I have been looking for a new 15mm Scale Project to run along side my (always) ongoing Thirty Years War and English Civil War 15mm scale Armies, by 18th Century Great Northern War Armies and my War of the Roses 28mm army.
So where has my eye settled, Romania. Or more precisely Wallachia circa, 1460 and the infamous Vlad III, Tepes “Vlad the Impaler” . Now this guy really had"a mean streak a mile wide". When he wasn't slaughtering his own nobles (Boyars) he was picking fights with the much bigger and more powerful Ottoman Empire. A fascinating and mysterious characher he deserves an article all to himself but my purpose here is to to talk about the army I am trying to build around this character to use in my frequent forays in to table top wargaming.
So where has my eye settled, Romania. Or more precisely Wallachia circa, 1460 and the infamous Vlad III, Tepes “Vlad the Impaler” . Now this guy really had"a mean streak a mile wide". When he wasn't slaughtering his own nobles (Boyars) he was picking fights with the much bigger and more powerful Ottoman Empire. A fascinating and mysterious characher he deserves an article all to himself but my purpose here is to to talk about the army I am trying to build around this character to use in my frequent forays in to table top wargaming.
I have a later Medieval Polish army which I have been using with mixed success (ahem). This has given me an appetite for the colourful and varied Eastern European armies with their mix of Western European style armoured, Chivalric Knights and the lighter, composite bow armed cavalry so favoured by Muslim and eastern armies.
My cautious nature does not lend itself well to using Cavalry heavy armies effectively but it is challenging being outside my comfort zone. (Give me a shield wall on a hill and I’m happy).
So where to start? Well to begin with was the army list. My Ordero f Battle. I am basing it for the excellent Impetus Rules by Dadi & Piambo. They have a list for an army of this period together with options for Hungarian allies. I have browsed the list and got an idea of the core units I need. Basically, heavy cavalry, medium bow armed cavalry and light horse.
Next is finding the miniatures. Well Essex Miniatures (http://www.essexminiatures.co.uk/) are always a good start because of their comprehensive catalogue; however Donnington Miniatures (http://www.donnington-mins.co.uk/) also have some excellent Eastern European figures including Voynuks and even “impaled victims” which I just couldn’t resist.
So where to start? Well to begin with was the army list. My Ordero f Battle. I am basing it for the excellent Impetus Rules by Dadi & Piambo. They have a list for an army of this period together with options for Hungarian allies. I have browsed the list and got an idea of the core units I need. Basically, heavy cavalry, medium bow armed cavalry and light horse.
Next is finding the miniatures. Well Essex Miniatures (http://www.essexminiatures.co.uk/) are always a good start because of their comprehensive catalogue; however Donnington Miniatures (http://www.donnington-mins.co.uk/) also have some excellent Eastern European figures including Voynuks and even “impaled victims” which I just couldn’t resist.
I havegot the core of figures to start building the force; a camp and a few units of Light Horse and Medium Cavalry. However now I want to start collecting information on the dress and uniforms of the troops to make sure I can give the army the right “feel”. This, I have to admit I am struggling with. Getting hold of the information on the armies from this region is proving difficult, especially in English. The problems being that if you Google anything about Wallachia in the 1460’s you get nothing but pages and pages on Vlad himself and not his army.
Osprey do a book on Hungarian army of the period which is of use and I have found a war gamer in Glasgow that has just completed and similar army so I have contacted him for tips. I may have to wait until Fiasco (the Leeds Wargaming Show) in October and get some more resource books from the traders there.
The first unit to model and paint will be the camp. I’ve opted to go with Baueda (http://www.baueda.com/) who do excellent resin tents. I have ordered one Ottoman Turk Tent and another Western European style tent. I’ll mount these on a large base and surround these with the impaled victim miniatures I got from Donnington. I appreciate it won’t be exactly Historically accurate but I think it will help to give the army that east-meets-west feel I’m looking for. The impaled figures will give it a lovely morbid, appearance leaving the observer no doubt whose camp it is!
I will post pictures once each unit is completed and keep updating regarding the project. I the mean time, any comments or tips on where I can get information on a medieval Wallachian Armies would be greatly appreciated.
Osprey do a book on Hungarian army of the period which is of use and I have found a war gamer in Glasgow that has just completed and similar army so I have contacted him for tips. I may have to wait until Fiasco (the Leeds Wargaming Show) in October and get some more resource books from the traders there.
The first unit to model and paint will be the camp. I’ve opted to go with Baueda (http://www.baueda.com/) who do excellent resin tents. I have ordered one Ottoman Turk Tent and another Western European style tent. I’ll mount these on a large base and surround these with the impaled victim miniatures I got from Donnington. I appreciate it won’t be exactly Historically accurate but I think it will help to give the army that east-meets-west feel I’m looking for. The impaled figures will give it a lovely morbid, appearance leaving the observer no doubt whose camp it is!
I will post pictures once each unit is completed and keep updating regarding the project. I the mean time, any comments or tips on where I can get information on a medieval Wallachian Armies would be greatly appreciated.
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