tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23374354503680355702024-03-17T21:00:22.459-06:00The Inevitable SparkA study of history and conflict through miniature wargaming.Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.comBlogger153125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-66776411622072880582014-05-18T15:58:00.000-06:002014-05-18T15:58:28.081-06:00Taking StockAfter six months of being away I needed to take stock of where I am on my Punic Wars project and set some new goals for getting some things completed. I have picked back-up the Republican Romans and I am making some rapid progress on a small unit of <i>principes</i>. My stock of unpainted Romans is getting smaller and, after I complete this current unit, will have only one more unit of <i>principes</i> and one unit of<i> triarii</i> to paint to complete exactly half of my first legion's infantry.<br />
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Time to get another order in to Aventine. In addition to ordering the other half of the legion's infantry (two units of <i>velites</i>, two units of <i>hastati</i>, two units of <i>principes</i> and one unit of<i> triarii</i>) I will also be ordering some Roman cavalry at the same time so I can be sure to get those started soon.<br />
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I'm planning on having a small game of Hail Caesar with my son Maxwell in a few weeks. Carthaginians versus the might of Rome. I'm excited to move some units around the table again, but I am pretty sure I have forgotten nearly every rule of Hail Caesar. Time to read the book again.Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-75665058506675937972014-05-14T10:29:00.002-06:002014-05-14T10:29:32.507-06:00A Long, Cold WinterHi everybody, It is good to be back! This winter has been, for various professional and personal reasons, a very odd season. I have been obviously distracted from the hobby as I have dealt with both fantastic and difficult circumstances these past six months. Things seem to be sorted at the moment and I am returning to a life that will not only be happy, but filled with plenty of time available to once again pursue this hobby that I enjoy so much.<br />
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I hope the handful of readers that I had before my abrupt departure are still around and that you are still well. I'll be visiting your blogs and checking up on your progress over the next few days. ;) As much as I have missed painting and gaming, I have missed interacting with the community just as much. Time for me to get caught up.<br />
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I have been back at the painting table working again on my Roman Republic army while listening to the <a href="http://thehistorynetwork.org/category/ancient-warfare-magazine/" target="_blank">Ancient Warfare podcast</a>. That is some good inspiration! Below is a WIP of four Roman principes that are nearly complete (figures by Aventine).<br />
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-70825148920048123182013-09-13T14:41:00.003-06:002013-09-13T14:41:30.014-06:00The Muscovite Army of Tsar Ivan IVAnd so my new project begins. I have been <a href="http://inevitablespark.blogspot.com/2013/04/always-planning.html" target="_blank">dropping hints</a> about this for months, but I finally pulled the trigger on a new project that I am very much looking forward to - <b>The Muscovite army of Ivan the Terrible</b>. Russian history is and has always been a very important part of my life - I have a Master's degree in Russian history, I have published articles on Russian history, I once held a position teaching Russian history at a University and I speak and read the Russian language (although at a much more rudimentary level than I once did). I am actually surprised it has taken me this long to dive into a project like this from a wargaming perspective. I suppose I wanted to make sure I did it right.<br /><br />Russian history is as immense and vast as its landscape, and I have chosen this particular period of time for a couple of reasons. First, it is during a period of transition in Russia in terms of politics, foreign policy, technology and military organization. Transitional periods of history are always interesting. Second, there is a very distinct <i>Russian</i> flavor to what is happening during this period prior to the grand westernization of the court and the military under Peter the Great.<br /><br />The Muscovite army of Ivan IV was a reflection of the society that produced it. The Muscovite army did not develop along "Western lines", but this was not necessarily due to backwardness (as many casual observers suggest) or an inability to absorb new ideas and methods. The Muscovite army was created to fight in Russia's wooded steppes and plains, criss-crossed by huge rivers. Muscovy was the hostage of its location; there were no natural borders to keep out invaders. Muscovy was surrounded by series of states each jockeying for domination; Muscovy's ultimate victory, even her ultimate survival, was never inevitable. What made her successful was the creation of a large military force capable of absorbing organizational and technological change.<br />
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What rules will I be using? I'm not sure yet. I'd love to be able to use Warlord's <i>Pike & Shotte</i>, but that might require some rule modifications to capture some of the flavor, style and tactics of this army. Luckily, that would be pretty easy. I have also purchased the PDF version of the <i>Maximilian!</i> rules for evaluation. But rules and games are a long way off yet, so for the time being I will simply enjoy the research and painting of this grand army.<br />
