Editorial

Wargaming News

Gaugamela - Deployment and Plans Part One

Adrianople 378AD using Armati Rules

Wargaming in the British Heroic Age

A Society Convention 2023 Battle Report

The Society of Ancients Convention 2023

Magnesia on My Mind

Empire (a Society of Ancients boardgame) runthrough

Tactica 2 Games - Part 3 - Neo-Assyrians vs Neo-Babylonians

Three Ages of Rome - a rules review

15mm Miniatures Review - Peter Pig Parthian Peltasts

15mm Miniatures Review - Lanver Miniatures Greek Psiloi

The Trojan War - Tragedy and Aftermath book review

The Perfect Sword - Forging the Dark Ages book review

Armies of Anglo-Saxon England 410 - 1066 book review

And finally 

Editorial

Wargaming News

Getting Started in Early Medieval Wargaming by James Morris

Saint Ciera’s Missionary Expedition to China by Lawrence Greaves

Battles of the British Heroic Age - Part 3 of A Dying Light in Britannia by Dave Hollin

Seleucid and Graeco-Bactrian Frontier Policy in Central Asia by Ken Bell

Tactica 2 Games Part 2 - New Kingdom Egyptians vs Sea Peoples by Simon Watson

Tactica 2 games through the ages part 1- Ancient Sumer; Umma vs Kish

Persian Tactical Problems by Gavin Pearson

Adrianople Games Day by Les Ames

Western Sudanese and Tuareg DBA armies during the Quarantine by Ilan Mitchell-Smith

Wars of the Roses Painting Guide and General Musings by Simon Macdowall

On Bloody Ground—A rules review by Dave Hollin

A Very Quick look at 3D Printing by Dave Hollin

15mm Miniatures Review - Midianite Infantry by Steven Neate

Alcibiades: Athenian Playboy, General and Traitor book review by Jim Webster

The Medieval Crossbow book review by Anthony Clipsom

The Wars of Justinian I book review by Duncan Head

The Early Anglo-Saxon Kings book review by Dave Hollin

And finally 

Editorial

Wargaming News

Interview with John Lambshead

What are the chances - pikes vs bows in DBA 3.0

Alexander the Great; the complete conqueror

Wargaming 4th century BC hoplite warfare using 'Strength & Honour'

A little 2nd Mantineia (6mm)

Tactica 2 games through the ages part 1- Ancient Sumer; Umma vs Kish

Pleasures and pitfalls of writing a scenario

Khurasan 15mm miniatures review

Essex Nubian and Libu infantry 15mm miniatures review

A mini-15mm comparison follow-up

The Macedonian Phalanx and The Greek Hoplite Phalanx book reviews

The Rise of Persia & The First Greco-Persian Wars book review

The Galatians book review

The Battles of Antiochus the Great

And finally 

Society of Ancients Convention 2023

Editorial

Interview with Simon McDowell

If you go down to the woods today...

Raining Arrows - the debate about the medieval arrow storm

A Dying Light in Britannia part 2

15mm Figuare Comparisons and Wargaming the Dark Ages part 2

2023 SOA Membership Survey

SOA Battle Day Round-up

Mantinea with Alala Ruleset

Mantinea with Spartans and Successors

Harry Hurdow does Battle Day

Hoplites in Messene

Naval Gazing - a Comparison of Naval Rulesets

15mm Figures Review - Peter Pig Midianite Camels

Ruleset Review - Hail Caesar 2nd Edition

Book Review - A Military Life of Constantine the Great

Book Review - The Legiones Cannenses

Book Review - The Last Great War of Antinquity

Why does it matter? - a plea from the committee

Editorial

The Society Officer and Committee Member Nominations notice

Refighting 2nd Mantinea using Lost Battles and Legion II

THe Battlefield of Adrianople 378AD

Galloping Horse and Bounding Chariot

Roman Special Forces and Special Operations

Interview with Neville Dickinson

The Third Battle of the Mandubian Hills

Centrefold Miniature Painting Showcase

Teutoburger Wald AD9

A Dying Light in Britannia

Testing my Resolve rules review and battle report

Deus Vult rules review part 2 (making the rules work)

