Was able to return to the hobby on Friday, decided to have a spell on some Deetail cavalry. To be honest, I really do like this so-called Saracen range of figures, but I'm well aware their design is somewhat imaginary, and probably closest to 15-16th century Ottoman Sipahi from the Balkans.
Here's the eight cavalry. Decided to replace the weaponry with pewter blades and steel rods.
MGB
Wonderful results Michael! These are Deetail on steroids with their shiny weapons and beautiful paint jobs! Each piece is a true work of art! Very well done!
ReplyDeleteThats very kind Brad, I found the moulding quite easy to work with, and it was a pleasure to have free rein deciding what colour scheme. I like Deetail figures, but I still think the Saracens are some of the best they ever produced. Who needs fantasy figures when you have these!
DeleteMichael
These look fantastic. Your paint jobs really levels them up!
ReplyDeleteThank you John, they are lovely figures to work with. Just got thirteen more foot figures to complete and thats my Saracen-Turkish collection pretty well finished, about 75 figures. There is a magic in these figures, I can remember having a few of them in the 1970s, wish I'd been able to keep the originals lol.
DeleteMichael
Yup, they maybe a little bit on the fantasy side but they do paint up great and stir the imagination.
ReplyDeleteRoss, I agree, I said to myself a few days ago, who was the designer? Did he ever discover how satisfying it was for toy soldiers collectors to have some of these Saracen-Turk figures in their collection?
DeleteMichael
I asked Charlie Biggs, who was the Design Director at Britains and commissioned this set, what they were supposed to be and he told me his brief to the sculptor was to produce a generic eastern army.
ReplyDeleteGreat call, Brian. The fellow certainly succeeded in his objective. One quibble, the range of figures should have included an Eastern archer and/or a crossbowman. I'm converting a few of the archers in the medieval set by increasing the trousers and perhaps a turban. Others have done this.
DeleteMichael
Very interesting info Brian! The sculptor certainly did accomplish what he set out to do. And you're right Michael, an archer would have been an excellent and very useful pose to include with this set!
DeleteBrad, today I did some more work on two converted archers, should be able to show them in a day or so. I also see a potential in converting a Herald archer and perhaps, if I get time, making a mould. It seems to me the Islamic armies had fair numbers of light foot archers, crossbows for the Moors, and we all know the Turkic tribes favoured horse archers. The problem with converting the Deetail archer is it looks more like a dismounted Mamluk (armoured) firing a bow. I guess it still counts.
DeleteMichael