Legio Wargames

While the Senones are still marshalling their forces, Roman Tribune Marcus Manlius Lupus has established a fortified camp on the border of Etruscan territory. He has been sending out patrols to gain intelligence on Etruscan dispositions and movements. One such patrol, led by Centurion Quintus Licinius, is returning to camp when it is ambushed by the Etruscans. Tribune Lupus leads a rescue force out from the camp to help bring the patrol in to safety. With reinforcements comin

A wagon loaded with tribute and taxes is making its way through Rendlesham forest to Orford castle in Suffolk. Knowing that outlaws are endemic in this region, the Sheriff of Suffolk leads men from the castle to help escort the wagon to safety. The Sheriff’s men at arms are ambushed by Bill Rouge’s ‘Merry Men’. Their longbow volley inflicts significant casualties and the Sheriff himself is wounded. As this is happening, the Hooded Man leads his outlaws through the woods in th

Yesterday found me playing the role of ‘Mad Anthony’ Wayne commanding the forces of Congress in an American War of Independence game set in 1777. Sir William Howe is marching through New Jersey with the aim of capturing the Congressional capital at Philadelphia. The Americans have moved to intercept the Crown Forces and to frustrate their march on to Pennsylvania. Assuming that the Crown forces will advance on the flanks (most probably their left) Wayne deploys a small coveri

In our previous Sharp Practice War of 1812 game the Americans succeeded in throwing back the British counter-attack on Queenston Heights. When more British reinforcements later came up, the position became untenable as further American units were refusing to cross the river. The Americans were able to withdraw back to the US side in relatively good order. The British now want to take the fight to the American side to harass and discomfort the enemy as winter approaches. An A

April 7 th 1862. Today our brave boys utterly routed the blue bellies at Chard Farm. Many unionists were killed and several officers wounded. Confederate casualties were minimal. Celebrations continue well into the night as our boys avail themselves to the ammunition and supplies abandoned by the fleeing Tories. Edward D. Malone reporting for the New Colchester Gazette. In a previous action at Chard Farm the Little Framlingham Militia (LFM) managed to seize a gun and ammu

Another cracking Battle Day put on by the Society of Ancients last weekend. The only downside was that it was held on the Sunday after the clocks went forward! The battle was Cunaxa in which Cyrus, aided by 10,000 Greeks challenged his brother Artaxerxes for the Persian throne. Our game was played with 20mm figures using Alala! rules. We concentrated the action on Cyrus’ right/Artaxerxes’ left given that the other wing saw little or no action in the historical battle. Artaxer

Time for one more play-test before we take our Cunaxa game with Alala! to the Society of Ancients Battle Day on 29 March. The game opens with Artaxerxes’ chariots surging forward against Cyrus’ Greek hoplites. The hoplites are unable to open ranks to let the chariots through as they do not hold an open ranks card (more on this later). Proxenus’ hoplites suffer a fair amount of disorder before the enemy chariots crash. Not to be outdone Cyrus sends forward his single chariot a

It is 1239, somewhere in Gaza. Rukn al-Din al-Hijawi’s Ayyubid army has set a trap to rid the holy land of the invading crusaders. Using a caravan as bait he hopes to draw the crusaders out into the desert. Al-Hijawi’s plan is to use light cavalry to harass and break up the crusader formations and then converge to pick off isolated units. With the Ayyubid caravan (led by Al Muzaffir Umar) on table, two of the crusader players deploy their vanguard. Amaury de Montfort command

Larth Ulthes, Prince of Tarquinia, has learned of a planned Roman raid on the Sacred Temple of Tinia (Jupiter to the Romans). Larth assembles a force and leads them forth to prevent the sacrilege. Led by Tribune Marcus Manlius Lupus, the Romans advance quickly over the hills towards the temple. To protect the Etruscan left, the gallant Velthur Macstarna, leads forward the dashing young aristocratic cavalry of Tarquinia to counter Roman cavalry advancing on that flank. Moving

The stage is set for our second Sharp Practice game set at Queenston Heights 13 October 1812. In their dawn attack the Americans failed to capture Queenston village but succeeded in capturing the British gun battery on the heights, but not before the guns could be spiked. Area of Operations Queenston 13 October 1812 Now Major General Sir Issac Brock is leading reinforcements from Ft George to recapture the heights and drive the Americans back across the Niagara river. Samuel

Our initial Queenston 1812 game saw the Americans gain possession of the British redan on the heights. I have since being painting reinforcements for the British/Canadian counter-attack which will be played in a couple of weeks time. Leading the attack will be Captain (now Major) Dennis’s Grenadier company of the 49 th Foot (green facings and black plumes). They have been reinforced by the newly painted Grenadiers of the 41 st (red facings and white plumes). The figures ar

New Colchester Gazette January 6, 1862. Today the good citizens of New Colchester rejoice. A convoy of guns and ammunition has arrived safely in the town defying an attempt by the Yankees to capture it. Edward D. Malone reporting, photography by Mr Jay Cloth. Colonel Sanders, Commanding Officer of the New Colchester Volunteers (NCV), has obtained a section of 6 pounder guns and ammunition. Having been commissioned into the Light Artillery in the War of 1812 this pleases him n

In 838 the Abbasid Caliphate invaded Anatolia. Emperor Theophilos led the Byzantine field army, reinforced by Khurrami Persians, to attack Prince Afshin’s Arabs, Turks and Armenians at Dasymon. The Emperor attacked at dawn when many of Afshin’s Turks were away foraging. His intent — to destroy the Arab army before the Turks can come to their aid. This game is another play-test for my revision of Comitatus rules which will be published in the new year. Most of the Byzantine f

The next chapter of our Dux Britanniarum campaign sees the wild painted men of the north landing in their small boats on the coast of Caer Colun (East Anglia). The Romano-British of Denningtonum have been finding it hard enough to fend off the Saxons and now it seems they must secure their homes and wealth against the Picti. The Saxons are also concerned as they have no wish to share the fertile lands of Caer Colun with another group of migrants. So they call their warriors t

It is early morning 13 Oct 1812 and the US army is crossing the Niagara River to invade Canada. Their intent is to capture Queenston village to use as a base of operations. Queenston is only lightly held by Capt Dennis’ Grenadier Company of the 49 th Foot supported by the 5 th Lincoln Militia and a heavy gun battery on the heights. The main British/Canadian forces are at Ft George to the North and Ft Chippawa close to Niagara Falls to the south. The Battle of Question Heigh

New Colchester Gazette November 4, 1861. Today at Longhorn Ranch our brave boys gave the lop-eared Tories another good drubbing. Eyewitnesses say the enemy commander Col. Rusty Ringpiece was killed and his men routed in fierce hand to hand combat led by the gallant Maj. Frenchie Simmons. Wounded in the attack, Simmons brushed off his injuries as a small price to pay to ensure the rights and freedoms of the great State of Missouri. Mr & Mrs Stye at The Piggery were most impres

Coracles have been seen off the coast near Southwold! Will the wild, painted Picti from the North ally with the Saxons or are they on their own mission of plunder? I have been busy painting a Pict contingent for our ongoing Dux Britanniarum campaign set in Caer Colun. The archers are old Irregular and Minifigs 25mil. They bring to mind Rosemary Sutcliff’s description of the wee dark folk: "Long before the Epidii came following their white horse out of the sunrise, long befor

The troops painted, it is time to play-test the Persian amendments for Alala! in preparation for the Society of Ancients Cunaxa Battle...

The British had a heavy gun batterry on the heights above Queenston Village in the 1812 battle. This battery disrupted the American...

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...