Republican Roman Consuls

 

Here are some Republican Roman Consuls command stands from the archives. These are all Relic Miniatures except for the figure on the white horse with black legs, tail and mane which is by Crusader Miniatures. The heroic figure on the rearing horse is the big Roman military man and the other one is the political animal, I think but it doesn't seem to be on their website anymore. 

I haven't been painting much lately and have been distracted by my new e-mtb which has been a lot of fun. Last weekend I went up to Blackheath in the Blue Mountains and we did three rides, see photos below. The first was on single tracks around Blackheath and the second from Wentworth Falls to Glenbrook, 63 km mainly fire trails but with 8 km of single track near the end. The boost mode on the e-mtb was fantastic on the steep climbs as I'm not very fit! The third ride was out at Mt Canobolas near Orange. It was very wet and muddy here and quite a few single tracks were closed for logging. I had a stack on this and am currently recovering from a sprained thumb and bruised shoulder!

Start of the Woodford to Glenbrook section

Very muddy at Mt Canobolas!

Federal Falls, Mt Canobolas

Sea Peoples versus New Kingdom Egyptians ADLG Game

 

Egyptians and Sea Peoples deployed

Opposite side

Egyptian right flank

Egyptian centre

Egyptian camp

Egyptian left flank

Last Thursday afternoon Garry came over to my place and we played a Sea Peoples versus New Kingdom Egyptian ADLG game out in the shed. We diced for sides and I commanded the Egyptians and Garry commanded the Sea Peoples with Libyan allies. This was similar to a game we played last year but this time I was the Egyptians, facing the impetuous Sea Peoples and Libyan warriors! It was a pretty quick game and I forgot to take photos for much of it. In the end the Egyptian chariots did well but their infantry were no match for the Sea Peoples and Libyans and they lost 22-12.

Sea Peoples' left flank - Pelset

Sea Peoples' camp, a Pelset ox cart

Sea Peoples' centre - Sherden and Lukka

Sea Peoples’ right flank - Libyan allies

Egyptian chariots close on the left

Egyptian chariots charge on the right

Republican Roman Principes and Triarii

Here are some Republican Roman Principes and Triarii from the archives. I painted these eight figure units about nine years ago. They're all Victrix figures with Victrix shield transfers.

Skirmish at the Crossroads - War of the Roses Billhooks Deluxe Game

 

Yorkists (foreground) and Lancastrians deployed

Skirmishers are the early casualties

Handgunners evade depleted Kerns

Skirmishers evade and archers shoot

Lancastrian archers advance within short range

Last Wednesday night I went over to Rick's place for a War of the Roses Billhooks Deluxe game. It was  a small game of 120 points, to introduce Gary to the rules, and was fought at a crossroads. Rick and Gary commanded the Lancastrians and I had the Yorkists. The forces were similar, the main difference being, a unit of pike on the Lancastrian side and veteran bow and billmen on the Yorkist side. We were pretty rusty with the rules as we haven't played for a while but were soon working through the play deck cards and rolling dice. Early casualties were the skirmishers, followed by the usual shooting with the bowmen once in range. A prolonged and bloody combat at the crossroads saw casualties mount on both sides. In the end the Lancastrian centre and left flank collapsed to hand the Yorkists a hard fought victory.

Yorkist men-at-arms attack pikemen

Lancastrian pike rout and men-at-arms attack

Combat is level pegging

A second round of melee

Prolonged and bloody combat

Lancastrian centre and left flank collapses

First Game of Corvus

 

Romans and Carthaginian fleets deployed

Carthaginians advance

Romans advance

On Thursday afternoon Craig came over for another naval game, this time we tried Corvus the ancient naval rules by Richard Lee and published by the Society of Ancients. This game was set in the First Punic War and we had almost identical fleets again. The Romans commanded by Craig had six squadrons with two trireme squadrons of three ships, a hexareme flagship in a squadron of one, two quinquereme squadrons with Corvus of two ships and a single squadron of two quadriremes. I commanded the Carthaginians with two trireme squadrons of three ships, a hexareme flagship in a squadron of one, two quinquereme squadrons of two ships and a single squadron of two quadriremes. 

We rolled a dice, and the Romans with highest roll, deployed first and moved first. The Trireme squadrons on both flanks were the fastest ships and the first to engage. The wrecks and captured ships quickly mounted on both sides but the Romans were the first to lose a third of their original ship points and were forced to flee. Results for ramming, shearing, boarding and shooting were all decided by a D6 roll with  various modifiers and the effect depending on the difference in final score. It felt very much like DBA with ships but we enjoyed it and will try it again. One strange result with the shooting was that on a result of four or more the target ship is automatically set on fire. All the ships from quadriremes to hexaremes had ballista on board.

Trireme squadrons on the flanks engage

Carthaginian flagship

Wrecks and captured ships mount

Romans lose a third of original
ship points and must flee