Romania 1944

 This is a new title in the Osprey Campaign series by Grant Harward. While Romania's role as a German ally against the Soviet Union has been well covered, the actions just before and after switching sides in 1944 are less well-known. While they are mentioned in books on the Hungarian campaign, a book in this concise format is very welcome. David Glantz's Red Storm Over the Balkans: The Failed Soviet Invasion of Romania, Spring 1944, is excellent, but not for the faint-hearted!

Grant starts with a concise overview of how Romania entered WW2, reminding us that it wasn't inevitable that they joined the Axis and got little thanks territorially. Romania was essential to the German war effort providing most of the oil for the Nazi war machine. The King also made peace overtures after Italy surrendered in 1943. 

The Soviets arrived in March 1944 while many of the best Romanian troops were still in Crimea, supported by Allied bombing. Even so, the Romanian front saw heavy fighting, and the Soviets had to allocate additional forces and a second offensive to break through. By the end of August, the King led a coup against Marshal Ion Antonescu and quickly declared war on Germany. A German-led counter-coup failed. An excellent little detail in the book is when the King arrested Antonescu and his deputy, both were locked in a large wall safe where King Carol II used to keep his stamp collection. German resistance continued, particularly the 5th Flak division around the vital Ploesti oilfields. 

The Soviets fully secured Romania on 12 September, and the Soviet–Romanian Armistice consisted of 20 articles requiring Romania, among other things, to provide 12 divisions to fight Nazi Germany. Romania’s holy war against ‘Judeo-Bolshevism’ became an ‘anti-fascist crusade’. The action shifted to Transylvania, with all Romanian units allocated to the 2nd Ukrainian Front, which helped defeat a joint Hungarian and German counterattack. These were mainly cobbled-together units of young recruits, other than the Soviet 1st Tudor Vladimirescu Romanian Volunteer Infantry Division, recruited from POWs. This Front eventually overran Hungary, but that is another campaign.

As is usual with the Osprey Campaign format, we get biographies of the principal commanders of the Romanian, German, Soviet, and American 15th Air Force operating from Italy. Then, the opposing forces, including detailed orbats for the defence of Romania in August 1944. The chapter on opposing plans reminds us that USAAF bombers also operated from Soviet airfields. The Soviet naval landings on the Black Sea coast are another interesting aspect of this campaign. The campaigns are all explained with excellent maps and illustrated with action colour plates by Johnny Shumate. There isn't much on the Romanian forces because another Osprey on the Romanian Army in WW2 provides that detail.

The former battlefield of the second Iaşi–Chişinău offensive today stretches across three countries: Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. The chapter on the battlefields today provides a valuable starter for the visitor, including Bucharest and Transylvania. I haven't been there for years, and I should return.

For the wargamer, Romanian WW2 troops are available in most scales. I have them in 15mm, and the Great Escape Games range in 28mm is good. They come in mixed packs with helmets and caps, the latter of which I pinched for my WW2 Turks.

Rhodes Town

 Yesterday, we took a ferry from Marmaris to Rhodes. Although it's only an hour away, the trip takes nearly three hours each way, thanks to obsolete ferry booking systems and passport control. That leaves much less time than I hoped, but still enough to explore the walls and visit the main museums. 

Founded in 408 BC, Rhodes Town grew in wealth and influence through its strategic location at the crossroads of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. It became famous for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which stood near the harbour until it was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC.

After the Roman period, Rhodes became part of the Byzantine Empire, but its importance waned. In 1309, the Knights of St. John (Knights Hospitaller) took control of Rhodes and turned the town into a fortified city. The knights built massive walls, castles, and the Palace of the Grand Master, much of which still stands today. Rhodes became a critical stronghold in the Crusades until 1522, when the Ottoman Empire captured Rhodes after a six-month siege. The knights were forced to leave for Malta, and Rhodes Town became part of the Ottoman Empire for nearly four centuries.

As you sail into the harbour, the iconic fort defending the mole, along with the harbour walls and gates, is obvious.

The old town is well-preserved, allowing for endless shops. I visited the Archeological Museum, which has exhibits from excavations across the island. There is not much about the military history, although many well-preserved pottery pieces have artwork of hoplites and others.

The best visit was to the Knight's Palace, an impressive fortification, but less impressive exhibits inside. The mosaics are excellent though.