Plastic Soldier Company 15mm Huns review

25mm Lamming Miniatures Review

15mm comparison of Celtic chariot miniatures

Alexander the Great book review

Romans at War book review

Deception in medieval warfare book review

Sparta's Second Attic War book review 

Editorial

The Society’s online forum

The SOA 2022 Championship result by Peter Barham

Still Wargaming in Lockdown by Gordon Garrad

Hiccups for Hoplites by David Kay

Invitation to take part in the SOA 2023 Ruleset Survey (and a chance to win some dice!)

Deus Vult Ruleset Review (Part 1) by Mark Wilson

Interview with Mark Backhouse by Gordon Garrad

DBx - DB’Wildered by Gordon Lawrence

Home Grown Rules by David Kay

The 2nd Battle of Mantineia (SOA Battle Day Pack) by Duncan Head

SAGA (2022) Ruleset Review by Ken Butt

Test of Honour ruleset review by Steven Neate

Thracians and Dacians book review by Denis Grey

Venetian War of 1487 book review by Duncan Head

Ancient Battle Formations book review by Andreas Johansson

The Galatians book review by Stephen Brennan

Editorial

Guardroom

Interview with Lorenzo Sartori

Newbury and Reading Wargames Society and Colours - a short history

Westbury Wars 2022

The Lamian War part 2

Hoplites at the SOA Conference 2022

Command & Colours Knockout Tournament at the SOA Conference 2022

My First Society of Ancients Article

Selecting my Sassanid Aesthetic

How I became the first non-UK member to win the SOA Championship

A Hex on your terrain

Horse Archer Units in Armati

Shield Patterns at Second Mantinea

SAGA - Age of Alexander supplement review

Age of Hannibal rules review

Strength and Honour rules review

The Long War for Britannia book review

The Field Campaigns of Alexander book review

Empire of Horses book review

Battle Day 2023

Editorial

Guardroom

Society of Ancients Conference

The Goths 2: From Alaric to Theoderic the Great by Michael Friedholm von Essen

Restoring New Rome - the strategy and military of the Byzantine Empire in the mid-1100s by David Harvey

Refighting Adrianople 378 AD with DBMM by Jens Peter Kutz

Legion II Fast Play Expansion by Philip Sabin

Editorial

Guardroom

Adrianople with Comitatus by Simon MacDowell

Pikes across the Millenia (part 2) by Philip Sabin

10mm miniatures and an odyssey to wargame Dark Age Britain in the ‘Age of Arthur’ by Dave Hollin

The Lamian War Part 1 by Björn Floderus

Interview with Herve Caille by Gordon Garrad

Alexander’s Successors at War: How Eumenes Defeated the World’s Most Famous Commander by Tristan Hughes

Leuctra 371 BC: The Destruction of Spartan Dominance reviewed by Steve Neates 

The Iliad and the Odyssey: The Trojan War: Tragedy and Aftermath reviewed by Jim Webster

Editorial

Guardroom

Pikes across the Millenia Part 1

Shields and Armour in Mycenaean Warfare

Wargaming Adrianople

Airfix Nostaglia

Book Review: "The Highland Battles: Warfare on Scotland's Northern Frontier in the Early Middle Ages" by Chris Peers

The Yumi at War

Interview with Dan Mersey

Editorial

Guardroom

Ancients Awake from Slumber

First Class Warriors at the Birth of the Roman Republic

The Rise and Fall of Nomad Military Power, part 2 c. 1200 AD - 1600 AD - by Michael Fredholm von Essen

Bosworth with Tree of Battles

Book review of 'Richard III and the Battle of Bosworth'

Slingshot interviews - Phil Barker

Editorial

The view from the editor's chair including thanks to those who responded to his pleas for articles to replenish the stock and a reminder about the wealth of interesting material that originates in that other source of erudite debate, the Society Forum (check it out).

