Ancients on the Move

21st - 22nd January, Usk

2012-01-28T13:41:00.008Z

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.

midweek, September, Northamptonshire

2011-09-27T17:30:00.006+01:00

The SOCIETY OF ANCIENTS CHAMPIONSHIP

DBA EVENINGS

The UK League (and original plan for Eastern Front) had generated some interest in DBA so we set up some local evenings around a Society Championship theme ...
(Society of Ancients UK DBA League)
(The Society of Ancients Championship)

Graham has shared some of his thinking with his blog readers (Graham's DBA thread) ... so I thought I add some pictures to flesh the topic out a little ...

(Graham's Normans and Saxons on his custom DBA board)

(My Sub Romans take the field - Graham's Normans stacked up off table in the background)

We played some games around a Saxon theme ... Graham's Saxons and Normans, my Old Saxons and Sub Romans.

I occasionally add the odd grumpy comment on this blog, so can I do so now? Given that the Angles that invaded Eastern England in the Sub Roman period gave us our name and language and survives in the regional name of part of Eastern England (England, English, East Anglia etc.), couldn't DBA use that name on one of the lists?

As 'Old English' doesn't really mean 'Anglo-Saxon English', and 'Early English' is a term for post-Romanesque architecture, I've coined the term 'Invasion English'. But I don't mind how it is framed. 'Angelfolc' ... ? Tribal Anglian?

Second, given that the thing the Angles, Saxons, Friesians et al did in this period was turn up in boats (up the rivers of Eastern England for example - but back home in South Denmark, they are islanders and estuary people I think), shouldn't there be a Littoral option?

Either way, my 'Invasion English' have a boat for a camp.

Back to the pictures ...

(a complete change from England's South East: the Axumite war in Arabia)

I also threw my Axumites and Arabs into the mix. They look so completely different. Elephants, Camels, Sand Dunes and Oases ... a fair number of the rules the Normans and Saxons never use (so a good extra for some of our beginners ...)

(a Sabaean princess leads the Axumite army)

I have to say these two armies are not that great on their own (being respectively useless against infantry or cavalry heavy armies if the enemy is random/open). Against each other they have given us a number of exciting and unpredictable games ...

We also had some Romans and Carthaginians from Chris and Patrick (I was so engrossed in an Arabian encounter I didn't pause to get any pictures of them - which leaves scope for future coverage) ...

The Invasion English ('Old Saxon') were originally morphed from some Goths and Varangians, but I recently bought some new figures to replace the morphed-in 'ringers'. Shopping around, I have to say 'New Era' Donnington's latest Norman and Saxon figures really do fit the bill.

(Old Saxon by name, East Anglian by nature: the Saxon shore is raided)

(Saxon general's element with windsock wyvern - fabulous New Era Donningtons)

I don't think I need pen a review of the Saxon command pack figures: the picture came out well and speaks for itself. Separate shields and weapons in 'drill your own' fists (the way I like it, but, nevertheless, they are 'some assembly required' figures) they are nicely-sized modern collector 15s.

For all that, they don't beat the Sub Romans. Well, not so far.

I notice the Sub Romans are losing a mounted element in the latest proposed (V3) army lists ... (Book II V3 list proposals) ... is this just a move to tone them down? Or has the thinking changed significantly?

(last men standing .... Arthur's cavalry eliminating a line of Saxon warbands)

It should be added the we are not particularly 'scientific' or practiced players, and everone has had a mix of victories and defeats (that doesn't happen with all ancients games when we play): DBA can be quite a leveller.

So far, 30 or so members have entered the Championship this year (mostly a game or two into their campaign). We are just coming to the last quarter of the season and there is till time for a significant cluster of games with everything to play for (no player is way out in front) ...

So far just over half the games have been FoG, the rest mostly DBA.

Members can join in by sending the results of their games with other members (max 2 games between any 2 members) through the website.

Participating is that easy.

10th - 11th September, Newbury

2011-09-26T15:22:00.014+01:00

COLOURS 2011

After a busy weekend managing the overlapping events at Newark and Abingdon, it was back down the A34 for Colours at Newbury Racecourse - a more relaxed schedule meeting the public and playing participation games in the airy sunlight that modern racecourse stands seem to offer (beautiful as long as you're not right next to the window on a hot day!)

We had our usual slot on the 2nd floor, next to the busy Bring & Buy* and plenty of space ...

On Saturday, Philip Sabin, Eric Cruttenden and Alan Waller put on a reprise of the Kadesh game they did for this year's BattleDay. Lost Battles in the Late Bronze Age. A sprawling 28mm game with over 100 chariots. A very popular game.

Phil also had samples from the brand new 'delux' boxed game version of Lost Battles. I must get one - it is bound to be a classic, the quality is remarkable. Here's a look at the game by Aaron from the Planet Ancients blog list ('Lost Battles Arrives' link)

On Sunday I took over the Society pitch offering a choice of quicker Participation Games, Henry V's assault at Harfleur ('Greyhounds in the Slips') or my Britannia's Eastern Front DBA set up (Arthur vs the English invaders) ...

(once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more)

(The Sub Roman British win again: DBA in the age of Arthur)

Indeed, Colours sees a good turn out by the Society teams ... the Lance & Longbow Society downstairs were supported by a Wars of the Roses game ... while next to us upstairs, the Pike & Shot Society had a busy weekend too.

