrung us. Because of date, we got drawn against one of two identical Xi Xia armies (of that sort that dismounts almost everything if it wants to). It did dismount (despite having an armour advantage), and using IC initiative, then turned the battlefield into a cabbage patch (further protecting its dismounted troops from any mounted threat).

(stiking close together: Spanish foot needing 5s and seeing off some Xi Xia cavalry)

It looked like a stalemate strategy, and despite our best efforts, turned out to be so - a marginal defeat by a point.

Sadly, the other Xi Xia (which was a pair who had split to even the draw, and had duplicated their army to do so) used the same tactic with the same results. That made them odds on to draw us in the next round. And they did. And out came the same cabbage patch and dismounts - and the same stalemate ensued.

Two perfectly good games of their sort. Less ambitious than I like, but the whole point of these events is to embrace challenges that are not always played your way.

I am a bit grumpy though, as the consequence of the Xi Xia split was that the same game/army was in the draw twice. And the procedure generally follows that you shouldn't get the same game twice. But we did. Perfectly good players but we didn't get our fair share of variety.

(game 2: Aragonese skirmishers push beyond the cabbage patch but the heavier troops have to go round or through)

Sunday morning brought us a Latin Greek conundrum ... did they have Catalan allies? If they didn't we were probably going to face overwhelming numbers of knights who were more heavily armoured than our own. If they did, we were probably going to be confronted by another cabbage patch (and another draw). As soon as the terrain process began it was clear that it was the cabbage patch.

Of course, I have no problem with Aragonese vs Catalans, but having used Latin Greek myself, I think it needs to fight in the open to get a big result. Unfortunately the terrain dice gave us another oversized compulsory piece slap in the middle of the table.

What are the chances of that I hear you ask ... well around 1:6 actually (they get middle/we can't shift it much) but like all long shots, it slowed up all of the first three games.

Players, of course, think about their own armies and look to manipulate the terrain system to gain an edge. A fault of the ex-WRG terrain system FoG continues with. I'd just say that - against an Aragonese army a third of which is javelin skirmisher - churning up the middle of the table with dodgy terrain is a good way not to get a result.

We did our best to take the game to the Latins and got the better of the score draw. Only 28 points from 3 games which start out 10-10 (down 10% after 11 hours wargaming) ...

(game 4: some splendidly turned out Frenchmen to fight)

Finally, against a French army that wanted to get at us, in Game 4, battle was joined across a relatively open field - and, despite their better armour and nasty looking Switzers, good prospects of a result.

Skirmishing against them was hard work and we took some initial shocks from the new technology of their hand gunners. We recovered and set about them with sticks and stones, chasing them off and creating the opportunity of getting at their heavier troops not all of who were top quality.

We managed to break the French pikes with javelin skirmishing, and got our knights into their unstaked English archers without taking critical damage (which is enough) - and by game end we had won a couple of uneven knight melees against the odds as well. Exciting game.

(the flower of feudal Spain battle it out - and those archers are not looking happy)

All told, we came up 1 attrition point short of routing the army (although I think we made a couple of mistakes towards the end which flattered the Aragonese) - nevertheless we got a pretty emphatic result that needed maybe one more turn to complete. Perhaps the others had been right to go for their cabbage patch games!

Thanks to all the players, back-slappers and comrades in arms. A very enjoyable visit to Usk as usual.

(FOG-R: those plucky Africans closing in)

Very nice also to see the Renaissance armies ... including an Aztec army originally painted by Lee from down the road, and Richard and Patrick's brave Africans also taking on metal armoured Europeans in FoG-R

I last played that Aztec army back at a Loughborough period Britcon (I think I was invading Mexico with a army of Hohenstauffen Sicilian adventurers if that makes any sense - which I suspect it won't) ... great paint job, plus imaginative baggage and a pyramid temple. Worth another look of course.

(Aztec Baggage from a DBM original)

Of the ancients categories, honours went to Dave Ruddock and Ian Stewart in the FoG-AM and to Dave Madigan and Chris Smith in the DBM.

Us? Oh, we came 9th out of 20 teams with 44 points in the end. Just ahead of the game, and with a handful of dead generals to crow about.

I will post a link to the results when I get the information.

FOG-AM
DBM

Some decisions to make about Burton Doubles

But hopefully we will see you at Vapnartak next week where I will be doing an Egyptian game with those pretty classic flats - but in an up-to-date twist, I'm trying them out for DBA and giving you a taste of the new version 3.

Don't forget to sign up with the Society of Ancients by the end of the month
SoA Memberships page

2011 - Bank Holiday review ...

2012-01-02T17:56:00.017Z

Farewell 2011

Well, a big thank you to the 2-3,000 people who tune in every month to follow the Society of Ancients Shows (North) Team as we tour the country (not all of it North, but that's another story ...) ...

That audience is about 40% up on last year, and for those of you who like statistics, just over 50% of you are UK based. Then, 25% of you are USA, 5% Australia, 4% each for Denmark and Germany, 3% each France and Canada, 2% each Italy, Spain and Russia. I am grateful to all of you, from all over the world.

I have added in a dozen or so of the very popular 'specials', and, in addition to 10 tournaments, we attended 21 Wargames Shows ... Pictures can sometimes speak louder than words, so here are the Postcards from the Front: clicking on them (for a change) will take you to the Show Report)

Assembling that package, I'm both impressed with what we achieved over the year and excited by the year to come. All is ahead of us again!

The most popular posts continue to be the game/army-related specials, top of the list now being the DBA Special on my Sub Roman British army ...

(Sub Roman British DBA Generals element)

Do I have a favourite picture with which to finish 2011? Well ... let's try these ...

(I do love 'statement' architecture, so my Postcard from Portsmouth is a this year favourite)

(the Hail Caesar Crusades game from SELWG came out very nicely ...)...

(although very recent, I was very pleased by how the captioning on this quite average picture I took at Recon served as a nice topic header for the Society of Ancients/Lance & Longbow Wakefield game/WOTR theme zone at Recon) ...

Don't forget to resubscribe early and I hope to see plenty of you at Vapnartak in a month's time

Happy New Year!

November/December - Northamptonshire

2011-12-23T02:29:00.006Z

A busy end of the year ...

Indeed ... in amongst the end of year shows and the odd administrative task, there's been quite a lot going on.

(click on the images if you want a better look at some of the photos)

(Graham's Byzantines near completion: the flocked ones are the new recruits and are classic Donnington figures)

I managed to get another Championship game or two ... Graham hasn't finished his Gothic Wars Armati army quite yet (and so had to sub in a few Piggie Parthians) but I think it looks splendid (and it's always nice to see another new ancients army take the field locally) ...

(armoured horse archers: the core of the Byzantine army of the Gothic War)

It also fought pretty sternly too - taking 4 of Totila's maximum of 6 before capitulating after losing its own 5 Break Points (Armati, that is ... Belisarius breaking on 5 key units down, Totila, 6, due to the Byzantines' slightly smaller, slightly higher specification force)..