There is a lovely model of a Knight's galley, which reminds us that piracy was an essential source of income.  None in the harbour, but the modern Hellenic Navy was. Roussen Class, I think.

I was pleased to see that the Ottoman period was not eradicated from memory as is sometimes the case elsewhere. This is the Suleymaniye Mosque.

I had planned to go to the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery in the suburbs. It includes 65 men who died on Kos, whose graves were moved into this cemetery from the small Kos War Cemetery, which had to be closed in July 1957. 

Overall, it was worth the effort just to see the fortifications, which are in excellent condition. Just a shame about the awful ferry system.

Battle of the Alps 1940

 Reading Jim Ring's book Hitler's War in the Alps prompted me to discover more about the Italian invasion of France in 1940. For that, I have read Marek Sobski's excellent Battle of the Alps 1940. 

The Italian Invasion of France in 1940 started on 10 June 1940, when Mussolini declared war on France and the United Kingdom. Mussolini's decision to join the war was influenced by Germany's rapid successes in its Blitzkrieg campaign through France, and he hoped to secure territorial gains for Italy. However, Italy’s military was not well-prepared for war. 32 divisions were mobilised for the invasion, although most were poorly equipped and inexperienced. Marshal Badoglio recorded his reservations about the unpreparedness for war. Mussolini replied, "Mr. Marshal, I only need a few thousand dead to sit at the peace table as a fighting party."

Italy's invasion began with air raids against southern France and the French Riviera. Ground forces stationed in the Alps moved slowly because of rugged terrain, inadequate equipment, and stiff French resistance. Although heavily outnumbered because troops were diverted to the ongoing German invasion in the north, French troops managed to hold back the Italians in the mountainous Alpine region.

Sobski highlights many factors that contributed to the Italian defeat. Even in June, the weather can be pretty bad in the Alps, and unfortunately for the Italians, it was poor that summer. The Alpini regiments were at least adequately equipped, but not all were trained correctly for mountain fighting. So-called 'Mountain Divisions' were just light infantry with no specialist equipment. The Italians later created assault engineers for this task.

The French had extensive fortifications (Little Maginot Line) that blocked the handful of useable invasion routes (five useable roads that the French blocked), and the Italians had insufficient heavy artillery to destroy them. The forts were built into the terrain and were very difficult to hit by bombers from the air. The Germans faced similar problems against the Maginot Line near the Swiss border and failed. They did better using Stukas against the Metaxas Line in Greece, but the much-maligned Maginot Line was an effective defence and was only defeated in May 1940 because it could be outflanked. The French XIV and XV Corps commanders were experienced Alpine officers who knew the defensive positions, and even the reservists serving in the fortress units knew the fortifications they manned perfectly. 

Mussolini got his few thousand dead, but made few territorial gains. Italy gained a small strip of land along the French Riviera, including the town of Menton, but none of the French colonies he coveted. The final chapter covers the skirmishes on the Tunisian/Libyan border, which would make an interesting what-if campaign.

There are many wargaming rabbit holes here, but thankfully, I have most of the troops needed. I am writing this on holiday in Türkiye in 30C temperatures. You have to admire the bravery of the soldiers who fought in blizzards and snow in the Alps that summer. 

Knidos

 Yesterday we drove a couple of hours from our base near Marmaris to the ancient city of Knidos situated at Cape Tekir, on the Datça Peninsula. As you can see from this Google terrain map, it was a slow journey through hilly terrain. Knidos is at the far end of the peninsular.

Diodorus claimed that Knidos (Cnidus) was founded by Greek colonists, both Lacedaemonians and Argives, and they moved to this site in the 4th-century, possibly earlier. The city's position was favourable for commerce, and the Knidians acquired considerable wealth. There was a medical school, and the city was famous for its wine and culture. They later submitted to Cyrus and Athens. The Romans took it over without a fight, and during the Byzantine period, there was still a considerable population. The ruins contain several buildings belonging to the Byzantine style, and Christian churches.

It was hot!

Strabon described Knidos as a "double city" in appearance, comprising the mainland and the island part called "Kap Krio". The city is terraced due to the mountainous structure of the land. Subsequently, the sea between the island and the mainland was filled to obtain two separate ports. The smaller port to the north was used for military purposes, while the southern port on the other side is allocated for merchant ships.

The military trireme harbour.

