How's it going MrF?

Oh dear, the paints have been out again after a few months on the sidelines. The last time we had this 'urge' (you ALL know what its like...) saw us building hordes of AWI Armies, mostly due to Giles Allisons BRILLIANT Tarletons Quarter Blog http://gilesallison.blogspot.com/

I've been trawling around the blogs & websites lately. Quite frankly the paint jobs out there are getting better & better, so in total envy we're back into 'Building Army' mode. We don't have any fancy set up, all the kit is in trays or boxes & the dining table is the base. So along with some good EBay purchases & plain lead, the armies are coming along nicely.

What's in the pipeline? Wargames Illustrated have just ran a great series on the 30YW, so along with a free download of flags http://www.wargamesillustrated.net/reader.asp, we've got a Dutch Army. I do fancy a 30YW French Army, complete with D'Artagnons Musketeers, so that's on the go. French Huguenots are not far behind, to go with our existing English Elizabethans. We've also finished some elements to complete our AWI Armies.

Oh and thanks to the fantastic Phils War Cabinet http://www.warcabinet.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/army_showcase%20%20italian%20wars.htm we're just finishing off an Italian Wars Imperial Army with loads of those 'hairy germans in pyjamas', Landsknects. Just need some Artillery for them, I do like Vexillia Ltds Landsknect Artillery & will be buying some when funds allow. http://www.vexillia.ltd.uk/venexia/images/scangi41a.jpg

The 'Tools of Creation'....


Dutch Cuirassiers & Dragoons, Huguenots, AWI Cavalry & Infantry


Finished elements & stuff ready for Basing


Now I'm going to have a rant. I was looking through the 'creations' the other day & have you ever had that 'I just don't like the look of them...' urge? Well it was our Sassanid Persians & I'm not happy with our current banners. Yes I know LBM do a flag sheet, but it's for 28mm. (I once spent an eternity at a Games Show Stand measuring up the LBM flagsheet against one of our Sassanid figures. After much 'oooing & aaarring', I still wasn't happy, as it would of meant cutting down the lovely flags. So I left, buying a paintbrush in guilt at taking up so much of the nice traders time..).

I've also seen the free Persian flags on Fanticus, but I've used them elsewhere. I've trawled round Google, looking for Sassanid designs, but found very little. SO... if anyone out there has some cool designs & wouldn't mind sharing them, then please please please leave a comment on our blog with a link or something.

I'm due to start a 7 day shift pattern at work, so new posts may be thin on the ground.
Cheers MrF

BBDBA II/47(f) Tencerti Early Germans

Here's 36 elements of Ferocious Hairy Germans, a BBDBA army based on the Tencerti.
Imagine this lot staring at you across the battlefield baying for blood!

f) Tencerti - 2x3Cv(Gen), 1x4Wb(Gen), 3x2Lh, 27x3Wb, 3x2Ps

Tencerti Early Germans








Just to spice things up, we including some Warhounds, they will act as Warbands.

BBDBA Early Imp.Rome vs Dacians/Sarmations

Back in 2006, England played in another Football Tournament. So fearing the worst we had a BBDBA game as the match played. Well it was a good thing, as England crashed out again. It is tough being a supporter of the two most 'disappointing' football teams in history, Middlesbrough & England. Oh & don't mention Middlesbroughs latest pathetic performance in the FA Cup, beaten 2-0 at home in the FA Cup Quarter Finals... but GOOD LUCK to Cardiff, we hope you go on to win it.

Anyway this is a DBA Blog so back to the 'REAL' action. Romans & Dacians again. I played the Dacians with Sarmation allies, Jack was the evil Romans.


II/56 Early Imperial Roman 3x3Cv(Gen), 4x3Cv, 1x2Lh, 1x2Ps, 12x4Bd, 12x4Ax, 3xArt

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II/52 Dacians 1x4Wb(Gen), 1x3Cav(Gen), 2x2Lh, 12x3Wb, 4x3Bd, 4x2Ps

II/26 Sarmations 1x3Kn(Gen), 11x3Kn

My plan was to have the Sarmations as one Big Fist, crush Jacks Flank then sweep into his centre. The Dacians would just use the terrain & hold the centre. Jack was too over confident & placed his units all over, his cavalry were used in the centre.

Initial Set-up, Dacians on the left, Romans the right.
Jack sports his England shirt for Good Luck.


View from the Dacian lines


Both games are in full swing


Jacks Roman set-up


All the Sarmations (this was before we built our Old Glory Sarmation Army shown earlier)


Jack attacks 'en masse'


RAAAHooooo! or whatever Sarmations cry riding into battle...


Nice match up in the centre, Dacian Blades in the centre, Warband to the right


The Dacian King leads a small force through the woods


Jacks centre, Blades & Cavalry about to crush the Warbands


HO HO HO! It's looking good for the Sarmations


Jack reinforces his left flank


Sarmations again...


The Roman Legate takes cover between some Artillery.


Jack lines up his attack in the centre.


The lines engage in the centre.


The Dacian Blades quickly HACK down the Romans, the way is open!


Jacks Auxillia get 'bogged down' before the swamp (sorry bad pun...),
he could of used these units elsewhere


Ohh, look at that open space!! Jacks General has to take action.


Nice view across the battlefield, the Sarmations find the way is open to the Roman camp.


As expected, the Sarmations are winning the hill.


Jack's looking troubled! He knows the end is near.


It's a stalemate in the centre



He's had enough & so have England in the Footy.


A nice battle, Jack knows were he went wrong. After this game his tactics got better (& mine got worse!). 12 Sarmation Knights ploughing into your line is a toughie!!!

DBA II/52 Dacian

Here's our Dacian Army that was featured in one of our battles posted earlier.
http://mrfarrow2udba.blogspot.com/2008/01/dba-early-imperial-rome-vs-dacia.html

II/52 Dacian 60BC-106AD
1x4Wb or 3Cav(Gen), 1x2Lh, 6x3Wb, 1x3Bd, 2x2Ps, 1x3Bd or 3Kn or 2Ps or Art

Well for the final selection we have gone for the Knight option...Sarmations!
So we've imported an element from our Sarmation Army.

We got the majority of these from Ebay, they were sold as a Thracian/Dacian morphable army. They look like Essex Minis, the Sarmations are Old Glory.

The Dacian Army

The Dacian King, Cavalry General

Dacian Light Horse

Dacian Warband

Psiloi

Dacian Blades, ready to chop up Romans

Mighty Sarmation Knights