Some new additions to the camps and baggage page

Apologies to anyone who got just the picture sent in a 'post' email: I inadvertently published after just uploading the first picture.  OK, I can edit and update the post (as I have done) but as far as I can see, I can't 'take back' that initial email circulation if I've published in error.  Hopefully, people will click to visit the blog anyway (and will see this explanation and see the full blog entry).

As 'ancients' continues to be 'stuck at home', I have made some new additions to the Camps and Baggage page.

The Viking longship is a notionally 10mm piece by my friend Stephen at The Baggagetrain.  It is bigger than the ones I have generally used with my 15mm figures (the base of figures in the picture is a 40mm frontage with 10mm figures on it).

 

(Viking longship from The Baggagetrain)

 

The clear plastic base is 160mm in length (so might suit smaller figures on the 60mm frontage - which is, indeed, what I am using for some new 10mm medieval armies) ...

 

The model is cast in resin and is very finely detailed.  I found fitting the oars quite a challenge, and haven't decided how best to do the sail.

 

Next, optimised for DBA but not at all a scale model, I have completed a littoral camp model for the Sea Peoples, using the Essex 'Biblical' boat.

 

 

(Sea People's DBA 'littoral' camp .. bringing the stores ashore)

 

The ship and Camp Follower element are removable for maximum flexibility ...

 

 

(The ship is a modified Essex model)

 

The crew and figures are a mix of Essex, Chariot and Falcon.

 

The CF shows a landing party just about to emerge up the beach (again a mix of Chariot and Essex, with Sherden heads from the Chariot Shardana figure).

 

 

Other than these soldiers, the other figures are unloading supplies. 

 

 

And then there's a slightly smaller Egyptian piece based on hunting scenes.  It will eventually sit behind the Saite period army I am completing next.   Another littoral army.

('Hunting in the Delta': Egyptian 'littoral' camp for DBA)

Just for amusement, I have added a crocodile stalking a rabbit in the foreground.  The rabbit is by Pendraken and is quite the smallest 15mm figure in my collection.

 

 

The CF is a Museum Miniatures canoe with an Essex and MM crew

 

 

(Hunting in the Delta) 

Once this is all updated, I will add these items to the Camps and Baggage page.

 

 

(a look at the interior of that highly detailed longship by The Baggagetrain)

DBA Special III/40b Norse Viking

As promised, here is the companion army to the Pre-Feudal Scottish ... The Vikings ...

Building this army was inspired by Peter Pig's new extensive range of Vikings and Saxons and the desire to assemble them and as many equivalents from other manufacturers for a review ...

... and, with a little care and attention, I get a couple more Dark Age armies out of the exercise, Canmore's Scots and these cultural raiders ...

The V3 DBA army follows the usual formula (post 850): a solid Blade general and 10 bases of Solid Blade hirdsmen ... (and just one element tp pick and choose over) ...

The landwaster standard was made in the usual way from tissue over a foil substrate, doped with PVA and painted ...

The 12th element can be archers (Bw or Ps), Beserks (fast Wb) or Irish (fast Ax)

V3 of DBA offers slightly more choice by allowing 3 bases of substitutes from an ally (in this case Irish, Scottish or Anglo-Danish) ... that might mean a bit more variety but this is tough good-looking army as it stands.

The figures are (just under) half Piggies, the rest Essex, Donnington, Khurasan, Black Hat, Museum, Outpost, and one each from Touller, Irregular and Chariot (just to show how nicely they all mix together) ...

The camp is meant to represent the prows of some longships pulled up on a marshy riverbank ...

 

 

(detail)

(Viking DBA estuary camp: details)

Peter Pig make loads of looting and ravaging figures, so, with an Essex ship there was a lot of kit to jumble together for this piece.  It is made on clear plastic sheet rather than my usual MDF basing so any river it sits on should show through ... The guarding Camp Followers are detachable of course.

I pasted together some of the shield designs again (hand done as usual)  - sorry if they come out a bit blurred by the editing ...

They are the usual mix of Celtic/Saxon/Norse designs that seem to pass for generic Dark Age these days (and honestly I know no better) ...

It pairs nicely with Pre-Feudal Scottish or, say, Anglo-Saxon

A very enjoyable project and a nice addition to any collection.

