Thought I'd put a Crusades post up

[James (olicana) Roach]

The Crusades has always held a fascination for me, but until the Perry stuff came out I could never decide between 1st (+2nd) Crusade and the 3rd Crusade. This lovely range of figures decided it for me. They have also given me some of the best war games I’ve ever had – it’s the different tactics (East Vs West)  playing out against each other.

Harran 1104 – The Turkish army is entirely mounted. Both sides have laid an ambush.

The Turkish cavalry is awsome.

But you need lots of horse archers……

To whittle down the Christian heavy infantry.

You might notice that the cavalry are on very big bases – 60mm wide and 90mm deep. The depth allows the heavy cavalry to be staggered with 4 and 5 figures per base (even split) so that it looks like two jumbled, charging ranks. It was an experiment that worked exceptionally well (IMHO).

 

 

 

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

[Henry Hyde]

C’est magnifique! I’m just laying out a piece for the magazine about the Crusades, prompted by the new SAGA book The Crescent & The Cross

Editor, Battlegames
http://battlegames.co.uk
Battlegames on Patreon
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Author, The Wargaming Compendium
http://amzn.to/leWoNO

[James (olicana) Roach]

Need any piccies, Henry? Actually you should already have a few on file. Check out MW 309, 311 and 319. They’re mine.

BTW: Following the success of those rules / articles (I believe you don’t have hard copy any more and people still want them) would you be interested in something similar – for the Italian Wars. They are called Hell Broke Loose and I have already sought and received permissions from Piquet Inc. for magazine publication. Take a gander at the Ager Sanguinis stuff and let me know. My email is in the side bar of my blog page.

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

[Cameronian]

Wow!  That is impressive.  great work on the figures too.

'The time has come" The walrus said. "To talk of many things: Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--Of cabbages--and kings--And why the sea is boiling hot--And whether pigs have wings."

[Henry Hyde]

James, the answer is “yes” of course. I’m putting MWBG377 to bed this week, but give me a prod next week and I’ll take a look through everything. I believe you already have my email address.

Editor, Battlegames
http://battlegames.co.uk
Battlegames on Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/battlegames
Author, The Wargaming Compendium
http://amzn.to/leWoNO

[James (olicana) Roach]

Wilco

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

[Mick Sayce]

Seen those pics before but still inspirational if only for the nice bright colours. Good stuff, James.

Blog at : http://thewordsofsubedai.blogspot.co.uk/

[Allen Campbell]

Beautiful looking game and figures.

[Jay Dance]

Wow, fantastic looking forces!! How long did it take to get it all done?

FFF

 

[James (olicana) Roach]

It took from May 2008 to April 2009. I did ongoing project reports on my blog:

http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Crusades%20Project

In that time I painted a little over 600 infantry and a little over 400 cavalry. Somehow that doesn’t seem right but it must be, I’ve just checked. It must have been all the chain mail that made them quick.

When they were done I was quite a happy man. Now I wish I’d painted a few hundred more.

The forces of Islam

The Armenian Princeling

The Crusaders

Saracen baggage

Christian baggage

And a band – it’s rock ‘n’ roll, baby.

 

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

[warren coleman]

James,

Your blog is and has been for such a long time a massive inspiration to me (and a massive source of envy!).  Because of your fantastic results I now have a very large Late Carthaginian Army (I’m waiting on my Romans from the West Wind Kickstarter) and a large Italian Wars Army but in 15mm.

Seeing these pictures again make me want to do early crusades, damn you!!! I mean bless you and thanks lol! (although I am sure my wife would emphasize the first comment! ;-))

Please keep up the inspirational work

[James (olicana) Roach]

Warren, thank you.

Warren, watch my pocket watch…. left….right….left…..right…..left….

Warren, don’t listen to your wife.

