The latest issue of Slingshot (number 264, May 2009), the bi-monthly publication of the Society of Ancients, just went to the printers. Apologies for the lateness of this issue.

This issue is 60 pages long, not including the cover pages. It's published in the same format introduced with issue 258.

The contents of Slingshot 264 are as follows. For games articles, I've indicated the relevant rule set where it's not immediately obvious from the title; with historical articles I've tried to indicate period if a similar issue applies.

• Guardroom
• China & Nanhai, by John Walsh
• Cogadh Gaedhil: Medieval Irish warfare 600AD-1500AD, Part Two, by Mick Hession
• Xenophon’s Chariot, by Jim Webster
• “He traversed five mountains, six mountains, seven mountains” – Mesopotamian Warfare Notes VII, by Alastair McBeath
• Constantius II, Ammianus, and the Big Parade, Part One, by Jim Sye
• Putting it all together (The Sasanians re-examined), Part Three, by Doug Melville
• Parthian infantry spearmen, by Nigel Tallis
• New Works on Early Byzantine History from  Bulletin of British Byzantine Studies, (35), 2009, by Jim Sye
• Report on The English DBA Open 2008, by Martin Smith and Richard Pulley
• [AMW] The Trebia in Sixty Minutes – Promoting the Society During Summer 2008, by Graham Evans
• DBMM at Britcon 2008, by Chris Jolley
• FOG or Mist: The Battle for Middle Earth, by Steven Neate
• [WAB] Thinking About Romans - Part Two, by Adrian Goldsworthy
• Ruspina, 46BC – Reconstructing a Battle the ‘Lost Battles’ way (part 1), by Gavin Pearson
• Book Review: Britannia The Failed State, reviewed by Stephen Brennan
• Figure Reviews: Baccus 6mm Sasanians, reviewed by Doug Melville
• Figure Preview: Perry 28mm War of the Roses Plastics
• More Book Reviews, by Mark Watson

As usual, I'm looking for more material in general and some game specific articles in particular, right now of the more popular systems Armati, FoG and Warmaster material would be good.

The latest issue of Slingshot (number 263, March 2009), the bi-monthly publication of the Society of Ancients, went to the printers last Monday. Apologies for the lateness of this issue. My understanding is that the issue has been delayed a further couple of days to accommodate the printing of membership cards, which are enclosed with the magazine, so it may be another week before it arrives with you. The incentive game is not included with this mailing and will be sent separately.

This issue is 60 pages long, not including the cover pages. It's published in the same format introduced with issue 258.

The contents of Slingshot 263 are as follows. For games articles, I've indicated the relevant rule set where it's not immediately obvious from the title; with historical articles I've tried to indicate period if a similar issue applies.

• Cogadh Gaedhil: Medieval Irish warfare 600AD-1500AD, Part I, by Mick Hession
• The Battle of the Granicus, by Patrick Waterson
• Recent Reconstructions of the Battle of the Granicus, by Philip Sabin
• “Oh merchant, how you use up silver!” (Mesopotamian Notes VI), by Alastair McBeath
• Ambush at Callinicum 531 AD (The Case For Reliable Arabs), by Stewart Hey
• The Longbeards, by Robert Heiligers
• [DBA] Campaigns for Wargamers 7 – The Normans in Italy, by Paul Burton
• [WAB] Thinking About Romans, by Adrian Goldsworthy
• [AMW] Ancient and Medieval Wargaming, by Neil Thomas
• Of Brushes and Bowstrings, by David Edwards
• Honouring the Dead, by Edward Harvey
• Plastic Alchemy Update 2008, by Andrew Lawrence
• Book Reviews, by Marc Adda, Phil Barker & Will Whyler
• Figure Reviews: 28mm Celts and Romans, Tibetans & Macedonian Successors, by Mark Watson
• The Great Commanders at Milton Keynes Campaign: 9 -10 May 2009, by Graham Evans

The latest issue of Slingshot (number 262, January 2009), the bi-monthly publication of the Society of Ancients, has gone to the printers. My expectation is that it will be mailed out to society members around 12 February. The issue also includes results forms for the Society championship.

.This issue is 60 pages long, not including the cover pages. It's published in the same format introduced with issue 258

The contents of Slingshot 262 are as follows. For games articles, I've indicated the relevant rule set where it's not immediately obvious from the title; with historical articles I've tried to indicate period if a similar issue applies.

