Hittites

Hittite and Allied three crew and two crew chariots

Here are some 15mm Hittites that I'll use for a DBA army amongst other things. The figures are by Essex Miniatures, Magister Militum and Black Hat Miniatures. The back drop photo is of the reconstructed walls at Hattusa, the ancient Hittite capital, (modern Bogazkale, formerly Bogazkoy). I'll post some photos of Hattusa and other Hittite sites soon. I also have a 28mm Hittite army and will post photos of that as well.

Canaanite Javelinmen and Hittite Archers

Hittite Guardsmen and Command

Anatolian Spearmen and Command

Hittite Army arrayed inside the walls of Hatusa

Late Romans versus Goths Basic Impetus Game

The Goths advance towards the Late Romans

Side view of the game

Goth cavalry dispense with Late Roman skirmishers

Here are a few photos of a Late Romans versus Goths, Basic Impetus game we played down at the club a few months ago. After some initial success, things started to go pear shaped, for the Goths with their infantry retreating in the centre. In the end we ran out of time and it was a draw.

Cavalry melee on the Late Roman right flank

Infantry close in the centre

Goth infantry retreat

Komnenan Byzantine Kontaratoi

Here are some Komnenan Byzantine Kontaratoi or Skoutatoi that I've finally finished painting. These are from the recent released Fireforge Games plastic Byzantine Spearmen box set. In this you get 25 figures with individual bases and a choice of oval or tear drop shields. The figures are all in a variety of at the ready poses, with upright kontarion. They all heavily armoured with mail, scale or lamellar armour and helmets. Some figures have quite intricate patterns on the hems of their tunics. They are fully compatible with existing metal ranges such as Gripping Beast (see comparison shot below) and Crusader Miniatures.

These are really fine addition to Fireforge's impressive range of detailed Medieval plastic and resin figures. Since releasing these Fireforge have added a resin three figure Byzantine infantry command set. They are also stocking the resin V&V Miniatures Byzantine range which includes Kontaratoi and Varangian Guardsmen. V&V Miniatures have just released resin Byzantine Cataphracts, so hopefully they will be available as well. Orders on the Fireforge website, not including deals, are post free world wide, if over 79 euros. So if you've always fancied a Nikephorian or Komnenan Byzantine army in 28mm, the time might be right!

Finally a big thanks to Aaron of prufockian-gleanings.blogspot.com for spruiking my new blog and to all the old/new followers!

Celts and Balearic Slingers

Here are some old 15mm Celts and Balearic Slingers with some nice Hovels Celtic round houses. The Celt figures are a mix of Minifigs, Essex and Xyston, while the slingers are all Minifigs. Some of the Celts have Veni Vedi Vici shield transfers.

Gangs of Rome - As to Spartacus

Escaping gladiators at the start of game

Opposite end of the board

Roman mobs provide a random element to the game

Last Sunday afternoon Craig came over to my place and we played a Gangs of Rome game. The scenario, As to Spartacus, involved six gladiators escaping from a Ludus and trying to reach an objective (in our game a temple) while my gang of four fighters tried to prevent this. The gladiators would win if three reached the temple and the fighters if four gladiators were killed.

This was a fun scenario which proved to be close and was only decided on the last turn with the drawing of the activation pebbles. The Roman mobs provided the usual random element to the game and finished off one of my wounded fighters when they became enraged. Craig's gladiators just managed to escape to the temple.

A Roman mob becomes enraged

My fighters try to contain the gladiators

Gladiators escape to the temple

Indian Two Horse Chariots

Here are a couple of two horse Indian chariots for the army of King Porus, that I've just finished painting. The figures are by 1st Corps Miniatures. My mate Rick and I are a running another Command and Colors Ancients participation game, the Battle of Hydaspes, at the Little Wars Canberra event in November this year. Apart from being a really fun day of gaming this also provides motivation in getting more units for my Indian army finished in time!

Successor Heavy Cavalry

Here are some Successor Heavy Cavalry that I painted last year. These figures are all from the Victrix plastic set, Macedonian Greek Successor Heavy Cavalry. The shield transfers are by Veni Vidi Vici.

Dacians versus Early Imperial Romans Basic Impetus Game

Armies deployed - Dacians on the left, Romans right

View from the opposite end of the table

Infantry in the centre close

Here are a few photos of a Dacians versus Early Imperial Romans, Basic Impetus game we played down at the club last month. Garry and Rick commanded the Dacians, while Craig and I were the Roman commanders. Unfortunately it was to be another day of shame and ignominy for the legions! Craig got things off to a pretty dismal start with some appalling dice rolling and the game continued on in that vein. The Dacian falxmen routed the Roman right flank and it was all over far too quickly! Still it was fun to get these armies out, as we haven't played many games with them since Craig wrote Rome's Dacian Wars, the Hail Caesar supplement, about five years ago.

Dacian warbands get stuck in

Romans retreat

Romans break

Late Roman Cavalry - Schola Gentilium Seniorum

Here are some Late Roman cavalry that I've just finished painting. These are the Schola Gentilium Seniorum, a guard cavalry unit. In the Notitia Diginatum, they were part of both the Western and the Eastern Roman army, under the respective Western and Eastern commands of the Magister Officiorum, commanders of the Scholae Palatinae. Most of the figures and horses are by Black Tree Designs, with a single A&A and a single Westwind rider and horse. The shield transfers are by LBM.

I've just ordered a box of the new plastic Gripping Beast Late Roman cavalry and can't wait to get my hands on them! Their Late Roman plastic infantry set was superb and is one of the best plastic Roman sets around.