Impromptu Sunday morning game.

'A' rang me and said-"are you free for a game this morning" ?  , well my wife being at work and the dog already walked I said "yes" (ignoring the gardening I should have been doing).

He had recently taken delivery of some 15mm  Wofun 2D Caesarian Romans and swiftly having based them up he wanted to give them a spin using the free Andrew Callan rules. Here is my force under Pompey deployed, 6 units of Legionaries in the center , some slingers on the far flank and some Gallic cavalry nearest the camera.

'A' deploying his force under Julius Caesar , some Legionaries and a Scorpion bolt thrower.

His Numidian light cavalry on the right flank (he needs to fill in the bases and perhaps ink in the edges.

The rear of my position , the battle being fast and furious I forgot to take any photos of the action - but I lost narrowly - snatching defeat from the jaws of victory ! . A great game and a great way to spend a Sunday morning .

I don't often appear in my blog posts - this is not misplaced vanity , but it's because I'm taking the photos . "A" sent me this one of his.

 

 

The Olde Gods.

Well, this terrain piece has resurfaced! I keep finding it hidden in the dark recesses under the table. I haven't the foggiest idea where or when it was purchased? I think it might date back from when I purchased my Foundry Bronze Age armies back in 2001 (?), back then Foundry did some cracking army deals - buy one get the second half price! (It was a different world then) so I took advantage of the deal and bought 2 European Bronze Age armies. These have been painted up years ago but never seen much tabletop action I'm afraid. So, I thought I'd paint it up - I added a few suitable shields as trophies/offerings.

It only took me about half an hour to get it done (mainly dry brushing) and here it is in a suitable setting with some of my figures. I think it portrays Cernunous the Horned God of the forest - having got it on the table I think I should set up a game involving it. (Click on photos to enlarge)

 

Oh no ! not another non-wargaming post .

Look what I found at the bottom of the garden whilst hacking back the jungle . Many years ago I did quite a lot of voluntary work with the National Trust on Hadrian's Wall helping on various excavations and visited the wall several times a year . On most return trips I used to call in at Carlisle Museum to look around their bookshop , they sold at one point resin casts of various Roman statues that where in the museum . It must be 30 years ago since I bought this one , it is of three Genii or spirits ( Genius Culcallati ?) each wearing a hooded cloak and carrying an egg in their right hand - a symbol of good luck . There is a theory that they are the forefathers of the humble garden gnome .

Of course I made the rookie mistake of not adding a scale to the first photo so here's a second with Charlie for scale .

Believe it or not there is wargaming going on in the background - but not very photogenic , working my way through he Spartan C&C expansion . Back to Toy Soldiers next week ! 

The Grey Ditch

I find I don't use my camera very often nowadays and like everybody else use my phone (which probably does as good a job with my basic photographic skills) . So when I was sorting out the memory card I found I had not used it since last November when we were on holiday in Bradwell in the Peak District , A couple of photos had me puzzled for a moment - pictures of bumps in a frosty field (I have taken lots of this type of thing to illustrate various historic sites)  but these seem even more enigmatic - then I remembered it was when I found the Grey Ditch !!!  , here seen sweeping majestically upwards towards the tree line . Well what we are seeing is the upcast or rampart the actual ditch is to the left (lighter green ?).

From the same place looking the other way (the horse will become significant later in my tale) I'd read a little about it in the tourist literature at the cottage we were staying at and was super excited when we came across it whilst walking the dog . Historic England class it as a linear embankment and adjacent ditch which stretched across the entire valley and is dated by pottery finds to be post-Roman 5th/7th century , it was originally 8 feet high and 22 feet wide at it's base and the ditch was of equivalent width and a further 6 feet deep - that's some big hole and pile of earth ! I was very pleased - as pleased as Punch as they say ! - my wife less so , she wasn't impressed - it was cold and me capering on a bump in the ground probably didn't help - then she saw the horse - she doesn't 'do' horses neither does the dog who was whining by now - so she and him left for the next field via a stile- I though " I'll take a few more shots then join them" . However the horse was lonely and very friendly and all I got were shots of it's nose and head , so abandoned the idea but vowed to return ,which of course I never did .