The Battle of Cnidus (394BC) was fought just off the coast. It appears that the Spartan fleet encountered advanced elements of the Achaemenid fleet under Conon (former Athenian admiral fighting for the Persians) and engaged them with some success. Then the main body of the Persian fleet arrived and put the Spartans to flight, forcing them to beach many of their ships. This battle ended Spartan attempts to become a naval power, losing over 50 triremes.

Finally, every decent-sized Greek city had an amphitheatre.

I didn't expect such a large and extensive excavations. There is still a lot of work to do, but the Turkish Government has made a good start. Well worth the journey. The Cnidus Lion sculpted to mark the battle isn't here. It was looted by British archeologists in the 19th-century and now rests in the British Museum. You can't miss it in the central court.

Marmaris Castle

 In Marmaris itself there is really only one historical site worth visiting - the castle.  Herodotus tells us that the first city walls in Marmaris (Physkos) were constructed in 3,000 BC, which implies something larger than 'the sleepy fishing village', some sources call it prior to the 16th century. 

Sultan Suleiman ordered the construction of the castle before his expedition to Rhodes and the castle served as a military base for the Ottoman Army during the expedition. I recently reviewed Jonathan Davies' excellent new study of the sieges of Rhodes, which is an hour's ferry journey away today. However, it may be that he simply ordered the repair of the earlier 14th-century fortifications built by Gazi Ahmet Bey. It isn't a large castle, built at the top of a small hill overlooking the harbour. The old town was developed around it, a maze of narrow streets with lots of character, in contrast to the modern tourist infrastructure in the rest of the city.

This diagram inside the castle gives a good idea of the simple design.

Early in the First World War, French cruisers chased a German ship, which took refuge in the port. The French mined the port, but Ottoman troops from the castle cleared them. This resulted in the French opening fire on the castle largely destroying it. It was only fairly recently repaired and a museum created inside.

The indoor exhibits are mostly finds from the archeological sites in the area. These are Carian, Greek and Roman sites. Not a great deal of military interest, other than this ceremonial sword sheath, probably part of a bronze statute, dated to the late Hellenistic period. It was found at
Knidos, which is a couple of hours drive from Marmaris.

Here are a couple of similar exhibits. The stunning marble statue head is Roman.

And finally, some Ottoman cannon.

The castle isn't on the scale of Bodrum up the coast, which I visited a couple of years ago, but it has been beautifully restored and is well worth the modest climb.

Marmaris Bay 1800-01

I am writing this as I look out on Marmaris Bay in Turkey. This city in modern-day Türkiye has a lot of historical interest, but the descent of 16,000 British troops here in 1800-01 is a lesser-known event. 

Britain and the Ottoman Empire were often allied during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars if we overlook Admiral Duckworth's excursion up the Dardanelles in a failed attempt to bombard Constantinople! Napoleon's invasion of Egypt caused a breach in the normally positive Ottoman-French relationship. That act brought General Abercromby and his troops to Marmaris Bay not to invade but to prepare for an amphibious assault on Egypt.

The British government intended the expedition to sail directly to Egypt. However, Abercromby had 1270 sick soldiers and needed supplies and small craft. The sloop Petrel (Captain Inglis) caught up with the fleet (Admiral Keith and 120 ships) off Rhodes and brought them to Marmaris. There was a precedent for this. In 1798, Admiral Nelson assembled his fleet in the harbour at Marmaris before setting sail for Egypt and the Battle of the Nile. 

This was December 1800, and the bay provided some shelter from the storms that can beset this coast – not that you would imagine that today, with unbroken sunshine and 29C! Memoirs mention 'showers of hail or lumps of ice, the largest seen by any of us. The tents on shore were beaten down and riddled as if by musket balls.'

General Moore was liaising with the Grand Vizier's army at Jaffa, but he was unimpressed by their readiness, calling them 'a wild ungovernable mob'. This report persuaded Abercromby to land at Aboukir Bay near the expedition's target of Alexandria rather than nearer to the Ottoman army.

Abercromby also received little of the promised supplies and small boats. He also needed horses for the cavalry. Lord Elgin had purchased horses and mules in Smyrna (Izmir), but storms scattered the convoy. Abercromby wrote home, 'The Turkish government has been lavish of promises, but in no one circumstances have they been fulfilled.' However, he managed to buy around 100 horses at Marmaris, with more boats there and at Rhodes, along with fascines and gabions for the engineers. Although as the government funds had not arrived, the officers paid for the horses from their own pockets.

