Slingshot 339 is with the printers ...

    ... and should be posted out to you all in the next few days!  Here is the cover picture, together with a list of the contents and a short summary of each article.

The SoA Battleday, guvnor? 'S at Newbury. That way, I fink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President’s Foreword

The view from the president's chair, including a bit of bragging about some Galatians.

Guardroom

Where the back and forth continues, good naturedly, between Simon Mason and Antony Clipson about Antony's article on ‘Game mechanics and Realism‘, from issue 337.

Graham Fordham Remembered

Graham Fordham, who served SoA in many roles including Treasurer and Competition Team member and who was a doyen of the Society stand at shows, sadly passed away last year. This memorial borrowed from the ‘Not Quite Mechanised’ blog gives a vivid portrait of his life.

Pikes across the Millennia Part 1 by Philip Sabin

An article that pushes the boundaries of our period (well, super-extends them, actually) to explore the rise, fall, rise ... etc. of the pike as a battlefield weapon by comparing two pike battles, widely separated in history.  The earlier is Paraitacene, a battle from the wars of the Successors of Alexander fought, in 317 BC between two of the Successors, Eumenes and his rival Antigonus.  The later is Breitenfeld, a battle from the Swedish phase of the Thirty Years War, in which Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, fought against the catholic Imperialists at Breitenfeld in 1631-2.  (See what I mean about super-extending the boundaries?)  But the comparison makes for a really amazing study, especially as it includes insights into the use of two of Phil's rulesets, Lost Battles for the ancient period and Horse & Foot for the Pike and Shot era.

Shields and Armour in Mycenaean Warfare by Robert Heiligers

An article inspired by Allan JC Smith’s Master’s thesis entitled "Mycenaean Warfare and the Mycenaean Tower Shield", which provides excellent information on the use of the large body-shields
and armour in that period.

Wargaming Adrianople by Simon MacDowall

Adrianople profoundly changed the status quo of the Roman Empire, with a large and militarily victorious body of barbarians now settled permanently in the Empire as unreliable allies. Simon shows gaming the battle might produce a very different outcome...

Airfix Nostalgia by John Graham-Leigh 

A real trip down memory lane for those of us of a certain age.  When every know troop type in the ancient and medieval worlds could be (had to be?) made from some combination of figure parts from Airfix' Ancient Britons, Imperial Romans, 19th C Arabs and the combined Sherrif of Nottingham & Robin Hood sets, with the ACW range thrown in for good measure - and Plasticine too, of course.  With lots of photos!  Lots!

Slingshot Book & Game Reviews 

This issue, a review of: The Highland Battles: Warfare on Scotland’s Northern Frontier in the Early Middle Ages” by Chris Peers.  Reviewed by Duncan Head.

The Yumi at War by Leslie Ian Mitchell

A facinating look into the practice of archery in Japan by a wargamer who is also a practitioner in the Japanese way or art of the bow (yumi).  Worth reading.  Especially the comment that the power of the yumi is not as important as the man using it. A little like those killer wargames armies that sit on my shelf waiting to be massacred again.

Interview with Daniel Mersey by Gordon Garrad

Daniel Mersey has been writing and publishing war games rules since the 1990’s, and his interests and publications cover a wide historical range. He is probably best known for his series of historical and fantasy rules published by Osprey, which focus on relatively short periods of history or small geographical areas. He has also written a number of “wargamers guides” to specific historical campaigns, covering ancients to World War 2.

Slingshot 338 is with the printers ...

   ... and should be posted out to you all in the next few days!  Here is the cover picture, together with a list of the contents and a short summary of each article.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President’s Foreword

The view from the president's chair, including a round up of 2021 and a look forward to what's coming in 2022.

Guardroom

Simon Mason responds to Antony Clipson’s article on ‘Game mechanics and Realism‘, from issue 337, with some interesting alternative views.  (Of course, or this wouldn't be Guardroom.)

Ancients Awaken from Slumber aka Lockdown Smackdown or A Day of DBA by Harry Dudrow and Andrew Gledhill

In which Harry Dudrow (who stands atop the 2021 SoA Championship list, or did at the time of writing) and Andrew Gledhill try out DBA armies they painted during the pandemic and had never had a chance to use, vis a Thracian army (list I/48), Tibetans (list III/15) and Northern Sung (list III/62a).

First Class Warriors at the Birth of the Roman Republic by Dr Simon Elliott

In which Simon covers the transition from the later Etrusco-Roman monarchy to the early Republic before considering the panoply of the Etrusco-Roman hoplite as depicted in early regional artwork.  (Ah me, the opportunity for temptation.  Perhaps I should simply pass over it.  But surely, just a cursory glance can't do any harm?  And there's definitely a space in the figures cupboard.  Somewhere.)