Guardroom

Stephen Brennan serves up some fascinating material about late medieval Hebridean mercenaries as a useful extension to that provided by Anthony Clipsom in his recent article, "An Archer’s Tale".

The Rise and Fall of Nomad Military Power, part 1 c. 1000 BC - 1200 AD - by Michael Fredholm von Essen

Asiatic nomad armies created some of the greatest empires the world has ever seen. Michael Fredholm von Essen analyses the nomad strategy that eventually transformed them from tribal federations content with opportunistic raiding into empire builders.

Solo Wargaming - by John Hastings

Given the scattered nature of the Ancients wargaming community, plenty of wargamers have no choice but to adopt schizophrenia as a recreational modus operandi and play against themselves. John Hastings discusses how it is done.

Slingshot interviews Simon Hall - by Gordon Garrad

Mortem et Gloriam has become a very popular ruleset in the Ancients community. Slingshot interviews its creator, Simon Hall, and asks him about his wargaming background, rules writing career, his experience with MeG, his futures plans, the meaning of life, and so on...

The Philistines are upon you - by Richard Andrews

Heavily-equipped but unwieldy Philistines vs. lightly-armed but agile Jews is a classic gaming setup where terrain makes all the difference. Richard Andrews analyses the historical composition of the two armies and how it applies to the wargaming table.

Game Mechanics and Realism - by Anthony Clipsom

Everyone knows that realism and playability are at odds with each other. But is that really the case? Anthony Clipsom makes the argument that you can have your cake and eat it, with sufficiently plausible realism happily wedded to enjoyable gameplay.

The Murder of Evesham - by John Graham-Leigh

Evesham ended the hopes of Simon de Montfort’s supporters (and the life of de Montfort himself). John Graham-Leigh plays a refight of the battle using DBM, with a convincing result.

Assyrian 'Kallapani' - by Daniel McLaughlin

Kallapani have been a standard part of Assyrian army lists but with highly variable properties. Daniel McLaughlin examines the evidence to see if we can know anything certain about them.

Slingshot Book & Game Reviews 

Including reviews of: 

• Commands & Colors Samurai Battles by game designer: Richard Borg
• Hellenistic and Roman Naval Warfare, 336BC-31BC by John D. Graingerenn.

Guardroom

Extras about archers and some corrections about Teutons. Oh! and actual details about the Battle Day. No, really.

Roman Britain’s Lost IXth Legion - by Dr Simon Elliot

So what really happened to the Ninth? Simon Elliot puts forward four plausible hypotheses: the legion was lost in Scotland; it was annihilated/disbanded in a London revolt; it was destroyed on the Rhine or in the east. He examines the evidence and one hypothesis emerges as most likely...

When the Rules Don’t Work - Wargaming Hoplite Battles With Hail Caesar - by Gordon Lawrence

Historical inaccuracy is the eternal bugbear of rulesets and Gordon Lawrence digs up quite a few of them in Hail Caesar, such as fixed unit sizes, Greek hoplite support lines, different parts of a phalanx moving at different speeds, and so on. Answer? A little rules tinkering...

The Morale of the Armies at Cannae - by Andrew Parrock

Everyone knows that morale is one of the most important elements in an army, but what exactly morale is and how it affects the different aspects of a unit’s cohesion and fighting ability is something that needs a closer look. Andrew Parrock does some close looking.

Computer Wargaming - by David Mason

Covid lockdowns have curtailed over-the-table wargaming to a great extent, with the result that internet gaming has become much more significant. David Mason examines computer wargaming and reviews the more popular Ancients and Mediaeval PC games.

A Quick Trawl of the Net - by Retiarius

Retiarus helps fellow lockdownees find a couple of the more useful websites that deal with pre-gunpowder wargaming, with the promise of more to come.

