Saturday, January 3, 2015

III/14abc Early Bulgar

559 AD - 1018 AD

DBA 2.2

Army Composition: (all options 22 elements)
a) 1 x (Gen) 3Cv, 1 x (Boyars) 3Cv or 2Lh, 10 x 2Lh
b) 1 x (Gen) 3Cv, 2 x (Boyars) 3Cv, 4 x 2Lh, 4 x (Slav) 3Ax, 1 x 2Ps
c) 1 x (Gen) 3Cv, 2 x (Boyars) 3Cv, 4 x 2Lh, 4 x (Slav) 4Sp, 1 x 2Ps

Historical Enemies: Alan, Early Slav, Early Byzantine, Asian -Turks, Avar, Khazar, Maurikian Byzantine, Early Serbian, Thematic Byzantine and Magyar.

Historical brief notes: The Bulgars originated as a combined force of Utigur, Kutrigur, Sabirs and Onogur Hunnic left overs. The Bulgars were conquered by the Avars in 558 AD but manage to "break off" Avar rule in 631 AD and formed their own united khanate (Bulgaria Nation) around the Sea of Azov. After their defeat by the Khazars in 675 AD, some of them fled up the river Volga and formed the "Volga Bulgar" state. Most of them fled to the Danube basin where they drove the Avars westward and founded an empire which rivalled the Byzantines and lasted until 1018 AD. The Bulgars relied heavily on Slav subject infantry. King Krum incorported former Byzantine Thematics in his army. Bulgar Cavalry used small round shields and carried Bows, swords/daggers, javelins and lances, not all at once mind you! :o)

First Bulgar Empire 681 AD – 1018 AD

During the late 9th and early 10th centuries, Tsar Simeon I achieved a string of victories over the Byzantines, and expanded the Empire to its maximum. After the annihilation of the Byzantine army in the battle of Anchialus in 917, the Bulgarians laid siege to Constantinople in 923 and 924. The Byzantines recovered, and in 1014 under Basil II, inflicted a crushing defeat on the Bulgarians at the Battle of Kleidion. By 1018, the last Bulgarian strongholds had surrendered to the Byzantines and the First Bulgarian Empire had ceased to exist...but having said that..It was succeeded by a Second Bulgarian Empire in 1185 AD ....... more info First Bulgarian Empire & Byzantine Emperor Basil II

To the miniatures....
I manage to put this army together using left over/spare miniatures from my lead mountain. All figures are essex, the infantry are Slav miniatures, and the Boyars :o) are actually "Cossack" figures from Renaissance Range and the majority of the Light Horse are from the Hunnic Range I used and added green stuff to convert some of the Hunnic figures to look a little more "Bulgarish" ;o) I am aware DBA collectors/purists would prefer to see the light horse firing their bows instead as "charging lancers" I actually wanted show a different form of "expression" with my ad hoc figures in this army :o) one may argue the Horse Archers, in any army, fired their bows and later charged at their enemies flanks with a choice of drawn sabers or with javelins and/or lances (long spears)  ... anyway.. I hope you guys like this army!


adding green stuff to some of the figures

Army Arrayed

General flanked with 2 x Boyar 3Cv


Boyars 3Cv

Bulgar Light Horse






Slav Heavy infantry 4Sp



Slav Light Infantry 3Ax






Watch the Video!



22 comments:

  1. Very nice conversion work, and great to hear of your use of "spares" to create a new army, Phil. That said, you must have a lot of spares! Happy 2015!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Dean,
      yeah, I have 100's of mixed 15's all over the place in my painting room. I would really like to trade out 3 or 4 of my figs for one figure... any takers? :o)

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  2. Well, what´s NOT to like, Phil...? :D It´s amazing (and healthily enviable...) how you can produce such high quality figs in quantity! The animation and info are great, as usual :) I was in Bulgaria some years ago, they are a proud people, and very proud of their origins and history. Cheers!

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    Replies
    1. thank you so much for your kind words much appreciated!...I agree the Bulgarians, like most Eastern European nations, are very proud of their history and origins....

      cheers,

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  3. Another gem, Phil! If I remember right, Basil got the nickname Basil the Bulgar Slayer for his successes. Yikes!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Monty..your right about Basil II known as the Bulgar Slayer...but he did a bastard act, after one decevsive battle against the bulgars, Basil ordered to have 10-12,000 bulgarains troops eyes put out/blinded before sending them back to their homeland.

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    2. I love reading about the Byzantines and I can admire their spirit in the face of endless invasions and adversity. Then I get to their love of putting eyes out. There was a Byzantine queen who had it done to her one son just so she could hold onto the throne. Beyond understanding to me. Ugh!

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  4. Great army Phil, what a rewarding use of spares!

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  5. Nifty animation and a very handsome army. Very resourceful and clever conversions and scavenging to create a force from leftovers.

    Nice work!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Jon, I have lots of spare figures, in all likelihood may have enough to put a couple of dba or basic impetvs armies together...

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  6. Another great job, love the historical background, the animated map and, of cours, the figures...

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Phil!
      working on the animated map certainly takes up a lot of time to put together as you know! :o)

      cheers,

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  7. Another fine army! I do so enjoy the little expansion maps you make.:-)

    Christopher

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  8. Fine looking army, and another that once ruled an area far larger than we tend to realize! Good show on using scavenged bits to make it up as well!

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  9. Great group of painted little scale figures Phil, love the maps too!

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  10. Beautiful looking horse flesh.

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