Saturday 16 July 2022

Meroitic Kushite - "What a Difference a Decade Makes"

 

This is a tale of vanishing figures.

In 2010, Steve of DBA n Stuff, posted an article entitled "Meroitic Kushite".  It showed how he used QRF figures to build his army. I thought "I can do that!"  So I went trawling the internet to find them.

No sign at QRF but there were hints that the range had been sold on. A veil had been dropped.

Further checking found pictures of these figures at 'Scale Creep'.  Apparently SC had acquired 'Feudal Castings' & 'Black Hat' at that time.  The new company was based in the USA but shipped from Turkey. Another veil brushes the floor.

Even more recently this range has been transferred to Thistle & Rose USA.  OK, more hassle but soldiering on...  Unfortunately EU/UK VAT regulations now get in the way so that the company will not supply to the UK or EU.  A third veil tantalises.

I sent a message to the TR Facebook page (no website) but to no avail.  Enquiries on DBA Fanaticus also do not look positive so that's yet another figure range dead and gone.  Frustrating but true.

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On-line Sources:

(1)  "Ancient Nubia and the Kingdom of Kush, an introduction" by The British Museum
      https://smarthistory.org/ancient-nubia-kush-introduction/

(2)  MeroĆ« - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mero%C3%AB

(3)  Kingdom of Kush - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Kush

(4)  "Meroitic period of the Kingdom of Kush" by The British Museum
     https://smarthistory.org/meroitic-period-kingdom-kush/

(5)  "Meroitic Kush – the miniatures" by Timurilank
     http://dbagora.blogspot.com/2015/12/meroitic-kush-miniatures.html

(6)  "Meroitic Kush" by Timurilank
     http://dbagora.blogspot.com/2015/12/meroitic-kush.html

(7)  "Meroitic Kush and the Noba" by Timurilank
     http://dbagora.blogspot.com/2016/01/meroitic-kush-and-noba.html

(8)  "Meroitic Kushite" by Steve
     https://dbanstuff.blogspot.com/2010/02/meroitic-kushite.html


Thursday 14 July 2022

Meroitic Kushite - Pt.1 - Figure Research

Meroitic Prince (public domain)

My regular opponent and I try to field as many of the DBA armies as possible.  At the last review we had 94 of those in Book 1.  Notable omissions are in the post New Kingdom era and area - Libyan, Kushite and Meroitic.  The last took my interest so I started to do some research.

"Armies of the Ancient Near East 3000 to 539 bc" by Stillman & Tallis - WRG 1984

p110 (text) & p111 (figs 36 to 37) show 7thC Libyan or Kushite foot - skirts, feather and (for the spearman) a distinctive stretched square on the shield.  

p116 (text) & p117 (figs 50 to 51) show Nubian warriors that are quite similar with the Medjway having a cap not unlike the Meroitic prince.

p91(text & fig 1) Pre-Dynastic Egyptian warrior looks suitable as well.

Nothing directly on the Meroitics so I went looking for suitable 15mm figures to 'fudge'.

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Alternative Armies (Dark Ages)

AR7 Arab Negro Archer
AR8 Arab Negro Spearman
BL7 Blemye Elephant with crew
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Essex Miniatures

AEA16  Arab Berber Javelinmen
BS23a  Libyan Swordsmen
BS28   Midianite Arab Archer
ANK11  New Kingdom Nubian archer
ANK26  Saite Egyptian sp round sh
ANK27  Saite Egyptian sp long sh
ANK28  Kushite Egyptian sp/jav
ANK29  Kushite Egyptian archers (no pic)
ANK30  Kushite Egyptian slingers
ANK31  Kushite Egyptian 2h chariot archer & driver
ANK31a Kushite Egyptian 2h chariot gen & driver (no pic)
ANK32  Kushite Egyptian 4h chariot archer, sp & driver
ANK32a Kushite Egyptian 4h chariot gen, sp & driver
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Eureka
300ABY08 Abyssinian Light Cavalry
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Irregular
FEG14 Libyan javelinmen (no pic)
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Khurasan
West Sudanese tribal infantry archers
West Sudanese javelinmen
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Museum
15 EY18 Nubian javelinmen
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Peter Pig
79  Midianite foot bow

There is, of course, another manufacturer that has more suitable figures - but that's a story for part 2.