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