Last but not least, the part dedicated to Ganesha Games of the Ludica Roma 2013 full report.

Space is not a big problem in the pavilions of Ludica. So we obtained lots of tables to show rules and games. A DBA in 1:72 scale was organised by Diego.

On your wargame tables in 2016! One of the first playtests of some new ideas for a game by Andrea.

The first public preview of A Fistful Of Kung-Fu. Out by Osprey Publishing in February…

A photo from the first day in the fair. Building modular walls for my arena.

And after the masonry work, a chocolate snack. The candies stand poisoned the air with a terrible stench of chocolate. You couldn’t resist it for long. So I bought my waffel stick!

And here my arena. A lot of people appreciated it.

Those days my father was painting more spectators. However these are just all very active.

Among reenactors there were some involved in gladiatorial fights. A nice chap illustrated to people the specific disciplines of arena. I took advantage of the situation to brandish weapons and touch helms. So I could have a direct experience of what I studied and applied in Ferrum et Gloria.

Do you recognise the different kinds of helms? In Ferrum et Gloria you can understand why these are made in every specific way.

Shields and greaves. Due to hits, you can see as these are used in real fights.

In front of you an arbelas, with its crescent blade.

Back to Ganesha Games space. On the right a preview of the second volume of my rules: gladiatorial fights with ships.

A more detailed view.

An OGAM tournament was held the Saturday. I was very nervous because I only play it in playtests with Andrea mastering. Moreover I didn’t know the final version and how to build a winning strategy. Indeed this is my year: another great result, the third place! A Ludica gold dice and a book from Osprey as prize.

Another preview. I’m planning another game after Ferrum et Gloria. With this photo I suggest the topic of it. We knew in Ludica a reenactor of this historical period that is even a wargamer. An interesting meet.

Now we are waiting for Ludica Rome 2014. And the organisers are waiting for an analysis of the fair that I have to write to them. And you are waiting for other fair reports that still I have to write. In the meantime: Merry Christmas!

This is not a regular Roman arena like one of those that usually I propose but I think that it is interesting for gladiator games too. It is more a fighting pit arena than an amphitheatre, made of wood, where two opponents destroy each other like savage beasts. They haven’t a place where flee or take a break, it is to the last man standing without mercy. Some gladiatorial fighting styles don’t fit in this pit but other do. It is so beautiful and accurate that it deserve attention.
To know more go to Iron Mammoth’s Studio.

Resin, a lot of heavy resin. This arena is a pretty anonymous and huge ring with few decorative elements that felts a lack of stairs and terraces. The exterior part reminds me of the railway buttresses (maybe the maker utilised some sheets for railway modelling to cast it). The interiors are more Medieval oriented. From this description it is clear that I do not like this arena so much? However, it is still a impressive-looking arena. You can find it here.

Some articles on the web are very influential. I grouped some biscuits tin arenas that I found on the web, and now there are more, thanks to that examples. They aren’t inspired by my work on these pages but from the original pages. However, post after post, even my proposals are becoming an important resource about arenas for miniatures.

Here a tin arena realised with a low rectangular biscuits tin. Some walls were built and a hexagonal terrain was added. These chaps brought the gladiator game and the arena in a pub. I can imagine the points calculus for the fight after a couple of pints. More here.

Using an hexagonal biscuits tin you can have an arena more similar to an elliptical shape as the original ones. More attention was gave to details, adding cork walls, columns and doors. The only complaint is for the dull grey colour on the walls. This kind of realisation is ideal if you want a medium size arena. And all is inside a strong box. More here.

Another arena, directly inspired by the previous arenas, especially by the last one even if the shape is circular. Always cork walls and that stuff, but with more details, better textured surfaces and an awesome colour painting on the walls! More here.

A colleague at job have got a Danish biscuits tin box as this one. I have direct one’s glance to the butter biscuits and to their tin box. I don’t know if I can steal it for my miniatures. After I saw this arena, I realised that I NEED another arena. A portable arena for duels. However: eat more biscuits, so you can build more arenas.

English women and girls are famous for the abuse of hats at celebrations. I saw this strange habit at the Luca’s marriage too. If lots of hats are around in English houses, you can find hat boxes too. So, if you are a real wargamer, you can sacrifice a hat box to built a circular arena. The only thing to do is to cut the height of the “walls” to a more proportioned dimension. Some paint work, some sand and grass for the terrain, some details added as doors and gratings, and you have got your arena. Look more for this one here.

An arena from the miniature wargame past. This thing was created a lot of years ago but it is bright with its simplicity. First, take a biscuit tin, then decorate it with some shaped and coloured card using some glue, giving to the box an arena appearance. On the lid there is the place for a rule summary. Magnetised miniatures can fight in the arena even in travel. Simple. Fast. Easy to storage. And you can eat biscuits before making it! More information here.

Another version of the same idea. This one is a step by step guide to your tin arena. Designed for D&D miniatures and with a medieval feel. You can find downloadable decorative elements for this arena on the dedicated web article.

Blocks, preformed blocks as bricks to build scenes, and arenas. It is simple: if you have got enough blocks you can build everything. The only fear is that you can wreak a domino effect… So, this guy divided his Colosseum in 4 sections, cast or bought a lot of blocks, used some glue to strengthen all. The arena is ready after some work, and with some paint and sand all can resemble something very ancient rather than a decoration made by sugar cubes.

Another arena made by combined preformed blocks. You can build what you want through these blocks. It is like Lego. Here some miniatures are added as statues.