Filler shots

I'm in the process of formatting Ager Sanguinis Punic Wars. There are always a few gaps that need filling - to get the relevant rules onto whole pages (rather than split overleaf) for easy reference - so I took these shots. They might not be the ones I settle on for the final version, but I thought you might like to see them.

On Wednesday evening Peter J. and I will put the rules through their paces. I think we are almost there.

Ager Sanguinis Goes Punic

Last night Peter J. and I played a small Punic Wars game. Primarily it was to see how Ager Sanguinis rules could be modified for the Punic Wars. To make life interesting I set up a scenario where the Romans had to come straight off the line of march and break through the Carthaginians in hilly and wooded terrain. Deployment was 'free' and both sides deployed the bulk of their forces on the same side of the table; with the game played long ways (giving only a 6 foot wide table to begin with), and limiting terrain, this led to everything piling up in a small area of ground - a slogging match.

As for the rules - we used the AS quick play sheet and made everything else up as we went along - they worked well for a first outing. Most troops, formations and weapons have now been classified and their position in the tables decided. I've got to say that Piquet's Field of Battle by Brent Oman (on which AS is largely based) is such a strong, mechanically sound rule set that tweaks are easily made to 'stick' without unbalancing the basic mechanisms.

Keep going - gotta keep going

The Punic War project is now beginning to tell on me. Every unit is now a struggle. I've just counted the painted figures and there are 1275 of them. There are still about 1000 to do - Good God! Thankfully, on finishing some of the batches I can say "no more of that type - finally, never again, basta".

Here are the latest Roman cavalry, Spanish cavalry and Libyan infantry. Next up, Gallic cavalry and African skirmish types.



32 Roman cavalry. Actually the last of the allied cavalry. The 64 cavalry for the Romans are now done.



16 Spanish cavalry. These are the last of the Spanish cavalry figures 'in the box'. I now have 48, but I fear I might be a couple of units short.



48 Libyan spear men. This completes half of the 292 I have to do.

All figures are Renegade painted in Humbrol enamels. Shield transfers are LBM. Banner transfer (octopus) is Veni Vidi Vici. Spanish bull's head standards are Gripping Beast. Some Spanish [long] shields are Crusader (? I think).

Bir El Gubi 1941 wins best demo-game

Bir el Gubi went down well at the York show on Sunday. The game was awarded the prize for best demo-game. We've been doing demos at Vapnartak for years and didn't even know there was one. Our table was in a prime spot, with good light, and was slightly off the thoroughfare - it was very comfortable (compared to some). More pictures of the game, and the scenario notes, can be found below in previous posts .

The show was very busy in the morning and stayed busier than usual all day. The racecourse is a very good venue and everyone at the show seemed to be having a good time - even the traders were happy.

Thanks, to everyone who stopped to look and say hello.

Chow! Ariete for Vapnartak

I recently did these for the Bir el Gubi game that the Ilkley Lads will take to Vapnartak this coming Sunday. Having heard a friend relate a story, of when coming in to land at Milan airport the illumination of the seat belt sign was accompanied by every Italian putting on sunglasses in unison, I couldn't resist getting the Miliput out for the battalion officer stand - chow, baby.

All vehicles are FoW M14/41. I'll be using them as M13/40 tanks. All were painted in Humbrol enamels and artist's acrylic ink.