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<a href="http://www.theassaultgroup.com/" target="_blank">The Assault Group</a> (TAG) has an excellent range of figures for this army that I plan on using with perhaps some supplemental pieces coming from other manufacturers as needed. The image below shows my first unit that I'll be painting: the <i>strel'tsy</i>. I will be providing more in-depth historical information about the <i>strel'tsy</i> in future posts, but for know it will be enough to know that they were the first standing, permanent infantry force. The conventional date of its founding is 1550.<br />
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This should be a an exciting project.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The upcoming strel'tsy unit. Figures by The Assault Group.</td></tr>
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-88297553596978101892013-09-01T10:55:00.000-06:002013-09-01T11:31:30.304-06:00A Second Ancient Building CompletedOn a whim, I decided to paint the second (of three) ancient buildings that have been sitting on my table for a few months before getting started on the Roman principes. I forgot how much work these buildings really are to paint and how much time they take to complete, but once finished they are worth it and will look great on our gaming table. This building has a fantastic stone front porch and stone steps and I decided to paint each stone individually which really added to the time it took to finish but I'm glad I did it.<br />
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This is the <i>medium single story house</i> produced by <a href="http://www.grandmanner.co.uk/Home.html" target="_blank">Grand Manner</a>. It is a fantastically detailed model. My only real (small) complaint is the impression one gets that the house is decaying, perhaps abandoned and certainly not well maintained due to the cracks and number of areas of exposed breaks on the walls. When I am gaming, this house is meant to be current and vibrant -- it is lived in, maintained and even loved by its occupants.<br />
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I hope you enjoy the photos.<br />
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-73495540031567043202013-08-24T09:44:00.001-06:002013-08-24T09:44:25.025-06:00Maps of Rome, Carthage and the Punic WarsI have a great love for maps and so over the past year I have enjoyed gathering and saving various maps related to my current Punic Wars project. Some of these maps give a fantastic overview of the region at the time, some show the expanse and retreat of the Roman and Carthaginian empires, while others map the specific troop movements and battles of the wars. These maps will be extremely useful for planning and playing a campaign with my Roman and Carthaginian armies once they are completed.<br />
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I thought I would gather these maps all up into one post for others who may be interested in these as a resource.<br />
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<b>General Maps of the Region at the Time of the Punic Wars</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>Maps of the Hannibal's Invasion</b><b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9780373/Punic%20War%20Maps/hannibalmarch.jpg" target="_blank">Hannibals' March with Battle Locations</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9780373/Punic%20War%20Maps/hannibal_invasion.jpg" target="_blank">Hannibal's Invasion Route</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9780373/Punic%20War%20Maps/minard-hannibal.jpg" target="_blank">Josheph Minard's Classic Graphic of Hannibal's Invasion</a></td></tr>
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<b>Battle Maps of the Punic Wars</b><br /><br />
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<b><br /></b>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-64496798554569926262013-08-21T19:46:00.002-06:002013-08-21T22:15:15.660-06:00Principes PreparationNext up for the Republican Roman army is two small units of principes. Like the other figures in this army, these are all by <a href="http://www.aventineminiatures.co.uk/" target="_blank">Aventine Miniatures</a>. I decided to represent the entire unit wielding their gladii rather than having any pila in the mix. Aventine provides all of these figures with the sword arm detached, which allows for a wide range of attack poses which is a very nice touch.<br />
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Prepping models isn't one of my favorite aspects of the hobby, and so I choose to do it it small bunches -- usually just enough to complete a single full unit. This is very likely a much slower process in the long run than preparing a full eighty figures at once, but it breaks up the <i>un-fun</i> into manageable chunks.<br />
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The Aventine figures are great when it comes to getting them ready for priming and painting. There are very few seams or cast lines - and those that do exist are very faint, easy to remove and are never on the face or other vital pieces. Most of the work seems to be getting their bases flat and even.<br />
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-57344238326229580192013-08-18T10:14:00.001-06:002013-08-19T22:43:01.587-06:00Command: A Roman Tribune Directs the Primus PilusThe first command stand for my Republican Roman is complete. Seen here is one of the legion's military tribunes directing the <i>primus pilus</i>. Six tribunes command the legion, each taking turns for two months at a time to be in the overall command. The tribunes received their orders directly from the consuls. The <i>primus pilus</i>, or senior centurion, was the very first of the legion's thirty elected centurions. With them is a <i>signifer</i> carrying a standard with an image of a laurel wreath. Affixed atop the standard is the a scene containing the Capitoline Wolf and Romulus and Remus.<br />
