My first black troops were Numidian Light Cavalry and Light Infantry in a Marian Roman army - original Book 1, List 59. I used Donnington figures formerly available in the U.S. but currently available only from England.

One day, while browsing through the army lists after losing several times at SIMCON 1989, I glanced at the original Book 2 list 63 Blemye or Nobades, 30 B.C. to 650 A.D. A black army with the possibility of all Irregular A cavalry. It had elephants and it had fought the Romans.

I bought both TTG army packs. Together, they totalled 90 LI archers, 3 elephants and 90 cavalry (30 EHC and 60 HC). There are the only troops listed for the army. It is a great army to teach new players with.

The list allows 29-77 cavalry plus the 2 generals and CiC. NASAMW'a list expands the cavalry to 29-96 plus the generals. All troops can be bow-armed (except for the elephants). The elephant castings are bow-armed but the list specifies JLS.

Makes a Difference

Phil Barker was in Rochester to referee the Simcon ancients tourney in 1991. His responce was what difference does it make? A bow was juat as likely, and cost the same in points. A bow allows you to shoot at 4 inches, while a JLS only shoots 1 inch, however, in melee the JLS gets a bonus and the bow doesn't.

The cavalry can be upgraded to 1/2 EHC if you have given it the optional bow. A triangular piece of aluminum foil tacked on by Elmer's glue to the few horses needing to be upgraded EHC as only 30 EHC come with the packs. Painting was as armor was all copper and blue was the preferred color of the warriors.

New Discovery

After losing again with an all Irregular A cavalry and all bow-armed Blemye army (I blamed it on rolling down; it couldn't, possibly be that I didn't play well), I discovered the Kushite Army List 22 (original Book 1). This is the ancestor of the Blemye and everyone, even the LI, can be Irreg A. Instead of elephants, you get chariots. Chariot miniatures makes the figures (available from Stone Mountain in Canada).

For LI archers, use the Blemye. For HC, paint 'crocodile skin' armor on the HC or buy new from Chariot Miniatures, along with the chariots, slingers, and javelinmen. The archers can be LMI, just remount your Blemye LI. Slingers are aupplied without shields. A hole punch makes a shield--paint black and white cowhide.

This army can have Egyptian allies. I bought Essex figures but Chariot Miniatures also have them available. If you use Egyptian allies, the Kushites may not ba Irreg A.

The new Book 1 List 33; the Kingdom of Kush (850-660 B.C.) allows you to have LC and LI javelinmen bosides the troop types listed in the original list. But I had these left over fron my Marian Ronan army list.

To paint Kushite figures, use WRG publication ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT EGYPT ANO ASSYRIA by Alan Buttery.

Next installment: East Sudanese, West Sudanese and maybe Nubian and/or Numidian. [Ed. Greg disappeared for a few years and has recently reemerged back into the hobby. How many more gamers are out there who we can get in touch with and start gaming with again?]