The Society of Ancients has confirmed that its 2009 member publication project will be an updated version of Paul Burton's award winning series 'A Fair and Open Battle'.
A wargamer's tour through an illuminating series of historical ancient and medieval set-piece clashes from Medway and Mons Graupius to The Wars of the Roses, 'A Fair and Open Battle' was written with army suggestions for DBM and Warhammer Ancient Battles Now an illustrated 24 page A4 booklet, in a new departure, this updated version will come with a bonus CD which extends the coverage to include Field of Glory, Armati and other games together with additional supporting material.
A Fair and Open Battle will appear in the spring, and will be pre-released free to all 2009 Society of Ancients members who have subscribed by February 1st. Limited stocks are thereafter expected to go on sale at £6.00 including postage.
If you are interested in the Society of Ancients, £20 brings 6 issues of the all new Slingshot in addition to the bonus publication, and access to the wide range of member services, invitations and discounts. With Paypal on the website, joining up couldn't be easier: subscribe by Feb 1st for the full range of benefits.
The Society of Ancients would like to thank all the participants, organisers, and sponsors who made its 2008 events a success, and the authors and contributors without which Slingshot would not be possible.
Congratulations to the prize winners: SoA Doubles Masters 1. Dave Handley/Nic Sharp, 2. James Hamilton/Martin Wilkinson, 3. Bruce Brown/Paul Cummins Northern DBA Cup (Hosted by Triples) 1. Aislinn Smith, 2. Pete Scholey, 3. Richard Pulley English DBA Open (co-sponsored with Magister Militum) Open 15mm: Martin Smith, Open 25mm: Andrew Fisher' Junior (15s): Robert Dowling Society of Ancients/BHGS GB Armati League Bill Wilson
Society of Ancients/BHGS National Champion
Bruce Brown (Field of Glory) (top scoring UK tournament player, any rules set)
Society of Ancients/Armati by the Sea
1.Malcolm King, 2. Roy Boss, 3. Matthew Bennett Society of Ancients Anderida Trophy Paul Fencott The special award winners: Tony Bath Award Will Whyler for his sterling services in maintaining the Society presence in Northern shows, and unsung service as auditor over several years. John Westwood Trophy Richard Pulley for his work in promoting the hobby among young people. Deryck Guyler Award Graham Evans for the Trebia participation game (first run at Campaign)
... And to the Slingshot contributors:
Editor's Prize Jim Webster Charles Grant Prize Awarded for the best article covering a B.C. topic: awarded jointly to Alastair McBeath, for the Mesopotamian Warfare Notes series of articles, and David Karunanithy, for his "off-cut" articles about Macedonia. The Ian Greenwood Prize Awarded for the best article 0 to 1000 A.D: Duncan Head for his article on the Army of the Zanj Revolt (Nov 07.) The Alan Nickels Prize Awarded for the best article post 1000 A.D.: John Walsh for The Bahmani Sultanate (Nov 07.) Best Wargames Article, sponsored by Gripping Beast: Paul Burton, for his Campaigns for Wargamers series.
Thanks also to the BHGS for administrative help, and to Gripping Beast, Magister Militum and Ancient and Modern Army Supplies for sponsoring prizes Richard Sullivan (Osprey) presents the Persian Helmet to Pete Dalby The Persian Helmet (Britcon Sportsmanship) Pete Dalby
The Society of Ancients is always keen to consider good ideas for events and projects, and welcomes offers of prizes and awards from traders and partners. Please get in touch with us via the website or the blog if you want to get involved. Membership of the Society of Ancients costs £20 per annum including 6 issues of Slingshot. If you subscribe for 2009 by the 1st of February, you will receive a free copy of our forthcoming booklet/CD 'A Fair and Open Battle' (revised with new illustrations and army lists) www.soa.org.uk
Following an increasing level of interest from members, the Society of Ancients will be running its Wargames Championship again, in 2009.
Once so well established, amongst ancients players, it was known simply asThe Championship. Technology has now opened more opportunities for interaction and enjoyment through the Society's website, its Yahoo Group, and members' personal blogs.
The format will be very much the same as in previous decades - players are responsible for organising and reporting their own games, and may play the same opponent not more than twice. Both players must be Society of Ancients members, and any recognised set of rules or gaming principles maybe used. Result of games will be accepted by post or email. Full rules can be found here ....
Current members of the Society of Ancients are encouraged to contribute their ideas about the Championship to the organisers through the website, or in debate with members through Slingshot and the mailing list.
Non members can find out more about the Society athttp://www.soa.org.uk/ (a new Society year begins on Jan 1st, and membership can be taken out through the website)...
The Society of Ancients will be at Warfare this weekend. We will be presenting two games over the course of the event. On Saturday we will be refighting the battle of Issus using Philip Sabin’s Lost Battles. On Sunday we will be featuring a medieval encounter using Neil Thomas’s Ancient and Medieval Warfare. Both games will be large, 28mm, presentations and there will be opportunities to join in.
We will also have a membership stand attached, where you can find out more about the Society of Ancients, browse recent issues of Slingshot etc. Membership of the Society of Ancients costs just £20 per annum, worldwide. We can now take subscriptions either for 2008 or 2009.
As a special package available at Warfare, new members signing up at the show for 2008 can register for 2009 at the same time for a combined fee of just £30. You will get the first 5 issues of 2008 from the stand. This big discount is funded by the savings we make on postage, so, unfortunately, is only available in person, at shows.