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-13948165470704704622013-08-14T18:06:00.003-06:002013-08-14T18:06:51.253-06:00Wenceslaus Hollar: Etches of Roman SoldiersWhile doing some research, I came across these amazing etches of Roman soldiers by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenceslaus_Hollar" target="_blank">Wenceslaus Hollar</a>. Hollar was a bohemian artist that was born in Prague in 1607 and died in London in 1677. I found these to be quite remarkable and thought I would share.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman Soldiers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Testudo</td></tr>
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-26116808498210168332013-08-11T09:33:00.000-06:002013-08-11T09:33:04.549-06:00The Second Unit of HastatiThis second unit of Roman hastati has joined the Legion today, ready to march out against the Carthaginians or other enemies of the Republic.<br />
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-38986846362017091682013-08-08T16:39:00.000-06:002013-08-08T17:05:10.994-06:00A Small Teaching Game of Hail CaesarLast night I had my brother over to introduce him to the world of historical wargaming and the <i>Hail Caesar</i> rules with the secret agenda of getting him hooked and thereby gaining a new playing partner. I am happy to report that it was a smashing success! My brother and I have enjoyed gaming together all of our lives and so it wasn't too difficult to lure him to my house with the promise of war elephants.<br />
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To make things simple we divided my Carthaginian army in half, with me getting one extra unit of Libyan heavy infantry and my brother receiving both units of Ligurian slingers as well as the Numidian cavalry. The scenery on the table was simple with several trees and ancient buildings on the edges to add depth to the game while leaving the center open for easy maneuvering of the forces while he leaned the rules.<br />
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I deployed my forces with the heavy infantry at the center and the Spanish Scutarii supporting them to their immediate right. My left flank was occupied by my lone elephant while the right flank was secured by my Carthaginian cavalry. Seeing my deployment, my brother took the field in a similar manner with his slingers screening his infantry. After some maneuvering and some feints through the middle with the cavalry, a few units were lost on cavalry charges or through skirmishing. Chris was able, in some bold moves to quickly regroup his army into a formed line with his elephant anchoring the center while his Numidian light horse quickly abandoned the left for run to the hold his right flank. My veterans had been so heavily damaged by the times the lines clashed that they were forced to retire behind the Libyans and offer only support to their comrades, which eroded my advantage of being able to bring additional frontage to the conflict.<br />
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The heavy clash of lines was immense. There was some giving and some taking, but my loyal infantry had been weakened through a very effective use of his slingers to soften them prior to the lines meetings. Curses and prayers were said, shields were bashed and in the end my army fell in a very close fight.<br />
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My brother enjoyed the evening immensely. He loved the game mechanics, the models, and our imaginative travel back through time. He left my house with a smile on his face, my copy of the <i>Hail Caesar</i> rule book tucked under his arm and a resolve to research an army that could oppose the Republican Romans that I am building. <b>I have given him a few ideas, but does anybody have some suggestions for him?</b><br />
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Order of battle and some photographs from the game:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The deployment and ending positions of our armies. I was on the left.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My battle line awaits the enemy and offers a prayer to Tanit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Libyan infantry falls behind the veterans, exposing their flank.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D37LB2JPcU0/UgQap4vvqUI/AAAAAAAACTg/nV8bJJKBQO8/s1600/carthage_hail_caesar_aug_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D37LB2JPcU0/UgQap4vvqUI/AAAAAAAACTg/nV8bJJKBQO8/s400/carthage_hail_caesar_aug_04.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enemy cavalry presses the advantage.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MoIvuiVkn4A/UgQaqE6MLnI/AAAAAAAACTo/QnTYBozxBl0/s1600/carthage_hail_caesar_aug_04b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MoIvuiVkn4A/UgQaqE6MLnI/AAAAAAAACTo/QnTYBozxBl0/s400/carthage_hail_caesar_aug_04b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The veterans manage to run off the enemy horse but with a heavy toll.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My brother is able to reform his line, centered by his elephant.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QuscQSqyQRs/UgQaqobt6oI/AAAAAAAACT4/LVFy477tUBk/s1600/carthage_hail_caesar_aug_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QuscQSqyQRs/UgQaqobt6oI/AAAAAAAACT4/LVFy477tUBk/s400/carthage_hail_caesar_aug_06.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Badly wounded, the veterans are resigned to being a support unit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NQ9eL_x9fdE/UgQaq7VBIDI/AAAAAAAACUI/fOPdO-VNAMY/s1600/carthage_hail_caesar_aug_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NQ9eL_x9fdE/UgQaq7VBIDI/AAAAAAAACUI/fOPdO-VNAMY/s400/carthage_hail_caesar_aug_07.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My cavalry tried a bold move to break through but were repelled.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After much skirmishing, the battle lines finally converge.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The elephant successfully supports allies on either side.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chaos of the battle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end is nearing.