New 16th C. Polish Flags! By Pendraken Miniatures

More releases for the vexillophiles this week, with some excellent Polish banners/pennants now available to add some colour to your Hussar units.

We've got 3 different sheets, each containing 4 of the larger Royal regimental banners, then 30 mixed pennons (3 different designs, 10 of each).  

As with our other recent flag releases, all of these were researched and designed by Forum member Mig, so thanks again to him!

16th C. Polish Flags 

PNFL201 - 16th C. Polish banners/pennons, type 1      £2.50

PNFL202 - 16th C. Polish banners/pennons, type 2      £2.50

PNFL203 - 16th C. Polish banners/pennons, type 3      £2.50

Pendraken Miniatures

Statistics Achieve Planetfall

With the release of Firestorm: Planetfall around 18 months ago, the game has grown steadily to become a massive and engrossing strategic battle game. From the humble beginnings of a single Core Helix and an Allied Helix for each Faction at time of release, the game has now added Heavy Armour Helixes, Recon Helixes, 2 different types of Aerial Helix, Leviathan Helixes, Field Command Helixes and of course our latest exciting release – the Assault Helix (which is packed with loads of devastating robot goodness!).

The Order of Battles (ORBATS) for every model in the game are currently in the Downloads Section, with everything consolidated into a single document. These documents mark many months of testing, and we are looking forward to players around the world using them.

You can find the PDFs on the Spartan Games Downloads Page

In the coming weeks we will be releasing a new Background Document for each Race that highlights each model/element within the Planetfall game, along with operational and strategic background on the formation and battle tactics of each within the game. In addition, each of these Background Documents will have a narrative scenario that is bespoke to their Faction to give players a launch point for thematic games.

And as if that were not enough, we are just about to release a Tournament Pack for Planetfall to open up the game to the competitive gaming sphere, with the scenarios having been tested by the Planetfall Beta Team. If any of you have seen the Halo: Fleet Battles Tournament Pack, expect much the same… yes… it will be awesome!

Of course, this rapacious release schedule has only been possible with the intensive testing and feedback of our Beta Team, who have given of their time and expertise to help develop and build the game into the unqualified success it is today. So to our Beta Crew we say a hearty THANK YOU!

To be a Beta Tester, you gotta be a Fan!… and be willing to play loads of games!… write down feedback… take pictures… report back to the rest of the team… then start the process all over again when the model stats change. It’s not as glamorous as it sounds: it’s actually a lot of hard work, and those folks who are part of the Beta Test deserve great credit for their diligence (and fanaticism!).

If you think you have what it takes to join their ranks, come find me on the Spartan Games Forum and you never know… you may just be crazy enough to join the ranks!

THE FUTURE
With all 6 surrounding Helixes now in-play for the game, what next for the game of Planetfall?

Firstly, the Alliance Factions will be getting their own Core Helixes, which is a most exciting step forward. We will roll these out in pairs, one from each Alliance, and we’ll be showing you some new Alliance models not long after the Salute 2016 wargames show. We have created a linked campaign in the works that will bring all aspects of the Firestorm Galaxy together for narrative games, leading to a climax that will actually have an impact on the background of the entire Firestorm Galaxy.

There are two new Factions for the game incoming to the Galaxy (we’ll be lifting the lid on these for Firestorm Armada, Taskforce and Planetfall players shortly) and the Beta Team and I are pulling together the updated version of the rules – Planetfall 2.0. We’re hugely excited by Version 2.0, and we look forward to talking to you more about the book as it develops.

The future is looking very rosy indeed for Planetfall, with loads of exciting releases, fantastic background, engrossing scenarios and…. did I mention the 2.0 rules?…. yes… I thought I did!

Looking forward to you all joining us as we rage ground war across the Firestorm Galaxy!

Cheers for now,

Spartan Derek

Spartan Games

Preview, Glory Hallelujah

“UP MEN! UP AND TO YOUR POSTS! LET NO MAN FORGET TODAY THAT YOU ARE FROM OLD VIRGINIA!”

There’s not long to wait now, and those immortal words from Pickett ring around the Warlord offices as the staff are divided in their allegiances, and we prepare to wage war – with the much-anticipating coming of ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ – the American Civil War 1861 – 1865  supplement for Black Powder

In 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the fledgling United States of America. Years of seething hostility between the North and South boiled over as the Southern States saw Lincoln’s election as a direct threat to their rights, and the nation fell apart as a new Confederacy was formed in the South. The Confederacy, striving to assert its independence, opened fire on the Northern troops occupying Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbour on April 12th 1861. Determined to preserve the Union, Northern troops headed south and on to Richmond! Over the next four terrible long years American armies tramped across American fields and burnt American farms as Americans killed Americans in a war the likes of which the nation had never seen before. The epic battles fought during the American Civil War proved beyond all doubt that war can be ‘all hell’.

This supplement for Black Powder describes the history, armies, key leaders, doctrine and tactics of the American Civil War, and includes a comprehensive set of army lists and optional rules for recreating the battles of that war in miniature.

Warlord Games

Copplestone Castings Join North Star Military Figures

I'm very pleased to announce a new partnership between North Star Military Figures and Copplestone Castings.

