Here are some Neo-Elamite cavalry that I've just finished painting. The figures are all Eureka Miniatures. I had a bit of a disaster varnishing these and accidentally sprayed them with white primer instead of matt varnish. Very annoying, luckily it was only a slight light coating on half of them on one side and I was able to repaint that side. This is something I've actually managed to do before, the obvious lesson is check before you spray!
Here are more Ancient Iberian cavalry that I've just finished painting to bring some units up to strength. The figures are by Casting Room Miniatures that I picked up during the Foundry Xmas sale. They came with massive great scuta, totally unmanageable on horse back, but fortunately I was able to replace them with spare plastic caetra from a Victrix infantry set. Shield transfers are by LBM and Victrix.
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| Confederate view of the table |
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| Union view of the table with Mower's brigade at the rear ready to come on in turn three |
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| Sullivan's brigade advances |
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| Sanborn's brigade advances |
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| Confederates dig in |
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| First fire |
Last Thursday afternoon Craig, Gary and Robert came over and we played an ACW game out in the shed. Craig was keen to try the new Osprey ACW rules, With Hot Lead and Cold Steel. These are similar to Black Powder but use D10s rather than D6s. Craig had made up a two page QRS which was very handy. The scenario was Iuka 1862, we used the one on p.136 in the Glory, Hallelujah, Black Powder supplement. Craig and Gary were the Union commanders and Robert and I were stuck with the Confederate command.
The two Union brigades advanced, their objective was to hold the road junction after seven turns. The Confederate brigades just dug in the woods which meant they counted as being in heavy cover. Regiments from both sides became unnerved and retreated early on but were able to rally and continue the fight. Union reinforcements from Mower's Brigade arrived on turn three and the Confederates were slowly but surely being whittled down. Confederate regiments from Herbert's and Martin's brigades panicked and retreated but were able to rally and dig in again. A desperate final Union charge nearly succeeded but the Confederates were able to just hang on.
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| Union regiments in Sullivan's brigade become unnerved and retreat |
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| Sanborn's Brigade suffer heavy casualties |
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| Union reinforcements from Mower's Brigade arrive |
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| Confederate regiments from Herbert's and Martin's brigades panic and retreat |
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| Confederates rally and dig in again |
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| Desperate final Union charge |
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| Crassus' legions and Spartacus' slave revolt army deployed |
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| View from the Roman left flank |
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| The legions and slave revolt army advance |
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| A raw legion with skirmish and reserve line support attacks a cavalry unit |
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| A raw legion on the right becomes disordered and loses their skirmish support |
Last Wednesday evening I went over to Rick's place and we played a Strength and Honour game. The scenario was Silarus River 71 BC, Spartacus' last stand against Crassus' legions. Gary and Rick commanded Spartacus' slave revolt army and I commanded Crassus' legions. This was another really fun, close Strength and Honour game, a perfect way to start the New Year! Quite a few of slave revolt units had Warband and Battle Trained, Characteristics which made combat interesting with the raw legion units. To boster these I deployed them with supporting skirmish lines and Gary did the same with his untrained slave units.
Both sides advanced and before long the Roman right flank was under pressure. A miraculous rally saw the Romans recover on the right and Crassus' veteran legion was able to exploit a weakness in Spartacus' untrained slave units who became disordered and then routed. Two opposing supporting skirmish lines on the Roman right survived multiple combats, while on the left two cavalry units were at it for most of the game. As the setback and disaster cards mounted I made an early Homunculus Est call and Spartacus' forces were fatigued and then broke a couple of turns later.
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| The raw legion are now retiring and disordered, the Roman right flank is under pressure! |
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| The Romans rally and another raw legion attacks a Trained slave unit |
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| Crassus' Veteran Legion push back Untrained slaves who become disordered and then rout |
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| Skirmish lines on the right survive multiple combats |
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| Spartacus' army becomes fatigued and then break |
Happy New Year to everyone for 2024!
Here are some Neo-Elamites that I've just finished painting. They were both allies and enemies of the Neo-Assyrians and Neo-Babylonians at various stages. The figures are all Eureka Miniatures. The only other 28mm Neo-Elamite ranges that I'm aware of are the Warlord archers which I have and the Steve Barber Models range as well, which are very nice but no Kallapani (the mule drawn carts with archers) as yet. Eventually I hope to refight the Battle of Til-Tuba or River Ulai which was fought against the Neo-Assyrian forces of Ashurbanipal in c. 653 BCE. There is a very interesting short British Museum YouTube video discussing the six panels of reliefs depicting this battle from Ashurbanipal's palace in Nineveh:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpe7fevbReA
Just before Christmas I went on a short mountain biking trip to Beechworth with Peter and Hans using our e-mtbs. We did the Epic Indigo loop between Beechworth and Yackandandah (lots of climbing in the second half) and the Diggers' Loop the following morning before driving back. Here are a few photos.
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| Starting out |
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| A rest before the final climb |
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| Wallaby Mine equipment |
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| A koala resting up! The base of the sapling is visible in the previous photo. |
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Marble statuette of Venus, 1st century CE, excavated 1973, Villa Poppaea, Villa A Oplontis, near Pompeii Lapilli-encrusted bronze situla (...
