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Victory for Cyrus
The troops painted, it is time to play-test the Persian amendments for Alala! in preparation for the Society of Ancients Cunaxa Battle...
Simon MacDowall
Oct 72 min read


Defending the Heights
The British had a heavy gun batterry on the heights above Queenston Village in the 1812 battle. This battery disrupted the American...
Simon MacDowall
Sep 281 min read


Americans mobilise to invade Canada
In between painting Persians I have been returning to my 1812 Queenston Heights project. This unit will represent a company of the 6 th...
Simon MacDowall
Sep 232 min read


The King of Kings gets ready for battle
In a few weeks I will stage a play-test of Alala! with Persians in preparation for the Society of Ancients Cunaxa Battle Day. The...
Simon MacDowall
Sep 191 min read


Save the Sacred Tree
In 772, fed up with Saxon raids, Charlemagne launches an invasion of Saxon territory to bring them to heel. Charlemagne’s first target is...
Simon MacDowall
Sep 32 min read


Mad Swedes
It is July 1702. King Charles XII of Sweden has advanced into Poland aiming to crush the army of Augustus, Elector of Saxony and King of...
Simon MacDowall
Aug 312 min read


Push on Brave York Volunteers
Yet another War of 1812 Canadian unit just off the painting table. These men will represent Capt John Chisholm’s flank company of the 2...
Simon MacDowall
Aug 212 min read


Mobilising the Militia
Large numbers of militia were fielded by both the Canadians and Americans in the War of 1812. In both cases they outnumbered the regular...
Simon MacDowall
Aug 192 min read


Trouble on the Niagara Frontier
I have never really been tempted to delve much into Napoleonic wargames. That said, I have long had an interest in the War of 1812 —...
Simon MacDowall
Aug 152 min read


On the plains of Mesopotamia
With a revision of Comitatus in the works it is time for a play test. The battle chosen is Meshike (AD 244) with Persians attempting to...
Simon MacDowall
Aug 112 min read


Fresh off the Painting Table
Over the next few months I will be play-testing my revised Comitatus rules . One battle I wish to play is Dasymon (aka Anzen or Amorion)....
Simon MacDowall
Jul 311 min read


Back to Sutton Hoo
For the third year in a row Wargaming the Anglo-Saxons returned to Sutton Hoo 26-27 July. Our group set up a simple skirmish game using...
Simon MacDowall
Jul 281 min read


Alala! at Devizes
Joining the Society of Ancients stand, I brought Alala! to the Devizes Wargames Show last weekend. I ran four participation games of...
Simon MacDowall
Jul 212 min read


Comitatus 2026
New edition of Comitatus in development.
Simon MacDowall
Jul 141 min read


Picts for hire
I painted a small unit of Wargames Foundry Picts decades ago. My intention had been to gradually build a Pictish army for Comitatus but...
Simon MacDowall
Jul 52 min read


A matter of honour
Confederate sympathies in Missouri have been gaining ground after several victories against the Federalists in recent months (see...
Simon MacDowall
Jul 23 min read


Rough Wooing
Seeking to unite the crowns of England and Scotland, King Henry XVIII of England has offered Prince Edward’s hand in marriage to the...
Simon MacDowall
Jun 42 min read


Wargames, the next generation
On 26-27 July Wargaming the Age of the Anglo-Saxons will return to Sutton Hoo. I have always been keen to find a way to introduce...
Simon MacDowall
May 251 min read


Persians for Cunaxa
Artaxerxes King of Kings is calling up his men to fight off his brother Cyrus' rebellion. It helps that we have pressed several good men...
Simon MacDowall
May 111 min read


Storming the heights
It is 31 July 1759. Maj Gen Wolfe has ordered an amphibious assault against the French defences between Beauport and Montmorency, 5kms...
Simon MacDowall
May 73 min read
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