The Rise and Fall of Nomad Military Power, part 2 c. 1200 AD – c. 1600 AD - by Michael Fredholm von Essen

In part 2, Michael looks at the circumstances that led Temuchin to change nomad strategy and create the greatest land empire in history. He then examines the causes of the downfall of nomad military superiority.

Bosworth with Tree of Battles by Simon MacDowall

Read all abaht it!  Read all abaht it!  It was a long time coming but finally the 2020 Bosworth Battle Day came to pass in August 2021. Gasp! when you read about the splendid new setting at Newbury.  Stand amazed! at the fabulous array of games.  Every one a re-fight of Bosworth, under different rules and in many scales, from 6mm to 54mm.  Definitely worth a look.

Slingshot Book & Game Reviews 

This issue, a review of: Richard III and the Battle of Bosworth by Mike Ingram.  Reviewed by Duncan Head.

Slingshot interviews Phil Barker - by Gordon Garrad

Phil Barker has been a major figure in wargaming since the late 1960s and is a former President of the Society of Ancients. Over the past 50 years he has written wargames rules covering many periods.  Through the Wargames Research Group he and his co-authors have published many respected reference books on the armies of ancient history, covering most of the globe from 3000 BC.  Gordon Garrad talks with Phil Barker and takes the opportunity to ask about how it all started, his approach to writing wargame rules and where he might be going next.

Slingshot 337 is with the printers ...

  ... and should be posted out to you all in the next few days!  Here is the cover picture, together with a list of the contents and a short summary of each article.

"Right, you chaps, get ready.  This is where

we do the whole 'crush your enemies' thing!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Editorial

The view from the editor's chair including thanks to those who responded to his pleas for articles to replenish the stock and a reminder about the wealth of interesting material that originates in that other source of erudite debate, the Society Forum (check it out).

Guardroom

Stephen Brennan serves up some fascinating material about late medieval Hebridean mercenaries as a useful extension to that provided by Anthony Clipsom in his recent article, "An Archer’s Tale".

The Rise and Fall of Nomad Military Power, part 1 c. 1000 BC - 1200 AD - by Michael Fredholm von Essen

Asiatic nomad armies created some of the greatest empires the world has ever seen. Michael Fredholm von Essen analyses the nomad strategy that eventually transformed them from tribal federations content with opportunistic raiding into empire builders.

Solo Wargaming - by John Hastings

Given the scattered nature of the Ancients wargaming community, plenty of wargamers have no choice but to adopt schizophrenia as a recreational modus operandi and play against themselves. John Hastings discusses how it is done.

Slingshot interviews Simon Hall - by Gordon Garrad

Mortem et Gloriam has become a very popular ruleset in the Ancients community. Slingshot interviews its creator, Simon Hall, and asks him about his wargaming background, rules writing career, his experience with MeG, his futures plans, the meaning of life, and so on...

The Philistines are upon you - by Richard Andrews

Heavily-equipped but unwieldy Philistines vs. lightly-armed but agile Jews is a classic gaming setup where terrain makes all the difference. Richard Andrews analyses the historical composition of the two armies and how it applies to the wargaming table.

Game Mechanics and Realism - by Anthony Clipsom

Everyone knows that realism and playability are at odds with each other. But is that really the case? Anthony Clipsom makes the argument that you can have your cake and eat it, with sufficiently plausible realism happily wedded to enjoyable gameplay.

The Murder of Evesham - by John Graham-Leigh

Evesham ended the hopes of Simon de Montfort’s supporters (and the life of de Montfort himself). John Graham-Leigh plays a refight of the battle using DBM, with a convincing result.

Assyrian 'Kallapani' - by Daniel McLaughlin

Kallapani have been a standard part of Assyrian army lists but with highly variable properties. Daniel McLaughlin examines the evidence to see if we can know anything certain about them.

Slingshot Book & Game Reviews 

Including reviews of: 

Commands & Colors Samurai Battles by game designer: Richard Borg

Hellenistic and Roman Naval Warfare, 336BC-31BC by John D. Graingerenn.

The War & Diplomacy Podcast: ‘What is Medieval Military History?’

 

The War & Diplomacy Podcast: ‘What is Medieval Military History?’, with Dr Matthew Bennett.

From the Centre for War and Diplomacy at Lancaster University.  The CWD provides the historical context and strategic analysis to inform understanding of today's geopolitical challenges through discussions with leading experts and researchers.

In this episode, Dr Matthew Bennett, leading expert in medieval military history, discusses the technology, economy, and ideology of warfare in the medieval age with Dr Sophie Ambler, Deputy Director of the Centre for War and Diplomacy at Lancaster University.

Dr Bennett describes the connections between warfare, trade and finance in the medieval West, as well as military technology – from bows to armour, artillery and fortifications – and explores the concept of chivalry, the treatment of prisoners of war, and how knights and common soldiers fared differently on the battlefield. He also explains the role of mercenaries and sets out some of the eternal truths of warfare that can be identified in the medieval period.

