Steven’s New Kingdom Egyptian Army for Big Base DBA

I’ve had my New Kingdom Egyptian army for four years now. Wow. I thought it was time to feature in. It is for Big Base DBA. I’ve taken both options from DBA I/22 New Kingdom Egyptian 1543BC-1069BC.


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I took both options from DBA I/22 New Kingdom Egyptian 1543BC-1069BC because it gave me an excuse to buy more figures. Not that I need much of an excuse.

I//22 New Kingdom Egyptian

Ag: 2

Littoral.

  • (a) 1543-1200BC
    • 1 x LCh (Gen) [Egyptian]
    • 3 x LCh [Egyptian, Canaanite, Syrian]
    • 3 x 3/4Bd [Egyptian close fighters with spear and/or axe; Sherden; Royal Guard including Egyptians and Sherden]
    • 4 x 4Bw [Egyptians]
    • 1 x 2Ps [Egyptian, Nubian, Syrian or Canaanite archers; Egyptian, Libyan, Syrian or Canaanite javelinmen]
  • (b) 1199-1069BC
    • 1 x LCh (Gen) [Egyptian]
    • 3 x LCh [Egyptian, Canaanite, Syrian]
    • 3 x 3/4Bd [Egyptian close fighters with spear and/or axe; Sherden; Royal Guard including Egyptians and Sherden]
    • 3 x 4Bw [Egyptians]
    • 1 x 3Wb [Libyan or Sea Peoples]
    • 1 x 2Ps [Egyptian, Nubian, Syrian or Canaanite archers; Egyptian, Libyan, Syrian or Canaanite javelinmen]

The only difference in the army list is that option (a) has a 4th Egyptian bowmen stand and (b) has a Libyan or Sea Peoples warband instead. But I chose to distinguish the armies in another way. I’ve given option (a) bowmen with a padded linen head cloth and option (b) has bowmen with a blue war bonnet.

So here is option (a) with four bowmen stands, all with padded linen head clothes.

NKE-101 Big Base DBA I-22a Army
NKE-101 Big Base DBA I-22a Army

And option (b) with only three bowmen stands, all with blue war bonnets, plus a Libyan warband.

NKE-102 Big Base DBA I-22b Army
NKE-102 Big Base DBA I-22b Army

General / Pharaoh

The Egyptians have gotta have a Pharaoh right. So here he is. Actually I’ve got two options. The first is a DBA big base (80mm x 60mm) with two chariots and two chariot runners. Pharaoh is on one of the chariots … he’s the archer with a blue war bonnet. Very Rameses II.

NKE-114 Pharaoh General
NKE-114 Pharaoh General

To continue a recent trend I’ve also got Pharaoh on a 40mm round base. This isn’t DBA but is increasingly common in more modern rules.

NKE-112 Pharaoh General
NKE-112 Pharaoh General
NKE-113 Pharaoh General
NKE-113 Pharaoh General

Chariots

Speaking of chariots. I’ve got a bunch. Each big base DBA stand is 80mm x 60mm and has two chariots, with two men in each chariot, and two chariot runners on the ground. This is the way I believe they fought.

NKE-111 All Chariots
NKE-111 All Chariots

For the DBA army I only need four chariot stands including the general.

NKE-110 Chariots
NKE-110 Chariots

Close Combat Fighters

The close combat fighters are the mainstay of the New Kingdom Egyptian army.

NKE-120 Close Combat Fighters
NKE-120 Close Combat Fighters
NKE-121 Close Combat Fighters
NKE-121 Close Combat Fighters

Sherden Guard

The Sherden guard are a variation on the close combat fighters. In DBA they are interchangeable because DBA does not have morale. In DBA I’d only field one Sherden stand in a typical New Kingdom Egyptian army.

NKE-131 Sherden Guard
NKE-131 Sherden Guard

But I’ve got more where that one came from.

NKE-130 All Sherden
NKE-130 All Sherden

Bowmen

After the chariots the archers are the most famous part of the New Kingdom Egyptian army. As I said above army list option (a) with four bowmen stands, all with padded linen head clothes.

