Archive for 2016

Colosseum at night

I started this blog to promote my gladiatorial rules. And my interest in gladiators is because I’m born in Roma. Everyday, on the way to work, I pass with the underground train only a few metres under the arch.

Winter suddenly followed an humid Summer. In a cold night of mid October we went to a free visit of the arena. Some light effects but nothing particularly thrilling. And a really quick visit. A different story when my father take me here at the age of 7.
I wished to visit more. Now you can access to subterraneans and terraces. There is a little exhibit too. But during the day there are too many tourists. Pity.



My friend seems the Charon god with these lights…

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Gioco & Storia 2016

Piana delle Orme is a huge museum in the reclamation of swamps under Rome towards Naples. We are almost at the South confines of wargaming Italy. But when people organise themselves and put their efforts all together, they can create a convention as this one.

The convention was for two days but we went only the first one. A Twilight Struggle tournament around. I like this game and I’m thinking to buy it. The only real obstacle is that I have to find a mate to play with it.

WWII skirmish wargame for beginners, sold as boardgame.

We met again with Wings of War creator.

A mate from Perugia and optical issues.

Small cardboard pieces as an army. I begin to play wargames with this kind of games. 30 years ago… OH MY GOD !!! 30 YEARS AGO !!!!!

And some years before I was playing with paper soldiers…

And with these we are more than 30 years ago, maybe 40-43 years ago.

The main plate of this convention was a long conference with Lost Battle author. Organisers want to give this convention a more scientific approach with speeches of international experts on how to simulate fights and wars. Very intersting.

And some people were interested in our table too.

Another occasion to show Faustus Furius with its temporary terrain.

Turns are very dangerous. I’m preparing destroyed chariots, I think I need them very often…

And now a video with Philip Sabin, an interview about his method and work.

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Empoli Games 2016: second part

After an overview of what was around, in this post close-ups on miniatures in Empoli Games.

A kit for a temple in 1/72 scale. I have to do something just like this in 28mm. One year or another.

Always in 1/72 scale, some gods.

Why I need a temple? To put decency to a terrain with this kind of troops. Large amounts of ancients…

Skirmish with Japanese people. By a comrade of military service times, then a wargamer.

I know little about this epoch but something as this one let me a desire to know more.

Masses and a terrain like a military map. Large scale wargame at its best.

MDF changes wargames terrains. Far West with a lot of wood as it seems to was.

Building a Ratte. A lot of plastic instead of steel.

Beautiful and dirty Shermans on sale. I must build one for the Battle of Rome.

A scene from the war in Africa. With Folgore artillery.

WWI and treches.

Russians want to conquest a Lidl store (on the top at centre in the photo)

Italian tanks in Italy.

A lot of Germans and a Stuka above.

More of the same war but in a colder place.

To end, a bunch of Orks.

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Empoli Games 2016: first part

A day-off after Romics, then a train to Terni (1st class because of scarce availability of trains due to a strike, one of many), and a 3 hours trip to Empoli, for the Tuscany wargame event of Autumn. This city is in the middle of Italy so many wargames can come here. Two days, so I will do two posts.

This was the Ganesha table and stand. It seems strange but there is still someone that doesn’t know Song of Blades and Heroes. So Andrea show it again and again.

I’m was there with my last production, the Italian translation of Faustus Furius. The book was ready, even the chariots were ready, but as terrain I had to do still something. This is only a temporary squared circus. I was working on something better for Lucca.

A view of the large hall. Many tables around, the vendors along walls.

At the main entrance a boardgame space for people of younger age than us old grognards.

Someone still play with WH40k. Beautiful miniatures and terrain. I don’t speak about the rules.

Another view but on the other side.

Flames of War tournament, the game where tanks are parked all together. Is it a game on parking war?

Aster with its huge stand with supplies for wargamers.

The new job of a mate from DBA tournaments years. He now runs a game shop.

Other people from DBA, now with a table organised by my provider and occasional painter.

Impetus system and Sartori.

Modern naval battles by this dedicated wargame group that wrote Admiral rules.

Wings of War on a large table.

And a WOW WWII hack to improve manoeuvres by altimeters.

And during this mess, Rava was painting a Garibaldino.

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Romics fall 2016: cosplay

As I said before, a big component of Romics is cosplay. I took some photos from their Istagram channel. I was too lazy to take photos, and more girls were around the other days. Bodypainting produced some interesting costumes too. Enjoy this little gallery.






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Romics fall 2016: diabolik

Romics is not the place for exhibitions or talks about comics and authors, it is more focused on cosplay and gadgets. But this time there were really great exhibits. And the best was this one on Diabolik. I was amazed.

Different reprints of the first number.

Some modifications on the pages between different editions.

The same sequence in three versions. The last one is the modern work of Palumbo, one of cartoonists that I prefer more.

Always Palumbo, in successive phases of a cover.

Homages by some crucial authors to Diabolik.

What I will read in the future. Palumbo’ sketches for the new second season of DK series.

A room with models of Diabolik’s car.

Every model is inspired by comic stories. Often the car has got some tricks to support the escape of the thief. A real evil genius. He is the king of terror.

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Romics fall 2016: statuettes

What was I saying? Oh, yes, gadgets. While I sipped a bottle of mango bubble tea (weird Asian food is usually sold in comic fairs), I could walk around to immortalise some statuettes. Here some of them for you.






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Romics fall 2016: overview

At this time of the year you could think that now is the turn of Lucca C&G. I’m a more than a month late with reports, so Lucca C&G is for another time. Here there are a series of 4 posts about the Roman comic convention at the start of October instead.

The fair is for 4 days and to avoid crowds we visited it the first day. However Saturday and Sunday we were in Empoli. But that is another future post.

Andrea was at this table for a couple of hours. He was present as adviser for the upcoming class about game writing.

The other two mates with me and Andrea, ready to spend money on silly things. Just like me.

This edition was the biggest of its history with 5 pavilions and a lot of stands more. We stayed an entire day to see all.

Around there were a lot of gadgets, stuffed animals, statuettes, t-shirts, contact lens for cosplayers, and all you can think that is related to comics. And comics inside all this were the less part.

However I like cute things.

The last gadget sensation: a Marvel door mat!

Three thematic posts will follow…

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