General Ralph Abercromby

The four weeks the army stayed in Marmaris Bay were well-spent. The shore leave and better diet improved the health of his soldiers, and daily drills prepared his men for the future conflict. Strict discipline and respect for local customs (not always the case with British tourists today!) were enforced. He simplified Dundas' principles and concentrated on the practice of forming a square, as he would face superior French cavalry in open Egyptian terrain. This included marching in a square - wargame rules writers, please note!

Moore took the view that the stay at Marmaris was a mixed blessing. He reported they got cavalry horses and mules for transport and engineering supplies. However, 'we have lost two months and the advantage of surprise'. The French did manage to get 800 reinforcements into Egypt, avoiding the Royal Navy blockade in February. The rank and file took a more positive view. Private Nichol of the 92nd Foot reported, 'The army was exercised by brigades in landing in flat bottomed boats … this was an excellent plan which we had felt the want of in Holland.' A modern army with a strong training ethos would concur.

The fleet left for Egypt on 22 February 1801. The army (including marines) had 16,237 men and 627 horses (454 cavalry mounts). They were refreshed and better trained for their stay in Marmaris Bay. The landings in Aboukir Bay went well, and the army defeated the French at the Battle of Alexandria (21 March 1801), effectively ending French rule in Egypt. Sadly, Abercromby died of wounds inflicted during the battle. He was buried in Malta, and there is a monument to him in St Paul's Cathedral. It is hard to disagree with the Duke of York's tribute, "His steady observance of discipline, his ever-watchful attention to the health and wants of his troops, the persevering and unconquerable spirit which marked his military career, the splendour of his actions in the field and the heroism of his death, are worthy the imitation of all who desire, like him, a life of heroism and a death of glory."

Landing at Aboukir Bay

I am pleased to report that, unlike Abercromby, Turkish hospitality has fully met all my needs! 

We did the Battle of Alexandria as a GDWS display game at Claymore in 2010

Storming the Eagle's Nest

This book by Jim Ring covers Hitler's War in the Alps, although it actually covers all the combatants. I picked this up in a second-hand bookshop, intrigued by the title more than anything else. It was published in 2014 and is available relatively cheaply at present.

There is some introductory padding about WW2. Still, after that, the author takes us through all the conflicts in the Alps during the war, occasionally stretching the geographical boundaries a bit. The early chapters on Mussolini's invasion of France and the German plan to invade Switzerland were the most interesting. 

Mussolini certainly got his 'few thousand dead' as the price of a seat at the armistice table. His armies battered away at the Little Maginot Line the French had constructed on their Alpine border with Italy. The Italian Alpini did their best under challenging conditions, but there was insufficient artillery and accurate air support to make much progress.

The Swiss had published a German plan to invade back in 1933, but more needed to be done to modernise the Swiss Army and their defence plan. On 12 August 1940, Captain von Menges revised his plan and submitted it to Halder. He allocated 11 divisions for the attack, adjusting the Axis of the attack following a reconnaissance along the border. Operation Sea Lion and Operation Barbarossa put the plan on the back burner.

The Swiss appointed General Guisan to reorganise their defences. He controversially decided to screen the border and fall back to the Alpine Redoubt. This meant abandoning the major cities, but the idea was more of a deterrence as the Axis would be blocked from the main communication routes. The army was equipped to fight WW1, although the terrain and the size of the military would have made it a challenging prospect for the invaders.

Other chapters deal with the Holocaust in the Alpine regions and the various resistance forces. These included a small Austrian group and others in Bavaria. After 1943, the Italian partisans established republics in the Italian Alps, and the French created bases, most famously on the Vercours plateau. None of these initiatives lasted long when the Wehrmacht arrived in force. The Yugoslav operations are briefly covered, but I think this is stretching the boundaries a bit.

Hitler's favourite residence at Berchtesgaden (Eagle's Nest) is covered in detail, and the final chapters cover the defences and the mythical redoubt. The Americans largely bought the myth and diverted forces from Berlin to deal with it. 

This is an interesting look at a geographical region that features little in WW2 historiography. However, it is a bit manufactured, as there isn't much of a theme to bind the various sections together other than the challenges of fighting in rugged terrain.

