Wednesday 17 June 2009

Operation Zama

...so I'd been planning to paint a load of EIR Auxilia this year, and then a Hellenistic army after that; but it turns out that the next SOA Battle Day in 2010 is going to be Zama and I've decided to change everything.

I've never yet managed to field an army for any of the SOA days (there isn't usually enough notice for my slow painting), so this year, given plenty of notice, I have decided to go for it in a big way. My EIRs and my Foundry/GB Successor pikes will all need to go on the back burner and instead I'm going to need to raise a couple of new armies. I had always intended to do a Polybian Legion or two; they have just moved up the painting order! Should tie in with the Aventine minis I'll be starting in 2 weeks.

I want the game to be really big, so I'm going to forge an alliance of friends and other clubs in order to raise the requisite armies.... if you are thinking about going to the Battleday next year (in Bletchley on 24th April, 2010), have DBx-based 28mm figures and either play Command and Colors, or want to find out about it, please do drop me a line!

15 comments:

Caliban said...

Good luck with this, Simon. Our plan is very similar. We already have enough Romans to do the allied legions, and between our club members we should be able to cover pretty much everything else, although some of it won't quite be right. My challenge is to raise the two Roman legions. At one point, I'll post the army lists on my blog for comparison - a big game of Tactica II requires many figures...

Cheers
Paul

BigRedBat said...

Hi Paul,

I think I'll need to do two legions, as well. I'd love to compare army lists. Later I'll see if I can work out how to post a spreadsheet on here.

My OOB includes 1250 miniatures!

Cheers, Simon

Caliban said...

The order of battle I've come up with has four Roman or allied legions, each of 108 figures, plus 72 equites and 96 Numidians, for a total of 584 Romans and allies. The Carthaginians have 72 cavalry, 72 Gauls, 72 Spanish, 192 spearmen, and 192 veterans of the Italian campaign, for a total of 600 figures. This doesn't include elephants, but I'm thinking of eight figures to represent those. It looks as though both of our guesses are pretty close to each other! I'm planning to buy the first of my two legions at the Claymore show in Edinburgh on August 1st. I already have the velites, and I'm about to start painting those. It's going to be a long process...

Cheers again
Paul

BigRedBat said...

Hi Paul, yes our OOBs must be almost identical. I think my legions are slightly smaller, with only 16 velites, but I must have more allies in the mix, somewhere.

I might go to town with a few more elephants than you (and some dead elephant models as well, for colour!).

Anonymous said...

Simon,
is there somthing you wish to tell me

Nick

BigRedBat said...

Is that Nick S, or another Nick?

Anonymous said...

Nick s
who's wondering how big is this project, and trembling in fear ..... :-)

BigRedBat said...

Be afraid, Nick, be very afraid. Remember the Dwarf Mine, at Salute? A mere skirmish. ;-)

Simon

Grégory Privat said...

I'll regreat the next line...

Need me ?


I did know I would regreat it.

BigRedBat said...

Hi Greg,

I was working out the numbers with Ian tonight; beleive me, there will be plenty to paint! I think we are up to at least 1300 minis, plus casualty figures.

There aren't any exciting terrain features at Zama. It is essentially a flat battlefield, with fields, 5-6m wide. I am thinking that, for the terrain, we might revive the plates that you made for the dwarf mine (cut out the road; retexture, repaint), and add one or two more plates to make it wide enough.

We can chat about what you might like to do... would be great fun to see you again. It might clash with whatever you are preparing for Salute, though (it's either the week before or the week after).

Simon

legatus hedlius said...

Excellent! First SOA Battle day I have been interested in since Cynoscephalae. I may start painting that load of Spanish I have!

BigRedBat said...

Yes indeedy, Legatus. We must twist Richard's arm to do something pikey, next year, so that I have a reason to paint my phalangites!

Grégory Privat said...

I would be more in painting miniatures. Just tell me what to buy.

BigRedBat said...

Hi Greg, I'll drop you an email.

Grégory Privat said...

Now I should try to finish my Spartacus army )