IV/33 Epirot Byzantine

1204 AD - 1340 AD 

DBA 2.2  

Army Composition: (16 elements)
1 x (Gen) 3Cv, 2 x 3Cv, 2 x 3Kn, 2 x 2Lh, 1 x 4Sp or 2Ps, 3 x 2Ps or 3/4 Bw, 1 x 2Lh or 6Kn.

Historical Enemies: Serbian Empire, Later Bulgar, Romanian Frank, Palaiologan Byzantine, Albanian and Catalan Company.

Historical Notes: The Epirot Byzantines were thrashed by the Bulgar's, Serbian Empire and Albanians! ... more notes coming soon...  :o)

I enjoyed painting up the 15mm Essex miniatures for this army, especially the 6Kn Caparisons (A caparison is a covering, or cloth, laid over a horse)  ....anyway...A nice army to command and play with, it has a mixer of Heavy, Med and Light cavalry units along with good infantry support i.e. the 3 elements of foot archers (Bw) should be placed on one flank or both to shoot at enemy Light Horse. The Knights are the main punching force, usually Knights are deployed in the center supported with it's General and other cavalry units and during the opening stages of the battle/game move forward and charge as soon as possible at the enemy! ;oP

Army Arrayed

General (3Cv)

Epirot Heavy Cavalry (3Kn)

Epirot Line Cavalry (3Cv)

Frankish or German Mercenary Knights (6Kn)

The 6Kn should be based on one 40mm x 60mm base to 

represent a "wedge formation" I decided to mount these figures on 
single bases 40mm x 30mm to be used in other armies if needed.

Light Horse (2Lh)

Albanian Mercenaries (2Lh)

Epirot Heavy Infantry (4Sp)

Regular Epirot Foot Archers (4Bw)

Albanian Mercenaries Skirmishers (2Ps)

other skirmishers (2Ps)

28mm Renaissance Swiss Pikemen

Hi Guys, my apologies for lack of posting and for not visiting your blogs I have been busy and well...um.. here are my long over due 28mm Swiss Pike block(s) part of a large project I will be working on during the next few months. The miniatures are by Old Glory 25's - The Italian Wars range. Even though I have painted 25mm ACW figures last couple of years, It has been a long time since I last painted mass 25/28mm miniatures units I'm talking about the late 1970's early 80's painting 25/28mm Napoleonic's regiments... ah the memories.... 

anyway on to the figures, 
A bit of a slog  to prep, clean and paint these buggers ;o) The two units of Swiss Pike Blocks for French Service? :o) mounted on 40mm x 40mm stands. Each unit consists of 24 figures 8 Heavy Pikes, front rank, followed by 2nd and 3rd ranks of 16 Light Pikemen. These units may be used with any rules sets, or for my conversion ;o) of Commands and Colors - "Renaissance" board game engine/system ;o)

I like the Old Glory miniatures and I'm thinking about getting more packs i.e. Swiss, Italian and the Landshnechts (did I spell that correctly? ;o) to enlarge the pike blocks from 24 figures to 48 figure.....anyway... um.. I'm not to sure but I may have botched the Pikemen color schemes. Do these guys look historical painted to you guys? After looking at some of my photos some of these guys should have Swiss "crosses" on their shirts and legs?

IV/18 Lithuanian or Samogitian

1132 AD - 1435 AD

DBA 2.2

Army Composition: 1 x (Gen) 3Cv or 2Lh, 6 x 2Lh, 1 x 3Cv or 1 x 2Lh, 2 x 3Ax, 2 x 2Ps 

Historical Enemies: Early Polish, Early Russian, Estonian, Prussian, Teutonic Orders, Mongol Russian, Mongol Successors, Ottoman, Wallachian, Moldavian and Later Polish

During the 13th through 16th centuries Samogitia played a central role in Lithuania’s wars against the crusading order of the Teutonic Knights (Knights of the Cross and Knights of the Sword). Invasions started in Lithuania in 1229. Combined military forces undertook numerous campaigns against Samogitians and Lithuanians. Saule (1236), Skuodas (1239), Durbe (1260), Lievarde (1261) are just a few of the battles that took place. Since Žemaitija was the last pagan region in Europe left to be invaded and christened, the Teutonic Order set their sights on this last mission. 

Between 1345 and 1382, the Knights of the Cross attacked from Prussia some 70 times, while the Livonian Knights of the Sword made 30 military forays. Year after year, fortresses were attacked, farms and crops were put to the torch, women and children enslaved and men killed. Despite all their effort, the Žemaičiai managed to defend their lands until the 1410 decisive Battle of Grunwald or Žalgiris, where united Polish-Lithuanian forces defeated the Teutonic Order and ended their crusading days.

Anyway.....on to the figures

Another Cavalry Nation Army painted up to face their fierce rivals the Poles, Russians, Mongols and the Teutonic and Livonia Orders. I decided to give these guys a winter-snow look. I used Baking Soda for my bases to get that smooth snow effect which is fine, but there's a problem, I wouldn't dare and try to travel with this army to visit friends/club tournaments because the baking soda will crack,flake off etc. I need to find, have been for a few years, a good solid sealer to protect and secure the baking soda from falling apart! :o) This snow "flocking" method is not entirely secured and it was put together for visual appeal only.

Army Arrayed

General as 3Cv or 2Lh

General as 2Lh

General as 3Cv

Skirmishers 2Ps

Spearmen 3Ax