Neo-Assyrians versus Neo-Babylonians Midgard Game

 

Neo-Assyrians deployed

Neo-Babylonians deployed

Neo-Elamite allied cavalry and infantry
on the Neo-Babylonian left flank

Neo-Babylonian infantry and
Chaldean archers in the centre

Arab camel riders, Neo-Elamite kallapani
and skirmishers on the right flank

Neo-Assyrian cavalry, chariots and
Sab Sharri auxiliaries

Neo-Assyrian infantry, guard cavalry and skirmishers

Arab camel riders are keen to get in bow range!

Neo-Elamite cavalry advance

Earlier today I played a solo Neo-Assyrians versus Neo-Babylonians Midgard game out in the shed. I already had the army lists and armies organised, it was going to be a wet day, so it was just a matter of getting the figures, table, mat and terrain out. I added a dismounted trait for the Neo-Elamite kallapani so they could dismount as formed archers in one move. Every single unit in the game was armed with missiles. Most of the infantry were mixed spear and bow, the Neo Assyrian infantry were more heavily armoured than the Neo-Babylonian infantry, who were only armour two rather than three.

The Neo-Babylonians were the attackers and advanced, eager to get in bow range. The Neo-Assyrians also advanced and destroyed a unit of Arab camel riders with withering bow fire. The Neo-Elamite kallapani dismounted and on their right flank the Neo-Assyrian chariots and cavalry charged the Neo-Elamite cavalry. Back on the Neo-Assyrian left flank the guard cavalry charged the Neo-Elamite kallapani who were eventually destroyed. In the centre the Neo-Babylonian infantry charged the Neo-Assyrian infantry. The Neo-Assyrian chariots and cavalry were destroyed by the Neo-Elamite cavalry but in the centre the Neo-Assyrian infantry won the combat to narrowly win the game. 

Side view

Cavalry are in mounted bow range

Neo-Elamite kallapani dismount as foot archers

Neo-Assyrian chariots and cavalry charge

Neo-Assyrian guard cavalry charge
the Neo-Elamite kallapani

Cavalry and chariots slog it out

Neo-Assyrian chariots and cavalry are destroyed

Neo-Assyrian guard infantry (Qurubuti)
win the combat in the centre, Neo-Babylonians
lose their final reputation token

Aramaean Infantry

 

Here are some Aramaean javelin men that I've just finished painting. Figures are by Warlord Games but unfortunately no longer seem to be available. I will use these figures as allies for my Neo-Babylonians and Neo-Elamites. I have 15mm Aramaean, Israelite, Arab and Neo-Assyrian armies with Essex, Red Copper and Museum Miniatures as I want to refight the Battle of Karkar or Qarqar 853 BC.  In this battle the Neo-Assyrian army of Shalmaneser III fought the combined forces of Damascus, Hamath, Ahab of Israel, Que, Musri, Irqanata, Arvad, Usanata, Shian and Gundibu, an Arab chieftain, led by Hadadezer of Damascus, also known as the 12 Kings Alliance. This was a huge army comprising 3940 chariots, 1800 cavalry, 65000 infantry and 1000 Arab camel-riders. Shalmaneser claimed to have defeated them and slain 14000 enemy soldiers but his opponents held on to their thrones and he was forced to campaign again in the area several more times in the following decade.

Neo-Elamites

 

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.

Starting out

A rest before the final climb

Wallaby Mine equipment

A koala resting up! The base of the sapling is
visible in the previous photo. 

Neo-Babylonian Infantry

 

Here are some Neo-Babylonian infantry from the archives, mixed spearmen and archers, they're Newline Designs figures. I'm currently reading Mark Healy's The Ancient Assyrians, Empire and Army, 883-612 BC. This is a hardback updated and expanded version (320 pages) of his 1991 Osprey book The Ancient Assyrians. It still has the colour illustrations by Angus McBride, as well as additional illustrations and full page photographs from the British Museum. Definitely worth getting if you are interested in the Neo-Assyrians. Also highly recommended are Eckart Frahm's Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World's First Empire and Roland Sennewald's The Art of War in Ancient Assyria: The Sargonid Dynasty at War from Sargon II to Ashurbanipal (722-627 BC). Sennewald has an accompanying volume The Enemies of the Assyrian Sargonid Empire to be published this year. Tamas Dezso's three volume The Assyrian Army seems to be out of print now but might be available from second hand booksellers.

Neo-Assyrians versus Neo-Babylonians Chariots Rampant Game

Assyrians left, Babylonians right

 Arab Camel Riders

Babylonian cavalry

Assyrian Guard cavalry

Assyrian chariots and infantry

Forces advance

Last Sunday afternoon we played a 25 point Neo-Assyrians versus Neo-Babylonians Chariots Rampant game. The Babylonian rebels were the attackers with the usual Bloodbath scenario. The rebels had two units of mixed spear and bow infantry, a unit of Chaldean slingers, a unit of Arab Camel riders and a mixed spear and bow cavalry unit. The Assyrians had two units of Sab Sharri auxiliaries, mixed spear and bow infantry, a unit of Guard cavalry, armed with both spear and bow, and a unit of Heavy Chariots. Each unit was capable of ranged fire, so this often made shooting an attractive option. The Babylonian rebels made effective use of their fire power and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Assyrians who lost both their infantry units and their cavalry.

Sab Sharri auxiliaries charge the Arab Camel Riders

Assyrian cavalry charge

Assyrian casualties mount

Babylonian cavalry advance