Garrison Persian cavalry update

Three more units of Garrison Persian cavalry finished - these were started a few months ago and one was virtually completed.

First unit just a standard non-historical spear/shield unit. This was already nearly finished before these sessions.

On this unit I've painted the armour over the robes.

This is the cataphract figure but mounted on an unarmoured horse. This time I've painted it as having robes over the armour - other units I painted previously have the armour on top. One good thing about photos is that you sometimes spot things you missed on the model. So must clean the green stuff off those two end figures...

Second 'cataphract' unit on unarmoured horse and painted with the armour under the robes.

Another Garrison Athenian unit.

Actually, I thought it was the first - I'd forgotten that this lot were Athenian rather than generic mercs.

The second 24 man unit can be joined to the original to give one of my 'standard' 48 figure hoplite units.

Second row, lousy photo...

And the two units together.

Meanwhile I need a second box.

Tremble ye foes of Assur. Part 2

Part 1 is from Parum Pugna here.

These chariots were one part of the latest set of purchases from Harry. The link describes them and, frankly, there's not a single thing I can add to Harry's account. Likewise, haven't the faintest idea what I can do with them. So, with this lot I think I'll just let the pictures do the talking.

 Regarding the rest the figures, loads of S Range Greeks, some Egyptians, some Assyrians. Some of the Greeks have already been painted, should have a fair proportion of them after the weekend... so not sure how long before they are posted - got a few other things to post first anyway.

Cyrus repaired

Ages ago I posted about dropping my 'original' 1975 Hinchliffe/Lamming 'Cyrus in a chariot.'  Can't find find the post now, or the pictures of the damaged chariot - think they must have been lost back when all my pictures started randomly vanishing from the blog.

However... I have finally gotten round to fixing it...

This is a picture of Cyrus before he was broken. Old and even then showing some signs of wear - the whip held by the charioteer was already broken. Actually Cyrus is virtually out of view behind the charioteer - too busy reviewing troops to be bothered about photos.

Repaired version - new whip, new reins, though vestige of the old reins still there - just looks like extra harness.

Front view shows deliberate armour differences. I've given Cyrus larger, flashy Nouveau-rich armour plates while the Mede charioteer has a more sophisticated armour using smaller plates.

And another view. In deference to the original the base has simply been flocked.

It's one of those times when I've got lots of stuff to post. Just bought some more unpainted figures from Harry, plus some interesting painted chariots - so 2 posts there - plus finished the second Athenian hoplite unit, plus more Garrison Persian cavalry... so hopefully I'll be putting out a post a day for several days! The future is also a bit crowded. I think I'll do a Thermopylae scenario, and I've got 2 firm and 2 ideas for Newhaven. Should be a crowded Spring, especially as I also hope to do more Army Review type pieces.

First encounter 2

Peering into the mist... thump, run over... something... the car veers off the road and shudders to a stop...

The officers get out of the squad car. The mist is so heavy they can't see each other. Shouting to each other, even their voices are muffled by the swirling gloom.

As Officer Mason went the front of the car to assess damage Officer Bowen got out his carbine and went to the back... to see if he could find what they had hit...

Mason screamed... wildly shooting at... something. Bowen feels a bullet graze his leg...

He shouts out and goes forward... Mason on the ground with... something... he fires and it backs off into the mist... a high pitched squealing sound...

No time for heroics. He helps Mason into the squad car, backs it back on the road and they leave the area...

Back at the station. No serious injuries but... Mason, 'What were they? tentacles and eyes. When I shot them the bullets just went straight through...' Bowen, 'Carbine worked. Blew holes in the thing. Skin just burst open. The colours... kept changing. But the worst thing... that squealing... did you hear? Not the one I shot... But the fact that, back in the mist, something answered. Something loud enough to cut through the air, something a hundred times bigger...'

First encounters of a close kind...

...Part 1...

As the first tendrils of the mist drift over the farm wall, it's time to go.

The mist makes it difficult to see.

Out of the farm but the mist is close behind.

At risk of spoiling the narrative, time for an explanation break.

Using bubble wrap is useful but does make it awkward when things start happening. It's nice for the observer to ... observe.

So, most bubble wrap gone from this point. Replaced by a circle that shows limits of nominal visibility - the 'clear' area is where, in thick fog, you have a chance of seeing something. Most sea mists you still have visibility of 20-30 metres - more realistic, but here I'm thinking more along the lines of films like 'The Fog'. So the 'clear' area you have to dice to see if you see objects... which means you can get a nasty surprise if you fail the roll. Actually, it would be a nasty surprise if you could see, but...

Some people reading this may be from parts of the world where really heavy fogs don't happen, so a story from my wargames past. One year I drove some of the club members to Northern Militaire. The fog came down on the way back, 'observers' hanging out of windows - 'Another red light you've gone through Rob' - could only see the things when looking UP - odd car on the side of the road... but the best story...

Ian, another of our members, reached Liverpool totally lost. He 'saw' a taxi in front of him so decided to follow it. Suddenly, the taxi stopped, the driver got out and walked back to Ian.

'Are you following me' 'Yes, figured you knew where you were going' 'Come over here then' - walked to the front of the taxi. Stopped a few inches from the side of a ship... the fog was so bad, the cabby had got lost, accidentally driven into the Albert Dock, if the ship hadn't been moored there he wouldn't have stopped...

An uneasy calm...

It was a quite day in Newhaven... minor bug problem on the roof but... then, a desperate call for help from an isolated farm... a call that ended... suddenly...

A patrol car is dispatched...

And enters the yard of the farm...

Open door, no one in the house...

Family car still there...

Empty stables, no sign of the horses...

Where are the cattle grazing on the salt meadows?

Nothing in the fields...

So what on Earth is happening?

Meanwhile, as dusk falls, a sea mist gradually edges up the mudflats...