In their first combat outing, the Belisarians got fewer of their missile troops to bear in the opening phase, and managed the evolution of lines slightly less well than the Goths (and so were always playing catch up - in footie speak).. But a tough test that could easily have gone the other way had the dice gods so chosen.

(Totila uses tactics to draw the Byzantines into the combat zone)

For some extra Armati army lists (including Totila's Goths), have a look at Warfloot (WF Army menu, Triumph of Cavalry)

I also managed to get to call in on the WD London crowd's pre-Christmas game ... long enough to wish everyone greetings for the season and present the 2010 Paul Morris Prize to John Bassett for his Roman Politics games.

(give us your entries for 2011 or the bunny gets it: John Bassett accepts the Paul Morris Prize for 2010)

Submissions are live for the 2011 Paul Morris Prize: awarded annually for the most innovative non-commercial game within the Society's remit. Contact me via 'comments', the Society Yahoo group, or, say, ancmed, if you have a runner to recommend. It needs to have been presented publicly during the course of 2011, and the panel will need a synopsis of how it works and why it is a winner. It need not be by a Society member.

(A Roman vignette: something for the display cabinet more than the table top)

I've also been grappling with the aesthetics of the flats project and organising the newly acquired collection. Whilst some are just being painted and tidied for display, such as these Romans caught by the Parthians at Carrhae ...

... many are being sorted for the Plataea game - and for now, at least, will be based up on clear plastic to maintain the look of individual loose basing beloved of 1960s photographers. I think this will actually look striking (in a good way) and give that 'new look to an old favourite' that I am looking for.

(sorting out figures for the big Plataea game)

But I will base up the Egyptians and enemies in the modern idiom (grit, grass, pebbles and dry bushing ... rather like those Romans) as a group of DBA armies.

For our last game before Christmas, I put a couple of trial versions out (New Kingdom, early years vs Nubians - though I used the Libyan list as I wanted to field a chariot general ... so I/22a vs I/7b) ... and I have to say all three of us were quite taken with the look.

(a crudely mocked up pair of armies that proved a great success with the players)

The unique look seems to suit Barker's pretty abstract game. The flats, of course, are 30mm, so about the same size as 28mm but without the clumsy look of modern figures.

(the Egyptian infantry running before Pharoaoh)

These shots are just of a mock up of course - even so I think the photos capture that 'something worth exploring' appeal of the figures. The Nubians are nearly ready bar the basing but there is still a lot of painting required on the Egyptians (and I need to think about some camps and general clutter).

(no issues with fitting the figures to the frontage with these figures of course)

Watch this space, as I think if I can do a decent job on them these armies will look splendid and be well worth a little feature.

Christmas is coming. 3 months and 1 week til the BattleDay (they do say time flies when you're having fun!) ...

Don't forget to subscribe to the Society of Ancients by the end of January.
(online subscriptions page)

(Totila's Goths ride out the year eager for another battle)

11th December, Birmingham

2011-12-22T16:07:00.004Z

Wargamer 2011 (Great Barr Leisure Centre)
(ready for action at Wargamer 2011)

Wargamer, Derby and Partizan are my nearest shows, all within an hour. For me, Wargamer is the end of the shows year and the point where Shows North goes into Winter Quarters - generally until Vapnartak at the start of February.

I ended up doing this show solo due to lack of volunteers. It is a less busy show than some others so it isn't something that couldn't be managed ... same time, it is an appropriate tone on which to end the year, as the Society has several hundred members who live within easy reach of the show but who are obviously far too busy to help for half of a morning.

Those of us who have invested more than two decades of voluntary effort into the Society have come under attack of late for not being able to summon up sufficient candidates for vacant positions on the Society admin team to allow the ones who don't volunteer a proper democratic vote.

Well it seems to me that if our members are so pressed for time that not even one can volunteer 2 or 3 hours once a year on a Sunday morning (within the enclaves of one of the biggest cities in the United Kingdom), you might as well whistle for a choice of officers.

(Coming of the English DBA game)

But I digress ... the Society took along a choice of DBA options (Double Zama and conventional Arthur against the Early English), which was handy as Barkers, Phil and Sue Laflin, joined us for a pleasant hour or so chewing the DBA V3 fat, and chatting about the games.

I did my best to persuade Phil that Double-based Elements are off scale for DBA (he is wedded to the idea that the game should represent the fact that some troops characteristically fought in deeper formations, and doesn't like the implication that this chrome is lost in 'true scale' DBA unless you use 10mm or 6mm figures) ... Sue tried to engage Phil with the good looks of those double ranked 10mm figures on my Zama board ... and I think we all had to acknowledge that Phil knows more about the formation of Hellenistic pikemen (Pk, who benefit from rear support) than Italian Medieval Crossbowmen (8Bw, a 'compulsory' Double-based Element - DBE - in the current and apparently revised versions of DBA)*

(the gauntlet thrown down: Totila's Gothic army)

I had hoped to get a Championship game in if there were any takers, and so had Totila's Ostrogothic army on hand (DBA, Armati or FoG 650 configurations available) ... but that seems to have run out of steam too, as wargamers prepare to veg out for Christmas ...

(Wargamer 2011: very attractive Napoleonics game)

(Wargamer 2011: Cobridge lads with their big 15mm Armati game)

Which leaves me asking the dwindling circle of volunteers (and blog commentors can join in too ...)... what do we want to do for shows in 2012 ... What themes, what games - if the current formula doesn't float your boat, the blank page is open. Of course, the majority of enthusiasts didn't answer that question for 2011, yet ...

(Wargamer 2011: Shrewsbury club's impressive 18th century Carribean game)

(civilian details from the game)

For me, the flats project for Plataea will dominate the first few months, though I can't see it featuring at shows much before its big day at the end of March (Plateaea BattleDay at Sycamore Hall (Bletchley) Milton Keynes, 31st March 2012) ...

I had a plan to do a 54mm Chariot Racing game, but it won't be any of the conventional commercial products (least of all the clumsy slow and dull Circus Maximus) ... and I won't have any painting time before April at the earliest (so it's more of a 2013 project I suspect) ...

I had intended to work on an ancients naval game (Peloponessian War period) with 10mm figures on the ships ... (and that would certainly support the Ancient Greek theme )...

(Wargamer 2011: 28mm Thirty years War game)

(close up of some of the infantry)

And undoubtedly we will continue our combined displays with the Lance & Longbow Society (We did the Elephant game and GitS earlier in the year, but the big combo was Verneuil at The Other Partizan ...) ...

(more great detail from the Wyrley Retinue TYW game)

But the bottom line must remain what do you want to do? It is your Society of Ancients ...

Christmas is coming.

*Civic Crossbowmen seem to have enjoyed a ratio of 3:1 against pavisiers, suggesting the whole body formed up 4 ranks deep (quite plausible given the lack of testimony to 'lofted shots' for the crossbow) ... at best, 1 element depth in DBA. Hellenistic pikes, of course customarily formed up 4 times that depth ... 16 ... sometimes, indeed, 32 ... As a parallel, a new DBE is being introduced to simulate deep Theban hoplite formations (famously '50 shields deep'): it seems breathtakingly inappropriate to represent 16 to 32 ranks of pikemen with an option to be one or two elements deep in the game whilst compelling 4 ranks of crossbow/pavisiers to be on double depths (which, technically, being 'Bw' in DBA is actually physically deeper than 50 ranks of Thebans!)! But what would I know?

