True Haradrim

[Arthadan]

I was trying to assemble a Tolkien accurate Haradrim warband, so I've done some research:

He came to rest in the fern a few feet away, face downward, green arrow-feathers sticking from his neck below a golden collar. His scarlet robes were tattered, his corslet of overlapping brazen plates was rent and hewn, his black plaits of hair braided with gold were drenched with blood. His brown hand still clutched the hilt of a broken sword.

Also in the same chapter abit earlier:

He could hear plainly the ringing grate of steel on steel, the clang of sword on iron cap, the dull beat of blade on shield; men were yelling and screaming, and one clear loud voice was calling Gondor! Gondor!

They have:
- Gold trinkets.
- Corslets of overlapping brazen plates.
- Braids.
- Iron caps (the quote is Ithilien Rangers fighting Haradrim and the Rangers had no caps and anyway they would be made of steel).
- Steel swords (note that they are not scimitars), bows (those on oliphant) and I would add spears.
- Shields.

So far GW and Mithril have nothing coming closer to this, they both go the easy route idenfiying Haradrim with arabs and giving them turbans.

I'm thinking to make my own mixing plastic sprues but I'm not quite sure what to use.

I guess I could use the Perry Ansar as base:


Then I'd need some heads with braids, heads with iron caps and upper bodies with some sort of corslets of overlapping plates (this is the though part because I don't think a Roman loriga segmentata would do).

Any suggestions?
 

[Garanhir]

Persian scale armour might fit the bill.

[tyrionhalfman]

What about these scale armour bodies? http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=83538.15 not sure they'll tie in with the rest you've got in mind

[Hobgoblin]

- Steel swords (note that they are not scimitars), bows (those on oliphant) and I would add spears.

Remember, though, that scimitars are swords. And Tolkien often uses "sword" to describe a scimitar - the Orcs in The Hobbit use "bent swords" (later described as "scimitars"). And then in Moria we have this:

"Some of the swords were crooked: orc-scimitars with blackened blades".

And, most pertinently, we have this description of the Haradrim from "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields":

"Then he [the chieftain of the Haradrim] was filled with a red wrath and shouted aloud, and displaying his standard, black serpent upon scarlet, he came against the white horse and the green with a great press of men; and the drawing of the scimitars of the Southrons was like a glitter of stars."

So I think it's safe to assume that the Haradrim swords were scimitars (or at least very many of them were).

On another note, don't forget Gollum's description from "The Black Gate is Closed":

"They are fierce. They have black eyes, and long black hair, and gold rings in their ears; yes, lots of beautiful gold. And some have red paint on their cheeks, and red cloaks; and their flags are red, and the tips of their spears; and they have round shields, yellow and black with big spikes. Not nice; very cruel wicked Men they look. Almost as bad as Orcs, and much bigger."

[Arthadan]

Good point about the scimitars, the spiked shields and cloaks.

Maybe a Bronze Age Greek plate armour is the way to go....

[Smith]

They have:
- Gold trinkets.
- Corslets of overlapping brazen plates.
- Braids.
- Iron caps (the quote is Ithilien Rangers fighting Haradrim and the Rangers had no caps and anyway they would be made of steel).
- Steel swords (note that they are not scimitars), bows (those on oliphant) and I would add spears.
- Shields.

It's unhelpful for your kitbashing purposes, but I think the best bet would be Hittites. There's not many ranges (off the top of my head, Warlord, Foundry, Newline), and most don't have much variety in terms of what you'd need - chiefly anything labelled as or intended to be a chariot warrior. They have braids, scale armour and iron caps. Shields are a lock, but swords might be tricky (I can only find a few with a small khopesh or sickle-like sword). Open hands are quite common, though, so it might be viable to pick up a pack or two of Gripping Beast's sword sprues and convert that way.




Moving a little further from your list of elements, but increasing the options, Assyrians would be my personal pick. What ranges there are offer more models with the equipment you're after - scale armour, iron cap etc. - but with the loss of braids, and swords still a tough find (but I'd still go to Gripping Beast for such equipment).



It's historical, rather than more overtly fantastical, but I do think that adding an anachronistic weapon and shield to a historical model, then tying the whole together with a consistent paint job can make for a good 'realistic' (i.e. more Conan, less Warhammer) fantasy figure.

