Ancient Britons Firing Up for New Year!

It's been a while since my Ancient Britons took to the table top, and hopefully they'll get a shot early in 2012.

Pictured above we have a basic warband, plus supporting light troops armed with bows (and arrows), javelins and sling shots.

(I'm currently going through all my ancient armies trying to get them ready to go. They've been a little neglected over the past couple of years as I've worked on later periods.)

Peleset (Sea Peoples) to Hinder (More Than Help) My New Kingdom Egyptians

The Peleset were another of the Sea Poples who hassled the New Kingdom Egyptians, and eventually brought down the Hittite Empire. As with the Sherdana, they were a mix of heavy infantry with spears in a tight formation and lighter, javelin-armed light troops, used more to harass the enemy than to get to grips with him.

Historians geenrally regard these as the descendants of today's Palestinians.

(As a footnote, and not really to do with the Sea Peoples, I disagree with Plastic Toy Soldier's review of Hat's Assyrian chariots. The review said that the model is easy to fit together, but I'm having all sorts of problems. I think I will have some great-looking models they are finished, but it is definietly a model that requires patience - unless maybe you're a much better engineer than I am!)

Hopefully some pictures of the Assyrians will be ready by the end of the month. I was hoping to have a couple finished by the end of this weekend, but that just didn't happen!

Sherdana (Sea Peoples) to Help/Hinder my New Kingdom Egyptians

The Sherdan were one of a number of "nations" that formed the Sea Peoples armies that harrassed New Kingdom Egypt, and the nations further north, eventually bringing down the Hittite Empire, among others as they eventually settled throughout the area known today as Syria, the Palestine, and the Holy Land in general.

The guys without shields are the Sherdana Guard, mercenaries hired by the Pharaoh to help protect himself. (They would normally fight FOR the Eggyptians, although I guess they would also fit as the bodyguard for a Sea Peoples general).

There isn't a whole lot known for certain (yet) about the various Sea Peoples "nations", so there is plenty of scope to use one's imagination when planning scenarios involving these guys.

Libyan tribesmen to oppose my New Kingdom Egyptian

On their own they were usually no match for the Egyptians, although if they showed up in large enough numbers, they could be very pesky.

They also allied with the various Sea People nations that began invading Egypt and the nations to the north.

Nubians

Some Nubians to help (or perhaps hinder) my New Kingdom Egyptians.

These guys came from the area south of Egypt, and supplied large quantities of archers to assist New Kingdom Egyptian armies. Pictured are some archers, a warband and also a "king" and his bodyguard.

Note that the "king" is accompanied by a donkey. (The middle photograph, the guy with the gold "feather" on his head, next to the guy beating the drum).

In this era, it was not unusual for monarchs, or warlords who wanted to be monarchs, of poorer nations (that couldn't afford horses) to ride into battle on a donkey.

Early Indian Army Finished - Ready For Battle!

Well, I might add some more elephants later.

But aside from that, it's all ready to go. I started painting this lot four years ago. I got the elephants and the horsemen (not the chariot though) done back then, but it's only been the last couple of months that I got stuck into the rest of the army.

These guys are intended for ancient warfare, especially against the Archaemenid Persians, Alexander "The Great" and his successors. But because there were no real changes in the Indian army, they can be used right through to Medieval times. They can mayvbe even go up against the Mongols of Genghis and Kublai Khan at a pinch.

So lots of battles in prospect for these chaps. Now I just have to find the time to fight them!

By the way, I'd hate to be one of the guys standing opposite those elephants as they come lumbering across the battle field at me. See earlier posts on this blog for some close-up shots of the different soldiers.

Mitanni General and Bodyguard

Figures by Cesar, buildings by Hovels, all bought through Michigan Toy Soldiers.

Cesar's Mitanni chariots were very easy to assemble, and I'm going to be getting more of these.

(Cesar's early Egyptian chariots also seem great to work with - still early days yet - although I don't know if they're big enough to accomodate three figures!)

I'm planning a nice big campaign from this era for early in 2012. Still lots of work to do, but I'm hoping I'll be able to post a nice illustrated narrative of the campaign as it unfolds on this site (which is actually one of the main reasons I initially set this blog up - I just haven't got around to doing it yet!)