The most versatile wargames army?

[has.been]

I saw an article, many years ago, where it was sugested that you raise a 'Campaign style' Napoleonic army. That is to say all wearing greatcoats (mix of different browns & greys) with oilskin covers on their shakos (again a mix of colours). No pom poms, turnbacks, jackets etc to colour. each regiment would only need the comand base to be swapped and your French become Austrian (or whatever). The article said that if your 'colours' were in their waterproof coverings you wouldn't even need to do that much. Surely this would give you lots of possible enemies?
You could even split your army & let a visitor take half as say French, while you take the other half as Austrian.

[LawnRanger]

Good God MAN!  
   I can think anything worst than a whole army of 400+ figs in great coats how bland is that !   might as well just paint them all black  and say its a night action !

 Mined you some of us like painting and enjoy it we are rare but there is a few of us out here  

Happy gaming best get back to painting LR

[TheBlackCrane]

I like painting. In fact, that's pretty much as far as my armies ever get. Then they have a tendency to be sold before I ever use them so I can start something else. And so it goes.

Mind you, flesh and horses are the bane. One or two horses in 28mm which I can take my time over, fine, but ranks of horses in 15mm...

[LawnRanger]

I don't mind horses in 15mm done a whole mongol army in 19 days was around 200 figs ,black under cost them and  I just CHUCK the browns on them 

[shadowking1957]

Vikings. ancient

German paratroopers

Zombies

[YPU]

victorian british?

Nice one.

[bbtoys333]

I think a bow-armed (generic) steppe nomadic army will be quite versatile. It can be matched against itself as well as enemies from Central/Eastern Europe, Middle East/Iran to China from 300 B.C. to the late 19th century. It can also be used as auxiliaries serving in most of those opponent armies. You can add in some heavy cavalry, musket units, etc. to tailor it as needed. Of course you will need to be able to overlook certain inaccuracies in dress given the generic nature but en masse who can really tell.

[joroas]

Prehistoric tribesmen, they cover the longest period up to the pulp era and Sci-Fi/Fantasy.... 

[maxxon]

victorian british?

Technically yes, but in practice not quite so much because this was also a period of rapid uniform transitions.

E.g. Zulu war British aren't really correct for saving Gordon in Sudan, even though they are separated only by a couple of years.

[Conquistador]

Technically yes, but in practice not quite so much because this was also a period of rapid uniform transitions.

E.g. Zulu war British aren't really correct for saving Gordon in Sudan, even though they are separated only by a couple of years.

Of course that is driven partially by scale - uniform variations are more noticeable in larger figures. Although some details on hats or helmets can be noticeable even in 6 or 3 mm sometimes.

Gracias,

Glenn

[Cubs]

E.g. Zulu war British aren't really correct for saving Gordon in Sudan, even though they are separated only by a couple of years.

Nor are Zululand 1879 suitable for Afghanistan 1879, because the former was scarlet and the latter khaki!

[nic-e]

Ww2 infantry in olive drab with generic markings.provided you aren't too fussy you could go from sci fi victorian to ww1 to sci fi with just a change in hardware.

[Momotaro]

Of course that is driven partially by scale - uniform variations are more noticeable in larger figures. Although some details on hats or helmets can be noticeable even in 6 or 3 mm sometimes.

The Sudan Expedition to relieve Gordon in Khartoum (1884-5) mostly wore grey or khaki, if I remember correctly, and khaki was used in India even earlier.  Scarlet British uniforms were last worn in battle in 1885.

[LawnRanger]

 aint we talking about armies of  200+ figs no just a handful of figures ?

 

[Conquistador]

aint we talking about armies of  200+ figs no just a handful of figures ?

 

Was not specified, "It got me to wondering, what other wargames armies, from any region, period etc, are as versatile? Any army you particularly like having as it lets you fight lots of different opposition?"

I think of armies as being in the middle 100's to low 1000s myself.

Gracias,

Glenn