16th September, Norwich

EASTERN FRONT

A beautiful late (Indian) Summer's day saw me driving round in circles in Norwich before bungling into St. Andrews half an hour late.    I found the venue very easily last year, but discovered the penalties of complacency, this: getting straight there last year had been luck not judgement.

(the main hall at Eastern Front)

The wargaming community is nothing if not forgiving and flexible, of course, and we quickly got things back on track (and so the DBA Challenge started at 11.00, not 10.30).

(games and societies at Eastern Front 2012)

Eastern Front is a delightful show in a beautiful regional English city.  The venue is an East Anglian jewel, and you really must visit some time.

(one of the splendid ancient/medieval games at Eastern Front - click on the images to enlarge)

I have appended one of two views of an excellent collection of display and participation games to be found in the main hall - though, inevitably, I spent most of my day in the second hall, Blackfriars, where you would have found the Societies, the DBA and the Bring and Buy.

(what the Society of Ancients was doing at the show)

THE EAST OF ENGLAND DBA CHALLENGE

The DBA Challenge was open to Dark Age armies with a Dux Brittanniae award to the top army which actually fought in England in the 410 to 1066 period.   The duke's award would go to the second placed player if the Champion also qualified.  There was a top newcomer award likewise applied.

(the East of England DBA Challenge)

Sign in and play on the day, we got 7 players involved, which, though modest, I think marks a good starting point and provided us with good natured entertainment all day with comfortable breaks for shopping and lunch.

(Vikings deploying opposite the Anglo-Saxon defenders)

I took along 4 'loaner' armies to back up those who were bringing their own.   Courtesy of the seventh players joining in late on, all these armies got used during the day which was nice.

(my Anglo-Saxons .. New Era Donnington with Gladiator, Chariot, Essex and Lurkio mixed in)

However the main armies used were (III/51) Norman; (III/40) Norse Viking; (II/81) Sub Roman British; (III/24) Middle Anglo Saxon; (II/67) Ostrogothic and (II/71) Gepid.

(Nick's Sub Roman British ... Donnington originals, I believe)

To simplify play and present an authentic challenge we had a choice of fixed boards, with players dicing for sides then rolling aggression to determine the deployment/game start order.   It seemed to work quite well, and meant my felt allergy was not triggered by patches or garish fabric.

(the British are attacked by Norse Viking)

Many of the players were new to tournament play - even relatively new to DBA - so it was a good chance for people to get the rhythms of the game.  As usual when I 'umpire/run' event, I took along the Wadbag bible.   As usual, it wasn't necessary to open it, and the battles went smoothly.

(Generals in personal combat: Duke William takes on the Goths)

Despite a heavy loss to my Anglo-Saxons (Duke William unceremoniously 'mugged' by hard-charging Anglisch spearmen - a 'recoil the support either side and get the guy in the middle' revenge attack for Senlac!) ... the Normans proved the most powerful and versatile army and Richard deservedly won the Challenge.

(two more of the loaner armies I took: Sub-Roma British and Ostrogothic)

A clear Dux Brittanniae title went to Paul's Vikings, just pipping Nick, whose Sub Roman British were the best newcomers.

(those top newcomers consider moving down off their hill)

We reorganised the final round in order to involve a father and son combination in the games and give them a flavour of DBA's quick but engaging take on ancient and medieval warfare. 

(East of England Challenge: Normans clash with British)

Pleasingly, everyone else finished level with one win and one general killed.   Count back would have been 'the game between the players' but with the podium places/special titles awarded, we were happy to leave the remaining players on equal honours.

(Armies arrayed: the Gepids - Essex commanders, mostly Lurkio and Chariot cavalry behind Chariot infantry)

This was a lot of fun, and well worth the effort, I think.   Watch out for news of Norwich next year: if all things stay similar, I would be more than happy to run this again (and with a little more notice and publicity, maybe more of you will want to make the trip east and join in ..)..

(a new Dux Brittanniae 'Barker Marker' I made up for the event)

(I may have to keep this clear of prising fingers: it has an obvious 'sub-text'!)

Society of Ancients UK DBA League Pages

See the Shows North stand next at Derby where we will be running games of Call it Qids, a simple participation game based on Ramesses's exploits at the battle of Kadesh.