• “He moored the ships of Meluḫḫa, Magan, and Tilmun at the quay of Agade”, by Alastair McBeath
• The Army of Massalia, by Jim Webster
• Amazed am I ere I made Zama, by Patrick Waterson
• Food, land and fertility and the troops you can support, by Jim Webster
• In the Field with Belisarius, by Paul Burton
• Elephants and Things, by David Edwards
• Callinicum 531 AD, Battle Pack 2009, by Richard Lockwood, Phil Halewood & Jim Sye
• Zenobia on the Field of Glory, by John Hogan
• Refighting Cannae in DBMM, by Michael Campbell
• “Is Eight the Magic Number?” – Army sizes in AMW, by Graham Evans
• The Greeks invade Rome…and a plan doesn’t come together…in WAB, by David Carruthers
• Rules Design Forum: Lost Battles, with Philip Sabin
• Wheeling Units in AMW: an Analysis by Graham Evans
• Comparative Religion 102: Field of Glory and DBMM Rules Compared on the Wargames Table, by Ray Briggs
• Figure Reviews: 15mm Eastern Islamic, 28mm Caesarian Romans, Normans, Medieval Spanish, Imperial Romans and Celts, by Richard Lockwood and Mark Watson

A brief note for anyone subscribing to this blog on RSS. Firstly, I didn't update it in a while (but then you know that). Secondly, it's now moving to the SoA website proper, where it will be available at http://www.soa.org.uk/blog/slingshot_blog/.

As for Sllingshot, January's edition went to the printers earlier this week, and should ship in the middle of next week. I'll post more detail (here!/ closer to that time.

Sorry for not posting in what seems like the longest time. I'll type in my excuses later. Anyhow, just to prove I haven't been completely idle, Slingshot 260 has now gone to the printers. According to those same printers, this issue should be mailed to members next Friday (26 Sept).

This issue is 60 pages long, not including the cover pages. It's published in the same format introduced with issue 258.

The contents of Slingshot 260 are as follows. For games articles, I've indicated the relevant rule set where it's not immediately obvious from the title; with historical articles I've tried to indicate period if a similar issue applies.

• Guardroom (reader letters and errata for previous issues)
• Macedonian Military Culture and World Impact: Perspectives & Impressions, Part 3, by David Karunanithy
• Putting it all together – New light on an old friend, Part 1 [Sasanians ], by Doug Melville
• [ DBMM ] Spartan Expeditionary Forces 415-302BC, by Jim Webster
• [ DBMM ] It’s the Bishop – The army of Synesius, bishop of the Pentapolis, 400AD-412AD, by Jim Webster
• [ DBA ] Campaigns for Wargamers 5 – The Barons’ War, 1264, by Paul Burton
• The Case Against Points, by Gareth Griffiths
• My First Try at Running a Warmaster Ancients Tournament Campaign, by Marc Adda
• Naked Guys with Pointy Sticks: the Armies of El Dorado for DBMM, by Dave Turner
• Demonstrating Field of Glory at Valhalla 2008, by Richard Jeffrey-Cook
• Poitiers Using Warmaster, An SoA Battle Day Report, by Grant Thomas
• The New DBMM Army List Books, by Phil Barker
• Comparative Religion 102: A comparison of FoG and WAB, by Craig Woodfield
• Subordinate Commanders on the Wargames Table, by John Hastings
• Rules Design Forum: Ancient & Medieval Wargaming, by Neil Thomas
• Rules Design Forum: The Arcane Warfare Project, by Jerboa
• WAB at Historicon, by David Daly
• “Hannibal’s Army”, by Ian Stephenson, Reviewed by Richard Naylor
• “Syracuse 415 -13 B.C.”, by Nic Fields, Reviewed by Phil Steele
• “Special Operations in the Age of Chivalry, 1100-1550”, by Yuval Noah Harari, Reviewed by Phil Steele
• The Wars of Alexander’s Successors 323-281. Volume 1: Commanders and Campaigns, by Bob Bennet and Mike Roberts, Reviewed by Jeff Champion
• Hadrian: Empire and Conflict … at the British Museum. Exhibition Reviewed by Mark Watson
• Figure Reviews:28mm Sumerians; Romans and Celts, Reviewed by Alastair McBeath & Mark Watson

I'm looking for articles for the November issue, and would appreciate any submissions by the end of October.

The latest issue of Slingshot (number 259, July 2008), the bi-monthly publication of the Society of Ancients, has gone to the printers and first copies should arrive with members this week.

This issue is 60 pages long, not including the cover pages. It's published in the same format introduced with issue 258.

The contents of Slingshot 259 are as follows. For games articles, I've indicated the relevant rule set where it's not immediately obvious from the title.

