Romans! Romans! Romans!

Monday 24th October 2016 - WDW

On the big table - Zulus v Brits (Battles for Empire v2) - a re-run of a scenario I played at a Saturday meeting.

DBM - Patrician Roman v Later Carthaginian - the middle was pretty much a stand off.  On our right I fought against Cv, Lh & El - we finished with my command 3 off breaking and Chris 2.  On our left flank Andy had 2 allied commands - Visigoths and Arabs.  Al had a few Lh plus loads of Auxilia to oppose this attack.  As we pulled stumps the game was a draw. No doubt the steep hills that ended up on the Carthaginian side cramped their deployment - typical WRG terrain system!


Wednesday 26th October 2016 - searching in the loft.

Whilst putting back the desk fan and electric fly killer for the winter I came across two 'project' boxes.  They were 15mm Roman and Carthaginian armies.  Trouble is that little is actually painted.  The contents are mixed and largely un-labelled.  Here's a breakdown of the 'Romans' box:

 

Scan 1:       A                     B                          C

14 (x 4) Legionaries (old Minifigs - Marian Roman) - 8 elements painted as 'Imitation legionaries'
11 (x 4) Legionaries (old Minifigs) - Early Imperial Romans - 3 painted elements
1 (x 4) Late Roman legionaries (Tin Soldier) - painted
2 (x 4) - (A) lorica, plumed helmet, sword, square sh
4 (x 4) - (B) lorica, crested helmet, oval shield, spear - later legionaries?
4 ( x 4) - (C) mail, oval sh, spear - auxilia of some sort?
2 (x 3) Cavalry alares (old Minifigs)  - painted
2 (x 3) 'Gothic' cavalry (old Minifigs)
4 (x 2) Numidiam javelinmen (old Minifigs - for Later Carthaginian army).

A few figures in their original packets:

4 - IMP5 Equites alares (Navigator)
4 - IMP 10 Equites alares (Navigator)
8 - 150601-0032 Kappadokians (Chariot?)
1 - 150222-0040 Cheiroballistra in mule cart (Chariot?)
8 - 150039 Western archers 2
8 - 15016-0038 Western archers 1
3 - 150403-0053 Numidian command group
8 - 150037 EIR Eastern archers 2
8 - 150214-0036 EIR Eastern archers 1
9 - SPQR22 Legionary Lanciarii 4thC

I haven't got around to the unlabelled bags whose contents will have to be mostly guesswork (plus some book research).  Maybe next time!

And Now For Something Completely Different...

Well...not quite yet!


Monday 17th October 2016 - No WDW

Did find time (and sunlight) to photograph my 'Chinese' 4h Ch:

This is as they were fielded last Monday night.  The figures were all taken from my spares box and include not only Chinese but Malay, Vietnamese and miscellaneous barbarians.

I had planned to add removable flags and banners but after their showing on the battlefield I doubt that I will turn them out again.  Currently the riders are on my painting board to be finished and then returned to the spares box (painted side). 

The chariots themselves, plus Carthaginian crew, need to be finished off.  Maybe I will have more luck with them in their original army!


Here is  something different:

I have been playing this 'print and play' game for a week or so.  It's available for download at: 
http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/128568/your-name-here-and-argonauts

The mechanisms are quite straight-forward.  Eventually you must complete the 'Heroic Deeds' card before you have too many 'Heroic Defeats'.  In the early stages it's relatively easy to beat the game but as you go along the monsters get tougher and there are more of them.  So far I have managed 9 Deeds to 4 Defeats - the trouble is that all four defeats have come in a row since the pack got tougher.  

I shall play on regardless in the hope that the gods of olympus smile down upon me.

Another Deadline Missed

RL still getting in the way - Friday is over in the UK.


Monday 10th October 2016 - WDW

Square Bashing - two a side;  Oregan (boardgame) & DBM

DBM - Makkan v Spring & Autumn Chinese - Chris was not keen on this army and after playing with it I can see why.  We went for a flank march (that got lost somewhere in the mountains).  Our C-in-C's command pitted Wb(F) against Wb(F) and guess who came out the losers?  On the flanks our Kn(O) chariots didn't do so well either.

My main reason for fielding this army had been a desire to play with all the Chinese armies in the DBM(M) lists. Only Book 1 remained.   Having recently painted up 10 x Carthaginian 4h chariots I kitted them out with improvised crew.  They looked OK for Irr Kn(O).  I used some 'proper' Chinese chariots for generals.

Well...that's 1.32 'Spring & Autumn' done.  Two more lists remain - Shang & Early Northern Barbarian.  Neither army look like 'giant-killers' to me.

Hoped to supply photos of the chariots in 'Chinese' mode but there has been precious little sunshine around this week.  Dull and wet every day.  Maybe next week!!!

