Yaks on the left, Lavochkin's on the right |
Yaks on the left, Lavochkin's on the right |
1. Chariots rolled around and the crew fired arrows or speared people as they cruised around at high speeds! Maneuver and speed were the key, and the ability to "reach out and touch" someone with archery fire.2. Chariots moved fast to an area, stopped and the crew either fought on foot or shot arrows from a stand-still. They were essentially battle taxis as they moved up and unloaded their crew to fight, or fired and a stand-off distance.3. They moved in huge formations and wheeled and maneuvered together to form a large, fast moving force that got there the "fastest with the mostest". They were used to exploit gaps and flank pinned enemy forces.4. They engaged only other chariots in shoot-outs and raced around each other, leaving the infantry to stand around and wait until the chariots needed a place to recover before doing it all again.
1. Completed a game! Great work!2. Someone played it!
They may not agree with your POV, and that's fine. You are a game designer now! Congrats!
People will disagree with your POV and that is fine. You saw how scholars are deeply divided about the nature of Chariot Warfare. That applies just as much to wargamers as well. However, the game can not appeal to all potential POVs for a period or type. It is more important for a Wargame Designer to have a strong POV and carry it through the game, than a weak POV that tries to appeal to all POVs unsuccessfully, because many POVs are diametrically opposed.
Final Thoughts
What's a nice reader like you, doing in a blog like this?
Faithful readers know I have been working on an Egyptian army for a Battle of Kadesh scenario. This army is 6mm miniatures, with units on 60mm x 60mm bases. Therefore, it is a bit unconventional BUT the units look like proper blocks of troops on the board. The Egyptian army has 22 bases with something like 30-54 models per base. Therefore, the army will have something like 880+ little soldiers in it!
I have been continuing the project using my traditional method for painting 6mm models. I go into some detail on it in the Project Launch entry. I won't bother repeating it here. Instead, let's take a look at what I got painted for the army since we last talked about it.
First up is some Bow armed skirmishers to scout and screen for the Egyptians forces. You may notice that they are two different skin tones. This represents a mix of native born Egyptians and mercenary/vassal Nubians for the army. In a pinch I could also use the Nubians in a Kingdom of Kush army if I wanted to as well.
Skirmishers screen the Levy troops as they advance across the desert |
Then, after a long delay due to summer heat; I turned my attention to some of the main infantry units for the Egyptians. These are spearmen with bow support. These were some of the bigger units with 13 or so strips of 4 minis per strip. I guess each base is about 52 minis or so. There are four of these units in total to represent regulars with bows. This is the bulk of the melee infantry for the Egyptian side of the scenario. However, you have to recall that the main "killing" weapon of the time was not melee but the ranged bow. Therefore, the army still has a lot of infantry and archers to paint up.
The next soldiers I tackled were the Spearmen with Bow support. These guys were going to represent the Professional Soldiers with attached Bowmen. They are the main elements of the Egyptian force, but they are also big units! They have something like 7 rows of spearmen (4 figs each) and 6 rows of bowmen (4 figs) each. That is about 52 figs per base and their are 4 units of these guys. That was a lot of batch painting.
Egyptian Infantry WIP |
Actually, painting all the 6mm soldiers isn't too bad. The hardest part of 6mm models really is the bases! There are always little gaps between strips that you have to go back and paint, between your rows of troopers. Not an easy fit at all! Then, there is the task of painting ground across the rest of the base. Ugh. Probably my least favorite part of 6mm models, too much base!
Anyway, here are the 4 Egyptian Auxiliary Infantry with bow support. These guys are soldiers regularly called up to duty, not just locals gathered up to fight. Therefore, they are more proper soldiers than the Militia or Skirmisher units. They will form the backbone of the fighting force, but you can see that bows are still really an important part of this time period and geographies fighting style.
These units are proper chonky! That makes 10 of the 20+ bases for the Egyptians complete. I have a feeling the Hittites may get delayed into a 2024 project!
I would love to say that is the last of the "big units" but next on my list is a lot of Archer units in ranks. Those guys have a lot of rows of archers on them, and they will be a chore to work through.
The army approaches an oasis |
Batch painting ahoy!
This is the continuing recreation of the Ionian Revolt. The Ionian Revolt was a revolt against the Persian Empire by the Ionian Greeks and their allies prior to the Greco-Persian War. It took place from 499 to 493 BCE. It was a land and sea affair, so I am using a combination of Poseidon's Warriors and Men of Bronze to re-create the campaign. Both are from the Osprey Wargaming Series. In addition, Men of Bronze has a specific supplement for the conflict called The Ionian Revolt.
Ionians prepare to defend the city! |
The main Persian assault force |
The Persians look to have the defenders outnumbered! |
This game will be using the Aquanautica Imperialis rules in the Operation: Hemlock setting.
The Ammoriss Naval PDF cruiser Saint's Shield steamed ahead with her taskforce arrayed across the Ammoriss Ocean behind her. Their bows cut through the deep blue, cresting the waters into a white spray. Their wake leaving a wide trail behind. Sea birds swirled around the Vox and Augur masts along the bridge of each ship.
Taskforce: Chalice had managed to pen up the Ork fleets sending those foolish enough to leave port to the bottom. However, the Ork air force was still active and a danger to the Ammoriss Navy. Her augurs stretched out looking for just such a threat. The Ammoriss Air PDF had been unsuccessful in shutting down the enemy fliers. Therefore, battle line Guiding Light led by Saint's Shield; was being sent into harm's way to the edge of Ork controlled territory in an effort to stem the Ork air forces ability to hamper Imperial supply lines.
The Captain of Saint's Shield opened his sealed orders and read them to the X.O. As expected, the battle line Guiding Light was to steam to the Green Zone and silence Ork airfields along the coast. The intent was to take the pressure off Imperial Supply Lines from the Ork air boyz. Of course, by attacking the air fields, they would be painting a big bulls-eye on themselves.