Friday 1 May 2020

Under Conversion

From Armati to DBM - carrying out a conversion.



The full Armati army - sorry about the quality of the picture.

I have started sorting out my house.  It's an ambitious project as the 'spare bedroom' is a step back into the Victorian/Edwardian era. You expect a 'very humble' shopkeeper to appear at any time. 

The main bedroom has also suffered from years of 'I'll just put it down there'.  In addition half of the attic is devoted to wargaming materials and the rest is....who knows! (I'm not that brave!).

First step was to remove all I could from the 'master bedroom' - figures going upstairs and unused books to the 'store room'.  So far, so good provided that I don't actually need to breathe in the smaller room.

Second task was to clear the walkway in the attic.  This involved putting all my figures into boxes and filing them into eras - from Ancients to WW1 (East Africa). Fantasy was tagged onto the end.  I felt rather pleased with myself for achieving that.

Third task is where I hit a road bump.  In the 'Ancients' section I sorted the biggest boxes first - 20mm Egyptian, Trojans, Sea Peoples, Medes, Assyrians and Sumerians.  I originally built out the first two to full Armati size with all the options.  Since I never really liked that set of rules those troops have languished in dark obscurity for almost two decades.  So what to do with them?

As I still play DBM the logical approach was to carry out a conversion....Hmm!  Like everything else in life nothing is ever that straightforward.  The earlier DBM NKE list diverged only slightly from Armati but the DBMM 2016 version is a new animal entirely. 

DBMM (2016)1.22 - New Kingdom Egyptian 1543 - 1069 bc

Waifs & Strays - another poor picture.

(a) Surplus to requirements (not on the DBM list):

(Hittite) 8 x 4 spearmen
(Nubian)  4 x 3 Wb(F)
(Generic) 3 x 7 Hd

(b) Compulsories - 1 have all of these except - 8 x TF   (which I can improvise).                

(c)  Optional Elements (shortfalls):

4 x 2h, 2c, LCh            
1 x Irr Lh(I)           
8 x Reg Ax(O) or Reg Bd(I)       
4 x Reg Bd(X)           
8 x Reg Bw(I)           
4 x Reg Ps(O)           
6 x (SC) Irr Ax(O)/(I) or Ps(I)   
8 x (NSC) Irr Ps(O) bow       
4 x (LPB) Irr Ps(I)           
8 x TF               
4 x Irr Bts(S) Bari           
4 x (SC) 2h, 2c LCh           
4 x (G) Irr Wb(F)           
2 x (A) Reg Ax(I)           
2 x Reg Bd(O) Shardana       
26 x Reg Bd(F)           
16 x (L) Irr Wb(F)           
16 x (S) Irr Bd(O)(F) Sherden   
20 x (SP) Irr Bd(F)                               

Of course I don't need to build out the entire army this time just a workable 450 ap.  That means I will have to paint up some Wb(F) - Libyans are the easiest. Caesar are the only manufacturer that I could find but that line has been discontinued.  After much searching on the internet I have ordered two boxes - that should give me enough for 16 x 3 Wb(F) = 48 figures.

Next job is to work out a good DBM army - maybe Chris or Andy could help there?

Keep Safe and don't go stir crazy!!!
(Wasn't there a song called "They're Coming To Take Me Away Ha! Ha!"?


No comments:

Post a Comment