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, 20233 min read
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...
133 views3 comments
Simon MacDowall
Aug 19, 20233 min read
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....
558 views0 comments
Simon MacDowall
Aug 17, 20233 min read
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...
399 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
Aug 15, 20231 min read
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...
49 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
Aug 8, 20231 min read
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...
69 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
Jul 21, 20231 min read
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....
114 views3 comments
Simon MacDowall
Jul 12, 20232 min read
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...
125 views5 comments
Simon MacDowall
Jul 5, 20231 min read
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...
66 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
Jun 10, 20231 min read
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...
59 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
May 27, 20231 min read
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...
120 views2 comments
Simon MacDowall
May 19, 20231 min read
Armenians for Manzikert
Next up on the painting table is a unit of 11th C Armenians for my Byzantine army. The Armenian Theme was unwisely abandoned by Emperor...
88 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
May 8, 20232 min read
When is a Peltast not a Peltast?
Many, many, years ago when the world was young, 28mm had not yet been invented, and wargames shops still existed. Back then, browsing...
111 views4 comments
Simon MacDowall
Apr 26, 20232 min read
Mini Mantinea
A number of our group were unable to make it to the Society of Ancients Battle Day. Therefore I put on another Mantinea game with Alala!...
95 views1 comment
Simon MacDowall
Apr 5, 20233 min read
Both sides win and lose
Last weekend I put on an Alala! game at the 19th Society of Ancients Battle Day featuring 2nd Mantinea (362 BC). As ever, the day was...
320 views9 comments
Simon MacDowall
Jan 19, 20233 min read
A Hole in the Walls of Babylon
My 25mil Byzantine army has just its first table-top outing in more than 3 decades! The game was set in early AD 1061 when most of...
140 views2 comments
Simon MacDowall
Jan 15, 20231 min read
More Turks
Fresh off the painting table is another unit of Seljuk Turks as allies or enemies for my 10th-11th C Byzantine army. The figures are a...
50 views4 comments
Simon MacDowall
Dec 21, 20221 min read
New Life for Old Turks
Many years ago, with all the best intentions, I thought I would build a Seljuk army to oppose my Byzantines and to fight the actions of...
69 views3 comments
Simon MacDowall
Dec 19, 20222 min read
From Ancient to Medieval Greeks
I have shifted focus from the 4th C BC to the 11th C AD. This is down to a planned Siege of Antioch game (1st Crusade) in January and...
189 views4 comments
Simon MacDowall
Dec 5, 20223 min read
Hereward re-awakes
Leaving aside my Ancient Greeks for a while, I recently found myself embroiled in an attempt to suppress Hereward the Wake’s East Anglian...
111 views3 comments
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