The ProjectThe idea is to use the
free wargame ruleset
Ravenfeast,
ACIDSHOCK!,
originally designed for Viking skirmishes, to play man-to-man combat in Biblical times! In particular, I'm focussing on the period during the reign of King Saul of Israel: a time of constant warfare between the various peoples inhabiting the land once known as Canaan.
Biblical BackgroundThe Kingdom of Israel, circa 1000 BC.
Since their mass exodus from Egypt and subsequent conquest of Canaan, centuries ago, the "Twelve Tribes" of Israel have lived in a loose confederacy, ruled by warlords known as the
Judges.
Meanwhile, the Philistines, originally "Sea People" from the Aegean, expelled from Egypt by Rameses III, have also made a homeland for themselves in Canaan, along the western coastline, forming the
Pentapolis of Philistia, a confederation of five cities: Gath, Gaza, Aphek, Ekron and Askalon. From there, they began to make incursions into Israelite territory, growing ever stronger, stripping the tribesmen of their weapons and subjugating them beneath Philistine rule.
After decades of oppression, the Israelites cry out to one of their prophets, Samuel, to appoint a king over them. A king to unite the tribes into one strong nation and rise up against their Philistine overlords. Reluctantly, Samuel chooses a man from the tribe of Benjamin: Saul, son of Kish, to be their king. Saul proves an effective warrior, crushing Israel's neighbouring enemies on every border: the Ammonites, Amalekites, Arameans, Moabites and Edomites. He also fights hard against the Philistines, but is never able to hold them back for long.
Among Saul's hand-picked warriors is a young man from the tribe of Judah: David, son of Jesse. Originally a shepherd-boy from Bethlehem, David had entered Saul's court as a musician and song-writer. In those days, the Philistines had absorbed a tribe of gigantic men, the
Anakim -- survivors of an earlier age -- into their Pentapolis. These giants became champions in the Philistine ranks; mighty warriors such as Goliath, Lahmi, Ishbi-benob, Saph and others unnamed. As a reward for defeating Goliath in single-combat, David was given Saul's daughter, Michal, as a wife, and made a commander in Saul's army, where he gained great prestige among the fighting men. There he became close friends with Jonathan, Saul's firstborn son and heir apparent.
However, the prophet Samuel announced that YHWH, the God of Israel, was displeased with Saul and would choose another king in his place. Unbeknownst to Saul, Samuel anointed David as the future king. While David continued to grow in fame and popularity, Saul grew weaker, as his grip on power and sanity dwindled. In time he came to resent David, and attempted to assassinate him on several occassions. With the help of Michal and Jonathan, as well as the High Priest Ahimelech, David fled the Kingdom of Israel as a fugitive and, armed with Goliath's sword, went into hiding in the mountains near the border of Philistia.
During this time of exile, David gathered together a band of four hundred loyal warriors, all of them renegades and outlaws. David and his outlaw band, which grew to six-hundred before long, launched many guerilla raids on the Philistines. But, after being relentlessly hunted down by Saul (who now seemed more concerned about destroying David than his actual enemies), David and his men
joined the Philistines as mercenaries, in return for their protection. As a mercenary, David fought against the Philistines' other nearby foes, the Geshurites, Gezerites and Amalekites, and within a year was made the personal bodyguard of Achish, the Philistine Lord of Gath. When Saul found out David had joined the Philistines, he gave up the pursuit of his nemesis.
Eventually, the Philistines defeated King Saul at the Battle of Gilboa, where Saul, Jonathan, and two more of his sons, were slain. Hearing this news, David left Philistia, returned to Israel, and claimed Saul's crown for himself, by right of his anointing by Samuel. After defeating another claimant to the throne, Ishbosheth (Saul's sole surviving son and heir), David strengthened the monarchy, expanded the kingdom, subdued the Philistines, and wrested the city of Jerusalem from another Canaanite tribe, the Jebusites, which henceforth became his capital and seat of power. In Jerusalem, David began a royal dynasty which would survive four centuries, until the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon, in 587 BC.
The Philistines Raiding bands went out from the camp of the Philistines in three groups.- 1 Samuel 13:17
Here is my Philistine warband; seven warriors including an
Anakim champion (possibly one of Goliath's brothers or cousins).
The Philistines are famous for their colourful kilts, elaborate headgear, and their manufacturing of long
iron swords.
The miniatures are mostly 28mm 'Sea People' from the
Northstar Kadesh range, with a 54mm 'Philistine Warrior' I ordered from a company called 'Tin Skulptures' (based in Ukraine) as the
Anakim.
I'll post up further warbands, and battle reports, as they become available...
27 March 2012, 12:10:54 AM