Miniatures Wargaming

Miniatures

I saw my first battle using painted miniatures at the impressionable age of 13.  Soon, the bookstore that I frequented, started carrying miniature tanks and ships.  They were probably GHQ models.  I bought several tanks and ships, played with them quite a bit, but never painted them.  With the discovery of role playing games a year later, I stopped buying them.  One of my friends collected tanks and ships,  and even painted them.  He would occasionally put on gaming events at his house, and they were great fun.

Miniatures went out of my life with college, marriage, kids and a job, until the age of 32.  I walked into a comic bookstore to demonstrate a collectible card game (no, not Magic the Gathering), and there was a miniatures battle being conducted, complete with chariots!  I became enamored and began looking into collecting my own chariot army.  These I had to paint.

Since then I've managed to put together a pair of chariot armies, Punic war armies, and three World War II armies.  They are all in 15mm because at first it was all I could afford, and later it was consistent with what I had learned to paint.  I've tried a few different rule sets to use in games with the miniatures, but have mostly settled on series of rules put out by Piquet Wargames.  I've been particularly impressed with the most recent rendition based on the core ideas expressed in Field of Battle and Pulse of Battle.

Recently we had a bash with the new Pulse of Battle using Republican Romans and Carthaginians.  The battle is based loosely on Trebbia.  Here is the initial set-up:

Romans are on the left, and Carthaginians on the right.

The Numidians close with the Roman left flank cavalry:

Carthaginian Elephants flank Roman Triarii!

Hannibal trying to work the Roman right flank:

Spanish cavalry (Carthaginians) being mauled by Roman Velites (Light infantry):

Romans being urged on by their commander:

Gaulish Cavalry coming up behind the Romans!

One of the main Roman Commands breaking through Carthaginian center, nothing but skirmishers between them and open ground:

Can one ever have enough Elephant pictures?

In the end the Romans edged out the Carthaginians for victory.  The Carthaginians gave up too many morale chips on their right flank and center.  If they had refused their center more and worked the flanks, but it is difficult in multiplayer games where everyone just wants to fight.  It seemed like good fun was had by all, and that is what is most important.

I had recently rebased my armies, and was very pleased with the results.

Culinary

Me transferring my Baltic Porter, going to be soooo very tasty: