Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant!

Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant!

     For no particular reason, combat in the arena under the Roman Republic or Empire is an interest of mine. It isn't the gore or the excess, but the idea piqued my interest. Over the last few months of this pandemic, I've taken the time to do a bit of research (very little, I'm sure), purchase some figures, paint them up, and prepare them for actual play. I had done up about a half dozen figures from the Canadian company, RAFM, but I need a few more to cover some of the other types of gladiators. CP Models from the UK filled the bill and even had a set of rules for sale. (CP provides what I'd consider fine service and really rather quick considering the trans-Atlantic nature of the commerce.)

Of course, I've taken some pictures:

The rules available through CP Models
I'll admit I have yet to try them out and I'm looking forward to it.
They appear to me to have a particular way of deciding hits,
one that takes into account the experience of the gladiator.

A heavy Secutor (usually paired against the Retiarius) and a lightly armed Veles
(CP Models)
The white stripe shows the direction of the figure's facing - important for the rules.

A heavy Murmillo and the double-sworded Dimachaereus
(CP Models)

An example of the Parmularius with a small shield and another Veles
(RAFM)

Two examples of the Retiarius (Retiarii? Armed with net and trident)
CP version on the left and RAFM on the right.
The height of the figures is close enough and the CP models are a bit heftier,
but not so much as to ruin things.

A Thraex ("Thracian") and a Gladiatrix (female gladiator) - both CP
The Thracian usually carried shield and Thracian knife or Falx.
Female gladiators are not often mentioned, but CP makes one so... 

Two RAFM models - a Dimachaereus and a bare-headed Scutarius ("big shield")

RAFM's version of the heavy Murmillo and the very light, spear-armed Veles

A Thraex in a bull-head with an axe and the unique Arbelus - both CP
The Arbelus was armed with a short sword and a sort of tailor's cutting tool,
originally used to cut leather. The hand was gripped inside a cone which 
protected the arm and the cutting weapon. He might also be called a Scissor.

A Provocator in almost legionary armour and a Hoplomachus
mimicking a hoplite's arms and armour. - CP Models

The very unique Laquearius armed with sword and lasso(!)
and the bow-armed Sagittarius who should be mounted...
but what can you do?

More CP Models
A Dimachaereus and a true Thraex with the true Thracian knife.

Old Ral Partha Legionaries - just to keep order in the arena

Not Gladiators, but addition to my 20mm Imaginations Army
CP Models makes WWII models in 20mm and these guys are from the "Armed Catholic Clergy"
set. There's also a nun with a Thompson gun, but I couldn't resist painting Brother Juniper
with the burp gun first.

     I have other projects to share and I'll get to them soon. I'll also be sharing some photos from one of the few reenactment of the War of 1812 in Canada this year.

     Check back soon!

A Few Quick Pictures

 A Few Quick Pictures

Last weekend, the Backus Page House Museum was the site of a merchant's faire of a sort. Many of these merchants or vendors were unable to sell much of anything because of the strictures put in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the first time for many of these folks to be out in a year and a half.

Both Saturday and Sunday were bright and HOT. A food truck from the Optimists Club was on site as well as a commercial ice cream trailer, both busy at times. If it looks like many of us are "dressed down"... we were. It as "shirt-sleeve order" for many of us.

(Photos courtesy of Steve Zronik, Beth Goldsworthy, and Skip Phoenix)

So just a few photos:

Beth and I in our hot weather finery.

Saturday's Firing Demonstration with the Brown Bess carbine

The Lieutenant oversees the Sunday Firing Demonstration

The Museum

Dana the Kettle Corn Man did a brisk business.

Story teller Dùghlas Mór Mac Séamus

Ed, doing some "blanket trading"

Mike the wood worker and gun captain

Norm - much in demand for his metal working skills

Penny at her pottery stand (She was one of the organizers.)

Sutler Cyrus takes five. (He was the other organizer)

The Zoom Daddies singing the heat away.

The IMUC camp (Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada - an 1812 reenactment group)

The main "camping concourse"

Steve Z, our intrepid photographer, trying to beat the heat.

The museum's banner

Nick tries his hand at surveying.