(RFCM's Bloody Barons with the Lance & Longbow Society)

(S.E.B. signing up members for the Pike & Shot Society)

Next door to us both, the Skirmish Wargames folk had one of their 54mm scale wargames. These are a regular feature at Colours .... But, well, maybe it's me .... I thought this one was the best ... Perfectly on theme to run next to our displays ...

(54mm Crusades wargame)

(a closer look at some of those 54mm Moslems)

(a closer look at some of those 54mm Crusaders ...)

It was the kind of game that makes you start planning and rummaging through all those 1:32 plastics boxes ...

We ran several assaults on Harfleur until the show slackened off in the middle of Sunday afternoon. Henry should carry the breach - the challenge is how many speeches he needs to deploy to motivate his hard-pressed soldiers (and the more he uses at Harfleur, the less easy it will be to stir up the lads when they find themselves cornered at Agincourt ...) ...

(Game 6: Harry has another crack at Harfleur)

Nevertheless, the action can be very bloody as the non-player characters fall victim ...

(A victorious Henry V cuts down the Captain of the Guard in the breach at Harfleur)

If you want your own copy of the game (plus Graham's Romans against the Elephant skirmish) you can order the Domino Double Header from the website store (Society of Ancients Games) - you will just need to have some sets of dominoes handy and some dice (everything else is in the pack including paper soldiers and a fold up tower ...)...

There were plenty of other ancients games on display...

(Rob Broom's War & Conquest demo)

... and a massive Roman battle against the Sassanian Persians ...

(the Roman war for the east)

The Society stand was reasonably well manned throughout the weekend (thanks, all), so I was able to get out with my camera and capture a few more highlights ....

(Isandlwana - a massive diorama of this chilling episode in the history of South Africa)

(an eye-catching game of the air war in Vietnam)

(World War II in a box - followers of my ECW blog will know why I was intrigued ...)

(another of those really effective ACW layouts ... )

I'm not sure how well attended Colours was ... whilst the sunlight was blocked-out by the Bring & Buy queue, it seemed impossibly busy ... as the weekend progressed visitors did seem thinner on the ground (and there were one or two trade stands absent from the usual line up I thought) ... I was able to thank both Black Hat and Lurkio for their super-prompt mail order service, and got some excellent new Saxons from Donnington ('New Era' ... you must have a look at these ...)..

Big tables again (bar Rob Broom's, which was exemplary in its compactness) ... but, like Partizan, mostly worth the space they took up.

Endless free parking at Colours, of course - plus a massive trade presence ... lots to see and a great day out. Great show. Make a date for next year ....

*(which sort of wiped out the first hour or so on Saturday - Colours now has one of those fiendish systems that causes massive queues as people check their items in: literally, from the SoA stand you could see nothing but backpacks and carry cases for most of the morning - I'm surprised there weren't more complaints) ...

4th September, Newark

2011-09-23T18:57:00.010+01:00

THE OTHER PARTIZAN 2011

In this year of date clashes, it became obvious that we would end up double booked for the first weekend in September. Sadly, despite a membership pool of over a thousand living within 100 miles of the show (many of whom also attend it) requests for help produced no volunteers (as in 'nil' ...) and so Chris was left flying solo in the Doubles while I checked in at The Other Partizan to set up and help run the joint Society of Ancients/Lance & Longbow venture, Simon Chick's Salute winning Verneuil.

Wow, what a spectacle this game is ...

(inside Verneuil)

(the French commanders)

The more you look, the more you see ...

(a couple of views of the English lines)

I hope you enjoyed that feast ... there are more pictures of the Salute version of the battle from earlier in the year (Verneuil game at Salute scroll down the report for them) ...

The intention was not just to provide eye candy - Simon had set it up so we could play through the battle with Basic Impetus (and I'm sure that game's many fans would have loved an account of how it worked out). Unfortunately we were undermanned so had to accept the game would talked through rather than played through.

A great effort, nevertheless ... Thanks to Simon for putting it together and to the many visitors who came over to view and chat.

I have to say, there was some very good stuff elsewhere ...

This is the Phil Hendry splendid Romans and Celts game

(inside the fort)

(advanced technology on the battlefield)

(click on the images for a bigger view)

I also trust you will indulge one of the better examples of the current trend at shows for gigantism ... this spectacular interpretation of Sedgemoor
(if the darkness had lifted, maybe the battle of sedgemoor would have looked like this)

(some of the other displays and Participation Games)

(simple and gigantic, there was something engaging about this 6mm Aspern-Essling)

(20mm Germans crunching through the snow)

Again simple, I rather liked the snow covered Ardennes game. I suppose it comes just after my experimental and tentative snowy basing on the Sub Roman British for Eastern Front. Nothing tentative about this, however. A proper 'white out'.

(more from Sedgemoor - a fairly stagnant looking drain)

Although gigantism is a bad trend (who would generally wargame on a bigger table if they could manage more easily on something smaller - see Phil Hendry's proper sized table), some big tables are worth the space they take up.

So congratulations to the Partizan team for a show with a surprising variety. Big tables, yes, but a diversity of scales and content, mercifully most of it historical, and a lot of it quite inspiring. Would that all Ancient and Medieval battlefield layouts had that plausible and rich look that Phil and Simon showcased ...

(15mm ECW Siege of Newark)

It turned out the afternoon was very quiet, even by Partizan standards, and I was able to slip away as planned by 3.30. That got me back to Abingdon by 'last bound', in time to catch up with the Doubles Masters and present the Alexander Trophy.

