Friday 14 May 2010

Ideas for a big Game in 2011

Hi chaps, I think it would be a fine idea to run another big game in 2011, like Zama, and would love to bat some ideas around.  This would be run at Salute and hopefully on another weekend in March, April or May, when we could play it under less pressure, and socialise.

W:e have a few constraints, which will govern what game we can run:-
  1. The terrain must be predominately flat, arid farmland, as I won't have time or money to make a new set of boards.  However I could add one or two boards to what we already have, such as a big hill or river at one end or a town or a camp along one edge, so we could go up to 20' wide by 5' deep.  Indeed, we need something to signal that it is not Zama!
  2. For the same reason, it needs to look rather different to Zama, for which reason we shouldn't use both the Republican Romans or the Carthaginians. 
  3. To cut the painting load, we should use at least one army we have available, so either Republican Romans (if available, as half are oop North and half across the water) Marian Romans, Early Imperial Romans, Gauls/Germans or Carthaginians
  4. The other army should be a recent (or imminent), pretty range (as were the Aventine Republicans), that we will enjoy painting. 
  5. The battle should include some visually interesting troop types such as pikemen, cataphracts, scythed chariots, elephants, camels, ships or similar flummery.
  6. The game has, to my mind, to be somewhat larger than Zama, which had 1500 miniatures; say a round 2K?
I have a few ideas about battles that might fit the above criteria, but I thought it might be good to start off with a bit of a brainstorm... all ideas weclome.

12 comments:

ZeroTwentythree said...

I hope you don't mind my commenting, but based on your description, have you considered Romans in the east? Something like the Rep. Romans vs. Selucids or other successor kingdom?

Caliban said...

Yes, Magnesia! I think we've mentioned this before? The good thing about next year's Battle Day is that it looks as though it will be chariots. One of our guys already has those, so I get to have a break. I'd love to do Magnesia.

Paul

AJ (Allan) Wright said...

Magnesia and Heraclea would both be possibilities. Magnesia you could use your current boards just by adding a single, half-width board on the end for the river.

BigRedBat said...

I must admit that Magnesia has been tempting me for all sorts of reasons...

Heraclea has that damned stream running right across the battlefield, but Asculum might be a possibility.

Broeders said...

Raphia - Antiochus vs Ptolemey IV

Gaugamela - a very plain battleground.

Ilipa in Spain (Romans vd Carthaginians again but with Iberian allies.

Consul said...

What about one of the Rome vs a pikeman army like Pontus or something like that? Something abit challenging with a bit of interest. What about a farm? You can borrow mine? Or a fort?

I'll help out - I think a year is long enough notice!

Consul.

Vojvoda said...

Magnesia is a fun game with lots of different troop types and two camps!

Lake Trasimino is one I think you can use most of the same troops but the layout and scenario are very different.

VR
James Mattes

BigRedBat said...

Hi James, Trasimene is just a bit too hilly; Magnesia does score highly, though.

Consul, another one I've been thinking about is indeed Chaeronea, Pontics vs Sulla. I have the Roman army and the large, colourful Pontic one would be doable. We refought it last year and it is an interesting game.

Hi Phil, Raphia would be good but would need not one but two pike armies, which could be a stretch. I'd love to do pike vs pike in 2012; Raphia, Ipsus, Gabiene or Paraitacene. My thought is paint one successor pike army in 2010/11, and one in 2011/12.

Guagamela would be a big stretch, and IMHO the right range of Persians isn't out there yet (although I do know that there will be a nice range coming through over the next year or two). Ilipa feels just a bit too similar to Zama.

Graham C said...

Already started on looking to Magnesia, don't know how it will translate to command and colours but the thought of around 260 pike in the centre, BIG elephants, chariots etc to me is a given

BigRedBat said...

We've fought epic Magnesia 2 or 3 times in 15mm (perhaps 4-500 minis a side). It worked pretty well; looked great, too. Definitely one for the shortlist.

Sire Godefroy said...

Republican Romans vs. Successors would be a classic but rarely seen tabletop fight. Although most battles were fought on broken terrain - and therefore won by the Romans. Could be a challenge to find a Zama-like environment.
Since you mentioned Marian Romans, the Civil Wars might be an option, too. Think of Thapsus for example.

Cheers
SG

BigRedBat said...

Hi SG, yes Thapsus is on the radar, too. It uses some of the elements of Zama (Numidians, nellies), and has LOTS of Romans, which is always good.

The only thing that puts me off it, is it seems like the Pompeians mostly ran away pretty quickly!