Irregular Wars Wargaming

Mark sends another missive from the East! ***** I’ve only been playing Devilry Afoot (including playtesting) since January 2024, and I find myself returning to a scenario where the forces of darkness choose a lonely farm as their target. Not sure why … but it has happened again. Here’s a view of Ketuvim Farm yard , where the action will take place this time (Photo #1)  Farmer Job leases Ketuvim farm, somewhere in Rutlandshire, on land owned by the Cottesmore Estate (Sir Thos Bertram Bt, who we have met before). As All Hallows Eve draws closer this year, some disquieting events are cause for worry and extra nightly prayers. A foul smell is in the early-morning air in some low-lying areas. Two sheep have disappeared one morning, and the rest of the flock are obviously nervous. Job and his farm workers are God-fearing folk (outwardly, at least). Here are their details: Farmer Job Goodman, Sadist, Devout, Penitent Flintlock musket 22s, Lantern 3s 25s: spends 25s Bottom* Goodman, Lustf...

Find your niche, play your fantasy Irregular Wars Wargaming was born from a desire to play something different. To play historical games too niche to be a commercial success. To play fantasy games unshackled by somebody else’s world or the prescriptive demands to sell associated miniature ranges. To play games where the landscape drives decisions, and randomised events can allow even the most gamey players to snatch defeat from the jaws of glorious victory. With various tabletop wargames published through both Irregular Wars and Ganesha Games, my rules are designed to be engaging for all players throughout the game, employing randomised initiative with play passing quickly between players. They aim to create some degree of command friction, limiting the omnipotent control of the player and forcing interesting decision making. Above all, they are driven to be flexible, enabling players to build the armies, warbands, parties and fleets of their choice, applicable to whatever period or s...

The last post of a busy month is another three-company unit of Romano-British pedyt for my Fantastic Battles Britannia Burning project. Accompanying them are the first two characters of the army, one pretending that they still serve the empire, and another much more comfortable in a tribal setting. All miniatures from the wonderful Pendraken Late Roman range. Going more uniform for this unit, the pedyt shields are based on the Petulantes Seniores auxilia unit noted in the Notia Dignitatum ; their banner is inspired by the shields of the Felices Iuniores in the same document. I've been having a bit of an issue with my painting hand recently, so the shield work isn't as fine as I would like, but they are done and I can more on now to the next unit. In total I now have a little over 500 points across four units and the two commanders. Progress is slow, but there is progress! ✊

October’s Big Game Sunday saw Tony, Garry and I facing off with a somewhat plausibly historic game of Fantastic Battles – pitting 1900 points of my Late Seleukids against their unholy alliance of Republican Romans and later Carthaginians. I had hidden a three-company unit of Arab allies in the woods on the Seleukid left as an ambush to slow down the Roman advance on that flank, but during the mishaps phase, both they and a unit of Roman velites opposite were enthusiastic and advanced towards each other. Thus, melee combat was begun before either side received orders to advance.  Elsewhere, the Seleukid side suffered little from mishaps (a single late unit of slingers). It could have been far worse. At one point I think I rolled four or five 6’s in a row which would have caused havoc if they weren’t adjusted thanks to the quartermaster strategy. The Romano-Punic armies suffered more with late, enthusiastic and diseased units along the line. The opening turn saw general advance orde...