[Hobgoblin]

It's unhelpful for your kitbashing purposes, but I think the best bet would be Hittites. There's not many ranges (off the top of my head, Warlord, Foundry, Newline), and most don't have much variety in terms of what you'd need - chiefly anything labelled as or intended to be a chariot warrior. They have braids, scale armour and iron caps. Shields are a lock, but swords might be tricky (I can only find a few with a small khopesh or sickle-like sword). Open hands are quite common, though, so it might be viable to pick up a pack or two of Gripping Beast's sword sprues and convert that way.

Those look pretty good to me. They also have the advantage of robes (see the description of the dead Haradrim warrior). Also, a khopesh would make a decent glittering Haradrim scimitar ...

[orc]

I'm agree with Smith, I think the Hitites are the best choice, Miniature Design Studio has some nice minis, take a look : http://www.miniaturefigurines.co.uk/Catalogue.aspx?ScaleID=19&CategoryID=54&SubCategoryID=275, and I guess Khurasan use the Hitites as a reference to his "Evil men of the East", Great selection of miniatures in 15mm scale: http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/evil-men-king-nobles.jpg

[Emir of Askaristan]

I like the look of Smith's Hittites, the braid and scale are spot on. But they feel a little "early".

My own thoughts was always that the Haradrim were always like the Arab or Muslim empires of North Africa and the Middle East.

Maybe now that the association between Minas Tirith and Ravenna is clearer, from Tolkiens own annotate map, perhaps Sassanids or Kwarismians might be a better historical resource. You have the scale armour and the Mumakil covered, but not so much the braids ....perhaps a Central Asian Turkic inspiration there, Seljuks perhaps?

[Arthadan]

Gripping Beast has some Arab heavy cavalry which could have fitted the bill if the detail had been better:



This Perry Muslim unmounted heavy cavalry look good, but there are just a couple miniatures with overlapping plate armour:


I may get some "naked" bodies (I'm cosidering Wargames Factory's Zulus or Celts) and give it a go sculpting the armour. So far I'd like something like this GW Wood Elf:



After all you comments I'm picturing them with an armour like that (the Hitites seem to be too long restraining movement), the round spiked shields and curved swords, long hair and braids, probably beardless (Gollum does remark the long hair but no beards), with lots of gold trinkets (earrings, collars, bracelets...) and some of them with iron caps and cloaks.

- Curved swords: from Gripping Beast arab heavy cavalry plastic set (I'd try to get some second hand ones from somebody who has mounted his horsemen as archers or lancers).
- Round shields: easy to get, will sculpt a central spike.
- Hair, braids, armour, trinkets: all sculpted.I may try to press mould some of my GW High Elves scale armour.

Now I have to ponder if I have the time for all that...

P.S. I've just remembered these guys. A bit chunky and just one looks right though.

[Arthadan]

Searching the net for inspiration about the robes, I've stumbled upon this:



She would made a perfect Southron woman, I think. Gold trinkets, curved sword, red robes, braid... If I only could sculpt better!

[Paboook]

I know these are not absolutely "tolkienized" but I tried to do my best Most of the riders still need scimitars, but I have only swords in my bit-box unfortunately.





The original GW figures look like this:







Few of the GW models fit to the true image of Haradrim quite nicely. This chieftan has even trinkets in his hair!



I also like the old Suladan miniature.



Peter Jackson went little bit too far for my taste, but it could have been even worse. Weta consider Pacific Islands natives style at the beginning.

[Arthadan]

Pabook they look great, but I'm after something more "realistic".

I'll have soon something to show here, a very tall Haradan (singular for Haradrim I think) champion.

[FramFramson]

Searching the net for inspiration about the robes, I've stumbled upon this:



She would made a perfect Southron woman, I think. Gold trinkets, curved sword, red robes, braid... If I only could sculpt better!

Good news for you then: http://www.figone.fr/en/lharm-sheod-guerriere-orientale/

[Arthadan]

She would have a hard time walking with those two massive scabards there. Pity...

Now, do you remeber the Indiana Jones scene with the tall guy with a sword (yes, the famous pistol scene).

Well, I give you the Haradrim equivalent!


It's a cheap prepainted plastic miniature of the LotR games released by sabertooth Games way back. I have repositioned his arms, add a Mithril shield and (enlarged) scabbard and added some volume to the top of his iead as well (it was way too flat). The blade is made of a completely innapropiate kind of plastic as I have run out plasticard and my local store had none yesterday.

The result is a tall, impossing warrior. I think it works well enough. Now, I know the shield should be round and spiked, but since he's a champion I'm ok with a fancy shield to make him stand out even more.