I've been friends both personally and professionally with Mark Copplestone for the past decade, and so I'm delighted that we're working closer with this new arrangement.

From now, all production, sales and orders will be handled by North Star in Nottingham. This'll free Mark to concentrate on new packs for Copplestone Castings, and start work on some new projects he's been wanting to do.

This is the new website: copplestonecastings.co.uk.

To celebrate this new deal, I've discounted all the Copplestone Castings packs for the next week.

Mark has contributed to this launch with a new special-edition figure, available free to customers who spend over £25 GBP on Copplestone Castings. The figure is of a Post-Apocalypse Road Warrior (28mm-sized metal figure). The Road Warrior will be available through March and April. Limited to one per customer.

The next releases from Copplestone Castings will be additions to the 15mm Barbarica fantasy range.

To keep up-to-date with Copplestone Castings new releases, sign up to our joint newsletter. Mark himself will be contributing to the newsletters, so if you're a fan of his, he'll still be in touch.

You can read our last newsletter here.

If you use social media, we keep our Facebook sites up-to-date with news as it happens.

Ancient Warfare X.1, Apr-May 2016

The Archidamian War

Theme: Seán Hußmann, "Thucydides and the Archidamian War - Historical introduction"

“Thucydides from Athens wrote the history of the war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, beginning at the moment that it broke out, and believing that it would be a great war and more worthy of relation than any that had preceded it. […] Indeed this was the greatest movement yet known in history, not only of the Hellenes, but of a large part of the barbarian world – I had almost said of mankind” (Thuc. 1.1).

Theme: Gareth Williams, "The strategy of Pericles - Pacifist or pragmatist?"

Was the Periclean strategy adopted by Athens at the outbreak of the war advocating a pacific or fundamentally defensive reaction to the Peloponnesian invasions of Attica? Could we consider Pericles to be naïve in concluding that the war could be won by such a scheme? Or, was Pericles far more astute in his approach?

Theme: Friedrich Wilhelm Miesen, "A new type of hoplite, for a new type of war - Fighting for Athens"

The origin of the Peloponnesian War is largely rooted in Athens ambition to gain control over the Hellenic world. An ambition that the city’s arch rival, Sparta, could not tolerate. Like no other war before, the Peloponnesian war was fought with determined relentlessness. But armies in this conflict did not solely rely on well-armoured hoplite phalanxes.

Theme: Konstantin Nossov, "Innovations in ancient Greek siege warfare - Siege of Plataea"

The siege of Plataea was one of the main events at the beginning of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC). Thucydides’ account of the siege became the first detailed description of a siege in the ancient world left by a historian. His interest in this very siege can probably be explained by the innovatory siege methods introduced by the Spartans.

Theme: Murray Dahm, "Talking the talk and walking the walk - Socrates at war"

Philosophers are not usually associated with military prowess. In ancient Greece, however, even philosophers had to take their place in the phalanx with their citizen-hoplite brethren. Socrates, arguably the most famous philosopher of all, went beyond just doing his duty and had a justly deserved military reputation. What is more, his military conduct is actually highly informative for Socrates the philosopher.

Theme: Owen Rees, "Brasidas and his northern campaign - The heart of Achilles"

At a time when Sparta was crumbling under the weight of its own fear, and Athens was able to haul the strongest military power over the coals – while still in recovery from the devastating plague that had decimated its own population – it was only Brasidas who stepped forward and offered a solution. In so doing, he embarked on the greatest solitary campaign to grace the Peloponnesian Wars.

Theme: Josho Brouwers, "The temple of Athena Nike - Victory set in stone"

The Athenian Acropolis served as the religious heart of the city during the Classical period. Its main temple, the Parthenon, is justifiably famous. However, there is also a smaller temple, located just outside of the main monumental entrance to the Acropolis that is just as interesting. It is the temple of Athena Nike.

Theme: Roel Konijnendijk, "The battle for supremacy on the Peloponnese, 420–418 BC - Clash of the Titans"

All the way through its war with Athens, Sparta kept a wary eye on a much older rival: Argos. For over a century, Sparta and Argos had periodically fought over land and influence on the Peloponnese. Since Argos’ crushing defeat at Sepeia in 494 BC, Sparta was firmly on top – but Sparta’s reputation and power had suffered in the Archidamian War, and an old truce between the two states was coming to an end. As Athens and Sparta discussed peace, Argos prepared for war.

Special: Konrad and Livia Stauner, "Roman soldiers in Egypt’s Eastern Desert - Letters from Didymoi"

The praesidium of Didymoi, one of several stations along the road from Koptos to Berenike, was founded by the prefect of Egypt, L. Iulius Ursus, who in the ninth year of the reign of Vespasian, while on the return leg of a journey to Berenike, gave instructions for a well to be sought in that place and, after it had been found, ordered a fort and cisterns to be constructed under the direction of M. Trebonius Valens, praefectus montis Berenicidis (I. Did. 1).

The debate: Joseph Hall, "Psychological trauma and the soldiers of Rome - A Roman PTSD?"

