Kublai Khan

 

Here is a Kublai Khan command stand for my Mongol army. Figures are by Curteys Miniatures from 1st Corps Miniatures. They have an excellent Mongol range, the figures really have a lot of character. Below is the famous painting of Kublai Khan Hunting painted in 1280 by Liu Guando. One of the attendants, in the middle at the bottom of the painting, has a leopard or cheetah on the back of his horse with a leash and muzzle. I thought it would be more likely to be a snow leopard but it does look like a cheetah in the painting.

Liu Guandao, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Etruscans versus Camillan Romans Midgard Game

 

Armies deployed from the Etruscan side

From the Roman side

A tribune and equites on the Roman left flank

Etruscan cavalry on the right flank

Equites on the Roman right flank

Last Sunday Rick, Gary and I met down at the Vikings Club for the Canberra Regional Wargame Group's monthly meeting. We played an Etruscans versus Camillan Romans Midgard game, with Rick and Gary the Roman attackers and I was the Etruscan defenders. It was pretty quiet at the club, as a lot of people were away playing comps, in the two day Anzac Cup event at the Australian Defence Force Academy. Alan and Roger came over and watched our game and provided much needed advice/instruction on the rules. The two sides were fairly evenly matched and we wasted no time getting down to brass tacks. 

Cavalry combat on both flanks went the way of the Etruscans. A tribune was killed and both Roman equites were destroyed, the bonus reputation tokens earned by the Romans for first charges were quickly gone. The infantry combat in the centre would decide the game as usual. The Roman infantry charged but Gary had his usual bad luck with dice and the Etruscan infantry were able to route several units. The Etruscan army commander was killed and several Etruscan infantry units were at half strength. On the left flank, a half strength Etruscan infantry unit down to their last stamina point, charged with an attached commander, a Roman leves unit and they were able to finish the leves off to end the game.

Etruscan cavalry left flank

Equites are destroyed

Charge and countercharge on the Etruscan left

Roman infantry charge 

Action on the Roman left flank 

Roman leves are destroyed, Etruscans win the game

Etruscan Axemen and Roman Leves

 

Here are some Etruscan axemen and Roman leves that I've just finished painting. We've got an Etruscan versus Camillan Roman game lined up at the club tomorrow, so the Roman leves will see action then but not the axemen. The axemen are mainly Agema Miniatures figures with a single Aventine Miniatures standard bearer, that is a Volsci figure with the boar standard. The leves are all Victrix Miniatures. 

According to Gabriele Esposito in his book Armies of Ancient Italy 753-218 BC the axemen formed part of the fourth class along with skirmishers, as there was no fifth class in Etruscan armies, according to the sources. Speaking of the axemen he says: 'the latter were a real peculiarity of the Etruscans: equipped with double-edged axes, they had a very precise tactical function on the battlefield, the breaking of the shield wall of the enemy phalanxes by using their two-handed weapons' (p.124.).

Etruscan Fourth Class Infantry

 

Here are some Etruscan infantry of the fourth class - javelinmen and slingers that I've just finished painting. The javelinmen are all Victrix and the slingers are a mix of Agema Miniatures and Victrix. I'm working on some Etruscan two handed axemen but probably won't finish these in time for our game at the club next Sunday. Anyway I hope everyone is enjoying the Easter break!

Etruscan First Class Infantry

 

Here are some Etruscan first class infantry that I've finally finished painting. The figures are by Aventine Miniatures with LBM shield transfers. I still have quite a few more 1st class infantry or hoplites to paint for my Etruscans, mainly by Agema Miniatures and also have some of their guard axemen that I've started painting. We've got a Midgard game lined up at the club after Easter with the Etruscans fighting Camillan Romans, so they will see action then.