Assyrian army

Assyrian army

Wednesday 19 August 2020

'The only figures in the collection that really show their age'

Not all of the Grant collection are in good condition...
28 Persian light cavalry converted to Assyrian light cavalry. They are the figures shown on page 48 of the Ancient War Game.


A bit tatty and a few spears are missing - though it would be possible to restore a lot of these.

Standard bearer showing a much neater join between wrist and hand than I tend to manage. The standard has lost what I assume to be a skull! For me, the most impressive part of the figures is the helmet work.

This is the picture on page 48 showing the unit. The skull standard is clearly visible!

The unit sems to have seen a lot of action and (I think) is seen here losing to some chariots in the Apocryphal Well battle. It's quite difficult to identify some of the units on these old black and white photos.
Usual copyright notice - The Ancient War Game was published by A & C Black Ltd and copyright 1974 (the estate of) Charles Grant

6 comments:

  1. When first painted this must have looked a wonderful unit Rob, it looks like a bit of lead rot has inhabited the figures which is a real shame.

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    1. They're a bit tatty but I don't think there's a lot of degradatrion. I'm thinking about trying to 'save' some of them - should be possible.

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  2. I always liked the look of them but didn't realize they were conversions. The wargame section of the Greenwood & Ball catalogue that I ordered 25mm Garrison figures from in the early 70's, was neither extensive nor well illustrated. We were mostly using Airfix cobversions at the time and if I'd known there was a range of smaller figures ........

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    1. The 20mm range came out about 1968. Round about 1972-3 I ordered some and 25mm figures arrived in the post - no warning or anything. Pete Harris (of Tercio rules fame) and I then wen through swapping our part units of 20mm figures to get them up to full units... Before then used to visit the Northern Garrison shop - 2 bus rides, one day I went there and it was closed...

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  3. Really nice... there's something profoundly satisfying about owning figures that actually featured in inspiring pictures of one's youth.

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    1. There is - though I suppose early 20s is just technically 'youth'?

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