Koyote's SAGA Moors & Mutatawwi'a

[Koyote]

As I continue to playtest my Moors/Umayyad, I keep going back and forth on the composition of my warband. 

One of the units that I've been vacillating on is my levy.  Crossbow levy hit harder than bow levy, but it's less costly in SAGA dice for bow levy to shoot multiple times per turn.  Additionally, Umayyad levy cannot be armed with crossbows, so if I use bow levy for my Moors and Umayyad warbands, I will paint 12 fewer models.  And finally, I've found only two manufacturers who sell  28mm Moorish/Arab crossbowmen models, Gripping Beast and Artizan Designs, and I don't care for either.

Both GB an Artizan sell only 4 poses, so a levy unit will be comprised of four groups of triplicate poses.  The Gripping Beast sculpts are uninspiring and the quality of the casts is crap.  Instead of sending the GB models back, I tossed them in my box of purchases that I regret, and ordered the Artizan models.  The quality of the Artizan models is better, but the sculpts are kind of thick and clunky, and after additional consideration, I decided that they don't really fit my Tuareg/Bedouin theme.

After a bit of brainstorming, I realized that I still have quite a few unused Gripping Beast Arab bodies and heads, so if I could find some crossbow bits, I could kitbash my own crossbowmen.  The online bits-sellers don't have what I need, so I broke down and ordered Fireforge Games Foot Sergeant kit.

The Foot Sergeant kit is a great deal.  Its 6 sprues have enough bits to build 48 models (which breaks down to 83 cents per model) with plenty of bits to spare.  Each sprue includes enough bits to arm 4 models with crossbow, 6 models with basic hand weapons, and 6 models with spears.  So even after procuring 12 crossbows to arm my Moorish levy, I have enough models and weapons to make a good start on a Crusader warband.

Originally, I had planned to fill in the recesses of the crossbow bits' quilted armor sleeves with GS to match the smooth texture of Arab plastics' robes, but after looking at the assembled models, I decided that I like the contrast between the quilted sleeves and the smooth robes. 

Below is a WIP shot.

[Codsticker]

It looks like you managed some very natural poses with the two kits- nicely done!
I have some of the Artisan Designs models and although they are  chunky I ike them. I find them very easy to paint,  much like Perry sculpts.

[Koyote]

The decision not to attend the Adepticon tournaments this year really took the wind out of my sails with regards to painting my Moors.  Nevertheless, in between other projects I managed to finish my first unit.

[has.been]

Liking what you are doing. Great work on that unit.
Love the dusty hems.

[Atheling]

Very nice brushwork 

[Sangennaru]

A very simple and identifiable colour scheme, with elegant touches. Love the bases too!

[FreakyFenton]

The decision not to attend the Adepticon tournaments this year really took the wind out of my sails with regards to painting my Moors.  Nevertheless, in between other projects I managed to finish my first unit.

I like the weathering on them! 

Also, who produces these miniatures, if you don't mind me asking? 

[Koyote]

Thank you, everyone.

@FreakyFenton: The models from Footsore Miniatures' Armies of the Caliphate model line. I believe that many of the models in this line were part of Musketeer Miniatures' collection, so they are some of Footsore's older sculpts.  Eleven of the archers are Moorish Black Guard Archers and their leader, the guy wearing the mail shirt, is from the Moorish Black Guard Infantry Command set.  I added a bow to the leader's left hand.

The models have been labeled on Footsore's website as 'Currently Unavailable' for a year or so now.  I messaged Footsore via Facebook to ask if they had plans to sell them again.  I was told that they are in the process of remaking the molds for these models, but if I wanted to buy now, to send them an email, so I did. 

I assume that they used the old molds for my order.  There was a lot of extra flash between their feet and a slight misalignment on a model or two, but otherwise the models arrived in very good shape.

I love Footsore Miniatures. On occasion, I've had problems with miscasts, but they've always provided me with AMAZING customer service.

[Atheling]

Thank you, everyone.

@FreakyFenton: The models from Footsore Miniatures' Armies of the Caliphate model line. I believe that many of the models in this line were part of Musketeer Miniatures' collection, so they are some of Footsore's older sculpts.

Yeah, all Bill Thornhill sculpts from the old Musketeer line (with the possible exception of the Moorish Tribal Warriors which look like they may have had a different sculptor?)

The models have been labeled on Footsore's website as 'Currently Unavailable' for a year or so now.  I messaged Footsore via Facebook to ask if they had plans to sell them again.  I was told that they are in the process of remaking the molds for these models, but if I wanted to buy now, to send them an email, so I did.

That's odd, when I enquired about the range they told me very recently that the range was OOP  . They did offer to cast some up for me with the warning that some of the moulds were cracked and that I would have to do a lot of work on them. I might yet take them up on this offer, the only thing that was putting me off, apart from the extra work, was that they were charging full price and that was at the time where they had the 3 for 2 Dark Ages sale on.

I hope that they get the range remoulded very soon.

One thing is for certain, Bill's Caliphate range is the best out there for 'Arab's/Moors etc. 

[FreakyFenton]

Thank you, everyone.

@FreakyFenton: The models from Footsore Miniatures' Armies of the Caliphate model line. I believe that many of the models in this line were part of Musketeer Miniatures' collection, so they are some of Footsore's older sculpts.  Eleven of the archers are Moorish Black Guard Archers and their leader, the guy wearing the mail shirt, is from the Moorish Black Guard Infantry Command set.  I added a bow to the leader's left hand.

The models have been labeled on Footsore's website as 'Currently Unavailable' for a year or so now.  I messaged Footsore via Facebook to ask if they had plans to sell them again.  I was told that they are in the process of remaking the molds for these models, but if I wanted to buy now, to send them an email, so I did. 

I assume that they used the old molds for my order.  There was a lot of extra flash between their feet and a slight misalignment on a model or two, but otherwise the models arrived in very good shape.

I love Footsore Miniatures. On occasion, I've had problems with miscasts, but they've always provided me with AMAZING customer service.

Thank you for the helpful advice, Koyote!  Not too bad about the molds, so I reckon I will buy some once I finished my current projects. 

[Grumpy Gnome]

Great brushwork! I love your color choices. The kitbashing of those crossbowmen is brilliant, I would not have thought of doing that.

[Koyote]

I finally got around to painting another unit of Umayyads/Moors.

Whether I'm playing them as Umayyads or Moors, the warband will include at least two units of 8 Warriors on foot.  Since both units will be armed with spears and painted using the same palette of colors, I will use their kaffiyehs to distinguish them from one another.  The models in the unit pictured below have their kaffiyehs covering most of their faces. The second unit will have their faces exposed. In SAGA, units can't intermix with one another, but on occasion they can get bunched up, so its useful to be able to easily identify which models belong to which unit.

This warband represents a contingent of Tuareg Berbers.  Unlike their Andalusian cousins who dress in a rainbow of bright colors and patterns like peacocks, my Tuareg are practical, hard-bitten nomad warriors who prefer simple garb made from solid colors.  In keeping with this theme, I chose LBM shield transfers with simple patterns (mostly solid backgrounds) in browns and blacks. The darkest shields had a purple hue, so I darkened them with a black wash.  The unit leader's shield was off-white, so I darkened it with a watered down wash of Agrax Earthshade.

[Atheling]

 

[nikkobourges]

Hello,

Superb paintjob !!!

Nikkobourges

[Hu Rhu]

NIce painting on those miniatures.  I love the muted pallette and your theme for the whole force, so they blend in as an army.