DBA Special ... a camp for IV/75 (Timurid)

 a Mongol/Timurid Camp ...

Originally, my Mongols and Timurids shared the same camp - but I had a number of camels surplus and an idea for scratchbuilding a yurt ... so the idea for a camp was born, and allocated to the Timurids:

(DBA Camp for book IV/list 75 Timurid)

The model is therefore a very small part of camel stop-off or caravanserai, where a number of laden beasts are being parked next to a yurt.

The camels are mostly Gladiator with contributions from Irregular and Falcon ... the cameleer is Museum with a Gladiator head (the yurt is bottle top with s tissue covering and detailing in wire and miliput) ...

 

 

As usual. the Camp Follower is separate and can be detached,

 

CAMP FOLLOWER

 

 

 

 

Book IV List 75

 

DBA Special: infernal machines (Leonardo)

 

So this is an alternative baggage element for my Condotta Italians (specifically, it would be Milanese) and represents one of Leonardo's military devices.  There is, of course, no evidence that the machine was ever built*.

The plans show what look like cranks driving gears which directly turn the wheels.  Clearly it would have needed an engine of some sort to be viable.  I have shown a prototype machine being towed to the battlefield by horsepower.

 

(Leonardo warmachines ... a scythed chariot and a mobile gun battery complete with drive arrangement)

The model itself is resin, by Alternative Armies - and I got one for Christmas.  You could argue that it is 'Artillery' although it is a bit big for a DB Art base (it is 50mm across, so overhangs the standard base used with 15mm figures) ... so I have magnabased it, and provided alternative bases: a camp, which I would imagine would be its normal use; and a square sabot, which could see it as Art or, conceivably, WWg (as Leonardo clearly meant it to 'move and shoot').

 

(the warmachine's options: camp base or Art/WWg base)

 

Clearly, the idea is that the camp shows part of the army rear area - injured soldiers are retreating from the battle, the great inventor is bringing up his wonder weapon to save the day.  Perhaps.  Or maybe this is all just made up.

 

The model also incorporates trial #2 of using flats scenery (in this case the fir trees) to create a bit of extra background without using up much in the way of depth.  The trees are from Berliner Zinnfiguren.

 

Detail

 

 

(Milanese DBA camp: in the rear, with the gear!)

 

Although it overhangs more than a little, crammed in with some contemporary soldiers (from my Yorksts) it does almost fit ...

 

(15mm DBA: featuring Leonardo's warmachine by Alternative Armies)

 

Flat scenery experiment #1 was, of course, the 'Hunting in the Delta' Egyptian baggage. 

 

(Hunting in the Delta: mixed flats and 15mm 3D figures)

I recently added the 2D swan to the mix of birds, populating the scene.

 

(with the Camp Follower removed: a view of the flora and fauna)

 

Also receiving its finishing touches, the Sea People's Ship has been tidied up and photographed for the Camps and Baggage page.

 

 

(Shows North's 15mm Sea Peoples Ship camp for DBA: ship (adapted) by Essex, figures Essex and Chariot) 

 

(details of the Sea Peoples Ship DBA camp)

 

(Unloading: figures by Essex and Falcon)

 

 

(Wading ashore)

All three camps are newly added to the Camps and Baggage page.  There are now over 30 camp vignettes featured, with some 70 photos - hopefully to both entertain and inspire.  Feedback always appreciated!

 

 

 

* of course, that is us being sensible: in some earlier periods or sphere's, evidence in this sort of detail would seem quite compelling (and things have ended up on army lists with much less to support them!)

Some new additions to the camps and baggage page

Apologies to anyone who got just the picture sent in a 'post' email: I inadvertently published after just uploading the first picture.  OK, I can edit and update the post (as I have done) but as far as I can see, I can't 'take back' that initial email circulation if I've published in error.  Hopefully, people will click to visit the blog anyway (and will see this explanation and see the full blog entry).

As 'ancients' continues to be 'stuck at home', I have made some new additions to the Camps and Baggage page.

The Viking longship is a notionally 10mm piece by my friend Stephen at The Baggagetrain.  It is bigger than the ones I have generally used with my 15mm figures (the base of figures in the picture is a 40mm frontage with 10mm figures on it).

 

(Viking longship from The Baggagetrain)

 

The clear plastic base is 160mm in length (so might suit smaller figures on the 60mm frontage - which is, indeed, what I am using for some new 10mm medieval armies) ...

 

The model is cast in resin and is very finely detailed.  I found fitting the oars quite a challenge, and haven't decided how best to do the sail.

 

Next, optimised for DBA but not at all a scale model, I have completed a littoral camp model for the Sea Peoples, using the Essex 'Biblical' boat.

 

 

(Sea People's DBA 'littoral' camp .. bringing the stores ashore)

 

The ship and Camp Follower element are removable for maximum flexibility ...

 

 

(The ship is a modified Essex model)

 

The crew and figures are a mix of Essex, Chariot and Falcon.

 

The CF shows a landing party just about to emerge up the beach (again a mix of Chariot and Essex, with Sherden heads from the Chariot Shardana figure).

 

 

Other than these soldiers, the other figures are unloading supplies. 

 

 

And then there's a slightly smaller Egyptian piece based on hunting scenes.  It will eventually sit behind the Saite period army I am completing next.   Another littoral army.

('Hunting in the Delta': Egyptian 'littoral' camp for DBA)

Just for amusement, I have added a crocodile stalking a rabbit in the foreground.  The rabbit is by Pendraken and is quite the smallest 15mm figure in my collection.

 

 

The CF is a Museum Miniatures canoe with an Essex and MM crew

 

 

(Hunting in the Delta) 

Once this is all updated, I will add these items to the Camps and Baggage page.

 

 

(a look at the interior of that highly detailed longship by The Baggagetrain)

Camps and Baggage Page

Just to announce that I am creating a new page on this blog specifically for the camps and baggage vignettes that I know a number of you particularly enjoy.

It will mostly be a gallery, but there will be links to the armies the camps come from, and occasional notes on which figures or bits were used.

The idea, of course, is to enable a little bit of themed browsing in the hope that visitors will find something inspiring.

I'm about half done ... and once I have caught up, new pieces will go up there as well as their other relevant page(s) with cross-referencing links.

You can find the page by going direct to it Ancients on the Move/Camps and Baggage ...

Or by looking across the page header and clicking on the button.

 

Please have a look around - please leave comments if you would like.