6 Army DBA Crusades project

[paulr]

I'm considering building 6 DBA 3.0 armies covering the Early Crusades

The DBA yahoo group has suggested the following armies:

3/66 FATAMID EGYPTIAN 696-1171AD
3/74b RUM 1063-1276AD (Seljuq Turkish)
4/1 KOMNENAN BYZANTINE  1071-1142AD
4/2 CILICIAN ARMENIAN 1071-1375AD
4/6 SYRIAN 1092-1286AD
4/7 CRUSADER 1096-1228AD

The plan is to use the armies for both DBA and BBDBA in various combinations covering a wide range of troop types.

I'm interested in feed back from the forum on the list of armies and what Pendraken figures they would suggest for each army.

The alternative appears to involve the number 15 rather than 10
Essex 15mm DBA army packs

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Several of the gentleman have successful built similar armies, Nik, Forbes, Ronan et al.

[FierceKitty]

Start off by getting Ian Heath's book so you know what you're looking for. Then trawl the Pendraken, Irregular Miniatures, Magister Militum, Kallistra, Copplestone, and TB sites. It's all there.

[SV52]

No help but plenty of encouragement, I did the same thing with six dark age armies in 1/72 / 20mm.  After a while they all start to look the same, soldier on!

[nikharwood]

Several of the gentleman have successful built similar armies, Nik, Forbes, Ronan et al.

Here's mine (for WMA)

Crusaders:
http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,4706.0.html

Salah Ah-Din:
http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,3086.0.html

I'll try and dig out the figure-order list...

[fred.]

Pendraken certainly does the core figures for this era.

For the Saracens
Dark Ages Arabs http://www.pendraken.co.uk/Dark-Ages-c10/Arab-sc33/
And slightly strangely the Colonial Sudan range can help too http://www.pendraken.co.uk/Colonial-c16/SudanEgypt-1882-85-sc98/


For the crusaders:
Dark Ages Normans http://www.pendraken.co.uk/Dark-Ages-c10/Norman-sc34/
European Mid-Medival http://www.pendraken.co.uk/Medieval-c11/European-Mid-Medieval-sc38/
And to a lesser extent
Late Medieval http://www.pendraken.co.uk/Medieval-c11/European-Late-Medieval-sc37/

And as FK says there are plenty of options from other manufacturers that scale with Pendraken.

As to precisely what you need for the DBA lists, I can't help with that.

[FierceKitty]

You realise that your chosen era doesn't let you use Saladin, Richard, Baibars, St Louis, the Mongols, or as far as I know the Assassins or the Knights Templar and Hospitaller?

[Leman]

But despite that I see that 6 armies have been recommended for the 1099 Crusade - always my favourite crusading period.

[Ithoriel]

1st Crusade always seemed more interesting than the 3rd to me.

I have fond memories of a First Crusade campaign played using SPI's Crusades board game but with battles fought using WRG rules. Back in the days when no-one batted an eyelid at Byzantine armies composed of Norman figures and Muslim armies mainly composed of Ottoman and Mahdist figures!

[Leman]

I have fond memories of Duncan's book, 'A Knight in Armour.' Riproaring  read and the "hero" is a total dimwit.

[paulr]

Thanks all for the advice and support

FK
I will definitely be consulting Ian Heath's book
I need to do some reading on the history before I finalise which of the Crusades. I'm not focused on any particular individuals and I suspect that the painting will be less challenging for the earlier crusades.

Nik
The figure-order list would be very useful

Fred
Thanks for some useful suggestions

[nikharwood]

Nik
The figure-order list would be very useful

Found it...so Warmaster Medieval lists & Pendraken codes:

Kingdom of Jerusalem (995):
Lord (125)
2 Nobles (160)
2 Crusader Knights (220)
2 Sergeants (140)
2 Crossbowmen (110)
4 Infantry (240)

2 x EMM1 Mtd Men at Arms
2 x EMM2 Mtd Sergeants
1 x EMM3 Foot command
4 x EMM4 Spearmen
1 x EMM5 Billmen
1 x EMM7 Crossbowmen
1 x ELM10 Crossbowmen
1 x ELM38 Mtd Generals


Army of Salah Ah-Din (1010):
General (Salah Ah-Din) (150)
2 Leaders (160)
2 Faris (230)
2 Turkish Horse Archers (120)
2 Archers (80)
6 Spearmen (270)

1 x AB1 Command
6 x AB2 Spearmen
2 x AB3 Archers
2 x AB7 Horse Archers
1 x AB8 Medium Cavalry
1 x AB9 Heavy Cavalry

(oh and 4 x ELM 41 Siege Tower & 1 x PS15 Arab Tents)

[paulr]

Thanks Nik, very handy to see the figures on mass and to know codes

I'm tempted by the First Crusade at the moment for the less uniform look but am thinking about the Third due to the better known personalities 

[nikharwood]

You're welcome

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Go first, you can have a divinely inspired goose as a general!