3rd December, Pudsey

2011-12-16T11:54:00.012Z

RECON 2011
Shows North made its penultimate move of the season up to Yorkshire for Recon last Saturday.

This was with the President flying solo due to the usual lack of volunteers*, but thankfully as part of a 'multi agency' display, so help was occasionally on hand.

The focus at Recon was a reconstruction of the 1460 Battle of Wakefield - the winter campaign following Northampton ... celebrating a December battle in West Yorkshire (the 550th was 2010 but it took a year for the plan to come together) ...

We were ...
The Society of Ancients
The Lance & Longbow Society
The Towton Battlefield Society
Together with historian/author Helen Cox

In addition to the miniature reconstruction - which was based on Helen's alternative interpretation - the TBS's associated reenactors were on hand in period costume with a selection of 16th century weaponry and armour to support the theme.

Many thanks to Helen for explaining the story of the battle to me. I always struggle keeping up with the political convolutions of the wars of the Roses and the exact reasons why the campaigns sprung up when they did. Wakefield, being in December, seems oddly timed.

After capturing the King at the battle of Northampton, Richard Duke of York faced a winter in which the Lancastrians reorganised and rebuilt. Moving from London to counter a Northern build up, he reached the security of Sandal Castle at Wakefield after a rough encounter with the Lancastrian vanguard at Worksop.

York had probably underestimated the strength of the Lancastrian threat, and found himself outnumbered (probably at least 2:1) but easily able to hold his position within the castle.

Then, inexplicably, on 30th December, he emerged and gave battle on unfavourable and was undone. We have no definitive account of why, though a combination of treachery and miscalculation are at the likely heart.

(Towton Battlefield Society weapons display)

(the Lancastrians at Wakefield 1460)

(16th century Continental style Crossbow)

The show seemed lively and well attended (until the customary northern dissolution from 2pm onwards) and in all respects was a friendly and well supported event with a good mix of trade and things to do , games to play and stuff to look at.

(some impressive Late Roman infantry)

(Medieval Participation Game)

I didn't get to do much 'show going' as I was flying the stand solo, but spotted some good ancient and medieval games, and there is also a HOTT tournament at the event.

We will next be up in these parts for Vapnartak in the New Year. If you are local to these events you might like to volunteer to help out.

(the battle of Wakefield reaches a crescendo)

Don't forget to resubscribe to the Society of Ancients by the end of January
(online subscriptions)

* 'Volunteering' - quick definition ... doing something of benefit to others without expecting to get paid for it. It's probably worth appending that to the blog as although today's wargamer seems to understand 'getting something on the cheap because other people put the work in without asking you to pay for it', they don't seem to get the consequence that occasionally you should also do your bit. I've been a strong advocate over the years of not castigating the ordinary member for this (they also support who only pay their sub ...), but when the proportions fall so below 4% volunteer and more than 96% benefit there is obviously some head scratching to do.

1st December, Northamptonshire

2011-12-02T23:10:00.014Z

Plataea BattleDay Special No. 2(general view of our Plataea trial using 20mm traditional plastic figures)

Rules, Orbats, General thinking.

We had the first outline kick around the other evening. I asked to try Neil Thomas's Ancient and Medieval Wargaming (AMW) as an interesting starting point.

The reason is simple. It has been suggested that as my plan entails using the flats, I might consider Tony Bath's original rules (which were conceived with flats in use). This involved a fiddly system for individual figure removal with which I am not impressed - the world has moved on (and so did Tony Bath's own methodology).

I am more interested in his post combat morale tests in which more of a stricken unit might desert and run as a consequence. Interestingly, AMW, which has full base removal, also has a morale test when a base is lost which might result in the unit disintegrating further.

So, allowing us to think about this (and as a low impact way to push the toys around) Graham helpfully set up a straight Greeks and Persians tussle.

As I know from when we played through Marathon sometime back, it is a walk over for the Greeks. 8 units v 8 units (standard Neil Thomas) the Greeks lost 1 unit by the time the Persians broke (6 down).

(plastic phalanx: the Athenian wing at Plataea)

The archery was sort of deadly - but not quite deadly enough. Losing a base makes Hoplites lose their special cohesion, which costs them a pip on the dice. But losing a base isn't quite a telling risk, and the one pip isn't quite enough to swing the combat (the hoplites will still roll more dice than archers - and then the armour saves ... hoplites save on 4+, 'unarmoured' Persians save on a 6 ... close the deal).

All justifiable - but Herodotus styles it a much tighter affair, implying there is a real contest for the Persian shield line, and only thereafter is the fight one-sided (and defined by the Greeks' longer spears and better armour) ...

I'm not suggesting I go with AMW but it clarified the critical points ... a Persian arrow storm which the Greeks survive (quite possibly by the expedient of sitting down, crouched behind their shields) ... a battle for the shield barricade which the Persians are able to contest - for a while at least ... then a one-sided affair once the barricade is lost (ultimately ending with the Persians trapped in their wooden refuge where they are put to the sword).

Orbats:

I've been looking at a recently published volume, Sparta at War, Strategy Tactics and Campaigns, 550 - 362 BC by American scholar Scott M Rusch ( Amazon link ). So far so good. I particularly like the way he simplifies the issue of numbers and deployment by listing the free Greek contingents, and specifying who they fought against.

I will reproduce that list:

GREEK HOPLITES .................... PERSIAN FOOT OPPOSITE THEM
10,000 Lacedaemonians .............................. Native Persians
1,500 Tegeans ............................................. Native Persians
5,000 Corinthians ............................................. Medes
300 Potideans ....................................................Medes
600 Orchomenians ........................................... Medes
3000 Sicyonians .................................................Medes
800 Epidaurians .............................................. Bactrians
1000 Troezenians............................................ Bactrians
200 Lepreates ................................................. Bactrians
400 Myceneans and Tirynthians ..................... Bactrians
1000 Phliasians ............................................... Bactrians
300 Hermioneans ............................................. Indians
600 Eretrians and Styrians ............................... Indians
400 Chalcidians ................................................. Indians
500 Ambraciots .................................................. Sacae
800 Leucadians and Anactorians ........................ Sacae
200 Paleans from Cephallenia ............................ Sacae
500 Aeginetans ................................................... Sacae
3000 Megarians .......................................... Subject Greeks
600 Plataeans ............................................. Subject Greeks
8000 Athenians .......................................... Subject Greeks

The Greeks who take on the Indians number around 1300, those that take on the Sakae 2,000: these are probably the lowest level to represent in the game ... about 1/6 in size compared with, say, the Spartans or the Immortals.

Rusch largely ignores the light troops and all the number crunching that goes with them. He has them protecting the flanks and tying up the numerous Persian cavalry so that the battle is left an infantry contest between the opposing contingents in the list. Neat.

