On army building - The Musings Of Chairman Meow

It’s a wet and slushy December day, the kids and teachers are all off school (SNOW DAY) and at this time of year, our thoughts turn to those things we hold most dear...

Like, what new army project shall I start?

What follows is a few thoughts as to the armies I buy, research  paint, and use.

These thoughts follow an odd path, because I’m just finishing a Mid-Republican/Polybian army for MeG, and my mind turns to the next project as the wargaming butterfly flaps her wings. It’s like the chaos butterfly 🦋, but the lead butterfly has heavier wings!

Firstly, is it a fun army to use? If not, I’m not doing it...

Then I thought on, what else do I do when building an army?
I thought on this, and then many years ago Brian pointed out a couple of facts: “You either go for heavy, solid foot armies that are difficult to shift, or really light mobile and/or annoying armies!” 

He was right.

Heavies

Romans, I own three, no four Roman armies (28, 15, 2 x 10mm), I love Romams. Good solid troops, world spanning empire, great characters. Killed by DBM1.2, briefly tried in WHaB, but revitalised in MeG. Romans are cool, Romans are colourful. Romans allowed me to get an MA in Classics!

WW2 German Grenadier. I hate SS, but German foot sloggers, perfect. Flexible, can both attack and defend, great supporting assists, heavy hitters, great counter punchers. One of my all time best games was last round at a Reading Warfare vs Hammy using these, it was EPIC, and a draw!

WW2 British Infantry, back when I played Flames of War, British Infantry, while not having all the whistles and bells of Germans and Americans, had the most solid infantry and resources you could muster. They could attack and defend, they didn’t give up easily, and there were a decent amount of them in any army. I had three armies (1/KSLI in Italy, 2/KSLI in Normandy and Commandos), all painstakingly researched. Research is a theme for all my armies too I guess. 

US Infantry: Flames Of War, mid-War, my default choice, I used US Infantry, lots of foot, lots of resources. Not my army, on a long term loan, been added to a lot, but in MidWar, a great army in v1,2&3 (not played 4).

Scots: common and Picts, huge armies of spear armed dross, that would annoy anyone, especially as I used figures where you couldn’t contact my bases because of spears levelled at a fun angle! Look, perfectly matches my meme!

Imperials: Star Destroyers, AT-Ats, gret grey ugly slabs. Heavy hitters, perfect.

Samurai: heavy foot, hard units in both MeG and a FoGR, heavily researched and took ages to paint. It worked for me, but was it me? Was it Roman? Was it too 🧀? Nah, just the butterfly again. Will definitely use these again and again as they work, and they are fun. I use lots of ambushes with them, and they are powerful enough to hold almost anything. All games are tight, but wow, fun!

Mapuche: Technically Pete’s Army, but I played it a lot in FoGR and it was perfect. Just brilliant fun. Anti Spanish colonial, only conquered by Chilie in 1888. Pikes, cavalry, wallies with bows AND hockey sticks. Great army, upset many experienced players because it was solid, huge and could take on anything!

Annoying/Light

Flames of War British Tank Regiment early war, hordes of really cheep, naff, tanks. But fast, annoying, devastating to other armour. Another research project, Colonel Madigan and I both picked up the Battlefront set for cheap, as no one saw the point of naff armour and big guns compared to German armour, but it was fantastic! Until it got nerfed. Again and again!

Panzerspah for Germans, mid or late war, lots of light recon, massively useful support (Tiggers and Panzer IVH), great giggle to play. Was actually really successful with it for a while, then got bored!

Kelly’s Heroes: a fun Flames force, used a couple of times when I realised that I was getting way to serious and needed to step back. Each game was started with “You do realise what’s in that bank/objective? What you say, we share the points?” Woofwoofwoof. Some brilliant games, especially vs Phil Parker, but not serious enough to win anything (except best objectives).

Hungarians: Infantry, students, Fearless conscripts, so should have been useless. Should also be in the heavy category, but... they came with street barricades, you could wall off the table in flames! You couldn’t be seen! If you can’t be seen, you couldn’t be shot! It forces your opponent to come to you. Oh, and they always defended! Barricades were almost impossible for armour to breach, and if they could, I had enough anti-armour assists to annoy. They even came with booby traps (anvils, custard pies on springs, I had fun making these). a nightmare for any player. I had such fun with them, and did really well at Corrivalry, as they forced ‘The Master’ who were my usual nemesis, to have to rethink their oh so clever usual tactics!

So, what next?

Well, I know what I’m getting for Xmas, as I bought it in November and then handed it to the amazing Mrs Lemmey to wrap. 

Sassanid Persian

But why did I choose the option I did?
It’s not the best, or most moden range Pendraken do, it’s an older force, that they are considering future remodelling of their range. There are loads of producers of Sassanids, even in 10mm, so why did I chose them now?

Historical Opponents

I have Later Romans, and when the Romans weren’t beating each other up, the Persians were next in line. I like Romans, I have the army twice (15mm and 10mm), and I really enjoy it, but apart from Picts, it needs an opponent. Sassanids are perfect for this.

I’m already using it

Well, not physically. But in an email campaign run by Ralph, against the Timecast boys, it’s been great fun, and I’ve been enjoying playing in character. So, why not? Better get some on table experience too!

Oh, shiny! 

So, Pendraken’s range of Sassanids might not be perfect, but their Later Romans are! Hidden within that range are some of Clibinarii’s truly beautiful Catafracts and Clibinarii sculpts, which suit the Sassanids perfectly.

Research
I know almost nothing of this period or this army, but they are always beautifully presented when other people use them. I anm determined to sjhake off my pro-Roman/British bias, and try something else. Thankfully, it's got enough light horse to count under the 'annoying' army category! ;)

No one else can get them to work?

I’m a sucker for forces that don’t quite work (British Infantry, Picts). Sassanid Persians never quite work. Historically, it was an Empire that lasted for hundreds of years, why does it not fight well on the table? I want to find a way to get them to. MeG offers some interesting possibilities, heavy Catafracts, who go in after both light and heavy horse archers have softened the enemy front. Naff foot in reserve and to act as speed bumps. Perfect! So, onwards with the next project, until the butterfly flaps again!
Ohhh, shiny!