Timoleon Brings the Thunder - by Chris Hahn

Chris Hahn takes a close look at the Battle of Crimisus from the historical perspective in order to fine-tune the composition of the armies of Carthage and Timoleon as well as devise scenario-specific rules for the battle, to be played with l’Art de la Guerre.

The Second Punic War in the Classroom - by Dr Max Nelson

One good way to motivate students to study military history is get them to play it. Dr Nelson tries Professor Sabin’s Second Punic War simulation on his own class, with great success.

Test of Resolve - Wars of the Roses - by David Knight

Test of Resolve - Wars of the Roses is a newly-released ruleset designed specifically for that era, with careful attention paid to historical accuracy as well as playability.

Wargaming through Lockdown - by Gordon Garrad

Quite a few Ancients and Mediaeval wargamers have taken to using video conferencing software like Skype, Facetime and Zoom to play games. How does it work? Gordon Garrad describes how.

The Sui-Eet Chinese Range - by Steve Neate

Outpost Wargames and Essex Miniatures have a very impressive range of 15mm figures for the Sui and Tang Chinese dynasties, as the photos supplied by Steve Neate demonstrate.

Slingshot Book & Game Reviews

The Roman Army Medical Service - by Dr Nick Summerton
Just how good were Roman military medics at treating the sometimes horrific wounds suffered by their fellow-soldiers, as well as the many diseases and ailments common at that time? Dr Summerton examines the evidence and concludes that they were not bad at all.

Bosworth with Bloody Barons - by Mark Wilson
Designed for the Wars of the Roses, Bloody Barons makes for an interesting recreation of Bosworth in which the setup rules create a different scenario each time, with different problems to solve, requiring cunning deployment, good timing, and a healthy dose of luck!

The Teutonic Order in the 13 Years’ War - by Andreas Johansson
After the disastrous battle of Tannenberg in 1410, the army of the Teutonics Knights was a very different animal from what it had been before, now consisting largely of mercenaries with very few actual Knights, but still good enough to hold off its enemies for more than a decade.

Norman Tactics - by Matthew Bennett
Why Norman troops of the 11th century were so effective across Europe has usually been attributed to the impetuous charge of their heavy cavalry. In fact, the knights were disciplined and tactically aware and part of a combined arms system with infantry spearmen and a range of missile types.

The Tertii and the Quadii - by Mark Wilson
These famous tribal troop-types have dominated the wargaming table for ages, persisting in rulesets up to the present even though the sources indicate they never actually existed.

An Archer’s Tale - by Anthony Clipsom
How is the appearance of a miniatures figure determined and what kind of research goes into deciding how he is clothed and armed? Anthony Clipsom uses an Agincourt archer as an example of how a foundry gets a figure right and (in some particulars) wrong.

The Great Revolt of the Egyptians - by Jim Webster
After the battle of Raphia in 217BC, native Egyptian soldiers in the Ptolemaic army revolted against Ptolemy Philopator, seizing the territory around Thebes. Jim Webster looks at the revolt and the kind of armies they and the Ptolemies were able to raise against each other.

Slingshot Interviews Rick Priestly - by Gordon Garrod
Everyone knows Rick Priestly wrote the rules for Warhammer, but here we get a reminder that he also created Black Powder and Hail Caesar. He answers interesting questions such as how to resolve the eternal dilemma of historicity vs playability in historical gaming.

Arabs vs Byzantines - by Ray Briggs
Breach and Scutcheon (Slingshot 333) delivers in this game between two historical opponents, where the battle sways one way and then the next, and the outcome remains uncertain until the dramatic finale.

Slingshot Book & Game Reviews

Contents:

• Guardroom
• Sea Eagles of Empire - by Simon Elliott
• T’ang Fastic Outpost - by Steven Bowns
• Arthurian Campaign - by Martin Smith
• The Gothic Wagon Laager at Adrianople - by Jens Peter Kutz
• Roman Tactical Acumen at Cannae - by Justin Swanton
• Placing Table Terrain for Double DBA3 - by Neville Dickenson
• Slingshot Book & Game Reviews

Over the Top

Nick Harbud analyses the last battle of the Hundred Years War, at the very end of the Society’s historical period, and discusses how to game it with some popular rulesets.