</td></tr>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-17491272359454684292013-08-07T14:50:00.002-06:002013-08-07T14:50:54.024-06:00Ancient History Well KeptI love beautiful, well-designed and well-informed magazines, especially those that I can keep as reference material in a collection near my desk. One of my favorite magazines currently is <i>Ancient History</i> (and <i>Medieval History</i>) published by <a href="http://www.karwansaraypublishers.com/cms/karwansaray/home.html" target="_blank">Karwansaray Publishing</a>. My collection of these magazines has been growing and so I recently purchased a pair of their beautiful magazine binders to store my issues. Each binder has an absolutely fantastic cover illustration and are very high quality. Issues are stored within the binders using a simple system of metal rods that allows for the reading of the magazines while still inside the binder or, if preferred, issues can be removed from the binder very easily. This was a great purchase and if you read and collect these magazines then I highly recommend these binders.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R_xSm0HkTtY/UgKyfTLyC_I/AAAAAAAACSk/P79ktxBZiXs/s1600/ancient_warfare_binder_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R_xSm0HkTtY/UgKyfTLyC_I/AAAAAAAACSk/P79ktxBZiXs/s400/ancient_warfare_binder_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cover illustrations are amazing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x0Bvqdt21zM/UgKyfesD6II/AAAAAAAACSg/sYBqEfMrsKk/s1600/ancient_warfare_binder_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x0Bvqdt21zM/UgKyfesD6II/AAAAAAAACSg/sYBqEfMrsKk/s400/ancient_warfare_binder_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is easy to reference articles while still in the binder.</td></tr>
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-70796310341956001552013-08-04T10:38:00.002-06:002013-08-04T10:38:59.422-06:00A Roman CenturionThis is the completed centurion for my second unit of Roman hastati. Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, writing in the 5th century, makes this comment about about centurions in his military tratise<i> De Re Militari</i>:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
The centurion in the infantry is chosen for his size, strength and dexterity in throwing his missile weapons and for his skill in the use of his sword and shield; in short for his expertness in all the exercises. He is to be vigilant, temperate, active and readier to execute the orders he receives than to talk; Strict in exercising and keeping up proper discipline among his soldiers, in obliging them to appear clean and well-dressed and to have their arms constantly rubbed and bright.</blockquote>
One interesting point about the centurions that I did not know prior to some research: the different color and patterns of the plumes worn on the helmets of the centurions were an important identifier and rallying point for soldiers of that unit.<br />
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This figure is by Aventine Miniatures.<br />
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-24753051096979844702013-08-02T19:14:00.004-06:002013-08-02T19:14:58.712-06:00The Society of Ancients & SlingshotI had been vaguely aware of the <a href="http://www.soa.org.uk/" target="_blank">Society of Ancients</a> for some time, having stopped by their website a time or two but leaving without really getting too interested and quite unsure of what they did or how that would apply to me. I have however joined recently after speaking with several fellow wargamers and bloggers - many of whom write articles for the society's magazine.<br />
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The Society offers discounts at several popular miniature manufacturers, operates a very active members-only forum that I was very impressed with and publishes the bi-monthly magazine <i>Slingshot</i>.<br />
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I received my first issue of <i>Slingshot</i> earlier this week and I was blown away by the quality of the publication, the historical-analysis and the sheer enjoyment I got out of reading the articles and columns. The magazine (and the Society as a whole I think) does a fantastic job of walking that delicate line between existing as a purely a historical intellectual exercise and being all-about wargaming. It does both, from what I can tell so far, very well.<br />
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If you are interested in ancient history, if you currently play ancient wargames, or if you have dreams and plans of painting an ancient army then I highly recommend you discover the Society of Ancients.<br />
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-89547005549357181532013-07-19T12:13:00.003-06:002013-07-19T12:13:47.930-06:00Work on the Hastati Continues...I was finally able to start putting paint to the second unit of Roman hastati after a busy summer at both work and play. These figures paint up rather quickly and nicely - so it shouldn't be long before another unit is finished. I'm looking forward to getting enough Roman units done so I can field both sides of a (small) battle and get my brother involved in some historical games with me.<br />
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In other news, I just finished reading <i>The Forgotten Legion</i> by Ben Kane. It wasn't as inspirational as I thought it might be, but it was entertaining enough that I have purchased the second title in the series to continue the story. I'll put up a full book review very soon.<br />
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-30210012828587431912013-07-08T17:28:00.002-06:002013-07-08T17:28:32.155-06:00A Very Slight PauseAs we all know, this thing called life can often unexpectedly toss things our way that require time, energy and attention. This has happened to me over the last several weeks. Summer vacations, Boy Scout camps with my son, climbing trips with my brother and a product launch date at work that is rapidly approaching have all whittled into my normal hobby time substantially. I miss painting, playing and being connected to the hobby through everybody's blogs and wonderful projects.<div>
