Slingshot 347 is with the printers ...

 ... and should be with 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.

"By Alexander's chamber pot, Antigonos, how  
we ever lost to the Romans when we have such  
long, sharp, pointy sticks I'll never know"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Editorial

The view from the Editor's Chair, including apologies, errata, more errata and "thoughts". Oh, and some news! In summary, "Mea culpa! I think. And, by the way."

Wargaming News

What is says on the tin.

Interview with John Lambshead by Gordon Garrad

From Fall of the West, a supplement for Warhammer Ancients, to One Hour Skirmish Wargaming, John has done some interesting stuff.  So something for everyone.

What are the Chances—Pikes vs Bows in DBA 3.0 by Nick Harbud

Which starts with the claim that "a number of readers requested a further in-depth example of the techniques for calculating (the) probabilities" but don't let that put you off.  This fascinating article looks at what happens when a pike phalanx (Pk) takes on an element of massed bowmen (Bw) under version 3 of the De Bellis Antiquitatis ancient rules (DBA 3.0).  Perhaps the Achaemenid version of a West Point tutorial?

Alexander the Great; The Complete Conqueror by Julian Lorriman

In an idle moment Julian dangerously looked up on the internet who was the greatest military leader of all time. To his surprise, there was Alexander the Great languishing in tenth place. Which was all the encouragement that Julian needed to put pen to paper and set the record straight, with this article on Alexander.  Read how he achieved, perhaps after Genghis Khan, the greatest conquests of any single military leader in history.

Wargaming 4th Century BC Hoplite Warfare using ‘Strength & Honour’ by Richard Speed

Strength & Honour rules are written and designed for the period 105BC to 200AD. So, in true wargaming style, Richard looks at how they might be adapted for an earlier periods, in this case Greek Hoplite warfare of the 4th Century BC.

A Little 2nd Mantineia (6mm) by David Kay

With quite a few Greeks in his 6mm army collection, David thought to have a go at putting on 2nd Mantineia, the subject of this year's Battleday, as a solo effort at home over that weekend and using his own rules.  So let's see whether history was rewritten in his account of the battle.  (Which was always going to be written by the winner, of course.)

Tactica 2 Games Through The Ages Part 1 - Ancient Sumer; Umma v Kish By Simon Watson

Exactly what it says and with lots and lots of eye candy! 

Pleasures and Pitfalls of Writing a Scenario By Ian Piper

In the closing moments of his first SoA conference in 2021 and no doubt overcome by euphoria, Ian courageously (or maybe rashly) volunteered to put on a game in the future. Here he describes how he went about developing the scenario and answering the three critical questions.  What battle, real or fictional?  Did he have the models? (A bit of a nail biter.) Which rule set?

A mini - 15mm comparison follow up by Dave Hollin

A really quick update on the Editor's dark age 15mm figure musings from Slingshot 345.

Slingshot Book, Game & Figure Reviews 

Including reviews of:

Khurasan 15mm, figure review by David Smith  

Essex Nubian and Libu Infantry in 15mm, figure review by Steven Neate

The Macedonian Phalanx, book review by Duncan Head

The Greek Hoplite Phalanx, book review by Duncan Head

The Rise of Persia & the First Greco-Persian Wars, book review by Jim Webster & David Mason

The Galatians, book review by Stephen Brennan

The Battles of Antiochus the Great, book review by Kenneth Bell

And Finally

Coming up in Issue 347!  Just a little taster.