Captain's Blog

 I finally got around to working on both the crewmen for my elephants and the Victrix Miniatures pack of Numidian cavalry that I picked up. These is part of a new project to build an Art de la Guerre Numidian Army. This is part A as only the cavalry component is ready today. I still need to apply decals to the elephants. It was my fourth entry in this years AHPC.

I decided to use 60mm x 60 mm bases for each element of this unit. The figures themselves have a plastic base which is almost 50mm long and would overlap a standard 60mm x 40mm base. I didn't have any 60mmx50mm MDF elements in my supplies. 

I like the look, and but am not sure how it will be for game play.  The figures exude movement. 

These figures have been sitting around in a box for years and it was time to bring them out and go to work on them.

Primed 15mm assorted Japanese Figures

 As I posted I had three bags of warrior monks. After they were painted and based I have three distinct units,

2 Elements of Blades, 2HCW and 2 Elements of Hordes

6 Elements of Blades, Japanese Warrior Monks with Naginata

6 Elements of Japanese Long Bow

1x 3Cv (Gen), 2x 3Cv, 8x 2LH, 1 x 2LH or Art (need to borrow 1X 2LH Element)

As I explained in the chart a couple of postings ago, I purchased a painted Ancient Chinese DBA Army at the Cangames Booth 7 years ago. It included a large number of unpainted figures, with more on sale at the booth the following year. The story that follows should be divided into three acts. Where better to start than Act III. The Chinese are totally painted, mounted, but not fully identified, and are divided into two groups each of about 24 Elements.

Based upon the Elements that were left over, I felt that I could throw together a Mongol Army. The 14 elements available were:

3x 3Cv Elements



1x 3Kn/Cv (Gen), 1x 3Kn/Cv

 

1 Artillery Element

4 x 2LH Elements

4 more 2LH Elements

As you can see from the photos, there are two distinct painting styles on display with these figures.  Some figures were partly or fully painted when they were purchased. Others were untouched. Some elements combine both styles of painting.

By borrowing between one to three elements from other armies I find that I have a very flexible force that can be used to field a number of possible armies. How can you be more economical than fielding nine armies for the price of one.

II/80 Hunnic 356AD - 570AD
 A) 1x 3Cv or 2LH (Gen), 7x 2LH, 1x 3 Kn, 2x 4Wb, 1 x 2Ps (need to borrow 3 Elements)
C) 1x 3Cv (Gen), 8x 2LH, 1x El, 2x 3Bw (need to borrow 3 Elements)
D) 1x 3Cv or 2LH (Gen), 11x 2LH (need to borrow 3 Elements)

III/11 Central Asian Turkish 550AD- 1330AD
D) 1x 3Cv (Gen), 2x 3Cv, 6x 2LH, 1x 2Ps or 2LH, 2x 7Hd or 2LH (need to borrow 3 Elements)

III/14 Early Bulgar 559AD - 1018AD
A) 1x 3Cv (Gen), 1x 3Cv or 2LH, 10x 2LH (need to borrow 3 Elements)

III/30 Magyar 650AD- 997AD
A) 1x 3Cv (Gen), 1x 3Cv, 10x 2LH (need to borrow 2 Elements)

III/44 Tribal Mongolian 840AD- 1218AD
A) 1x 3Cv (Gen), 1x 3Cv or 2LH, 10x 2LH (need to borrow 3 Elements)

IV/46 Ilkhanid 1251AD-1355AD
1x 3Cv (Gen), 1x 3Cv, 9x 2LH, 1 x 3Ax or Art or 2LH or 3 Kn (need to borrow 1 or 2 Elements)

IV/47 Golden Horde or Sucessors 1251AD-1556AD
1x 3Cv (Gen), 3x 3Cv, 6x 2LH, 1x 3Bw, 1 x 4 Bw or 4Cb or 3 Wb or 2LH (need to borrow 1 or 2 Elements)

IV/52 Later Nomadic Mongol 1266AD - 1508AD
1x 3Cv (Gen), 4x 3Cv or 2LH, 6x 2LH, 1 x 7Hd or 2LH (need to borrow 1 or 2 Elements)

This was another unfinished project sittimg in a drawer for at least a decade and a half. The unit consisted of 6 camel riders. The camels were easy to paint but the riders themselves were not at all inspiring. They were really old Heritage castings and made me think of lumps of lead. Finally one evening last week in the sweltering Montreal heat, I put brush to lead and in short order the project was completed.

This week I had a very light class load. Tuesday was the final day of the current session and the summer session does not commence until tomorrow.  I  decided to complete some more units for my 28mm Saracen DBA/HOTT's army. It took the better part of three days to complete the work but I finished 3 elements of Warbands (two of 4 figures and one of 5 figures) and two elements of 4 man spear.



The figures are by Black Tree Designs and the spears are by Foundry. These figures were last seen prepped with a base coat added in Saracen DBA/HOTT Part VI sometime last October. I finally painted them. The bases are by Litko Game Accessories and the ground was built up using Golden Artist Colors Coarse Pumice Gel. The bases were then painted with DeSerres Raw Sienna (Series 1 No 185) and flocked using Citadel Scorched Grass.



In the wings I still have another 40 BTD figures for this project. Twenty figures are with bow and twenty are with crossbow. They have been prepped and basecoated. They await the touch of their master's brush. They will form elements of 3/4 Bow as well as a couple of Psiloi elements.

"The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Bryon
was easily an inspiration for my Hittites.

The Assyrian (in my case Hittites) came down like the wolf on the fold,
And his cohorts (think chariots) were gleaming in purple and gold;

The Hittite Army was my first foray into the realm of 15 mm armies. I purchased it when DBA was the new kid on the block. At the same time I thought that I'd buy some extra chariots, just in case I ever wanted to expand the army. I was still hooked on WRG 7th edition rules at the time, and an arms race was never far from my mind.



The current list for the Hittite Empire I/24 (b) 1274-1180 BC calls for the following troop types.

1 x  Heavy Chariot General
1 x  Heavy Chariot
2 x Light Chariot
6 x 3 Spear
1 x 2 Psiloi
1 x 7 Horde or 2 Psiloi
 
It would appear that I'll have to order some more spearmen and a horde to bring this army up to the required levels.

Note: HE Army I/24 (a) 1380-1175 BC has no Heavy Chariots and will use a total of 4 light chariots instead. All other options remain the same.