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I am travelling all of this week to the east coast, but this should mark the end of the chaos and the return of some regular hobby time (and posts!) next week.</div>
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Huzzah!</div>
Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-55364967186901857172013-06-18T09:37:00.003-06:002013-06-18T09:37:47.440-06:00The Relative Size of ThingsSeveral times each week on wargaming forums or blogs the question gets asked about the sizing and proportions of various manufacturer's models by those building armies. You see, one of the nice "quirks" of this hobby is that each manufacturer sculpts their figures based on their own idea of what 28mm means and how they can get the human form molded to fit that vision. Really, all 28mm means these days is that the miniature is bigger than the 15mm models.<br />
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Since I am using three manufacturers for my Punic War project, I thought I would do a quick comparison that might prove useful to others looking to go down this same road with their own projects. To me, there are four important factors when comparing models:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Height:</b> How tall is the figure, especially compared to other figures?</li>
<li><b>Weight:</b> Is the figure chunky, bulky or thin?</li>
<li><b>Proportions:</b> Is the sizing of things like feet, head, arms, and hands well balanced and natural?</li>
<li><b>Detail: </b>Is the figure well detailed not only in equipment but also in the body?</li>
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The clickable image below is a photo comparison of <a href="http://www.aventineminiatures.co.uk/" target="_blank">Aventine</a>, <a href="http://www.grippingbeast.com/" target="_blank">Gripping Beast</a> and <a href="http://www.relicminiatures.com/" target="_blank">Relic</a> miniatures. I have also charted the four criteria listed above for each manufacturer based on my judgement and experience.</div>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-34610137742235159402013-06-15T09:20:00.000-06:002013-06-15T09:20:02.842-06:00Roman Hastati Completed After what seemed far too long due to a summer vacation I have completed a unit of the Republican Roman hastati. All of the figures are by <a href="http://www.aventineminiatures.co.uk/" target="_blank">Aventine</a> and were a real pleasure to paint with great detail and dynamic poses. This unit will be fielded as a small unit for games of <i>Hail Caesar</i>. The hastati, which were the younger (and poorer) front-line soldiers of the Republican army, have been given the <i>Drilled</i> special rule which allows them to make a free move even on a failed order as well as moving through friendly units without risk of disorder. Both will be exceptionally useful.<br /><br />This base, for the time being, represents a single <i>maniple</i>. The <i>maniples</i> of the Republican army were comprised of two <i>centuria</i>, each led by a centurion and assisted by an optio, the signifer (standard-bearer) and the cornicen (horn-blower). I chose only to represent the centurion and signifer with actual figures since I wanted to keep the number of "fighting soldiers" higher for aesthetic reasons. Once I have completed enough of these units, a single base can then represent the smaller <i>centuria</i>.<div>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-19443627925732356422013-06-12T15:03:00.003-06:002013-06-12T15:07:38.555-06:00A Roman SigniferThis figure is a Roman s<i>ignifer</i> for my nearly completed unit of Republican hastati. The <i>signifer</i> was a critical component of the military command structure and carried the important <i>signa</i> of his <i>centuria</i> into battle. The <i>centuria</i> of the Roman army was the smallest disciplinary unit of the legion (the smallest non-disciplinary unit within the legion was the tent group or <i>contubernium</i>, composed of eight men who shared a tent, a mule, and eating equipment) with two <i>centuriae </i>comprising a single maniple. The most ancient standards employed by the Romans is said to have been a handful (<i>manipulus</i>) of straw fixed to the top of a spear or pole. Hence the company of soldiers belonging to it was called a <i>maniple</i>.<br />
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The <i>signa</i> served the very practical military purpose as a recognition signal and a rallying point within the chaos of a battle field. The importance of the <i>signa</i> is shown by the numerous phrases and commands which express the movements of the legion: <i>signa convellere, efferre, tollere</i> is 'to strike camp'; <i>signa proferre</i>, when the whole line advances; <i>signa constituere</i>, 'to halt'; <i>signa convertere</i>, 'to wheel round'; <i>a signis discedere</i>, <i>signa deserere</i>, 'to take flight'; <i>signa referre</i>, 'to retreat'; <i>signa conferre</i>, 'to engage in hand-to-hand combat' and also 'to rally'; <i>ad signa convenire</i>, 'to re-assemble'.<br />
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But the standard had a second, and I would argue an even more significant, purpose that found its roots deeply planted in military ideological, symbolic and religious meanings. Affixed to the staff of the <i>signa</i> were the military decorations that the fighting unit had won in battle for acts of courage, military successes and martial prowess. This prominent and permanent display of these awards strengthened the pride, unity and brotherhood of the unit. The standard of the <i>centuria</i> became so critical to the ideology and adoration of the soldiers that a cult of the<i> signa</i> would later appear. This military cult ascribed sacredness to the <i>signa</i> and introduced worshiping the standard as a deity. Soldiers decorated, anointed and even made sacrifices to the <i>signa</i> during certain military ceremonial events.<br />
