A variety of finished units continue to muster out from the painting desk. Today's offering sees a return to Biblicals with 18 Babylonian archers. These 18 figures are positioned across two stands for use as massed archers in Impetvs or, perhaps, To the Strongest! if I ever return to that ruleset.
Figures are 25mm Newline Designs. Having painted a number of these figures, these are nice sculpts and easy to paint. More Newline Biblicals are in the painting queue but not Babylonians. This week has seen a distraction from figure painting. On the workbench is a 1/48 armored kit given to me as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago. I figured it high time to pull the kit off the shelf and make the build. What is the kit? Well, it is Tamiya's 1/48 Matilda. Now, I have not built a 1/48 model for many, many years. I think the last such model built was 1/48 Sherman for use in Chain of Command. That Sherman is still yet to see any tabletop action. When Scott gave the Matilda, he said that my British infantry ought to have some armored support. He is right. Perhaps having a little armored support will prompt me to bring the 28mm WWII collection out for a game or two? Gosh. That collection has not even been out for an inspection in more years than I can remember. With the allies having armor support, can German armor support be far behind? We will see if these troops make it to the table.
Lovely work on those archers Jon:). Good luck with the Matilda II, as the thought of assembling all those fiddly bogies makes me shudder, having done this with the 1:72nd scale one way back in the 1970's. I think I still bare the scars from the experience;)!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Steve! The bogie wheel assembly is easy on this model. Some of the other models have much more fiddly wheel assembly. I might push a Panzer II into the production line next.
DeleteThe Pz II is a favourite of mine, ever since having the Matchbox kit as a kid:).
DeleteWell, I may push the PzII up in the queue.
DeleteNothing more biblical than Babylon! Funny they seem to have started wearing more clothes and funny hats by Persian times.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the tank - avoid the box art and that blue!
Neil
Yes, they did! I am going for bronze green for the Matilda.
DeleteGreat looking archers!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michal!
DeleteThose are really nice looking archers Jon. I for one would enjoy seeing your WW2 collection on the table, but I don't think Panzer II is much of a match for a Matilda II! Your Germans will need a Flak 36 to deal with that beast.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Keith! I have WWII in both 15mm and 28mm. But not much in either. In 28mm, I do have a PaK 40 to handle the Matilda.
DeleteCool looking Archers, Jon. Lookibg forward to see the Matilda finished.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ray! Matilda is getting close. Actually, I have three of them workbench but two of them are in 15mm.
DeleteNicely done with the Babylonians Jonathan. I always enjoy your Biblical ancients and I'm getting tempted to have a look at a few armies in 15mm. It sounds as though To the Strongest has dropped a little down your list of preferences, is there any specific reason in comparison with Impetus or other rulesets?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lawrence! I await you embarking upon your own Biblical journey! On the TtS! front, I prefer hosting BI because I know it well and I play it on hexes. When TtS! mostly saw table time, it was at Scott's but now we mostly play CCA in 28mm at his place.
DeleteFantastic looking archers, Jonathan. I look forward to see your WW2 stuff on parade at some point.
ReplyDeleteYou are too kind, Richard! A parade in 15mm or 28mm? I really do not have too much of either.
DeleteNice work on the archers. I've now got By the Rivers of Babylon on continuous loop in my head!
ReplyDeleteGot to love a Matilda. My brother-in-law's dad was commander in one that got hit by an 88mm gun. The only survivor. Shipped out of Alex on a hospital ship that was sunk in the Med! Survived the War and lived to a good age but always had issues with his legs. Lovely guy.
Thank you, Chris! Good to see your return as well! That is a really good story about family war experience. Surprised that your brother-in-law's dad made it through the war. I bet he had some great war stories.
DeleteSome bostin Babylonians there Jonathan. Good luck with the Matilda, it must be at least 50 years when I last built a Tamiya kit.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Phil! My last Tamiya kit build was for a group project about 15 years ago. Before that, it was about 50 years ago for me too!
DeleteGreat looking Babylonians Jonathan. Have you got some Hanging Gardens for terrain yet?
ReplyDeleteTalking about Biblicals. I wonder if anyone has ever done a "wars of the Bible campaign"?
Good luck with your Matilda. My favourite early war British tank, always ready to smash though the Germans.... very slowly though. 😂
Thank you, Ben! No hanging gardens, here. Wars of the Bible campaign would be interesting. I bet there have been DBA tournaments with a Biblical theme. You will see how I managed the Matilda soonish.
DeleteThe Babylonians are more my interest than WWII.
ReplyDeleteI have some 15mm DBA armies which are various forces defeated by the Israelites in Biblical encounters - but no Israelites. These are my only 15mm and barely see the table more than the WWII which are hampered by the fact that I only have one side and in 20 years or so have never met anyone with any Germans [yes, I'm surprised too; I was counting on it]. I still have a few additions for my 20mm Poles but haven't been motivated for lack of an opponent.
I'll enjoy whatever you choose to show us but World Wars are low on the list. Chariots preferred to tanks.
Now if Tamiya did chariots.....
Stephen
Thanks, Steven! Although WWII is low on your list, perhaps, you should consider building up a German army to get this collection on the table. "Chariots preferred to tanks"...noted!
DeleteNice work on the archers. The Matilda a very effective tank in my experience, bit of a faff making model tanks though ! Thats why they invented Resin and 3D printing
ReplyDeleteThanks, Matt! I am not sure how well these fragile scale models will hold up in the rigors of wargaming. I suppose if I never bring them to the table, they will hold up very well!
DeleteYou can never have too many.... errr Matildas. I've got seven in 15mm (and five Matildas Is). British Infantry tanks just seem to multiply organically, although one Matilda is covered in big red stars.
ReplyDeleteNever too many Matildas. OK, I made a note of that tip too!
DeleteLovely work on the Babylonians
ReplyDeleteThanks, Neil!
Delete