The best of both worlds in a way - a couple of good games of FoG on Saturday, a really good show on Sunday. That said, as a community we really ought to be able to come up with enough volunteers that - with over a thousand members - we can be in two places at once (especially as you could have done either ... go to a show or play a couple of wargames: there must be some Society of Ancients members out there who do one or the other ....?) ...

Apologies for the delays in feeding reports through at the moment ... The Other Partizan was about 2/3 the way through a 12 week summer season in which 11 shows and events are crammed together - so writing them all up inevitably falls backwards a little as previous years betray.

The next report will be Colours (Kadesh with Lost Battles and Greyhounds in the slips) ...
The next show outing will be Derby (and The Elephant in the Room, as well as a lively show and a popular Armati competition) ...

Do drop me a line if you would like to join in.

3rd-4th September, Abingdon

2011-09-23T18:56:00.008+01:00

The 2011 Society of Ancients Doubles Masters (DBMM and FoG)

A busy weekend started with a Saturday morning dash down to Abingdon for the Society sponsored Doubles Masters. The event also hosted a FoG-R tournament and a 'one day' AK47 bash, but the main events were the DBMM and FoG doubles the results of which would be combined to decide the Masters Champions.

Chris and I entered the FoG competition. As well as wanting to support events the Society sponsors by showing up and presenting prizes, it is nice to play as well - and Doubles is such a friendly and enjoyable format it is a pleasure to join in.

Given a very restricted choice of armies, we went with one we have tried before (and which, borrowing Patrick's splendid infantry, I can put together without too much trouble). There were plenty of other Byzantines, but no-one else took Nikephorians. Maybe that was a clue.

(nice shot of our camp - sadly there are too many Arabs in the picture!)

Although we seemed to make a good start against eventual 3rd placers Keith and Graham, we lost the game and didn't accumulate many points. We scored even fewer against Gordon and Richard's impressive Italo Normans ...

Rumour has it we fared a lot better on the Sunday when I was not able to be there until the prize-giving (actually, it is said we won a game in my absence ...) ... Great games all, and very enjoyable. The Byzantines are excellent in Armati, so perhaps I should mark the box up accordingly.

(a great shot of those Italo Normans: they swept onto us like a wave onto a Sicilian beach ... and we were quickly in too deep ...) ...

The AK47 competition was Saturday only, and it was nice to see Martin, Rob and the RFCM brigade so far north ... Hope you enjoyed it. Next year, maybe?

(AK47 event prizes distributed by David and Bob)

(Airstrike! The Nikephorians could have done with one of these: even the Normans would surely conceded the poa!)

Seasoned campaigners Terry Shaw and Simon Hall won the FoG event, with Mike Bennett and Colin Sharp taking the DBMM honours. Meshing all the scores, Terry and Simon took the coveted Alexander Trophy.

(prize winners at the 2011 Masters - nice Tee Shirt, Mike!)

DOUBLES MASTERS
1. Terry Shaw and Simon Hall (FoG)
2. Dave Handley and Nik Sharp (FoG)
3. Mike Bennett and Colin Sharp (DBMM)

For more comprehensive listings, please see the Results Press Release

Watch out for this event next year ... Doubles is a great and sociable way to play, and that Alexander trophy needs a good home. It could be yours.

Many thanks to Bob Medcraft and David Fairhurst for putting the event together - and all the players for making the event such an enjoyable venture.

Here are some more pictures...

Looking forward to next year.

DBA Special - Sub-Roman British

2011-09-05T14:45:00.007+01:00

DBA Book II Sub Roman Army (c) 442-539 (the age of Arthur period)

This is one of those armies everyone thinks about from time to time.

I am very lucky ... when my friend Paul emigrated to Canada, he left me his wargames junk. I sold off the coherent stuff to add into Society Prizes etc. I was left with a Dark Age jumble the said 'King Arthur' to me. In a 'Clive Owen' sort of voice ....

The packets of figures had remained unopened for at least a decade.

So this is a classic 'army out of scrap' project. I think it turned out well.

The main figure range is the old Josef Ochmann sculpted 'Metal Magic' Gothic range (now Gladiator Miniatures, sold by Black Hat*). Arthur is an Essex Late Roman on a Chariot horse (what I had), and there is a pack of Peter Pig Germans, a Chariot Cornicen plus a couple of spare Outpost figures.

The Roman standards are chopped off Chariot signifers. Again, 'what I'd got lying around' ...

I took the big gamble of drifting some snow around on the bases (to hint at that 'North of the Wall' nonsense in the Clive Owen film) ... I was a little daunted by this as it seems to me you do a good basing job, then plaster some more PVA on it and add fluff. I was worried that the result might just be a mess. However, I think it is OK. I didn't want to go a for the full 'white out' as I suspect the army will as often as not fight on a normally coloured board ...

There are a few patches of heather to add to the Scottish theme.

General (3Kn)
(the figures either side of the Essex/Chariot general are Gladiator (Asiatic Nomad) Heavy Cavalry with bigger shields and Essex heads)

The Mounted contingent (3Kn Gen, 2 x 3Cv, 2LH)
(again, mostly Black Hat/Gladiator Asiatic nomads)

Scouts: 2LH (the left figure has a Peter Pig body grafted on a Gladiator mounted model)

The Romano British Foot (6 of the 7 stands of 4Sp are depicted as Romano British)

(another view)

Sub Roman Foot - I have made the 7th base of 4Sp from more Roman troops

Skirmishers - 2Ps ... a couple of Gladiator (Frankish) Goths

Barker Marker: a standing stone

Sub-Roman camp: part of a magic stone circle with detachable camp followers

Camp Followers: Nicol Williamson (from the better Arthurian film) with Guinevere and what would seem to be a witch ... A Chariot magician and a Xyston classical lady ...

