Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 02/10/202615mm Thracians, metals from Forged in Battle. Completed my Thracian foot so thought I'd pop them all up together. The figures were nice and straightforward to paint. They've come out looking suitably colourful and vicious. I decided to put some trees in the background to make them feel at home. 2142
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Thanks. I primed them in army painter desert yellow. 010
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 10/09/202615mm Scythian horse archers. Museum miniatures metals from their Z range that I picked up in their sale at the beginning of the year. I really like the figures which were nice to paint. Hopefully they'll see lots of action on the tabletop either as mercenary contingents in other armies or proxies. 1122
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 16/08/2026Thanks, Rob from our group 3D printed it on his filament printer. It came out rather well. 010
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 16/08/2026Some Barons' War action from the club yesterday. This was the culmination of a mini campaign we've been playing, the finale being the siege of Bedford. The rebels were besieging Falk de Breute in his castle and the royalist forces were attempting to relieve the siege. Result was a royalist victory. 1101
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 14/06/2026Thanks. Yes I had a crack at free handing the shields. Just simple geometric designs so not too difficult to do. 000
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 14/06/2026Victrix Medieval Foot Knights Painted up a couple of sprues for use in a Barons' War campaign. Banner is from Flags of War. 0304
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 04/05/2026Battle of Lewes in 6mm Got both the armies painted up now so thought I'd put them on parade. We're running this as a participation game at the Joy of Six at the end of June. It is purposely a small game in both scale and total number of bases. 091
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 29/04/2026Thanks very much. It was a fun game. Sadly I didn't manage to get along to the SoA battle day this year. Cunaxa is an interesting battle to fight I think. 100
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 29/04/2026Yes exactly. I was using Midgard which worked perfectly well for that size of game. 100
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 29/04/2026Thanks. Barons' War Conquest is the first game I'll use them for, but I may well also deploy them on some sabot bases for use in a game of Midgard. It's nice to have a bit of versatility. 100
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 27/03/2026I've been working through my pack of Victrix Norman Crossbowmen. About half way through them now so thought I'd post up a few pics. Really nice dynamic poses on the figures. The guys bent double while they pull back the cord using their feet to brace the crossbow are a particular favourite. 1151
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 08/03/2026Cheers thanks John. Glad you enjoyed it mate. 120
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 07/03/2026A few shots from the Battle of Cynuit game I ran at Herts of Lard today. Ran the game twice, with different groups of players each time. Both games resulted in a victory for the Danes over the Saxons, although each game played out very differently. #HertsOfLard #spreadthelard 3795
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 23/02/2026Played a re-fight of the battle of Leuktra using MeG rules inspired by the Helion publication. It was a good excuse to get the Spartan army I've been building on the table. There were 2 players per side and they decided not to set up as per history. The game ended as a tactical victory for Sparta. 140
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 30/01/2026I bet! That's a bold move painting checks on the barding too. The end result looks fab though. 120
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 20/01/2026Looks pretty much perfect as it is. Flames wouldn't seem appropriate on a cart to me. 010
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 19/01/2026I certainly remember when the GW store was the place you went to get your D&D books and Citadel miniatures. It begs the question of where the next GW like success would come from or indeed if it's possible now for another hobby company to succeed in the way that GW has? 110
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 02/11/202515mm Forged in Battle classical Greek cavalry. That's now all of the cavalry painted for my current project so just thought I'd put them out on parade. 000
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 12/10/2025Had a really fun game of your galley adaptation of S&H today. Thanks for setting it all up and taking us through it. Maybe we just burn Rob as a witch next time all those sixes he was throwing 😉 110
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 26/09/2025Naval Wargames Weekend 4-5 Oct 2025 If you're near the south west of England pop in and have a look at what we're doing and chat. More details on the FAA museum web site. www.nmrn.org.uk/events/naval... The contribution toward the hall rent is only if you want to join in. Hope to see you there.nmrn.org.ukNaval Wargames Weekend | National Museum of the Royal NavyThe Naval Wargames Society and its members will re-create many historic battles in miniature model form in the Museum's Swordfish Centre so come along and enjoy playing a selection of naval themed war... 010
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 13/09/2025Finished up this batch of 15mm mercenary hoplites. All metals from Forged in Battle. 190
