Mamluks anyone?

PELAGIUS · Post by **PELAGIUS** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:56 pm

Good evening

Has anyone tried out the Egyptian Mamluks as an army? I have a great affection for the early army of Baibars and would like to try it out in 15 and 25mm. The list in S&S looks pretty bog-standard, are there any wrinkles in there? Need to keep those pesky Il-khanids honest!

Any responses gratefully received

Yours disgracefully

Pelagius

paulcummins · Post by **paulcummins** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:27 am

dismounting elite mamelukes are quite scary, espeicaly if you think you have the terrain troop advantage. A sudden influx of elite and superior MF, Armoured, Bow, Swordsmen makes you think twice.

nikgaukroger · Post by **nikgaukroger** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 11:42 am

I've used it in doubles (1000 points) in a Swords & Scimitars pool - it was a pretty handy army although relatively small at 12 BGs. I've knocked up a 10 BG 800 point version that I think would be useful as well.

PELAGIUS · Post by **PELAGIUS** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:00 pm

nikgaukroger wrote: I've knocked up a 10 BG 800 point version that I think would be useful as well.

Fancy sharing that Nik, or is it a surprise for someone?

Yours disgracefully

Pelagius

nikgaukroger · Post by **nikgaukroger** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:20 am

I think it goes:

IC
2 x TC

2 BGs of 4 elite cavalry
4 BGs of 4 superior cavalry
3 BGs of 4 Turcoman
1 Bg of 6 Bedouin

SirGarnet · Post by **SirGarnet** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:53 am

nikgaukroger wrote:I think it goes:

IC
2 x TC

2 BGs of 4 elite cavalry
4 BGs of 4 superior cavalry
3 BGs of 4 Turcoman
1 Bg of 6 Bedouin

High protein, low carbs army.

The Bedouins are unprotected lancers/swordsmen, so logically are LH to clear off opposing skirmishers efficiently. Given Nik's skillfulness with shooty cavalry my guess is this is heavy on Cav and light on LH, so one of the Turcomans is Bw/Sw Unprotected Cav and the other two are LH.

Agricultural terrain is not as easy to use as Steppes, which Mamluks lack, but I don't think this would greatly bother an expert.

nikgaukroger · Post by **nikgaukroger** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 8:03 am

Nah, I'd use all the Turcoman as LH.

Also you'd remembre to take your MF dismounts for the Cv ...

ethan · Post by **ethan** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 5:35 pm

nikgaukroger wrote:Nah, I'd use all the Turcoman as LH.

Also you'd remembre to take your MF dismounts for the Cv ...

What would you use them against?

rbodleyscott · Post by **rbodleyscott** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:55 pm

ethan wrote:
nikgaukroger wrote:Nah, I'd use all the Turcoman as LH.

Also you'd remembre to take your MF dismounts for the Cv ...
What would you use them against?

Classical Indians and (conceivably) 100 YW English.,

stork · Post by **stork** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:36 pm

nikgaukroger wrote:Nah, I'd use all the Turcoman as LH.

Also you'd remembre to take your MF dismounts for the Cv ...

Anyone have a good Idea for figure to represent the dismounted ghulms and such in 15mm??

Kevin S

PELAGIUS · Post by **PELAGIUS** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:41 pm

nikgaukroger wrote:I think it goes:

IC
2 x TC

2 BGs of 4 elite cavalry
4 BGs of 4 superior cavalry
3 BGs of 4 Turcoman
1 Bg of 6 Bedouin

Thank you Nik

Yours disgracefully

Pelagius

PELAGIUS · Post by **PELAGIUS** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:44 pm

High protein, low carbs army.

.[/quote]

Or a delicacy whipped to a sweet airy confection for the delight of those who choose armies by whimsy...

Yours disgracefully

Pelagius

PELAGIUS · Post by **PELAGIUS** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:46 pm

Anyone have a good Idea for figure to represent the dismounted ghulms and such in 15mm??

Kevin S[/quote]

Hello Kevin

I would suggest the dismounted noble cavalry from the Islamic Persian range from Essex. Scouring Donningtons lists may also be useful.

Yours disgracefully

Pelagius

will05 · Post by **will05** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:57 pm

I like the idea of this army as it will be small and thus less to paint.

I recently bought a Seljuk turk army from Khurasan , but I don't really much about this period.
Would I be able to use the Ghilmen as Mamlukes and the foot archers as dismounted Ghilmen.

My pics are here: http://littlearmies.pbwiki.com/Seljuk%20Turks

PELAGIUS · Post by **PELAGIUS** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:34 pm

will05 wrote:I like the idea of this army as it will be small and thus less to paint.

I recently bought a Seljuk turk army from Khurasan , but I don't really much about this period.
Would I be able to use the Ghilmen as Mamlukes and the foot archers as dismounted Ghilmen.

My pics are here: http://littlearmies.pbwiki.com/Seljuk%20Turks

Hello will05

I looked at your photos and the ghilman would make OK early period mamluks methinks. The archers might do if you think that the tunics (they would actually be kaftans) are covering their armour.

What do you think of the Khurasan figures? I find them accurate but not well cast. The idea of having seperate weapons arms for the first few codes has led me not to purchase them at all. You were very wise to replace the spears as the cast examples I saw were awful!

These have appeared on the website haven't they? Well-painted my friend.

The Seljuqs are a great army in their own right with a fascinating history. Worth noting that you could use the figures for many of the "wild" Turkish tribes and Central Asian city-types. There are easily a dozen armies with variations you could field.

Yours disgracefully

Pelagius

Yours disgracefully

will05 · Post by **will05** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 5:01 pm

Thanks Pelagius,
I looked at this army before settling on the Seljuk. I like it's high troop qualities.

The Kurasan models I got, to paint for one of the FOG books they were asking for pics for. I had seen them a while before and wanted an excuse to buy a few to see what were like. I really like them. It is the amount of detail on them that is really quite incredible given that they are such small 15mm figs.
The main things that I don't like is that they have so few variations on the figs. There are only 2 of each horse and most figures. The separate arm actually gives the look of more variety to the bases, and isn't difficult to superglue on.
The other thing I am not so fond of is the small size. Well not so much small as differently (and probably better) proportioned. The problem for me is that they don't fit in with my other figures so well.
Overall though I would recomend them, as the ones I have are very good and lovely to paint.
Where feasible I swap the spears for brass wire because I prefer thinner spears, but I think that they suffer more than perhaps most due to their smaller proportions as weapons tend to look rather big on them.
An other thing I like is that he is firing out new stuff with regularity, making me want to buy more armies.

Back to the Mamluks...... I think that When I have finished the Seljuks I will need a few bits to make a good Mamluk army. Kaftans are long coats i think and that's what the archers are wearing with chainmail underneath, So I think they will do, and perhaps the other Ghilmen with Kaftans over their armour could be mixed in with the heavier armoured types.......I need to invest in an Osprey.
Thanks again Will

nikgaukroger · Post by **nikgaukroger** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:44 am

rbodleyscott wrote:
ethan wrote:
nikgaukroger wrote:Nah, I'd use all the Turcoman as LH.

Also you'd remembre to take your MF dismounts for the Cv ...
What would you use them against?
Classical Indians and (conceivably) 100 YW English.,

I've dismounted ghilman against WotR English to fight their archers - you shoot better being (S) and are armoured in close combat.