Suddenly "next year" doesnt sound so far off

Every year the Society of Ancients put on a "battleday", in which a famous historical battle is re-played in a number of wargame formats, with expert speakers. Next April the battle of Zama will be coming to Bletchley, near Milton Keynes.


My involvement in this started in early summer, when I enquired about a possible WAB game. I'd naively hoped that the overall organiser, Dave Lockwood, would cheerfully say "yes, so-and-so is doing that and would welcome another player". Things didnt quite work that way, and somehow I ended up volunteering to put the game together.



A number of volunteers stepped forward - I'll name check them on a future blog - and I was also delighted to be offered the loan of the remaining elements of Gripping Beasts Zamaday demo army. Thus encouraged I put together a provisional order of battle - around 8000 points per side - and build the tracknh website for the progress on unit assembling and painting


www.miraclemodels.co.uk/zamaday/intro.asp





I also thought aout what figures and units I wanted to contribute - I aimed to finish up with a Carthaginian army anyhow, as well as getting some older stuff finished.



Lastly, Tony Reidy of Wargames Factory promised (and delivered) a large number of his excellent Numidians - they'll be taking part both as Numidians and as Carthaginian citizens.



Which brings me to the end of November and my painting efforts.







3 units of Gauls - 90 in total. I thought these were done when I committed them, but when I got the boxes out they were far from finished, and almost all without weapons and shields. Oh well, I've had them 4 years so its about time they got done. Figures mostly a Foundry Christmas offer, some Warlord, a few Renegade and Wargames Factory.

My first unit of Numidians assembled and ready for undercoating then painting. It takes a little while to get the knack of assembling them in reasonable poses - there are a few strange ones mixed among the back ranks.

Half-complete Gaul comand tableau. Not sure about the ASB - I didnt quite get either the assembly or the painting right. Chief is Renegade, musicians Foundry, ASB and other guy Wargames Factory.

The immediate painting queue. I'm a frequent insomniac, so I try to have something fully prepped and ready for paint on the workbench at all times. Here theres some part-done Gripping Beast Carthaginian veterans, the numidians and some Carthaginian horse in the background. I also have some "african spearmen", more Numidians and Numidian horse awaiting assembly