Parthian Camp

It is set up in an ancient ruin in the arid region near Palmyra. I thought I'd put up some camels loaded with quivers getting ready to resupply their Light Horse archers.

I like to create some kind of mini topography on the drastically constricted area allowed by the DBA rules. Consequently, most of my camps turn out to be maximum size. Tactically I don't mind because my playing style is aggressive enough to keep the opponent preoccupied (which doesn't mean I win!) The material is simple modelling clay from DAS. But I have to say it is not ideal because
a) it takes ages to dry (this camp took one week!!!),
b) it shrinks about 1/8 an
c) deforms while drying
I had to do all kinds of cover up jobs like file the bottom level with sandpaper, fill cracks with putty etc. I have to find an alternative. Can you help me here?
After drying I cover it with a putty from NOCH.
I'll try to remember to make some pictures next time :-)

Paint a Polka Dot Hoss

Let's get it up and paint one of these fluffy polka dot hosses I so cherish. I'll show you how to paint the riderless one in the two pictures below. Miniatures are Artizan-Berbers, 25mm. I used this technique in 15mm too, click the "Parthian" Label to have a look.I use a pointy size 3 brush ("rotmarder"-hair). Click on the pictures for a bigger image.

Step 1: Over the sprayed-on white primer paint the fury parts with a very dark Red-Brown (mix Chaos Black with a swaller of Blood Red. Keep the paint not too watery, it should let the white shine through a bit so one still can perceive the redish-grenadine hue.

Step 2: Apply the first VERY watery layer of egg-white over all fury parts (Bleached Bone + Skull White) and let it dry. If too much paint gatheres in crevaces, suck it up with a dry brush.

Step 3: Apply a second VERY watery layer just like highlighting. But don't wash over the whole horse, that was step 2. Keep in mind: The back, behind, and neck should end up very light while the lower parts of the legs stay dark. The horse to the right has 2 layers, the one to the left has 1 layer.

Step 4: A third watery layer (Horse to the left). Remain confident, even if the horse starts too look REALLY bad! The last layer of dots will help blend the sometimes revolting contrast you create at this step.

Step 5: A last, fourth layer of egg-white. Remember: alsways let the former layer dry before you start a new one. Really let the back, neck and behind shine with this last layer.

Step 6: Apply egg-white polka dots, densley over back, behind and back of neck. The paint should be less watery, so the dots stand out a bit. If contrast is too mush, add more water.

Step 7: paint the hooves, saddle, reigns, hair... finished!

Warriors of Ifriqiyah: Spearmen I

As part of my "Warriors of Ifriqiyah" project: Speartroops for a Fanatic Berber army or Early muslims from north Africa & Sicily. Artizan.

The Saracenes challenge The Duke of Salerno

...and get a severe pounding! This is the main clash of battlelines. They were swaying back and forth, but the saracenes lost 4-1. It's no easy task to win on a pool table against the Lombards when all you got is some Cavalry and Light Horse. After the Light Horse blundered and perished against the knights the spears eventually had to do all the dirty work and in the end the ç&*/(/%&ç%! saracene General (to the left on the picture) got himself killed!

Almohad and Almoravid Camels

Yesterday I finished the first of two Camel-Elements for the DBA-army III/74 Fanatic Berber. Still got some basing to do. I can't wait to pitch them against the Feudal Spanish armies!. Black Tree Design.

Muslim Shield Designs

On the Workbench

Another Cavalry Element for Medieval-Muslim-Morph-Armies, unfinished.

Warriors of Ifriqiyah: The Qadi and his Men

Warriors of Ifriqiyah: The Wild Berber Horsemen 2

Some more Cavalry pieces, all Artizan Berbers.

Warriors of Ifriqiyah: Ghulam Skirmishers

As early as the 9th century muslim armies made good use of trained warrior slaves called "abd", "mamluk" or "ghulam" who could attain freedom after some years of duty and achieve the status of an officer. In the Maghreb and Spain they were mostly of slavic origin, so I decided to give them lighter skin and various hair coulours. I will use the minis on the pictures as psiloi in the following muslim DBA-Armies:

III/34b Andalusian
III/74 Fanatic Berber
III/34 Early Muslim N.Africa and Sicily.

All are Foundry miniatures and actually labelled as "early germans".

Warriors of Ifriqiyah: The Wild Berber Horsemen 1

I finally finished the Early Muslim North Africa/Sicily DBA Army in 25mm. Here's a teaser for upcoming pictures: The Wild Berber Horsemen! (Artizan figures, shields from Crusader-Miniatures)

And details of some shield designs (Artizan and Crusader Miniatures):

Double Headed Eagle. Silk. Spain 11th century?

Another double headed eagle. It's part of the treasury of St. Peter in Salzburg, Austria but was probably manufactured in islamic Spain 11th century (Reconstructed by the Abegg Stiftung Riggisberg, Switzerland)

Double-headed Eagle. Seldjuk 12th/13th c.

A relief on the west-facade of the Grand Mosque in Divrigi, a former Byzantine city in central Anatolia. Conquered by the turkes in 1071. This picture inspired me to paint the banner below.

