Monday, 29 March 2010

Generals Wanted!

Muswell Militia and friends will be running what we hope is the largest ever Command and Colors (Ancients) miniatures game twice over the next month. The battle we are refighting is Zama and will involve 1500+ miniatures, deployed in roughly 120 units, on a 4.8 metre long table.   The scenario somewhat resembles the C&C Epic Zama scenarios, but is rather bigger.  We’ve extensively play-tested it and it should be a pretty even game; it will take around 5 hours to play, including breaks.  There’s a good deal about it elsewhere on my blog: http://bigredbat.blogspot.com/search/label/Operation%20Zama

Up to four generals are needed for each side, for each refight, and we are looking for additional players to general on both sides on both days. It would be helpful if these have prior experience of playing the C&C(A) boardgame, whose rules we are using. However, C&C is a very accessible system, and we can teach the basics to a wargamer in 20 minutes or so.  We’ll also have someone on hand to offer advice...

The first outing will be at the Society of Ancients Battle Day, in Bletchley, on 17th April; here’s a link to their page: http://www.soa.org.uk/battleday/

The second will be at Salute on 24th April, at the Excel Centre in Docklands: http://www.salute.co.uk/

If you are available and would like to play in either game, drop me a line at simon dot miller at lineone dot net, and we’ll see if we can fit you in… they should be memorable games!

Sunday, 28 March 2010

Boards on the Tabletop

I put four of the eight Zama boards on a table yesterday, and they joined up nicely.  I've still not finished the flocking, but I've done enough to know that it'll all work.  The boards are a little browner in real life than in the photo.


Yesterday I raided the local pound shop, and bought enough camping mats and doublesided tape to put a padded backing on each of the boards, as below.  I'm hoping that this will protect the surface of the boards when they are stacked up against each other, and protect my table top, too.  It only cost £1 GBP per board!


Saturday, 27 March 2010

Carthaginian Mounted General (B-20)

This represents the nameless commander of the Carthaginian right wing cavalry at Zama.  The general is a converted Aventine Pyrrhic mahout, and his standard bearer Crusader, with an Aventine standard.  Both horses are Foundry WotGs.  Very ably painted by Nick Speller, and based by yrs. truly.


In most of the playtest games, the horse he commands and their Roman opponents have pretty well wiped each other out.  The general has sometimes survived the slaughter and gone on to help lead the Carthaginian foot.

Friday, 26 March 2010

Scipio Africanus! (B-21)

Here's the first of four Command stands, painted by Nick Speller and based by me.  Scipio is the overall Roman commander, and an excellent tactician, who hammered the final nail into the coffin of Carthage at Zama.


Most of the figures are the excellent new Aventines, but the mounted General is a Crusader miniature. 


Scipio will sit on the Roman Baseline.  He's not going to get into any combats, in our game.


As here, I usually inscribe a name on the rear of the command stand. 

Only 3 more weeks to finish everything up!

Wednesday, 24 March 2010

Dead Nellie 6 (B-23)

This is the last of my Dead Nellie models; I call it "Scipio Triumphant", and it's  the one I'll be giving away when we swap Dead Nellies at Salute.  The figure is the Perry miniature from the Spartacus diorama.  I may stick a couple of broken standards on the base, later, if time permits.


23 days to Bletchley...  played another playtest last night.  I ran the Romans but the cards and dice were conspiculously not on my side!  "Scipio Triumphant" may be a bit optomistic...

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

Dead Nellie 5 (B-24)

I'm very pleased with this one (number 5 of 6).  It includes the only Aventine velite that I've managed to paint during this whole Zama project.  I do intend to paint plently, later on...


The poor chap held his shield slightly too high!


Its now only 24 painting days to Bletchley.  I'm still up to my elbows in flock; I think I've managed to find most of what I need, though.  I estimate I've spend rather more than £100 on flock, alone, for this project.

Monday, 22 March 2010

Test shots of Figures on Boards

I'veput some figures on the boards to show what I mean about the colour.  Essentially the base colour is a good match, but I'm certainly going to need to get some green vegetation on there!   Unhelpfully, there seems to be a UK-wide shortage of Silflor at the moment.  :-(


Below is a Dead Nellie, who probably tripped up in that drainage ditch!


I'm shortly going to raid Modelzone in search of vegetation ideas.