Come and see the Society of Ancients at Warfare: join in the games, join up or renew, just have a chat about ancient warfare and wargaming. We’d be pleased to see you …
Sorry for not posting in what seems like the longest time. I'll type in my excuses later. Anyhow, just to prove I haven't been completely idle, Slingshot 260 has now gone to the printers. According to those same printers, this issue should be mailed to members next Friday (26 Sept).
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 260 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 (reader letters and errata for previous issues)
Macedonian Military Culture and World Impact: Perspectives & Impressions, Part 3, by David Karunanithy
Putting it all together – New light on an old friend, Part 1 [Sasanians ], by Doug Melville
[ DBMM ] Spartan Expeditionary Forces 415-302BC, by Jim Webster
[ DBMM ] It’s the Bishop – The army of Synesius, bishop of the Pentapolis, 400AD-412AD, by Jim Webster
[ DBA ] Campaigns for Wargamers 5 – The Barons’ War, 1264, by Paul Burton
The Case Against Points, by Gareth Griffiths
My First Try at Running a Warmaster Ancients Tournament Campaign, by Marc Adda
Naked Guys with Pointy Sticks: the Armies of El Dorado for DBMM, by Dave Turner
Demonstrating Field of Glory at Valhalla 2008, by Richard Jeffrey-Cook
Poitiers Using Warmaster, An SoA Battle Day Report, by Grant Thomas
The New DBMM Army List Books, by Phil Barker
Comparative Religion 102: A comparison of FoG and WAB, by Craig Woodfield
Subordinate Commanders on the Wargames Table, by John Hastings
Rules Design Forum: Ancient & Medieval Wargaming, by Neil Thomas
Rules Design Forum: The Arcane Warfare Project, by Jerboa
WAB at Historicon, by David Daly
“Hannibal’s Army”, by Ian Stephenson, Reviewed by Richard Naylor
“Syracuse 415 -13 B.C.”, by Nic Fields, Reviewed by Phil Steele
“Special Operations in the Age of Chivalry, 1100-1550”, by Yuval Noah Harari, Reviewed by Phil Steele
The Wars of Alexander’s Successors 323-281. Volume 1: Commanders and Campaigns, by Bob Bennet and Mike Roberts, Reviewed by Jeff Champion
Hadrian: Empire and Conflict … at the British Museum. Exhibition Reviewed by Mark Watson
Figure Reviews:28mm Sumerians; Romans and Celts, Reviewed by Alastair McBeath & Mark Watson
I'm looking for articles for the November issue, and would appreciate any submissions by the end of October.
The latest issue of Slingshot (number 259, July 2008), the bi-monthly publication of the Society of Ancients, has gone to the printers and first copies should arrive with members this week.
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 259 are as follows. For games articles, I've indicated the relevant rule set where it's not immediately obvious from the title.
What Have the Mongols Done for Us?, by John Walsh
Macedonian Military Culture and World Impact: Perspectives & Impressions, Part 2, by David Karunanithy
A Wise Man Never Sleeps, by Alan Colquhoun
[ Armati ] Cats May Look at Kings, by Mark Grindlay
The 5th Annual Society of Ancients Battle Day – Poitiers 1356 AD, by Richard Lockwood
Battle Day – Poitiers under Days of Knights, by David Edwards
Battle Day – Poitiers using Arcane Warfare/Arcane Battle Composer, by John Hills
Battle Day – Poitiers with DBM and AMW, by John Graham-Leigh
Battle Report: Stirling Bridge – 11 September 1297, using Day of Battle III , by Chris Parker
[ Warmaster ] The Samurai – The Battle of Chungju 1592 AD, by Rick Priestley & Rob Broom
The Akkadians at Challenge – DBMM Tournament 2008 Report, by Steve Rathgay
[ WAB ] Coffers of the Suffetes, by Dave Pauwels
A Field of Glory at Caesar’s Challenge, by Steve Neate
Legion DBA 2008, by Jo Russell
Warmaster Ancients Campaign Report, by Dane Stephens
FoG in Birmingham – UK Games Expo 2008, by Nik Gaukroger
Comparative Religion 101: A Comparison of DBMM and FoG, by Ray Briggs
AMW – A Reply to “Zesty Ancient Warfare” and Some Additional Classical Army Lists, by Neil Thomas
“Immortal Fire”, A Supplement for Field of Glory, Reviewed by Tim Thompson & Rob Van Der Laan
“Legions Triumphant”, A Supplement for Field of Glory, Reviewed by Tim Thompson
Figure Reviews – 28mm Celts, Romans and Early Saxons, Reviewed by Mark Watson
Guardroom
There have been a few delays with this issue, for which apologies. Hopefully they'll have been addressed with the next issue. Issue 260 is now in layout and will I hope go out in early September. I'd encourage any contributions for that issue to be in to me by mid-August, and any letters for Guardroom to arrive by end August.
This is what I have, before 259 goes to press. So in each case the first bar shows what's available (in terms of submissions, by aggregate number of words), including the content of 259. The second bar shows what's already printed, and the the third bar shows the overall number. It's really the first bar which indicates the health of what I'm getting, in terms of submissions. Per the previous post, there's now plenty of FoG, and suddenly plenty of Warmaster Ancients. And not enough WAB.
A wargamer's tour through an illuminating series of historical ancient and medieval set-piece clashes from Medway and Mons Graupius to The Wars of the Roses, 'A Fair and Open Battle' was written with army suggestions for DBM and Warhammer Ancient Battles
Now an illustrated 24 page A4 booklet, in a new departure, this updated version will come with a bonus CD which extends the coverage to include Field of Glory, Armati and other games together with additional supporting material.
