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Friday, August 26, 2022

Sumerian Battle Car(t)

With good cycling weather, many good games, and various other summertime distractions, activity at the painting desk has been slow over the summer.  Having cleared the gaming table of the five-game stand of Bassignana, my expectation is that I may find time to return to the workbench for a few meaningful painting sessions in the weeks ahead.  With upcoming travel and scheduled visitors, those expectations may come up short but we will see what can be dragged across the painting table before summer comes to an end.
First out of the chute in this return to painting during the Dog Days of summer is a Sumerian battle cart and entourage.  Figures are 28mm Newline Designs.

Several other projects are seeing activity at the painting desk including more SYW French infantry, ECW cavalry, and even a few more Sumerians.  Perhaps the ECW infantry that I decided to paint rather than purge will make it into the painting queue.

Having completed today's battle cart, I reckon there may be enough figures and BMUs to field two Sumerian armies.  Perhaps a game could be on the horizon to allow these figures their first taste of battle?  With the gaming table devoid of troops, I think pulling the collection from storage boxes to assess what exactly I do have and offer up a parade sounds reasonable.  There still may be a few units needed to field a pair of armies but maybe not?

Good cycling weather (in the coolish mornings at least) helps mileage continue to accrue in the legs.  August will likely tally 650 miles.  For now, I leave out tales of recent near misses with vehicles and focus on the serenity of the Palouse.  Following are a few snapshots from cycling out on Wednesday morning.  The grain and hay are ready for harvest. 



52 comments:

  1. The Sumerians look really nice! Cycling a distant memory for me though...

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  2. Another fine addition Jonathan. The cart looks great and the horses are outstanding. A parade is due.

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    1. Thank you, Lawrence. Yes, time for a quick parade, I think.

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  3. Splendid cart, I shall look forward to an equally splendid Sumerian parade. That is the nice flat ground I might cope with on a bicycle these days🙂, I think the last time I rode a bike any distance was on Ibiza back in the early seventies!

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    1. Much appreciated, Phil! There is little flat ground out on the Palouse. Much of it is rolling hills. These photos are all either going up or down. Cycling Ibiza? Lucky!

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    2. Only locally where we were staying, covered a few miles though, one forgets you have to get back😮

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    3. Since I live on a hill and most roads lead down, getting back is always the hard part.

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  4. A lovely addition and I look forward to seeing an ancients battle grace your table. Which rules would you favour?

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    1. Thanks, Norm! It has been a very long time since any ancients larger than 6mm have graced my table. Rules? Undecided but Impetvs is a possibility. Graham may lobby for To Ur is Human but I do not think I could umpire that one in a competent fashion.

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    2. "To Ur" shouldn't give you any problems. It's the simplest set of rules I've written.

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    3. Perhaps it is your simplest. Still does not guarantee that I can umpire it successfully.

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  5. Nice cart. I went cycling in Vietnam and it is not true that once you ride a bike you never forget.

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  6. We have nothing in the diary for next Tuesday. Just sayin'

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    1. Hmmm. Not sure I can whip a Sumerian game into shape on short notice.

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  7. Nicely painted battle cart Jon and of course, everyone votes for a parade!

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    1. Thanks! I would enjoy seeing these fellas arrayed for a photoshoot.

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  8. Lovely looking cart! A parade! A parade! We all cry!
    Best Iain

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  9. Crackign work once again Jon and it would be lovely to see these in action. Good to see the cycling still making good progress, although here I'm still struggling to get the motivation/stamina back post Covid. Hopefully once the schools start back I'll be able to up the mileage. Interesting to see the harvest not in yet as here it's already finished, mainly due to the heatwave and it being brought in 2-3 weeks early. Ditto the hay.

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    1. Thanks, Steve! It would be fun to see new armies in action.

      Hopefully you can get back out on the bike soon and rebuild your stamina. The first thousand miles are the hardest.

      Some wheat has been brought in but there are still a few unharvested fields standing. Harvesting will be over soon.

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  10. A cart like that out on the Palouse would be something to see!

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    1. Experimental archaeology! That's sounds like a challenge!

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  11. Beautiful Johnathan. Once again Im knocked out by the precision finish on your bases. They finish off the unit beautifully, well done.

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  12. Definitely a parade, because two whole armies demands one I feel.

    New cart is smashing. I like your use of tufts on the base too.

    Be careful out on those roads. I was very lucky in my years of cycling (My primary mode of transport back then) to never have been hurt badly, but I was very close to serious hurt a few times. Drivers rarely look for cyclists at the best of times.

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    1. Thanks, Dai! I agree. Time for a parade.

      Cycling on the roadways is a hazardous endeavor. One must ride defensively and remain ever vigilant.

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  13. Great looking battle cart. A series of ancient battles in the works peeeerhhaaaps? 😀

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    1. Thanks! For a series, I prefer having a historical situation as a benchmark. That criterium puts the Sumerians out but Punic Wars' battles could be an option.

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  14. Yikes! Those early chariots were pretty janky contraptions. I can't imagine what a rough ride they must have been. I'm not entirely sure what the source of the advantage is with them?

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    1. I doubt these carts provided a smooth and comfortable ride. Even having springs, riding in a buckboard or wagon is a rough ride. Advantage? Threat of being run-over by one of these unwieldy contraptions would shake my confidence.

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  15. The basing on that battle cart conjures up memories of the high prairie of Eastern Washington--I guess it was seeing those pix of the Palouse in the same post that brought those associations to mind (even understanding that the topograhy of Yakima is more arid than Spokane).

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    1. Thanks, Ed! Perhaps my Fertile Crescent basing is too arid? You are right about Yakima. That is a hot and arid spot in the summer.

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  16. Great job on the cart Jon! Seems practically everyone is rooting for a parade here! :)

    Good to see the weather’s cooled down enough to hit the road again. Take care.

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    1. Thanks, Mike! Yeah, out the collection comes for a review.

      Hot weather has not stopped the cycling. I simply go out earlier in the day.

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  17. Great looking cart Jonathan and enjoy the cycling!

    Christopher

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  18. Great looking Sumerian carts, Jon.
    This collection hasn't seen the tabletop yet? That must be remedied!
    Summer (as opposed to Sumer) is almost always the low point of the year for painting for me; too much competition from other activities!

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    1. Thanks! No action yet. I am only now reaching the critical mass to field two armies. Summer is a busy time, for sure.

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  19. Lovely model Jonathan. Good to see that you have the travel bug again too.

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  20. Late to the party, I think the cart and companions should be paraded. Keep vigilant when riding, you obviously enjoy it. Even if home is always uphill.

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    1. Thanks, Joe! You can never be too late this party!

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