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-58272176422869776242013-06-10T08:12:00.000-06:002013-06-10T09:55:21.491-06:00Book Review: Rubicon, The Last Years of the Roman RepublicNearly anybody with even the smallest bit of interest in the Roman Republic, when asked for a book recommendation, will surely mention Tom Holland's <u>Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic</u> near the top of their list. And so when this book was recommended to me by several people I snatched it up, eager to get a glimpse into the world of the dying Republic that I honestly didn't know all that much about.<br />
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From the opening stage that set the scene with Caesar perched on the bank of the river Rubicon with his 13th Legion massed and waiting for the order to cross, this book was gripping and forceful. I had difficulty setting it down as some of history's most recognizable names were paraded across the stage: Caesar, Cicero, Cato, Pompey, Antony, Cleopatra. The primary focus of the narrative was the political and cultural currents that lead to the fall of the Roman Republic, with only a nod to the famous military campaigns that were taking place at the time. Because of this focus, the mighty men of the Republic are laid bare and made to look slanderous, whining, plotting and weak as they jockey for position, prestige and wealth within the political arena. These were not the <i>Great Men</i> that I had learned about through a basic understanding of their stunning military accomplishments. While this new perspective was certainly entertaining, it left me wanting to go in search of additional material that could restore some of the greatness of the Republic.<br />
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And that is one of the things I enjoy most about my wargaming projects - the chance to read, research and learn about topics and histories that I didn't know before I started. This hobby not only entertains me, but it allows me to grow. I highly recommend <u>Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic</u> to anybody interested in this era of history. Rubicon is well written and passionate, but I suggest having a follow-up book ready to clear the palette when you are done.<br />
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-61421465830165397442013-06-05T09:19:00.000-06:002013-06-05T09:19:47.766-06:00My Visit to the Culloden BattlefieldI stood on the grassy, wind-swept field and closed my eyes trying to hear the sounds of that day in April of 1746 when the patch of earth on which I was standing became a torrent of chaos, fear and killing. Blowing viciously in the wind and stretching out to my left and right stood a long line of large red flags marking the battle-line of the loyalists; across the field, and much more distant than I would have ever imagined, was a line of waving blue flags indicating the position of the Jacobite forces. I closed my eyes again, my hair blowing in the windy morning. I imagined standing nervously with the highlanders in the Jacobite line, finally receiving the order to charge, and then attempting to dash across that vast and open space while cannon and shot tore apart all of those around me in our desperate run through wind and rain. The distance was too far and all that waited on the other side of the boggy chasm was muskets and bayonets. It seemed an impossible task. This was Culloden and I wept as I stood in the Scottish wind.<br />
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Getting to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Culloden" target="_blank">Culloden</a> Battlefield is a short and simple drive from Inverness through neighborhoods and sheep pastures. The first thing one notices on the approach is a giant red flag planted not far off the road, and then others, and then finally the visitors center itself. The new <a href="http://www.nts.org.uk/Culloden/Home/" target="_blank">visitors center</a> that was built in 2007 is remarkable. The entry fee is £10.50 plus another £5.00 for a very nice guide book of the exhibits on display and the battlefield itself. If you are planning on visiting, I recommend arriving early in the morning as Holly and I did to avoid the crowds and to enjoy the scene with some quiet. It did become quite busy (but not uncomfortably so) later in the day. The exhibits inside the center are laid out in a linear fashion with the very nice design touch of having the loyalists story always presented on the walls to the left and the Jacobite story presented on the walls on the right. It was very enjoyable crossing back and forth across the halls to "see the other side" as the events unfolded leading up to the battle of Culloden.<br />
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Two exhibits are stamped in my memory as something that I will never forget. The first was a stark, white room. This was the immersion theater. The walls were empty and we waited anxiously for something to happen. The lights dimmed and we head noises - men talking, flags waving, the clanging of weapons. Video images of a reenactment began to show on the walls - on one wall the battle-line of the Jacobites and on the opposite wall the loyalists. You could see individual men, their dress, their beards and the expressions on their faces. Soon all four walls were filled with images of battle preparation and we stood there in that room surrounded on all sides by the movement and sounds of battle. The cannons began to fire and we watched as men standing in line were suddenly gone, blown away by the cannon balls. The highlanders charged and died as they ran through the muck. This was a very personal and very powerful experience that was very moving.<br />
