... and should be dropping into your mailbox anyday now! Here is the cover picture, together with a list of the contents and a short summary of each article.
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| "You'd look depressed too, if you were crewed by a bunch of weekend sailors! We're never going to win the West Mediterranean Regatta at this rate." |
Editorial
Which begins, "Salve mi mare amicis!". To which I might perhaps reply, "Hello sailor, yourself". But then I'd just be revealing my execrably poor grasp of Latin so I'll just read on.
A Word from our New President Richard Lockwood
As is customary on these occasions. Informative, generous and encouraging but brief. So pretty faultless. I was mainly referring to the article but these epithets may well apply to Richard too.
Battleday 2024 Update
A final Reminder for this Year’s Society Battle Day, which will take place on Sunday 24th March, 2024 at Hermitage Village Hall in Berkshire (postcode RG18 9WL). And it's worth spreading the word that the Battle Day is open to both members and non-members. Entry costs £10 per person.
Alala Ruleset Launch
Alala! Is a set of tactical wargames rules by Simon MacDowall for classical hoplite phalanx warfare and consists of a rulebook, separate quick reference sheet and a deck of cards (the God Pack). PDF files for QRS and cards are available for download and home printing.
Wargaming News
News about new figures, rulesets, books, etc., including:
Simon MacDowall Interview on Alala Ruleset Development
In advance of the release of ‘Alala’ in March this year, the editor found time to catch up with Simon to ask how the ruleset came into existence and his insights to the design.
Editor’s Prizes for 2023
Let's be clear about this upfront, no one is in with a shout here who hasn't contributed material to Slingshot but don't be disappointed, that in no way detracts from the pleasure of reading this article. I mean, where else are you going to read about dried frog pills?
Blood Red Roses Ruleset Development by Adrian Nayler
Blood Red Roses is a simple though slightly unorthodox game for two players to fight battles representative of the Wars of the Roses. If any of that is your thing then take a look under the hood in company with the author. Abstractions, perspectives, mechanisms, interpretations. Nothing is left to the imagination. (Except the bit where you get your helmet split by a poll axe, as this is not an age restricted publication.)
Gaugamela Part Three by Damian Baxter
This time, "Command and Control". All armies of all Ages are limited by command and control ... And I for one have every sympathy with that statement, especially as I regularly play DBA.
Slings and Slingers by John Hogan
The humble sling is probably the second oldest projectile weapon after the throwing spear ... and the ammunition is cheap. John explores the whole topic: types, techniques, ammunition sources, range, effectiveness, use in sieges, limitations and decline. Not to mention a look at slingers in army lists.
Fact vs Fun by Connor Truby
"Fact vs fun is frankly a purposefully contentious headline." No! Surely not. In a previous issue the editor suggested that historical accuracy and fun might be on a sliding scale. Where accuracy increases, fun de-creases and vice versa. Connor takes a careful look at the question and then, like a good student of history, proceeds to "discuss".
Galley Warfare at the Society’s Convention (2022) by Michael Lane
Michael charts his voyage. From land lubber to lord of the middle sea. From ships on the beach (aka lead pile) to a formidable ancient navy. Along the way he takes in building the fleet from Skytrex 1/600th models; testing and adopting David Manley's rules for ancient galley warfare, "Ad Mare Nostrum"; and developing a scenario from the sources for the battle of Side (otherwise the Eurymedon River) in 190 BC, fought between the Rhodians and Rome's old enemy, Hannibal, commanding a Seleucid fleet.
Tactica Part 5 - Alexandrian Macedonians v Later Achaemenid Persians by Simon Watson
Simon and friends continue to rewrite history, this time for Alexander and Xerxes, with the help of Arty Conliffe's Tactica 2 rules.
Blood Red Roses - a Battle Report and Review (of sorts) by Gordon Garrad
Now we've read about the rules, let's hear how they play.
Slingshot Book, Game & Figure Reviews
Including reviews of:
And Finally…
A postscript from the Editor.
Coming up in Slingshot 351:
• Battle Day reports and thoughts
• A return to the Dark Ages
• Base discussions
• Alexandrian shenanigans
