Innholdsfortegnelse for WSS 129 i Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy

“Behold, Hattusilis, the Great Prince of Hatti, has set himself in a regulation with User-maat-Re Setep-en-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, beginning from this day, to cause that good peace and brotherhood occur between us forever, while he is in brotherhood with me and he is at peace with me, and I am in brotherhood with him and I am at peace with him forever.” — The Silver Treaty, 1259 BC After the battle of Kadesh, something new happened between the Hittites and the victorious Egyptians. The sides came together and signed a peace treaty. In it, both sides agreed not only to stop attacking each other, but to enter into a mutal defence pact to guard against outside threats. Although other ancient texts survive referring to treaties, the Silver…

With no other prospects, many faded into the wilderness, only to reemerge when the opportunity presented itself. This resulted in a form of guerrilla warfare that the Normans found difficult to counter. While the Saxons struggled to contend with Norman cavalry and castles, the Normans found it difficult to search the vast unfamiliar wilderness for the hidden bands of fighters. loyal retainers. He was gifted properties in the lands northwest of London. There, Louis built a fortified manor in the village of Eitone, though this project required knocking down and relocating nearly half the village homes. This did not ingratiate Sir Louis to his new Anglo-Saxon subjects, who did not appreciate being forced to relocate at their own expense. Bishop Odo was a hard man and expected a lot from…

There was something about this withdrawal that sparked my imagination. Initially stumped by a lack of information, I later came across detailed research on the WW2 Talk site concerning the 15th/19th Hussars’ disastrous encounter with the enemy at Asse. This led to the unearthing of more information, including the Hussars’ war diary for this period. What follows is the end result. SCREENING THE BEF The 15th/19 Hussars were on the far left of the British screen. After covering roads west and northwest of Brussels, they were ordered to move north to a position east of the small town of Asse at 08.45 on 18 May. There, the unit was to delay the German advance, buying time for Belgian units further north to pull back. Equipped only with machine gun-armed Mk…

One of the most visceral passages of Homer's Iliad (in what is, let's face it, a thoroughly visceral tale) is in Book XVII where Patroclus is killed. A battle is then fought over his body. Achilles has quarrelled with Agamemnon and sits brooding in his quarters, but his companion Patroclus has borrowed the great hero's armour and led his loyal Myrmidons to the defence of the Achaean camp. However, despite fighting bravely and almost reaching the walls of Troy, Patroclus is brought low by the fickle Gods – in this case, Apollo – who knocks him down, after which he is hit by a spear thrown by Euphorbus, and then finished off by Hector. A furious battle then erupts over Patroclus's corpse. Hector wants to bear the armour off as…

For those wishing to use Lion Rampant 2, use the following stats: Israelites We assume that Jonathan's force is himself, his shield bearer and a small retinue of followers. • Elite Foot* (Saul) @6 points • Bloodthirsty Elite Foot (Jonathan) @8 points • 2x Light Infantry with javelins @8 points • 1x Slingers (Archers 12” range) @6 points • 1x Skirmishers @2 points If the battle turns, the following become available to the Israelites. • 1x Skirmishers @2 points • 2x Levied Infantry @ 2 points Philistines •1x Chariot* @6 points •2x Chariots @6 points • 3x Warrior Infantry @12 points • 1x Light Infantry with javelins @4 points • 1x Light Infantry with javelins (Israelites) @4 points * Denotes general is present.…

COLUMN Clausewitz's statement on friction that: “Everything is very simple in war, but the simplest thing is difficult” is doubly so at night. Nighttime makes even basic tasks, such as attacking in the right direction, that much more difficult and prone to failure. Such mistakes can result in costly delays and accidents that can derail the best-laid plans. Moreover, problems such as friendly fire are significantly more likely under such conditions. In short, military operations at night can easily go awry for the simplest of reasons, even when elite troops are involved. In 2013, for example, the Unites States SEALs attempted a night raid in Somalia on the headquarters of the Islamic militant group Al-Shabaab. By chance, the American special forces unit was spotted while deploying for the assault by…

Warships of the First Schleswig War (1848-1850) By William Eugen Warner ISBN: 979-8410361200 (Indepently published, 2022) - £25.15 Wargamers are often drawn to obscure battles, campaigns, and wars. These periods often require specialty miniatures (thank you 3D printing) that gamers like to produce. As a wargamer of many decades, I thought I knew about most obscure wars, including the shortest war, the Anglo-Zanzibar War, but was surprised at a recent book with the subtitle “The Rise of Steam Naval Combat”. This book by William Eugene Warner, PhD, is on the Warships of the First Schleswig War of 1848-1850, which predates the naval combat of the American Civil War and the Crimean War. I was ready to dig in. At 195 pages, the book is comprehensive, and covers the causes and…

