Showing posts with label TotheStrongest!. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TotheStrongest!. Show all posts

Monday, 23 July 2018

To the Scottest!



"To the Scottest!", the first official "TtS!" tournament to be held in Scotland,  will take place at the Sea Cadet hall, Methil, Leven KY8 3RE, on the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd of September 2018. The event is Saxon Dog's baby but I'll be helping with the delivery.  ;-)

On the Saturday we'll each play four games with 130 point, 28mm armies (in much the same manner as at Chalgrove, for those who have fought there). On the Sunday we will play larger multiplayer games. It will be a good-natured event, with plenty of help on hand for those unfamiliar with the rules. We'll go out for a meal and drinks on the Saturday night.

I'll be accompanied by a small but elite band of Sassenach invaders, including Steve Dover, who organises Chalgrove, and two TtS! World Champions, Simon Purchon and Philip Marshall. 

We'd like players to bring armies from the Greek, Macedonian and Punic wars- anything from the "Frogs around a Pond", "Kingdoms of the East" or the "Rise of Rome" booklets. However, if you don't have an army from those periods, don't let it put you off- please bring whatever you have! If you don't have any 28mm army at all, we can loan you one.

The cost for the weekend gaming will cost £25 including lunch on the two days. All profits will be donated to the Sea Cadets. Spartan overnight accommodation is also available at the the Cadet Hall- and for the less hardy, there are hotels in the area.

If you would like to take part or have questions, please mail me in the first instance (my email address is to the left of this blog post)- I'll reserve your space and help with your list. I hope to see some familiar faces and lots of new ones!

 Best, Simon

Monday, 30 April 2018

Back to School!


Here are some pics of a To the Strongest! game run at a school in the 'States by Jared Fishman.

"On Saturday, April 21st, Hackley’s game club (NYSGA- New York Student Gamers’ Association) ran a battle set in 1099 CE, during the First Crusade.  Eleven 6th graders, many of them novice gamers, took on the role of Saracen or Crusader in an epic game using “To The Strongest!”




In total, there were about 50 units present on the field.


The battle was dead even by the final turn. The Turks, having started on the flank, put immediate pressure on the Crusaders and delayed their advance, while on the opposite flank, a quick moving flank guard of allied Byzantines closed in, inflicting enormous damage.


The students learned a lot from the game.  Two memorable quotes were: “I liked that you had to use strategy and military tactics to win the game and succeed.” and “I liked that there was a lot of detail in the rules, and it simulated everything we learned in 6th grade history when we studied the Crusades.”



All in all, the students loved the game, with a rematch battle taking place in a few weeks. Jared Fishman, the GM who ran the game and painted all the miniatures, is a veteran gamer who has successfully blended gaming into his curriculum, using it as a conduit for learning and engagement with his students.  He currently teaches at Hackley School, in Tarrytown, New York, where he founded the school’s game club c.2008. He sought and received permission to post photos of the kids.


This is a splendid effort which I thoroughly applaud- kudos to Jared! If anyone else would like to run a school or youth project, I have a number of slight second copies of the rules that I'd be happy to donate for just the cost of postage. 

Monday, 29 January 2018

Last call for the To the Strongest! Worlds


On Saturday 24th February 2018, the fourth "To the Strongest!" World Championships will take place in the village of Chalgrove in Oxfordshire- and there is still time and space for a few late entries!

We believe that "Worlds" is the largest 28mm big-battle ancient/medieval tournament in, well, the world. This year we expect to have up to 40 players from at least four countries who will each fight four battles using 28mm armies, to establish who is the World’s Strongest! 

The atmosphere is more good-natured than competitive; that said, the competition for the wooden spoon can be fierce. ;-) If you'd like to throw your hat in the ring, you can pick an ancient or medieval army from any of the 181 official "To the Strongest!" ancient and medieval lists, up to 130 points. If the list for your favourite 28mm historical army isn't already written, let me know and I will write the list for you. If you don't have a suitable 28mm army, I may be able to lend you one.

Wargames Foundry have very generously provided prizes for the winner, runners up and the best-painted army. There are also prizes for sportsmanship, amongst others- and, of course, the wooden spoon. The cost of entry is £9 (includes tea/coffee and biscuits). 


To register, please email steve.dover (at) 3dsystems (dot) com. Steve will send you out a template to enter your army. We will need to hear from you in the next few days….

PS- I will be bringing the Spartans above and hope to get four games in, myself!

Friday, 18 August 2017

Mega phalanx 4

Here are a couple of WIP shots of the Theban phalanx for Sunday. This will represent the very deep Theban phalanx used at Leuctra. 


The bases are only part painted and also need to be flocked, but should be finished today/tomorrow in time for the show on Sunday. I'm very much looking forward to Partizan, especially as I want to see the stunning Crecy game that David Imrie and Simon Chick have been working on.


