Hospitaller knights

After the publication of the new Gripping Beast’s rulebook (SAGA - the Crescent & the Cross) I started to paint a group of Crusaders.

Considering that I was not the only person of my club interested to play with this new game system, I painted some 28mm Hospitaller Knights … The Templars were already chosen by Biagio and the Saracens by Flavio ... The idea in the club was do not play (and consequently do not paint)  the same army.

My goal was to create a small army that could be usable for both Saga and Lion Rampant.

Hospitallers (with the Templars) were one of the most important Catholic Military Orders of the Middle Ages. They started to operate in Palestine after the conquest of Jerusalem (around in 1099) even if they were created in the mid of 11^th Century. Probably the order was founded by a group of Italian merchants  but, till their birth, the order's purpose was to take care and defend the pilgrims.

Ranks within the Order reflected the status and the function in the middle age society. Generally they were divided between brother  knights and brother sergeants.

I painted three group of knights (1 mounted and 2 not mounted) as bodyguard ... 

and four group of sergeants (1 mounted, 2 not mounted and 1 crossbowman) as warriors.

Till 14° century the Hospitallers wore a black/grey or brown/grey tunic. Many brother knights wore iron helmet with a face-mask or mailed coif.

(Osprey Publishing Copyrights)

I painted some warriors of Jerusalem Kingdom too. Unfortunately I haven't performed adequately studies so tunic and shield colors are wrong. It is blue instead of white ... at least the banner is correct.

I prepared a group of Genoese crossbowmen ...

and finally some generic warriors 

For the four warriors in the last photo above I was inspired by Balian of Ibelin livery as well as in the movie "The Kingdom of Heaven"

(20th Century Fox Copyrights)

Game World Day 2015

Also this year, at the end of May, I partecipated to the Game World Day 2015. This year our tables were placed in Via Roma, one of the most important historical street of Turin. 

... In the photo below there is a partial view of Royal Palace in the landscape 

In this period the city is full of tourists for the Holy Shroud exhibit and our tables attract more people 

The main table was managed by Ezio with a demonstration of the Osprey’s Lion Rampart. 

There was also another table completely prepared (miniatures and table board) by another member of the club (Riccardo) 

I was placed in the third table. I couldn’t prepare a scenario and in this period I’m very busy so I decided to use my time to increase my miniatures production

Currently I’m working to complete a Trajan army and I started with some Late Imperial Roman in 28mm

For all the day the main table was used for Lion Rampart scenario. In the morning with renaissance miniatures painted by other two member of the club (Alberto and Biagio)

In the afternoon Papal units were replaced by the Mongols and the Byzantines painted by Riccardo

As in the past year the exhibition was a very nice experience thanks to the efforts of all the members of the club

Dbmm 2015 Turin

On April 11 and 12 my club ("La piccola armata") organized the annual Dbmm tournament. 

I was not one of the participants but I took some pictures of the different tables.

All the tournament details (ie rank, players, armies) can be find at the following address:

A picture of all the players in front of the building that houses the club

> http://www.lapiccolaarmata.it/

or

> http://www.tagmata.it/

A quick overview of the different tables

A detail of Marco’s Nikephorian Byzantine. Unfortunately I took the photos with my mobile and the resolution level is so good as I would but shields and banner are very well painted. 

It is significant also the contrast of miniatures dimensions with the dices in the landscape.

Milano wargame 2015

On March 1, 2015 I partecipated with other five members of my club at an Italian wargame exhibition: Milano Wargame 2015.

We presented a table about the second Independence Italian war: the battle of Vinzaglio.

The scenario and the rules are prepared by Paolo M.
Paolo has written a short manual that permits to recreate the battles of the Italian Independence period. It is a very quick and well designed rulebook that was tested also for tournaments. 

Our table, as well as the tables of other participants, attracted people

We fought two battles during the day. The first saw the victory of Austrian forces:

Initial deployment

The Italian cavalry tries to break the Austrian left wing and ... 

... they are repelled 

The lucky does not assist the Italian forces on the left

During the break between the first and the second battles I took some pictures to the other tables.

Belisarius against the Parthians

A battle of Bedriaco

Waterloo

On contrary the second round of Vinzaglio Battle saw an Italian victory

Initial deployment

This time the Italians concentrated their forces in the center

While on the left the Italian units overwhelm the Austrian infantrymen

and the cavalry surrounds the village

It was a very beautiful day and an experience to try again.