Snow: nothing was bought for this army ... a friend had a tub of GW 'snow' which looked a bit bland until I added a sprinkling of glitter. After a few experiments, we though it bulked up better if applied to unthinned PVA. The heather is railway shop heather left over from doing my Florentines (it's a viola thing mostly wargamers will not get ...)

The army won all three of its first games, so I have stopped counting.

*NB Ochmann only sculpted some of the Gladiator ranges (before Black Hat acquired them): if you share my aesthetic, you won't like the other ones, so don't assume they all match. E.g. the FE range is Ochmann, the Crusades not.

21st August, Norwich

2011-08-31T23:59:00.005+01:00

Apologies to those of you who got the garbled first version of the Britcon update (no idea why Blogger doesn't work properly in Firefox at this time of year - but I had the same problems in 2010, that's for sure). There was quite a lengthy excursus advising Nobby how best to develop Britcon, too ... very useful, but not necessarily 'core' interest :)

So to bring Ancients on the Move fully up-to-date, this entry will show you what Eastern Front was like ... a great little show in East Anglia.

You really ought to mark it in your diaries for next year. Excellent venue, friendly people ... even a sunny day! And nowhere near as far as internet routeplanners would have you believe (they allow for the traffic problems you are unlikely to encounter on a Sunday morning): ignore the timing, look more to the mileage as your guide.

Lenghty intro? OK - I'll load up the pictures ....

(not your average village hall ... 'well lit, with a big window' ...)

(a choice of games on the stand with a DBA theme)

(some punters playing 'Britannia's Eastern Front': DBA Sub Roman British block a English raid in East Anglia)

(Tony and Phil man the stand while I go off on my photo break)

(that boat load of English ... 'Saxons' in DBA speak, but out East here, they would be Angles - 'Aengelfolk')

(the Romano-British foot making up the bulk of Arthur's army)

(this tank game looked great fun and kept loads of youngsters entertained)

(I was really impressed with this huge 10mm Bull Run ACW game: a bit big for my tastes, but a great sense of place)

(Yep: seriously, those are 10mm figures - click on the picture for a proper sized image and enjoy the craftsmanship)

Great, wasn't it?

Thanks to Kim at Monarch Books for hosting the event, and thanks for those of you who stopped by to make us feel welcome.

Thanks to Tony and Phil for helping with the stand (really valued as I would have been on my own for this one otherwise). Canvassing for views at the show, several locals indicated that they would be interested in the DBA mini-event we didn't quite get off the ground this year ...

Watch this space.

Come see us at Partizan and the SoA Doubles over the weekend ...

12th to 14th August, Manchester

2011-08-31T23:58:00.014+01:00

After 15 years, this was McNeil's last Britcon.

(Britcon 2011: everything stops for the fire alarm!)

Well it's been quite a journey ...

When they ask iconic questions like where were you when Diana died, I will always know I was a Britcon ... (Aston University): it has become part of who we are and what we do.

I was there when the old nationals crashed into a wall in Harrow, I was there when they tried to manage a public meeting to launch a national wargames federation (or to strangle it at birth depending on what you though they were all up to ...), and I was there when the new model Nationals, Britcon, burst into life.

Like tournaments or not, this one has been made to work, and has been made the premier National Wargaming event.

Yes, JD, you succeeded. Congratulations on the job well done.

Britcon this year was therefore a swansong ... lots of players there as guests of the management, there were presentations and there was polishing of helmets. There was a film crew and there was the search for a successor ...

(upstairs with the Armati players: a game you will struggle to see in play at Britcon ...)

Frustrated by last year's inability to make the vestigial wargames show presence work, this year I let Steve and Martin S from Lance and Lon gbow mind the pitch for me while I played Armati.

I enjoyed the games and banter a lot, but was really playing amongst friends as a shelter from the cheesier tournament play of FoG (which seems to play less gamily as a Doubles game with more points on the table) and in order to have some control over the amount of time I spend playing soldiers (8am to 8pm on the Saturday - and that for just 3 games! - is too much of a good thing ... even if it is a good thing!) ...

Struggling to get something I could cobble together from the over-restrictive theme (goodness! This is the year of themes alright ... why to people organise events then rule half the possible players out by insisting on banning most of the armies people have got? Doh! No wonder some events struggle for support ...)..

I ended up with 'The Goths of Totilla' ... Yes, you know him ... the man who charged into Narses at Tadinae. Well, the eunuch general was scarred of them so I thought they might do me some warlike service, too.

(Glorious Goths at Britcon: some of mine and some of Carl's)

It's a very nice army actually, and spurred me into a bit of painting and tidying.

With the travelling Armati players only playing warm up games on the Friday, we had five scored games over the weekend, and I came out about square (actually a very strong performance for me: I might have won a couple of 'scenario based' Armati events over the years, but these Old School 'bring your own' events often see me at the bottom of the table with no wins at all!).

