Sunday, 4 September 2011

Spiffing Legion Command Stand

These figures were painted for me by the highly talented Andres of EinarOlafson Painting, and constitute the command stand for my third Caesarian legion.   I based.  I think they are probably the best painted stand in my collection, do have a click...


They represent a Legate, Aquilifer and a couple of Tribunes.  My photo isn't the best... but you can see he did a fantastic job; just look at the faces!


Do drop Andres a line via the above link, if you need something very special painted!

Thursday, 1 September 2011

Megalopolis 331BC

This week Muswell Militia re fought the Battle of Megalopolis 331 BC, using the Hail Caesar rules.

I picked this battle because it gave me an opportunity to field both my Spartan and Macedonian armies for the first time.  I loosely based the OOB on Jeff Jonas' excellent Ancient Battles site.  With 4 players, I volunteered to umpire.

George as Agis, and Dr. Simon, commanded the Spartans, defending a pass near Megalopolis (below).  Their army consisted of hoplites, supported by light troops and a unit of heavy cavalry.  All pictures are clickable.


Grant and Ian player Antipater, Alexander's regent.  Their army (below) consisted largely of pikemen, supported by an allied phalanx of hoplites of rather doubtful enthusiasm, light troops and a unit of heavy cavalry (that in the event played little part in the game). Antipater was under time pressure as the superior Macedonian army needed to capture the ridge, by nightfall (turn 6 or a little after)


The Spartans, below, moved swiftly to occupy the crest of the ridge.


The Macedonian infantry advanced, in echelon (below), to meet them.  The phalanx in purple on the extreme right was elite, and was led from the front rank by the aged Antipater.  The Macedonian left (of less reliable allies) was refused.  Is that the hand of Zeus?


The battle for the ridge was hard-fought.  In the first round (below) the uphill Spartans seemed to have the better of it, but in the second the weight of the deeper (and slightly better supported) pike phalanx, with the inspirational Antipater fighting bravely from the front rank, told, and the Spartan formation disintegrated.


The Macedonian elite pikes turned and started to roll up the Spartan line.  There was considerable confusion with the rules at this point, which didn't seem clear as to whether the Macedonians could turn through the 90 degrees required to the flank of the next phalanx. 


With the battle turning against them, the Spartans advanced their cavalry (below), who were charged by the Macedonian's hoplites.  This was a learning point for us, as it transpired firstly that the infantry became disordered by the counter-charging cavalry, and also that I'd given the scruffy Spartan cavalry the same stats as Companions (well hard!).  It was Chaeronea all over again as the hoplites were forced back, shaken.


At this point it was getting late, and we called the game.  The Macedonians had taken part of the ridge, and looked ready to turn up the Spartan line, but the latter's late cavalry charge had to some extent restored the balance.  Perhaps a narrow Macedonian victory.

The game was very enjoyable.  The Hail Caesar rules do give a very good game, but we are still experiencing some frustration with the way that the rules are laid out, which makes it hard to look up points quickly, in the heat of battle.  We are gradually mastering them, though, and expect to play our third game next week.

Monday, 29 August 2011

Statue


I was sorting through some old fantasy models recently and came across this; I gave it a quick repaint and will use it in an ancients game, soon, perhaps in a town.  The model on the top is the Salute Hannibal from 2004, and the plinth is scratchbuilt.  Could do with some lettering on it, really, and some distressing.  

I'd really like some roadside tombs, as well.  If anyone can suggest a source for any in resin or metal (aside from the Monolith ones), please drop me a line.

Sunday, 28 August 2011

Equites Gallorum

Here are the mounted contingents for my two Gallic auxiliary cohorts, one of which is shown here.   The models are Black Tree.  I like the riders, but the horses are a bit meh; very badly cast, and soft metal.


They were painted for me by Dr. Simon's painter mate.  I then highlighted, stained, varnished and based.  I lavished a lot of Silflor on them; 8 or so different varieties.  I think more variety gives a more naturalistic look.
I am very pleased with the final look.  I think that they will fit in very well with my other EIRs, but they have taken me about half as much time to get on the table, as if I had painted them from scratch.  The same painter has a 24 man Ala of cavalry from me, at the moment, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what he does with them.

Sunday, 21 August 2011

Where I went on my Hols

Just come back from a lovely break in a Provencal village, called Gordes.  The view from our villa was lovely, and I include it because it struck me that it looks rather like the terrain I'd like to put together for our Partizan/Asculum game next year.  I'm thinking that most of the terrain will be a flat plain (possibly a painted cloth), covered in fields with some olive orchards and vineyards.  The table will be 5' deep and 20' wide.  Wooded hills, like the one of the right of frame, will rise from the plains.  The trees will mostly be scrub oak, pine and cypress.  If time permits, I'll do some hills as backdrops on the baselines.  Sorry the photo isn't very high definition.

Of course, if anyone has photos of the actual region in Italy, I'd be really interested to see them...

In other news, I'm going to temporarily suspend my Napoleonic efforts in order to finish and base 3 units of Principiate Romans that Dr. Simon's mate has painted for me; they don't need much work and should look very nice when completed.  I also still have some lovely Marian Roman figures from Andres, to base...

Wednesday, 27 July 2011

Battle of San Pedro Junction


We played our biggest Mexican Black Powder game so far last night; six players, 30-odd units and a train!   Write up (and many more pics) on Dr Simon's illustrious blog.   A jolly good natured game, accompanied by a fine bottle of Fitou (Muswell Militia Wine of Choice), brought by Ian.

Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Craig's New Blog

Zama collaborator Craig has a new blog, called Watch that Flank, with some of his lovely minis on it; do have a look!

The usual Zama suspects are plotting a game, next year, somewhere oop North...