And maybe next week normal service will be resumed - don't hold your breath though!

Back to Thursday

RL is still getting in the way but at least I am trying.....



Monday 3rd October 2016 - WDW

Square Bashing 1917 (Brits v Germans); Impetus (Samurai civil war); 10 Minute Empire boardgame (Andrew won both times).

DBM - Syracusan Greeks v Achaemenid Persians.  I didn't have a lot to do on the Greek Left Wing (pseudo-Corbenites!). The centre dawdled whilst trying to decide which way to go.  On the right Al thrust forward and landed himself in the muck.  At end of play our right had fallen (a bit like Nigel Farrage and co) resulting in a 4:6 defeat.


Thursday 6th October 2016 - still trying to finish those pesky chariots.  As I have committed myself to producing a 'Spring & Autumn' Chinese army for next Monday I had better get on with it!

Took a look at my 'Carthaginian' tin (from whence the 4h chariots come).  Only about one-third of them are actually painted.  Not surprising since most haven't been in  action since 6th Edition (much like their owner).  Yet another project for me - after the Vikings of course.

Ah Well!  Another week, another (rising) dollar!

A Day Late

Yes I know...it's Friday.  Too much to do yesterday.....RL getting in the way again.


Monday 26th September 2016 - WDW

Sparse attendance today - "I Am Sparticus" boardgame, Zombies (Ambush Z) & a three-handed DBM game.

Chris was supposed to be bringing his New Kingdom Egyptians to face Andy's Makkan.  With three of us present, and unable to contact Chris, we scrounged sufficient NKE figures from club stocks for Al to provide some opposition.  It was a cagey fight with Al holding back his main chariot force to face off against Andy's Cm(O). 

One of my Wb(F) commands initially did well but the dice soon turned.  After loosing 6 elements in one bound I became less aggressive.  When the final whistle went one command on each side was tottering on the edge of oblivion.  Nevertheless an entertaining draw.



Friday 30th September 2016 - Progress report - part 2

 Two pics of my incomplete 4h Early Carthaginian chariots.  I finally managed to base 9 (of 10), putting 'trees' on them (twigs) and placing some 15mm crew for scale.

I will not be permanently mounting the crew as I want to 'double-purpose' these expensive chariots.  Tidying up the painting comes next and making trays for the crew.   Not sure which way I am going to go - steel paper and magnabase - but what gets what?


And now for something completely different........

Two pics from Chris of his WW1 tank demonstration game.  This is happening soon at The Armouries, Leeds.

Progress Report

Saturday 17th September 2016 - WDW

Well I intended to run a game but instead found myself at Roundway medical centre having my ears syringed.  Been given some powerful drugs that cause drowsiness - so banned from driving for a week.  That's my social life out of the window.


Sunday 18th September 2016

I decided to do a tidy up of my wargaming and folk dancing stuff.  As a trip into the loft was not an option it was all my paperwork that was going to get blitzed. 

Now you know how it is....I will just print off that set of rules or background information.......might come in handy one day!  Starting at "Ancients" and finishing at "Sci-Fi" resulted in almost 150 sets of rules.  Military info was also in abundance.  Of course, not having tidied up for a while, I found quite a few duplicates. 

So many projects started - so little follow through.  Such is the butterfly mind of a wargamer!


Tuesday 20th September 2016

Dug through my trays of unfinished figures. 

Those pesky Carthaginian 4h chariots are still there - will I ever finish them?
No Renaissance 20mm figures awaiting attention.
20mm Sea Peoples glared up at me balefully.
15mm Vikings & Conquistadores are mostly still bare metal.
The miscellaneous 15mm tray has some 'Arab' cavalry (much needed) plus Chinese wheelbarrows and flaming pigs.


Thursday 22nd September 2016

With the paperwork sorted and new folders made from cereal packets (very Blue Peter) I have started painting.  First up are the Vikings and the flaming pigs.

Yes..It's Thursday!

Monday 12th September 2016 - WDW

DBM - Al brought out his Assyrians to face the Scythian hordes.  Unfortunately the Assyrians are one of the classic under-performers (like most Romans).  Historically  they did pretty well but the DBM army list does them no favours.  As a consequence we had to play cagey with the Scythians outnumbering us.  Nevertheless a draw was achieved.  I also found out how useful Hd(O) can be.

On the other tables - "Quebec" boardgame and "Battles for Westeros" (semi-fantasy).


Thursday 15th September 2016 - with the Calling season starting my 'spare time' will be at a premium. 

Having just recovered from a horrible throat infection I am now deaf in one (very sore) ear.  So it's back to the doctor for yet another handful of  goodies from his bag of tricks.  Getting old is not recommended.  Anybody got a spare youth serum laying about the place?