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The second exhibit that I thoroughly enjoyed, especially as a wargamer, was a gigantic video table that animated the entire battle using icons on the map of the battlefield. You could walk around the table and watch as units tore down stone walls to allow the cavalry to gain a flank. On the charge you could see sections of the battle-line slowed dramatically by the wet ground. You could watch as the highlanders finally reach the loyalist line, their numbers staggeringly low, but still nearly break through until the loyalist reserves were brought up. It was a brilliant birds-eye view of the battle and I watched it several times.<br />
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Out on the battlefield, I closed my eyes again. This was the true exhibit and I breathed it all in, overwhelmed by what happened that day. It became very clear and very real to me as I stood there that morning that the battle at Culloden, the final of the Jacobite uprising, was fought at a transitional time of warfare between the very personal combat of men fighting face-to-face when one could look the enemy in the eye and smell his body-odor and the very distant and very impersonal nature of killing from a distance. My modern mind has extreme difficulty in making sense of the act of running through a wet, grassy field toward cannons and muskets armed with a sword and targe. And yet, it was done and at a terrible price.<br />
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I highly recommend a visit to this historic site if you get the chance. I know I will never forget it.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EA883zdUBRc/Ua9VbB2JX-I/AAAAAAAACO0/O6KlsZM1wjs/s1600/culloden_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EA883zdUBRc/Ua9VbB2JX-I/AAAAAAAACO0/O6KlsZM1wjs/s400/culloden_01.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<br />Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-19514876375504363432013-06-03T16:44:00.001-06:002013-06-06T09:46:18.350-06:00A Hastatus of the Roman RepublicThis is a completed Hastatus for my Republican Roman army. I have been carrying this color scheme in my head for quite a long time now, and I thought I had better finish up a single figure before getting too much further on the rest of the units to be certain that the colors would work well together. I really like how it turned out, especially the way the gold contrasts beautifully with the darker colors.<br />
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The photos were taken with a brand new Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro lens that I picked up earlier today. I should be able to get some very nice photos of my painted models and games with this lens. I'm still learning it, but so far I love it!<br />
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Colors used:<br />
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<tr> <td bgcolor="#d8a978" width="35%"></td> <td> Vallejo: Flat Flesh</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#a24a46" width="35%"></td> <td> Vallejo: Dark Red</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#623535" width="35%"></td> <td> Vallejo: Burnt Cadmium Red</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#d22b2d" width="35%"></td> <td> Vallejo: Vermillion</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#968351" width="35%"></td> <td> Vallejo: Old Gold</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#746a41" width="35%"></td> <td> Vallejo: Bronze</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#665148" width="35%"></td> <td> Vallejo: Burnt Umber</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#4b2967" width="35%"></td> <td> Citadel: Lich Purple</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#838886" width="35%"></td> <td> Citadel: Chainmail</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="35%"></td> <td> Citadel: Abaddon Black</td> </tr>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-25556394829933303672013-06-01T11:05:00.000-06:002013-06-01T11:05:05.804-06:00A Return from Scotland!I'm back from a most excellent trip to Scotland - it was absolutely fantastic with so much to take in and so many amazing thing to see and do. My internal clock is still a bit off, so I have been wide awake since 5:00 a.m. today unpacking, sorting photos and even sitting at my worktable preparing the Roman Hastati for painting!<div>
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We flew into London, had a fun night at a great restaurant even though we felt like zombies. The next morning we caught our Virgin train to Glasgow where we rented a car and drove (nervously) to Edinburgh. Our journey over the next ten amazing days took us to Bonnyrigg, Perth, Newtonmore, Inverness and then back down to Glasgow for the last few days. My highlights of the trip included staying in a magnificent 13th century castle, visiting the Clan Macpherson museum, drinking many delicious ciders, spending time at the Culloden battlefield, the absolutely breathtaking drive down the A82 through the Lochs of the highlands, and the Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis</div>
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I'll will be making a separate post with photos in the near future about my time at the Culloden battlefield since that will be of the most interest to the readers of this blog -- and it was an amazing place.</div>
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I did miss painting while I was away, and the short break from the hobby has me excited to really get back into it full-swing. I will be priming and getting started on painting the two units of Hastati today.</div>
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I'm glad to be back and I look forward to catching up on everybody's blogs!</div>
