Hordes of Hordes & Other Bits

Lots of Hordes & Other Bits

Museum Miniatures has started replacing its range of castings with what are now termed "Z Range" As part of Project Lead Mountain I am clearing out unfinished castings left over from previous projects. Whilst working on the Chinese I rediscovered a bag of painted MD04 Peasants along with another bag of unpainted peasants from two different casting codes and some oddments from various makers.

I dont actually need most of the castings but it did spur me to paint them up for sale.

I actually like the older Museum castings a lot and was sorry to see them retired.

I painted up missing elements first that I knew I wanted to keep including Indian Clubmen and some Maiden Guards. Neither casting was actually sold with this in mind but they look the part.

The bases are finished in my usual style of Vallejo Sandy Paste, scatter rocks and tufts, contrast edging and spray sealed to protect the figures.

Museum MD04 Peasants repurposed as Indian Clubmen

Museum MD04 Repurposed as Maiden Guard

Mixed makes I think Old Glory 15's and Legio Heroica to make up some spare elements of Psiloi and an Auxilia Command Stand

Mixed makes

After trying to sell these Tin Soldier 15mm HB25 Indian Javelinmen as Psiloi I rebased them as Irr Bd F to add to my collection. I might sell them on later.

Tin Soldier HB25 Indian Javelinmen

Horde Lot 1 For Sale

Horde Lot 2 For Sale

Horde Lot 3 For Sale

Horde Lot 4 For Sale

Horde Lot 5 For Sale

This now brings the painting tally for 1st January to 29th May 2021 to:

273 foot, 8 artillery & 4 war drums [82 elements]

154 cavalry [49 elements]

12 Bamboo & Paper Lions [8 elements]

3 elephants [3 elements]

Plus I have rebased

32 elements of Pikes

28 elements of Archers

10 elements of Psiloi

8 elements of Horde

3 elements of misc foot

50 mounted elements

Discontinued Museum Miniatures Hordes

Arab Hordes - 10 x Irr Hd [O]

Museum Miniatures are in the process of replacing some of their ranges using 3D printing to create the masters before making the castings moulds. I already had a lot of their old Indian Arab figures and I rather liked them and didn't want to mix in new sculpts to make up some missing elements of hordes. Dave at MM had informed me that the old figures were no longer available, even to special order as he has retired the range. Luckily I had purchased a lot of them a couple of years back and like magic a large batch of them appeared for sale on EBay. I decided that I didnt like a lot of the improvised weapons on the peasant castings so I drilled out their hands and replaced a lot of them with metal spears! I had already painted up lots of hordes a few years back but had sold most of them on to other people and thought it was time I made sure I had enough elements of my own just in case I need to field them.

I scanned the army lists and worked out I needed ten elements of Indian Horde, which I already had, twenty elements of Syrian type hordes, which meant I will add another ten elements in a slightly different painting style. I had completed my Fatamids many years ago so I already have Ardath and Rioting Egyptian City Mobs! 

The figures took me about a week to complete because I wanted them as colourful as possible.

Museum Miniatures MD04 Hordes

Later Pre-Islamic Arab 15mm Commission

15mm LPIA Commission

Paul wants to expand his LPIA ally contingent and asked me if I had anything suitable to be used for their Irr Bd I/O options. After asking the sort of figures he wanted, being told bare headed, shieldless and a mix of spears, swords and bows if possible as per the list notes I came up with a bag of discontinued Museum Miniatures Arab/Indian Hordes.They came with a mix of top knot turbans, traditional turbans and bare headed. I sorted out all the suitable bare headed male castings and proceeded to drill out all of their hands after removing their improvised weapons to give them all metal spears. I ended up with 28 castings, 7 with swords, 7 in one pose with spears and 14 in another pose with spears. After cleaning them up, painting and varnishing as per Pauls specification I think they will fit in quite well with his ally contingent.

Whilst working on my next painting task I found another four castings suitable to add to this commission! All Museum Miniatures as before, three converted to hold steel spears and one swordsman. This now gives Paul 32 castings to create eight elements of Blades.