ADLG: Good And Bad V4 Lists

Background

Recently, I wrote my final piece on the subject of "super" armies in Art de la Guerre (ADLG). The main points were:

From a visual, and statistically naive, analysis I concluded that there are no "super" armies in ADLG. By "super" I mean armies that offer all players an advantage.

My underlying hypothesis was that as games increase, luck, player skill and list choice even out, so efficacy tends to 50%, leaving only inherent list differences (if any).

More rigorous testing showed that luck does even out. What is left behind is real and not chance, but that leftover is a tangle of list strength, player skill and popularity. The tests can only measure its size, not pull the tangle apart.

My hypothesis was only partially right. In a perverse way my initial conclusion still holds, but for totally different reasons. There still aren't any "super" armies because, given the data available, it's impossible to prove or disprove their exstance. It's case unproven.

One of the "byproducts" of the rigorous testing was a list of 20 (yes just 20) statistically different armies (good and bad) in ADLG V4. At first I didn't see it as particularly useful: the differences could be due to any combination of factors not just an army's inherent performance.

Now I've had time to reflect, I think the lists may be of more general interest; not least because they contain a few surprises and people do love a good list or two.

ADLG: Super Armies, The Final Solution

Summary

Since 2018 I have always answered no to the question are there any "super" armies in Art de la Guerre (ADLG)? After the thorough statistical testing described here that's still the case, but for entirely different reasons.

Until today I thought, given a high enough number of games, any variation in army performance (efficacy) could be ascribed to the inherent strength of the list and nothing else. That's not the case.

Chance genuinely evens out, and what is left behind is real and not chance - but that leftover is a tangle of list strength, player skill and popularity. The statistical tests only measure its size, but cannot pull the tangle apart. This applies to all the data I have available. More data will not help.

The answer is definitive, but it's case unproven. Therefore this post is the final piece to look at the issue of "super" armies in ADLG. Time to move on.

Those of a statistically nervous disposition read on at their peril.

ADLG: V4 Six Years On

Introduction

I’ve been looking forward to writing this post for a while, and this week I finally can: the online database now shows more recorded Art de la Guerre (ADLG) V4 games than V3. Each version has surpassed 20,000 competitive games from events worldwide.

Contents

Having reached this significant landmark, it seems a good time to:

• look at the history of ADLG,
• highlight any differences between V3 & V4,
• revisit the super army debate,
• discus what's happening with V5.

WRG Illustration Index

One of my best wargaming "investments" was a collection of hardback reference books released by the Wargames Research Group (WRG) in the early 1980s: the famous "Armies & Enemies" series.

In the intervening decades they have been used again and again; not least because so many 15 mm figure manufacturers use them as sculpting guides. I'm glad I bought the hard back editions as they have stood the test of time with few signs of wear and tear.

Birth of a project

The books' greatest strength is the sheer volume of illustrations. The books' greatest weakness is the sheer volume of illustrations. Thus a project was born.

15 mm Pyrrhic Cavalry (Donnington "Originals")

Background

In 2024 I took a Late Macedonian army to the King in the North competition. I had originally planned to use borrowed figures, but was lucky enough to finish painting everything I needed in time for the October event. I wanted to begin with a fairly plain, almost “vanilla”, Hellenistic army that I could adapt afterwards into other, more exotic forces.

As it turned out, the Late Macedonian army was perhaps a little too plain. It’s very solid, but it lacks a certain something in competitions. There aren’t quite enough units with real striking power, and I found myself relying too heavily on a small number of pike units to both hold the line and breakthrough.

After several competitions, I began browsing through the Art de la Guerre (ADLG) army lists to see what other options I might have. I briefly considered a Seleucid army, but eventually settled on a Pyrrhic army. That choice meant I needed to paint a few extra units: elephants, some hoplites, and of course some different cavalry.

Appropriate cavalry

These new cavalry units caused me the most "trouble".

15 mm Hellenistic Elephant (Essex Miniatures)

I spent quite a bit of money during my trip to "The Other Partizan". My purchases were mostly bargains so my shopping bag was very heavy by the end of the day: I bought lots and lots of 15 mm goodies.

One of my favourites was a £1 bag containing two Essex elephants (from MEPA24). The bag also contained two mahouts, one howdah and two crew. Having painted one fully crewed elephant, I'm wondering what I can do with the second elephant and mahout: suggestions please in the comments.

15 mm Camel Riders (Red Copper)

Here's the latest addition to my Arab Conquest army. I showed some "work in progress" photos a while ago. They were finished shortly thereafter, but I have only just based and photographed them.