(the ferocious Moors join in the killing)

My favourite unit of the weekend? Certainly the Moorish Light Cavalry I was almost obliged to take (the only LC available, and necessary to get the benefit of all the light units).

Now,many Armati players will tell you that 'key' javelin armed LC are a liability, and hardly worth the price ... well I christened these the 'ferocious Moors' after the Late Roman unit on the Notitia ('Equites Mauri Feroces') from whom it seemed like they must have been recruited ... They had a very high kill ratio, mostly against HC ... sometimes, yes, with their missiles, sometimes charging into the flank.

However, they did not let me down when I trusted them with a game turning frontal charge. OK, the HC were exhausted from defeating some of my own HC but it isn't a move you see that often in Armati.

I like it when the armies start driving their own narratives ...

(as tough as they come ... FV3 and out of command - but scary enough if you are a Hun!)

Wimps of the weekend must surely go to Craig's Hunnic Heavy Cavalry who pussyfooted around with the Gothic Slave HI ...

FV3 against Craig's FV4 with impetus (who would sweep them away if he won) - so he nurdled up to them just behind their flank to charge them from round the corner in a future turn: not brave enough to charge with the odds all in favour.

Not very Hunnic at all ...

So, what else?

The Apres Ski was excellent and tiring in equal measure ...

(convivial scenes from the Britcon Bar)

The usual suspects won, of course ... the other events, as well as the Armati, or so it seemed ... the 'show' was poor - and boring for the people doing it (except those traders who still cater directly for the tournament audience - otherwise the 'show' is really a whopping great Slitherine banner in the shadow of which everyone else - and so that means fewer and fewer - get to lurk if they are lucky enough to be allowed in) ...

(Meth the Merciful's splendid Sarmatian army)

(Patrick's Carthaginians battling away in the FoG 15mm events)

(Graham's English fluttering in the FoG 25mm)

The Flames of War terrain was great, and favoured to front - the FoG terrain was rubbish as you'd expect from a game that doesn't value it ...

(some splendidly plausible Flames of War terrain)

You wouldn't know about any of the other games as FoW and FoG are the favoured children of the event and take centre stage (anyone not dancing to that choice of BHGS tunes is tucked away somewhere in the building) ... then again, I did get to present the Society of Ancients Sportsmanship award (the Persian Helmet) so, OK, there was some role in the event for those of us who have supported it since the very beginning.

Nobby from Flames of War takes over from now.

So having congratulated JD on all he has achieved, what are the notes for Nobby?

Well (a) it isn't a Flames of War tournament and it is a 'fix' that FoW has the best placed tables (try shifting the layout around so that the show gives equal prominence to the other games that are in the mix) ...

(b) when JD talked to me about his big project years ago it was to create a sort of UK Historicon (with all that entails) ... he created a tournament games feast, but not the diverse 'convention and show' the Historicon analogy might suggest. There is much more that can be done - so much more.

(c) the game all day format is far less popular than the BHGS insiders think: more people would come of the game pressure (indeed all the regulation) was more relaxed ...

(d) you inherit the project at the point where the wargames show side of Britcon has almost been killed off. It can be resuscitated, but only by a massive change of attitude (you might be just the guy to do that!): see Roll Call (the BHGS are great at competition events that don't host shows ... but their events often clash with 'regular' wargames shows, so you can tell they don't go to them or maybe even understand what makes them tick) ...

Good luck!

Amongst the tanks, Ironsides and Goblins there are still quite a few Ancients events hosted at Britcon ...

(Britcon awards ceremony in full swing)

Ian Stewart, Shaun Drummond and Neil Howard won the various FoG 15mm categories;

Dave Handley won the FoG 25mm;

Jan Van Embden won the DBMM;

Wayne Richards won the WAB event, and ...

Bill Wilson won the Armati.

Paul Crozier won the best painted army (ancient/medieval) for his Seljuks.

Ian Speed won the Society of Ancients Sportsmanship award
THE PERSIAN HELMET

God bless the good ship Britcon and all who sail in her ...

Good luck, Nobby ... (just ask ...)

6th August, Edinburgh

2011-08-31T23:47:00.008+01:00

Claymore

The annual race to the north saw us get to Scotland in daylight for a change ... and staying over in Linlithgow (birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots ... which it regularly reminds you, but which I shall remember) strategically a few miles short of Edinburgh.

A very friendly town and somewhere worth paying more attention (it has a palace and a loch though not open as darkness was falling ...)...

After our usual scenic trip into Edinburgh, we met up with Paul and the Glasgow team with half an hour or so in which to set up.

(Claymore 2011 ... click on the pictures for a larger image)

The Phoenix team were doing a vast 28mm demonstration game of Magnesia using Tactica II, a big table and a good number of players. I hope I can convey properly the size of this game

(Awesome: the Battle of Magnesia by the Society of Ancients and Glasgow Phoenix Club)

Elsewhere, the show was not quite as thrilling as last year.

Our Hall was pretty good and had the great value 'RAF' Leuchars team doing a Great Escape game, some good looking naval stuff and a genuinely remarkable Chinese battle and terrain display in 15mm.

(more of that Great Escape game)

(ancient China brought alive in every detail)

The Atrium was not the spectacle I was eagerly anticipating after last year. A mix of corporate 28mm and really quite poor Sci Fi. Or was it fantasy? Anyway the part-painted black plastic 28mm stuff on bases that don't match the crude terrain. That's usually Sci Fi, I think ...