NKE-140 Bowmen for DBA I-22a
NKE-140 Bowmen for DBA I-22a

And army list option (b) with only three bowmen stands, all with blue war bonnets.

NKE-141 Bowmen for DBA I-22b
NKE-141 Bowmen for DBA I-22b

And, once again, I have quite a few extra Bowmen to allow me to stage bigger battles.

NKE-142 All Bowmen
NKE-142 All Bowmen

Skirmishers

The New Kingdom Egyptian army only gets one skirmisher (Psiloi). I field a Nubian archer stand.

NKE-151 Nubian Archer
NKE-151 Nubian Archer

But I’ve got several options in the box. More Nubians and a stand of Egyptian archers in skirmish formation.

NKE-150 All Skirmishers
NKE-150 All Skirmishers

Libyans

Libyans and Sea Peoples are an option for army list (b). I’ve opted for Libyas. One stand.

NKE-160 Libyans
NKE-160 Libyans

Again I have several more to draw upon at need. Although these guys are more likely to appear as part of the Sea Peoples army.

Sea-Peoples-196 Libyan Warriors
Sea-Peoples-196 Libyan Warriors
Sea-Peoples-197 Libyan Warriors
Sea-Peoples-197 Libyan Warriors

Camp

Now for the camp. Illustrations of the Battle of Kadesh show the Egyptian camp as tents, surrounded by a wall of infantry shields, and fantastical creatures guarding the gates. The baueda miniatures Egyptian Camp is perfect. My normal Big Base DBA camps are 120mm x 80mm. I got a double sized camp for the New Kingdom Egyptians. This is because the Egyptian camp at the Battle of Kadesh was surrounded by the Hittites so would be entirely on table in a refight. I painted the camp.

NKE-170 Double size camp
NKE-170 Double size camp
NKE-173 Camp in two parts
NKE-173 Camp in two parts

I didn’t bother with the tents inside as I wanted open space to put troops.

NKE-171 Camp with Sherden Guard
NKE-171 Camp with Sherden Guard
NKE-172 Camp with Sherden Guard
NKE-172 Camp with Sherden Guard

Baggage

The start of the the Battle of Kadesh has an Egyptian convoy being attacked by the Hittites. So I thought I’d use my Sea Peoples wagons for this.

Sea-Peoples-193 Camp as Convoy
Sea-Peoples-193 Camp as Convoy
Sea-Peoples-194 Double Size Camp
Sea-Peoples-194 Double Size Camp
Sea-Peoples-195 Camp as Convoy
Sea-Peoples-195 Camp as Convoy

Credits

Martin Boulter from Silurian Wargames Limited painted the New Kingdom Egyptian. He uses a style that is similar to the Black Undercoat Method of painting but uses more shades. For example on the flesh he uses a mid brown base layer then does highlights in flesh tones.

The figures are from Essex Miniatures, Chariot Miniatures by Magister Militum.

I based and flocked them. Each infantry base is 80mm wide and 40mm deep; 12 figures for heavy infantry and four figures for light infantry. Cavalry are either six (heavy) or four figures (light) on a 80mm wide by 60mm deep base. Chariots are two vehicles to a 80mm wide by 60mm deep base plus two chariot runners.

4 thoughts on “Steven’s New Kingdom Egyptian Army for Big Base DBA”

    • A few things about that Chris:
      (1) I don’t like Warband as a troop type. They behave in an unhistorical knife through butter manner.
      (2) We have nothing written about how Sherden Guard behaved differently to Egyptian Close Combat fighters. Visual depictions has them equipped similarly (aside from costume design). So any distinction would be arbitrary .
      (3) If I was inclined to be arbitrary I’d want to make them, as guards, guard-like. Solid types. Which is more Blade than Warband.
      (4) Sherden are, of course, Sea Peoples; so whatever classification I used in the Egyptian list I would be inclined to use in the Sea Peoples. Now you can just repeat points 1-3 but for the Sea Peoples. So I’m more inclined to Blade than Warband for Sea Peoples.

      Reply

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