Two DBMM games at the Hutt Valley Wargaming Club on Saturday (and a table collapse!) - from Michael Stonyer 17 February 2026

Michael Stonyer was at the Hutt Valley Wargaming Club, and many thanks to him for sending these great pics and words, including about one of those awful events, a table collapsing 

Mike used Palmyrans to play Barry Norris (Sassanids), and Alastair Duncan (Middle Imperial Romans) played Graham Starkey (Picts). More details in the captions. 

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1.1: Graham Starkey (Picts) vs Alastair Duncan (third century Middle Romans with an inert CnC). The adversaries square up and the Picts attack the Roman lines.

1.2: Graham Starkey (Picts) vs Alastair Duncan (third century Middle Romans with an inert CnC). The adversaries square up and the Picts attack the Roman lines.

1.3: Graham Starkey (Picts) vs Alastair Duncan (third century Middle Romans with an inert CnC). The adversaries square up and the Picts attack the Roman lines.
Gavin Pearson

Nice to see massed Picts

2.1: The Roman line begins to buckle as the Pict fast pike begins to make inroads

Nick Buckby

That’s exactly how I put my back out using Picts..

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Paul Graham

Should have pict a closer opponent.

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Alastair Donald

There should have been more depicting.

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Vincent Cholewa

Alastair Donald that’s a very Roman comment!

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Bruce Ferguson

That's a pretty precarious lean

2.2: The Roman line begins to buckle as the Pict fast pike begins to make inroads

3: Absolute disaster! The table collapses taking the majority of the Roman army and many from the Picts. Everybody raced over and grabbed an edge of the base cloth to gently lift the damaged miniatures back onto the table.

Paul Graham

Good to see the Picts maintained their formation.

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Vincent Cholewa

Paul Graham too soon?

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Graham Starkey

I'd like to make it clear that I did not kick the table leg as I was coming second, no matter what anyone says.

Gavin Pearson

Oh no

4.1: The Army of Palmyra (Mike Stonyer) is attacked by Shapur (a.k.a. Barry Norris) and his Sassanids. Richard Mason is the UN observer.

John van den Hoeven

Yet another army i recognize

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Barry Norris

John van den Hoeven Two of them. The Palmyrans recruited a bunch of Hatrenes.

Gavin Pearson

Two great armies

4.2: The Army of Palmyra (Mike Stonyer) is attacked by Shapur (a.k.a. Barry Norris) and his Sassanids
Gavin Pearson

Lots of elephants!

4.3: The Army of Palmyra (Mike Stonyer) is attacked by Shapur (a.k.a. Barry Norris) and his Sassanids

5.1: A six one dice throw for the weather results in the thirst rule coming into play: we have ten moves in the hot sun before thirst sets in and everyone fights at a minus one

 5.2: A six one dice throw for the weather results in the thirst rule coming into play: we have ten moves in the hot sun before thirst sets in and everyone fights at a minus one

5.3: A six one dice throw for the weather results in the thirst rule coming into play: we have ten moves in the hot sun before thirst sets in and everyone fights at a minus one

6.1: Both sides attack on the flank. The superior cavalry super of the Sassanids are shattered by the Palmyran knights X fighting as superior vs the Sassanid cavalry with a quick kill. At move 10 the game is called to an end. Th Sassanid army has lost just over 30% of its ME and the Palmyrans have lost just over 20% of their ME. A 13-12 draw to Palmyra. Win or lose, a fight to the death with Barry is always the best of days 

6.1: Both sides attack on the flank. The superior cavalry super of the Sassanids are shattered by the Palmyran knights X fighting as superior vs the Sassanid cavalry with a quick kill. At move 10 the game is called to an end. Th Sassanid army has lost just over 30% of its ME and the Palmyrans have lost just over 20% of their ME. A 13-12 draw to Palmyra. Win or lose, a fight to the death with Barry is always the best of days