The British strategy for 1781 was to put more pressure on the Americans by launching raids into Virginia, from which Greene's army in the Carolinas was supplied and reinforced. General Clinton chose Portsmouth as a base of operations and ordered the loyalist American Legion led by the turncoat Benedict Arnold to destroy the supplies of the Continental Army. The idea behind the Legion's was to raise an all-American loyal army that would inspire other loyalists to join their cause and fight the American rebels. In practice, this didn't pan out, so Arnold's forces were brought to strength with other loyalist units, chief among them John Simcoe's Queen's rangers. Arnold commanded some 1200 men with some dedicated artillery and some Ranger cavalry. Using shallow draft vessels and the river systems in…

British 15TH/19TH HUSSARS Regimental HQ • Mk VIB Light Tank (HMG)* • 3 figures, Scout Carrier, ATR** A Squadron • 2 × Mk VIB Light Tanks (HMG) • 9 figures, 3 × Scout Carriers, ATR B Squadron • 2 × Mk VIB Light Tanks (HMG) • 9 figures, 3 × Scout Carriers, ATR C Squadron • 2 × Mk VIB Light Tanks (HMG) • 9 figures, 3 × Scout Carriers, ATR 4TH GORDON HIGHLANDERS (Machine Gun Battalion) 1st Company • 6 figures, 2 × Vickers MMG, 2 × 15cwt trucks * Heavy machine gun armament ** Anti-tank rifle German From move 2 onwards: VORAUSABTEILUNG MARCKS (19th Infantry Division) A. Heavy Recce Company Kfz 13 armoured car (MG)*, 3 figures, PAK 36 37mm AT gun, light truck B. Recce Platoon 12 figures (bicycles), ATR C.…

Controlling such a large empire required a state of military readiness. In around 1350 BC, the Hittite empire was engaged in several conflicts. On its western borders, the vassal state of Arzawa (in modern-day western Anatolia) was under threat of invasion from the Ahhiya; the latter was a Hittite general term for the various Achaean Greek kingdoms that existed at the time. The Greeks had already established a city at MillawandaMilawata (better known as Miletus) in circa 1450 BC, an important toehold on the mainland. The Ahhiya invaders were led by Attarsiya, recognised by the Hittites as a minor king. He was an aggressive leader and probably operated from Miletus, using piracy and raids to disrupt trade and conquer territory from the Hittites. It is also probable that his forces…

After the Sea Peoples failed to capture Egypt, they seem to have struck a deal with the Pharaohs, settling around Canaan before pushing into Judea. The Philistines managed to establish forts and garrisons deep into the Judean mountain territory, including a stronghold at Gibeah, just three miles north of Jerusalem. This site overlooked several of the Israelite tribes and was within easy raiding distance. Saul faced a further threat from the East in the form of another group, the Ammonites, who tried to take advantage of the weakness of Judah to seize more of their territory. Saul's first campaign was to march to the relief of Jabesh-gilead, a city under siege from the Ammonites. The tribes of Israel were notoriously divided, with many bitter rivalries. Saul was forced to threaten…

This review looks at suitable models for the Bronze Age period, focussing where possible on the Hittites… the dark lords of Hattusa! What follows is a brief guide to the models available. As always, space and time prohibit us from covering every single manufacturer, and we are using what has been kindly supplied in time for our deadline. We have included the Magister Militum range, as we understand this is changing hands and will be back in production. The ranges are classified as follows: Basic (basic infantry only); Standard (has the essential infantry and command); Comprehensive (as Standard, but with support and other options); and Complete (you would have to think hard to come up with units they do not have). Essex Miniatures 28mm Range: Comprehensive Size: 27mm ‘foot to…

In this article, I'll show you how to paint two Spanish adventurers involved in the conquest of Mexico (1519-1521), using the Wargames Atlantic plastic Conquistadors. All the paints used in the guide are from Vallejo, unless otherwise indicated: Model Color (VMC), Model Air (VMA), and Game Color (VGC). Start by cleaning the plastic models and glueing them together. I used grey as an undercoat because all colours cover it easily. THE SKIN I start with the skin. My painting style uses the “layering method”, beginning with shades and progressively applying highlight layers. I'm shading with Tan (066, VGC), using Dwarf Skin (041, VGC) as a base, and the latter mixed with Ice Yellow (858, VMC) for the highlights. Start by applying an even layer of Tan over all the skin…