The armies had been against each other for some time by the time of battle, and each contingent knew their place in the line and their probable opponents. Thus the battle has the feel of a series of prize-fights between the hurriedly summoned up forces as an encounter balloons into a set-piece battle.

I have to say the latter perspective very much put me in mind of Strategos or Hail Caesar and the contingent initiative rolls rapidly throwing units forward as the enemy tries to do likewise ...

So something somewhere between Tony Bath and Hail Caesar (but which runs at the pace of AMW) will do nicely. Possibly with a more deadly archery effect which can be nullified by sitting down behind your shield?

How to depict the barricade of shields will be critical. Those Spara/Gherra shields are big but pretty flimsy, you'd have thought ... Then again, if hoplite combat usually involves a good deal of jousting and not a lot of shoving (at least not much before the general othismos ..)... that jousting will be pretty ineffectual until the whole body of troops summons enough group momentum to push beyond the barricade and put their armour and better weapons to good effect.

2 more things we might like to look at.

I'm tempted to look at retaining NT's combat model, but possibly introducing differing unit sizes. It might be a way of improving the Persian arrow storm and allowing a more worrying combat prospect for the otherwise dominant Greeks. Perhaps the Persian should be allowed on such 'massed volley'? It might be that the Sparabarra rank cannot set up or man the barricade and shoot(?) ... so once the position is set, the shooting diminishes?

It would mean that the Persian army would end up being numerically bigger than the Greek whilst giving AMW's matching off of contingent v contingent. Hmmm. I think we could live with that.

(beset by archers: Greek contingents at Plataea)

And I suspect the shield barricades should negate any natural Hoplite benefit in combat (at contact at least - should the Hoplites need to 'win' a round of combat in order to push the barricade aside and for combat then to follow the hoplite v heavy archer norm? That sounds like the Herodotus story ...)

1. Break the unit size mould and give the Persians more bases.
2. Move Shooting to beginning of the move (except if skirmishers reserve their fire for split moves) allowing HI to choose to hide behind their shields (not move later in the turn) for a better save.
3. Introduce a special rule to enable the shield barricade to equalise the combat until the Greeks overcome it. The men in the shield rank are no longer able to shoot.
4. Look at the battle starting without all the units in place, and allowing the commanders to hurry contingents into the fray - given the leaders knew whom they would face, I suggest the appearance of a contingent on one side will prompt the appearance of its opponent on the other ....

Well, there is a skeleton of a game emerging from the test run, I think. I am not convinced the eventual game will be AMW, and I'm happy the methodology will translate to other systems.

Hopefully this will help move the discussion on the the key features of the battle as I am keen to hear how other designers are approaching these issues.

(The Greek right wing on the point of victory: few Persians remain on the field)

19th - 20th November, Reading (Rivermead)

2011-12-02T14:34:00.008Z

WARFARE 2011

Later November sees the ever popular 2-day Reading show, Warfare - a matchless mix of games, trade and tournament tables and Bring & Buy.

It is a successful mix - why, even I bought something on the Bring & Buy!

My 'tour of duty' on the Society stand was on Sunday, but Philip Sabin has sent some photos of his Pydna game which was the Society's contribution to day one's showcase.

(players cluster round the Society's Pydna game on Saturday)

Perseus of Macedon's fateful showdown with the Roman Republic under the command of Aemilius Paullus (son of the Aemilius Paullus who fought Hannibal at Cannae) ...

(photo coutresy of Philip Sabin)

I understand a number of the Society's 2012 Committee got together in the evening and chewed over their ideas for next year ... I'm sure you will want to give them as much support as I do. What better an occasion to get the ball rolling.
(See who's on the new Committee )

(some colourful Arab infantry from Sunday's game)

On Sunday David Edwards took over the table and presented a Byzantine Wars try-out table sampling Field of Glory and some colourful 28mm Byzantines and Turks.

(click on the image if you would like a bigger view)

(the Varangians attack: Field of Glory Participation Game at Warfare 2011 by The Society of Ancients)

Elsewhere there were other ancients games on display ... It was very nice to see the Malvern group with another of their 28mm Armati games. A nice big table and lots of kit - tis time on an El Cid theme. See, it isn't all just 15mm ...

(The Age of El Cid: 28mm Armati Demonstration Game)

Very much the ancients family, though not an ancients game, I was quite taken with the First Battle of Newbury, put on by some WAR members. First time I've really seen FoG-R done as a presentation game, and great to see the battle through the enclosures.

(15mm English Civil War: Field of Glory Renaissance)

More pictures here ( ECW Battles )

I'm told some of the inspiration came from a Battlefield Walk with Chris Scott.

You can link to the Battlefields Trust ( here )

Keeping us in touch with the forthcoming Plataea theme, there was an interesting 28mm Clash of Empires encounter between Greeks and Persians.

(Clash of Empires Persian Wars)

(28mm Persian Sparabara infantry)

(28mm Spartan Hoplites ready themselves for action)

Although they didn't tag it with any specific incident, the good looking layout and rolling engagements reminded me of the Plataea scenario.

There was the usual choice of games outside our period, many of which looked very attractive ...

(28mm Japanese troops in the Jungle)

The Skirmish Wargames Society won the top award for their Napoleonic game.

(award-winning 54mm Napoleonics from the SWS game)

A very nice day out, and special thanks to the Malvern club, the Clash of Empires enthusiasts and the Battle of Newbury presenters for taking the trouble to explain their games and ideas to me. Nice games - approachable, enthusiastic people.

Some people started to pack up early on the Sunday - but I understand Saturday had been very busy and it had been a long weekend

The show raised just over £900 for the RNLI and £550 for Help for Heroes ...

(6mm Cambrai display. We will remember them)

On the latter topic, there was very clean 6mm Cambrai game - my Grandfather was there in one of those tanks ... a RTR original who thankfully made it through the war otherwise I wouldn't be here to enjoy the peace and freedom so many laid down their lives for.

Thanks to everybody who contributed to a great show.

Plataea BattleDay Special no. 1

2011-11-10T00:13:00.009Z

Flats for Plataea

This is just to kick off a series non-shows posts which will hopefully support the build up to next year's BattleDay, the featured encounter being

PLATAEA 479BC
THE FINAL DEFEAT OF MARDONIUS

Yes, the end of Xerxes's expeditionary force.

Readers will know that I acquired a substantial collection of flats at the weekend, and there is enough to put together a version of the battle - there are a hundred and fifty or so heavy infantry each for the protagonists, plus some cavalry and countless light troops ...

(flats: an immediate sorting aside of the Greek and Persian figures)

So, I have a little over 4 months to ...

Decide what's important in depicting Plataea ...
Decide which rules to use and develop the appropriate adaptations ...
Construct a miniature battlefield ...
Refurbish all the troops necessary for the reconstruction ...
Then make it all work.

It begins.

Starting positions ...

I will use the flats, and the first experiments will be using some or all of Tony Bath's original Society of Ancients rules. They will almost certainly be mangled and rewritten (we have the best part of 50 years experience of doing this sort of thing since Tony developed his earlier rules, and my assumption is that we have learned a lot in that time): I am not intending to bring to life a fossile, just to start with a system that originally had flats in mind.

