28mm El Cid Almoravids......

[Happy Wanderer]

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

[OSHIROmodels]

Very good 

cheers

James

[emosbur]

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.

[Happy Wanderer]

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

[emosbur]

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. IŽll search for more info.

[Happy Wanderer]

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

[emosbur]

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.

[emosbur]

And this page is great!!

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


Emilio

[Happy Wanderer]

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

[marcusluis]

Im using the gripping beast plastic arabs for my tiafa soldiers for my Saga C&c stuff..!!

[Happy Wanderer]

...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

[Dewbakuk]

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?

[Happy Wanderer]

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

...then onto the painting...

Happy Wanderer

[Dewbakuk]

cool, and the pic?

[Happy Wanderer]

"cool, and the pic?"

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