*

Recent Topics

Author Topic: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......  (Read 7567 times)

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« on: 30 November 2014, 12:15:06 PM »
Gents,

Getting the blogging bug back a bit I'm posting up my efforts putting together a 28mm Almoravid/Almohades army suited to the time of El Cid.

I'm going to chronicle some thoughts and ideas around this period and the collecting of an army for this time. Focusing on getting the army up and running, but also touching on rules ideas and aspects of the period that are related to gaming the period as Skirmish games, using rules such as Lion Rampant and Dux Brittaniarum, as well as more ambitious battles using Hail Caesar.

Feel free to pop on over for a look if you feel so inclined.

Cheers

Happy Wanderer

http://agrabbagofgames.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/medieval-spain-in-time-of-el-cid.html


« Last Edit: 30 November 2014, 12:27:13 PM by Happy Wanderer »

Offline OSHIROmodels

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Elder God
  • *
  • Posts: 28259
  • Custom terrain a speciality.
    • Oshiro modelterrain
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #1 on: 30 November 2014, 01:03:02 PM »
Very good  :)

cheers

James

Offline emosbur

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 528
    • A COVA DO TRASNO
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #2 on: 30 November 2014, 01:32:15 PM »
Very nice!! But remeber when doing your berbers, that almoravids came from the deep desert, and the almohades where a urban culture, so their dress is different. No veils for the almohades, neither blue tunics. Stripped tunics as north africans for them.


Emilio.

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #3 on: 30 November 2014, 01:38:31 PM »
Hi Emilio,

That is interesting. I don't think I'm going to have the luxury of painting two armies but I plan on doing a predominantly Almoravid (dark blur Berbers) El Cid era troops and others in white tunics which will double up for a good many Arab types around that time. They will be able to step in as Almohades as you say for the later period, though I won't be to fussy about dark blue coat Almoravid/Almohades types interchanging in the mid 12th century.

Do you have any references for cloth colourings of the Almohades being urban dweller, etc?

Cheers

Happy Wanderer
« Last Edit: 02 December 2014, 01:54:06 AM by Happy Wanderer »

Offline emosbur

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 528
    • A COVA DO TRASNO
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #4 on: 30 November 2014, 03:37:10 PM »
You can check OSPREY books and the old WRG books. I would say that north africans used mainly whites, offwhites, beiges and light browns, with vertical stripes. You can add some blues and reds. I think that there is a typical moroccan red die. I´ll search for more info.

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #5 on: 01 December 2014, 08:04:21 AM »
Gents,

The second post in the Almoravid project...this time we review some figures to use for the El Cid period Berbers.

Cheers

Happy Wanderer

http://agrabbagofgames.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/berber-figures.html


Offline emosbur

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 528
    • A COVA DO TRASNO
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #6 on: 01 December 2014, 03:04:12 PM »
Hi

Check this:

http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=339517


There are from XIII century, but northafrican muslim dress is the same. In the Cid era, andalusians probably dressed very similar to christians. Andalusian heavy cavalry was similar to spanish one, but with round shields, flags with coranic script, and arab decorations.

More resources:

http://warfare.likamva.in/Spain.htm

Hope is useful for you.

Offline emosbur

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 528
    • A COVA DO TRASNO
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #7 on: 01 December 2014, 03:07:30 PM »
And this page is great!!

http://www.warfare.uhostfull.com/Beatus.htm


Emilio

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #8 on: 01 December 2014, 08:31:27 PM »
Hi Emilio,

Thanks for the links. The utility of the Christian and Andalusian figures is key to the versatility of getting many opponents out of one paint job! I intend on fearlessly mixing and matching figures from one army to another in the spirit of the times, so building a couple of opposing forces means you can be essentially building ONE large army as well....which is part of the plan  ;)

The Almoravids are probably the most distinct 'own army' and getting them painted up will be priority number one. After that adding Taifa Andalusian and Christian types is virtually painting the same army, with some distinct variations to suit. The WAB El Cid book very nicely covers the painting details of the three respective armies and I think you can say there is a fair amount of latitude one can have for each individual's own interpretation of these forces.

Happy W
« Last Edit: 01 December 2014, 09:47:46 PM by Happy Wanderer »

Offline marcusluis

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 430
    • marcos painting blog
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #9 on: 01 December 2014, 11:46:24 PM »
Im using the gripping beast plastic arabs for my tiafa soldiers for my Saga C&c stuff..!!

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #10 on: 02 December 2014, 12:17:32 AM »
...well you'll want to see the next post as I am going to kit bash the Arab Saracens and you'll probably be doing the same thing!  ;)

Happy W


Offline Dewbakuk

  • Administrator
  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 5775
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #11 on: 02 December 2014, 09:49:07 AM »
They do look good in blue. Where is the pic from, I couldn't find it on your blog?

So, where is the Saracen kit bash then? ;)
So many projects..... so little time.......

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #12 on: 02 December 2014, 09:53:09 AM »

...Saracen to Berber kit bash to come in a couple of days when I get it all together  ;)

...then onto the painting...

Happy Wanderer

Offline Dewbakuk

  • Administrator
  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 5775
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #13 on: 02 December 2014, 10:06:45 AM »
cool, and the pic?

Offline Happy Wanderer

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 918
Re: 28mm El Cid Almoravids......
« Reply #14 on: 02 December 2014, 10:09:48 AM »
"cool, and the pic?"

...I've knocked a few minis up as you can see!....but I'll get to that bit  :-X

 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
2 Replies
1860 Views
Last post 23 April 2012, 06:02:57 PM
by TWD
35 Replies
7301 Views
Last post 23 February 2013, 07:09:50 PM
by Paul
34 Replies
7455 Views
Last post 14 February 2016, 09:14:01 PM
by Hu Rhu
7 Replies
1418 Views
Last post 21 May 2025, 02:13:19 PM
by Rogerc
0 Replies
220 Views
Last post 19 August 2025, 01:18:08 PM
by OB