Galatian Commanders and Javelinmen

 

Here are some Galatian commanders and javelinmen. I made four 60mm square sabot bases for my Galatian commanders, the figures are by Victrix, Foundry and Companion with LBM shield transfers. I've just finished painting the javelinmen, these are Wargames Factory, Warlord, Renegade, Vendel and 1st Corps figures with mainly LBM and VVV transfers, and some hand painted shields. The back drop photo is of Hatussa (modern Bogazkoy), the ancient Hittite capital in Central Anatolia, the Galatians actually settled here, it was the seat of the Trokmer clan.

A couple of weeks ago we did this really nice day walk in Tidbinbilla, the loop of Mt Tidbinbilla, Tidbinbilla Peak and John's Peak. Below are quite a few photos of our walk!

The track up is steep in places

The Lookout

The view of Tidbinbilla valley

Summit of Mt Tidbinbilla

Looking south with Corin Dam visible

Gibraltar Peak

View south from the summit cairn

Ginini Falls

A skink on the summit cairn

John's Peak and Camel's Back in the distance

Wildflowers in the meadows

The Pimple and impressive cliffs 

Mt Tidbinbilla from Tidbinbilla Peak summit 

John's Peak

View off the edge

Steep descent off John's Peak

Looking back at John's Peak

A Wonga Pigeon 

Galatians versus Early Seleucids Mortem et Gloriam Game

 

Armies deployed from the Galatian side

From the Early Seleucid side

Armies close - there's no room for manoeuvring!

Galatian warriors are impetuous and charge

I'm not really a comp player but have entered a 28mm MeG Pacto Classical competition that is part of the 3rd Con event being held here in Canberra in March. Hopefully it will be fun and a good opportunity to meet other MeG players and improve my knowledge of the rules. This afternoon Garry came over to play a practice game with his Early Seleucids taking on my Galatians. After the Pre Battle System for terrain and deployment, I was the attacker on a flat plain with a marsh but out scouted by 40%, so had to deploy that amount of my army first. We used 80mm base widths for the game (60mm is the 28mm standard for MeG) but kept the 4'x3' table size and 30mm halved base widths for the Pacto version. 

The table was pretty congested, there was no room for manoeuvring, the Galatian warriors are all impetuous and charged the Seleucid pike and elephants. On the Galatian right flank the chariots and cavalry kept the Seleucid Companions and line cavalry occupied for a number of turns before eventually breaking the line cavalry. In the centre it was a slogging match with Seleucid pike and ellies. The Galatian warriors had them under pressure after a few turns with some lucky dice rolling. In the end the Seleucids broke handing the Galatians a 15-6 victory. I played a solo game last year with same armies and the result was a 15-4 for the Seleucids, so I'm not reading too much in to the result, luck always plays a fair part.

I've just painted this Wargames Factory chariot and these Eureka Miniatures Paphlagonian infantry for my Galatians (see photos below). I have some javelinmen that I used in the game as well but they're not quite finished yet.

Slogging match commences

The Seleucid Pike are under pressure

Seleucids break 15-6 victory for the Galatians

Galatian chariot

Paphlagonian infantry

First Bull Run, Virginia, July 21, 1861 - Battle Cry Game

 

Initial deployment from the Confederate side

Confederates play a Forced March card in the centre

Union counterattack

Confederate casualties mount

Confederate advance on the left flank

Confederates attack on the left flank

Union forces retreat

Last Tuesday afternoon I went over to Rick's place and we played an ACW game of Battle Cry. The scenario was the First Bull Run, Virginia, July 21, 1861. We diced for sides and I was the Confederates. Rick bought these very nice painted armies from a guy in the US, they're all Sash and Saber figures. I think the postage on these cost and an arm and a leg, no doubt the armies were expensive too! 

We used the 150th Civil War Anniversary Edition of the Battle Cry rules and while very simple it gave a surprisingly satisfying game with plenty of ebb and flow in fortunes. Rick didn't have any painted Confederate cavalry so we just used two units of Union cavalry for these on the left flank. The Union forces staged a come back late in the game but in the end it was a 6-4 result for the Confederates.

Slogging it out in the centre

Confederate right flank advances

Centre is undecided

Confederate right flank advances

Confederate forces retreat on the left flank

Union forces come back on the Confederate left flank

Their right flank is gone, 6-4 Confederate victory

Sassanids versus Late Romans Saga Game

 

Late Romans left, Sassanids right

Sassanids advance

Sassanid shooting proves effective

Late Roman hearthguards

Late Roman warlord and warriors

Late Roman cataphracts

Last Saturday afternoon I drove over to Craig's new country estate in Wamboin, for a game of Saga. I haven't played a game for about a year but did pick up the Age of Invasions supplement when it came out last year and was keen to give my Sassanids a run. We played a standard six point game with the usual Clash of the Warlords scenario. 

The game started well for the Sassanids, a handy combination of Volley Fire, Ahriman's Curse and a Shadow in the East on the battle board made for some effective shooting. Further casualties and fatigue mounted with an attack on the Sassanid elephant and mounted warriors. The Sassanid cataphracts attacked on the flanks but a Late Roman counterattack was successful. The final turn of the game saw the Sassanids pull back to avoid further losses. In the end it was a 21-16 result for the Sassanids.

Side view of the Sassanid force

Casualties and fatigue mount

Sassanids cataphracts attack on the flanks

Late Romans counterattack with success

Final turn - Sassanids pull back to avoid further losses