Warhammer Ancients Chariot Wars: Egyptian Royal Guard Regiment

The last three years or so have been a time of mighty upheaval and convulsion for me, not that I'm complaining or anything.  Things are what they are.  At times there has no breath of leisure in which I could pursue my old painting and gaming hobby.  In other moments the time was there, but the inclination was not.  After a time I just about gave up on my blog, but now that the raging floodwaters have abated and retreated into little calm pools, I've started thinking about it again.  One thing I now know I will never lose is a love of miniature warriors, monsters and tanks, the menagerie of tiny companions my wife refers to as the 'Little Men'.  Even the Big Board, that simple assembly of heavy ply wood sheets and felt, supported by thick legs of green plastic milk crates, is a good friend, a partner in joyfully irresponsible frivolity for nearly thirty years.  The blog has documented the growth of my collection, and a few of the great adventures, (though not nearly enough), that have taken place on the Big Board.  It has also provided motivation  to keep painting, and a link to friends with similar interests around the world, whose beautiful and imaginitive works provide so much inspiration.  I've put ten years into it, and I feel like I should keep it going.  

Here is something that I did manage to paint during the deluge.

I took this regiment of Egyptian Royal Guardsmen with me to Kosovo and started them there, but only finished them a few months ago.  Each trooper is armored and armed to the teeth with spear, shield and axe, and they have a nice, tough, determined look about them.  They are all Ral Parthas from their 1990s Ancients Range.  I wish the range had had a more extensive selection of command figures, but I really like the sculpts.  they paint up well and they are a nice size.

When I started this blog virtually everything I posted on it was Oldhammer Fantasy or 40k.  Since then I've lost none of my love for fantastical themes, but it's hard not to notice that the majority of my collecting and painting efforts have drifted toward the historical.  The lead mountain now includes great peaks and spurs of Biblical, Colonial, Renaissance Old West, Pulp and second World War Figures and they all seem to be looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to bring them to life with a little sand and pigment.  Some hard choices may lie ahead, since it occurred to me a few years ago that at my age, it is most likely not possible for me to finish painting all the figures I own within the span of years left to me.  Yes, I've done the math.  I have that many.

These are the first pictures of minis I've taken in the club house in my new home in Washington State.  Took these with my phone.  Haven't quite figured out the lighting yet.

So I add these to my Libyan skirmishers and Egyptian Marines.  Next I need to add a Pharoah and some chariots.  The chariot models in this range and very beautiful, so I'm looking forward to getting to work on them!

Warhammer Ancients Chariot Wars: Egyptian Light Infantry

 Made a little progress on painting up some of the Ancients slope of my lead mountain....a regiment of Egyptian light infantry armed with javelins and shields.

 In Warhammer Ancients, troops classed as light infantry can form up and fight as regular line troops or break ranks and engage the enemy as skirmishers.  I'm interested to see how that works out on the table top.

 As usual the figures are all from Ral Partha's 1990s line.

 It was a fun regiment to paint, perhaps in part because the figures don't have a lot of paraphernalia to have to pick out with the brush.  Skin, some simple clothing, weapon and shield.  That's it.  So they go pretty fast.

 Some of the individual troopers.

The trooper figures are all the same casting but I don't mind that too much.

"Advance!!"   What's next?  I have no idea yet.  Archers, maybe?  Or a chariot regiment?  Meh.  I'll know when I get there.

Chariot Wars: Hittite Commander and another Canaanite chariot

Just managed to finish a small but Important part of my Warhammer Ancients Hittite army.  Here is the army's general and a fourth Syrian chariot to reinforce the Maryannu squadron that I already have.  All Ral Partha figures from the nineties, just like all the others so far.

Typical late Hittite war chariot with three riders...

...a driver, a stabby guy and the general himself.  Hard to see the General behind the other two...must be crowded in there!

My fourth Syrian chariot...first three were all painted.  I used a cowhide design on this one and I like the look of it a lot.  Going to use that more from now on.

I have two other command chariot models in the Biblical spur of the lead mountain.  I was thinking about selling them off but now I think I may use them for brigade commanders later on.

I knew I wanted some kind of a design on the umbrella.  Researching Hittite symbols led me to all kinds of strange discoveries.  Many Hittite motifs have remained in use in Europe into very recent times.  Polish/Austrian style two headed eagles, Annunaki winged sun symbols, swastikas and a thunder cult undoubtedly related to the Nordic cult of Thor all featured prominently in Hittite culture.  I was also surprised to learn that the Hittites were the first Europeans to use iron.  Thank God for War games.  Without them I probably never would have learned so much about these very interesting people.

I wanted a two headed eagle for the general's umbrella but didn't trust my hand, going instead with this wonky sort of off center swastika which I felt was interesting and even a bit Flintstonian.  If I can work up the skill and courage to try a two headed eagle on another command figure's umbrella I'll probably make that guy my general and demote this fellow to the status of a brigade commander.   Don't tell him that, though. 

So what's left for my Hittite army?  Quite a bit, really.  Two squadrons of four chariots each, 18 more Syrian levy archers, 1 more unit of Syrian spear men.  And I'll need a dozen or so chariot riders and about twenty auxiliary skirmishers.  So I'm about half way there....

Warhammer Ancients Chariot Wars: Libyan Skirmishers

I told myself I was going to finish my Hittite starter force before  I moved on to Egyptians, but these guys turned up on Ebay a couple of months ago, and the price was certainly right, so I had to get them.  I found them to be interesting looking troops and when they showed up in the mail I figured I might as well paint them while the inspiration was there.  Once lost, who knows when that inspiration might return?  That's how I justified breaking my own rule, anyway.