Though there were some historical tables that didn't do much better (to think this was home last year to that magnificent Napoleon in the Desert and to an Old School demo!).

It means I'll be giving the photo space to Magnesia which drew a lot of attention and had some exciting moments.

Here is some more of the big picture ...

(engagements all along the line)

(the elephants pushed ahead of the phalanx in this reconstruction)

And here are some close ups ...

(the celebrated confrontation between the Cataphracts and Legions)

(the Argyraspides push ahead and to maintain contact with the Cataphract assault ...)

(Dahae allies skirmish on the river flank)

Excellent. Many thanks to SESWC for another great show.

Yes we will certainly be back.

It was a pity some of the Atrium exhibitors let the show down ... maybe the Warhammer stuff needs hiving off somewhere so there's plenty for youngsters to join in but it doesn't get too central an exposure - in a play space rather than a showcase ...

Nice chatting to old friends and new ones, too

Norwich, August: coming attractions

2011-08-05T02:07:00.004+01:00

THE ADVERTISED DBA COMPETITION AT EASTERN FRONT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO LOW ENTRIES. THE WARGAMES SHOW, OF COURSE, GOES AHEAD, AND THE SOCIETY WILL BE THERE RUNNING A DBA PROMOTIONAL PARTICIPATION GAME

East of England DBA Challenge (a Society of Ancients UK DBA League event)

24th July, Chipping Warden (Edgcote battlefield)

2011-07-25T15:03:00.011+01:00

Ancients on the Move on the Battlefields Trail

(the Anniversary Edgcote battlefield walk)

A beautiful sunny afternoon with an occasional light breeze. Ideal conditions for visiting a battlefield (unlike my visit to an inundated Naseby 2 weeks ago!). A July battle, no mention is made of weather conditions (which generally are mentioned if they affect events): so we must assume that it was also a fine day in 1469.

(lunchtime meet at the Griffin Inn, Chipping Warden)

This visit combined the Battlefields Trust, Medieval Siege Society and SNAG, marking both the 542nd year and the last week of the consultation period before the Government makes a decision that might send a High Speed rail link right through the potential heritage site.

(The Battlefields Trail links Edgcote, Cropredy and Edgehill)

Edgcote is one of those Medieval battles where the location is not entirely secure.

Nevertheless, it was clearly on the flat ground in amongst 3 hills near Edgcote and Chipping Warden on the banks of the Cherwell. We can explore those fields knowing we are very close to the location, knowing that all the probable sites will be destroyed by the rail link.

Although I am entirely unconvinced of the need for the High Speed link between London and Birmingham (relative to all the other pressing transport priorities), I wouldn't presume to tell others what to think.

However, you have until Friday 29th to register a view in the consultation process (there is an online form at https://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/have-your-say).

(Commemorative roses dropped at Trafford Bridge, Edgcote Battlefield)

If you support the Battlefields Trust's objections to the proposed route, you will want to answer 'NO' to question 5 ... (suggested answer ... 'I disagree with the proposed route around the village of Chipping Warden as it cuts directly across the historic battlefield of Edgcote, 1469'). If you have no view on the other questions, you could answer 'no view'.

You must act now (before 29th July)

(SNAG, Battlefields Trust and Medieval Siege Society at Edgcote Battlefield)

One of the problems with the Edgcote location being uncertain is that it has compromised it being included in English Heritage's list of battlefields ... and that in turn leaves it more vulnerable to big government/big ideas. However, the latest research leaves us much better informed. See the Battlefield Trust Edgcote report.

(Edgcote: the Rebel cavalry may have charged down these slopes)

On the day, of course, a rebel army led by a self-styled Robin Hood (Robin of Redesdale, probably Sir John Conyers) beat a squabbling Yorkist army under Herbert and Stafford. Lacking the expected support of Stafford's archers, Herbert's Welsh spearmen were destroyed by a combination of archers and cavalry.

(Edgcote: explaining the possible site of burial pits)

As well as a general exploration of the battlefield, members of the Medieval Siege Society threw red and white roses into the Cherwell off Trafford Bridge to commemorate the dead of both sides.

You can find out more about the Medieval Siege Society
You can find out more about SNAG against HS2
You can find out more about the Battlefields Trust

On the move next weekend to a Society of Ancients Committee Meeting (London)
On the move the week after to Claymore (Edinburgh)

16th -17th July, Northamptonshire

2011-07-23T17:08:00.010+01:00

Festival of History

Festival of History is English Heritage's annual historical and reenactment event hosted at Kelmarsh Hall just a few miles away from the battlefield of Naseby.

The emphasis is strongly military, and there is always a lot for the ancient and medieval enthusiast to enjoy.

Attending the event as part of the Battlefields Trust team, I could only see a fraction during my breaks (and so missed the much praised Bosworth presentations) ... nevertheless, I caught some interesting Crusades stuff and managed a bit of SoA recruiting.

I'm a wargamer, but I can multitask ....

(Gladiators prepare for the arena)

(The Normans arrive)

(scenes from Outremer)

There were also plenty of armourers able to furnish equipment - like these gleaming Romano-Celtic helmets

In the Wargames tent, Phoenix Club and Warlord Games provided a choice of games including this Hail Caesar attack on the Roman baggage romp.

Plenty of youngsters getting involved here - even during the sunny spells.

For pictures of the 20th Century features, have a look at my P.B.Eye-Candy blog over on wordpress.

