Friday, 15 January 2016

Raphia re-inforcements...

Mate Craig has very kindly sold me some more of the miniatures he painted for our joint Raphia game back in 2013. These represent Arabs levies in Seleucid service; they are unlikely to be the most resilient element of the Seleucid phalanx.


To some extend numbers will compensate for lack of quality... there are 80 of the blighters.


The minis are mostly lightly converted Perry Ansar and Copplestone archers.  They took a bit of a pasting during the journey South, and one element enjoyed an unexpected four day sojourn at the bottom of the BigRedBatCave's recycling bin, but they are now happily restored and ready for the late April game at the Wargames Holiday Centre.

In other news... I am having a flash sale of the To the Strongest! rules (to cover the purchase of Craig's Seleucid cavalry). If you'd like to pick up a set with a 25% discount, please drop in at the BigRedBatShop and enter "LAKEPEIPUS" at the checkout. I'll also include a free pack of ammo chits with every physical order. 

Sunday, 10 January 2016

Another one bites the dust


This is the seventh phalanx of my recent offensive, bringing me to 120cm. These are Ptolemaic Chalkaspides (bronze shields). After this there are (just!) two more to go, although there will need to be a ghastly week of base grouting and painting at some stage. Most minis painted by Shaun McTague, pikes, washes and varnish by me. Tonight I break ground on phalanx 8.

Friday, 8 January 2016

Retirement of Google Friend Connect for all non-Blogger sites

I came across this today at Blogger; Google are (most unhelpfully) closing down Google Friend Connect for non-Blogger sites, so if you are non-Google and use GFC to visit the BigRedBatCave or other Blogger sites) I'm afraid you will have to find another way. I am very disappointed with them.

"In 2011, we announced the retirement of Google Friend Connect for all non-Blogger sites. We made an exception for Blogger to give readers an easy way to follow blogs using a variety of accounts. Yet over time, we’ve seen that most people sign into Friend Connect with a Google Account. So, in an effort to streamline, in the next few weeks we’ll be making some changes that will eventually require readers to have a Google Account to sign into Friend Connect and follow blogs. 

As part of this plan, starting the week of January 11, we’ll remove the ability for people with Twitter, Yahoo, Orkut or other OpenId providers to sign in to Google Friend Connect and follow blogs. At the same time, we’ll remove non-Google Account profiles so you may see a decrease in your blog follower count.

We encourage you to tell affected readers (perhaps via a blog post), that if they use a non-Google Account to follow your blog, they need to sign up for a Google Account, and re-follow your blog. With a Google Account, they’ll get blogs added to their Reading List, making it easier for them to see the latest posts and activity of the blogs they follow.

We know how important followers are to all bloggers, but we believe this change will improve the experience for both you and your readers.

Posted by Michael Goddard, Software Engineer"

Friday, 1 January 2016

A metre of pike and a Happy New Year!


Above is the extension to my existing phalanx that I have been working on in November and December. I had planned 70cm worth of phalanx but as you can see I already have just over one metre completed and now hope to end with nearer two. Most of the minis were painted by Craig Davey or Shaun McTague and finished by me. All photos are clickable.

Argyraspides
Antigonid Agema

Note the shiny new Relik shields on the units above and below.


Antigonid Peltastoi
Ptolemaic Leukaspides
Antigonid Leukaspides
Proper photos will follow next year when I have finished the basing.  The new phalanx will be united with the existing 2 metres for a mammoth Raphia game in April.

2016 planned events

Q1 and Q2 are looking really busy and exciting:-

  • The “To the Strongest Worlds” in Chalgrove on February 13th, 20 players will contend for the title of World Champion. I am praying for odd numbers so I have a valid excuse to enter the fray, muwhahaha.
  • The Society of Ancients Battle Day April 2nd- I’ll be putting on an exceptionally large battle of Pharsalus 48BC with some wargaming buddies. Legionaries, sir- thousands of them!
  • Salute- it looks like I left it too late to get a table, but you never know…  
  • April 22nd to 24th The Wargames Holiday Centre. I’m really looking forward to this one- I plan to put on a huge Raphia game plus Cremona, Leuctra, the Sabis and Ruspina. All at the same time.  This will be the ultimate test of the BigRedBatmobile’s suspension!
  • May 22nd- Partizan with Phil Hendry’s Sassanians and Romans, Harry Sidebottom and Ballista.

Resolutions for 2016
  • Finish my Ptolemaic army- this is going very well with the assistance of two painter-mates (both called Shaun).
  • Stamp my feet to rise a couple more legions for Caesar.  And Pompey.
  • New Theban and Wars of the Roses armies.
  • Rattle out a TtS! army list each week
  • Co-write the first TtS! “campaign” book and then get going on the fantasy version.
  • Finish sculpting those bl**dy War Llamas!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my fellow bloggistas and To the Strongest! chums a Very Happy New Year, and...

may none of your cards be Aces!

Thursday, 24 December 2015

Merry Christmas Everybody!



Here in the BigRedBatCave, the presents are under the tree (all of mine would block radiation), the stockings are up and I'm about to tuck into a festive cocktail. Can I take this opportunity to wish all my readers and fellow bloggistas a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

Best, Simon

Tuesday, 22 December 2015

White (shield) Christmas


The "Leukaspides" (white shields) from a previous post are now on their bases. The Leukaspides were the less well trained element of the phalanx and presumably included the youngest and oldest men of the levy. To indicate this I have given some of them pikes of various lengths, held awkwardly. Very few of them have armour and only around half have helmets. I'll do a close-up when they are finished, in the New Year.

Most of the above are ex-Craig Davey's collection, with replacement pikes and shields.  I painted 24 more to join them. The above, along with two elements left over from Raphia, give me four new phalanx blocks putting me 80% of the way towards my one metre of phalanx target. I hope to close this remaining gap before New Year.

Thursday, 17 December 2015

Pike Fever II

I'm afraid that I have been too busy painting pikes for much posting. However, here are some WIP shots of some of the units.


Above are the better part of two phalanx blocks, a mix of my painting and Craig Davey's. These just need shields, snagging and basing. These will be scruffy leukaspides with white shields.


Above is a new unit of argyraspides silver shields painted by Shaun McTague. These need pikes attaching, varnish and basing. 
Shaun is currently painting another 125 leukaspides and chalkaspides bronze shields for me, to go with the 30 or so finished minis below. All of these will need to be varnished and based.


Finally (below) are the two blocks from my last post.


In theory, if I can find time to finish and base all of these minis, this would give me another 1.6 metres of phalanx to join the 2 metres that I already own. This would make for a most satisfactory Raphia at the WHC in April!