Ayyubid mounted command

I really needed a proper commander for my Ayyubid force. So its really nice to present this commander for you.

The miniatures are from Gripping Beast and I mounted them on a round base to set them apart from my square or rectangular bases that I have used on the troops.

The commander is accompanied by a drummer, to relaying commands or just to add some nice beats to the commanders theme song when he is moving about on the battle field.  

I tested to add some flowers to the base and I think that some desert flowers could be really fitting on some of the bases. Here I just wanted to add even more colour to the miniature, to really make it pop, to stand out on the table later on.

Sorry for the bad pictures, they ended up all glossy and blurry. I should really start considering getting a small lightbox or something similar to get better pictures.

Fow, AAR

Tobias and I played another games of Flames of war, mid-war. It seems like ages ago we did and it was lots of fun.


I was to hold a village or rather two objectives in its vicinity. One small outpost with a tent and some spotters and one small oasis that seems to brake the rules of nature with its funky water level.

 The American onslaught. Mechanised American with armoured support.

First tanks arrives and tries to find a week spot in the defences.
 

I got a BF109 zooming in from the rear, the plan was to try to hit those tincans full of soldiers mounted up. A risky plan as they are filled with aa mg:s.

My guns open up and the Americans got a nasty surprise. I also revealed a unit of Achtacht...

 Long range gunnery...

But with just a small effect. I managed to nail one "iron coffin" atleast.

The air plane didn´t make it, a risky plan that didn´t succeed.
 

Enemy P-40 Kittyhawk... Yes, shut up it is a Kittyhawk.
My PaK40 unit have taken up fire positions.

Shermans tries to take cover behind the burning wreckage. 

Enemy spotted.
-Try to take out the index finger.

 Ahh... lovly sight.. Burning wreckage lit up the skies. Pak38, Pak40 and FlaK36 are making a mess.

Last two Shermans are in trouble... I finished of one with PaK38 and in the confuses I stormed out of my defences and took out the last one.

I love the smell of burning Shermans in the morning... It smells of Victory...

Saharan Berber Archers

I liked my unit of light horse ( http://kampgruppe-engel.blogspot.se/2014/03/saharian-light-cavalry.html ) so much that I just had to expand on that visually striking unit.

These miniatures are meant to represent a unit of medium archers in the Hail Caesar rules. I have added shields to their back to show that they are a little heavier then there light unit counterpart.

The miniature them selves are a mixture of Gripping Beast new plastic arabs, Gripping beast metal miniatures and some miniatures from Magister Militum and I really like the feeling of the mixture of miniatures.

What I cant understand is why not Magister Militum have better pictures of their miniature on their site.
I really liked these archers but it was a little of a gamble to order from them as I didn´t know how they would look like and how they would fit in.
If I had known what they had looked like earlier I would have ordered more miniatures for my Saracen project from them earlier so its really their loss...
It was the excellent miniature comparison post at http://chicagoterrainfactory.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/arab-figure-compareson/ that made me finaly get some of MMs miniatures, they looked good there.

The banner is self made using Google Translate for the arabic writing, but I noticed when I took these pictures that I have centered the text wrong on the banner as arabic is written from right to left... Next unit will have a more correct writing.
I will leave this as a funny thing on this unit and to see of others will notice it.

Dropzone commander, paper terrain.

This is just a small test piece I did.
Its the paper terrain from Dropzone Commander that I have rearranged the building little to brake up the identical building syndrome with the paper buildings.


I like the result and will try to use it on larger buildings in the future.

But next time I will try to use a better pen on the darker edges...

Clash of Arabic warbands, AAR

Last week me and Johan tested out the Songs of blades and heroes skirmish rules for an medieval setting.

The Songs of blades are a small skirmish game by Ganesha games.
http://www.ganeshagames.net/product_info.php?cPath=1_6&products_id=7&osCsid=nis0gh6ebskjmedf9tro7m7hu1


Im a little surprised but they worked out far better then I thought they would.

We each picked a 300points warband from miniatures in my collection and a small clash of warbands in the holyland was to follow.

 My small warband. My leader in pink turban commanding some warriors, some militias and two Turcomans horsearchers.

 My nemesis Johan with his warband. A Leader, 2 archers some warriors and 2 militias.

 

 My infantry advances.

 Johans warriors takes positions inside a ruin.

 Turcomans are sent to greet them.

But I did underestimate his ability to move his troopes and was nearly attacked. Saved by some millimetres.

 The Turcomans use their speed and pulls out of combat and shots down one enemy.

Massive combat ahead...
I attacked his warriors with mine and was able to have my complete warband at one place against just a portion of his.
The Turcomans are left a little behind and are meant to pick out single models with their bows.

Models fall on both side but things looks good.

Then...

Then I decide to attack with my Leader (wearing pink turban) and I got slaughtered against the warrior in blue turban and white dress.

Some of my warriors starts to pull back at the sight of loosing my leader. One of my Turcomans leaves the table. This resulting in a further moral test as I have now lost half of my warband. And the further test seals the doom of my warband.

The loss of my Leader was just to much.


Good quick game even thou it was ages ago I tested the Songs of... rules and Johan had never tested them before.
I expect to have more battles with this set of rules in the future.