This book might inspire a wargaming rabbit hole or two for me. I am very interested in the Italian attack on France and probably already have the figures for it. However, more reading is required to fully understand the campaign. The German invasion of Switzerland is the sort of what-if that attracts me. I thought wargame figures might be challenging, as the Swiss had a unique helmet design. However, there are some 3D sculpts that look excellent. French postal charges were astronomical, but I have found a UK supplier, so a modest dabble will begin.

 

Air Campaign - Yom Kippur War

 This is a new title in the Osprey Air Campaign series covering the Yom Kippur War by Shlomo Aloni. The Arab-Israeli conflict was my first dabble into modern wargaming; this war has all the critical elements of that conflict. However, I haven't read much about the air campaign, so this title looks interesting.

The Yom Kippur War, also known as the October War, was fought between a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria against Israel from October 6 to October 25, 1973. The war began on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism when Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israeli forces in the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights, territories Israel had captured in the 1967 Six-Day War. Egypt aimed to reclaim the Sinai, while Syria aimed to retake the Golan Heights.

Initially, the Arab forces made significant gains, catching Israel off guard. However, after several days of fighting, Israel regrouped and launched counteroffensives. By the end of the war, Israel had pushed deep into Egyptian and Syrian territories, but a ceasefire brokered by the United States and the Soviet Union brought the fighting to an end. Despite Israel's eventual military success, the war was seen as a psychological and strategic blow, leading to significant changes in its defence policies.

I had assumed that Israeli airpower was all-pervading. However, the author points out that after the war, Israel’s Deputy Chief of Staff stated that the ILAF had destroyed less than 100 tanks. Years later, a claim emerged that out of the 1,500 tanks examined postwar to ascertain the cause of damage/destruction, not one was hit from the air. Likewise, the Israeli prewar plans to completely destroy the enemy’s air forces and air defence forces had failed.

While the Israeli Air Force was outnumbered on paper, they had a qualitative advantage, particularly with the F4 Phantom called Kurnasse in Israeli service. However, air warfare had moved on considerably since the 1967 War, and the Arabs had hardened bunkers and surface-to-air missile systems. This required a different approach and a significant change in plans. 

The author concludes, "The ILAF may not have produced images of victory as it did in the June 1967 War. The ILAF may not have performed as well as may have been expected from prewar investments and promises. Nevertheless, the ILAF shaped the October 1973 War. The ILAF drove Egypt and Syria to develop their air defenses into formidable forces, therefore diverting funding from offensive ground forces."

The book provides all you would expect from this series: a breakdown of each side's capabilities, objectives, and campaign—well illustrated with quality maps and artwork. However, it was the analysis that I found most interesting and new—to me, at least.

I have a few 1/200-scale aircraft to complement the ground forces. I'm not quite ready to invest in the air war, but if you are, this book has everything you need.

Balefire

The latest in my Nigel Traitor re-reading project is Balefire. This was an early (1958) stand-alone novel rather than the usual historical series. It focuses on one character without any link to the major players of the period.

The story begins with our hero, Simon Armstrong, a modest Border laird, wounded on the battlefield of Flodden in 1513. He was fighting dismounted with a pike, neither a favoured fighting method for a borderer. He is picked up for ransom by a Hexham steward, Able Ridley, and taken back to his home near the priory town in England. The Prior of Hexham turned a blind eye to this, given that the order was to take no prisoners because Simon offered an additional ransom to pay to the Prior. 

Simon is well looked after by Ridley's daughters and something of a romance follows. When Ridley and his men go off with another English invasion, Simon flees to warn his family and friends. Hence, the title, which refers to the beacons in place to warn of invasion.

The main hook for the story is the action at Hornshole. A group from Hexham Priory camped overnight at Hornshole, near Hawick, where they were challenged and defeated by a group of Hawick Callants (young lads under 16) who were not at Flodden. They stole their pennon and returned to the town victorious. Since then, a replica of this flag has been carried by a young unmarried male (the Cornet) during the annual Common Riding celebrations in the town.

The story has an interesting twist following this event, but I won't spoil it. It is perhaps not one of Tranter's best for me, as I prefer big-picture history, but it is well told.

For the wargamer, this is classic Border Wars territory.

War and Peace in the Age of Napoleon

I have spent the last three days indulging in all matters Napoleonic in York. The War and Peace in the Age of Napoleon conference was organised jointly on behalf of the Napoleonic and Revolutionary War Graves Charity and the War Studies programme at York St John University. It is hard to think of a better city, outwith the Balkans of course (😂), for a history conference, and the university is also an excellent venue.