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

[guy osborne]

Hi all, I am also thinking about crusade gaming can you let me know which rules are best used. ( have been looking at the Saga crescent and cross.) thanks in advance

 

[Mark Lewis]

guy osborne wrote:

Hi all, I am also thinking about crusade gaming can you let me know which rules are best used. ( have been looking at the Saga crescent and cross.) thanks in advance

 

It depends a lot on what sort of game you want. I enjoy playing Saga and I’ve just ordered Crescent & Cross, as I’m sure this will be just as good. However, it isn’t to everyone’s taste, and it is by no means an accurate simulation. You can read lots of reviews of Saga to help make up your mind whether it will be for you (Crescent & Cross has the same rules). Also it is a skirmish game. If you want more of a big battle game then have a look at some of the suggestions on the “favourite rules” thread on the Ancients forum here, as all of the rules discussed on there are generic ancient and medieval rules. Some things to think about are:

1)Fixed sized Elements / Units or individual basing and figure removal.

2) IGOUGO and move everything or rules with more interactive turn sequence and command and control restrictions (e.g where you roll to activate units or have card driven turn sequence).

If you can say what type of game you want, based on the above, then you will be better placed to get recommendations  that will suit you.

[James (olicana) Roach]

I wrote a set called Ager Sanguinis for Miniature Wargames. They were published in issue 309. They proved to be quite popular (the issue sold out). They are available as a free download, as a simple MS Word document, from the files section of the Piquet Yahoo group.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Piquet/conversations/messages

Or you can go to my blog,  see below, and email me – my email address is in the side bar – and I’ll send you a copy.

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

[Natholeon]

Truly inspirational James. Crescent and Cross is about to get me into this period too.

[greenknight4]

I have seen you figures before and they are always an inspiration.

What rules do you use?

Chris

http://www.dayofbattle.com

Author of Day of Battle, I game in 25mm and 40mm scales. Also enjoy Horse and Musket and WWII Western Front Games.

[greenknight4]

Sorry read your previous post about your rules.  Are they available outside of the magazine?

 

Chris

Author of Day of Battle, I game in 25mm and 40mm scales. Also enjoy Horse and Musket and WWII Western Front Games.

[Adam Hayes]

James,

I place equal blame with and the Perrys for one of the foothills in my lead mountain 🙁

(lovely army)

Adam

[James (olicana) Roach]

Ager Sanguinis are available as a download from the Piquet Yahoo group’s file section, or you can drop me an email and I’ll send you them. Go to my blog, my email address is in the side bar.

http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

[religon]

Very nice table. As I’ve complimented your figures a number of times before, I’ll compliment the erosion effect on the last image in the OP. A small detail, but convincing.

You know, fightin' in a basement offers a lot of difficulties. Number one being, you're fightin' in a basement! --Lt. Aldo Raine

[Patrice]

Astounding painting and details!

http://www.argad-bzh.fr/argad/en.html
https://www.anargader.net/

[James (olicana) Roach]

Well, I’ve decided, that due to other commitments on my time this year, Harran will be the Ilkley Lads’ game at Fiasco this year. Looknig back, we’ve done it before but this time it is going to look a lot different . If you go to Fiasco this year give me a tap on the shoulder, and say WW – it seems we are the best kept secret in town. I’ll keep you updated as to how the game will work on this thread.

Regards,

James and the Ilkley Lads

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

[Allen Campbell]

Hi James, are your rules and the army lists on the yahoo group or just the rules?  I would be interested in a copy of both if they are available.  Love your work by the way, the new crusades set up looked great on TMP!

 

Allen

[James (olicana) Roach]

If you go to my blog I’ll send you a copy of both. My email address is in the side bar.

I’ve just done a blog post on my initial ideas for special, Harran specific rules to help game this scenario and give the game a ‘Harran-feel’. I’ll be solo testing the scenario this week and I’ll post another link to the AA report as soon it goes up. As it’s a solo affair I’ll have time to take some (hopefully) pretty pictures to go with it – some close ups of paint chipping melees, perhaps.

http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/solo-testing-harran-1104-ad-battle.html

Best Regards, etc.

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

[Allen Campbell]

Thanks James, just sent an email.

 

Allen

[James (olicana) Roach]

A report is in

http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/solo-testing-harran-1104-scenario-part.html

 

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

[James (olicana) Roach]

Last part of solo testing is done. A report, with pics and some interesting conclusions is in.

http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/solo-testing-harran-1104-scenario-part_14.html

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

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