Slitherine

Yes, I am seriously considering a Catalan Company army, but I was also wondering what everyone here thought about the options for figures to use for the Almughavars.

What manufacturers are available?

Which one do you recommend?

Can they be mixed?

Are there a suitable number of poses for the number of Almughavars that would be used in the army?

What other figs would make reasonable substitutions?

I live in the USA, and I would prefer to order figures without having to face the currency exchange rates and oversea shipping charges.

Thanks all

Peter C

Essex make appropriate figs but only two poses.
Allain touller make more poses that apparently mix well with them but you need to speak french to get them.
Eureka Miniatures have plenty fo orders for them in the 300 club but havnet made any as yet.

I am in the pipeline for at least 16 bases worth but wont get that many bases wih only two poses. They'll look silly.

Anthony

PS someone posted a nic pic of soem essex touller figs on a single group but for th elife of me a cant find whihc thread it was buried in.

Hi there

It may help to remember the nomadic nature of the Almughavar's career. Although they may have had a preference for their "native" clothing styles it would not have lasted to the end of their campaigns so replacement from the tailors of the country they are presently threatening (if they got paid) or from the poor deluded fools (now corpses) who have just attacked them would be perfectly, and historically, acceptable. So Eastern Roman clothing mixed with some rough and ready mountaineers garb should do.

Hope this is helpful.

Yours

Pelagius

PELAGIUS wrote:Hi there

It may help to remember the nomadic nature of the Almughavar's career. Although they may have had a preference for their "native" clothing styles it would not have lasted to the end of their campaigns so replacement from the tailors of the country they are presently threatening (if they got paid) or from the poor deluded fools (now corpses) who have just attacked them would be perfectly, and historically, acceptable. So Eastern Roman clothing mixed with some rough and ready mountaineers garb should do.

Hope this is helpful.

Yours

Pelagius

Very interesting thoughts, and definitely a helpful approach, Pelagius.

Any other thoughts on appropriate figures that would match your suggestion?

Peter C

I used the Essex figures. There was some talk of Eureka doing these as part of a 300 club request and IIRC they had already received enough orders for the castings to begin.

I've seen several dark age figures that would work from Essex(welsh javelins, some vikings, lithuanians, prussians), and perhaps some of the Black Hat packs from their own feudal range (lith, prussians). Old glory makes several dark age packs with the sheep skin vest that the old figure would look good.

I would have thought Khurasian Miniatures would have picked up on these as they were looking for suggestions on unavailable ranges, but to date nothing...

Overall, a mix is perhaps the best to go for to represent the travels this company experience during its existance...

Mountains of Spain, vessels of the Med, Sicily hills, Greece, and finally the prairies of Byzantium...

Very colorful!

Madcam

Eureka has sent out an email stating that their almughavars should be available in spring 2009, provided those that pre-ordered stand by their pledges. The range will consist of 3 command figures and 16 variants of almughavar, with greater variety of headgear and equipment than the current 28mm versions.

http://es.zooomr.com/photos/soldadets/3947877/

A few miniatures here are Alain Touller Almughavars.

A scan I did ages ago of the seven figure types Touller does. Not sure it's the best scan. Size and
quality wise similar to Essex. The Essex, Irregular and Touller figures all mix well.



However, I do find Touller's figures tend to have more flash on the models than Essex, so will
often need trimming.

Those Touller figs are pretty nice. Close to the mental image I have of moogs. Any idea of who to order them from in the USA?

Thanks

Peter C

I just recieved a whole bunhc of these guys and the essex ones to mix in. Now that I am about to paint them all need advice on the colours.

Would the hats be a variety of browns as some sort of leather/felt hat or brighter more like a fez? What about the other clothes. If they are hillmen just the standard peasant colours with sheepskin (pale white) vests?

Regards,
Anthony

While no expert, I painted mine in earth tones and linen with sprinkings of brighter colors to contrast.

Since they gained their prominence in Roger de Flurs' fleets during the vespers, I'd think they would have been able to raid and pillage at will on the weathly Italian/Mediterrainen cities. Really all options would be good for them IMO.

Madcam.

The Alan Touller Almughavars I got looked a lot more "armoured" than those - have a look here. The link to the range is here - maybe I got some other figures as well? http://www.atoufigs.com/PBSCCatalog.asp?CatID=249091

I painted mine in generic browns etc, but concentrated on getting some catalan red/yellow onto the shields and some of the clothing to distinguish them from other generic medieval foot. I think I even sneaked a few FC Barcelona club crests onto the shields - but I shied away from having their shirts sponsored by UNICEF.

tim
www.madaxeman.com

I would wait for the Eureka range. If their past ranges are anything to judge by, they will be excellent. On variety of poses alone, they are a long way ahead.

Cheers
Paul Collins.

madaxeman wrote:The Alan Touller Almughavars I got looked a lot more "armoured" than those - have a look here. The link to the range is here - maybe I got some other figures as well? http://www.atoufigs.com/PBSCCatalog.asp?CatID=249091

Them's the Spanish spearmen, Mr Tim. A break down in Anglo-French communication?

peterrjohnston wrote:

madaxeman wrote:The Alan Touller Almughavars I got looked a lot more "armoured" than those - have a look here. The link to the range is here - maybe I got some other figures as well? http://www.atoufigs.com/PBSCCatalog.asp?CatID=249091

Them's the Spanish spearmen, Mr Tim. A break down in Anglo-French communication?

Hmmm - now I try and think back, it may be that I bought them intending to use them as spearmen, but decided they "looked" more like almughavars to me, so I based them as such !

ho humm

tim
www.madaxeman.com

I have SEEN the Eureka range and they are fantastic !!!

Seriously , contact Nick and ask him for the they are great .

I'll see about getting some pictures of the Eureka range. I got my pre-order and they are pretty nice with a good variety of posses. Now I just need to get them painted, and decide if I want them as 3 or 4 to a base......

I would second the Eureka stuff as being good. A member of my club was a prime mover in getting the range started and he has shed loads of them (200, IIRC). Unpainted they look really nice, no flash, and crisp castings (no comments as to posing, as anyone who has seen me posing will testify that it is an unpleasant sight). One of the pro-painters at the club (who used to cast figures for a living) asked could he take 2 or 3 just to see how they painted up, they looked that good.

See below for pictures of some Eureka figs. I'm not so good with the camera, but hopefully this gives some idea.


http://home.rr.com/ianb3406

Just spoke to Eureka Miniatures on the phone, their 15mm Amulghavar range is due for official release in about 3 weeks.

John Mc