Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Macedonian Hypaspists

 





Here's a guest post by Garry with some Macedonian Hypaspists he's just painted. Figures are a mix of Essex Miniatures and A&A Miniatures with LBM shield transfers and banner.








Sunday, March 10, 2024

Border Reivers

 






Here are some mounted Border Reivers that I've just finished painting. Five are by Flags of War and three by Colonel Bills (the big chunkier figures). Flags of War have just released more Border Reiver figures through a Kickstarter, their entire Border Wars range are fantastic detailed figures. I will use these for their Border Wars skirmish rules as well as Never Mind the Billhooks Deluxe.







Thursday, March 7, 2024

Second Bedriacum/Cremona Strength and Honour Game

 


Vitellian and Flavian legions deployed with
the Via Postumia in the centre of the table


Opposite side of the table


Opposing legions fight beside the
embankment of the Via Postumia


Vitellian auxiliary cavalry optimistically advance



Last Wednesday night I went over to Rick's place and we played a 2mm Strength and Honour game of Second Bedriacum/Cremona. We diced for sides, Rick and Gary commanded the Flavian forces led by Marcus Antonius Primus. I commanded the Vitellian forces who were leaderless as their general Aulus Caecina Alienus had been arrested for plotting to defect to Vespasian. The two sides had similar armies with the Vitellians possessing a slight advantage with an extra legion and breaking on 18 points, instead of 17. We both rolled well on the auguries and had four points each. The battle was fought at night and there are a number of special rules in the scenario to emphasise the chaos of night time combat.

It certainly was chaotic and from the start of the game the Vitellians were unable to take a trick. In most combats they rolled a one or two and when a four, an advance, (the best result) was rolled it was immediately cancelled. Both units of Vitellian cavalry were pushed back off the table resulting in disaster cards and the set back cards steadily mounted through out the game. No surprises then when in turn six the Flavians called Homunculus Est and the Vitellians were broken on twenty points. It was a frustrating game for the Vitellians but it was good to get the troops out, use the terrain I'd made and play the scenario with an historical result.



A Vitellian legion has the advantage of two supports


But no result!


Chaotic night time combat




Vitellian legions break



Tuesday, March 5, 2024

More Mongol Cavalry

 





Here are more cavalry for my Mongol army that I've just finished painting. Figures are by The Assault Group and there's a comparison shot at the bottom with the Fireforge plastic Mongol cavalry.







Friday, March 1, 2024

Lusitanians versus Mongols Lion Rampant Game

 

Forces deployed


Mongols advance


Lusitanian ginetes and skirmishers


Nearly in bow range!

Last Thursday afternoon Craig came over for a Lion Rampant practice game, as there is a Lion Rampant event as part of BelCon on Saturday 24 March 2024 at the Raiders Club in Kippax. There are various other comps/events, including 15mm MeG over two days, tickets and details are available on the Olympian Games website. Craig has been painting a Late Medieval Portuguese or Lusitanian force for Billhooks but still has some unfinished units. I thought I’d try my Mongols but had to draft in some Huns as substitutes to make up the numbers. 

Both forces advanced to within firing range and the Mongols eventually routed both units of ginetes (Portuguese spelling) and the spearmen. The Lusitanian crossbowmen and skirmishers proved very effective and accounted for the Mongol elite cavalry with leader and a unit of heavy cavalry. The Lusitanian elite cavalry barely advanced the whole game but the crossbowmen and skirmishers did enough to win the day.

    


Mongols target the spearmen


Whittling away


Lusitanian skirmishers prove effective



Lusitanians win the day


Thursday, February 22, 2024

Skirmish Before Stoke Field - Billhooks Deluxe Game

 


Yorkists deployed on the northern edge of the table


Royalists on the southern edge


German skirmishers head for the woods


German pike reinforcements arrive


Light horse on the Royalists' left flank

On Thursday afternoon Rick and Garry came over and we played a Billhooks Deluxe game out in the shed. The scenario by Andy Callan was in an old issue of Wargames Illustrated and involved a preliminary skirmish before Stoke Field with small Royalist and Yorkist scouting forces advancing down Fosse Way and attempting to gain an advantage. Both sides received 24 points of reinforcements some time after turn two and started the game with 90 point of troops and three commanders a side. Garry and I were the Yorkists and Rick commanded the Royalists. We were all pretty rusty with the rules, as we haven’t played for a while.

The scenario was played on the long table edges from north to south, so the manoeuvre phase of the game lasted quite a long time before the forces came within firing range of each other. A unit of Kern skirmishers were wiped out by bow fire and the Galloglass charged in the centre before they suffered the same fate. Three rounds of combat later they retired in disarray. While reinforcements for both sides arrived on the table, they failed to have an impact. We ran out of time, the game was a draw, the Royalists had the best of it to that point.


Yorkist Kern, Galloglass, bowmen and
billmen advance down Fosse Way


Royalist light horse reinforcements arrive



Shooting commences


Galloglass charge in the centre


Casualties mount


Galloglass retreat in disarray


Tuesday, February 20, 2024

2mm Roman Cavalry Bases

 






Here are some 2mm Roman cavalry bases that I've finally finished painting. Figures are by Antonine Miniatures. I still have four skirmisher bases and a marching camp to finish for the army. We have a 2mm Strength and Honour game lined up for next week, the scenario is Second Bedriacium/Cremona. I'm still working on terrain for the game but will post photos and a report of it shortly.




A command base, eight bases of legions,
five auxilia and two cavalry bases.


Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Early Imperial Roman Scorpions Two

 







Here's an Early Imperial Roman scorpion or bolt shooter and crew that I've just finished painting. These are from the new plastic Victrix set Early Imperial Roman Bolt-Shooter. You get four bolt shooters and sixteen crew as well barrels, bolts and stakes. As you'd expect a great kit with lots of options with crew and ready to shoot and just fired bolt shooters. There is a comparison shot at the bottom with Warlord's plastic and metal Early Imperial Roman scorpions and crew.







Friday, February 9, 2024

Warring States Chinese - Han Chariot and Qin Horse Archers

 








Here's a Han chariot and some Qin horse archers that I've just finished painting. The chariot is by Casting Room Miniatures and the horse archers are by John Jenkins Designs sold by Eureka Miniatures. This is the start of my Warring States Chinese Qin and Han armies, mainly I'll be using the brilliant John Jenkins Designs figures but have some of the Casting Room Miniatures Han range as well. An exhibition from China, The First Emperor at the NSW Art Gallery in Sydney in 2010, got me interested initially in this period and when Eureka Miniatures in 2021 released the John Jenkins Designs range based on the Terracotta Army I couldn't resist.











Macedonian Hypaspists

  Here's a guest post by Garry with some Macedonian Hypaspists he's just painted. Figures are a mix of Essex Miniatures and A&A ...