Blokes Chucking Rocks

Well after completing the legions a week or two ago I have managed to make some progress painting up the next elements of the army.

These light foot slingers are Corvus Belli.  The paint job was relatively simple in main part using acrylics.  The flesh areas are covered with sunny skin tone highlighted with basic flesh. The tunics were painted with off- white with an oil wash and a white highlight.  Hair, belts and bags were done with a range of browns and tans in a random manner. However, I think I have over done the washes in this instance so will need to tidy up these guys over the weekend.

Wargames in the Academy

Last night while doing overtime I was attempting to clear the log jam of  circulation lists from my post drop, while going through back issues of the Times Higher Education Supplement. I came upon a review for Professor Philip Sabin's new book, published in January, Simulating War. Judging from the generally favourable review this his second book on war gaming which explores its usage as analytic tool in the academic discipline of War Studies. However, after a brief flick through, I believe it would make useful reading for anyone with a interest in strategy modelling or wargaming  for that matter.

Furthermore, this tome would be of particular interest to anyone developing a game system or model to simulate conflict. By Sabin’s own admission, in the introduction he states, its focus sits mainly with board games and computer simulations rather than figure games. Nevertheless, the volume debates the benefits and drawbacks of studying conflict through simulation and to that end would prove to be useful text to the budding game designer.     

Sabin appears to be well qualified to explore this field not only being an experienced academic based a Kings College London but also someone who plays and designs games. This his second book on the subject the first being Lost Battles an analysis of land battles in the ancient period. I suspect this title is required reading for me considering my recent forays on to the ancient battlefield. 

Facing the Successors Once Again

Last night I had the opportunity to play FOG ancients against Alan's Successor army once again. I fielded the same Mid-Republican Roman Army that was victorious in our last encounter. Alan won the initiative and opted for an agricultural battlefield with plenty of terrain pieces.

From the off I planned to play in a more decisive manner and it almost paid off. I was pleased with my all important deployment which gave me a strong centre and a right flank stacked with my best quality troops. What's more I even had something resembling a plan. Engage the pike in the centre with the legions chase the elephants off with the light horse. Sweep around with my 3rd legion from the right flank and cause mayhem.

The hill on the made an obvious point to attempt to secure however realising my legion would be too slow to capture it I set the line an inch away from it.

My first offensive action was to charge with my Extraordinarii causing a bit of disruption to Alan's light horse.  Unfortunately, I failed to follow it up due to poor troop management.  This caused my flank to become stalled and the old enemy of indecision set in once again.

In the centre there was a good old slogging match between the pikes and my legions.  It was 50/50 in all respects with Alan managing to sneak a battle group around the right flank to execute a nicely timed rear charge due to the hole left by my stalled flanking legion.

On the left flank a slogging match between a couple of medium battle groups continued throughout the battle with both sides attempting to gain the upper hand. We called a night shortly after that with us evens in the centre and Alan slightly edging it on the flanks, giving him a one point victory.

Completed Legions

Well after a long hiatus of dust gathering on my work bench I have finally completed my second batch of legionnaires for my Imperial Roman army.

They were painted in the same way as the earlier group of figures, with Vallejo acrylics with the exception of the armour which I used Tamiya metallic. After which they all received a liberal pin wash with raw sienna and ochre oils. To ping out some of the details on these beautifully sculpted little guys.

The entire group have come up together quite well. I am pleased with the over all results although I have found myself two bases short to make up a forth battle group comprising of a total six bases .

The one minor frustration of the whole long winded process was the fact that the “carpet monster” ate one of the shields leaving one poor legionnaire unprotected against slings and arrows, an outrageous misfortune!

Now it is on to do the various support troops consisting of light horse, horse archers, slingers and a couple of artillery pieces not to mention three command groups to complete the army. Now to the brushes...

Maid for all Work

Well has promised in a previous posting I have added the decals to my 1/285^th scale Ju.88s last night and here they are in all their glory.

When I painted these last year I fell into the trap of going too dark with my shades.  In addition the over spray with a rattle can of matt clear seemed to reduce the contrast between the olive green and dark green further still.

The Ju.88s was originally conceived as a ground support dive bomber.  The "maid for all work" has it became known because of the huge variety of roles they were asked to  perform while in service with the Luftwaffe.  These ranged from medium bomber to air defence night fighter. However even by 1940 when it was deployed in the Battle of Britain it was considered under powered and vulnerable to the new breed of single engine fighters which had been developed in the years leading up to the outbreak of war.

So I'll see how they fair against a couple of wings of Spitfires and Hurricanes using the Thunderbolt and Lightening rules  now they are all marked up.

Greetings from Roman Pula

This week I had the pleasure to present a paper at the International Conference of the National and University Library of Zagreb at Pula City Library in Croatia. Having a little spare time before the conference I took the opportunity to explore some of Pula’s cultural sights. Some of which date back to the 1^st Century AD if not before. In addition to visiting the Roman Arena and the Archaeological Museum of Istria in search of inspiring reliefs and statues for the Early Imperial Roman Army I am currently working on.  My efforts were rewarded with a number of pieces contemporary to the 1st and 2nd centuries.

1st Century AD Arena at Pula, Croatia  

Sea battle depiction circa 1^st or 2^nd Century AD Temple of Augustus, Pula

 This first image is from a relief depicting a sea battle. The figure on the left is depicted wearing a breastplate fashioned in the style of a torso. The figure he appears to be in combat with on his right seen from the back has his sword suspended across his body. This relief suggests that these methods were used at this period.

The imposing figure from the Temple of Augustus 1st or 2nd Century AD ?

Detail of the breastplate

The remains of a statute, possibly Augustus,  has been placed on display in the Temple to Augustus for a 1962 exhibition in Pula. The remains of the statue offers us a fine example of a breastplate with some extraordinary details of the head of Medusa over two eagles.  

The Temple to Augustus Pula  

In the Archaeology Museum I came across another example of a breastplate on the remains of a statue.  This statue is smaller and less ornate than the example in the Temple of Augustus. However, the detail of the trimming around the bottom of the breastplate decorated with cameos caught my eye and is noteworthy.  

A statue from the Archaeology Museum of Istria 

Naturally replicating this level of detail on a 15mm figure is well beyond my skills, nevertheless, having taken the time to seek these pieces out provides me with greater context for future painting sessions on Roman figures. I will be reminded of a delightful few days I spent with colleagues from south east Europe in the beautiful and friendly City of Pula in the future months as I stoop over my work bench painting away.       

             

When is Enough Enough?*

When it comes to wargaming figures I suspect the answer would be never. One can constantly tinker, expand, redefine an army providing it with flexibility or customisation to deal with a specific scenario, time frame or opponent. This is not even raising the question of the delights offered by other periods, scales or forms of wargaming such naval or air games.

Last week the final part of my Imperial Roman army arrived,  Numidian Light Horse, Balearic Slingers and Cavalry Commanders to complete my Roman Army.

Once this lot is painted I'll have a decent selection of bases to play the early imperial period. Nevertheless I am constantly tempted by further permutations of battle groups to expand the periods to play.  Despite these plans I have made the vow, loosely speaking of course, not to acquire any more lead until the current figures are painted based and ready for action.

*Obviously enough is enough is when one's significant other tells you to stop buying those toy soldiers!