Slingshot 336 is with the printers ...

 

 ... and should be posted out to you all in the next few days!  Here is the cover picture, together with a list of the contents and a short summary of each article.

"And then Lurcio, me old mate, after wading through
all those Picts doesn't the bloody GPS pack up? 
Ye gods, it could only happen in the IXth!"
Cover Picture: Edge of Empire. Illustration by Graham Sumner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Editorial

The view from the editor's chair including news about the virtual conference weekend, the Battle Day and the (real) annual Society Conference!

Guardroom

Extras about archers and some corrections about Teutons.  Oh! and actual details about the Battle Day.  No, really.

Roman Britain’s Lost IXth Legion - by Dr Simon Elliot

So what really happened to the Ninth? Simon Elliot puts forward four plausible hypotheses: the legion was lost in Scotland; it was annihilated/disbanded in a London revolt; it was destroyed on the Rhine or in the east. He examines the evidence and one hypothesis emerges as most likely...

When the Rules Don’t Work - Wargaming Hoplite Battles With Hail Caesar - by Gordon Lawrence

Historical inaccuracy is the eternal bugbear of rulesets and Gordon Lawrence digs up quite a few of them in Hail Caesar, such as fixed unit sizes, Greek hoplite support lines, different parts of a phalanx moving at different speeds, and so on. Answer? A little rules tinkering...

The Morale of the Armies at Cannae - by Andrew Parrock

Everyone knows that morale is one of the most important elements in an army, but what exactly morale is and how it affects the different aspects of a unit’s cohesion and fighting ability is something that needs a closer look. Andrew Parrock does some close looking.

Computer Wargaming - by David Mason

Covid lockdowns have curtailed over-the-table wargaming to a great extent, with the result that internet gaming has become much more significant. David Mason examines computer wargaming and reviews the more popular Ancients and Mediaeval PC games.

A Quick Trawl of the Net - by Retiarius

Retiarus helps fellow lockdownees find a couple of the more useful websites that deal with pre-gunpowder wargaming, with the promise of more to come.

Timoleon Brings the Thunder - by Chris Hahn

Chris Hahn takes a close look at the Battle of Crimisus from the historical perspective in order to fine-tune the composition of the armies of Carthage and Timoleon as well as devise scenario-specific rules for the battle, to be played with l’Art de la Guerre.

The Second Punic War in the Classroom - by Dr Max Nelson

One good way to motivate students to study military history is get them to play it. Dr Nelson tries Professor Sabin’s Second Punic War simulation on his own class, with great success.

Test of Resolve - Wars of the Roses - by David Knight

Test of Resolve - Wars of the Roses is a newly-released ruleset designed specifically for that era, with careful attention paid to historical accuracy as well as playability.

Wargaming through Lockdown - by Gordon Garrad

Quite a few Ancients and Mediaeval wargamers have taken to using video conferencing software like Skype, Facetime and Zoom to play games. How does it work? Gordon Garrad describes how.

The Sui-Eet Chinese Range - by Steve Neate

Outpost Wargames and Essex Miniatures have a very impressive range of 15mm figures for the Sui and Tang Chinese dynasties, as the photos supplied by Steve Neate demonstrate.

Slingshot Book & Game Reviews 

Including reviews of:

The Army of Maximinus Thrax: The Roman Soldier of the early 3rd Century AD by Dr Jan Eschbach;

The Goths From Berig to the Battle of Adrianople by Micheal Fredholm von Essenn.

Slingshot 335 is with the printers ...

 

 ... and should be posted out to you all in the next few days!  Here is the cover picture, together with a list of the contents and a short summary of each article.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Editorial

The view from the editor's chair including (further) news about the Battle Day and of a new Slingshot publication about the Goths.

Guardroom

A lively exchange of views about 'The Gothic Wagon Laager at Adrianople', featured in the extensive yet thoughtfully developed article of that title from issue 334.

The Roman Army Medical Service - by Dr Nick Summerton

Just how good were Roman military medics at treating the sometimes horrific wounds suffered by their fellow-soldiers, as well as the many diseases and ailments common at that time? Dr Summerton examines the evidence and concludes that they were not bad at all.

Bosworth with Bloody Barons - by Mark Wilson

Designed for the Wars of the Roses, Bloody Barons makes for an interesting recreation of Bosworth in which the setup rules create a different scenario each time, with different problems to solve, requiring cunning deployment, good timing, and a healthy dose of luck!

The Teutonic Order in the 13 Years’ War - by Andreas Johansson

After the disastrous battle of Tannenberg in 1410, the army of the Teutonics Knights was a very different animal from what it had been before, now consisting largely of mercenaries with very few actual Knights, but still good enough to hold off its enemies for more than a decade.