Linda and the ladies... including Beth

Steve S of Caldwell's Rangers and Marcus of the 17th US Infantry
demonstrate musket firing on Sunday

Steve S was just loaded with gear!

Our Small "Mini-Militia" Drill on Saturday

"Present Arms!"

It's still hot!

Backus Page House Museum will host a War of 1812 weekend on September 25-26 (unless the Province goes into lock-down again.) If you come, please wear a mask although the entire even will be out of doors. Better safe than sorry! 

I also sincerely hope that it won't be as hot that weekend!

A Civic Holiday Excursion

    In Ontario, the first Monday in August is a provincial holiday referred to as "Civic Holiday" although it's called by different names in different areas of the province. It's not a federally mandated holiday so a number of stores are open, some with reduced hours. I think it's an excuse to have one more three-day holiday in the summer and I do like it.

    This past Monday was Civic Holiday in the London-St. Thomas area, and my friends, Andy and Barb invited Beth and I to come to their house in London to have a game on the back deck and a cookout. Another friend, Ralph, was invited as well. So off we went just before mid-day, bringing 7-Up, chips, and two kinds of dip to the party. Andy and Barb grilled sausages outside and also brought out the sauerkraut and potato salad with ice cream for dessert. We all thoroughly enjoyed the day.

    The game was of the War of Spanish Succession using Warfare in the Age of Reason rules and the Age of Marlborough supplement to those rules. Ralph ran the French/Bavarian/Allied side and I took the role of the commander of the Russian troops. I had a redoubt and I stayed in it until Ralph assaulted it and broke in once one of my cannon was lost.

(All photographs courtesy of Andy, and my wife, Beth.)

Such a nice day!

A good overview of the table, the figures, the players, and the wreckage of chips 'n' dip.

Ralph converses politely as the game heats up.

Your Humble Blogger attempts politeness
while watching the Franco-Bavarian hordes descend on Mother Russia

The figures are Wargames Factory WSS troops (not easy to find now since Wargame Factory was absorbed by another firm), all painted by Andy (save one unit). None of them had been on the table before so the "New Unit Curse" applied to all!

The red-coated troops are the Bavarian Leibgarde, the blue coats are the Bavarians,
while the grey coats are French (no matter where they were recruited.)

A fine looking force, I'd say.

I moved up my troops on either flank but left the troops in the redoubt where they stood.
One of the units there was the Preobrazhensky Guard Regiment.

The right flank has to clamber over a hedge. No big deal; it just slowed them down.

The starting position for almost all the Russians.
Were we going to stay in the redoubt? Count on it!

The Franco-Bavarian army continues it's advance. Had the table been a bit wider, it would've
been easier to deploy cavalry. Ralph's artillery also had to scuffle along.
(Medium guns moving like heavy cannon)

I had to pull a brigade "right face" with the cavalry brigade. The horse grenadiers (in green),
being a higher morale class, moved easier than the dragoons.

Lots of mind-blowing Bavarian flags and lots of Cerulean Blue

My cannon caused some casualties to Ralph's troops during his advance, but artillery is not all that powerful when it's spread out all over the board in the manner appropriate to the period. Musket range is very close so we both held our fire. The rule of thumb is "If you measure, you've fired" and that's a good way to waste your extra die for "first fire."

The only unit on the table that Andy didn't paint.
I did the Bavarian cuirassiers up for him a few years ago
and now they finally saw the field.

The Franco-Bavarians reached the redoubt with some losses and some morale issues but
they came over it where my cannon had be run off on the far left of the redoubt.
My left wing collapsed due to morale and that was the game.
It was also supper time.

Here you can see the French coming over the redoubt face.
The Bavarian Leibgarde were holding their own as tough grenadiers.
(The yellow things are plastic straws cut up by Andy for casualty caps.)

More of an overview of things as Ralph's troops emerge victorious... but not without some trouble!
None of our cavalry got into the fray. There was only so much room on the table.

Over dinner the discussion turned to science-fiction movies and TV shows, music, and such, as well as the taste of the sausages, sauerkraut, potato salad, and beer/cider. It was a great time with good friends, good food, and good conversation.

Maybe this is how I'd want summer to be.

One last view of the Russian right wing coming forward.