(Persian infantry in Greece ... these might be styled on later the Cardaces?)

We shall see if it works.

Plataea was a vast infantry match. Although the Greeks had masses of lighter troops and the Persians an extensive cavalry army, these seem to have cancelled each other out to some extent, leaving the Heavy Infantry to sort it out. I therefore intend an infantry fight.

(some of the Heavy Infantry: urgently in need of rebasing before trial games can commence)

Enough of assumptions for now.

Some questions ... (and this is not just thinking aloud, answers are welcome, in person, as comments, by email - if you think you can help, help away ...):

Terrain ...

... green or brown, rolling or 60s style contour pieces?
... trees, temple components etc. flat or solid (1960s depictions sometimes show flat trees, sometimes solid modern - well railway scenic - types ... I have always assumed they used whatever they could get hold of. I have the luxury of aesthetic choices, so what do you think?)?

Basing ...

(Median infantry: closely arrayed like this the appearance is quite appealing)

... I've decided that the figures will be based, and probably in multiples after the same fashion as modern stands. But I'll probably remove a stand when that many figures are eliminated by the mechanisms - and so a gap which needs to be filled will open up. But (a) I need to decide what the battlefield will look like before deciding what basing finish will be appropriate, and (b) how many figures on what width base? How tightly should they be packed (flats, of course, can be packed very tightly indeed if desired)?

(Hoplite Phalanx: rough and ready - these figures are less tightly packed than the Persians in the previous picture)

Extra figures ...

(a drawer full of Greek cavalry: this should more than cover the requirements for Plataea)

... anyone know where I can get more of these figures - have a look at the pictures ... who makes and sells them? Or am I going to have to go to 'toy soldier' events to track them down?

Well, there's a few questions to get thing going.

Oh - and those Persians are going to need a barricade of shields ... or will they - what would you do?

(some of what's left after the Greeks and Persians have been selected ... there's another project or three still left I would think - but I must focus on Plataea for now)

31st October, Leeds

2011-11-04T19:50:00.013Z

Fiasco 2011

This time last year the shows team pretty much decided Fiasco was no longer sustainable. The move from Armley to Clarence Dock and the Armouries knocked our audience significantly, but, somehow The Royal Armouries is somewhere we thought we ought to be.

The move to Saviles Hall, supposedly 'at the Armouries', but the other side of the Plaza knocked our audience some more. And as, now, we are in a hall dedicated to a local legendary Leeds TV personality rather than the history of weapons and warfare, all connection seems to have been lost.

Of course this would be neither the time nor the place to have anything but praise for Sir Jimmy and the awesome contribution he made to local and national life. If anyone could fix it, Jim could, and may he rest in peace. Leeds has lost one its unique personalities. There was a condolence book in the foyer on what was just the very day following Sir Jimmy's final curtain - which was a nice touch.

(clicking on the image will bring up the bigger version)

So, even at Derby, at the start of the month, I was doubtful about the value of attending (there's a high cost to attending, no expected revenue with which to offset it, so an equation solely down to the audience justifying the expenditure). Then a couple of significant things happened.

An idea that had been emerging amongst the Gentlemen Pensioners came to fruition, and we needed to arrange a venue for the handing into my care of a classic flats collection ... and then Society member Rob (Scarab Miniatures) Broom offered to carry leaflets and samples alongside his War and Conquest game if we weren't already booked in (but would need to access some gear if he was to be able to) ...

(Early Medieval Spain: James Morris's El Cid collection - Rob's Fiasco show game)

Of course, I spied another option too, because (assuming Fiasco would have its quieter moments) I reckoned I could get a pretty comprehensive go at the game if I made Fiasco the venue for these collections and deliveries, and then sat with Rob as a willing volunteer.

(War and Conquest: the lighter armed Christians charge the Andalusian crossbowmen)

Result! And I have to say - it being a while since I played one of these Warhammer derived games - I quite enjoyed it. Rob gave me the choice of which side to play, and, obviously I chose the knights and charged home rolling excellent dice against his dodgy ones (so as the jaded amongst you will recognise, all the makings of an enjoyable game, whatever the quality of the underlying mechanisms!) ....

(Flats: a tray full of Egyptian chariots)

Anyway ... those flats ... David did some excellent photos and a quick summary on his wargames amateur blog (ancient flats) ... and as the collection has been dormant for a long time, I was happy to be nominated the new custodian on the basis that I will endeavour to get the collection used and back into battle.

There are 8 drawers of them, some painted nicely and ready to go ... mostly the more glamorous stuff (chariots, elephants and the like). A lot is partly finished and based up crudely, ready to play (that said, I remember basing in the early 70s and crude would cover it: aesthetics were different then) ... and then there is a heap of undercoated or part-painted stuff that has clearly never been in battle.

(Flats: elephants a-plenty ... and a tray full of .. err ... potential)

The good news is that there is sufficient Persian Wars content to put something together for next year's Society of Ancients BattleDay. That will tick 3 boxes for me (I'll deliver on the promise to get these figures back on the table; it'll settle what am doing for the BattleDay; and it'll give me an excuse to look again at Tony Bath's original ancients rules).

Hurrah! Not bad for just one outcome of my trip to Fiasco!

I will start up a 'specials' thread following this report in anticipation of next year's BattleDay - we'll have a look at flats, wargames rules and some of the issues that need sorting out before Plataea can be tackled.

(Lance & Longbow's New World DBA Participation table)

(6mm Gettysburg 'what if' presentation)

So, I spent most of the day playing the War & Conquest game with Rob ... but what about the rest of the show?

Well, famine and feast I guess. The trade turn out was OK and there was a fair chance you could get what you needed.

I had some items to discuss with Martin at Warbases and Kim at Monarch Books (so another two ticks) and there were quite a few second hand books around (if you are missing 'early wargamer favourites' Tony at ERM has a lot of treasures on his stand at the moment, and Dave Lanchester has his guilty pleasures ...)...

(Ilkley Lads' splendid Crusader Kingdom 'Battle of Harran' game)

(Harran: the Crusader infantry have second thoughts)

Figure shopping wasn't so good, and the display games were variable ... some good, but not dazzlingly aesthetic, Participation Games, and 2 truly spectacular 28mm Crusades games. Our own El Cid scenario and the James Roach/Ilkley Lads Battle of Harran.

(impressive WWI Aerial Combat game played on a blown up satellite photo, overlaid and printed as an advertising banner)

I'm told the Crusaders made a bit of a mess of things, and that they were mostly running away by the time my camera showed up. These sandy desertscapes certainly show off the toys well.

(Al Andalus: the best armoured of the Berber cavalry)

The El Cid collection was by James Morris, and will be familiar to WAB enthusiasts from his period supplement. Rob had scheduled Plataea again - right on message, of course - but then had engineered some packing failures so was better served by turning to the collection he had in transit from a photoshoot for the new book. Or some reasoning of that sort.

