Gavin's Wargaming Section

Last revised: January 29, 2002

My wargaming is heavily concentrated on the Ancient & Medieval period using the DBM rules. So all the information contained here is about these topics (and some material relevant to WRG 7th Edition).

At present the wargames information is organised into the following 4 sections (most are on this page):

Army Popularity & Success in DBM competitions

In the old days when the Society of Ancients had a thriving wargames competition it was common to find an analysis of how different armies had performed during the last year in the competition. I enjoyed these so decided to produce something similar. Therefore, I have collected results from a number of DBM competitions and compiled statistics about the popularity of various armies and their success.

• Start of 1996 & middle of 1997. First published in Slingshot 194 (Nov 97).
• Roughly August 97 to end of September 98. First published in Slingshot 201 (Jan 99).
• October 98 to end of December 99.
• October 98 to September 00. In other words up to the introduction of DBM 3.0 (almost 2,500 players/teams)
• Initial DBM 3.0 results. New Revised set of statistics as used for article in Slingshot 219 (Nov 01) on lack of many armies which are both highly popular & effective under DBM 3.0 (yet?).
• Expected probability of success. A table showing the expected range of the success figure (assuming the results are random).
• I compiled some results for 6th Edition and 7th Edition competitions between 96-97. These were published in Slingshot 196 (Mar 98) - I will place copies here if there is sufficient demand. I have not found enough results since then to continue to compile results for 6th & 7th Edition.

I am still compiling competition results, so please Email recent competition results to me or Email with information about web sites giving competition results (those I know about are listed on my wargaming links page). I would particularly like information on web sites with US competition results.

Wargaming with Aztecs Back to Top

A few years ago, I spent a year in Los Angeles and got interested in Aztec and Meso-American history. As a wargamer, that rapidly translated into the raising of an Aztec army. The army is extremely colourful and interesting to paint (and is ideal if you don't like painting horses); it is also numerous and very different from other DBM armies (so it provides a unique set of challenges to both its own general and opponents).

• Actions with Aztecs. An article on the collection, organisation and competition use of my 15mm DBM Aztec army: it is a compilation of two articles (one originally published in Slingshot 187 (Sept 96) and one in Spearpoint - journal of North American Society of Ancient & Medieval Wargamers (NASAMW)).
• Aztec doctrine & battle reports. This is a set of notes about army doctrine, and the results from a practice game, which I put together for my doubles partner (Roger), as Roger had never played with the Aztecs: he had only played against them. Also included are battle reports for the games at Shieldwall 99. Published in Slingshot 211 (Sept 2000).
• 25mm Aztecs. My views on the available 25mm Aztecs that I've seen.
• Painting Aztecs. My present views on painting Aztecs. (Not yet ready)

Miscellaneous wargaming articles Back to Top

A collection of articles on wargaming with various under various rules.

• Sumerians. An article I wrote for Spearpoint or Slingshot (I forget which) on using Sumerians under WRG 7th Edition, plus a few thoughts on their representation in DBM.
• Japanese Samurai. An article I wrote for Spearpoint on using a Japanese army under WRG 7th Edition, plus a few thoughts on available 15mm figures and painting Samurai.
• Refight of Hydaspes under DBM & WRG 7th Edition. Hydaspes was fought in 326 BC between a Macedonian army under Alexander the Great and an Indian army under Porus. Originally published in Slingshot.
• Early Chinese armies. An article on using Chou & Ch'in armies under WRG 7th Edition, thoughts on re-organising the armies for DBM and a minor note on uniform colours. Published in Slingshot 207 (Jan 2000).
• Alexandrian Macedonian. Thoughts on using an Alexandrian Macedonian army under both WRG 7th Edition and DBM - including lessons learnt. Published in Slingshot 210 (July 2000).
• Republican Romans. Thoughts on using Republican Romans under DBM.
• Feuding Spanish. Article on using Feudal Spanish under DBM. Published in Slingshot 209 (May 2000).

Last revised: January 29, 2002.
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