And for your next Army please? Well that had to be a biblical themed army for Brixham 2025. At least 12 months away from when I started printing and painting the Army!
A grand Army to paint with lots of Chariots and Medium foot figures to paint.
9 Units of Medium Spearmen who could also be Medium Swords men. The figures are all Wargames Atlantic Hittite Unarmored Infantry figures, and there is more than sufficient variety to make every single figure different.
My next army to create from print and paint was to be a Mongol Horse Army for ADLG in 28mm. One that could cover a range of periods to represent most of the armies from the Mongol Empire through to the terror of Tamerlane. Where I describe them I will describe them in terms of their descriptions within ADLG.
Here are the serried ranks of Horsemen.
These are 2Heavy Bow-armed Elite Impact Cavalry. The figures are Turco-Mongol Heavy Cavalry from Ludus Bellum.
Next up are the 6 Elite Bow-armed Medium or Heavy Cavalry. I chose Ludus Bellum's Turco-Mongol Medium Horse Archers as they are so well armed and protected they could be either mediums or heavies.
This is the main body of Mongol Horse Archers who can be heavy, medium or elite depending on the army! All the figures are from Productions Diratia's Mongol Army pack which I bought in the sale for $30. Incredible value with more variations than one would ever need. Indeed the heads without the typical Mongol hat makes exceptionally good Turcoman horse archers.
And here are the Turcoman on the right, while the Light Bow-armed Cavalry on their left are Ludus Bellum's Light Horse Archers. As with the Medium Horse archers I decided these would be a little finer to represent any Elite Light Cavalry I decided to deploy.
Finally the last fighting troops are the Light Infantry and Bowmen. Again all courtesy of the same Mongol Army Pack - a pack that is still giving even today!
There are a wealth of really good files for printing for Mongol personalities for ones commanders. I decided to use Kyoushuneko Miniatures Mongol Command Group Light Cavalry for my Mongol CinC.
While Finch and Dragon - Mongol Battalion provided one of the sub-commanders.
And Gadgetworks Mongolian Horde Value Pack- Scourge of the Steppes provide the other commander.
For the final game of the day I was up against Adam’s Soviets. We were all given the “Seek and Destroy” scenario, deployment was in quarters and there were prepared positions.
Following the failure to prevent the Soviet incursion into northern Persia, 1 DOG were withdrawn into reserve. However, the Soviet success emboldened their leaders, and they decided to commit more forces and release armoured units to try and force their claims. The British commander was forced to commit his forces piecemeal across the region and he place 1 DOG on a higher state of readiness as a counter penetration force to counter any breakthrough made by the Soviet Force. The breakthrough came with Soviet armoured forces and infantry penetrating the thin line of British troops. CO 1 DOG was tasked with committing his battlegroup into blocking and destroying this breakthrough.
Initial reports indicated that the breakthrough had been made by an Infantry force supported by a number of T34 tanks.
Officer Commanding (OC) C Coy would lead the advance guard to find and fix the enemy using 9Pl and Battalion assets from the MG, Mortar and Sniper Platoons and his usual artillery observer. Armour support would continue to be provided from the Wessex Yeomanry through a Sherman and a Humber armoured car. Engineer support, in the form of a Wasp flamethrower, from 33rd Armoured Engineer Squadron also remained task organised with C Company.
C Coy is to advance to contact and engage the enemy forces and fix them in place while the Battalion prepare a hasty defence to stop the breakthrough.
OC C Coy kept the force closely grouped together to provide mutual support. The artillery observer and sniper team were forward deployed to gather enemy and seek out targets of opportunity.
One of the Soviet T34s was destroyed early in the engagement by the Sherman. Additionally valuable artillery support was provided which caused significant disruption and losses to the enemy. No 1 Section was sent left to flank the enemy and destroy any enemy infiltrators.
The rest of 9Pl moved forward in tactical bounds using fire and manoeuvre to close with the enemy. They were supported on their right by the armoured vehicles.
The remainder of 9Pl advanced and destroyed all the enemy. However, the remaining T34 manoeuvred around No 1 Section to attack the depth of the British position. The Sherman was recalled and provided depth support. Both the T34 and Sherman engaged each other on the move and at close range neither inflicting hits or damage on each other.