(Al Andalus: Spanish Caballeros from the collection of James Morris)

I won't 'review' the rules for you here on the basis of just one game. And anyway, the set up we used was more for visual delight than for scrutiny of the mechanisms ... there was no real space in which the Berbers could manoeuvre and get their superior flexibility and firepower to work (but I'd like to see more, which is positive).

(El Cid: the battle standard advances, vanguard to the clerics and their train of valuables)

The combat, shooting and morale follows line that will be familiar to Warhammer fans, which means if you like that sort of thing you are likely to get what you want. It also seems to work smoothly enough (well, Rob knows what he's doing on this ground), and the game had a good shape to it.

(Berber light horse)

Thanks, Rob for an entertaining tutorial (the samples from the book look good, too) ...

Will we be back next year? Time will tell. I thought 2010 would be it for us, so it shows how much I know. We will continue to support the event, but it may be through someone like Rob carrying membership forms and slingshot samples, rather than me driving up with a full exhibition team from the East Midlands.

(a final view of the colourful War & Conquest table at Fiasco 2011)

I'll be making the trip to Manchester next week to play in the Northern Doubles, Warfare, down South is a fortnight after ...

And I've suddenly realised that the week after that is the Glasgow Armati event ... then Pudsey ... then Stockport, Wargammer and Christmas.

Suddenly it's wall-to-wall shows again!

23rd October, Portsmouth

2011-10-26T15:10:00.010+01:00

English DBA Open

Presented by PAWS, the Society of Ancients and Magister Militum

Two days after Trafalgar Day, we are on the road again and taking the Society of Ancients to the home of the Royal Navy.

(the Society of Ancients goes to Portsmouth)

And to the annual English DBA Open competition - a celebration of things ancient and medieval, and of warfare on land, mostly in far off places. Still, we should doff our caps to history, and to that decisive battle where one of England's most celebrated national heroes met his fate*.

(Later Pre-Islamic Arab Nomads vs Bosporan)

(Minoans vs Thracians)

(Muslim Indian vs Ghaznavid)

Even with a couple of parties dropping out for various unfortunate reasons just before the event, the 25mm category did not go ahead, and 18 players went into the pool stages of the 15mm Open.

(a little more of historic Portsmouth)

The armies chosen were (I know you all like to know this ...): Shang Chinese; Trojan; Kushite; Thracian; Bosporan; Later Carthaginian; Early Imperial Roman; Ostrogothic; Late Roman (Eastern); Later Pre-Islamic Arab (me); Tibetan; Late Tang; Ghaznavid; Ghaznavid; Western Franks; Later Muslim Indian; Leidang and Medieval French.(Later Pre-Islamic Arab ... my scruffy nomads posed next to the sand dunes and oasis terrain which they never got to fight in!)

(Early Imperial Romans face off the Chinese)

These were organised into period appropriate pools (as far as possible) ...

(semi final armies: Muslim and Tamil elephants ...)

The event was also the final round of the 2011 Society of Ancients UK DBA League, with a number of the leading players managing the trip down.

The League has seen 64 players take part (53 Seniors and a useful 11 Juniors).

So we had trophies, freebies and heaps of army prizes to dish out as well as some game to play.
I will issue the full results on a Society of Ancients News Bulletin when I have them in (and link it here) ... for now, I will report on our day out and post some photos.

My last couple of competition outings involved winning a Championship game of Armati, and picking up the NDBML win at Halifax ... so would my improbable run of luck sustain me through a few rounds of DBA? Well I won't tease you on that one ... I had to struggle through three defeats to get a sniff of victory (and even in that game I think I was being outplayed until the dice were rolled!)

(Bosprans push on into the Plate competition)

One by one, these UK DBA players have learned not to respect my apparently experienced status ... my game is pretty dumb and you can play without fear (once your opponent knows this it is a much easier game, and all this lot have found me out!) ...

(more semi final action)

Actually that is a pretty good situation as it leaves me free to lay for fun, meet people and take photos ... I didn't make it from the pool stage into the knock out. We had a plate competition (I didn't get into the semis for that either ...)..

For the Open and the Junior knock outs, players surrendered their chosen armies for ones drawn from one of DBA's campaign set ups as last year.

(James, Mark and Martin ... triumphant in the Open)

In a tight final, Mark Skelton pipped Martin Smith for the title, and James May won the Junior title. Martin Myers won the plate competition. They all got Magister Militum DBA armies to go with their trophies. Many thanks to MM for their continued support (please give them a visit).

Colin O'Shea's lead in the League survived, and Patrick Myers won the Junior League crown. Colin gets a book prize from Monarch Military Books who have sponsored the League. Patrick gets a Xyston army box of his choice.

Additionally, there were some Confused Generals from Bend Sinister and some additional complimentary booklets from the Society of Ancients stable going to appropriate players. For those who like the maths, £200 or so in goodies to back up the trophies (so thanks again to our sponsors).

(Phil presents the prizes at the English DBA Open)

Of course the camaraderie and the great spirit of all those games counts for much more and I hope everyone had as rewarding a day out as I did. I also learned a few more nuances of the game (there's a string of victories bursting to get out, somewhere in there) ...

Many thanks to the PAWS stalwarts who are managing the League tables and numbers as well as hosting their seasonal events and the Open.

Society of Ancients UK DBA League page

*By the time of Trafalgar, Nelson had near rock star status. The nation and his officers were dumbstruck at the loss. The State Funeral took 5 days, with the river unable to cope with the size of the regatta, St. Paul's too small for the mourners. The procession was so long that by the time the head of the column arrived at the Cathedral the funeral car had still not left Whitehall.
see The State Funeral of Lord Nelson for more remarkable info.

16th October, Crystal Palace

2011-10-19T11:32:00.008+01:00

SELWG 2011
It's good that SELWG now seems back in its accustomed spot and its accustomed venue. Good, this year, too, we had a quick trip down (I followed the AA route this time, and for once, it was good*). Also, this year the stand was being done by the A team - so all we (middling) Northerners had to do was turn up as the relief column and bring some current issues of Slingshot.

(Lost Battles masterclass: always a crowd in attendance while the game was being run)

The display part of the pitch was the Battle of Bibracte (Caesar against the Helvetii) done on the Professor's compact battlefield (though with 28mm figures, not 15s as I had originally suspected ... )

(Phil and Eric's layout for the compact battle of Bibracte)

Bibracte was a brutal affair with a lot of grim face-to-face combat as Caesar's legions punched through the centre of an initially aggressive barbarian army. There was little in the way of manoeuvre in the original battle, and the armies seem to have comprised mostly of 'heavy' infantry battleline troops. A good choice to try out the Lost Battles combat mechanisms!

The Society was very fortunate also to be allocated a pitch next to the Tunbridge Wells club's Hail Caesar Outremer game (set around in the period of the Third Crusade).

(Hail Caesar on the parched plains of the Holy Land)

I hope the pictures capture the easy eye-appeal of this game. I thought the sandy terrain tiles set off the figures (15s, mostly Essex that I saw) very nicely.

I'll indulge a few more shots ...