Norman Tactics - by Matthew Bennett

Why Norman troops of the 11th century were so effective across Europe has usually been attributed to the impetuous charge of their heavy cavalry. In fact, the knights were disciplined and tactically aware and part of a combined arms system with infantry spearmen and a range of missile types.

The Tertii and the Quadii - by Mark Wilson

These famous tribal troop-types have dominated the wargaming table for ages, persisting in rulesets up to the present even though the sources indicate they never actually existed.

An Archer’s Tale - by Anthony Clipsom

How is the appearance of a miniatures figure determined and what kind of research goes into deciding how he is clothed and armed? Anthony Clipsom uses an Agincourt archer as an example of how a foundry gets a figure right and (in some particulars) wrong.

The Great Revolt of the Egyptians - by Jim Webster

After the battle of Raphia in 217BC, native Egyptian soldiers in the Ptolemaic army revolted against Ptolemy Philopator, seizing the territory around Thebes. Jim Webster looks at the revolt and the kind of armies they and the Ptolemies were able to raise against each other.

Slingshot Interviews Rick Priestly - by Gordon Garrod

Everyone knows Rick Priestly wrote the rules for Warhammer, but here we get a reminder that he also created Black Powder and Hail Caesar. He answers interesting questions such as how to resolve the eternal dilemma of historicity vs playability in historical gaming.

Arabs vs Byzantines - by Ray Briggs 

Breach and Scutcheon (Slingshot 333) delivers in this game between two historical opponents, where the battle sways one way and then the next, and the outcome remains uncertain until the dramatic finale.

Slingshot Book & Game Reviews 

Including reviews of:

Rome, Blood & Power: Reform, Murder and Popular Politics in the Late Republic 70-27 BC by Gareth C. Sampson, reviewed by: Aaron Bell;

Militarism and the Indo-Europeanizing of Europe by Robert Drews, reviewed by: Andreas Johansson;

The Army of Ptolemaic Egypt 323-204BC. An institutional and Operational History by Paul Johstono, reviewed by: Jim Webster.

Slingshot 334 is with the printers ...

 

 ... and should be posted out to you all in the next few days!  Here is the cover picture, together with a list of the contents and a short summary of each article.

Editorial

The view from the editor's chair and brief news about the Battle Day, responses to the plea for articles, the forthcoming virtual Society conference and the Slingshot contributors’ prizes.

Guardroom

Yet more, erudite exchanges between members about recent articles.  Passionate yet polite.  Informed yet open minded.  Still, there's time.  It's been a cold February but the Ides of March approach.

Sea Eagles of Empire - The Classis Britannica, Roman Britain’s Regional Fleet by Simon Elliott

The Society’s new chairman examines Britain’s first navy that was Roman and proved crucial - and highly effective - in the Empire’s piecemeal conquest of most of the island and in its subsequent invasions of Scotland.

T’ang Fastic Outpost by Steven Bowns

The T’ang Dynasty took China to its greatest territorial extent. Steven Bowns examines the T’ang troop types available in 15mm at Outpost Wargames and takes us through his creation of a complete DBMM T’ang army. Have a close look at how he makes spears: it’s brilliant!

Arthurian Campaign by Martin Smith

Looking for campaign rules for post-Roman Britain that are simple, easy and, above all, fun? Martin Smith’s system perfectly fits the bill, not only as regards the campaign aspects but also the battles themselves, fought with some unique mechanisms that produced a number of surprises.

The Gothic Wagon Laager at Adrianople by Jens Peter Kutz

How big was the Gothic laager at Adrianople? What was its shape? How was it constructed? How many warriors could it accommodate? Jens Kutz investigates these questions using careful historical research and comes up with some fascinating answers.

Roman Tactical Acumen at Cannae by Justin Swanton

Hannibal’s Italian campaign is commonly viewed as a military genius who effortlessly defeated Roman armies one after the other. Hannibal however did not always win in Italy, and at Cannae he would need luck as well as ability to beat Paullus’ shrewd generalship so overwhelmingly.

Placing Table Terrain for Double DBA3 by Neville Dickenson

Neville Dickenson offers an original way of setting up terrain for double DBA, with a new method of using dice to make the process fun. DBA fans are encouraged to try it out and let us know how it works for them.

Slingshot Book & Game Reviews 

Including reviews of:

Greece Against Rome: The Fall of the Hellenistic Kingdoms 250-31 BC by Philip Matyszak, reviewed by Duncan Head;

Talons and Fangs of the Eastern Han Warlords: A study of warriors and warlords during the Three Kingdoms era by Lu Yimin, reviewed by Duncan Head;

The Crisis of Rome: The Jugurthine and Northern Wars and the Rise of Marius by Gareth C. Sampson, reviewed by: Jim Webster.

And last but not least the ...

Results of the SOA Championship 2020!