(click on the picture)

Northamptonshire, 8th - 10th July

2011-07-19T15:22:00.013+01:00

2011 Conference of Wargamers

This year's Conference of Wargamers started with a visit to the battlefield of Naseby hosted by myself and Graham D Evans (and, later, a staging of my miniature version of the battle on the Sunday morning - see my ECW Battles blog for more on these events) ...

It ended with a meeting of the Paul Morris Memorial Prize panel to start the process of selecting the 2011 winner. The prize is sponsored by John Curry's history of wargaming (and, in addition to other benefits, the winner will be entitled to choose a book from John's increasing stable of classic titles). At present, the panel consists of myself, John and John Bassett O.B.E. (the 2010 winner). We are happy to add other enthusiasts to the team, and are keen to look at nominees for the award.

The Paul Morris Prize is awarded to the most innovative non-commercial wargame within the Society's remit. In practice, the game needs to have been presented in a public forum (at a show or event, published in the Internet or similar), but not sold in a fully commercial package.

(COW 2011: a wide variety of games and presentations)

The panel is able to consider reports on games that correspondents have seen in play or played, it is not able to consider games submitted by authors in the expectation that we set them up and evaluate them ourselves (though when we have a short list we will endeavour to see the games in action where we can ...)..

Please contact any of the panel if you wish to join us or if you have a game you wish to nominate.

Over the course of the COW weekend ...

John Bassett's Caesar's Heirs was a fast paced multi format romp through the civil war following Caesar's assassination. I took the role of Mark Antony and immediately set about consolidating my support and hoping to see the decline of my two great rivals ... Octavian (my rival on my own side) and Brutus (the murderous republican) .. as luck would have it both were killed in a great battle which the Triumvirate won, leaving me the greater power in the land.

(Caesar's Heirs: discussion over the theatre map)

It was delightful to see the Republican players gobbling up the power and offices we were able to scatter on the table as the fruits of victory ... Rome indeed is a great she-wolf at her best nursing her little ones.

At game end, only Cimber was left ... isolated but powerful, still holding true to his old-fashioned values, and with a significant force at his disposal. However, the grain was now flowing, and Cimber's army though vast comprised more allies and auxiliaries, less the veteran legions that would dominate a coming battle. He would surely be hunted down.

After dinner both evenings saw the Society's Domino Double Header games out and offering lively entertainment. In one of the hard actions at Harfleur, Henry got himself surrounded. Having bloodied the Captain of the Guard almost to the point of defeat, he confronted a critical decision: one high-powered domino available amongst a handful of low numbers - should this go to the attack and finish the action? Or should he, more sensibly, make sure his defence was adequate as victory looked assured whatever?

(GitS: this time a victory for the English King)

He went for the attack, the Captain just survived and so was able to make the counter. The random counter attack domino was deadly and Henry went down in the breach. There would be no Agincourt - the campaign would end in failure on the muddy coast of France.

You can get a copy of Domino Double Header from the website ... or from us at a show (next outing ... Claymore, of course) ... You will need access to 2 to 4 sets of dominoes.

(The Elephant in the Room: nearing the Roman lines)

Elsewhere, over the weekend, I was engaged by a very varied selection of games and talks, from Mike Elliott's interesting look at the battle (and battlefield) of Quebec to John Curry's sprawling Fletcher Pratt naval game. I very much enjoyed sitting in on the Drury and Brooks Froeschwiller Franco-Prussian tussle, and had a couple of ripping yarns with the WD Display Team North ('Better Red than Dead' - a board game of Red Army careers in which I remained too lowly to get purged - and 'Rollbahn Ost' - Operation Barbarossa in 20 minutes (!), in which my rivals in Army Group Centre took Moscow in less than 10 minutes) ...

For more on the twentieth century COW content, have a look at my P.B.Eye-Candy blog ..

(John Curry's presentation of the Fletcher Pratt Naval Game)

(Bob Cordery's Portable Wargame)

(The battle of Froeschwiller teetering in the balance)

As I've mentioned in the past, COW is also often my only opportunity of the year to sit down with the Society's Life Vice President Phil Barker and chat about relevant topics. We had a good look at some of the burning topics (DBA v3 and such like), and some valuable reminiscences about the early days of ancients gaming. Re DBA 3, I can only pass on Phil's general advice (don't judge it in advance, on the basis of rumours about some isolated changes ... judge the whole game that has resulted extensive input and testing).

COW forms part of a very intensive early July. Campaign took place on the same weekend (so I await reports ... ), meanwhile, I am writing this a week later - already after English Heritage's Festival of History at Kelmarsh Hall.

Some perspective on that event will have to wait for another session (and another batch of photos).

St. Helens, 18th June

2011-06-25T15:12:00.014+01:00

(see the Society banner, central, right over at the back)

Phalanx 2011

Last year we drove up to Cheshire on the Friday evening listening to a lack lustre England World Cup game on the car radio (remember that disappointing summer of 2010?) ...

This year we went up early for a fuller Gentlemen Pensioners Phalanx/wargames weekend ... a Society of Ancients shows appearance on the Saturday sandwiched between my Naseby refight on Friday afternoon, and the big Sunday game - this year Bautzen ...

I thought Phalanx was very good. We had been moved from our tradition berth next to the Pike & Shot Society to the other corner alongside the Lance & Longbow ... with Irregular Miniatures, David Lanchester Books and Baccus as neighbours.