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Here are a few photos from my trip:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhere near Loch Lochy on a rainy day.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A drive through the highlands.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fU4MRlgd1w4/UaoklPL9CVI/AAAAAAAACL8/JQKRroAaDzA/s1600/Ballathie_House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fU4MRlgd1w4/UaoklPL9CVI/AAAAAAAACL8/JQKRroAaDzA/s400/Ballathie_House.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ballathie House near Perth.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x4fdoU0VrOk/UaoklTqcxPI/AAAAAAAACMI/IOO6qLlLFM4/s1600/Bunchrew_house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x4fdoU0VrOk/UaoklTqcxPI/AAAAAAAACMI/IOO6qLlLFM4/s400/Bunchrew_house.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bunchrew House near Inverness.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kwk3vv020do/UaoklvtG1JI/AAAAAAAACMM/iWIydyBfvsw/s1600/Dalhousie_castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kwk3vv020do/UaoklvtG1JI/AAAAAAAACMM/iWIydyBfvsw/s400/Dalhousie_castle.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dalhousie Castle, Midlothian.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The highlands at last!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--DtxjD0ymew/Uaoklwb3HlI/AAAAAAAACMs/4Mhe-EPxg9o/s1600/cathedral_monument.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--DtxjD0ymew/Uaoklwb3HlI/AAAAAAAACMs/4Mhe-EPxg9o/s400/cathedral_monument.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A memorial within the Glasgow Cathedral.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The magnificent Glasgow Cathedral.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3OzWljxKiwo/UaokmGdJ60I/AAAAAAAACMo/qE_6UvRANaI/s1600/highlands_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3OzWljxKiwo/UaokmGdJ60I/AAAAAAAACMo/qE_6UvRANaI/s400/highlands_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Scottish highlands near Newtonmore.</td></tr>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-18615250938769968702013-05-17T09:33:00.001-06:002013-05-17T09:34:42.459-06:00I'm Going on a JourneyThings will be very quiet around <i>The Inevitable Spark</i> for the next couple of weeks - I am taking an extended vacation to beautiful Scotland to explore, learn, discover, wonder and breathe. We are traveling most of the countryside during our adventure, with plans to visit at least a couple of historic battle sites.<br />
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I'm packing along Tom Holland's <i>Rubicon, The Last Years of the Roman Republic</i> for some reading during the long flights and down-times. While reading the prologue a few days ago this powerful quote from Machiavelli really caught my attention, and I thought I would share it here before I depart:<br />
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Prudent men are wont to say -- and this is not rashly or without good ground -- that he that would foresee what has to be should reflect on what has been, for everything that happens in the world at any time has a genuine resemblance to what happened in ancient times.</blockquote>
I'll see you when I get back!<br />
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Slàinte mhath,<br />
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Jonathan</div>
Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-58402409291803954462013-05-14T14:29:00.002-06:002013-05-14T14:49:36.701-06:00Ezekiel Blume<i>This is the first painted figure for The Society for Advanced Meta-Exploration. The Society is an independent adventuring company that I will be playing for the upcoming <u>In Her Majesty's Name</u> Victorian science-fiction and steampunk skirmish rules. The figure is by Ratnik and is beautifully detailed.</i><br />
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Ezekiel Blume, for as long as he could remember, feared the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and had spent eight mighty years as an Evangelical lay preacher until he was asked rather forcefully by his Yorkshire congregation to vacate his premises under cover of darkness due to some unfortunate circumstances. Perceiving that he cannot reform his sinful ways, it is not uncommon to find him roaring and trembling in fear of divine judgement over bitters and ales at the local pub. He will still preach to any that will listen and, when moved by the spirit, he will retrieve his small and worn bible from within his waistcoat, stand on a chair and deliver a sermon on morality and rigidity.<br />
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Ezekiel Blume was recruited into <i>The</i> <i>Society for Advanced Meta-Exploration</i> on a forgettable and wet evening on a street corner of London. He now rather vigorously passes righteous judgement against any that oppose the ambitions of The Society.<br />
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337435450368035570.post-5268037022947920442013-05-12T10:42:00.001-06:002013-05-12T10:42:49.134-06:00Roman Velites Complete!A busy week saw me complete the Aventine Velites this morning for the Republican Roman army. These are fantastic models to paint and I am very happy with they way they turned out. I thought long and hard on how I wanted to create the bases, knowing only that I wanted to do them differently than the Carthaginians. I ended up using ground cover (fine and medium ballast) that I purchased some time ago from the local Railway hobby store to give the ground some contrast in colors and textures which breaks it up nicely.<br />
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This is two small units of Velites for <i>Hail Caesar</i>, which represents half of the number for a full Republican legion <a href="http://inevitablespark.blogspot.com/2013/01/manipular-thinking-republican-romans.html" target="_blank">in my scheme of things</a>. I am painting half of the legion at a time so I can play some small battles with these Romans sooner rather than later. They are based on two 100mm x 30mm bases.<br />
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Thanks for looking. Next up, the Hastati!<br />
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008146232006674730noreply@blogger.com8