Recent posts

#11

Ancient and Medieval History / Re: Sforza Castle tunnels insp...

Last post by DBS - May 30, 2025, 05:14 AM

Ah, dear Ludovico the Moor, a man who made Machiavelli seem plain dealing...

#12

Ancient and Medieval History / Sforza Castle tunnels inspired...

Last post by Imperial Dave - May 30, 2025, 04:48 AM

https://www.wionews.com/trending/leonardo-da-vinci-painting-secret-tunnels-italian-castle-1748314075573

Fascinating

#13

Ancient and Medieval History / The fall of Constantinople

Last post by Imperial Dave - May 30, 2025, 04:45 AM

https://greekreporter.com/2025/05/29/may-29-1453-constantinople-fell/

The true end of the Ancient period....

#14

Ancient and Medieval History / Re: Apocryphal accoutrements

Last post by Jon Freitag - May 09, 2024, 12:22 PM

Perhaps a cloak is a sculptor's expedient for covering a lot of details that would otherwise be visible on an uncloaked figure?

#15

Ancient and Medieval History / Re: Apocryphal accoutrements

Last post by Erpingham - May 09, 2024, 12:07 PM

An interesting question. Warriors with cloaks certainly appear in early medieval art.  Whether that means that men fought in cloaks is a more complicated question.  Not based on any deep statistical analysis - more impressions gained - taking Frankish and AS art, I'd say

• most cloaked figures are not fighting, they are standing around or travelling
• Cavalry are more likely to be cloaked
• Cloaked figures may be picked out so as to show the hero of the tale e.g. in a bible.

This art is heavily influenced by late antique conventions and, therefore, how true it is to contemporary practice must be considered with caution. However, being strictly accurate, I suspect it means my Early Medieval armies have too many cloaked infantry 

[light cloaks]

#16

Ancient and Medieval History / Re: Apocryphal accoutrements

Last post by Duncan Head - May 09, 2024, 09:25 AM

Polybios on Telamon:

The Insubres and Boii wore their trousers and light cloaks, but the Gaesatae had discarded these garments ... But when the javelineers advanced, as is their usage, from the ranks of the Roman legions and began to hurl their javelins in well-aimed volleys, the Celts in the rear ranks indeed were well protected by their trousers and cloaks ...

#17

Ancient and Medieval History / Apocryphal accoutrements

Last post by Imperial Dave - May 09, 2024, 08:51 AM

Doing research...as you do...for a project, I do get side tracked to a degree when I ponder some things that strike me with regards to such things as wargaming figures and how they are depicted. For instance, having done and still doing LOADS of Dark Age projects in various scales, I am struck by how many figures are depicted with things like cloaks. Ok, so whats wrong with cloaks I hear you ask? For me, its the fact that when fighting, the very last thing you will want to have is a full length cloak flapping around your arms, body and legs. Having done reenactment, I can attest to the 'drop everything' and fight philosophy. I just wonder why figure manufacturers persist in decking out a high proportion of figures with such clothing items as cloaks for their 'battle poses'

anyhoo, rabbit hole averted for now. I will use what figures I have with or without cloaks but more interested to see what the inspiration for these things are when it comes to sculpting figures etc

#18

Army Research / Re: Indonesian & Malay - Javan...

Last post by stevenneate - Apr 10, 2024, 02:39 AM

Mine were from Outpost, but don't think they are trading anymore.

#19

Army Research / Re: Indonesian & Malay - Javan...

Last post by CarlL - Apr 09, 2024, 11:19 PM

"ancientone"

there is a 15mm Hawaiin range that may be useful at bottom of this long pages and boats near top and bottom that might be useful.
see http://www.spanglefish.com/mickyarrowminiatures/index.asp?pageid=188024
and info on mail / prices here
http://www.spanglefish.com/mickyarrowminiatures/index.asp?pageid=718238
and more info re possible usefulness here
http://www.spanglefish.com/mickyarrowminiatures/index.asp?pageid=716180

CarlL

#20

Army Research / Re: Indonesian & Malay - Javan...

Last post by Martin Smith - Apr 09, 2024, 08:27 PM

Hello All ........I have looked on the web for figure makers but found nothing so far ,for looking to doing a DBA army of Javanese ? Anyone know of figure maker

I have some of these (from when Tony Barr, East Riding Miniatures used to sell them). Lovely models and full of character.