The Society of Ancients magazine, Slingshot 350, is with the printers …

[SoApub]

… and should be dropping into SoA member’s mailboxes anyday now! Here is the cover picture, together with a list of the contents and a short summary of each article , or go to the SoA news page.  (If you aren’t already a member of The Society of Ancients , you can read about and join the society here.

"You'd look depressed too, if you were crewed by a bunch of weekend sailors!  We're never going to win the West Mediterranean Regatta at this rate."

Editorial

Which begins, "Salve mi mare amicis!".  To which I might perhaps reply, "Hello sailor, yourself".  But then I'd just be revealing my execrably poor grasp of Latin so I'll just read on.

A Word from our New President Richard Lockwood

As is customary on these occasions.  Informative, generous and encouraging but brief.  So pretty faultless.  I was mainly referring to the article but these epithets may well apply to Richard too.

Battleday 2024 Update

A final Reminder for this Year’s Society Battle Day, which will take place on Sunday 24th March, 2024 at Hermitage Village Hall in Berkshire (postcode RG18 9WL).  And it's worth spreading the word that the Battle Day is open to both members and non-members.  Entry costs £10 per person.

Alala Ruleset Launch

Alala! Is a set of tactical wargames rules by Simon MacDowall for classical hoplite phalanx warfare and consists of a rulebook, separate quick reference sheet and a deck of cards (the God Pack). PDF files for QRS and cards are available for download and home printing.

Wargaming News

News about new figures, rulesets, books, etc., including:

Blue Moon 3rd - 5th Century Romans 15/18mm
WiP Games and Miniatures Ancient Greeks 28mm
Conquerors and Kings, 2nd edition rules for ancient battles by Peter Pig
Acemhöyük, another new set of rules, these with a slant towards myth and all things Hittite!
Crusader Castle: The Desert Fortress of Kerak.  Published in January 2024 by Pen & Sword.

Simon MacDowall Interview on Alala Ruleset Development

In advance of the release of ‘Alala’ in March this year, the editor found time to catch up with Simon to ask how the ruleset came into existence and his insights to the design.

Editor’s Prizes for 2023

Let's be clear about this upfront,  no one is in with a shout here who hasn't contributed material to Slingshot but don't be disappointed, that in no way detracts from the pleasure of reading this article. I mean, where else are you going to read about dried frog pills?

Blood Red Roses Ruleset Development by Adrian Nayler

Blood Red Roses is a simple though slightly unorthodox game for two players to fight battles representative of the Wars of the Roses. If any of that is your thing then take a look under the hood in company with the author.  Abstractions, perspectives, mechanisms, interpretations.  Nothing is left to the imagination.  (Except the bit where you get your helmet split by a poll axe, as this is not an age restricted publication.)

Gaugamela Part Three by Damian Baxter

This time, "Command and Control".  All armies of all Ages are limited by command and control ... And I for one have every sympathy with that statement, especially as I regularly play DBA.

Slings and Slingers by John Hogan

The humble sling is probably the second oldest projectile weapon after the throwing spear ... and the ammunition is cheap.  John explores the whole topic: types, techniques, ammunition sources, range, effectiveness, use in sieges, limitations and decline.  Not to mention a look at slingers in army lists.

Fact vs Fun by Connor Truby

"Fact vs fun is frankly a purposefully contentious headline."  No! Surely not. In a previous issue the editor suggested that historical accuracy and fun might be on a sliding scale. Where accuracy increases, fun de-creases and vice versa.  Connor takes a careful look at the question and then, like a good student of history, proceeds to "discuss".

Galley Warfare at the Society’s Convention (2022) by Michael Lane

Michael charts his voyage. From land lubber to lord of the middle sea.  From ships on the beach (aka lead pile) to a formidable ancient navy.  Along the way he takes in building the fleet from Skytrex 1/600th models; testing and adopting David Manley's rules for ancient galley warfare, "Ad Mare Nostrum"; and developing a scenario from the sources for the battle of Side (otherwise the Eurymedon River) in 190 BC, fought between the Rhodians and Rome's old enemy, Hannibal, commanding a Seleucid fleet.

Tactica Part 5 - Alexandrian Macedonians v Later Achaemenid Persians by Simon Watson

Simon and friends continue to rewrite history, this time for Alexander and Xerxes, with the help of Arty Conliffe's Tactica 2 rules.

Blood Red Roses - a Battle Report and Review (of sorts) by Gordon Garrad

Now we've read about the rules, let's hear how they play.

Slingshot Book, Game & Figure Reviews

Including reviews of:

Developing the Portable Wargame - book review by Martin Smith
Romes Third Samnite War - book review by Gavin Pearson
Rome Rules the Waves - book review by Jim Webster
Empires of the Steppes - book review bby Chris Hahn

And Finally…

A postscript from the Editor.

Coming up in Slingshot 351:

• Battle Day reports and thoughts
• A return to the Dark Ages
• Base discussions
• Alexandrian shenanigans

[macsen wledig]

damn fine work sir!