When Nightmares Come By Patrick Todoroff (Osprey Wargames, 2024) £14.99 Dice: D4, D6, D8, and D10, Alternate Turn (IGO-UGO) ‘An investigative Wargame of supernatural horror’ – this game is set in modern times and covers various investigations into strange and mysterious phenomena. The game is played on a 2×2 foot area and is for a cooperative team of up to 5 players. A campaign (or ‘case’) typically consists of six scenarios. If you are familiar with computer games, think along those lines, with various encounters leading to the big boss fight. Along with miniatures (five investigators and a few dozen minions, plus a big boss), you need typical blast templates. They are similar in size to templates for 40K, since the sizes are a 3” circle, a 5” circle, and…

or how the Lincoln Model Railway and Wargames Society changed the world Volumes 1 & 2 By Robin Dews and John Stallard ISBN: 978-1739476007 (Shaggy Dog Publishing, 2023) - £55.00 Well now. This is one of the best books about the wargaming industry ever published. For anyone who has not yet come face to face with this beautiful piece of work, here is the skinny: it comes in a hardback presentation slipcase of two half-inch thick softback A4 volumes, it weighs about the same as a 1987 Ford Fiesta, and it is an artefact so intrinsically stunning that even non-wargamers will pause upon catching a glance at it, execute a theatrical double-take and say, “Ooh - that looks nice! Is it about that painting-thing you do? Let's have a look,…

One of the big challenges of using paint sprays or airbrushes is the spread of droplets, which go past your target model. Now you can spray vertically, but this has its own problems. Ideally, for the best coverage, you want to spray horizontally while rotating your miniature. I use a very large bag, such as an IKEA bag, as a collapsible spray booth. Make sure you and your booth have plenty of fresh air circulation, as proper ventilation is not included! – Carvel Londsdale STORAGE SOLUTIONS Many wargamers sequester their ever-growing collections in a mishmash of repurposed storage containers. None of these are very space efficient, especially when multiple different types of boxes are used at the same time. This is not a problem when we first start collecting, but…

COLUMN Warhammer: The Old World – and let's give it its full title – is not just a relaunch of a familiar game, but a return to the classic Warhammer format after an absence of nearly nine years. In 2015, Games Workshop took it upon themselves to destroy the Warhammer setting, supposedly for good, in a campaign they called The End Times. This heralded the exit of the old Warhammer game and paved the way for the new Age of Sigmar take on fantasy – a modern, whizzy all-action tabletop affair featuring all sorts of superheroes and monsters in comic book style. I think. To be honest, I could not bring myself to look. And so, the Warhammer world – and the whole concept of the mass-battle fantasy game –…

Rameses says: PAY TO PLAY Mercenary troops can be just as loyal or more loyal than your own troops. When I defeated and captured the Sherden pirates, I took these veteran fighters and made them my personal bodyguards. During the Bronze Age, ancient peoples began to smelt copper and alloy it with tin to produce a metal that was harder than copper by itself. Tin was relatively scarce, so trade networks for it developed in order to meet the demand. The impact of this new, harder metal was evident in tools and the things they could produce: in culture, art, and especially in weapons. Warfare, therefore, became far more formalized and organized. Indeed, it is in the Bronze Age that we see the very first armies and the first historically…

Here are some suggested army lists for this scenario using Hail Caesar and Swordpoint. These also could be sued for Warhammer Ancient Bsttles. For Hail Caesar, use the Hittite lists from page 15 and the Mycenaean list from page 16 of the Biblical and Classical army lists supplement. For Swordpoint, use the Hittite list from page 16-17 and the Trojan War list from pages 19 of the Chariot Armies supplement. In the following lists, a standard sized infantry unit will typically consist of 18-24 models and a standard chariot unit four models. A small unit should be 10-12 models. Ahhiya (Achaean Greeks) The army should be divided into three commands. • Attarsiya – Army General (leadership 9, counts as an Over King if using Swordpoint) • Two sub commanders (leadership…

This battle can be adapted for larger-scale rules like Hail Caesar or Swordpoint. For Hail Caesar, use the Israel and Judean lists for Saul from page 22 and the Sea Peoples list from page 21 of the Biblical and Classical army lists supplement. For Swordpoint, use the Israelite list from page 21 and the Philistine list from pages 19-20 of the Chariot Armies supplement. Here is our suggestion for the armies for both systems. A standard sized infantry unit will typically consist of 18-24 models and a standard chariot unit of four models. A small unit should be 10-12 models. Israelites • King Saul (leadership 10) • 1x Standard unit of Gibborim guard • 5x Standard units of Judean spearmen • 2x Small unit of Benjamite light infantry with slings…

By Andy Chambers & Cav Thorpe (Warlord Games, 2023) £25 for the rulebook, £75 for the set (8 robots, scenery, cards, dice and rulebook) Special 6 sided 2000 AD dice. Chit-driven activation system ABC warriors is the latest sci-fi skirmish game offering from Warlord Games, and part of their ever-expanding range of tabletop games based on the 2000 AD comics. Those fans of Warlord's other 2000 AD tabletop offerings will be pleased to see that ABC warriors continues to make use of the common ruleset. Although humans (humorously referred to as “floppies”) take damage in the same fashion as Strontium Dog, or Judge Dredd, your robots will be significantly tougher, being immune to pinning and still capable of acting even after taking significant damage (presumably there is a lot of…