 The figures are all 1990s Ral Parthas; despite the very limited number of poses in that line, I like the sculpts and the size of the minis a lot, and I'm going to stray from the RP line as little as possible in building these armies.  Ral Partha made 2 Libyan figures, an archer and a javelin man.  There are twelve of each in this group.  That should give my Egyptians plenty of skirmishers for a start.  I do want to add some Nubian archers later, though. 

Rather dashing fellows, these, what with their tall ostrich plumes and their long cowhide cloaks...they really stand out amoungst the other bronze age guys I've collected so far.

 Unique to the Libyan national costume was the 'phallic sheath' .  Doesn't look too comfortable, but I guess its better than getting one's dork hung up on North African thorn bushes. 

 Still struggling to get the light right in the Fortress of Solitude.  Most of these pictures came out weirdly dark, even though I was dousing them in all the lights I could get my hands on. 

 Grr...Only now, as I post, do I notice the chip in the paint on this guy's hair.  Aghh.  I hate that.

On to the javelin men...

Guess I'll have to change the color I've edged all my bases with.  The flock blends nicely with the my mat, but the edges all look banana yellow against it.

Well there's the start to my Egyptian army, I certainly didn't get as far as I'd hoped on my Chariot Wars armies this year, but its not a bad start, I guess.

Marching into the rising sun, a contingent of Canaanite infantry are suddenly beset by a powerful  Libyan warband...

Warhammer Ancients Chariot Wars: Hittite Spearmen

Annnnnddddd...here's the newest regiment for my Hittite army.  Not a very successful effort, unfortunately.  From a distance they look okay, up close not so much.  As my eyes get older and weaker, faces get tougher to paint.

The Ral Partha Hittite line did not include any actual Hittite infantry figures other than the Royal Guards.  The troopers in this unit are the "Anatolian ally" figures from the series and I assume they are meant to represent warriors from the ethnic Hittite colonies that dwelt far out in the Caucasus mountains.  These settlements were far enough away from the heartland of the Hittite empire to maintain a degree of independence, but from time to time they did send contingents to fight in the armies of their western cousins.

I've painted them as early Hittites.  Sort of.  I've played pretty fast and loose with it.

My sources for this era claim that the Hittites were the first people in the Mediterranean basin to discover iron, and iron weapons must surely have played a crucial role in the Hittites' successes.  They were also very successful in keeping this technological breakthrough a secret for a very long time.  It was only when the Hittite empire was finally over-run by the Sea Peoples that the secret got out and spread.  I've painted some of these warriors with iron spear heads, while others, perhaps less wealthy, still use bronze.

So.  Although this regiment is a bit underwhelming visually, alas, it at least represents meaningful progress on my Hittite starter army.  I still need to get a general, a heavy chariot squadron and some skirmishers finished.  Then I can wrap it up for now and move on to my Egyptians.

And now...back to work on more Rogue Trader 40k stuff.  I've made a lot of crazy promises to myself about what RT stuff I'd get done before fall.

Warhammer Ancients Chariot Wars: Syrian-Hyksos Spearmen

Sunday evening brings the latest addition to my Chariot Wars Hittite army:  this regiment of Syrian/Hyksos/Canaanite spearmen.  My Hittite Warlord conquered the city of these warriors years ago, now they fight for him against Pharaoh's  armies.  And anyone else who's within reach.

Like the other models in my collection so far, these are 1990s Ral Partha figures.  Lovely sculpting on these.  Think I'm hitting my painting stride on the ancients, now.   I think this unit looks better than the other two I've one so far.

.I still have a squadron of Hittite chariots, a Hittite infantry regiment, the army commander and some skirmishers to finish before it'll be time to take a break from Hittites and spend some time on my Egyptians, but I'm making pretty good progress so far.

Painting these fellows has been fun.  All the sculpts have lots of life.

Have at you!

Precious little of Hyksos myth and folklore has come down to us, but ancient Hyksoi texts do speak of one terrifying night creature which haunted the lonely roads and highlands of the ancient near east, a giant 2 year old known only as Tom.   Here Tom is shown stalking his prey.  Alas for our poor spearmen.  They are surely doomed.

Warhammer Ancients Chariot Wars: Syrian Levy Archers

A quick post tonight regarding a little progress made this month on my Biblical collection: a regiment of levy archers from one of the city states which my Hittite Warlord has incorporated into his domains...

Not exactly mountains of reference material out there for Syrian/Canaanite dress.  There is some evidence for the Syrians being partial to polka dots, however, so I used that as a theme on some of these guys.

If anybody can recommend a good reference on this subject besides the little bit of Osprey stuff that's out there, I'd be grateful...

A hazy sort of plan is starting to take shape for what I'd like to do with my Hittite army this year.  I'd like to finish one Hittite infantry regiment, one squadron of Hittite heavy chariots, a Syrian-Hyksos allied infantry regiment, a few Arab-Hyksos skirmishers and a general.

That stuff combined with the Syrian levies I've got painted so far should give me a compact but interestingly varied little starter army.  Then I'll get to work on some Egyptians in the annum's second half.

The miniatures are again Ral Partha pieces from the 90s, part of a large collection I picked up very cheap at Enfilade 2 years ago.

Most of the infantry figures are still available from Iron Wind Metals.

Long way to go, but I'm enjoying working on these fellows.  More soon.

From tiny acorns...