I found the following article on the origin of double headed eagles as a heraldic charge . .http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_(heraldry): "Twin Headed Eagle and the Turks The Seljuk Turks emigrating from Central Asia occupied Baghdad in 1055 and Tougrul captured Mosul, and upon returning to Baghdad in 1058 was given the title of the '’King of the East and West'’. The Seljuks were even more anxious to have their rule legitimized: seen as aliens they were unpopular with the townsfolk of Persia and Iraq, and Tougrul's investiture by the Caliph in 1058, in a magnificent ceremony during which two crowns were held over his head as symbols of his regal authority over East and West, confirmed that the he now was the Commander of the Faithful. At the time the double-headed eagle became his and the Seljuk state’s coat of arms and flag, one head symbolizing the east and the other one symbolizing the west. As the Seljuk Empire’s insignia, the twin-headed eagle appears in Turkish coins from 11th century and onwards as well as a number of architectural remains scattered in central and east Anatolia. These architechural remains also depict palm trees under bicephalous eagle as the tree of life, symbolizing peace and prosperity.[...]"

Concerning the twin-headed eagle as the emblem of the holy roman empire Wikipedia says:
"From the reign of Frederick Barbarossa in 1155 the eagle became a symbol of the Holy Roman Empire in its one-headed state. The eagle was clearly derived from the Roman eagle and continues to be important in the heraldry of those areas once within the Holy Roman Empire. Within Germany the placement of one’s arms in front of an eagle was indicative of princely rank under the Holy Roman Empire. The first mention of a double-headed eagle in the West dates from 1250 in a roll of arms of Matthew Paris for Emperor Frederick II."

And last but not least a comment on the byzantine bicephalous eagle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_(heraldry):
The double-headed Seljuk Eagle became the symbol of the Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos. Palaiologos recaptured Constantinople from the Crusaders in 1261 and adopted the double-headed eagle as his symbol of the dynasty's interests in both Asia and Europe. It represented looking towards the East (Asia Minor, traditional power center of the Byzantine-government in exile after the IVth Crusade) and the West (newly reconquered land in Europe) centered on Constantinople. The Byzantine double-headed eagle has been seen in late 13th century, certainly pre-dating the development of the same in western heraldry. In Russia it was Ivan III of Russia who first assumed the two-headed eagle, when, in 1472, he married Sophia, daughter of Thomas Palæologus, and niece of Constantine XI, the last Emperor of Byzantium. The two heads symbolised the Eastern or Byzantine Empire and the Western or Roman Empire."

A coat from Sicily 12th/13th century

Metz, Cathedral. (catalog "Zeit der Staufer" Abb. 166.)

Islamic Emblems: The Hand and The Key

Today I found an interesting passage in Washington Irving’s „The Alhambra“ (1820ies I think). As I am always looking out for shield and heraldic designs I think the following gives a good understanding of the significance of two symbols, the “Hand” and the “Key” in islam. Irving is describing the gateway of the Alhambra (torre de la justicia):

“The great vestibule, or porch of the gate, is formed by an immense Arabian arch, of horseshoe form, which springs to half the height of the tower. On the keystone of this arch is engraven a gigantic hand. Within the vestibule, on the keystone of the portal, is sculptured, in like manner, a gigantic key. Those who pretend to some knowledge of Mohammedan symbols, affirm that the Hand is the emblem of doctrine; the five fingers designating the five principal commandments of the creed of Islam, fasting, pilgrimage, alms-giving, ablution, and war against the infidels. The key, say they, is the emblem of the faith or of power; the key of Daoud, or David, transmitted to the prophet. “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut, and he shall shut, and none shall open.” (Isaiah XXII.22.) The key we are told was emblazoned on the standard of the Moslems in opposition to the Christian emblem of the cross, when they subdued Spain or Andalusia. It betokened the conquering power invested in the prophet. “He that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shuteth and no man openeth.” (Rev.III.7)”

Now I wonder how that key looks like.

1148-1149 Nur-ed-Din kicks some Crusader Booty

A Map for a Nur-ed-Din 1148/49 Campaign based on Steven Runciman's book on the crusades. Antiochia is in big distress after Raimund died with his boots on. Factions would be:
Christians: Armenia Low&High, Antiochia, Byzantium, Kingdom of Jerusalem
Muslim: Seldjuks of Konya, Nur-ed-Din Zhengids, the Assassins and maybe the Kalif of Baghdad.
The Map isn't finished. There's still some research to do on the trading routes (e.g. "Seidenstrasse") and I have to add the mountains and passes (Cilician Gate is missing). The Assassins can figure as allies of Antiochia. The Map to the left shows Syria, Armenia, Cilicia, Edessa, Antiochia. Konya is not on the Map. The placenames appear in three versions: modern (black), byzantine (red), arabic (red). (Map: Wolfgang Felix, Byzanz und die islamische Welt im früheren 11. Jahrhundert, Verlag österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften).

Spain Reconquista Map

Just doodling...