There were dozens of presentations covering all aspects of the Napoleonic wars, something for everyone. The delegates were a mix of academics and enthusiasts, all with a wealth of knowledge. An excellent example was on the first day with a panel session covering re-enacting and wargaming. The wargaming session covered the history of the hobby pre-kriegspiel and discussed the balance between simulation and playability.

Rosslyn Macphail talked about discovering a trunk in the attic belonging to her relative, Captain John Orr, a foot soldier who later helped shape military education in Scotland. She found his diary inside, which gave an interesting insight into his service in the Peninsular War. What an amazing find!

If, like me, you like the obscure aspects of the conflict, sessions on Japan during the Napoleonic Wars, Russia's attempts to open a closed frontier, and Napoleon’s ambitions in the East would leave you well satisfied. 

It was not all warfare; the panel session on Radicals, Violence, and Loyalism across the British sphere of influence covered a range of subversive activities in Britain. This was followed by a fascinating keynote speech from Professor Alan Forrest, Memorialising War, Commemorating Empire? The Napoleonic Wars in French Cultural Memory. He actually covered memory more widely than France.

My presentation covered command decisions in the Adriatic. I attempted to show how junior officers would make military and even diplomatic decisions in a complex and fast-moving political environment. They negotiated with semi-autonomous local warlords, allies and enemies whose loyalties were not always transparent. These were borderlands far from the seat of power and created challenges for the states trying to control them.

The conference also included the AGM of the Napoleonic and Revolutionary War Graves Charity, which, in a short period, has done some amazing work restoring the graves of Napoleonic veterans. I would urge you to check out their website and consider joining.

I have only mentioned a few of the presentations I attended. It's an annual event, and it is worth looking out for next year's conference.

No prizes for guessing which conference I was at, although there was an army chaplain on my panel!

DBA Revisited

 A visiting friend is big into the ancient and medieval rules De Bellis Antiquitatis (DBA). I have a copy of the latest version (V.3) but have rarely played with them since they came out. I used to play DBM, but like others, it didn't feel much like any ancient battle I have read about, and we all moved on. However, a post-dinner game beckoned, so I decided to dust them down.

They are an elegantly simple set of rules, played with just 12 elements, which means a game can be set up quickly and played in about 90 minutes. However, I had forgotten just how badly they are written and presented. Phil Barker is a brilliantly innovative rules writer, but the presentation is far short of modern standards. So, I struggled with several sections of the rules but got there with the help of another pal who plays on the DBA circuit and a couple of YouTube videos. I recommend downloading the excellent Society of Ancients quick reference sheet. I see on the Facebook page that a new edition is planned to not change the rules but to improve the presentation.

The other attraction of playing DBA was an excuse to dust down the many 15mm ancient and medieval armies I have, which are, needless to say, mostly from the Balkans.

I started chronologically with my Assyrians and Greeks. I painted up the Assyrians after seeing the British Museum special exhibition, but they have yet to see much action.

This was followed by an unlikely and successful Assyrian invasion of Rome.

The Romans haven't had much luck on my tabletop, as in the next game, the Ancient Britons crashed through them. Blades are powerful but brittle against warbands.

The terrain rules are important in DBA, mainly if you are the defender. The Slavs only appear on a few wargame tables because you need a lot of rough terrain to give them a chance. I lost my general, which didn't help, but the rules gave the poor old Slavs a fighting chance.

The Bulgars got some decent terrain for their fight against the Byzantines next. However, it was not enough to avoid a trip to Specsavers!

The Ostrogoths had more success against the sneaky Byzantines.

After my trip down south, we returned to DBA for the midweek game. This year is the centennial anniversary of the end of the Serbian-Bulgarian War of 924 - OK, pretty obscure even for me! The Bulgars won this time as they did historically.

Having enjoyed our games of DBA, I thought we might try out DBA Renaissance. There are a couple of versions knocking around, but I went with Stephen O'Leary's adaptation, published some time ago in Wargames Illustrated. My bedtime reading was Tranter’s Rough Wooing, which involved Henry VIII sending his minions to burn the Scottish Borders. Not this time, he was sent back to think again!

Having mastered the rules, I have enjoyed the games we have played. They work really well for a quick evening game. The system is simple but with plenty of subtlety in the gameplay.