Another shot looking uphill (found on the internet - not sure who by ?).Theories vary but a boundary defense between Mercia and the Kingdom of Northumbria is possible as ditch like this exist in various places in England (Offa's Dyke being the most famous) and a local legend says that there was a battle in which King Edwin of Northumbria was captured and subsequently executed ,   locals remember the  'Eden Tree' where according to folklore Edwin was hung and it used to stand until recently by the road side to the North of the village . I must admit I find structures like this far more exciting than any amount of castles and stately homes , so thank you for your indulgence .

Infamy, Infamy.

I'm a big fan of 'Sharp Practise'  which is a large skirmish set of rules , I've used these for several years for my Texan War of Independence and also for the ACW very successfully . So when I heard that they were bringing out an Ancient version of these I was intrigued and decided to get a copy . The rules are very well presented with a high production value and a nice set of cards to play the game . It's sort of 'Son of Sharp Practise' but of course with more emphasis on hand to hand combat . It helps to have already played SP as this helps you get your head around the rules which are not in themselves difficult but approach things from a different point of view unlike a lot of rules. The units are moved/fight using leaders that are activated with the card deck , your forces morale drops when bad things happen and this makes it harder to do things with your force . It is scenario driven and you win by accomplishing  the task allotted to you and your force , unusually the barbarians come onto the table from ambush points set out in terrain features on the tabletop rather than a table edge which can be very unnerving  for the Roman player . I've played a couple of test games to try out the rules and find them very entertaining , the 'Too Fat Lardies' do a series of videos on 'You Tube' to teach the rules  . I already have quite a number of figures painted up for SPQR so I can start playing full games with the addition of only a few figures . I will do a further report on the game next week .

Another load of old Gauls

These are the next lot of units I've got done , again they are Warlord 28mm resin figures . These are Gallic cavalry . Evidently 'Blogger' now doesn't enlarge the photos when you click on them - guess that's progress ??? 

No barbarian horde would be complete without war dogs , he seems to be whistling of his hounds - but like mine they are taking no notice ! - we have a Spaniel rather than a war dog I hasten to add ! .

Here is my new force leader with his attendant Druid .

Another Gallic hero . This completes my barbarian force for the moment , I've got some more Romans done but being Legionaries they are a bit 'samey' 

Reinforcements for SPQR .

Been busy gluing up and painting more Gauls for my SPQR project , I must admit I like putting together plastic figures - not everyone's idea of fun but I used to make a lot of plastic kits in my childhood and so it's a form of regression perhaps . These are Warlord 28mm plastics , think I've cracked the shield transfers - trim them back to the actual design and cut out the shield boss using a scalpel . 

Men with no clothes on ! , as somebody who can't cross the landing in bear feet going to the loo without stubbing my toe this is not for me - then there's nettles and thistles .

Gallic archers ,  again Warlord resin figures .

Tribal slingers , I always find slingers boring , don't think these are the best figures out there but I needed some . If you click on the photos this should enlarge them (new blogger permitting) 

A bit of progress after a fraught week .

I've been having computer problems this week which is VERY annoying ! . It turned out I needed a new key board , I did think I had a spare one but couldn't find it so I had to get a new one at the supermarket - the following day I found the one I already had ! - 'blast' ! . On the painting front I've got quite a few ancient figures glued up and painted for my SPQR project . These 10 Romans are first up - they are 28mm Warlord plastics , I used he shield transfers that were provided - bit fiddly but look nice when done .

A Gallic hero , again Warlord and this one is a new resin model.  I quite like their new resin figures flexable but not bendy if you know what I mean .

The Gauls needed somewhere for their Druids to hang out , so I revamped 'Woodhenge' , This was a model I made about 20 years ago which I found whilst looking for that b****y keyboard ! it was rather worse for wear but a bit of TLC has got it back in operation .

Here we see it being re-sanctified to the Old Gods with the sacrifice of a black ram - both figures again by Warlord - not sure the Romans will be happy about this - cue the next scenario .....

Proverbs 26 : 11 *

So having sold off my Ancient figures to fund other projects what could be more natural but to buy into another Ancient ruleset and start purchasing more new figures for it ! (well it makes sense to me in a perverted sort of way ) . I got their starter set off Ebay rather cheaply and it has enough figures for two warbands - one Caesarian Roman and the other Gauls . The rules are large skirmish about 10 to 30 per side depending on the nations and troop types .

