Donnington Miniatures

15mm Roumanian Ancients Army (figures)

Reviewed By David Barnes

Review of Donnington Miniatures latest releases in 15mm Roumanian Army (Ancients) and a piece of Artillery - a Trebuchet available from 15 Cromwell Road, Shaw, Newbury, Berkshire, RG13 2HP, UK

I had to break with my usual practice and draw ART46 (after I'd put it together). It is 99mm high, which in 15mm scale is HUGE! At the time of writing it costs £ 13.50. You get all the well cast bits in a bag, with a drawing which shows you how to put all the bits together. Flash is almost non-existent but, as with all kits, it's a good idea to "dry mount it" to help you with your gluing sequence - so no bits needing prior positioning sit grinning at you when you thought you'd finished. With this bit of kit you'll really be able to hack it! Now, pop down to the Quartermasters Stores and draw garlic!!

Now: Roumanians (Moldavians. Wallachians, and Transylvanians) 1330-1504.

Start with Cavalry.

MOLCI General or Prince Dracula (Vlad the Impaler), full plate armor, pointing, sallet helmet, winged shield. Sword on his left hip, shield well up. I think a row of stakes would look nice over there."

MOLC2 Rich Boyar, plate armor, lance, sallet helmet, winged shield. He's actually wearing a bassinet helmet without a visor. Otherwise as described. A small number of these would be your "punch" unit to exploit breaks in the enemy line.

MOLC3 Boyar, long coat, spear, bow, winged shield, fur hat. As a Boyar he has I n h and huge air moustache.

MOLC4 Boyar, long coat, firing bow, buckler on arm, fur hat. Good pose. Firing quarter left.

MOLC5 Lesser BoyarNiteji, jacket, fur hat, firing bow. Useful for stinging the enemy into a premature charge.

OC16 Wallachian lancer, not sent.

Horses

MOLHI Heavy horse. Barded body and haunches. Walking. A noble looking animal.
MOLH2 Light horse, trotting. Eastern looking animal with an erect mane, scalloped saddle blanket.
MOLH3 Light horse, running. Much more comfortable an action, especially for someone covered in an armour and various stung weapons.

Infantry

MOLF1 Curteni firing bow. Cloak, fur hat, sword at his left hip. Boots to mid calf.
MOLF2 Curteni, firing hand gun. Cloak, fur hat, short sword at the left hip, boots. Powder and ball bag on his right hip.
MOLF3 Curteni firing crossbow. Clothed as the other curteni are. Bolt quiver on his right hip.
MOLF4 Peasant rustici, holding axe two handed. I like this figure the least of the bunch. A rather hunched up and fairly monolithic figure.
MOLF5 Peasant rustici, holding pitch fork. Cloak, fur hat, looking much more aggressive than No. 4. His "pikeul" as they call it in Shropshire at a belligerent angle.
MOLF6 peasant rustici, holding flail. A potent close quarter weapon (used by the Japanese too). The figure's arms are unconvincing really, the hands are much too close together.
MOLF7 peasant rustici, thrusting glaive. Great energetic pose. Cloak, long hair, fur hat.
MOLF8 Peasant rustici, holding scythe. Dressed as the others. The scythe is a good weapon but the pose is a bit wooden - mind you, all I have cut with a scythe is long grass - and unlike many extras in period films, I know how to do it.

DD6 Impaled man. An impaled naked man, half way down a wooden pole. Obligatory outside any town Vlad has taken. A row either side the main entrance will give a certain effect.

More Barnes Reviews

Back to MWAN #101 Table of Contents
Back to MWAN List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Magazine List
© Copyright 1999 Hal Thinglum
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com