I am always happy to review Donnington Ancients because I know nothing "weird and wonderful" will be presented, just figures made as true to up to date research can make them. I'll begin with the Jews.

CAVALRY

JC1 General waving sword, on HH6. Going at a round gallop, his cloak billowing realistically behind him. Bearded, he wears Romanish armour and helmet, probably the pick of some overrun garrison. Full of life pose.

JC2 Older Men, scale cuirass, greaves, lance, helmet, shield. Elite and very few of these, by all accounts...which is why the Romans were able to besiege the Jewish fighters so often.

JC3 Younger Men, tunic, javelins thrusting. Excellent face modelling on this tiny figure. Lively action too.

JC4 Younger Men, tunic, javelins. Two javelins held upright - on HH7. Horse trotting, fringed saddlecloth. The riders fit well on all the horses. INFANTRY

JF1 Officer, mail tunic, greaves, sword drawn, helmet, oval shield. Plumed helmet - Romanesque.

JF2 Foot of Phalanx, tunic, thrusting long spear, javelin, oval shield. Long spear of almost pike-like proportions. Javelins to deal with Romans who got in under the longer weapon. Trotting forward.

JF3 Foot of Phalanx, tunic, long spear, javelin, oval shield. The spear is not as long as JF2's.

JF4 Standard Bearer, army standard. Wearing tunic and cloak. Standard like a long labrum without the X and wreath.

JF5 Standard Bearer, unit standard. The unit standard is a smaller labrum type, and he wears a fringed cloak.

JF6 Trumpeter. Fringed cloak, shield, winding his straight trumpet.

JF7 Javelinman, tunic, throwing javelin, round shield. Fringed cloak, long hair.

JF8 Archer, loading, bearded. Reaching for a shaft from the quiver on his right hip.

JF9 Archer, firing, bearded.

JF10 Slinger loading. Sling poised over his head before whipping it into a shot.

JF11 Slinger firing, stones in a bag.

JF12 Slinger firing, stones in cloak.

JF13 Archer, loading, clean shaven. (Like JF8).

JF14 Archer, firing, clean shaven. (Like JF9). Quite an excellent group of figures, plenty of variety and accuracy.

Next, THE MONGOLS - in this release 8 cavalry, 3 horses* and 3 infantry. * Oops! One is a camel, and a Bactrian at that!!

CAVALRY

MOC1 Khan/General, lamellar coat, waving mace, bow, plumed helmet. A really commanding figure. I put him on MOH3 Fully armoured horse, trotting. This reminds me of Uigar horses, including the crest on the head and rays round the eye holes of the chamfron.

MOC2 General/Officer, lamellar coat, waving sword, bow, plumed helmet. Good detailed figure. Bow is in a bow case.

MOC3 Standard Bearer with choice of standards. 1. Army Standard (9 Horsetails in a triangle), 2. Army Standard (9 Horsetails in a single pole), 3. Unit Standard (1 Horsetail on a pole). Mail jacket, felt hat. Quiver on right side, bow case and sabre on left.

MOC4 Kettle Drummer, mail jacket, felt hat - sits on a camel. (Look at "The Mongols" Osprey 105 cover for both the General and the maccara drummer.

MOC5 Guard/Touman, lamellar body over long coat, lance, bow, helmet, round shield. Touman (or Toman to quote Marco Polo) is the commander of a thousand men. The commander of a hundred is a "tuc".

MOC6 Archer, coat, firing bow forward, felt hat. Slightly to the left actually - about "11 o'clock". Quiver, bowcase, sabre.

MOC7 Archer, coat, loading bow, felt hat. He's nocking the arrow, in British terms.

MOC8 Officer, coat, waving sword, bow, helmet. A tuc maybe? He has a very nice helmet.

MOH5 Camel (suitable for drummer and standard bearer, 19p). A Bactrian two humped camel, woolly to bear the cold winds belting across Mongolia - or China - or Russia, Poland or anywhere else these little fiends decided to attack.

INFANTRY

MOF1 Dismounted Guard/Touman. Lance, bow, plumed helmet, round shield advancing. Could be used on one of "Village Green's" boats trying to invade Japan - Dice for Kamikaze (Divine Wind) Typhoon wrecking your chances! [Just try it!]

MOF2 Dismounted Guard/Archer waving sword, bow, helmet, round shield.

MOF3 Dismounted Archer, coat, firing bow, felt hat. Excellent figures both.

Bibliography.

1. "The Mongols". S. R. Turnbull. Osprey No. 105 1980.
2. "Genghis Khan. The Emperor of all men". Harold Lamb. Cedric Chivers 1968.
3. "The Travels of Marco Polo, The Venetian". Intro: by John Masefield, Dent Dutton 1907.
4. "The Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome". Phil Barker. WRG Fourth Edition 1993. (For Jewish forces).
5. National Geographic Dec 96 & Feb 97. Well worth your "hard earned".

More Reviews:

Feudal Castings: 15mm 1850 Danish, 1859 Piedmontese, War of the Roses, Feudal Scots
Dixons Miniatures: 25mm Wild West and ACW
Village Green: 25mm Bushi Warriors of Japan
Guernsey Foundry: 25mm Old West
Redoubt Enterprises: 25mm English Civil War