The Dangers of Historical Gaming

Hi Folks,

I've been pondering what to do as my next Impetus army, and I have found out that one of the dangerous traps of this historical war gaming lark is that there is just so much history!

From biblical chariot races to massed legions and the push of pike there are so many different periods that Impetus can cater too, and so many new 28mm Plastics coming out that the aspiring historical gamer is literally spoilt by (not for) choice.   I can see the slippery slope that is a magpie like collection and the eventual fiscal madness of collecting entirely metal armies...

So given I tend to suffer from spontaneous army buying I have decided I need a few rules:

1. No more the two armies per period, and if two preferably "adversary armies".  For Ancients this means I have my Romans and my Germans.  I am sorely tempted by Palmyra, Dacians and Sassinids but have to draw the line somewhere!
2. Max size of Army to be 500pts.  Armies larger then this cant really be used on a 6' by 4' table anyway, even with our 8cm frontage, and should contain all the options I want regardless
3. Finish at least 300pts of one army BEFORE starting the next - or they wont get finished!

And if I stick to this, I shouldnt go mad, or be buried under a mountain of unpainted plastic and metal and may even finish the odd army!

So...

I'm sorted for Ancients but alot of people seem to be getting into their Dark Ages armies.  I'm thinking:

Normans seem like my sort of army, brutish and unenlightened (compared to the Saxons anyway!) but undeniably effective :P Plus they should be able to take on Jamie's Viking's on even terms, even with their Shieldwall in place. 

After a bit of list frothing I reckon I will work towards getting the first 300pts soonish.  I thinking;

• Fair General
• 1 CP Milites Upgraded (VBU7) General unit
• 5 CP Milites (Mounted Norman Knights)
• 2 CL Breton light cavalry units with Javelins
• 1 CL Mounted Crossbow unit
• 3 FP Heavy Infantry (Norman Spearmen)
• 1 T Crossbow unit
• 1 S Upgraded (VBU3) Breton Javelin unit
• 1 S Breton Javelin unit

This is 300pts on the dot and VDT 30!  The FP Heavy Infantry are VD2 for 12pts (because they are crap) but they add alot to the Breakpoint for very little cost so should help keep the army on the field after the inevitable casualties when the Knights rampage out of control.

War and Peace Games has lots of Normans and are just over the ditch in Australia so postage shouldn't be too bad (though Malestrom has spoiled this with free postage worldwide, so I resent paying ANY postage now!) so it shouldn't be too long before I can afford to the army.  The Crusader Miniatures models look very well done, though the proof will be in the painting!

Watch this space!

Cheers
Jason