Tribola at Hereward

On Sunday I motored across to Peterborough for the Hereward show, where mates James Morris, Mog and Matt were putting on a spectacular game using "To the Strongest!". I travelled up with mate Dug who very kindly took these photos.

Our "Tribola" game featured an attack on a Roman column by Lusitanian freedom fighter led by Viriatus. I won't write much about it as I understand that James plans to publish the scenario in one of the magazines. As well as James and Mog's minis, the game featured James' superb mountain that was used for Keren, admirably re-purposed as well as some new rocky outcrops.

In the game a Roman column of four legions has been lured into a trap by vengeful Lusitanian rebels. You may just be able to make out the grid which was marked with tufts; the shot is taken at the start of the battle.

James' mountain towered over the other end of the table. It is absolutely huge and the build quality is superb; the design is really well thought out with panels bolting on to a wooden frame.

Above, a shot from late in the battle, when the action became confused as Lusitanian horse harrassed isolated Roman units. The minis were beautifully painted by James and Mog. Below, I contributed a few units of Roman baggage to the game- pack mules from Tiger Miniatures, some lightly converted, temporarily based to match James' terrain.

 

We played the scenario twice and it was a lot of fun. We used the "experimental" Polybian list which has more resilient Roman units that performed well even when attacked from multiple directions- "Form orbis!"

This was the Hereward show's second year and somewhat larger than the first. The venue was very good and the event has become a regular in my gaming calendar.

Arriba Espana!

Today I uploaded another army list to the BigRedBatShop; this time ancient Spanish, and I thought I'd show a pic of the few Spanish caetrati (round shield bearers) that I finished some years back. I have more in the loft that just need basing, just not enough time to do it! It was interesting to research this list.  Over the last decade opinion seems to have shifted towards a regular battlefield role for the Spanish, compared to previously, when they were considered more as guerillas.

The new list can be found here. 

In other news, mate and proof-reader-extraordinaire Aaron has played a game of To the Strongest- you can read his after action review here and here.  

Dipping my toe... Done

Here are the two completed (clickable) units of Spanish caetrati.  The twelve figures without falcata were dipped; the other 8 with the swords I bought on eBay and were (rather nicely!) painted by DPS.  All the minis are Foundry or Companion, except the leader who is Gripping Beast.

I'm very pleased with the dip.  I feel that a base colour, highlight and dip over the top (with overbrushing for whites) gives a better effect than the three colour method, and is quite a bit faster.

Dipping my toe... Part Deux.

I dipped my first unit last week, some Spanish Caetrati, and I've only just managed to varnish them, as below.

I used strongtone dip.  This worked very well, except on the whites which became rather too dingy.  However, I overpainted the whites and was pleased with how they came out, especially as this means I will be able to up my painting rate.  I'll take a better photo when they are all based up.

My painting table is overflowing with minis as I'm currently working on 4 units in parallel; an EIR cohort in the front, 2 units of 10 Spanish, rear left, and 9 successor pikemen, rear right.  This is part of my plan to finish off most of the half painted units I have lying around.

Dipping my toe...

These chaps are some Foundry/Companion/GB ancient Spanish Caetrati (small shield-bearing infantry) that I've blocked in, and hope to find time to dip later today.  If it works, they will have been a pretty quick job by my standards.  The Foundry Spanish are very nice, I wish there was a compete range of them.  I like them rather more than their Crusader/A&A equivalents.

Numidian Royal Bodyguard

These miniatures were splendidly painted by my mate Nick Speller, and based by me.  They form the Royal bodyguard of my Numidian army.  Numidian Kings often recruited Spanish cavalry "with bridles" for this role (at least in Caesar's time).  They are also the final unit my the Numidian army, which now has just under 300 minis.

I've used whatever figures came to hand; some (late lamented) Companion miniatures, sent to me by Mike Adams in the US, two Crusader Spanish and a couple of A&A Numidians.  The horses include some Aventines, and the splendid standard is Aventine.  I added rosettes and fringes to the horses to give them a Spanish flavour.

 And here they are from behind.  This shows the irregular basing style I favour on all my cavalry.

These'll be Masinissa's bodyguard at Zama.  

In other news... I hope to start the 6th terrain board today.  We also have a table number at Salute, but I don't know exactly where in the hall it is, at the moment.

On the Painting Table

In the brief intervials between slapping gunk on boards, I've been trying to base some of the last units I'm contributing  to the game.  Below are some Spanish cavalry painted by Nick Speller, that need matt varnishing and basing.

 

And below here are some Foundry Thessalians painted by myself and Andy Bryant, that I'm in the process of converting to shielded Hellenistic cavalry.   They will stand in, on the day, as Carthaginian heavies.

 

Viva Espana!

I received an unexpected package in the post from Nick Speller today, containing the Spanish cavalrymen for my Numidian General's bodyguard.  He's done a fine job on these, as ever!   The minis are Companion, Foundry and Crusader, mounted on whatever horses I could find; a couple of the Aventine horses mixed in very nicely.  I added rosettes, medallions and fringes to some of the horses, for a Spanish flavour.  Ole!

 

I'll base them over the next week, and post a proper picture when they are done.  They may well become my nicest cavalry unit.

Not my Spanish!

These figures are part of a Spanish contingent painted by Nick Speller for our Zama game.  He's also painting a good proportion of the veterans.  Nick's a top chap who paints a lot of minis for me. 

 

Spanish foot

 

 

Celtiberian Foot

 

Spanish Cavalry

Spanish light cavalry

Nick has painted Masinissa's bodyguard for me; I'm very much looking forward to seeing them!

Ancient Spanish Light Cavalry

This is a lousy photo of the germ of my projected Ancient Spanish army.  I have most of the minis I need, but they won't be painted for some time yet! 

I do like these Foundry minis, which I bought off my mate George and repainted.  The fringes on the horses' harnesses are a nice feature.  I'll probably use them for Zama, on the Carthaginian side.