Sunday, August 21, 2011

Book Review - "How Can Man Die Better"

  So this blog is about a book I just finished, "How Can Man Die Better" The Secrets of Isandlwana Revealed by Lt. Colonel Mike Snook ISBN: 978-1-84832-581-4.  While I like the Colonial period, for some reason I have never been a big fan of the Zulu War. However, due to the movie "Zulu" and later "Zulu Dawn" it is one part of the history people know most. But, being a good wargamer, I have tried to educate myself on the Zulu War as time has gone.  I have found this book to a bit of a dry read, not sure why but never-the-less IMHO, a very informative one.

  Unlike Rorke's Drift, the few survivors give no over-all picture of the event, due to it's size and scope. Mr. Snook has tried to fill in some of the gaps with information from both the British and Zulu sides as well as some Common Sense and military logic of the period.

  Some might say he is doing "revisionist" history, but in my opinion, he is attempting to "revise" history, much like what has been done in with "The Battle of Little Bighorn" in recent years, to show a clearer picture of what happened where and when, and to perhaps dispel some of the myths about this battle. This is my opinion of the book and I would say that it is well worth the read and see what you think as to whether the author is successful in his attempt.

TTFN

Friday, August 12, 2011

I can now Respond (I hope)

My wholehearted apologizes to people who have left comments and I have not responded. I just now, being a noodle-loaf figured out this thing was not set up right to.....
1. Let me know a Comment was left
2. Let me respond to Comment(s)

  I promise to "endeavor to persevere" in the future!

TTFN

Thursday, August 11, 2011

HAIL CAESAR!

As in my last Blog, I stated I was going to post photos of the test game of "Hail Caesar!" play tested at a friends house on 7/29/2011. Here are some photos to wet the appetite and the link to the full album on Photobucket will follow, as there are 47 photos in all.


Roman Auxilia in melee with a German Warband
German Cavalry on the move

A German Warband defending the village!

Roman Auxilia Infantry in combat with Auxilia Cavalry in support


Another shot of the combat

All 47 photos (good/bad & so-so) can be seen at:



Because of the number of photos, I downloaded them all there! However, as I was jsut taking photos of the miniatures, there is no a AAR with them... Enjoy!


TTFN

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

PIQUET - Battle of Archon

Here are some photos from the PIQUET - Ancient Pitched Battles - The Battle of Archon in 10mm - Romans vs (I believe) Greek Successor States army run at HMGS Day 8/7 at Aero Hobbies by the kind Mr. Greg Kildare! He and a friend of mine played the Greeks.

The Romans - ready for battle

The Greeks

The Enemy!

Natives- Indian Allies of the Greeks - Elephants
Skirmishers covering Cavalry

The Roman forces with their skirmishers in the lead - The round base is a Command base

The dreaded Greek phalanx!

Elephants advancing in front of the archers - the round base in the back is the Greek General mounted on an elephant

Elephants vs Roman Legionaries - The Romans will win this fight and make the Elephant unit run away!

The Roman skirmishers try to soften up the Greek phalanxes

I move a Heavy Roman Legion with an attached Command Base to crush the archers in melee!

Enemy Cavalry move past their skirmishers

My skirmishers melee with enemy chariots (they are just skirmishers!)
My right flank - I have a cavalry unit hit in the flank, my cavalry engages the chariots while my skirmishers take a break and watch (being unformed at this point)

The skirmishers continue to try to give the Phalanxes a hard time...

The Romans hit the phalanxes...not one of my better plans...which I decided not to do again after they where sent packing! (But were later Rallied)

My right flank again - Holding but I didn't make any of the enemy units run away and I took some losses in the process

Come on, break darn it! NO, not my units.....HIS!

Hit in the flank again...OUCH!

My Left flank, holding..

Trying to hit the flank of a phalanx (failed) but Legionaries on the top of the hill are hitting a light Greek infantry unit - on the left just next to the hill is a Roman unit that knocked a infantry unit with the attached Greek Army General out of the battle (broke the unit)


Sorry, no more photos but that was the battle as the Greek Army was out of Morale chits some time ago and couldn't rally any broken units! And as I have broken the center and the remaining center units fled, that was that!


TTFN

Where have I Been?

Well, in July I have major dental surgery (5 bone grafts/4 teeth removed) and it has sucked the life out of me till just recently. So I have been getting back into action....


Late Romans - I have painting these for sale for a few years now and I am getting back into finishing them. This infantry is getting ready for its "Army Painter" shade treatment. More photos of them to follow...




Cargo ships based & ready for using with the "Victory at Sea" rules



British WWI Battle Cruise "Invincible". I am getting ships for using "The Age of Dreadnoughts" version of the "Victory at Sea" rules ready to play. Not quite finished yet, as the wake and a few touch-ups are required.


Looking at them from above


When my order from Litko comes in, I will do the rest of the ships I have. I also need to get the next unit of Late Romans out of the box and get them prepped to be primed and painted.



I also played a test game of the ancients rules "Hail Caesar!" at a friends house on 7/29, feeling up to it that day. On 8/7 HMGS day occurred at Aero Hobbies and I played Romans in a PIQUET - Ancient Battles and won! I will post photos of those games on this blog in the next post -

TTFN