The figures are a mixture of multi-part plastics and resin and are rather nice , here's a couple of Roman Legionaries I've painted up . I cheated with the shield designs and used the transfers that are included in the box . , there's a bit of work to do on the bases to finish them off . 

For the Gauls a Druid which is a resin one piece casting . I think I'm going to enjoy painting these figures and have started reading through the rules which seem simple enough and very scenario driven - which I like . More to follow .....

* As a dog returneth to it's vomit , so a fool returneth to his folly 

Well ! - that only took 20 years to finish ! .

About twenty years ago I snapped my Achilles tendon and was off work for nearly six month , during that time I painted a lot of figures including some for other people . With the money I acquired I bought a couple of 28mm Foundry Nordic Bronze Age armies - this was the time when Foundry used to do 'buy one army - get the second half price' , they were very good deals indeed ! I really enjoyed painting them up , they were not the most colourful army , but I did quite a lot of research on the period and they were very nice figures . I finally finished painting them last year - then in a clear out the other week I found another blister of 'Bronze Age Civilians' - so I thought I'd better finish off this project which had dragged on for so long. The last off them are illustrated above - 'Phew finally done !'

The things that you come across .

I was tidying up the outhouse which is a general dumping ground for all unwanted things and has to be purged every now and again . I came across my metal toolbox - remember those canter lever tool boxes everybody carried their figures around in about 20 years ago ? - if you were a wargamer they were  SO de rigueur . In it was a sad collection of figures , samples of different ranges and odds and sods that didn't go anywhere . However I did find two unopened blisters of Foundry Bronze Age figures .

These were the remaining two of a couple of armies I bought twenty years ago (?) in the days when Foundry did some VERY nice deals - buy one army deal get the next half price ! - the don't do that sort of thing nowadays ! . There was a chariot model and the civilian casualty pack , these were the only ones not painted , so I thought I'd better get them done seeing they had been waiting only twenty years . 

Also there was this resin terrain piece which had been undercoated ready for painting , I have long thought I am suffering from "wargaming Alzheimer's " and I have no recollection of buying this and no idea who made it , so it will be getting painted as well .

Some of my completed Bronze Age Foundry 28mm figures .

The First Of The Etruscans .

I've been working on the Etruscan warbands and have got these figures finished . I sprayed them black then blocked in the colours , washed then with a brown ink , picked out the highlights and a coat of gloss varnish to seal in the paint to prevent flaking . I then applied a matt varnish and based them . I'm busy with the next batch and a mule train for them to fight over and will post them when they are done . (click on photos to enlarge)

An Aside .

I do like plastic figures and am fascinated by the many sets that are out there , gone are the days of converting the 'Airfix' Guardsmen into the required army . A quick glance at the Plastic Soldier Review site* and you find everything you want is covered  . So when I saw this box of Etruscans I was intrigued - I've always been interested in them as they always seem to play second fiddle to the Romans . I thought 'how to use them ?' - I've been playing a bit of  'Songs Of Blades And Heroes' (SOBAH) using fantasy figures recently and think the rules are so easy that they can cover historical periods as well .

The figures are rather nice with very little flash (the bane of all plastics) and are produced by "Linear-A" a German company I believe , There are 30+ figures in the box and I cleaned up some of them and mounted them on pennies ready for spraying . I'm going to use SOBAH with about eight to a dozen figures a side for small skirmishes , cattle raids  etc and am rather looking forward to painting them - it's a while since I did any ancient figures so I put some up once I get them going . (click on photos to enlarge)

*http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/News.aspx

Bronze Age Warfare rules test (Part2)

Reinforcements in the form of cavalry arrive . I think Bronze Age cavalry would be used in a light role - here we see them circling to bombard the enemy warriors , casualties from missile fire was quite high - thinking for giving them limited ammunition .

