Friday 27 November 2020

Arab Camel Riders : Al Andalus

These guys have been on the work bench for a while as I get distracted. It is a fairly big unit for me in fact in game terms probably two units unless one of our bigger games.

These are a combination of irregular miniature camels with gripping beast light cavalry riders they fit really well with no modification and i was too lazy to cut the stirrups off . I think i may have posted a picture of these as work in progress since then i decided the original shields i had used were simply too big so i removed them all and started again.
I wouldn’t call them particularly ‘historical’ but we know there were some camel forces who were more heavily armed, these are somewhere in the medium category. They have a feel of either an elite or perhaps mercenary unit ? Anyway they should scare some equine cavalry !
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With all this lockdown and no gaming shows to go to i suspect many of us have been buying too many things. I came across this book in a random search for information on another planned invasion project. I can see my Sealion project expanding its geographical context quite soon, a diversionary and disruptive second invasion front to draw resources away from Kent seems very plausible.
The book (which i obviously haven’t read yet) includes some splendid photos of German invasion forces and i was drawn to this one.

That’s it for now hopefully another game this weekend, i have been making gabion baskets for a planned mini campaign. I know the situation in many places is quite difficult but i am absolutely buzzing with mojo at the moment and full of ideas, collecting and painting, and projects..........

Matt



32 comments:

  1. Lovely looking camel troops and intriguing looking book! I'm busily assembling and priming before the onset of winter proper, so I'm busy if not apparently productive!
    Best Iain

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    1. Prep time is important to keep things ticking over👍

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  2. I love a unit of camel riders. Great job!

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  3. The camel troops look great and I always think they bring a certain je ne sais quoi to the wargames table.

    The book looks interesting and one I don't think I've seen before. Coming from East Anglia this is of interest, but given the terrain, I would have thought it pretty hard to attack over and much easier to defend.

    Good to know your gaming mojo is firing on all cylinders, despite the current situation across most of the UK.

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    1. Agreed they bring lovely variety. I hadn’t spotted this book before and keen to read its intriguing story ! I do see it as an obvious expansion and diversionary tactic by the Germans to draw forces away from the main thrust in the SE. We’ll see where the paratroopers land !

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  4. Splendid camel riders, always tempted to get some for my 3rd century Romans but somehow don't think they would have shipped them to Germania 🙂
    Interesting book I have read something similar may even have been that one, lightening war by bicycle, ideal flat terrain🙂
    Yes I am buying to much stuff too I think it's keeping me sane, if I ever was.

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    1. Thanks Phil hoping to open a second front in East Anglia

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  5. Superb looking unit or two of camels, Sir! I find camels odd creatures to paint but your coloring of these beasts looks very realistic. Being a member of a mounted, rapid-strike bicycle troop would be an interesting assignment. With bike and gear, those bikes must have weighted 80 pounds!

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    1. Thanks camels generally in the pictures or in real life are much lighter than you think, often almost white. Having looked closer at the photo, the tyres look great, at least 32mm or bigger, limited hub gearing of course and no clips so let’s hope they had strong legs !

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  6. Those Camel troops look rather splendid

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  7. These are really fab. Diplomatist books has another alternative history of Sealion book https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=30788885286&searchurl=vcatn%3DMilitary%2BHistory%2B-%2BWWII%26sortby%3D17%26vcat%3DMilitary___History_________WWII%26vci%3D61057945&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp3-_-title17

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    1. Thanks Martin....fortunately I have that one by KM one of my favourites !

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  8. Splendid addition to the collection Matt. Those camels look remarkably decent considering they are by Irregular. As to buying too much, well, I'm not sure such a concept exists for most Wargamers!

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    1. Camels took a little prep work ! But I knew what I was getting. As for buying you should see the stuff I have lined up 🥵

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  9. Nice unit and an interesting marriage of Irregular Miniatures and Gripping Beast.

    The book looks very interesting. I have checked out Amazon for the Kindle and it is sitting there for £3.99, which is says is down from a hard to believe Kindle price of £37

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    1. Thanks Norm, the book is a decent hardback priced at £25 but 2nd hand it was about £13 which was fair and I think I will enjoy it 😀

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  10. Jolly nice, those. I bought some camels for my Seleucids years ago and found them easier to paint than cavalry, probably because camels don't have much variation in colour.

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    1. Thanks I agree at least they don’t do dapple grey camels !!!!!!!!

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  11. Very nice camel troops and a clever idea to combine horse riding figures with another manufacturers camels! The Sealion book looks very interesting too - look forward to some more AAR's in the S East!

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    1. Thank you sir, need to create some planning time for the East Anglian invasion.

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  12. Lovely looking camel troops Matt.
    I have some for my 3rd century Romans...they make for a nice different cavalry unit....
    An interesting looking book as well... I don’t think military bicycles were built for their looks or comfort... 😁
    I remember seeing a book about the history of the military bicycle... I was tempted at the time... they were seen as quite an innovation at the time...
    I believe Pen and Sword have a new book on the subject coming out fairly soon...

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Thanks Aly a whole book on military bicycles I guess I should be surprised I have one just on WW2 cavalry !

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  13. These look great! Need some for my Late Romans so I will be doing the same. Thanks for the inspiration!
    Cheers, Richard P

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    1. Which camel did you get? The standard Dromedary from the animals range? Thanks

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    2. Thanks , the trouble is I can’t remember, I have checked through my emails. I emailed Ian at irregular with a picture and he told me to order AN9a but then when I ordered them he contacted me again saying he had got it wrong so he sent me the other ones. I presume then they aren’t AN9a , suggest perhaps emailing him with a picture. If I find the email I will post here 🤔

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  14. Excellent brushwork on the camel's. Love the sheilds too.

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    1. Many thanks Ray 👍 simple shields really the script is made up 🙂

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