Society of Ancients battle day 2025

[Colonel Kilgore]

Special figures always get my vote.

They usually get my money, too 

Simon

[Colonel Kilgore]

I've been doing a little browsing online for source material.

Wikipedia has led me to:
 - the UK Battlefields Resource Centre's "Maldon Battle and Campaign": https://www.battlefieldstrust.com/media/149.pdf
 - English Heritage's Battlefield Report: https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/listing/battlefields/maldon/

I've also found:
 - a Battlefield Trust map: https://www.battlefieldstrust.com/media/237.pdf
 - a website dedicated to the battle: http://www.battleofmaldon.org.uk/intro.html

 - an aerial photo of the presumed battle site:


 - a soldier's level view of the terrain:


Simon

[martin goddard]

That is an excellent find Simon.
Useful.
Do you think there was marsh there in the olden days?


martin

[Colonel Kilgore]

Martin,

I was thinking marsh, a stream (see map below), perhaps a gentle hill inland just for show. But not much else!



[from https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1000019?section=official-list-entry]

Simon

[John Watson]

From memory of reading about this many years ago, I believe the battle was fought in a wetland/coastal area and so marshes and streams would be appropriate.
John

[martin goddard]

Some bits of scenery would add to it.
We can do some good work on this to make it nice, but not create too much unusable scenery.


martin

[Colonel Kilgore]

It could be interesting to make the CK and Longships tables' scenery as similar as possible?

Simon

[Stewart 46A]

Martin
I have lots of Fat Frank rivers you may borrow if you wish

Stewart

[martin goddard]

Thanks Stewart

I will put forward a proposed table layout in a few weeks time to see what people think.


martin

[martin goddard]

Agreed Simon.
Maybe identical?

martin

[Colonel Kilgore]

Agreed Simon.
Maybe identical?

martin

That's what I was thinking, Martin, within the constraints of the differently sized grids.

Simon

[martin goddard]

I think we have plenty of time to test our games a few times.
Before I put in the applications there are a few questions.

1. Are we happy to let folk join in?  For the full game length rather than show type "20 minute drop ins".
2. Shall we some  make specific scenery pieces, or just use what we have?
3. Can we meet at Miles' or Entoyment as easy to reach locations?
4. Are we OK to make the Battles "what would you do?" rather than a re-enactment of what happened. This will affect deployment etc.


martin

[Colonel Kilgore]

My personal thoughts:
1. If I'm going to the trouble of researching stuff, probably making scenery and painting a bunch of new figures, I want to be playing too! Up to others if they're happy to potentially sit out, but I'm feeling selfish on this one 
2. It would be nice to make scenery specially for this game
3. Are we talking about logistics on the day? I'll go straight to the venue, sorry! It can be a bit tricky to find when going there first time - I can share guidance if helpful.
4. Absolutely. No point in constraining our imagination or trying to align with what is likely to be a fairly dubious historical record anyway.

Simon

[martin goddard]

Hello My thoughts about 3 were for practice games only.
It would be good to have some. The scenario is not complex, but might throw up some interesting thoughts?

martin

[Colonel Kilgore]

Ah, sorry Martin.

In that case I'm happy to come to yours, or Miles's, or Entoyment 

Simon