Convention Gaming and Works in Progress

Last weekend we had our local miniature wargaming convention, Nashcon, after a year's hiatus due to Covid. It was great to be back with friends I had not seen in a long time!  The convention was in a new location that worked well and the organizers of the event did a masterful job.  Due to Delta, many of us were still in masks just as an extra precaution on top of vaccinations.  While most folks felt safe enough to game without the masks, there were a number of folks wearing them and everyone was very considerate of each others choices.  

Getting a a game of Triumph in with Carson Greene under the helpful gaze of Brian Caskey, who helped walk us through some of the nuances of Triumph

Here my Romano-British tried to hold the hill against Carson's horse archers, while on the opposite flank, I had lured his elephants into some bad going.

 

https://www.wgcwar.com/

Triumph is a DBA variant with the addition of a point based army system, that adds a nice layer of complexity to the 12 on 12 model of DBA.  The combat tables are a bit more easily navigated than DBA 3.0, with situational modifiers being more readily assessed.

Rod Cain with the help of William Hupp and Brian Caskey, hosted a wonderful Grand Triumph battle of Hydaspes.  I played Poros and my elephants were roundly spanked.  Clearly I still have a lot to learn!

Here you can see Poros on his elephant all alone, his elephant riding compadres having all been dispatched by the Macedonians or by a confused retreat into more elephants.  It really was ugly for the Indians!

Beautifully painted armies!

In addition to playing Triumph I have been enjoying L'art de la Guerre.  This game ramps up the complexity level by the addition of more troop types and variations among troop classes, as well as the addition of shooting and evasion on horseback.  A great set of rules once you get the hang of it, but more complex to set up and build armies for.

http://www.artdelaguerre.fr/adlg/v3/?/en/overview

My game with Chris Greene convinced me it was time to invest in the latest edition of the rulebook.

After Nashcon it was time to clear my desk of some projects that have been hanging on and to get started on the next addition to my shiny Napoleonic armies. 

The units on deck and ready to be painted are already piling up.  Chomping at the bit are the French Imperial Guard Grenadiers and Marines, a Spanish artillery battery, a Bavarian artillery battery, additional figures for the French 13th Cuirassiers, and a skirmish unit of Bavarian jagers.

I am also working on the Legion du Midi who were brigaded with the Legion Hanovrienne.  More on this unit later, but here is a quick teaser.  These illustrations were sent to me by none other than Phillip Haythornthwaite in answer to a question I had posed to him regarding the shakos worn by the legion.

When phillip Haythornthwaite tells you there is no evidence of shako cords having been worn by the rank and file, it behooves you to get out the clippers and files.  Also note the addition of epaulets, shako plates and carrot shapped pompoms.

Just a few more little tweeks and this battalion will be ready for priming and painting.

As you can see, lots of painting is in my future.  Thanks to everyone who helped with and attended Nashcon, with a special thank you to all those who ran games.  Was great to see everyone again!

Persian Immortals

Just finished up some Persian Immortals, or possibly Persian Kardaces depending on how you read the sources. Herodotus describes them as having hoplons with no blazon and polished to a mirror like brightness. In any event they will give my Persian army some much needed strength.

Command Elements for Fields of Glory

While at Nashcon I heard a lot of good things about Fields of Glory (FOG) so I thought I would change some of the basing arrangements of my large big battle DBA Persian and Macedonian armies. The only significant lack I had was command elements, which are separate in FOG, whereas in DBA they are incorporated into a regular element. I found some Foundry packs on clearance at Nashcon, so was able to get many of the extra figures I would need. I also need to finish up a few light Persian troops and some Macedonian pikemen, but hope to have the army ready to go by the summer break. My idea was to be able to play FOG or BBDBA once I get the additional troops done.

I have tried to incorporate mounted and infantry elements in the command stands as this mix of troop types helps to distinguish them on the field. The cavalry commander is an older paint job, done with a fair amount of drybrushing. The infantry are new paint jobs done by using washes and some deliberate highlighting.

Finding appropriate Persian figures has been a real challenge, as most are made for the Xerxes / Marathon period and not for the armies of Darius which fought Alexander. Essex makes the nice commander with the standard. The horseman is from Old Glory and the swordsman is from 1st Corp.

I love this figure on horseback, but every time I pull him out I want to repaint him, but so far I have resisted the temptation to do so.

I rather like the way this element turned out. The horseman in back looks as if he is keeping an eye out for his commander and I just like the dynamic of it.

A view from behind.

Not a great example of photography, but I also put together a few markers with casualty figures for disruption status. I'd love to get some of the Foundry Persian casualties, but at $20+ for five dead folks I think I'm going to have to pass.

Later Achamenid Persian 25mm BBDBA army

Like most of my early armies, the Achamenid Persians are a mish mash of different manufacturers and painting styles, as I was figuring out what worked and what didn't. I have included an Indian elephant element as well, as it was well documented that they were present in Darius' army, but not engaged.

Essex Indian elephant

The heavy cavalry command
Old Glory figures

Old glory heavy and medium cavalry
Javelins were replaced with piano wire javelins

A small contingent of Indian cavalry

Foundry Skythian nobles heavy cavalry

The heavies

The light cavalry:
Foundry, and Essex Skthians, Numidians, and Persians

Sythed Chariots from left to right: Navigator, 1st Corp, Essex

Foundry Greek Mercenaries

More Foundry Greeks

The Greeks that fought for Darius were slaughtered by
Alexander after Darius fled the field.

Persian Auxilia - There is some debate as to the form of Persian heavy infantry.
I opted to show it as more of a levy than formed infantry

The auxilia or kardakes:
1st corp, Black Tree design and Essex. The Black Tree Design were my favorites, but they are a little large.

The entertainment: The dancer is a huge reaper figure, on which I sculpted pants to appease my wife. The audience is seated on raised ground to minimize the height differential and consists of a modified 1st Corp Persian and Essex Indian cavalrymen, both with epoxy putty drinking flasks