Does Armour Matter

by Mark Wilson.  Armour is important, obviously, but just how useful were the different pieces of armour as fighting men with more means were better encased? Do rulesets accurately represent this? And do they accurately represent anything about warfare at all? And should they? And...

Once more into the Breach

by Ray Briggs.  Wargamers, naturally, cannot help themselves when it comes to not liking everything about their favourite ruleset. And fixing it. And turning it into a new ruleset.

Seleucid Elephants in 150BC

The Seleucids are commonly believed to have had no elephants between 162BC and 145BC. Jim Webster brings forward evidence that this was not the case and suggests tweaks to DBMM army lists for the Seleucid Empire that could be adapted to other rulesets.

Absent Generals

Creating an authentic fog of war joined to an equally authentic command structure has always been a big problem for wargamers. David Kay comes up with a creative solution, producing a trial scenario that got a thumbs up from his playtesters.

Characene

Characene, as a distinct and sometimes independent political entity, existed for three and a half centuries and was an important regional power. Jim Webster suggests some amendments to army lists that better reflect its capabilities, especially its naval strength.

How to Use Elephants in Tactica 2

Before Xanthippus used them as a steamroller at Bagradas, elephants were usually deployed by Indians and later by the Successor States as an infantry screen. Simon Watson looks at why this was so, using Tactica 2 to demonstrate the efficacity of the elephant screen. 

Guardroom

News and views

Every Man's Hand

by Matthew Bennett and Roy Boss

Garamantes

by Jim Webster

Going Back to Gaugamela

by Chris Hahn

The Sound of Battle

by Anthony Clipsom

An Armati List for Cyrus the Great

by Rodger Williams

Counting the Enemy

by John Hastings

Telamon in Anaheim

by Andrew Gledhill

T’angoed!

by Nicholas Harbud

Warfare in Antiquity Conference

by Rodger Williams

Slingshot Figure Reviews

Slingshot Book & Game Reviews

Guardroom

News and views

Honour and Loss

Phil Sabin recounts his long and stimulating acquaintaince with Patrick Waterson that spanned 15 years and was the occasion of many fruitful discussions and debates.

Sumerian Military Camel Riders

Simon Watson takes a closer look at the standard assumption that camels were used in armies only from about 1000 BC and produces arguments for their being used by the Sumerians domestically and hence probably in a military context a millennium and a half earlier.

What a Wheelie

Chariots anyone? Here is an overview of a skirmish-level game that covers every aspect of the troop type that dominated warfare in the Fertile Crescent for millennia. And the rulest itself is downloadable for free!

In the Lab with Legions 

How does one model the triplex acies legion on the gaming table? Chris Hahn sifts through Tactica II, Armati, Hail Caesar, Impetus and l'Art de la Guerre to ascertain which ruleset best replicates the iconic formation that created the Roman Empire.

Making 15mm Siena Military Companies

Siennese Contrade make for an interesting army list, comprising militia spearmen, pavesari, crossbowmen, javelinmen, archers and knights—and not forgetting the carroccio. Richard Lockwood describes how he created an army that is as pretty as it is authentic.

Refighting Cannae

As every wargamer knows, Cannae is one of the toughest battles to recreate on the wargaming table in a way that even remotely replicates history. Using l'Art de la Guerre, Dan Hazelwood sets up a game scenario that promises not only historicity but also balanced gameplay.

Aquae Sextiae with DBA

Using Big Battle DBA, Andy Offen manages to recreate an historical outcome between Marius's legions and their historical enemies, the Teutones and Ambrones, though the question of whether Marian Romans were better than Polybian Romans is still to be answered.

