Parthian Shots

I finally finished painting and basing my Parthian Army of 15mm Khurasan Miniatures. The process was drawn out by trips out of town and painter’s block. But here they are. I don’t have any Daylami or mountaineer infantry, since none were listed in the Parthian online page. Should I need some I’ll use Dark Age barbarians until I find a good source for figures. Some of my DBA armies don’t have all the options. This is one of them. We’ll see how these lads fare on the table when next we get around to DBA or Basic Impetus.

The army has

4 elements of cataphracts (4KN)

12 elements of horse archers (2LH)

2 elements of fast bows (3BW)

3 elements of archers (2PS)

They will share my toothpick camps with their 15mm brethren. I don't have enough storage space for each army to have their own camp. I barely have enough for these lads.

Parthian Cataphracts (Khurasan Miniatures)

I finally got off my rear and finished 4 elements of Parthian cataphracts to begin my DBA army. These are Khurasan figures, very nice. The only hitch: the lances bend when you look at them too hard. Hopefully they won't break too soon. Next I have to paint up some 24 horse archers. The DBA force (as I plan it) only requires 16 more but if we play Basic Impetus I could use some more. And some foot archers to finish up the force.

The heavily armored cataphracts give this light horse army a bit harder punch than usual. The Parthians did badly beat some Roman armies that made the mistake of invading across flat open country. The worst hiding was that given to Crassus at Carrhae in 53 BC. In time, the Parthians were dethroned and disposed of the by the Sassanian Persians. Perhaps someday I'll paint them up. Perhaps not. The figures are so nice they deserve a better painter and a better photographer. But here they are. 

Vendee Rebels completed

The Lancashire Vendee Rebels have been painted, varnished (gloss and matte) and based. Here they are, with their older Minifigs/GFI mates. A couple units of Blue Moon settler militia have been added as possible skirmish units. The skirmishers in the Vendee seem to have been taller, 18mm instead of the regular 15mm. This force, taken as normal units, would total 29 points as per the following list.

1 large unit of "Natives"  5 points

5 units of "Natives"         4 points each

2 units of  skirmishers     2 points each

total                               29 points

The "Native" troop type is fast, not great at shooting but tough in a hand-to-hand fight. This seems to represent the peasants of the Vendee, with their superior local knowledge of terrain, their mix of muskets, pikes and farm implements and their elan. I think this is a better troop type for them than the intended North American woodland Indians, often depicted in cinema and some war games as ferocious with tomahawks but poor shooters. The skirmisher troop type is a better depiction of the way they are said to have fought in historical accounts of period battles. But I digress. Some time in October we'll see how the Vendee "Natives" fare in the hedges of the bocage. And now for the Royalist Rebel peasants:

Thursday will see a rash of DBA games based on the swan song of the western Roman Empire. Stay tuned.

Photo time: 69th NY, a Vauban Fortress

I decided to post some photos of figures and a fortress.

First up, a 54mm (2 1/8 inches) color sergeant of the 69th NY. Thomas' Tin Soldiers were designed, sculpted and produced by my late friend Tom Loback. He did prodigious research into the regimental flags in his line. He persuaded the regimental armory in New York City to let him photograph the actual colors of the 69th. As you can see, my photography doesn't do this justice. I'm better with 15mm figures at longer range. 

Next up is a 15mm scale Vauban fortress. These forts were effective from the late 17th Century until the late 19th Century, when the increasing range and power of artillery rendered them obsolete. Bill's French Seven Year War figures and some of my siege artillery shelter behind the walls and the covered way that crowns the glacis. The glacis was designed to protect the base of the walls from artillery fire. That was where solid shot was aimed to breach walls. Besiegers needed to advance their works onto the glacis to get a shot at the base, usually requiring that the covered way be stormed. The glacis was also designed to be devoid of cover, and that muskets laid on it from the covered way or along the fortress walls would send shots grazing just above the surface - in short, a killing zone. Bastions and ravelins were designed to cover each other against assaults with enfilade (flanking) fire.

According to Duffy's "Fire and Stone", fortresses in the Iberian Peninsula were made using the old Roman concrete recipe and usually required twice as many cannon shots to make a practicable breach.

After visiting the fortress of Naarden in the Netherlands, I suspect the entire fort of Ticonderoga in upstate New York would fit into one of Naarden's bastions. Both are star forts but of different size.

I have toyed with ideas for siege rules for decades. I'm starting to think of them again. My favorite simple close combat rules are those in Bloody Big Battles. There are 3 levels of fortifications: rifle pits (1), entrenchments (2) and forts (3). Going by that system, I'd rate besieger's works as rifle pits, the covered way as entrenchments and the fortress walls as forts. I think that would cover storms quite well. Now to figure out the rest, with fortress/besieger morale, ammunition, food, effect of bombardment, etc. Holding your breath waiting for my results is likely hazardous to your health. 

New 15-18mm figures painted

I have been slowly painting up some new figures. Since weather and the local subway system conspired to postpone the game scheduled yesterday, I decided to post the pictures today in lieu of an after-action report. The figures are for two different projects; yes, I can't stay focused on one.

First up are Essex French Revolutionary command figures. I had some 60 old French bicorne infantry from the 70's in my closet and painted them up a few years back. They are true 15mm and looked rather silly when mixed with larger French command stands from a slighter later period. So I purchased these figures from Essex and paper flags from Maverick. The Essex figures are more detailed than the old figures, but much closer in size. At this scale the difference between plain flags and "effect" flags is negligible. The 14th Demi-brigade has plain flags. Can you tell?

The remaining figures are Blue Moon for French & Indian War skirmish games using Muskets & Tomahawks. Our last game saw a mixed British force bent on wiping out an Indian village. Of course, we had no villagers painted and had to use settlers. Next time, we will have proper Indian villagers. I may add a few brighter blankets/cloaks at some time in the future. As you can see, these are nice figures. My painting will suffice.

Last are frontier militia, the very chaps who might be seeking a village to eradicate. Or defend their own settlement against a similar raid.

Hopefully next week will see the after-action report from the first week of young Bonaparte's 1796 campaign in Italy.

Rank & File 15mm Turks

I recently ordered a bunch of Rank & File 15mm Turks from the 1877 war, figuring they can also proxy for the Crimean War. Here is the first pack of infantry, given my basic wargame paint job. The infantry figure is really quite good with a sturdy natural pose and a face that a better painter could do wonders with. The officer is OK but not up to the ranker. The standard bearer is acceptable. I cut off the cast on flags and inserted brass rod for paper flags.

Here they alongside some of my Napoleonic figures from other manufacturers for a size comparison.

September 6: here are shots of the second pack of infantry, same pose, slightly different basing and brighter fez (no dark wash on the fez).