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 13/08/202515mm Classical Greek casualty markers, generals, Thessalian medium cavalry and a ruined temple. Mainly metals from Forged in Battle though a few of the generals are Xyston. The latest batch towards my Greek City State / Spartan army for the Peloponnesian War campaign I'll be running in September. 040
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 01/08/202515mm Greek bow, javelin and sling armed skirmishers. These are bottom of the pile so far as their hierarchy in the army is concerned so the psiloi and helots. Metals from Forged in Battle. The most recent batch of figures towards a Greek City State/Spartan army for my Peloponnesian War campaign. 091
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 28/07/2025Lovely! they really do have that mass effect. Is there a target for how many you're aiming for? 130
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 27/07/2025Whilst we're in confessional mode, I'm not proposing this as a good approach for anyone else, but I assemble and base my figures before painting. The reason being that I value the sturdiness of my figures when I'm playing with them over being able to get detail on the figures when I paint them. 050
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 27/07/202515mm Thessalian light cavalry and unarmoured hoplites that I'm using as Spartan periokoi. Metals from Forged in Battle. The latest batch of figures towards my Greek City State / Spartan army for the Peloponnesian War campaign I'll be running in September. 2141
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 19/07/202515mm Thracian Peltasts, metals from Forged in Battle. My latest batch of figures towards my Greek City State / Spartan army for the Peloponnesian War campaign I'll be running. 030
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 10/07/202515mm Greek Hoplites, metals from Forged in Battle. This is the first batch towards a new Greek city state / Spartan army I'm building. 020
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 30/04/2025Paul at Tumbling Dice is usually my go to for anything 1/2400 Naval. He does a bunch of pre-dread models. tumblingdiceuk.comtumblingdiceuk.comTumbling DiceQuality historical wargaming miniatures. The designs reflect preferences of scale and style to create practical wargames figures and models for gaming projects of any size from individual skirmishes t... 010
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 17/04/2025I suspect it's much more to do with us typically playing across a 4'-5' wide table and the limits of how far across that table we can reach. Even those rules writers who care about modelling the time span of a turn length and ground scale, they will fudge this to get to the 6"/12" move distances. 020
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 14/03/2025Painted up these TAG Gendarmes I picked up when I visited the Hammerhead Show a couple of weeks ago. Pictured with the Gendarmes are some pantile buildings I bought from Charlie Foxtrot Models at Hammerhead 2 years ago. Yes it's normal that it takes me that long to get round to doing terrain 🙂 070
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 27/02/2025TFL Facebook presence is a page rather than a group meaning only the admins can post directly to it. I've sent the info via FB messenger so hopefully it'll be picked up and posted when an admin sees it. 010
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 23/02/2025I love the effect you've managed to get on the white cloaks. Stunning work as always. 100
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 10/02/2025Wargames Atlantic 28mm plastic Renaissance Heavy Cavalry assembled and painted as Spanish Demi Lancers. 040
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 22/01/2025Painted up these Gripping Beast metal 28mm Vikings that my gaming buddy Robert Hutton gave me from his pile of opportunity. First outing for the figures will be in Trygvasson's shield wall for the SoA battle day at the end of March where we'll be re-fighting the battle of Maldon 991. 060
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 29/12/2024Hope you get well soon Joe. Just think of it as enforced research time 🙂 110
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 25/12/2024My favourite game on show at JoS was your Duna table, but rather than duplicate your photo I used a shot of our far less impressive, but still huge fun, Lake Huleh crusade game. 120
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 25/12/2024#wargaminginpics24 1. Salamis using TTS. 2. Joy of Six. 3. Barons' War Conquest. 4. La Motta 1513 using Renatio et Gloriam. 130
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 06/12/2024Finished up a pack of Victrix Anglo Danes. Figures are all individually based to play Saga and Barons War Conquest but will be dropped into Sabot bases to play big battle games like Midgard and Mortem et Gloriam. The chaps at the back are destined for the Battle of Maldon game at the end of March. 050
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 27/11/2024Gorgeous. A few years back I built a 1/600 Ark Royal for a game, and without any clear painting guide for the date I was depicting her, I agonised over what colour to paint the deck. I'm reassured to see you've gone for something not a million miles away from the colour I opted for in the end. 110
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 24/11/2024Yesterday we marked the release by Helion of the Italian Wars army lists for the Renatio et Gloriam rules by staging a big "all the toys on the table" historical re-fight of the battle of La Motta 1513 between Venetians and Holy League Spanish and Maximilian Germans. Here's a few pics from the game. 070
Simon Stokes @simonjohnstokes.bsky.social · 17/11/2024Congrats Joe, definitely well deserved. They should add another award for "services to scatter terrain" it was an amazingly realistic look you managed to get on that game. Hope it didn't take you too long to gather it all up when you broke it down. I look forward to catching up in the new year. 110