(Lance & Longbow Society game featuring a lot of pikes and quite a bit of shot)

(click on the picture for a better view)

The Lance & Longbow Society (of course, the aforementioned Gentlemen Pensioners, mostly) put on Cerignola, while for the Society of Ancients, Martin Charlesworth was reprising his ever popular 'Dirty DBA' Challenge table.

('Dirty' DBA ... )
(as usual, the Society defended it's honour in the DBA challenge)

I'm sure numbers must have been up this year, and most of the thoroughfares were crammed for the first half of the show.

(Pike & Shot Society)

The Bring & Buy was too crowded to get at, all morning, but when I did manage an afternoon visit, I found some bargains and plenty on offer.

(Just a part of the busy Bring & Buy: along with the Societies and a healthy array of games mixed in amongst the trade aisles - a good part of the formula that makes for a great wargames show)

It was generally wargamers selling 2nd hand, rather than semi-professional (like those expensive Southern Bring & Buys) and, 'yes', those £2 good condition military history books were, indeed, ex-libris the late Paddy Griffith.

Nestling between Manchester and the Mersey, we do OK for volunteers here, so everyone on the stand gets a chance to see the show and do some shopping, chat to people and take photos.

(Baggagetrain products are available with a Society of Ancients member discount)

So, Stephen from the Baggagetrain reminded me we need to get the discounts page updated (he offers 10%) ... that's one of his resin 10mm Watchtowers behind some of my 15mm Varangians ...

(some nice samples dropped off at Phalanx)

Cutting Edge Miniatures dropped off some new releases for review (Hittite 28mm ... very nicely proportioned I think - less clumsy than many of the cruder ranges in that scale ...) ... and Pete from Baccus talked me through Polemos and showed me some of his 6mm ancients.(Baccus 6mm Romans)

Elsewhere former President Halewood and his Crosby friends have been bitten by the Very British Civil War bug. Not my cup of tea, of course ...

but the Gentlemen Pensioners HQ is just down the road in Salford, and the Crosby game did remind me of Lowry's signature industrial backgrounds (perhaps Lowry's figure style is what VBCW needs to give it a little more resilience?) ...

(A Very North Western Civil War)

There was a big ECW Game ...And a smaller but very engaging Indian Mutiny game ...

But I was most impressed with this 10mm panorama (demonstrating yet again how a scale like this can capture the pageant of a full battle within the single visual frame of a modest table - frankly, comparing the 7 Yrs War game and the ECW, the 10mm game easily wins over the 28mm, I think (much though I like them both...)...

A good example of a regional show with a good mix of trade, displays, Societies and games. Thanks for the invitation, Spartans ... I'm looking forward to next year ...

Sunday's big game was a 15mm Shako-based refight of Bautzen, which looked something like this ...There are several blogs from players if you want to find out more about this lavish wargame (see .. Wargame Amateur ... Will's Wargames Blog etc.) ...

For what it's worth, I took the role of Wittgenstein, commanding the allies. I was satisfied with my subordinates' efforts and commitments to the cause as ever. We stopped the French (well, that's what my memoirs will say).

Enabling this great weekend to be 'bookended' with historical battles from my stable, the late-stayers finished off Sunday with a running of the 10mm Zama 'Double DBA' wargame.(Naseby: from Friday evening's game)

(Sunday evening -Zama: a fitting end to a weekend of historical battles)

For more on that Naseby refight, see my ECW Battles in Miniature.

Don't forget to help us out at Campaign.

Shows Update - Campaign (volunteers needed)

2011-06-15T14:21:00.004+01:00

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

This is Ancients on the Move, and just about all the posts are views of events the Society of Ancients attends. This one is about a show we might not.

(balcony view of Campaign 2008, and the Society of Ancients stand)

I have been attending MKWS's Campaign for at least 20 years (since back when it used to be a 'Play Off' venue for the old style World Championships in Derby): both Campaign and Derby Worlds have changed a lot over the years!

Campaign has become one of our favourite events of the year - a wargames show within the full public glare of Central Milton Keynes Shopping ... and so a rare opportunity to show ancient wargaming to members of the general public rather than only to showgoers (who, though they might not always be ancients players, are at least, usually, open to the idea - as they went to the show): at MK, many of the potential punters are just bored with shopping and had no intention of looking at wargames exhibits. They may not yet know that wargaming is what they'd really prefer to be doing with their leisure time. Imagine their lives for just a moment ... no wargaming - no toy soldiers - no painting schedules ... (just work, take-aways and telly)

Campaign is a great opportunity to save them.

(Campaign 2009: entertaining the public by introducing them to historical wargames)

Unfortunately, because of the schedule of other exhibitions in the public space (Middleton Hall) and the Royal Wedding, the event has been moved to a weekend that clashes with the other big Middle England event, WD's Conference of Wargamers (8-10th July, Knuston Hall), and our Shows North team is already committed to that.

We can still cover the Milton Keynes show as well - but need extra bodies to do so. Society members reading this blog, and within easy reach of MK on the weekend of 9th and 10th might like to volunteer (send me a comment, an email, or get in touch via the SoA's members Yahoo Group etc.) ... Either day or both (or parts thereof ...).. It's a great opportunity to join in, and it would be sad for the Society not to be represented at such a refreshing event just because of the dates clash ...

Let me know - I'll sort something out.

Show report on Campaign 2010
Show report on Campaign 2009

It's about enjoying history.