Mark Backhouse
@markbackhouse29.bsky.social
Wargamer, history teacher, podcaster and article writer. Author of Strength and Honour. Dad and Saints FC fan.
Pinned
The 5th Syrian War Campaign initial setup.
The campaign will start in 200BC with the Seleucid forces led by Antiochus the Great (red counters) attempting to invade Ptolemaic held Coele-Syria (yellow counters).
The campaign will start in 200BC with the Seleucid forces led by Antiochus the Great (red counters) attempting to invade Ptolemaic held Coele-Syria (yellow counters).
A fun day out at Warfare today. Nice to chat to lots of friends old and new and help out my chum Phil run his excellent Siege of Winchester game.
November 16, 2025 at 10:14 PM
A fun day out at Warfare today. Nice to chat to lots of friends old and new and help out my chum Phil run his excellent Siege of Winchester game.
Awesome as always…
This week on the blog: Hoplites! We're taking a crack at explaining the long-running debate over the nature and significance of the ancient Greek heavy infantryman, the hoplite, and the phalanx in which he (mostly) fought.
acoup.blog/2025/11/14/c...
acoup.blog/2025/11/14/c...
Collections: Hoplite Wars, Part I: The Othismos over Othismos
This week (and next) we’re looking at hoplites, the heavy infantry of the ancient Greek poleis in the (early? mid? late?) Archaic and Classical periods, into the Hellenistic. In particular, I…
acoup.blog
November 15, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Awesome as always…
Trasimene playtest for our Lardy day tonight. The lake is obviously a quick stand in!
November 13, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Trasimene playtest for our Lardy day tonight. The lake is obviously a quick stand in!
Reposted by Mark Backhouse
There's a new WSS podcast! WSS podcast 105 - 3D with @thedarkiscool.bsky.social, @clogfather.bsky.social and @markbackhouse29.bsky.social https://www.karwansaraypublishers.com/blogs/wss-blog/wss-podcast-105-3d
#wargaming
#wargaming
November 12, 2025 at 4:10 PM
There's a new WSS podcast! WSS podcast 105 - 3D with @thedarkiscool.bsky.social, @clogfather.bsky.social and @markbackhouse29.bsky.social https://www.karwansaraypublishers.com/blogs/wss-blog/wss-podcast-105-3d
#wargaming
#wargaming
Reposted by Mark Backhouse
HERTS OF LARD 2026!!!
I'm now taking names for people who want to either run a game or attend as a player at Herts of Lard 2026 (The 4th one!).
It'll be on March 7th 2026 in Rickmansworth
Email me hertsoflard@gmail.com
joebilton81.wixsite.com/hertsoflard-...
@toofatlardies.bsky.social
I'm now taking names for people who want to either run a game or attend as a player at Herts of Lard 2026 (The 4th one!).
It'll be on March 7th 2026 in Rickmansworth
Email me hertsoflard@gmail.com
joebilton81.wixsite.com/hertsoflard-...
@toofatlardies.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 11:16 AM
HERTS OF LARD 2026!!!
I'm now taking names for people who want to either run a game or attend as a player at Herts of Lard 2026 (The 4th one!).
It'll be on March 7th 2026 in Rickmansworth
Email me hertsoflard@gmail.com
joebilton81.wixsite.com/hertsoflard-...
@toofatlardies.bsky.social
I'm now taking names for people who want to either run a game or attend as a player at Herts of Lard 2026 (The 4th one!).
It'll be on March 7th 2026 in Rickmansworth
Email me hertsoflard@gmail.com
joebilton81.wixsite.com/hertsoflard-...
@toofatlardies.bsky.social
Reposted by Mark Backhouse
A Sunday morning spent painting a custom French War Memorial in 20mm.
Full details on the process on my blog: wargamingthings.blogspot.com/2025/11/fren...
#terrain #spreadthelard #wargaming #remembrance
Full details on the process on my blog: wargamingthings.blogspot.com/2025/11/fren...
#terrain #spreadthelard #wargaming #remembrance
November 2, 2025 at 4:00 PM
A Sunday morning spent painting a custom French War Memorial in 20mm.
Full details on the process on my blog: wargamingthings.blogspot.com/2025/11/fren...
#terrain #spreadthelard #wargaming #remembrance
Full details on the process on my blog: wargamingthings.blogspot.com/2025/11/fren...
#terrain #spreadthelard #wargaming #remembrance
Interesting small boulder with a history from the Crimean War in Portsmouth today.
November 2, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Interesting small boulder with a history from the Crimean War in Portsmouth today.
Come and have a go if you think you’re LARD enough tickets are now on general release. Get them from here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/come-and-a...
Come and 'ave a go if you think you're LARD enough 2026
Lots of lard everywhere on the sometimes sunny South Coast. Come for the lard, stay for the err, lard?
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 30, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Come and have a go if you think you’re LARD enough tickets are now on general release. Get them from here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/come-and-a...
Reposted by Mark Backhouse
My new book, 'The Struggle for the Pontic Steppe:
Russo-Ottoman Wars 1768-1792' is now available. Directly below in the UK, your local bookshop, or Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions worldwide. The link below also has my presentation on YouTube. www.balkanhistory.org/struggle-for...
