Natholeon
eldannardoTechnically I’ve already painted 5 DBA armies, including an Alexandrian Macedonian. But I’ve sold 4 of them, and Dan and I aren’t gaming in the Marian Roman period, so in a sense, this is the first of a new DBA era.
You might have gleaned that Dan and I have become very fond of this little game. In fact, aside from a Flames of War game, the last time he was here that was all that we played!
Here is the Macedonian army in all of it’s glory. The figures are largely Essex ones that I bought second hand. They were basically painted in thick Humbrol paint and needed stripping. The repaint is better, the first time I’ve used black line technique for my figures, although it won’t be winning any awards! The General is a Museum Miniatures figure, and towers over the Essex to a degree, but he does stand out as a heroic general should. The pikes on the Essex figures were warped when I got them, and they are now as straight as they will ever be. There is something to be said for empty hands and brass rod!
A close up of the Macedonian Phalanx
The subtle complexity of DBA belies its apparent simplicity. As Dan and I get a handle on the basics of the game we have started to think beyond getting a single long line to outflank your opponent (although it doesn’t hurt). We now give greater thought to our opponents strengths when we deploy and look at support. We’ve also learnt to use terrain a little more strategically. In one game last week I took Italian allies to fight his Carthaginians. I broke up the board with rough going to give my Auxilia a nice advantage. This was screwed up by my Built Up Area being in his deployment zone. Dan used three spear elements and threw himself against the walls. The first two became spear shaped smears, but the third was successful in the 3rd bound (the luck of threes I guess). Losing a BUA and the Spear element garrisoning it meant an immediate loss of three elements. Despite manoeuvring well and making his army break up into about 7 groups (difficult for command and control), I lost 1 more element and the game. Never mind. In another game I chomped his general and won fairly quickly, so it all goes in swings and roundabouts. The beauty is that you can get so many games into a day that eventually you have to win one!
The Macedonian Army with the backdrop - it is starting to look a little too pointillist. I might paint a new one on card instead of polystyrene!
I’m currently painting a Persian army to fight the Macedonians, and I’ve finished 4 elements already. I think that I’ve really got the hang of this black figure technique as you’ll see when I post pictures of it, hopefully this weekend. It isn’t fantastic and I’d never use it on 28mm figures, but it is extremely effective for these little fellows. After the Persians it will be back into the Napoleonics- 1 British and 1 French unit. Then another DBA army. Should keep me sane…
Nate
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For me, anyway. My birthday order of RSM95 figs turned up today, along with two extra guns and two generals from Richard by way of an apology for the delay in getting them to me. I’ve said it before, but I really appreciate manufacturers who make an effort, and try to be as loyal to them as possible. I’ve still got 17 WWI Brits to finish, but I couldn’t resist undercoating a French Battalion and painting a test figure, so here he is:
The figures are quite slim and realistically proportioned. Detail is minimal, but enough to clearly see where to paint. Flash was practically non-existant aside from having to file down the bottoms of the bases a little. This was a happy surprise after the Great War miniatures and the amount of time it took to clear up the flash on those!
Another angle:
And another for luck:
These are the start of my battalions for the Die Kriegskunst wargames rules. 16 figures to a battalion for French and British (British can be up to 20). I have 3 battalions of line infantry for the French, although I still need to get a command for one of them. The British have a 20 man battalion, a 16 man battalion, and, when I get a couple more figures, a 12 man grenadier battalion. The intermediate goal is to have 6 battalions, 3 guns and 2 cavalry regiments per side, so I’m well underway. The plan is not to order anything new until I have painted the units that I have got, but I don’t know if that will work… I will aim to get 2 battalions painted a month, though.
Nate
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On 29th March 1918 the German Spring offensive ‘Michael’ was well underway. The British Expeditionary Force was in retreat and there was a dangerous gap forming in the front of the Third Army. Into this gap was thrown the best reserves possible – the Australians and New Zealanders. On the 29th the 1st Rifle battalion made the initial contact at an old Sugar Factory. This Battalion was hard pressed until the arrival of the 2 Auckland battalions and the 2nd Rifle battalion. These troops were tasked with capturing the Serre ridge and linking up with the 4th Aussie Division at Hebuterne.
This scenario is based on the Aucklander’s attack on the Serre ridge. There was a ridgeline where the Germans had established themselves, a hollow in front of it, at the top of which was a hedgeline, and behind which was a sunken road. The Aucklanders pushed through the hedgeline and took the defences on the right, but were slower closer to the road and had to wait until dark for success. I’ve set up the terrain as below:
The New Zealand player has to capture the defences on the Serre ridge (20 victory points each) and La Signy farm (40 points). The German player (remember this is still the great German offensive – they are attacking too!) needs to capture the Sugar Factory and the bend in the sunken road (40 points each). At the end of the game, the player with the most scoring units in objectives, or who last occupied those objectives (allowing troops to attack and pursue the enemy rather than simply holding ground), will count those points. Casualties are immaterial for victory points.
Dan and I will play this tomorrow morning. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Nate
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Well, I’m new to blogging, and I’m sure it will get easier with time. I intend to try and keep a general blog and a wargames blog category. I’ve read that keeping yourself honest with a blog is a great way to stick to a painting schedule, and boy do I need to do that! In the general blogging will be assorted ramblings I guess. The current situation in the Middle East deserves a few good blogs I would think, as would any historical diatribes that I care to launch into.
Nate
