Golgotha's Ancients - Persians and Macedonians - Art of Battle

 Herewith, some Persians and Macedonians including Alexander the Great. Miniatures by Zvezda, see: http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=336 and http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=516. 

The miniatures came in a box set wargame by Zvezda called Art of Battle, see: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/15205/battles-alexander-great. This box contains a rather incredible seven sets of miniatures. I have as yet not played the rules but will give them a bash, despite their obvious failings, one being the translation from Russian. I manged to pick this box up very cheap on ebay so could not resist. 

• 37 Macedonian Phalanx
• 17 Macedonian Cavalry
• 45 Greek Infantry
• 42 Persian Infantry
• 16 Persian Cavalry and 2 Chariots
• 2 War Elephants - these in particular are very impressive. 

These are still a work in progress, but are largely complete, still need to paint the Persian mounted but their horses are done. The spear/lance weapons are very fragile on these miniatures so I replaced them with brush bristles. Whilst then not as detailed they are more suitable for wargame purposes. I also removed the scythes from the chariot as accounts to what these would have looked like are sorely missing and they would certainly have used non scythed chariots as well. Given the size of the chariots I also decided on three crew members using the additional crew member from the infantry set - an archer. 

See also: https://frictionbmcminiatures.blogspot.com/2020/

In particular I am happy with the way Alexander the Great came out, I have painted him largely inline with the Osprey artwork, though I painted his horse, Bucephalus (meaning ox head) black to match historical accounts. 

Golgotha's Ancients - Sea Peoples

 Herewith, some Ancient Sea Peoples, also known as Sherden and Philistines, ideal as both allies and enemies to my Ancient Egyptians, Hittites and Hebrews. Miniatures by HaT, see: http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=565 

I would love to make a ship for them given the inspiring Osprey artwork and Egyptian hieroglyphics showing naval conflicts. See: https://ospreypublishing.com/sea-peoples-of-the-bronze-age-mediterranean-c-1400-bc-1000-bc

Rameses III Defeating the Sea Peoples

Have four units of twelve miniatures, will be making movement trays for them, miniatures are individually based to maximise flexibility and various rule systems. 

Golgotha's Colonial - Chief with Witch Doctors

 Herewith, some Colonial miniatures, an African chief with his entourage of witch doctors. These repurposed miniatures are actually from an Easter Ireland board game called Giants, and are ideal for 1/72, see a review of the game here: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/38862/giants

I picked the game up at The Works for £10, it is a rather interesting game. The chief is larger than most 1/72 miniatures and the witch doctors are smaller so ideal really given the personages. Shown here are two Ruga Ruga Miniatures by HaT for a sense of scale. 

See: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=126461.0

This one is carrying some bananas. Very powerful magick.

The chief is very happy about his new home, see: https://frictionbmcminiatures.blogspot.com/2020/08/golgothas-terrain-huts.html

 

Golgotha's WWI and Colonial - Ruga-Ruga

 Herewith, some Ruga-Ruga, for WWI and Colonial wargaming. An ideal auxiliary irregular force, particularly useful are the bearers. These are by HaT Miniatures, can see them being great for Darkest Africa and Congo like games as well, see: http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1786

Golgotha's WWI Colonial - German Schutztruppe

Herewith, some German Schutztruppe (English translation: Protection Force). Miniatures by HaT. See: http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1784. These are ideal for both WW1 (South West Africa and East Africa) as well as colonial. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_von_Lettow-Vorbeck

See: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=126461.0

Here is a great map for potentially wargaming the Battle of Tanga, also known as the battle of the bees.

See what this chap did for the Battle of Tanga 1914, http://historyin172.blogspot.com/2019/05/battle-of-tanga-1914.html

The HMS Fox which took part in the bombardment, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Fox_(1893)

Whilst on the topic of ships it is also worth considering https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Liemba 

and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_K%C3%B6nigsberg_(1905) 

and this excellent article on her guns: 

https://www.stanleyville.be/documents/The%20Guns%20of%20the%20SMS%20K%C3%B6nigsberg.pdf

See a board game of the battle of Tanga, https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/16332/battle-tanga-1914

See also, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tanga

and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ngomano

and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_von_Prince

and https://agrabbagofgames.wordpress.com/2016/04/16/the-germans-1885-1890s/ - this is an excellent wargame specific article/website includes also useful links. 

See relatively good book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Warfare-German-South-West-Africa-1884-1915-ebook/dp/B008BU2LLW

Great for Colonial German uniforms see: http://www.germancolonialuniforms.co.uk/

This blog has some great ideas for wargaming German Colonial engagements, see: http://germancolonialgaming.blogspot.com/

Similarly see: https://agrabbagofgames.wordpress.com/2016/04/16/the-germans-1885-1890s/

 

See: D, Pizzo, To Devour the Land of Mkwawa : Colonial Violence and the German-Hehe War in East Africa, Chapel Hill 2007 – available here: https://docplayer.net/49894164-To-devour-the-land-of-mkwawa-colonial-violence-and-the-german-hehe-war-in-east-africa-c-david-pizzo.html

 

Some fantastic Colonial German photographs are available here: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/german-east-africa-now.html

Image from: https://www.deviantart.com/dasirishkaiser/art/Battle-of-Tanga-812187094