Tactically there is a case to be made for using the smallest possible foot print for a camp but I take the view that a bigger base area gives scope for a diorama style camp design. If it makes it a tiny bit easier for the enemy to reach then so be it. After all if they are able to sack the camp I clearly haven't guarded it properly!
With that in mind I set off to create some new camps for my 6mm Ancient and Dark Age forces (I know I should be calling them early medieval but I only just swallowed the fact that the English Civil War is now the British Civil War, there is only so much change a man can take in a week!).
I decided that most Dark Age armies wouldn't have that much in the way of tents on campaign so instead I decided that the focus would be the designated meeting spot for the troops. After all we do know that when the Anglo Saxon Fyrd was called out they were told to assemble at a well known local landmark so a similar approach would work for other armies of the period. Other than Vikings who did tend to build fortified camps to protect their longships.
My first attempt was to create a round barrow and some standing stones. This where your local garden centre becomes your source of supply. They sell all sorts of ornamental gravel and often don't mind you taking a small sample. This can provide useful natural stone fragments for use as standing stones and lintels for the barrow. I made the grassy dome of the barrow from Milliput and textures the whole thing in the same way I do bases. A mix of kiln dried sand (the sort used for the gaps in block paving) and flock.
This was the result.
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| Roman Fortlet |
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| Round Barrow |
I also made a Roman marching camp based on the floor plan of a small 'fortlet' excavated on the Welsh marches. Pretty much the same techniques of using Milliput to form the base this time with a palisade of cocktail sticks and some Leven Miniatures small Roman tents. I have some bags of supplies from Perfect Six in the painting queue which will be added to both camps once finished. I'm also tempted by some of the scenics from Baccus especially the camp set with tables and a fire. Some 6mm sheep wouldn't go amiss either.
Love the camps - guess what other period I re enacted? Yeah 6 years with Regia Anglorum doing late Anglo Saxon. How do you rate DBA, I've come close to investing in it a couple of times and it could be my Xmas prezzie if I'm good.
ReplyDeleteI liked the old WRG ancient's rules but always struggled to fight a game to a conclusion. DBA allows a game to finish. I find the 12 element basic army limiting but thats the price for a fast play game system. There are big battle options any way. I think DBA 3.0 is a big improvement over the earlier versions. Spear (Saxon Fyrd for example) do better in 3.0 than earlier versions as they get a bonus for side support.
ReplyDeleteYou might also want to take a look at Art de le Guerre as an alternative its DBA with added chrome covering the same time frame. Plus as a bonus it's French so you have a chance of finding players over there.