• What Have the Mongols Done for Us?, by John Walsh
• Macedonian Military Culture and World Impact: Perspectives & Impressions, Part 2, by David Karunanithy
• A Wise Man Never Sleeps, by Alan Colquhoun
• [ Armati ] Cats May Look at Kings, by Mark Grindlay
• The 5th Annual Society of Ancients Battle Day – Poitiers 1356 AD, by Richard Lockwood
• Battle Day – Poitiers under Days of Knights, by David Edwards
• Battle Day – Poitiers using Arcane Warfare/Arcane Battle Composer, by John Hills
• Battle Day – Poitiers with DBM and AMW, by John Graham-Leigh
• Battle Report: Stirling Bridge – 11 September 1297, using Day of Battle III , by Chris Parker
• [ Warmaster ] The Samurai – The Battle of Chungju 1592 AD, by Rick Priestley & Rob Broom
• The Akkadians at Challenge – DBMM Tournament 2008 Report, by Steve Rathgay
• [ WAB ] Coffers of the Suffetes, by Dave Pauwels
• A Field of Glory at Caesar’s Challenge, by Steve Neate
• Legion DBA 2008, by Jo Russell
• Warmaster Ancients Campaign Report, by Dane Stephens
• FoG in Birmingham – UK Games Expo 2008, by Nik Gaukroger
• Comparative Religion 101: A Comparison of DBMM and FoG, by Ray Briggs
• AMW – A Reply to “Zesty Ancient Warfare” and Some Additional Classical Army Lists, by Neil Thomas
• “Immortal Fire”, A Supplement for Field of Glory, Reviewed by Tim Thompson & Rob Van Der Laan
• “Legions Triumphant”, A Supplement for Field of Glory, Reviewed by Tim Thompson
• Figure Reviews – 28mm Celts, Romans and Early Saxons, Reviewed by Mark Watson
• Guardroom

There have been a few delays with this issue, for which apologies. Hopefully they'll have been addressed with the next issue. Issue 260 is now in layout and will I hope go out in early September. I'd encourage any contributions for that issue to be in to me by mid-August, and any letters for Guardroom to arrive by end August.

Thanks

Mark

Having spent the morning trying to upgrade my iPhone (grrr - sorted now but O2 will not be awarded a triumph), I returned home to find:

• An interview with Neil Thomas. I'm speaking to a number of game designers about having them answer, individually, the questions in the Rules Design Forum in 258. So, rather than being intermixed, the articles will run as single interviews with the individual designers. The interview won't make it in time for 259 (there's a different article from Neil in 259) but should be in 260.
• A sheaf of unpublished material from Donald Featherstone. Many thanks to Henry Hyde at Battlegames for putting me in touch with Don. I need to get the material typed up and readied, and probably need to get it checked against the latest research, since the historical material was written some while ago, but it's an incredible feeling to get mail from someone how has been, since my childhood, one of my "hobby heroes".
• The latest White Dwarf, probably not so interesting to readers of this particular blog; and the new Citadel Battlemat, which is a bit more interesting, and which I'll review shortly in the other blog (it's the kind of thing I was planning to review there rather than in the magazine).
• A copy of Empire of the Middle Ages, a boardgame review some time ago by John Graham-Leigh in Slingshot. John pointed me to a half-price copy at Leisure Games, discounted due to a "damaged box" (actually the side was a little scuffed). Apart from John's report on the relevant Yahoo Group making me want to play the game, I'm planning a grandiose WAB medieval campaign rules article for later in the year (maybe in 261), and wanted to take a look at the mechanics in this game.

I've also acquired a number of books this week: I'm currently working my way through the not-particularly-connected-except-by-theme Roman Imperial Biographies series. Currently about 25% of the the way through Theodosius: Empire at Bay, and quite enjoying it.

This is what I have, before 259 goes to press. So in each case the first bar shows what's available (in terms of submissions, by aggregate number of words), including the content of 259. The second bar shows what's already printed, and the the third bar shows the overall number. It's really the first bar which indicates the health of what I'm getting, in terms of submissions. Per the previous post, there's now plenty of FoG, and suddenly plenty of Warmaster Ancients. And not enough WAB.

Slingshot 259 is just about ready to go. I think we now have the running order down; there's been some last minute juggling of content. We're going to try and use the inside covers this time to give us a little more space, so I'm awaiting a clarification on that from the printers. I was hoping it would go to the printers this week, but it now looks like being early next. Allowing 10 days for the printers to do their thing, this probably means 23rd-ish of July for the issue to go out.

The good news is that the last minute juggling leaves us almost a complete issue ready to go for September. Given vacations, I'm keen to get 260 ready by early August, and I'm hoping that 260 goes out in early September, at which point we've finally recovered on the delay which has been in the system since January.

I'll post an update on submissions shortly - there has been a late surge in Warmaster material, in particular, so with the regular content coming in for other systems, and the expected amount of Field of Glory now coming through, it's only WAB, of the main systems, where I'm suffering from a continual shortfall of material. One correspondent suggested I write some myself - quite right as well, and I'm working on something which might make the November issue.

I added a second blog to the site, for non-Slingshot stuff. It's meant to include more general thoughts on gaming (and other aspects of "the hobby"), stuff I write that I don't think I'll put in Slingshot, for some reason, other types of games such as boardgames, musings on travel and books related to history, and military history in particular (at least, to the periods in which I'm interested). And occasional comments on web publishing software. Given the range of subjects, you'd think I'd have written more. Hopefully I'll add some more stuff in the next day or so.

Slingshot 259 update - I've edited most of the articles, but still have to write the editorial and some reviews. Nick is working on the layout now. I hope we'll get it out in mid-July.