Village Raid Dux Bellorum Game

Visigoths defending the village

Saxon right flank and centre

Saxon left flank

Saxon skirmishers and cavalry

Saxons advance on the village

Saxon fanatics (Footsore Attecotti)

On Saturday afternoon Craig and I played a Dux Bellorum game with the Village Raid scenario. My Visigoths defended a village against Craig's Saxons attackers. The Saxon attack faltered early on when their left flank crumbled. They pressed home in the centre and on the right and routed two units of Visigoth cavalry but suffered further casualties were unable to pass their 50% casualties break test.

Earlier on Boxing Day we played a Samnite versus Republican Roman 900 point, Clash of Spears game (see photo at the bottom of the post). This was pretty disappointing, not much chop at all, very WAB like and fiddly. Craig thought they've overcooked the command and control as there seemed to be more counters than figures on the table.

Visigoth infantry charge on the right flank

Saxon left flank crumbles

The centre gets messy

Visigoth cavalry are charged in the flank

Saxons fail test for 50% casualties

Visigoths repel the Saxon attack

Samnite vs Republican Romans Clash of Spears game

Goth Noble Cavalry

I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and happy gaming, painting and blogging for 2020! Here are some Goth Noble cavalry with LBM shield transfers from the Gripping Beast plastic set. This is basically the same set as the Late Roman Heavy Cavalry one with different head and helmet options. I've gone with dry, burnt grass basing on these figures as I want to use them as Vandals in North Africa as well.

I backed the Kickstarter for Clash of Spears, a new set of ancient skirmish rules and today received an advanced pdf copy of the rules. The hard copy is suppose to be released in February next year. I'm looking forward to reading and trying these out. First impression it looks to be a really nice set, 156 pages, lavishly produced with great photos and illustrations, it reminds me of the old WAB supplements.

Macedonian Slingers

Well it's been very quiet on the gaming and painting front lately, two bouts of 'flu have seen me sidelined for most of the month. I have finished these Macedonian slingers armed with kestros or kestrospendone which were missiles briefly used by the Macedonians under Perseus. These missiles had a spear head attached to a wooden shaft with wooden flights and were shot from a sling with two thongs of unequal length. Xyston make some in 15mm. These 28mm figures were on a kickstarter a few years ago and at the same time I got some gastraphetes, Syracusan belly bowmen.


There are two new ancient skirmish rules coming out soon which looking interesting and may almost atone for the other disappointing sets which have been published this year. Clash of Spears will be released next month and the Too Fat Lardies' Disciplina et Virtus will probably be released next year, maybe in time for Salute?