Mount Tifata 83 BC - Strength and Honour Game

 

Sulla's army deployed, on the wrong table side!

Norbanus' Marian army deployed along the Via Apia 

Sulla's forces advance

A veteran legion attacks

Sulla's cavalry attack on the right flank

Last Sunday Gary, Rob, Rick and I met down at the Vikings Club in Lanyon for the monthly meeting of the Canberra Regional Wargame Group. We played a Roman Civil War game of Strength and Honour with our 2mm armies. The scenario was Mount Tifata 83 BC and this is the first of three battles, in a mini campaign for Sulla's second civil war, by Mark Backhouse in Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy 142 magazine. Apparently there's a Medieval version of the rules being play-tested, Chivalry and Honour, and there are some really impressive 3mm 3D printed armies around.

We stuffed up the deployment and set up on the wrong side of the table, by the time we realised both sides had fully deployed, we continued with the game regardless. The 2mm bases of figures are a bit of an acquired taste and a lot of gamers seem to really dislike them, but there are lots of practical advantages with this and other small scales. The Strength and Honour rules are also an excellent set for refighting historical scenarios and deserve to be more widely played. Our game turned out to be very one-sided. Sulla was killed early in the game and the setback and disaster cards quickly mounted. Sulla's army became fatigued and on a second Homunculus Est call they were well and truly broken with 27 points on an army break of 18!

Maintaining a line is often hard to do with
all the push backs in combat

Sulla is killed early in the game,
the setback and disaster cards mount 

Marian cavalry flank charge a legion,
Sulla's army is fatigued

Sulla's army is well and truly broken
with 27 points and an army break of 18!

Pataliputra 319 BC - Command and Colors Ancients Game

 

Initial deployment from the Mauryan side

Initial deployment from the Nandan side

Mauryan elephants on the right flank

Nandan elephants attack Mauryan infantry

Last Sunday Rob, Gary, Rick and I met down at the Vikings Club in Lanyon for the Canberra Regional Wargames Group's monthly meeting. We played a Command and Colors Ancients game, the scenario was Pataliputra 319 BC, Mauryan Indians versus Nandan Indians. We diced for sides, Gary and Rick commanded the Nandan forces, Rob and I commanded the Mauryan forces. The scenario had auxilia bow for both sides and these fought in combat as auxilia but used the shooting rules for regular bow infantry. We also increased the block sizes for elephants and heavy chariots from two to three to make them more resilient and the same as all cavalry units.The two sides were fairly evenly matched. 

The Nandans had a slight advantage in infantry, elephants and cavalry, while the Mauryans had a slight advantage in heavy chariots. The Mauryan side moved first and got off to a good start with some effective shooting from the light infantry and auxilia. The Nandans counter attacked the Mauryan infantry with their elephants. It all unravelled fairly quickly for the Nandans. A Clash of Shields card saw further casualties inflicted and soon all the Nandan elephants had been destroyed. They didn't have much luck with cards and dice and never really got on a roll. In the end the Mauryans won very easily 6-1 victory banners with the entire Nandan centre of infantry unused in the game.

Action on the Mauryan left flank

Mauryan shooting proves effective

All the Nandan elephants are destroyed

Last ditch effort with the Nandan light cavalry

Mauryans win easily 6-1

Samnites versus Camillan Romans Midgard Game

 

Romans deployed

Samnites deployed

Forces advance

Samnite cavalry on the right flank

Equites charge, Samnite cavalry countercharge

Last Sunday Gary, Rick and I met down at the Vikings Club in Lanyon for the Canberra Regional Wargames Group's monthly meeting. We played a Samnites versus Camillan Romans Midgard game. I commanded the Samnites, who were the attackers, and Gary and Rick commanded the Romans. The two forces advanced cautiously, opting to advance in single moves to avoid breaking up the line. There was the usual cavalry combat on both flanks, when the equites charged and the Samnite cavalry countercharged. 

The Romans won the cavalry combat but were at half strength leaving them with limited options. In the centre the skirmishers exchanged missile fire, the Samnite javelin men and slingers charged and managed to destroy three Roman leves units. The Samnite infantry charged and had some initial success, even accounting for the equites on the Roman left flank. The Roman infantry were eventually able to win the combats and once the Linen Legion on the Samnite left flank broke, the Samnites had lost their last reputation token.

Cavalry combat on both flanks

Samnite cavalry are destroyed

Linen legion guard the flank

Linen legion break on the left flank

Roman equites break but the Samnites have lost

Iuka 1862 Valour and Fortitude Game

 

Initial Union deployment

Initial Confederate deployment

Confederate forces advance

Union forces also advance,
some battalions though the fields.

Turn three sees all the Union brigades on the table

It's pretty congested at the Union end of the table

Can the weight of Union numbers win the day?

Confederate artillery battery is deployed on a hill,
Union cavalry threaten the Confederate flank

Last Sunday Craig, Gary, Rob, Rick, Chris and I met down at Vikings Club in Lanyon for the Canberra Regional Wargames Group's monthly meeting. We played our first ACW Valour and Fortitude game, the scenario was Iuka 1862. We actually played a game of this battle about two years ago with the Osprey rules With Hot Lead and Cold Steel but the V& F game was quite different with rules and also a different take on the actual scenario. Craig, Gary and I commanded the Union brigades, Rob, Rick and Chris commanded the Confederates. The Union and Confederate forces contested the road, the main objective in the game. 

The Union forces suffered early losses and struggled to make headway. The terrain, inexperience (most Union brigades were rated green), and congestion of their forces hampering their attack. The Confederate artillery battery deployed on a hill, was effective and proved a thorn in the Union side the whole game. The Union forces eventually had some success, their weight of numbers began to tell, and the game was in the balance. In the end the Confederates managed to hold on and win the game.

Confederate and Union forces contest the
road the main objective in the game

Union forces suffer early losses

Union artillery battery is deployed

Confederate artillery battery proves effective,
a thorn in the Union side the whole game

Terrain and congestion of forces hampers the Union attack

Union forces finally have some success

Game is in the balance

Confederate forces hold on and win the game

Wings of Glory and Blood on the Sands Games

 

Wings of Glory WWI game with
three mats and two planes a side

Opposite end

Planes circle over No Man's land

On Sunday Rick, Gary, Rob and I met down at the Vikings Club in Lanyon for the Canberra Regional Wargame Group's monthly meeting. Rick brought along his Wings of Glory WWI planes and gaming mats. We played a basic game of that with two planes a side with Gary and Rick playing with a Fokker Dr I and an Albatross D.Va and Rob and I had a Spad XIII and a Sopwith Camel. Gary and I had never played it before and really enjoyed it. It's card driven where you plan your moves, three cards a time, which can lead to some interesting situations, such as the near mid-air collision we had at one stage. We also got in a game of the gladiator rules Blood on the Sands. A free plastic Wargames Atlantic gladiator sprue and quick start version of the rules is available in Wargames Illustrated Issue 462 June 2026.

There's nearly a mid-air collision

Fokker Dr I is shot down by a Sopwith Camel

Blood on the Sands game, a Murmillo
and Thracian fight it out