Wargames Atlantic Samurai for Sengoku Jidai

[jon_1066]

So I finally ordered a nice big box of the new grand battle scale ashigaru, samurai and command.  I will use this thread to record my efforts and remind myself what I’ve done should I want to add to it in the future.

I’ve started clipping and have hit the first known issue with the yari ashigaru.  The five men blocks are virtually impossible to remove without breaking the delicate spears.  It’s a difficult balance between making them hold telegraph poles but these are just too thin.

My solution is to cut them off and replace with metal bristles from a wire brush.  A 0.5 mm drill bit is fine enough to drill out the hands and even down the yari between the hands. 

I’ve decided to base the figures for sonae based battles.  Each sonae would be a mix of yari ashigaru, missile troops, samurai foot and horse.  Cavalry would be typically accompanied by their retainers to carry weapons and help fight.  So my basing is going to be my usual magnetic sheet and revolve around my existing 100 by 50 mm steel sabots.

Missile troops will be on 50 by 20.  The will not be attached to the sabot as they will help show the stance of the sonae.  At the front then it’s focussed on shooting.  To the sides in support and to the rear and its a push of pike.

The yari ashigaru will also be on 50 by 20.  They will form the front if the sabot.  Inspired by the Takeda screen they will have no sashimono.  This also means they can be used for any clan.

The foot and horse samurai will be on 30 by 30.  Two foot and a command stand will make up the rear rank if the sabot.  The samurai will be one of four generic sashimono colours - white, red, yellow and black.  The command stands will have the banners and sashimono of particular clans and individual commanders.  The command stands and generic samurai can be swapped out for particular clans and specific battles.

The horse samurai will not be attached to the sabot so they can also help show the stance of the sonae by their position.  Each 30 by 30 will have 1 Samurai and two retainers from the individual ashigaru.

So it should still have the colour and spectacle but be fleible that I can do most of the battles of Oda Nabunaga, Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin and Tokugawa Ieyasu (pre Sekigahara)

[fred]

Looking forward to seeing pictures - these big bases of small troops should look impressive.

Your basing sounds flexible but also complex. Do you think that you will need the flexibility, are you expecting to paint up lots of command stands that you can swap in and out?

I'd also check that the 30mm bases are wide enough for the Samurai strips - I've not got mine in front of me, but I think that some are nearer 40mm wide.

The Ashigaru with yari sound a right pain - glad mine are metal ones from Pendraken!

[jon_1066]

The 5 men bases are just under 30 mm so will fit.

My plan is to paint the command stands and extra Samurai cavalry for the four clans above plus some Hojo and a couple of minor clans.  I’m converting some of the Ashigaru and the excess samurai archers to flag bearers.  All told I should be able to field up to 34 sonae with about 15 from any one clan.

[Sakuragi Miniatures]

Banners and flags for that many soldiers should give it that epic feel of a battle!

[jon_1066]

Banners and flags for that many soldiers should give it that epic feel of a battle!

I hope so.  Some 0.5 mm brass rod arrived today so I can make more flags and sashimono.  My plan is to print out the banners on a laser printer and fix them to some fabricated poles.  Should be able to make nobori, nagarebata and uma jirushi as well as clan and individual samurai sashimono.  There are really only nobori in the command pack.

[jon_1066]

First test ashigaru done.  They are extremely quick to paint, sprayed black then dry brush grey with skin, weapon, belts etc picked out

[jon_1066]

Proof of concept for the mounted samurai:



The idea is one mounted samurai accompanied by his retainers in the form of two ashigaru.  I will put a spear man with the mounted archers and swordsmen and a bow ashigaru with the yari armed cavalry.  For the second ashigaru I have the individual gunners as here, some foot samurai and some Pendraken ashigaru with naginata I can use.

[SJWi]

Hi Jon.  Can you tell me the width of the various bases in the pack as I'm thinking of buying them and want to size my units. Thanks

[jon_1066]

The five wide are 29.5 mm

Three wide 18 mm

Double 12 mm

Singles vary 7-9 mm

[jon_1066]

Test of concept for the sonae formations:

Norikomi:  Cavalry make probing attacks


Ryogakari: Missile troops to the for


Yarigarami: Attack leading with the yari ashigaru


Yaribusuma: Defensive wall of spears


Need to paint and flock the bases but I'm pretty happy with the concept.