.png)
My Russian medieval army is nearly complete. I've only the basing to do on the final eight elements. In fairness I've a few odds and sods to do, mainly command elements but these are for a bit of fun painting over Christmas.
No medieval army is complete without an abundance of flags so here are the flags I have used for my heavy & medium cavalry. These are in addition to the two sets of flags I've placed online already.
As is my wont I decided to do some homework in an attempt to memorise more of the combat factors from Art de la Guerre (ADLG) version 4. I have always struggled to remember them during a game and this is slowing me down.
But first a slight digression. I've had a long standing interest in the way language and logic are used in wargames rules because they can greatly simplify, or really complicate, matters. In 2013 I wrote a post entitled "Why Are Wargames Rules Complex?" in which I said:
"... the space restrictions of a quick reference sheet, and when rules are tabulated in the body of the rules, places a heavy emphasis on logical consistency, brevity and clarity. These three are very hard to achieve but are crucial in assisting readers to quickly assimilate the mass of detail required to play the game."
I generalised and developed this post and the resultant piece was published in Miniature Wargames, 368, 38-39. There's a pdf available from the articles page if you'd like to read more.
So back to ADLG V4. My experience is that it reads really well & looks very straightforward but looks can be deceiving. In use, ADLG has all sorts of gremlins "under the hood" and learning by rote seems the only option. I'm sure I'm not alone in this view.
What follows is a short(ish) description of my attempt to hammer the combat factors into my head and the quirks I encountered along the way. Those of a nervous disposition may want to look away now.
My return to the Art de la Guerre (ADLG) competition circuit saw me travel once again to Eccles on a cold Sunday morning for the final round in the 2021 Northern League. My last competitive game was in Nov 2018!
I'd agreed to share the journey with Gareth Jones which added a welcome social aspect to the day. We had breakfast enroute and the post-mortem on the return journey was most enjoyable. All that was missing was a hour in the pub.
Ever since I returned to wargaming in the 1990s I've used metal toolboxes to store and transport my finished armies.