The Soviets lacked the supporting troops to exploit any limited early success they had made and were driven back, leaving British victorious.
CO 1 DOG failed to agree any awards recommended by OC C Coy.
The second game of our VE Day event was against James’s German force. Were given the Key Positions scenario with a meeting engagement conducted against the long table edge.
Operation Garden is the ground component of the wider Market Garden operation. VIII Corps are operating on the eastern flank of XXX Corps’s advance to protect it and to prevent German reinforcements from interfering with their progress. Wherever possible VIII Corps in the east and XII Corps in the west are to advance and engage any enemy moving towards the Arnhem road. 11th Armoured division would be spearheading the advance and using its mobility to move swiftly to intercept any German forces, and destroy them. The Division’s 29th Armd Bde has been reinforced by 1 DOG for the operation in order to provide more infantry support to pin down the enemy to allow the armour to use is mobility to move and destroy the enemy by shock and fire.
In spite of their severe losses in Normandy the Germans have reconstituted significant forces and supported by armour. VIII Corps can expect to be opposed by stubborn dug in infantry and when highly motivated mobile forces, likely to be made up of combined arms of tanks and mobile infantry.
Officer Commanding (OC) C Coy will command a task force for the operation with 9Pl and Battalion assets from the MG, Mortar and Sniper Platoons and his usual artillery observer. Armour support will be provided by 23rd Hussars through a Sherman and a Humber armoured car. Engineer support, in the form of a Wasp flamethrower, from 612th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers has been earmarked for the operation.
C Coy is to provide the Battalion’s advance guard and advance to contact to engage and fix the enemy to allow the rest of the Battalion supported by elements of 23rd Hussars to destroy the enemy.
C Coy detected the enemy in and around the outskirts of the village of Asten SW of Eindhoven. The initial indicators were that the enemy consisted of armour and mechanised infantry. C Coy dismounted and 9 Pl (less No 2 Section) advanced to contact. The Mortar section was set up to provide supporting fire. The Sherman from 23rd Huss moved forward to engage the enemy armour.
No 2 Section supported by the Wasp and Humber armoured car advanced parallel with the remainder of the company. With the threat of enemy armour it moved to find cover in the lee of the buildings on the outskirts.
Fortunately, Sgt Blacker from the Sniper Section managed o move ahead of the company and found an excellent overwatch position in Kasteel Asten.
While the Sherman duelled with the enemy Stug, No 1 and 2 Sections advanced supported by the Vickers and the Mortars.
The Germans were very aggressive and intent on closing the distance for a close quarter battle, even at the expense of their half-track two brave and fanatical German soldiers charged the Vickers MG. No 2 Section advanced to the farmhouse while No 1 Section supported the MG team.
Meanwhile No 3 Section advanced supported by the Humber and Wasp, another brave German with a handheld ant-tank weapons tried to intervene only to be killed in the attempt.
The Vickers MG regrouped after the close assault had been destroyed and No 1 Section rallied around them to provide intimate support to the firebase. However No 2 Section had been engaged by the enemy Stug, which had manoeuvred away from the Sherman, and had taken severe losses. Despite this set back the Sherman continued to stalk the Stug.
C Coy secured the objectives and destroyed 8 enemy units for the loss of only 3.
Cpl Stevens commanding No 3 Section was mentioned in despatches for his leadership and aggressive tactics.
For my second game of the day I decided to bring out my 28mm mongolish army fielded as the Black Sheep Turcomans. This would be a battle of three firsts; it would be my first outing en-masse for this army, and my first battle with a horse archer army. I was looking forward to seeing the Army deployed on the table, although a little nervous about facing the Catalans as I had little joy in fighting these in the past.
The Black Sheep Army was all bow armed less the two Kurdish Cavalry men that were in it for the booty. It had a large command of 10 units, all cavalry less 3 bow men refused on the right, with a smaller command 7 cavalry on the left. As for the remaining 4 units of light Cavalry horde archers they were off on a flank march with only one flank on which they could arrive; which was my third first for the battle!
