Figures For The Lionia Versus Cortesia Game And The Next Game.

 For those scratching their heads about the figures I used in the game here is a belated explanation.

First up the green army man bazooka guy is not meant to be thee - an embarrassing oversight on my part, left out on the battlefield from a figure sorting out! The Lionians are primarily based on Abyssinia, vaguely late 19th to mid 19th centuries.

LIONIA

The weapons of Abyssinian troops were all over the place, including basically medieval close combat weapons, even up to Mussolini's invasion. This meant that Arab, Sudan, African tribesmen and ancient figures were all candidates. The Hat Numidians and AIP Dervishes were useful here. A swordsman or spearman is a swordsman or spearman. it doesn't matter if he is intended to be an ancient warrior or a 19th century tribesman.

However I did custom convert a number of them to look like Abyssinians. Timpo Arabs were beheaded and given bare heads from HK American Indians. Then putty hair was added, either thick and bushy or short cropped. Swords were often curved scythe-like ones and, in some cases, I made these from wire curved at one end flattened with a hammer and ground and shaped on an electric grinder. The handle can then be left and cut from the wire. 

The irregular cavalry were made from an assortment of figures, mainly cheapo HK swoppet American Indians and a few Reisler Arabs. Some of the sheep skin vests are made from cotton wool coated in PVA.

The leader figure shielding his eyes is made from a Speedwell or HK copy.

The regular cavalry are made from AIP pith helmet or WW1 cavalry. The main change was to trim the boots to look like bare feet and to cut toes in to the feet. As usual with lancers, I replace the lances with metal rods and paper or aluminum pennants. The lances points can be made from flattening wire ends and grinding on the grinding wheel.

The regular infantry are made from Airfix WW2 Japanese. I replaced the heads with spare metal castings or heads from Airfix 8th Army officers. The officers have putty added to caps to simulate lion main additions.

Some of the other irregular infantry are actually conversions for a 1960s Congo game to represent Simbas but I left out the ones with assault rifles! They are made from American Indians and 8th army, among others. the shorts aren't really for this period but, oh well, it is 'really' Lionia, not Abyssinia.

The irregular riflemen are mainly AIP Sudan figures. The marching figure in robes are castings from a mod from an old Britains hollowcast made by my old friend Dave Bryant. He sold it to me and I made quite a few castings. Actually, I still have it so one day I'll make more. The only issues are is it is time consuming and messy and a regiment of solid metal figures in 54mm is uncomfortably heavy.

A lot of figures are unconverted Sudan and Arab figures as I often multi purpose to make up an army. The Abyssinaians actually included Muslim as well as Christian soldiers so the Muslim head gear is not too out of place. Other figures include black African assorted tribesmen, even Zulus, I don't know if the Abyssinians included archers in their army but Lionia does.

The flags are either Abyssinian ones or ones I made from Abyssinian/Ethiopia

CORTESIA

Obviously Cortesia (Army Lime Green in Funny Little Wars) is based on Mexico. The Virtual Armchair General makes the flags for Northern and Southern armies of this nation. As they are not here fighting themselves I mix up the flags. I also have historical Mexican ones and my own invention.

I have figures for a range of Mexican conflicts but I limited the ones for this game largely to Mexican adventure to Mexican Revolution. I also used AIP Boers. The Federales are AIP Japanese.

Lancers went out of style in the Mexican army but I used them anyway. The ones with skull and cross bones were made a long tome ago for the Mexican War and are made from Timpo Mexicans and Airfix cowboys. other figures are Britains detail Mexicans and the odd conversion from other makes.

NEXT BATTTLE

Mat and I rolled dice for our battle matchup and came up with the Confederacy versus fantasy Chaos. I haven't decided if it will be 1860s CSA or 1900 CSA. However, I have decided the Confederate forces go through a portal to the lands of Chaos. That way i get to use some 'unreal' terrain.