Irregular Wars Wargaming

Join Mark as he returns to Pattayavium for another episode of Song of Shadows and Dust . There is a problem with pickpockets in the streets of Pattayavium. It wouldn’t matter too much if it affected only the lower orders, but some prominent citizens have found themselves unexpectedly without cash at embarrassing moments, and they and some of the traders and merchants have petitioned the Prefect for more effective enforcement action. The thief-taker Kymmes and his underlings have been ordered to initiate a crackdown. Pattayavium loves a crackdown. Still does. Here they are (Photo #1). L to R: Kymmes Q3 C3; Determined, Disarm, Leader, Stealth. Luke & Solon Q4 C3; Bellicose. In fact, unknown to almost everyone, most of the crime is attributable to Sulpicious and his gang of professionals. But it seems they are becoming too successful. Kymmes gets a tip-off that Helios Street would be a good place to stake out, around the Ides of the month when a religious festival will bring even more...

Mark returns to ancient Pattayavium for some Song of Shadows and Dust ... *** The Fraternity of Bakers in Pattayavium is not a large body. In fact it is restricted to only two families, headed by the brothers Autolycus and Lysias, who are responsible for baking bread for those Helleno-Roman expats who have not gone native culinary-wise. They and their families and workers live in a close knit community near the potteries, clustered around the grain stores and large ovens which obviously are central to the business (Photo #1, looking NE). Unfortunately things are not well between the brothers. Lysias, the younger, who has always been aggressive and impulsive, has taken to heavy drinking and gambling. He is deep in debt to shady characters who have encouraged him to believe Autolycus is planning to cut him out of the trade. Things come to a head one morning around dawn, when not many civilians are yet on the streets but obviously the bakers are hard at work. Lysias shows up with a gang o...

“Canes dementes et Coloni in meridie sol exeunt” in the words of the popular ballad. It’s the hottest hot season in living memory. This episode of  Song of Shadows & Dust  from the Graeco-Roman outpost of Pattayavium follows three potentially-interrelated narratives of inhabitants doing stuff they might not normally do. People are going troppo.  Here’s an overall view of the part of town known as the Suburra, looking N from the Temple of Europa (E end) to the insula commonly called the White Elephant (W end). Here are buzzards-eye views of various parts of the Suburra. Coloured dice identify the locations of interest. Levi, the Jewish rabbi at Pattayavium, wants to stop the activities of a newly opened pork market near his residence (which is also the synagogue for his tiny congregation). The market is identified by White 1. Pattayavium’s red-light district is another scene of tension. A newly opened brothel is proving too popular for the longer-established premises. ...