Russo-Ottoman Wars 1768-1792' is now available. Directly below in the UK, your local bookshop, or Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions worldwide. The link below also has my presentation on YouTube. www.balkanhistory.org/struggle-for...
Struggle for the Pontic Steppe
This book examines the conflict between the Russian and Ottoman empires for control of the Pontic Steppe region during the second half of the 18th century. The Pontic Steppe stretches from the...
www.balkanhistory.org
October 30, 2025 at 5:09 PM
My new book, 'The Struggle for the Pontic Steppe:
Russo-Ottoman Wars 1768-1792' is now available. Directly below in the UK, your local bookshop, or Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions worldwide. The link below also has my presentation on YouTube. www.balkanhistory.org/struggle-for...
Russo-Ottoman Wars 1768-1792' is now available. Directly below in the UK, your local bookshop, or Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions worldwide. The link below also has my presentation on YouTube. www.balkanhistory.org/struggle-for...
Come and have a go if you think you’re LARD enough Saturday 24th Jan. Near Southampton. Tickets will be available for gamers on Nov 1st and I’ll share the link on here then.
October 29, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Come and have a go if you think you’re LARD enough Saturday 24th Jan. Near Southampton. Tickets will be available for gamers on Nov 1st and I’ll share the link on here then.
Oh these transfers are good! Now why did I hand paint all the &@£*%# shields when I had these lovely transfer sheets!
October 28, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Oh these transfers are good! Now why did I hand paint all the &@£*%# shields when I had these lovely transfer sheets!
The other Warlord epic scale elephant done. Not very keen on the head armour or the bronze tusk additions but it’ll serve its purpose well enough.
October 28, 2025 at 1:43 PM
The other Warlord epic scale elephant done. Not very keen on the head armour or the bronze tusk additions but it’ll serve its purpose well enough.
Warlord epic scale Carthaginian elephants on the painting table today.
October 28, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Warlord epic scale Carthaginian elephants on the painting table today.
Reposted by Mark Backhouse
Something a little different - Setback and Disaster card holders for a Middle Earth inspired Strength & Honour game coming soon to a Lardy day near you (well if you are on the south coast anyway) #spreadthelard #strengthandhonour #2mm
October 26, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Something a little different - Setback and Disaster card holders for a Middle Earth inspired Strength & Honour game coming soon to a Lardy day near you (well if you are on the south coast anyway) #spreadthelard #strengthandhonour #2mm
Iberian Scutari test group done today. Warlord epic scale.
October 26, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Iberian Scutari test group done today. Warlord epic scale.
Painting up Roman baggage wagons and oxen today for a Lake Trasimene game.
October 26, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Painting up Roman baggage wagons and oxen today for a Lake Trasimene game.
Reposted by Mark Backhouse
There's a new WSS podcast! WSS Podcast 104 - Is This Real, Or Just Fantasy? with @thedarkiscool.bsky.social, @clogfather.bsky.social and @markbackhouse29.bsky.social https://www.karwansaraypublishers.com/blogs/wss-blog/wss-podcast-104-is-this-just-real-or-is-it-just-fantasy
#wargaming
#wargaming
October 21, 2025 at 1:55 PM
There's a new WSS podcast! WSS Podcast 104 - Is This Real, Or Just Fantasy? with @thedarkiscool.bsky.social, @clogfather.bsky.social and @markbackhouse29.bsky.social https://www.karwansaraypublishers.com/blogs/wss-blog/wss-podcast-104-is-this-just-real-or-is-it-just-fantasy
#wargaming
#wargaming
All set up at Partizan
October 12, 2025 at 9:26 AM
All set up at Partizan
At Partizan tomorrow? Come and try out a quick game of Strength and Honour. #spreadthelard
October 11, 2025 at 9:34 AM
At Partizan tomorrow? Come and try out a quick game of Strength and Honour. #spreadthelard
Anybody out and about in Newark on Saturday night? No Lets Xscape cafe opening so will probably stay in the Rupert?
October 8, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Anybody out and about in Newark on Saturday night? No Lets Xscape cafe opening so will probably stay in the Rupert?
Romans all done ready for the weekend! Hooray!
October 7, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Romans all done ready for the weekend! Hooray!
Strength and Honour will be here in the Lard Zone at The Other Partizan this weekend rocking two participation games. One naval and one land based. Come and say hello or join in for a quick game.
October 6, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Strength and Honour will be here in the Lard Zone at The Other Partizan this weekend rocking two participation games. One naval and one land based. Come and say hello or join in for a quick game.
Reposted by Mark Backhouse
First town bases done. I'll start on the next one during the week. A bit amateur in places but I'm happy with it
October 5, 2025 at 3:44 PM
First town bases done. I'll start on the next one during the week. A bit amateur in places but I'm happy with it
Battle is joined! Warlord epic scale Strength and Honour playtest.
October 2, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Battle is joined! Warlord epic scale Strength and Honour playtest.
I’ve managed to get the flock-box out and completed the basing on these at last. So at least the Gauls are ready for The Other Partizan in a fortnight!
September 28, 2025 at 9:05 AM
I’ve managed to get the flock-box out and completed the basing on these at last. So at least the Gauls are ready for The Other Partizan in a fortnight!