The serried ranks of Turcoman horsemen. Who would want to wheel around with the wheelbarrow and sweep up the left overs after this lot had been on the field of battle!
I surmised that the Almogavars would be trying their best to use the village as cover. It would be up to the bowmen to buy the rest of the army time. In the Catalan rear they have started to reorientate to prepare for the imminent arrival of the flank march.
A Catalan win by 20 to the Turcoman 21
For the final Roll Call Battle it was a déjà vu encounter against Paul’s Arab Conquest army. In this battle I was defending in the Plains. I decided to deploy in classical fashion with the infantry centre and the cavalry on the wings. The left-wing command deployed its medium troops forward in ambush – one of the poorer decisions made over the weekend.
The first unfortunate event was the failure of the right wing to advance quickly enough – a roll of one for a competent commander will do that to you. The left-wing cavalry have moved forward of the infantry while the infantry for their part move left to protect the left.
The ambush failed totally and didn’t even slow the Arab Conquest troops down at all. It would now be up to the infantry line to try and hold the flank on its own. The left-wing cavalry have engaged, and we can see the consequences of the failure to move the right-wing cavalry as they now cannot provide any support.
The infantry is waiting patiently for their turn to fight. While the right wing cavalry has arrived and is now ready to be committed, at the same time the Arab Conquest left wing has decided to come to the battle as well. In the centre the CinC has broken off with a unit while the remaining cavalry in contact fights to the end.
The infantry is holding its own, but with losses and the threat of other troops soon to appear on their left flank. On the right the main clash is yet to be decided.
The gaps are starting to appear in both lines as the combats start to become effective, but not quickly enough for the Umayyad Arabs.
A win for the Arab Conquest by inflicting 24 and only receiving 13 in return. The fall to the bottom was completed with this rout.
First up on Sunday as a battle against Nigel’s Mongol Horde. It would be interesting to see how his army performed, because all through the previous day he had been bemoaning that fact that none of his horse archers could hit a damn thing!! I was gifted the privilege of attacking in the Steppes. I therefore decided that the first imperative was to have a secure flank and therefore deployed with the infantry on the right, but no sooner than I had achieved this than I was confronted with a potential flank march from the Mongols.
The Arab camp falls to the Mongols as the Arab Javelinmen look on from their hill. On the right the Infantry are trying to drive the Mongols away, while the cavalry continues their advance to do likewise. All the time the hits from bow fire are starting to mount.
The medium troops left behind to deal with the Mongol flank march are struggling to finish them off. Whilst the rest of the Mongols prove equally resilient and effective with their bow fire.
A win for the Mongols by only suffering 6 and inflicting 24 on the Arabs. The march to the bottom continues.
For the final game of Day One of Roll Call I was presented with an array of camels from Mark’s Aramaean’s, in which I was invited to attack in the plains. I duly set up with an infantry centre with cavalry wings and for the second game in a row the cavalry command with the medium infantry supports was on the right.
Of course, as has become my norm, in the advance the cavalry led the way. However, I was a little discomfited by having to face both Cataphracts on the enemy right and Camelphracts on the enemy left. All of which were supported by a number of bowmen.
I decided to take the chance and attempted to ride down and through the bowmen and then use the cavalry’s superior mobility to attach the ‘phracts from the rear. Only to be confounded by a number of bowmen who were keen to prove that they were as strong as normal troops!
The infantry were then brought forward to do what the cavalry couldn’t. In fact they managed to defeat and destroy on of the Camelphracts. On the left the included Arab Cavalry general went on a solo crusade to destroy a lone Cataphract but instead the enemy held. On the next turn the Aramaean command was sufficient to see him to turn a cataphract around and take the general in the rear and destroy him.
The final act was the attempt to destroy as many Aramaean’s as possible before we lost the battle. And here again the gods of dice conspired against the Arab forces as they had in part done throughout the game!
An Aramaean victory by inflicting 24 and only suffering 13 out of 26.
The Hittite Empire And for your next Army please? Well that had to be a biblical themed army for Brixham 2025. At least 12 months away from...