Work In Progress Summer '25

It's been just over a month since I posted anything. I try to post at least once a month, however this last month has been difficult. Partly because things in the real world haven't gone well, and partly because it's been so blinking hot. These things have combined to sap my enthusiasm. Even so, I've not been completely idle.

15 mm Greek Hoplites (Essex Miniatures)

Introduction

Decades ago (and I am not kidding) I bought a sample from a professional figure painter. It was a "adjusted" figure from Essex Miniatures MPA27 Later Hoplite Greek: Theban Hoplites Boitian helmet. The over arm pose had been changed to "at rest" (spear vertical) by bending the throwing arm. I never did buy more than the sample, but I kept it to use as inspiration.

More recently, I've decided to morph my Later Macedonian Art de la Guerre (ADLG) army into a Pyrrhic army. This requires some elephants, a few slingers, some later cavalry, and some hoplites.

The Later Macedonian army lacks units with "punch". It does best when the pike can pin a target and grind their way trough it, but, as the army is quite small, this can leave the flanks of the pike very vulnerable. The elephants will add some "punch" and the hoplites will add stable width (I hope).

Luckily, one of my mates found some Essex hoplites, and a few Freikorps command figures, in his loft. Money changed hands, and now they are all painted.

ADLG: Northern League Round 1 (Leeds, 09 March 2025)

Introduction

It was dark when I got up on Sunday morning! Too early by half. I picked up Gareth Jones south of Warrington before crossing the M62 to Leeds. The weather was kind, as was the traffic, so we arrived 10 or 20 minutes before the 09:00 start. I had time for a cup of tea and a look round the excellent Hicks Hall, home of the Leeds Wargaming club since late 2020.

15 mm Indian Elephants (Donnington 'Orginals')

In July last year I posted some pictures of my first Hellenistic elephant. I now have a pair:

Bronze Armour Recipes

For bronze shields I use Vallejo Brass (70.801) thinned with water. Three or four thin coats produce the smooth, highly polished look I want.

15 mm Later Macedonian Pike (Essex) & Illyrian Cavalry (Forged in Battle)

I've written a few text heavy posts recently, so here's a picture hevay post to redress the balance. These units completed the army I took to the KITN at York in October.

ADLG: King In The North (York, 19 - 20 Oct 2024)

Introduction

After months of preparation, I set out for my third KITN competition on a decent October day. At one point I didn't think I'd make it this year, but I did thanks to some good friends. The trip across the Pennines went well and we found our B&B easily enough.

Unlike previous years, where we stayed in Haxby, we stayed very close to the centre of York on the Haxby road. The location was ideal for my wife and her friend. I had a 15 minute drive to the venue each day, but came to hate the number of traffic calming measures. So many on such a short road.

ADLG: Northern League Round 4 (Manchester, 08 September 2024)

Introduction

Once again I braved the northbound M6 on a rainy Sunday morning. Fortified by the mandatory bacon buttie (sandwich), the journey there wasn't too bad.

15 mm Macedonian Pike (1 of 4) (Essex Miniatures)

I'm on the final lap of my Later Macedonian army for "The King In The North", Art de la Guerre (ADLG) competition in mid-October this year. All told I need four units of pike and this is the first I've finished.

15 mm Indian Elephant (Donnington 'Originals')

I succumbed to the "wargames butterfly" syndrome once again and placed a modest order with Ancient & Modern for a selection of Hellenistic figures from their "Originals" range.

The plan was threefold:

• Various samples of cavalry suitable for generic medium cavalry.
• More Seleucid cataphracts (I already have some painted).
• An Indian elephant in case I ever wanted to create a Phyrric army.

As you can see it was a coherent and well thought out purchase. Well maybe not: I should be concentrating on finishing my Later Macedonians and I have more than enough medium cavalry already.

The elephant was the main reason I placed the order. I've built their elephant models before and they turned out well. So despite my reservations about the amount of preparation involved, I placed my order.

Read on for more photos and my notes on the build and painting.

15 mm Macedonian Heavy Cavalry (Xyston)

This is something of a first for me (well second really). Last Saturday I bought twelve painted and based cavalry from the bring and buy at the Phalanx show in St. Helens.

I've only ever done this once before (and also at Phalanx) but these figures were just what I needed for my Hellenistic project; were at a really good price of £2.00 each; and had a decent, if basic, painting style.

I have surprised myself by reworking them in less than a week! I have never done so many figures so quickly. Here's what most of them look like:

Forged in Battle: A Cautionary Tale

This weekend I prepared a pack of 15 mm Illyrian cavalry and much to my dismay I found:

15 mm Thorakitai (Forged in Battle)

Once again my Hellenistic collection grows with these armoured medium infantry.