I have seen Hail Caesar games at many of this year's shows since it's launch at the Society of Ancients BattleDay earlier in the year (and subsequently at Salute, of course) ... but mostly they have been with 28mm Romans and Brits on improbably large (often mostly empty) tables - so this was a refreshing change to the formula and really caught people's attention.

Still sprawling, of course (such is the Black Powder ethic), but much more manageable ... Bless 'em, the chaps also played quite a lot of the game during the course of the day, and it was possible to watch and see the mechanisms in action. OK - I give in ... it was 15mm crusades game with nice figures and simple but effective terrain (and regulars will know that ticks a good number of my boxes). Great stuff.

Otherwise, SELWG is the victim of its own success in a way. The show's team try to collect the best of everything, and although they usually succeed, it can mean that a lot of the wargames on show have been seen before.

Some things, of course, do merit a good look. Herne Bay's 'Crush the Kaiser' was a bit swamped in the huge (and artificially lit) cavern of Salute, but was a lot more engaging (for me at least) in Crystal Palace's more intimate and bright surroundings - well that and SELWG allowed me to pay more attention to fewer games.

(Herne Bay's crush the Kaiser fascinates a youngster)

The other nice thing with SELWG is they make a bit of a fuss with their awards, and usually make some good choices. Well, they gave my 'Greyhounds in the Slips' a runners up prize last year, so they can't always be relied upon ... And there were some spectacular winners.

(SELWG: the Prize Givers' progress)

(Budapest again - but looking a little snowier this time)

(the Hun but not yet in the sun)

But I can't fail to mention Arbuthnot's whatnots ... A truly spectacular table meshing the war in the Pacific with aeronef nonsense (is that what it is?) ...

Now I'm sure it won't upset anyone if I come over a little confused (I've never been shy about being a historical wargamer who simply does not get the joys of made up stuff) ...

Give or take more transparent acrylic cluttering the table than a picnic Pimms party, the scenery was truly spectacular and drew attention away from many a nearby table. I'm sure there was a fantastic historical game in there somewhere, struggling to get out.

If this sort of stuff does float your boat (no pun intended) there's loads of pictures all over the net after SELWG. But here's some from source (close ups)

Ah well. I would really love to see these guys tackle something like Salamis. With Triremes.

(some nice post war 20th century stuff)

A really good day out. We tried the Sat Nav thing on the way home ... it promised to avoid the traffic and wove us into West London seeking the North Circular - a truly bizarre route to the East Midlands that actually did get us to the M1 within an hour (way quicker than my previous trips home from Crystal Palace) ... Hmmm ... does this indicate that the technology works?

Next time out will be the UK DBA League's final round ...
The DBA English Open in Portsmouth.

Yes, you can come. See you there!

*I'll put it in small writing as a footnote, but in this instance, I may have been wrong about the AA's route, and it's not far off what Chris C used to recommend. Hmmm.

(flashback! Welcome to Jerusalem from 2008 ... those were the days!)

1st-2nd October, Derby

2011-10-07T02:01:00.006+01:00

WORLD WARGAMES, DERBY 2011

Phew what a scorcher.

A beautiful weekend and the atrium of Derby University's Kedlestone campus lets you enjoy all that sunshine.

I really like these bright, open venues - though I understand some areas got a bit warm. The Bring & Buy was not pleasant during the quiet time when I popped up, and I have heard from more than one source of people just leaving it because the fragrance got eye-watering.

It's a bit sad when you consider that the people who clear up the facilities probably associate all of us with the hygiene problems of a determined minority.

(The Elephant In The Room: a lively bunch of youngsters take on the elephant)

The Society of Ancients stand was an oasis of freshness of course - even if we were reprising our successful The Elephant in the Room. New this year we had the deluxe (if that encompasses cutting up the cards yourself) published version of the game for people who liked it to take away. And many did.

Although the show seemed fairly quiet at times, the Participation game was busily played, off and on, throughout the weekend - and was still active by mid afternoon on Sunday (at a time when many a northern show is breaking up).

(TEITR: scenes from a Society Participation game)

Many thanks to Graham for steadfastly manning the game all weekend and entertaining so many participants young and old. I'm sure there were some seeds of inspiration sown amongst some of the younger participants.

There were quite a few other ancients games out at Derby.

(Yorkshire, Palm Sunday 1461: The Rather Large Towton Project)

I was pleased to get a good look at the tiny but massive Towton game. I understand some infilling has raised the figure count to 18,000 now. 18,000? Is that possible? They are very small.

(like someone said .... the faasands of 'em ...)

It is a great project - and they play it too (Poleaxed II) ...
(The Rather Large Towton blog)

I'll also include a couple of shots of the 6mm Trebbia game. (The Battle of the Trebbia, 218 BC, Northern Italy)

(the game was being played using 'Impetus')

I thought this was a great example of what small scale wargames can do: visually much more manageable than many a sprawling 28mm monster. I think this ticks a lot of boxes.

Our level was (excepting our 54mm game) a mix of 6, 10 and 28mm (perhaps some of it due to the proximity of Pendraken and Baccus ...?), all of them good. Again, I like the way smaller scales can capture the whole battlefield ...

(10mm Operation Brevity)

A pity that that section of road was knocked out of line ...

(6mm Gettysburg participation game: no monuments, but you can still make out Cemetery Ridge)

And I know some of you wouldn't want me to miss the big Warlord Games/Hail Caesar Romans bash (so here's a picture) ...

The Sedgemoor game I featured in the The Other Partizan was on show again. I got to chat to the presenters about the battle, which is nicely presented and about as good as sprawling 28 gets. They were happy to explain things, so thumbs up for that, too.
(Vienna 1683)

Back to the small but spectacular, I thought this 6mm Vienna 1683 game again came out a winner. I love that painted background: I really must think in terms of getting round three sides allows some extra visual options on side 4 (I used a mirror behind the City in Welcome to Jerusalem all those years ago - but I can imagine doing it differently now ....) ...

(close look at some of the Ottoman forces)

It is a truly remarkable scale, these days ... just in the photos, I can clearly see the Turkish cavalry, the characteristic Janissary caps etc.

Of course, a lot of this is down to Derby's atrium letting all that sunlight in. I think some of these smaller sale games would suffer badly in the more muted light of, say, Kelham Hall's Dome (where the Sedgemoor game was a real eye catcher).

(another look at some of the soldiers at Sedgemoor)

The Society had a reasonable weekend, including recruiting that magic new member whose decision means - as Shows North - we have recruited more members this year than in the whole of 2010 (so a big thank you to all the Shows volunteers: not only have you made a great contribution to keeping ancient and medieval warfare alive in people's minds, you have also helped the Society of Ancients keep head up in this age of the Internet).

Add to that some very nice shopping and an evening out at a Jazz event to see a long-standing friend's daughter play trumpet and you are getting close to a perfect weekend.

That said, nobody gave us a prize for winning anything this week ... so I guess it's situation normal really.

Very good show, Derby. Lots of good traders. Plenty of new products and lots of deals on offer. Lots of games to join in or inspire (a great collection in my camera - and they were just the ones I liked ...) ...

