First Chariots

I HAVE completed my first unit of Egyptian chariots for my biblical project.

Front view

The figures are 10mm from Magister Militum, and have been based on the assumption I will be using Neil Thomas's biblical rules from his Ancient & Medieval Wargaming book.

Side view

As usual, I have to make a disclaimer about my painting skills and, in this case, my modelling abilities.

But as with my 10mm War of the Austrian Succession project, I am expecting the massed effect when whole armies are deployed to be rather more impressive, or at least more pleasing on the eye.

Foyles Find

I FREQUENTLY find myself in London's West End, and as often-as-not pop into Foyles in the hope of finding a new and interesting book.

The shop has recently rejigged its history department, 'hiding' the ancient section, or at least placing it where one cannot easily come across it while idly browsing.

I knew it had to be somewhere and finally managed to find an assistant, who pointed me in the right direction.

Most of the books, as is to be expected, are on Roman history, Greek history and Egyptian mythology, but I was pleased to find what looks to be quite a serious, if short, study of ancient Egyptian warfare.

I know I should not judge a book by its cover, but this looks a treat

The theme fits right in with my biblical wargaming project, so I handed over £9.99 and am looking forward to an enjoyable read.

Early Egyptians

I HAVE painted the first unit for my biblical project - Egyptian spearmen.

Front view

There are 24 figures from Magister Militum on bases 40mm x 20mm, my intention being to use Neil Thomas's rules from his book Ancient & Medieval Wargaming.

Rear view

With wooden Castle Blocks from The Works

More Reading

THUCYDIDES' History Of The Peloponnesian War was a re-read, Slingshot is part of a regular subscription and Warfare In New Kingdom Egypt has helped with my new biblical wargaming project.

Unfortunately Slingshot, which I normally very much like, was a major disappointment as a redesign with much larger print and huge white spaces meant there was only room for six articles.

Ancient reading

Bible Bashing

FOR quite some time I have been pondering a biblical wargaming project on rather an ambitious scale.

To that end I paid a visit to Hannants' store in Colindale, North London, and bought a box of Ancient Egyptian Infantry by Zvezda.

The box

The contents

It led to my first time in many years painting 20mm plastic figures, and I felt I was getting on quite well.

Coming along nicely

But it became increasingly clear I was going to have problems sourcing many of the figures I needed, and at the back of my mind was always the fact I have limited space to field wargames armies.

So I have started again, this time ordering a goodly selection of 10mm metal Egyptians from Magister Militum.

My latest recruits

Recent Reading

I HAVE, to say the least, neglected this blog lately, but below is a photo of some of my recent reading materials, including re-reading classic works of Herodotus and Xenophon.

Classics old and new

I had forgotten how great a read Xenophon in particular is, but then Simon Elliott's Old Testament Warriors is also riveting stuff.

Polished In Poland

RECENTLY spent nine nights in Wrocław, a city in Silesia better known for hundreds of years by its German name of Breslau.

Despite the city's long history, there was nothing I came across of military interest, although I have posted a couple of photos of some historic interest at https://www.instagram.com/timspanton/

However I had plenty of time to read two books I took with me: Ottoman Odyssey - Travels Through A Lost Empire by Alev Scott, and Lostwithiel 1644 - The Campaign And The Battles by Stephen Ede-Borrett.

A pair of polished products

I nearly gave up on the Ottoman book as its concentration on massacres, mostly by Turks of Christians and Jews, but also of some atrocities against Muslims, is, to say the least, depressing. I was glad I kept going as I found the travel bits well worth the effort.

The Lostwithiel book was published 17 years ago by The Pike and Shot Society but has lain unread in my flat ever since; undeservedly so as it covers a little-known but fascinating campaign from the English Civil War.

Three Books

MY recent reads include Round Ireland In Low Gear by Eric Newby, Border: A Journey To The Edge Of Europe by Kapka Kassabova and 'An Ill Journey For The Englishmen': Elis Gruffydd And The 1523 French Campaign Of The Duke Of Suffolk by The Pike and Shot Society.

Three books

Round Ireland details Newby's cycling through remote parts of Eire with his wife Wanda, noting a lot of history on the way.

As a travel book it is not a patch on his Hindu Kush and Down The Ganges efforts, but then they were very good indeed.

But at least it is readable, which is more than I can say for Border. I managed fewer than 70 pages of the latter before giving up in frustration at tosh about the evil eye, psychic healing and energy fields presented as established facts.

The Pike and Shot book was published by the society in 2006, as an inducement to renewing membership, if I recall correctly.

It has taken me 15 years to get around to reading the book, which mostly consists of two accounts, the main one by Welsh adventurer Elis Gruffydd, of military campaigning in France by Henry VIII's troops in the 15th year of the English king's reign.

Some of the spellings and quaint - to 21st -century eyes - writing take a little getting used to, but I think were well worth it.

Two Mags

MY recent reading has included the July/August issues of Ancient Warfare and Slingshot.

These publications are consistently two of my favourite reads, and neither of these issues let me down.

Ancient Warfare and Slingshot ... colourful covers and excellent contents

Ancient Warfare is themed around  the Neo-Assyrian Empire, with interesting articles that managed to tell me things I did not know.

Slingshot has more of a mix, with my favourite being Michael Fredholm von Essen's on The Rise And Fall Of Nomad Military Power, marred only by having a ridiculous 80 endnotes (and this is only the first of a two-part series).

Some Slingshot contributors could do with studying how professional writers, such as those in Ancient Warfare, manage to produce an article without indulging in pseudo-academic extravagances.

Cruising

A BOOK called The Cruise Of The Snark may sound like a spoof from the Monty Python team.

In fact it is American author Jack London's account of building and sailing a large yacht across much of the South Pacific.

Since the journey was made in 1907, it has lots of historic interest, as well as being both fascinating and amusing in large parts.

My edition of London's book - a reprint from California-based The Narrative Press

It is a long time since I read anything by this author, but it almost makes me want to re-read White Fang and The Call Of The Wild.