Back in January of 1992, I swore a sacred oath (call it a New Year's resolution). I swore by the Lord of Hosts that I would paint no other army than my Assyrians until I got it done. So began my Biblical Army Building Project. Up to then, I had been collecting all the necessary figures that I needed to make a complete Assyrian Army. By the time I completed painting my Assyrians, I was so fired up that I had to paint a Babylonian Army as well! To this mix I added Elamites, Midianites, Cannanite, and the Children of Israel. Because so many of the figures were interchangeable, I counted them as one group. This is a 15mm scale army.
ASSYRIA (488 figures) - 14 heavy chariots with four crew = 56, three covered battering rams (one with three crew), six Dummy Elephants with two crew, one giant named Goliath, 12 extra heavy cavalry with spear and bow, 24 heavy cavalry with spear and bow, 24 light cavalry with spear and bow, 32 Guard Infantry (one-half spear, onehalf bow), 20 heavy slingers, 20 heavy axemen, 112 line infantry (one-half spear, onehalf bow), 20 heavy archers, 112 Auxilliaries (split between spears and bows), 48 light archers. Total of 60 cavalry, 356 infantry, 72 others.
Babylonia (450 figures) - 14 heavy chariots with three crew, 24 extra heavy cavalry with spear and bow, 32 light cavalry (split between bows and spears), 232 line infantry (half bows/half spears), 72 Auxilliaries (half bows/spears), 48 light archers. Total of 56 cavalry, 352 infantry, 42 others.
Elam (479 figures) - One heavy chariot with three crew, 13 mule chariots with 4 crew, 48 light cavalry with spear and bow, 48 spearmen, 96 line archers, 210 Auxilliary archers, 24 light archers. Total of 48 cavalry, 376 infantry, 55 others.
Midianite (296 figures) -60 M2 Camelry with two crew, 22 light camelry, 48 light archers, 24 light slingers, 82 skirmishers with javelin. Total of 142 cavalry and 154 infantry.
Assyrian Allies (Scythian) (84 figures) - 12 heavy cavalry with bow, 72 horse archers with bow. Total of 84 cavalry.
Cannanite (140 figures) - 13 light chariots with two crew, 40 line spearmen, 16 line archers, 24 Auxilliary spearmen, 10 light archers, 24 skirmishers with javelin. Total of 114 infantry, 26 other.
Children of Israel (116 figures) - 84 spearmen, 16 light archers, 16 skirmishers. Total of 116 infantry.
Other (56 figures) - Five chariots with three crew, 32 light cavalry(split between spears and bows). Total of 32 cavalry and 24 others.
This amounts to a grand total of 2111 figures consisting of 422 cavalry, 1470 infantry, and 219 other.
These armies were designed for the Neo-Assyrian Empire and it's Enemies. For those of you not familiar with ancient middle eastern history, the Neo-Assyrian Empire covers roughly the century and a half from 750 B.C. to 600 B.C. It is possible to fight some of the other wars outside this period. If I decide to go into the Middle Eastern Bronze Age in a big way, I will move my Camanite and Children of Israel armies into the new period. Right now, they add more color to Assyria's western enemies, rebels, and nomads.
There are other countries that I could create armies for like Urartv, the Neo Hiltites, or Phoenicians, but why paint up whole new armies when I can cannibalize units from the other nations I have? I do have Kushite Egyptians, but that is a whole new army with a totally different look.
Essex, TTG, Minifig, and Chariot Miniatures make good figures for this period. I don't know if Old Glory has come out with their line yet. Also, don't forget Lancashire Games. Anybody else you know about?
(Editor's Note: I'd love to know how you motivated yourself to stick with painting so many miniatures, Jon! What sort of painting techniques to you use? That would be worth an article).
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© Copyright 2002 Hal Thinglum
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