Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Battle Day 2010 update - Four 28mm games aleady planned!

The choice of Zama for the 2010 Battle Day is proving very popular - even at this early stage we have four games planned - all in 28mm (or 25mm in old money)!

First up we have the regular SoA "Lost Battles" show team, including Phil Sabin the rules' author who we are very pleased to say will also provide the Introduction to the Battle talk first thing in the morning.

Then we have a huge Command & Colours game under construction - two groups of C&C aficianados combining to put on a game on an 18 foot wide table with well over a thousand 28mm figures! Wow! What a monster!

Next, we are delighted that a WAB team is putting together their take on Zama, probably utilising some of the Gripping Beast figures used in the Zama game that was used to promote the Hannibal WAB supplement some years ago. Another big game is promised!

Finally, the DBMM team have warned me to reserve them a large table as they too are coming with the big toys! Yet another big 25mm game then!

Just what is it about Zama that is dragging out the 28mm meglamaniac in us all?

Also note the date: Saturday 17 April 2010, the week before Salute.

Watch this space for more news on Zama 2010!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Slingshot 264

The latest issue of Slingshot (number 264, May 2009), the bi-monthly publication of the Society of Ancients, just went to the printers. Apologies for the lateness of this issue.
ss264cover

This issue is 60 pages long, not including the cover pages. It's published in the same format introduced with issue 258.

The contents of Slingshot 264 are as follows. For games articles, I've indicated the relevant rule set where it's not immediately obvious from the title; with historical articles I've tried to indicate period if a similar issue applies.
  • Guardroom
  • China & Nanhai, by John Walsh
  • Cogadh Gaedhil: Medieval Irish warfare 600AD-1500AD, Part Two, by Mick Hession
  • Xenophon’s Chariot, by Jim Webster
  • “He traversed five mountains, six mountains, seven mountains” – Mesopotamian Warfare Notes VII, by Alastair McBeath
  • Constantius II, Ammianus, and the Big Parade, Part One, by Jim Sye
  • Putting it all together (The Sasanians re-examined), Part Three, by Doug Melville
  • Parthian infantry spearmen, by Nigel Tallis
  • New Works on Early Byzantine History from  Bulletin of British Byzantine Studies, (35), 2009, by Jim Sye
  • Report on The English DBA Open 2008, by Martin Smith and Richard Pulley
  • [AMW] The Trebia in Sixty Minutes – Promoting the Society During Summer 2008, by Graham Evans
  • DBMM at Britcon 2008, by Chris Jolley
  • FOG or Mist: The Battle for Middle Earth, by Steven Neate
  • [WAB] Thinking About Romans - Part Two, by Adrian Goldsworthy
  • Ruspina, 46BC – Reconstructing a Battle the ‘Lost Battles’ way (part 1), by Gavin Pearson
  • Book Review: Britannia The Failed State, reviewed by Stephen Brennan
  • Figure Reviews: Baccus 6mm Sasanians, reviewed by Doug Melville
  • Figure Preview: Perry 28mm War of the Roses Plastics
  • More Book Reviews, by Mark Watson
As usual, I'm looking for more material in general and some game specific articles in particular, right now of the more popular systems Armati, FoG and Warmaster material would be good.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

New date for 2010 Battle Day: Saturday 17 April

Please note the new date of Saturday 17 April 2010. We have moved it from the week after to avoid clashing with Salute.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Society of Ancients at UK Games Expo

Clarendon Suites, Edgbaston B16 9SB


The Society of Ancients shows team will be at the UK Games Expo this weekend. Come along to this great event http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/index.php - the place to try out new games. We will be taking along some Field of Glory kit with a Crusades theme in support of the mini tournament they are hosting, and to fly the 'ancients' flag. Please join in - especially if you haven't tried FoG before, or to break up the diverse choice of other styles and interests the Expo caters for.

http://soawargamesteam.blogspot.com/

Monday, June 1, 2009

2010 battle for Battle Day announced!

With unprecedented speed and decisiveness, the organising committee has already selected the 2010 battle for the seventh annual Society of Ancients Battle Day. It's Zama. So that gives you all plenty of time to dust off your Hannibals and your Scipios, or paint up new ones. Pencil in Saturday 24 April 2010, at the usual venue in Bletchley near Milton Keynes.

Result of Vote

We now have the result of the postal ballot, the forms for which were sent out with the last Slingshot. A total of 74 votes were cast, of which 70 were in favour of the proposal to adopt a new Constitution, and 4 were against.

We will therefore now go on to the next step, which is to hold an EGM on 27 June 2009 at The Old Coffee House, Beak Street, London, starting at 12.00 noon. The new Constitution will be introduced as from that date, unless voted down by a quorate EGM.

This announcement serves as notice of the EGM. Any member has the right to attend and vote.

For the record, 43 votes were submitted via the Internet, and 31 by post.

Thanks to the noble 74 who voted, and also to Bill Thurlow for acting as Returning Officer.