Wargames Foundry

25mm Ancient Assyrians

Reviewed by John Boehm

Wargames Foundry has released samples of their forthcoming ancient Assyrians. The range will be available mid-summer and has been touted as one of the "best ranges of ancients .... ever". I cannot make that judgment, however, they are certainly excellent figures. They are approximately 28 M. on the Barret scale and are cleanly cast with little flash with a variety of posses for the different groupings. Some of the bowmen have separate bows that need to be glued into place.

The review samples included an impressive four horse chariot with four individual horses and a seven part chariot, which appears even from my standpoint to be easily capable of assembly. Four crew cast in groups of two figures, one involving an archer and shield bearer, the other a driver and shield bearer. The shield bearers and driver have separately cast arms. The figures are suitably armored and helmeted.

The Assyrian archers included seven different archers with at least four different general poses and a variety of helmets or bare heads. The auxiliary archers were unarmored except for the double cross-straps across their chests and included eight different figures in at least four different poses with variations in head gear or lack thereof. The Assyrian slingers included seven different figures. These figures were armored, some with helmets, most without, and included at least three basic poses. The command group of seven figures included two different armored figures with horns, each with two different horns, one blowing his horn the other standing awaiting orders. There were three different officers in a variety of head gear and armor including one lightly equipped individual but all with characteristic maces. Also included was an armored standard bearer with his helmet held at the side. The standard included has an embossed figure on the disc. Also included was a pack of shields, including various sizes of the round "conical" type shield and the long fiat bottom curved top shield. Not provided for review were a listed grouping of Assyrian spearmen.

In addition to these figures, the range will include heavy and guard infantry, heavy archers and heavy guard command pack, siege archers and infantry, and auxiliary archers and slingers including command packs. Cavalry will be represented by Assyrian lancers and archers, command and guard packs and Scythian/Cimmerian light horse archers and command, as well as Arab camel archers. In addition to the four horse Assyrian chariot, there will also be command and King's chariots, infantry mounted on carts, baggage camels, mules and carts, Assyrian solders crossing a river on goat skins, and the King's scribes, as well as casualties. Figures are available directly from The Foundry, Mount Street, New Basford, Nottingham, NG7 7HX, United Kingdom, or from various suppliers in the states. Price were not listed, but I am assuming the current Foundry price structure is in effect. This appears to be a very excellent range of figures for this popular army in the chariot warfare era.

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