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.

Mitanni and Canaanite Infantry

 

Here are some 15mm Mitanni infantry and Canaanite javelin men. The Mitanni infantry are by Chariot Miniatures and the Canaanite javelin men are by Essex Miniatures. I'll try the Mitanni against my Hittites in a Chariots Rampant game soon.

Hittite Spearmen and Sea Peoples

 

Here are some 15mm Hittite spearmen and Sea Peoples that I've just finished painting. Most of them are Red Copper Miniatures figures except for two Essex figures on a Sherden base (far right, second photo down). The resin figures were printed by Proxy Wargaming, a 3D printing service in Sydney, who provide a great service and really detailed figures with minimal clean up required. Their prices have gone up since I bought these and I actually bought most of my Early Hebrew army from Baueda in Italy who have very reasonable overseas postage (12 Euros). 

Below are some comparison shots of the Red Copper Pelset figures with Essex Pelset figures, Red Copper Hittite spearmen with those from Gladiator, Essex and Chariot Miniatures. They're obviously very detailed, as they're available as 28mm figures as well. The Hittite spearmen have no sidearm, like a dagger, axe or sword and one of the figures has a cropped beard (the Hittites were clean shaven). Many of the Sea Peoples figures have bronze forearm guards not something I've seen in any illustrations, reliefs or other 28mm ranges before but were used in early Mycenaean Dendra type armour. I'm working on some Syrian Chariots and a New Kingdom Egyptian camp so will post photos of these when finished.

Mitanni versus New Kingdom Egyptians ADLG Game

 

Mitanni (foreground) and Egyptians (background) deployed

Sides advance and exchange bow fire

More shooting

Pelset are impetuous and charge

Libyans are impetuous and charge

On Monday Craig came over to my place and we played a small 100 point ADLG 15mm game with the Mitanni taking on the New Kingdom Egyptians. I'd only just finished painting and varnishing the Syrian/Canaanite/Mitanni infantry, so I was keen to give them a run. The mixed units of swordsmen and bowmen seemed to be very effective but we forgot that they fight as mediocre in combat. I was pretty lucky with my shooting, rolling quite a few sixes, so the Egyptian infantry didn't last long and some were already disordered before they charged into combat. 

Mitanni chariots charge

Egyptian infantry are worn down by bow fire and combat

Egyptian chariots charge

Egyptians are demoralised

Here are a few shots of the Syrian, Canaanite and Mitanni infantry that I just finished painting. They're all Gladiator Miniatures figures sold by Fighting 15s. I just finished varnishing them this morning but didn't have time to finish off the archer bases with tufts and flock. Eventually I'd like to refight the Battle of Megiddo with these 15mm armies.

Syrian and Canaanite archers

Syrian, Canaanite and Mitanni infantry

Mixed units

Mitanni Maryannu with supporting infantry

About a month ago a pair of yellow-tailed black cockatoos visited and were feeding in our neighbour's trees and they were surrounded by at least a dozen king parrots. Very strange, maybe it was a territorial thing?

Mitannian Maryannu 2

 

Here are some 15mm Mitannian Maryannu that I've just finished painting. The figures are by Gladiator Miniatures and Old Glory 15s. The Old Glory 15s two horse chariots don't come with a yoke for the horses so I had to make some out of wire and glue them on. The Gladiator Miniatures crew are a very tight fit in the chariot and I swapped some of the unarmoured horses, for horses with barding when I made the order. These will be opponents for my 15mm Hittites and New Kingdom Egyptians. 

I painted some 28mm Wargames Foundry Mitanni a few years ago, see this post:

https://bucellarii.blogspot.com/2018/07/mitannian-maryannu.html

I do prefer the bigger figures with my worsening eyesight but the price of Foundry chariots are 18 to 22 pounds each now! Fortunately I already have quite a few Foundry and Warlord/Cutting Edge chariots and recently bought some of the excellent Magister Militum Mitanni chariots, great value with a pack of five chariots for about 27 pounds! Eventually I'd like to refight the Battle of Megiddo.

New Kingdom Egyptians 3

 

Nubian skirmishers

Egyptian archers

Sherden, Egyptian infantry command and Libyans

Here are a dozen bases of infantry for my 15mm New Kingdom Egyptians, that I've just finished painting. The figures are a mix of ranges with Chariot Miniatures, Essex Miniatures, Gladiator Games and Peter Pig. I still have another six bases to finish for both my Egyptians and Hittites, before I have enough painted 15mm figures for a Pacto sized Mortem et Gloriam (MeG) game. The MeG army lists have been updated with separate lists for each of the three formats, a massive amount of work with over 500 army lists! 

The fourth edition of L'Art de la Guerre rules is due to be released next week so that may be another option when I finally get my copy in the mail. I already have large 28mm New Kingdom Egyptian and Hittite armies but 15mm does have definite advantages and a much larger figure range. I quite fancy the Khurasan Gasgans to fight my Hittites but the expense and hassle of ordering from the US does put me off.

Side view

Pelset 

Group shot

Hittite Reinforcements

Here are some reinforcements for my 15mm Hittites, they are a mix of ranges, mainly Gladiator Games (formerly Black Hat Miniatures), chunky little figures with a lot of character. I repainted all the bases of my painted figures to a sandy desert colour to match my New Kingdom Egyptians. I've just started using Gamers Grass Tiny Tufts for my 15mm bases and not only are they are a perfect size, but they're really tacky like Leadbear's Tufts, you don't even need to use PVA to glue them on, and they're good value too, you get 500 in a pack.

Earlier in the week I got my Mortem et Gloriam (MeG) preorders in the mail, including the MeG Compendium. I was pleased to see that a photo of my 15mm Hittites made it to print in the rules (p.197) but I'm not too sure about the caption, "Trojans before the Walls of Troy"! This is the photo below, the back drop part is inside the reconstructed walls at Hattusa, the ancient Hittite capital, (modern Bogazkale, formerly Bogazkoy). The other photos above have a back drop that shows the outside of a reconstructed tower and the walls.

New Kingdom Egyptians 2

New Kingdom Egyptian Chariots

Ramses II - Old Glory 15s chariot & horses, Chariot Miniatures crew

Essex driver, horses and chariot & Old Glory 15s crewman

Here are some 15mm New Kingdom Egyptians that I've just finished painting. I posted some photos last year of a half a DBA army, so these chariots, spearmen and camp complete that, with thirteen bases in total. I'll expand this army for the Mortem et Gloriam rules but already have quite a large 28mm New Kingdom Egyptian army, so that is an option as well. The figures are a real mix of ranges and the back drop photo was taken in the Saqqara area in Egypt in 2009.

Chariot Miniatures

Essex Miniatures

New Kingdom Egyptian Spearmen - Essex Miniatures

New Kingdom Egyptian Camp - Baueda tent & Essex camp followers

New Kingdom Egyptian DBA army