Taking Stock - 15mm Collections pt. 1 - Ancients

I have several articles and themes in progress these days here at Gaming with Chuck - more reviews of older rule sets, more on dark age wargaming, finishing up Lord of the Manor, converting LotM to Lion Rampant, etc. However, I have decided that starting this summer, I want to start (or, return to) hosting war games.  I have been out of the practice of doing that since moving away from ODMS back in 2012.  However,  that is about to change. There has been talk of a revised ODMS, even if it means games at members' houses, and maybe not on a weekly schedule.  So, as I always like putting on a war game for my friends, I thought I would take stock of what armies I have these days, and what shape they are in.

 

Starting with my 15mm ancients collections.

Ancients

Macedonian/Successor

Size: Plenty of figures and options for at least two large armies (Might of Arms sized, for example).
Condition: All painted, all playable. I'd like to standardize the basing (MDF, balsa, matte board, etc)
Notes: Covers all armies from Phillip II to the end of the successor states.

Persian

Size: Plenty of figures for a large army.

Condition: All painted. Needs basing and reorganization.

Notes: Designed to fight the Macedonians, could be used for later Eastern foes of Romans, etc, maybe with some extra units.

Romans - Republic through Middle Imperial

Size: This is really at least two different periods/armies but each has at least enough for two armies. Lots of Romans.

Condition: All painted, mostly playable. Some rebasing might help in some instances, especially to standardize bases.

Notes: These have seen lots of action over the years, still good, especially with occasional reinforcements added in.

Barbarians - Galatians, Gauls, Britons, Germans, etc

Size: Easily enough for two large armies. Could do a double army matchup against Romans or Macedonians.

Condition: Germans need more painting.  Some basing and organization, and touch up of some shield designs on older shields wouldn't hurt.

Notes: With some additional units could expand to Illyrians and others. Some of my oldest figures. Split between dense infantry (4 figure bases) and loose density (3 figure bases) as well as equipment difference is chief split of Germans.  Need more specific German units to be painted.

Carthaginians - Early and Late

Size: Enough for a large army, either way.  Some allied figures, i.e. Spanish, could be the basis for their own army.

Condition: Painted.  Need organization and basing.

Notes: Could be a really nice multiplayer matchup v. Romans, as intended.

New Kingdom Egyptians

Size: Older WRG 1200 point army. A moderate sized Men At Arms army.

Condition: Unpainted. Asgard figures from Viking Forge.

Notes: I always wanted to do Biblical period, but never got this project off the ground.

Assorted

Size: Mostly smaller DBA sized dabbling a in a variety of armies not covered above.

Condition: Most painted and playable. Some unpainted. Everything in between.

Notes: bits and bobs collected over the years, plus the leftovers from equipping multiple DBA tournaments.

This series includes

Part 1 - Ancients (this article)

Part 2 - Medievals

Part 3 - Renaissance

Part 4 - 18th Century

Part 5 - Napoleonics
Part 6 - 19th Century