Slingshot Book & Game Reviews

• The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece
• Hoplites: the classical Greek Battle Experience
• Greek Warfare: Myths and Realities
• A Storm of Spears: Understanding the Greek Hoplite at War
• Reinstating the Hoplite: Arms, Armour and Phalanx Fighting in Archaic and Classical Greece
• Men of Bronze: Hoplite Warfare in Ancient Greece
• Hoplites at War: a Comprehensive Analysis of Heavy Infantry Combat in the Greek World, 750-100 BCE
• Armies of the Hellenistic States 323BC – AD30, History, Organisation and Equipment.
• The Ancient War Game
• Carthage’s Other Wars: Carthaginian warfare outside the ‘Punic Wars’ with Rome
• The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin

Guardroom
The debate continues over the credibility (and availability) of primary sources.

Zhizhi's Last Stand by Nicholas Spratt
Gan Yanshou’s victory in 36BCE is famous, not just because it was the only time a Chinese army would kill a Chanyu of the Xiongnu Empire, or because the Han army would have to travel 3400km from the capital to get there, but because a hapax legomenon in the Hanshu’s description has been interpreted as suggesting that China faced Roman Legionaries on the battlefield that day.

An Alternative Rant by David Kay
David Kay follows Simon Watson’s lead and has a look at the more problematic elements of current wargaming play mechanisms, troop classifications and other bones of contention.

Have at Thee, Varlet! by Anthony Clipsom
For most of us, ‘varlet’ is just a quaint, old expression for an example of degenerate scum. Anthony digs up the fascinating Mediaeval origins behind the word.

The Red Dragon and the White Boar by Chris Hahn
In the absence of a Battle Day with subsequent battle reports, here are several home games of Bosworth using Armati, l’Art de la Guerre and To The Strongest! Chris Hahn makes it clear that if Richard doesn’t throw away the battle with his charge, Henry is in real trouble.

Tactica II: A Ruleset Analysis by Paul Innes
A former editor makes a good case for why Tactica II is one of the most historically accurate and playable large battle rulesets out there, among other things creating nuanced troop types using troop category and quality, and catering for details like Roman line relief.

Slingshot Book & Game Reviews
Battles and Battlefields of Ancient Greece: A Guide to their History, Topography and Archaeology
Cities of the Classical World
The Wars of Alexander’s Successors 323-281 BC. Volume II: Battles & Tacticsblurbs

Editorial - In Memoriam Patrick Waterson

Guardroom

Bosworth Field 1485 Battle Pack - by Richard Lockwood

Bosworth Field is one of the most significant battles in English history, yet some details of the engagement are frustratingly unclear, even to the location of the battlefield—until recently. Richard Lockwood gives the findings of contemporary research.

The French at Bosworth - by Duncan Head

The French contingent at Bosworth was an important part of Henry’s army, but how large was it and how was it equipped? Duncan trawls through the sources to give a nuanced picture of mixed-arms infantry that were the beginnings of a French standing army.

Tactica II - A Personal Perspective - by Simon Watson

For Simon Watson, Tactica II strikes the ideal balance between ease of play, historical feel, the player’s decision-making, aesthetics, and the richness of troop diversity.

Providing Your Warhorses - by Jim Webster

Heavy cavalry has always been expensive, but Jim Webster shows just how expensive it was for the Frankish kingdom to raise good quality warhorses.

Numbers in Some Roman Battles - by Julian Lorriman

The standard wisdom is that Gallic armies consisted of vast numbers of warriors. But reading between the lines in the sources, Julian Lorriman comes up with a different picture.

Trouble in Paradise - by David Beatty

A good bout of bloody warfare in the peaceful islands of Hawaii where visitors in the 15th century were more likely to be met with spears than wreaths.

In One Side, Out the Other - by Chris Hahn

Interpenetration—one unit passing through another—in most wargaming rules is limited to psiloi and sometimes light horse. But in the past other troop types possessed this ability. Chris Hahn examines the evidence to see which ruleset best replicates the historical record.