Tuesday 8 December 2015

Egadi in the Flesh : Storms War and Shipwrecks

http://www.ashmolean.org/images/column2-3/Storms.jpg


Material from the Egadi researches - rams at least - will be on show in the UK next year.
The Ashmolean at Oxford will have an exhibition of maritime materials found around Sicily.

June 21 to September 25

It sound exciting . something to look forward to next summer.

Details HERE

Monday 30 November 2015

DEFENCES FOR HEXAPOLIS

A modular wall system for hexapolis.
With 2mm Irregular strips on walls and in streets.





Monday 16 November 2015

HEXAPOLIS PLANNING APPLICATION APPROVED

Hexapolis project took another step in the weekend.
Basis is 7 tiles : Upmarket housing, Common housing, Citadel, Civic Quarter, Cult Quarter, Merchant Port, Naval Port. Wall sections to follow that will allow the whole to be circumvallated.
First mould and resin tile
Tile painted and Hexapolis
Some 2mm tourists wandering about Hexapolis
Miletus
 Miletus proved to irregular and large to be effectively moulded and cast. Hexapolis allows many different cities to be represented and 2mm figures can be used for some land combat with them.

Wednesday 11 November 2015

Outpost Ships Painted

First batches of OWS 1/3600 reinforcements now painted.
Quinquereme
Hexereme
Quinquereme with courvus
One of each
These models are not as detailed as the trieres but more than detailed enough for this scale.

The quinquereme could be used as a trieres for those wanting to use something more manageable in the fingers.. By removing one or both towers one could also produce different polyremes e.g. no towers = 6 , 1 tower = 7,  2 towers = 8. Maybe.

Monday 9 November 2015

OUTPOST SHIP MODELS


Miletian squadron leaves port

Military harbour of Miletus 1/3000 scale
Expanding the tiny fleet,I bought more of Outpost Wargming Services 1/3600 models.

I undercoated them with grey and here are some views which are rather clearer than those on OWS webpage. The cutting mat grid is 10mm.
Pentekonter with sail raised.
Trireme with sail raised
Pentekonter with sail raised

Pentekonter with sail raised
Merchant sailing ship
Merchant sailing ship
Merchant sailing ship
Hexereme
Hexereme
Hexereme
Hexereme
Quinquereme with corvus

Hexereme to left, Quin with corvus to right
Pentekonter
Pentekonter
Pentekonter
Pentekonter with raised sail
Quinquereme
Quinquereme

Monday 2 November 2015

Hexapolis

Preview of city project. Idea is to be able to make a variety of city terrains in 1/3000 from a set of seven different tiles.
COMMON HOUSING
WEALTHY HOUSING
CULT PRECINCT
CIVIC PRECINCT
CITADEL
MERCANTILE HARBOUR
MILITARY HARBOUR

Plus sections of wall.

The choice of scale is difficult. There are 1/3600 ships, 1/2400 ships - therefore 1/3000 suits both.
With some careful layout the tiles can be used with Irregular's 2mm figures (HERE described by Tony Hughes) - I dont think they will look too bad. Better than counters anyway.
'Rioting in Alexandria' anyone?

Anyone mentioning Moonbase Alpha will be keel-hauled....

Thursday 29 October 2015

HOME SWEET HOME

My homeless ships have now somewhere to moor and ship sheds to be dragged up into.

 This is based on ancient Miletus and I aim to make Rhodos and Piræus too.

Naval harbour in foreground, mercantile harbour background.
Another perspective. Model is made from high-density styrene cut out with knife.

Saturday 24 October 2015

DREPANUM 2.?


Re. recent posting at TMP of a Drepanum refight.....HERE

I also found this write-up from a game blogged last year of the same battle by George Armold at Lone Warrior HERE.

Arnold's seems a bit pedestrian but he seems to get a result without much pain.
The Ilkley version is more colourful and complex but seems to have been less smooth.

Would be nice to find out more about Arnold's 'Classis' rules - even if hexes are not my cup of tea.
Published in Lone Warrior 182.

Thursday 22 October 2015

BATTLE AGAIN

Pirates now to be admonished by two squadrons of Athenians. 25 pirate triereis stand at bay across a strait between rocks and an island. Two squadrons of 10 Athenians approach.... 
Pirate squadrons in strait
Sea-level view
Something on the horizon
Aaaah..Athenians - 2 squadrons
Athenian rush to diekplous rebuffed and threatened from flank as Pirates take close formation.
Pursuing Pirates find Athenians make anastrophe and attempt diekplous
Pursuers decimated and sent packing
Close-order Pirates back water.... to safety ?

Periplous view
Open formation approaches Pirates.
Pirates backed into a small cove
Athenians take close formation and attack
Takes a few rounds but the pirates suffer in the close melee
Inevitable end..Pirates surrender.
 Lessons:
Underdogs need more chance to damage superior side.
Alternate move working ok in preference to interleaved phases. Less confusing and gives more tension.
Nervos velour makes a fantastic sea !