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Author Topic: Victrix elephant crew question  (Read 1784 times)

Offline Burnin Coal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 552
Victrix elephant crew question
« on: April 19, 2020, 04:23:53 PM »
Am hoping someone on here can advise me.....I’m putting together a couple of Victrix war elephants and will be giving them Numidian crews....on the sprues there is the option of two arms holding a long pike...would this pike be feasible in a Numidian crew or is that an option only available to the other crews included ? (Ptolemaic, Carthaginian and Roman)

All help gratefully received - cheers
Figures painted 2020 : 100

Offline monkeylite

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 456
    • Moedlhafen
Re: Victrix elephant crew question
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2020, 10:56:51 AM »
The Carthaginian and Roman style crew are cut off at the sleeves (just above the elbows) and the long pike piece fits perfectly with that. The Numidian crew have one intact arm and one arm cut off at the shoulder, neither of which fit the long pike piece, so istm if you want to use that body with the long pike you will need to do a bit of cutting and a bit of creative glueing.

Actually, just realised you might be asking about the historical accuracy of using it, rather than the practicality of modelling it. In that case, I've no idea.
« Last Edit: May 01, 2020, 10:59:01 AM by monkeylite »

Offline williamb

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 128
Re: Victrix elephant crew question
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2020, 04:38:24 PM »
The pike was used by Hellenistic elephant crews like the Ptolemies.  It was not a weapon used by the Romans, Numidians or Carthaginians. Archers were not very common in western Mediterranean armies either.

Offline Burnin Coal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 552
Re: Victrix elephant crew question
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2020, 06:33:39 PM »
The pike was used by Hellenistic elephant crews like the Ptolemies.  It was not a weapon used by the Romans, Numidians or Carthaginians. Archers were not very common in western Mediterranean armies either.

Thanks for the responses guys....yes I did some cutting and filling and got the pike to fit but then the historical alarm bells went off....am neither a scholar or academic and am very much learning as I go....and enjoying it enormously....and @wiiliamb you have just given me all the info I need - much appreciated as I can now progress with my elephants

As an aside....would it be feasible for a Numidian elephant crew to end up in captured Roman chainmail ?
« Last Edit: May 01, 2020, 06:37:13 PM by Burnin Coal »

Offline williamb

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 128
Re: Victrix elephant crew question
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2020, 10:05:55 PM »
It is very possible that they could have.  Hannibal defeated several Roman armies and would have captured more than enough armor to equip all the soldiers in his army.   

Offline Burnin Coal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 552
Re: Victrix elephant crew question
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2020, 11:18:11 PM »
It is very possible that they could have.  Hannibal defeated several Roman armies and would have captured more than enough armor to equip all the soldiers in his army.

Thankyou once again - that was my guess/hope....tomorrow the glueing may commence  ;)

Online Tim Haslam

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  • Posts: 1304
Re: Victrix elephant crew question
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2020, 06:23:32 AM »
Yup, no pikes.
Probably only used by successor elephant crew.

There is some evidence to suggest Numidian elephants didn’t even have a howdah.
Just a driver, mahout, armed with javelins.
A millionaire trapped in a peasants body!

Offline Burnin Coal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 552
Re: Victrix elephant crew question
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2020, 06:51:11 AM »
....There is some evidence to suggest Numidian elephants didn’t even have a howdah.
Just a driver, mahout, armed with javelins.

Ah...yes...thanks....this is something that I have kind of picked up on as I try and piece together the history of what I am building....as luck would have it those very nice people at Agema make just such a model  ;)

Offline Tonhel

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 570
Re: Victrix elephant crew question
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2020, 09:33:02 AM »
I am looking forward to the painted model.  :)

Offline Burnin Coal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 552
Re: Victrix elephant crew question
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2020, 04:17:53 PM »
I am looking forward to the painted model.  :)

Thanks Tonhel....but don’t hold your breath just yet  ;) My paint table has an array of fifty or so models all in various stages of paint...I tend to work on whichever ones take my fancy each day until one group is near completion, I then concentrate on those figures....elephants are underway but aren’t first in the queue right now....obviously that might change tomorrow  lol

Offline Jjonas

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 421
  • Ancient Modeler
    • Ancient Hellenistic Battles mostly
Re: Victrix elephant crew question
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2020, 05:37:31 PM »
This is my crazy Imperial Roman elephant in Britannia. It's a mash-up of many old bits.  Accuracy was not my goal.

http://www.ancientbattles.com/Rome/Roman_Elephant.jpg
JJonas

Offline Burnin Coal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 552
Re: Victrix elephant crew question
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2020, 06:13:11 PM »
This is my crazy Imperial Roman elephant in Britannia. It's a mash-up of many old bits.  Accuracy was not my goal.

 :-* Very nice indeed.....and not exactly a million miles from what I am working on ;)

Offline cadbren

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 125
Re: Victrix elephant crew question
« Reply #12 on: May 04, 2020, 04:48:21 AM »

As an aside....would it be feasible for a Numidian elephant crew to end up in captured Roman chainmail ?
Anything's possible, we are dealing with humans afterall.
That said, chainmail is more likely to go to frontline infantry and cavalry units first as it's most useful for stopping sword strikes, something a person on an elephant is not likely to have to deal with, especially if they're protected by a tower. I think it more likely that the driver would wear armour but I don't think they did.