Small Recruits for Carthage
I have now completed the four units of 6mm Spanish scutarii I need for my Carthaginian army. Recruited for the Society of Ancients Ilipa...
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Simon MacDowall
- Nov 17
- 2 min
Downsizing
Over the past few years I have been playing with the big kids. Now I am revisiting my 6 mil ancients. My motivation is the Society of...
206 views4 comments
Simon MacDowall
- Nov 13
- 3 min
Stoke Field
Stoke Field (1487) is a most unusual and interesting battle, and the last engagement of the Wars of the Roses. After Bosworth the 10 year...
205 views5 comments
Simon MacDowall
- Nov 9
- 1 min
The Prussians are Coming!
I know very little about the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 but I recently had the pleasure of playing the Prussians at a game of the...
59 views4 comments
Simon MacDowall
- Nov 8
- 1 min
The Last Yorkists
Stoke Field (1487) was the last attempt by the Yorkists to regain the throne of England. These figures are also the last Yorkists I...
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Simon MacDowall
- Nov 5
- 1 min
The Wild Irish
Next Sunday I shall be staging the last battle of the Wars of the Roses — Stoke Field (1487). Around 4000 Irish, led by Sir Thomas...
46 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
- Oct 23
- 1 min
Society of Ancients Convention 2023
After a false start due to local flooding I managed to make it to the Society of Ancients Convention at Madingley Hall, Cambridge. With...
327 views3 comments
Simon MacDowall
- Oct 12
- 3 min
Battle in the Mist
At Barnet in the early hours of 14 April 1471, King Edward IV led his army through a thick mist to attack the Earl of Warwick’s...
177 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
- Oct 6
- 1 min
New Wars of the Roses Command Groups
When I first began to paint my Wars of the Roses armies I decided to focus on those contingents taking part in the Battle of Barnet...
38 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
- Sep 29
- 1 min
Manzikert Scenario
The full scenario for my Manzikert game is now available in the scenarios section of my website here. This includes full orders of battle...
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Simon MacDowall
- Sep 28
- 3 min
Defeat from the Jaws of Victory
Some years back we refought the Battles of the Boyne and Aughrim both of which the Jacobite players won. It seemed like a good idea to...
92 views3 comments
Simon MacDowall
- Aug 19
- 3 min
Manzikert re-fought
In 1071 the East Roman Emperor Romanus IV gathered a huge army with the intent of breaking the growing power of the Seljuk Turks....
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Simon MacDowall
- Aug 17
- 3 min
Arming the Knights
Painting 15th Century men at arms could be incredibly simple since most were encased from head to foot in armour. A black wash over...
305 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
- Aug 15
- 1 min
Lancastrian Archers
Working through my orders of battle for Barnet (1471) I realised that I needed a few more Lancastrian archers. As I had plenty of spares...
42 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
- Aug 8
- 1 min
Raising the Shires for King Edward
Originally a Lancastrian, Sir William Norreys changed his allegiance to King Edward IV after the Battle of Towton. Sir William commanded...
54 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
- Jul 21
- 1 min
Seljuk Ghulams
The latest off my painting table is this unit of Seljuk Ghulams — the professional ‘slave soldiers’ of Alp Arslan’s army at Manzikert....
88 views3 comments
Simon MacDowall
- Jul 12
- 2 min
King Edward Prevails
The semi-fictitious Wars of the Roses engagement at Newark (1471) makes for a really good two player game. A visit by Harry Sidebottom...
106 views5 comments
Simon MacDowall
- Jul 5
- 1 min
Alp Arslan Considers
Faced with a far more numerous enemy at Manzikert, Sultan Muhammad Ibn Dawud Çağrı, known as Alp Arslan, considers his options. Alp...
60 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
- Jun 10
- 1 min
Stong as a Lion
Muhammad Ibn Dawud Çağrı, know as ‘Alp Arslan’ (strong as a lion), led the Seljuk Turks to victory over the East Romans at Manzikert in...
57 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
- May 27
- 1 min
Ready to Battle the Turks
My 11th C Armenians are now ready to join the East Roman Emperor's expedition against the Seljuk Turks. The figures are all from Perry...
111 views2 comments
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