Much of the recent debate regarding whether ancient combatants suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has focused on the Greek hoplite, but what of the Roman legionary? Does evidence of PTSD exist in the Roman world too? And if so, how should this evidence be interpreted?

Hollywood Romans: David L. Reinke, "Queen Boudicca, we hardly knew you - The Viking Queen (1967)"

Director Don Chaffey enjoyed a long career in Hollywood, particularly on television where he directed multiple episodes for series such as The Prisoner, The Avengers, and Mission Impossible. He had a feel for television, a talent sadly not on display in his feature films. Besides Jason And The Argonauts, Chaffey’s two other well-known films are One Million Years BC and The Viking Queen.

Ancient Warfare

New Command Personalities from Good Ground Miniatures.

New Command Personalities from Good Ground Miniatures. Coming by the end of March, along with dozens of other new 10mm figures sculpted by the talented Robi Baker.

New CS Command personalities for the Confederates Eastern Theatre

New US  Command personalities for the Union Eastern Theatre

Good Ground LLC

Miniature Wargames 396, April 2016

With the Salute show guide free this month, giving us a monster issue with 96 pages, we’ve got a packed magazine overflowing with wargaming goodies:

David Burden and James Fisher report on the efforts of Napoleonic gamers around the world who were spurred on by the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo in June last year – or, as we discover, even earlier.

Chris Russell concludes his two-parter with his complete ruleset for early WWI air war gaming, featuring the eponymous German monoplane.

Of course, we have our regular spots too:

The Editor celebrates ten years of editing wargame magazines in his Briefing; in his World Wide Wargaming, he begins a guide for using the internet to help with new projects and presents another pair of ‘Blogs of the Month’.

In Forward Observer, Neil Shuck takes a long, hard look at the pros and cons of the Kickstarter phenomenon, asking whether too many companies – and consumers – are ill-advised to get sucked into the pressures of this funding method.

Diane Sutherland, our resident wargames widow, is feeling a bit spiky this month, after husband Jon decided to get all defensive, so please avoid making any barbed comments because its a minefield out there, and if you want to avoid getting drilled with Diane’s Dremel, don’t try to feed the Frisian horse. You’ll see!

In Fantasy Facts, John Treadaway casts his experienced eye over the latest offerings in the genre miniatures world, this month featuring a host of sci-fi and some, err… creatures!

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only board… Brad Harmer takes a walk on the dark side as he explores 40K spin-offs with no need for miniatures.

In his Send three and fourpence column, Conrad Kinch presents a special this month – “King of the Chamla Constabulary”, a scenario for The Sword and the Flame.

Of course we have our Battlegames Combat Stress Appeal; our regular review slot Recce; and finally, our competition this month features a whopping £75 prize of a War of the Spanish Succession starter box from Baccus.

And the monster Salute 2016 show guide is packed with enthusiastic articles:

After a welcome from the South London Warlords’ Club President and Membership Secretary Mac, there’s a piece by West Wind Productions about how they produced this year’s show miniature, the ‘Steampunk Mam’selle’.

This is followed by an article by master brushman Kevin Dallimore showing precisely how he painted two versions of this stunning figure.

Then we have a clutch of articles based on the theme of this year’s show – Steampunk. The first, by Sarwat Chadda, introduces the concepts and describes the joy of Steampunk for the newcomer, including its many manifestations in literature and fashion. Then Alan Patrick offers an overview of the variety of Steampunk/Victorian Sci-Fi land battle rules currently available to gamers. In the third article on the theme, John Treadaway explains what first drew him into the intriguing worlds of Steampunk, a path which led him to create some award-winning games based on his favourite ruleset. And finally, we hear cries of “Help! Help! It’s the Hooded Claw!” A four-player game of In Her Majesty’s Service (IHMS), is being organised by Philip Andrews, in which he will be controlling the Cult of the Hooded Claw as umpire. He apologises in advance for the outrageous accents!

We also hear from Phil Portway, who has vivid memories of the famous Gun Run at The Royal Tournament, and his team has collaborated to come up with a game to recreate its challenge and excitement.

Next, Ivan Congreve describes the epic planning and building of the stunning set for the Star Trek game, “Savage Dove, Star Date 5894.44”.

Joel, Paul, Lawrence, Alan and Neil of the South London Warlords have created an extraordinary sci-fi game to demonstrate the appeal of Warhammer 30K. (Yes, thirty thousand!)

And finally, John Treadaway of the South London Warlords – and this very magazine – outlines the history of the biggest one-day wargames show in the world.

Of course, the show guide also has essential information:

A full list of all the games to be found at the show, including the names of who’s running them and where they are

A useful double-page spread map of the hall in the ExCel centre to help you find everything on the day

A list of all the traders and their stand numbers

All rounded out with a glorious selection of stunning photos of last year’s painting competition winners

Wow! See you there on April 16th!

The front cover shows Lady Felicity and Lord Edward Ronan Carr confronting Akhenaten and a mummified priest – an In Her Majesty’s Name scene in a ruined chapel. 28mm North Star miniatures, beautifully painted and photographed by Kevin Dallimore.

Publication date is Thursday 24th March.

Roll ‘em high!

Miniature Wargames