In other news, for "To the Strongest!" fans... I've just released a revised version of Even Stronger- this free supplement  includes additional rules that can be used with the To the Strongest! rules. This latest version includes changes to combined light troops, who may now charge formed troops regardless of how they are armed. I have re-written the light lance rule. There are extra sections on ammunition (including a very important change regarding lances and shock and lance chits) and extra weapons. Supported cavalry have become deep units. Artillery have had a boost with a new type – Artillery (field gun), and these and bombards are now very effective against dense targets.

The free supplement can be downloaded from:-

https://bigredbatshop.co.uk/products/to-the-strongest-even-stronger-updated-24-3-2017

Friday, 30 June 2017

Summer sale!

I will be holding a summer sale of the “To the Strongest!” ancient and medieval wargames rules, lasting until midnight UK time on Friday 7th July.

The rules' unique activation mechanism and simple grid enables battles to be fought to a bloody conclusion in around 90 minutes, and they are supported by over 150 free army lists, with more added each month.

The digital version of the rules, the hard copy rules and both sets together will all be discounted by 25%. Moreover, with each order I’ll include a sample pack of 20-or-so of the chits that are used with the game.

I have also put some other products on sale, including quite a few Deep-Cut Mats and Batbases, and will be adding more products during the course of the week.


Finally, I have also published an updated version of the "Even Stronger" supplement with some important updates to the rules (a free hero with every warband!), and updated several of the army list booklets.

Thursday, 2 March 2017

The "To the Strongest!" Worlds!

On Saturday we fought the third annual "To the Strongest!" World Championship in Chalgrove, Oxfordshire, hosted by the South Oxfordshire Generals.

This year we had 29 players (up 12 from, I think, 17 last year). I'm afraid I didn't take a great many photos, but Ian Notter took some (thanks Ian) and I have combined them, with mine, below. I apologise in advance for all errors in description of the armies and if I have no photos of your army!


Above a shot of the players setting up, from the relative safety of the kitchen. Below Tim Thompson and Philip Marshal in their first game- Tim was using Later East Romans and Philip, foreground, their EIR ancestors.



Above and below are Roger Calderbank's Sung Chinese- an unusual and colourful army with a great camp- from the Oriental booklet. The firelance cavalry in the foreground above have explosive lances!



Above, Indian Emperor Baz cogitates, as well he might for he faces the Shahenshah Simon Purchon's fearsome Sassanid Persians. I believe Barry is now doing sterling service in a new role as a mounting block. ;-)


This beautiful army (above and below) belonged, I believe to Chris Winter- lovely Vendel Pyrrhics. (Correction- Chris Winter brought a different Vendel Macedonian Army; I think this army belonged to Kevin Lucas). Due to a misunderstanding about the rampage rules (backwards, not forwards!), the army included no fewer than four elephants and two scythed chariots! As well as looking good, I believe the army did very well.




Below, I need to send some shock markers to Ross Broadstock.  ;-)  Ross has a YouTube account of a TtS! battle which is great to watch.




Above the Pyrrhics (correction; Imperial Seleucids) again and below veteran Late Romans (Tim's, I think).



Above that's my belly; I think the army on the right are Alex Meyer's Nikephorians. Ales and his mate Jan came all the way from Belgium! Below the handsome Victrix Polybians belong, I think, to Andy Green. From memory they are fighting Mike Guest's Ayyubids.



Above this was another stunning pike army, possibly Nick Abbott's Seleucids? Below, not sure. Many of the games were played on Deep-Cut mats that I sell- this design is Sagebrush Steppe, the most versatile design I reckon. Rather greener than the official photos suggest. Below Tim's Romans, I think?



Above, foreground, are Emperor Baz' Indians, fighting Bevan Marchand's Medieval Germans. Below another shot of the Imperial Seleucids.




I  recognise the laager above 'cos I lent it to Nick Speller's Huns. This flank attack on the Hun camp looks ominous.

I have quite a few photos of the excellent Edgehill battle that Andrew Brentnall laid on but I shall save those until tomorrow!

Results are never the most important element of a To the Strongest! event, but Simon Purchon's Sassanids won (again!!!) and I recall that Peter Ryding's Mongols were in the top three- shoot-y cavalry armies, in experienced hands, seem to do very well- they seem to be able to win decisively and score highly. Someone can perhaps remind me who the other placed player was? (Update- Chris Winter came second- doing very well in his first TtS! outing.) I think Bob Ullman won the prize for the least-high score- traditionally the best prize.


Lastly here's the group photo. As far as I could see everyone had a great time; the atmosphere was very convivial. A huge thank you to everyone who came (especially the Belgians and Welsh who had such long journeys) and of course to the South Oxfordshire Generals for hosting, especially Steve Dover for organising and scoring and the volunteers who ran the kitchen. Also thanks to Warlord Games who very generously donated prizes and to Trevor Holcroft who donated the first price. On to the 2018 Worlds; I think we may need a bigger venue!

Tuesday, 17 January 2017

The To the Strongest! Worlds- a reminder!