The command and control seem to work not to badly , am thinking of limiting it even more by making Leaders/Heroes actually having to be in contact with units to affect them . In Command = roll movement dice and re-roll lowest dice (cannot roll worse), Out of Command = roll movement dice and re-roll best dice (cannot roll better) . Example - Skirmish unit In Command distance rolls 3D6 - say 3-4-6 , re-roll worse dice 3 (ignore lower roll) , gets a 5 = 15"move. Same unit Out of Command distance rolls 3D6 say 2-5-5 , re-roll best dice 5 (ignore higher roll) , gets a 2 = 9"move.

The warband charges the cavalry , I allowed the cavalry and skirmishers to make an evade move if they had not already moved that turn (using ordinary movement dice) - they would be wise not to get to close to the enemy. 

The Clan of the Red Pig's Warband charges the enemy . I used the system from Featherstone's book to fight the melee , 2 ranks can fight - 1 point per figure - roll a dice per 5 points , Example 20 figures = 4 D6 - which roll say 2-5-4-3 = 14 , half the result = 7 casualties - these can make saving throws .

The result of the combat , each side rolls a D6 X remaining number of figures , looser must retreat 1 move (drawn combats continue next move).

The skirmishers are pushed back to the Shrine and Clan Broc is near victory - they have not noticed the newly arrived reinforcements on their flank.

The overview of the battlefield .

Clan Broc's warband on the right has been pushed back again , so the Leader/Hero dismounts from his Chariot to rally them . Units that drop below 50% will not advance and retire if out of command radius .

On the next move a red token is drawn first and the warband charges into the flank of the Clan Broc warband ! . Under the Featherstone system Flank and Rear attacks can be devastating , you roll a D6 = 5,6 - fight as usual , 4 -half unit fight half flees (5 or 6 to save fleeing figures) , 3 whole unit flees (5 or 6 to save fleeing figures) , 2 or 1 whole unit is cut down and lost. This brought Clan Broc's army to below 50 % and so they loose the game . I've been scribbling notes as I played the game so there will be modifications , I will be playing another game to try them out soon. 

Bronze Age Warfare rules test game(part1)

Been thinking hard about the Bronze Age Warfare (BAW) rules whilst walking dog and have come up with the following ideas. There are the following troop types - Infantry , Cavalry, Skirmishers and Leaders/Heroes . Movement is as follows- Cavalry/Chariots move 4xD6 , Infantry 2xD6 and Skirmishers 3xD6 . Chariots are used as transport for Leaders, who have a command radius of 6". Units who are not in command radius have to re-roll their highest dice - this reflects their lack of motivation . Moving through bad terrain halves the movement .

To activate a unit a token is drawn red for one side blue the other . Would like to say I used Reindeer blood and Woad to mark the stones but Vallejo was easier . One token per unit and one token marked with Black, when this is drawn the turn stops and all the tokens are returned to the box . 

Tilly thinks the 'Staines o' Destiny' are a little strange !, I think they add period feel !.Missile shooting have 3 range bands , 0-6" - 456 to hit , 6"- 12" - 56 to hit , 12"- 18" - 6 to hit , each figure shoots individually . When hit a casualty throws a saving dice - saving on a 56 adding 1 if in cover, cavalry/chariots and skirmishers . Heroes/Leaders have 2 wounds before being removed . I must stress these are 'work in progress' rules.

I decided the best way to try out these rules was to play a test game through and see how they go . The invading army of Clan Broc are going to try and despoil their rivals sacred site and move onto the table - 3 units of Infantry/Warriors , 1 of Skirmishers and 2 Leaders/Heroes. 

The battlefield set out (the cat was removed before combat started) nearest the camera is the sacred site of the Clan of the Red Pig . Caught by surprise the can only muster 1 Hero/Leader and 2 units of Skirmishers (which represent the local villagers ) to start with , reinforcements will arrive on a dice throw every move .

The Shaman of the Clan of the Red Pig calls on the Gods for help !. The Warrior/Infantry units are 20 figures strong and the Skirmishers 10 figures , as moral will be rudimentary I don't think actual numbers will matter  - ie Units having taken 50 % casualties will not advance and if out of command radius will retire . If an Army suffers 50% casualties it has lost the game .

The Warriors of Clan Broc advance, but then the 'Sable Staine' is drawn and the move comes to an end ! . Well so far I've pinch rules from Featherstone (for shooting) and TSATF (for movement) , the command idea is my own . Well I'll return to the table to continue the game and report on it soon .