A quiet start to the year and a decision has been made. After several months of umming and ahhing I have decided to retire. This means closing down the house in Brussels at the end of the summer and for the moment at least, moving back to our house in South Dorset. I have stopped putting any new projects on the painting table, but am concentrating upon finishing those things that I have started.
With one exception. I bought copy of the new Men of Bronze rules from Osprey. An interesting set in that the focus purely upon Greek Hoplite warfare and its interaction with the nations and civilisations that were on the periphery of the Greek world. Alas no naval action is included but that is probably easily managed.
So I went into the garage and dug out the greeks that i started nearly 20 years ago - even then these were Foundry figures bought to replace an earlier collection of a mixture of Minifig and Garrison figures that I had owned since the mid to late 70s. For some reason, and I probaly blame Roger Lancyn Green for this, along with Mary Renault and other historical novelists, the ancient Greek world always seemed to me the epitome of ancient warfare. And accessible too with the rivalry of the city states, and the impact of the Persians and to an extent the celts. Rome seemed than so passé. :)
Any way the rules allow for about 60 to 80 figures to represent the Phalanx of a city state and its supporting arms. The writer uses 10 figures to represent a unit. for seem reason I think it more greek to use a base 8 organisation. Well for the moment. The rules do not need casualyt removal, They do need a way of indicating if the unit is in Open or Closed order ( phalanxes only) so I reckon to use a single base and a marker in the future. This will cut the painting time for sure, will allow a greater variety of armies from the xisting collection and deeper formations can be "sorted". Macedonian phalanxes will be 16 figures and pike armed where needed, the Thebans 3 deep, or perhaps double depth. I have not got there yet. Whatever it should yield an easily transported game and one that is quick to set up and take down. Pictures when I have something more to show.
With one exception. I bought copy of the new Men of Bronze rules from Osprey. An interesting set in that the focus purely upon Greek Hoplite warfare and its interaction with the nations and civilisations that were on the periphery of the Greek world. Alas no naval action is included but that is probably easily managed.
So I went into the garage and dug out the greeks that i started nearly 20 years ago - even then these were Foundry figures bought to replace an earlier collection of a mixture of Minifig and Garrison figures that I had owned since the mid to late 70s. For some reason, and I probaly blame Roger Lancyn Green for this, along with Mary Renault and other historical novelists, the ancient Greek world always seemed to me the epitome of ancient warfare. And accessible too with the rivalry of the city states, and the impact of the Persians and to an extent the celts. Rome seemed than so passé. :)
Any way the rules allow for about 60 to 80 figures to represent the Phalanx of a city state and its supporting arms. The writer uses 10 figures to represent a unit. for seem reason I think it more greek to use a base 8 organisation. Well for the moment. The rules do not need casualyt removal, They do need a way of indicating if the unit is in Open or Closed order ( phalanxes only) so I reckon to use a single base and a marker in the future. This will cut the painting time for sure, will allow a greater variety of armies from the xisting collection and deeper formations can be "sorted". Macedonian phalanxes will be 16 figures and pike armed where needed, the Thebans 3 deep, or perhaps double depth. I have not got there yet. Whatever it should yield an easily transported game and one that is quick to set up and take down. Pictures when I have something more to show.
Excellent news re retirement. Now project sounds most interesting. I have read positive things about the rules you mention. I bought a copy but haven’t really looked at it properly yet. The two authors take me back but l have works by them here as l type this. I look forward to seeing the pictures.
ReplyDeleteAlan
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