Norman Milites

 

Here are some Norman Milites from the archives. These are mainly Conquest Games Norman plastic cavalry with two Crusader Miniatures figures. Shield transfers and banner are by Battle Flag with LBMs on the Crusader figures. I based these with a desert look, burnt grass and dried tuffs so I could use them as Normans in Sicily and for the Early Crusades.

Macedonian and Successor Elephants

 

Here are four 15mm Macedonian and Successor Elephants that I've just finished painting. In the photos above of early ellies with pikemen astride, the middle one is Xyston which I just painted, while the other two, by Gladiator Miniatures and Essex Miniatures, were done some time ago. In the photos below the later armoured Seleucid elephant in the middle is by Xyston while the other two are Forged in Battle. To finish there's a shot of my Seleucid Successor infantry and cavalry.

Mitanni Maryannu 4

 

Here are four more Mitanni Maryannu chariots, 15mm this time. Figures are by Gladiator Miniatures and Chariot Miniatures. Unfortunately these are no longer available with the closing of Fighting 15s and Magister Militum. I had a hard time fitting the crew into the chariots, something I remember from my last batch of these figures. There are very limited options now for metal 15mm Biblical figures with Essex Miniatures and Old Glory 15s being the main ranges left.

Eannatum and Ush c.2450 BC - Command and Colors Ancients Game

 

Armies deployed - Umma on the left,
Lagash on the right

Opposite end

Umma infantry advance in the centre

Lagash infantry attack

Umma infantry forced to retreat
and units are destroyed

Last Sunday afternoon I played a solo Command and Colors Ancients game with my Sumerians out in the shed. I noticed recently on the Command and Colors Ancients website that there were some new Sumerian scenarios. I thought I'd try this battle, Eannatum of Lagash versus Ush of Umma c.2450 BC, which was a great victory for Eannatum and Lagash. The famous Stele of Vultures, now in the Louvre, actually commemorates this battle. Both sides had similar forces with a slight advantage in cards and numbers for Lagash. There was a reduction in shooting range for LI bow and some special rules for Sumerian Commander Chariots. I didn't worry about any terrain, it was most likely fought on a flat plain.

The infantry of Umma advanced confidently in the centre, two double time cards in their hand, no doubt bolstering their belief in the favour of the gods! The infantry of Umma were forced to retreat and after several turns had two units destroyed. The Lagash infantry pressed the attack in the centre, while Ush of Umma responded by ordering the advance of his infantry on the right flank. Shooting, casualties and retreats followed but Umma finally had some success clawing back a couple of victory points. It was too little, too late, however and Eannatum of Lagash won easily 6-2 victory points.

Lagash attack again

Umma advances on the right flank

Shooting, casualties and retreats
on the Lagash left flank

Umma finally has some success

Umma claws back a couple of victory points

Lagash win 6-2 victory points

Pagan Rus Varjazi

 

Here are some Pagan Rus Varjazi or Varangians that I've just finished painting. The figures are the very detailed resin kits by V&V Miniatures. The banner and one of the shield transfers are by LBM/Victrix, the other three shield transfers are by Wargames Foundry. The figure in white clothes is Sviatoslav I Igorevich, Prince of Kiev (942-972), based on the Angus McBride's illustration in David Nicolle's Armies of Medieval Russia 750-1250 Osprey book. Sviatoslav had a short career as Prince of Kiev, I found this really interesting online article about him:

https://deremilitari.org/2014/05/the-infamous-svjatoslav-master-of-duplicity-in-war-and-peace/

Sviatoslav was eventually killed by the Pechenegs and their leader Kurja, apparently took his head and made his skull into a drinking cup overlaid with gold! I think Sviatoslav's Last Stand would make an excellent Lion Rampant scenario. I have more Rus Varangians and Pecheneg horse archers to paint but this should be an interesting little project.

Rus Druzhina

 

Here are some Rus Druzhina command figures that I've just finished painting. Figures are by Gripping Beast and the banner and shield transfers by LBM/Victrix. I have more Gripping Beast, Victrix, V&V and Fireforge figures to paint for my Rus army.

Carthaginian Elephants

 

Here are two more Carthaginian elephants and crew that I've just finished painting. Figures, howdah, blanket and shield transfers are by Victrix/LBM. I gave the crew shields and put the javelin holder inside the howdah so the howdah transfers could be clearly seen, it seemed a pity to obscure them!

One morning a few days ago there were about a dozen King Parrots drinking out of the gutter on the shed out the back. They're very common around here in the winter time and of the course the White Cockatoos, Galahs and Corellas have started their annual trashing of the front lawn, digging up grass roots for food.

Mitanni Maryannu 3

 

Here are two more chariots for my 28mm Mitanni army that I've just finished painting. I'm doing the same army in 15mm as well! Figures are by Scropha Miniatures and are nice 3D prints by Lancer Miniatures who offer an excellent service from the UK.

First Game of Pillage

 

Vikings initial deployment

Irish initial deployment

Irish warriors

Irish slingers

Irish chieftain and warriors

Irish warriors

Last Sunday Rick, Gary and I met down at the Vikings Club in Conder, for the monthly meeting of the Canberra Regional Wargame Group. We played our first game of Pillage, a new set of Dark Age/early Medieval skirmish rules written by Guillaume Rousselot. The English version has just been published by Victrix and is available as a 131 page pdf or hard back rule book that is beautifully illustrated. We diced for sides and played a pitched battle with Viking and Irish forces of about 1020 gold pieces which is the point system used. Each side had a chieftain with two traits, there are no fixed unit sizes, with movement, shooting, combat and morale done with individual figures. Rick said many of the basic mechanics of the rules are derived from the Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game.

We deployed twelve inches in from the table edge to speed things up. The Irish had a slight advantage in numbers with twenty seven figures, while the Vikings had twenty four figures who were more heavily armoured. The Vikings also had a berserker, banner bearer and figure with a war horn. The two forces closed with Irish slingers and Viking bondi archers shooting. Irish warriors charged the Viking bondi on the right, after several round of combat, the Irish warriors were destroyed. On the Viking left the bondi archers shot at the Irish warriors, forcing them to charge, eventually picking them off with bow fire. Back in the centre the Viking hirdmen formed into shieldwall to reduce shooting casualties against the Irish slingers. The hirdmen advanced in shieldwall and were charged by the Irish chieftain and warriors. Eventually the more lightly armoured Irish warriors were ground down by the hirdmen, losing more figures after failed morale tests.

This wasn't a very satisfying or balanced first game of Pillage, the Irish didn't have much of a chance. The rules are very simple which may appeal to some but for me they are far too simplistic. There are more nuanced and satisfying skirmish sets already available with Lion Rampant, Saga and Barons' War. There is no index in the rules and specific rules are hard to find. There are also typos in the rules and QRS with the armour class abbreviations, some of these still have the French rather than the English version. The faction lists have limited options with the Irish, Scots and Picts lumped together but have no option for cavalry, while the Welsh have no option for armour. There is a generic list of costs so you can choose your own force regardless. 

Forces close

Bondi archers shoot

Irish warriors charge Bondi

Bondi archers pick of the remaining Irish on the left

Irish warriors charge Viking hirdmen
who are in shieldwall

Irish lose more figures from morale tests,
Vikings clear winners