There are now just over six weeks to go to the third annual "To the Strongest" World Championships! These will take place in the quiet village of Chalgrove in southern Oxfordshire on the 25th of February 2017. The event is a friendly contest, hosted by the South Oxfordshire Generals, in which players get to fight three ancient or medieval battles during the day. We hope to have thirty or more entrants this year. The atmosphere is more good-natured than competitive.


If you'd like to throw your hat in the ring, you can choose your army from any of the official "To the Strongest!" ancient and medieval lists, up to 130 points (that’s 50 to 150 minis depending on the army, based for any rules system). If the list isn't already written for your favourite 28mm historical army, let me know and I will write a list for you. If you don't have a suitable 28mm army, mail me and I will lend you one from my collection. 


The 9AM to 5 PM competition will be a three round, round robin format using the TtS! rules (version 1.1 with errata). We’ll be using 6' x 4' tables, marked up with a 12 x 8 15cm grid. Cloths and terrain pieces will be provided but please bring them if you are able. Tournament ranking will be determined by how competitors do in each of the three rounds. There will be prizes for the winner, for the best army, for sportsmanship and also the traditional "wooden spoon." Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and probably biscuits but no lunch provided. The entry fee is £9.


Alongside the tournament, Andrew Brentnall and I will be running a demonstration game of "For King and Parliament", the TtS!-based English Civil War version of the rules that will be published later this year, and will be able to answer questions about it.

The "Worlds" is always a great event. If you can make it, please email me at the email address to the left and I'll forward your details to the organiser, Steve Dover. We hope to see you there!

Friday, 28 October 2016

The 2017 To the Strongest! World Championships

The third annual "To the Strongest" World championship will take place in the (otherwise) quiet village of Chalgrove in southern Oxfordshire on the 25th of February 2017. The event is a friendly contest, hosted by the South Oxfordshire Generals, in which players get to fight three battles during the day against ancient or medieval armies. We hope to have thirty or more entrants this year. The atmosphere is more good-natured than competitive.


If you'd like to throw your hat in the ring, you can choose your army from any of the official "To the Strongest!" ancient and medieval lists, up to 130 points. If the list isn't already written for your favourite 28mm historical army, let me know and I will write a list for you. If you don't have a suitable 28mm army, mail me and I will lend you one from my collection. 

There will be prizes for the winner, for the best army, for sportsmanship and also a "wooden spoon." 


In addition to the ancients tournament, Andrew Brentnall and I will be bringing a demonstration game of "For King and Parliament", the English Civil War version of the rules that will be published in Q2 next year, and will be able to answer questions about it.


The "Worlds" is always a great event.  If you can make it, please email me at the address in the panel to the left and I'll forward your details to the organiser, Steve Dover. We hope to see you there

Wednesday, 4 May 2016

New Oriental booklet for To the Strongest!


Chinese miniatures beautifully painted by Ross of http://figurepainting.co.uk/

I've just published a new To the Strongest Oriental booklet containing eight Chinese lists (written by Roger Calderbank) and the two existing Japanese lists. The free booklet can be downloaded from here.

I've added a bunch of armies recently and if you'd like to see what lists are available, you can find them here in the Army list Index.

Monday, 29 February 2016

The To the Strongest Wales Open May 21st 2016


Mate Ross Broadstock is organising a To the Strongest Tournament in Cardiff on May 21st. I will coming and hopefully even playing!

The scale is 28mm- if you don't have an army Ross, friends and I will be able to loan you one. Because no re-basing is required, it is a great opportunity to dust off that WAB or DBx army that hasn't seen action for a year or two. I will assist with writing your army list. There will be a trophy and prizes.

Please contact Ross (at) figurepainting dot co dot uk to register - I look forward to seeing some of you in Cardiff!

Tuesday, 16 February 2016

The 2016 To the Strongest! World Championship at Chalgrove

On Saturday I travelled up to Chalgrove for the second "To the Strongest!" worlds, where I enjoyed a fine day's gaming with a great bunch of chaps, most of whom are in the photo below.


The event was organised by Steve Dover (third from left).  This year it became a proper World championship with Alex Myers (fifth from left) travelling from Ghent to participate, not to mention Ross from Wales (fifth from right).

I took all too few photos of the games, alas - I was too busy answering questions and enjoying watching the games develop.  


Above, my EIRs under Neil Shuck's command fight Franks or Vikings. Below Alex Myer's Alan camp was an almost unassailable fortress; uphill and packed with mobs.



Above Nick Simmerson's Greeks won the best painted army prize; the shields were super!  Below Simon Purchon's Sassanids tackle a Late Roman army, if I recall correctly.


And finally here's another shot of Nick Simmerson's phalanx.


It was a super day, with 21 very good-natured games played. In the end Simon Purchon won a decisive overall victory with his Sassanids who combined fire-power with manoeuvre and impact. Colin Hoare's Marian Romans marched into second place and Peter Ryding's Mongols whipped their subjects into third.

Here's a link to Neil Shuck's post on the event.

Thanks again to Steve Dover and the South Oxfordshire Generals for organising and hosting the event, and thanks to everyone who participated!