From AlanD - 28mm Dark Age Seljuk Cavalry (100 Points)

This week I've added some Seljuk ghulams to my growing Saracen force. The figures are from Perry, and they are what you would expect: stunningly detailed little sculptures that are very realistically proportioned, and thus look a little slight compared to some other ranges.

I managed to get these done during breaks from painting the lounge room and ripping up the carpet. I don't remember ever feeling so totally knackered. It has been a good 10 days of solid graft, made possible by loud music and heroic quantities of beer.

The shields are all hand painted, as is the standard. The inscription on the standard is in kufic text, and is copied from the inscription on an Umayyad coin. I tried to make the flag look a bit tattered, but I'm not sure it worked too well. While we are on the topic, I have found coins and Persian carpets to be particularly good sources of text and designs when painting my Saracens. I have tried to make the Arabic inscriptions at least appear plausible, rather than just painting on a squiggle. If you are doing a squiggle, remember that Arabic is written right to left!

That's 9 mounted 28mm figures, giving me a base of 90 points.

From Curt:

Lovely work Alan. Again, you've done a masterful job on their tunics, shields and horse furniture. The flag is particularly brilliant. Great tip on using Persian carpets and coins as inspiration for their shields and banners (and on the right-to-left squiggling...). 

This entry will allow you to just pip past Tamsin again in your points race. Well done.