Thanks. I'm now looking forward to SELWG and then the DBA English Open.

Join the Society of Ancients (here)
Get a copy of A Domino Double Header (here)
Look forward to SELWG (here)
Get details on the DBA English Open (here)

Plenty of scope to get involved there ...

Fancy helping out at Fiasco? Recon? Wargamer? Drop me a line ...

18th September, Halifax

2011-09-30T14:13:00.010+01:00

Round 4 of the NDBML (Northern Doubles League)

Did I finish the Stoke Challenge report on a winning note? What a good link to the Halifax round of the Northern League.

Halifax is northern cloth town of imposing stone buildings set dramatically in West Yorkshire's rugged Pennines.

Surprisingly, I had never been to Halifax before. Less surprisingly, perhaps, we saw rather more of Halifax than we had intended as we navigated our way somewhat circuitously to the venue.

We got to Halifax on schedule but were grateful to our opponents in the Field of Glory event for indulging us not getting to the Belgrave Social Club on quite the same timing :) We had entered the Feudal Spanish army which had last seen action at Burton last year (and had had to scratch after 2 wins on the Saturday due to our cars getting iced in).

(DBMM action from the Halifax Doubles)

(Japanese and Chinese armies clash in the FoG event)

Fortunately, our closely fought and engaging game turned decisive within the allotted time frame, so nothing was lost by a late start. Our opponents had one of those mornings, so we ended up with a very big score.

(Aragonese crossbowmen tough it out against disrupted cataphract cavalry)

In the afternoon, our superior armoured knights came up against Central Asian average Lancer Cavalry. Just about their ideal opponents. I had a sense that we ought to be able to win the game, but again, some bad dice runs meant we did so by a big margin.

The implications hadn't occurred to me until our opponents graciously offered a handshake with the comment 'and you take our camp, which wins you the game and probably first place'. Hmmm ...

They were right, and although there is a handicapping system which might have boosted some of the other contenders, our 48 points out of 50 proved unassailable.

Back-to-back wins - with a good army - always ought to be within our reach, but, frankly, die rolls were what determined they should be such big wins.

As I said at the time, it just goes to prove that old saying about a monkey randomly being able to type the complete works of Shakespeare given an infinite amount of time.

It also just goes to show what a great series the Northern Doubles is.

Thanks, Colin and Geoff ...

And what a nice town Halifax is. If you are not convinced, I might add that beer was £1.65 a pint. Yes - you may like to read that again. It goes some way to explain why local wargamers moan about the price of a coffee at the Royal Armouries!

(waterways and sprawling BUAs: some attractive features from the DBMM tables I now miss)

I'll provide a link to the NDBML information page (MAWS/NDBML), but as you may be lazy, I'll download the picture you are bound to be after.

I usually get a snap of the winners at these events, but I was busy this time.

I very rarely publish my lists, but this one must be good as it has won its last 4 games and with commanders who are not atop those ranking thingies.

The list is actually Feudal Aragonese from Oath of Fealty, and we selected ...

TC Commander + 2 sub TCs and 1 French allied TC;

2BGs of 6 ave unprotected LF with javelin/Light Spear; 1 BG of 6 ave unprotected LF with slings and an allied French BG of 4 ave unprotected LF with bows; 3 BGs of ave unprotected LH with javelin/Light Spear;

1 BG of undrilled, protected, ave HF defensive spearmen; 1 BG of drilled, prote

cted, ave HF defensive spearmen and 1 BG of drilled, protected, ave MF with crossbow (both Military Orders).

3 BGs of undrilled, armoured, superior Knights; 1 BG of drilled, armoured, superior Knights (Military Orders); and 2 BGs of allied French undrilled, armoured, superior Knights. (16 Battle Groups, exactly 900 points)

There are many, many reasons why this might not be the perfect army, but it plays very well when it goes into action.

Followers of this blog will know we go to lots of places on our Shows North travels. Halifax is one of those places I think I rather like.

Next up? See you in Derby over the weekend.

(looking forward to Derby with the Society of Ancients)

In amongst the other events, there is a random armies Armati event (good luck, Will), but I will be forgoing that to run the Society stand whilst Graham entertains you with The Elephant In The Room.

We will also have the September issue of Slingshot, hot off the press (arrived here yesterday).

Those FoG Generals you all like

17th September, Stoke on Trent

2011-09-29T17:12:00.007+01:00

THE 2011 Stoke Challenge

The Stoke Challenge is an annual wargames event which raises money for Services charities (and so is a good thing). Originally just a one-day tournament, it has grown into a viable regional show.

One of the features over recent years has been an Armati Doubles competition, but this year, due to date juggling, not everyone could attend.

(adjacent to the Society stand: the Armati tables)

Nevertheless, we decided to go ahead and run a couple of Armati tables for those who could make it, a Hellenistic table by the locals, and a Romans v Goths table that I would provide.

(Red hit markers pile up behind the Romans as the Gothic cavalry pile in)

I was pleased to do this as I find commitments help get projects finished. I had 'cobbled together' some Goths for Britcon - but the army played quite well and looked like that long sought viable opponent for the Romans (who can be 'all conquering' in Armati)

(trayed up and ready to play: Phil's finished 'Goths of Totilla' armati army)

Inspired by this, I placed a small order of those new Lurkio figures to see what they were like. I suspect that without the commitment to field the troops for the Stoke Challenge, the new figures might still be on the work table ... experimented with ... based, even ... but not finished.

And viable they were ... winning both their games. In the afternoon 'Fire at Will' joined us for a sample game of Armati (and was one of the Gothic winners). He liked to think it was luck and some guidance from me (here) ... but in truth he advanced on the Romans with preparatory skirmishing, then put his faith in the cavalry, launching impetus charges with Totilla showing the way.

(splendid Lurkio Goths - mixed in with Gladiator and Chariot figures ... finished and in play)

Now I wouldn't say it will always work, but as a Gothic tactic it is fine. At Tadinae, Narses was so fearful of this tactic he dismounted the bulk of his army and 'dug in' (which suggest there was a real prospect it would work). The rest is history.

And the Lurkio figures are great. Just what I wanted.

(the Hellenistic table: Alexander against the Persians)

On the other table a Macedonian army took on a Later Achaemenid Persian force in an impressive encounter that eventually went the historical way.

As well as Dave Lanchester Books, Stafford Games and an interesting selection of smaller traders, there were a number of display tables and non-tournament games in progress ...

(a very inspiring 10mm WSS game at Stoke Challenge)

The main competitions this year were Flames of War and a well attended DBMM ...

(scenes from the Stoke DBMM Challenge)

It is also worth noting that in addition to the sponsored head shaving and other fund raising stunts, there was a raffle in which both I and Lance & Longbow stalwart Steve were winners. Yes, winners (and not the opposite of that, as some allege ...)

I passed the Victorian Sci Fi loot I won into Chris's eager hands (a generous bag of 28mm hokum ...) not my thing at all but its the thought that counts - and like all wargamers, I'm happy to be a winner.

I hope the Army Benevolent Fund did well - they deserve our support.