Welcome to the May edition. Here we introduce lots of the new future announcements. We visit the Black Hills Wars, Carthagnians with a future elephant.  Also the hugley successful Mountain Men series and we continue to expand the American revolution. We hope you enjoy!

The images shown are Prototype images of the sculpted work, prior to master painting.

We hope you enjoy!

THE BLACK HILL WARS 1876-1877
THE BATTLE WHERE THE GIRL SAVED HER BROTHER, 17th JUNE 1876

ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ROME THE CARTHAGINIANS

NORTH AFRICAN ALLIES

Although initially the Carthaginian army was composed only of Citizens of Phoenician origin, it saw increased recruitment of contingents of mercenaries and allies a necessity in order to realize the policy of imperial expansion. This use of mercenaries saved the metropolitan population from heavy casualties that were not easily replaceable, and it also reflected the Carthaginian concept of war, which was considered simply as an extension of business. With the enlargement of Punic economic interests the army became more exclusively mercenary and progressively came to include almost all the peoples of the central and western Mediterranean area. The largest single component of the Punic army usually comprised soldiers recruited or impressed from subject Libyans. These are often referred to as "Africans", or Liby-Phoenicians. These were mercenaries or in some cases conscripts, subject to service from the tenants of the large African estates. Eventually these mercenaries were no longer simply troops hired for a single campaign and discharged after a few months service, as had originally been the case, especially during the first Punic War. They were now a professional standing army seasoned by long years of warfare, under the command of skilled generals such as Hamilcar Barca and his sons.

Among the North African allies were the subjected Libyans of the Marmarica, which formed a major part of the light infantry. These were mainly made up from several tribes, Nasamones, Macae from the Cynips river, the tribes of Barce, the Autololes, the ferocious Adyrmachidae, and the Garamantians.

ADYRMACHID WARRIORS

This Libyan tribe called the Adyrmachidae were described as carrying a buckler of many colours ,a sword in the shape of a sickle and would wear a single greave on the left leg. Warriors would have their head shaved except for a central plaited crest, often with a crescent amulet fastened to hang on his brow. Nose rings were also typical for many punic cultures.

GARAMANTIAN LIGHT INFANTRY

Garamantian light infantry are recorded as wearing a loose tunic and had red war paint on the face and limbs. The general use of javelins by these Libyan tribes is widely recorded and was the typical weapon of the Garamantians.

BALEARIC SLINGERS

The Balearic slingers launched bullets that had a speed of 160 kilometers per hour (one hundred miles per hour). They could hit their opponents at a distance of 400 meters (1,300 feet) but were deadliest at a distance of 120 meters (400 feet). An experienced slinger could make seven shots per minute. They carried three slings, one around their head, one around their waist, and the third in their hands. Different slings were used to hit targets at different distances. The longer the sling, the larger distance it could cover.

They manufactured the bullets for slings from stone, lead, or clay. Some sling bullets had holes to give off a buzzing sound, reminiscent of an agitated wasp. This was an ancient form of psychological warfare. Often, the bullets contained inscriptions and images. The most common were the images of a lightning bolt, a snake, or a scorpion. Some bullets had inscriptions such as: "Take this", "Catch", "Ouch", or "Get pregnant with this.

The Balearic Islands are a Spanish archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. Today, these islands are best known as tourist destinations, with the islands of Ibiza and Mallorca being especially popular. However, in antiquity, the Balearic Islands were best known for the deadliest slingers in the Mediterranean. The Balearic slingers were a coveted asset of every army of antiquity. The name for the Balearic Islands originated from the Greek word "ballo" which means "to launch." The Balearic slingers started training as soon as they could walk. Supposedly, mothers didn't give their children food until they could hit their targets. Years and years of practice made slinging their second nature and turned these slingers into game-changing warriors on the battlefield.

During the second Punic War (218-201BC) the Carthaginian master general Hannibal wreaked havoc in Roman Italy. The Romans were terrified of the invisible killers, the Balearic slingers. The Carthaginians recognized the skill of the slingers and tried to hire as many of them as possible. Interestingly the slingers didn't want gold, they demanded to be paid with wine and women. Once the Romans defeated the Carthaginians they made sure that the Balearic slingers became part of the auxiliary units of the Roman legions.

The use of slings slowly faded away. It took years and years of practice to train warriors to efficiently use this weapon. In the Middle Ages, bowmen required less effort to train than slingers. Eventually, bows were replaced by firearms, the usage of which could be taught in a matter of weeks. We could say technological advancement made the Balearic slingers obsolete. However, history will remember them for their skills, terrifying reputation, and admiration from foes and friends alike.

THE FUR TRADE

A Travois is a frame structure that was used by the plains Indians of North America, to drag loads over land. There is evidence to support that travois were used in other parts of the world before the invention of the wheel. Initially the travois was pulled by dogs. The basic dog travois consisted of two aspen or cottonwood poles, notched and lashed together at one end with buffalo sinew, with the other ends splayed apart. Cross bars are lashed between the poles near the splayed ends, and the finished frame looks like a large letter A with extra cross bars. The apex of the A, wrapped in buffalo skin to prevent friction burns, rests on the dog's shoulders, whilst the splayed ends drag over the ground. Women both built the travois and managed the dogs. Buffalo meat and firewood were typical travois loads.

Women of the tribe were responsible for painting the Parfleche storage and carrying cases. As a rule these cases were rounded or folded twice, stitched up the sides and closed by a round triangular flap over one end. Cases intended to hold sacred medicine objects and bonnets could usually be identified by the long fringes at their sides or bottom. Others without fringes were used to common household articles. Usually cases were painted only on the front side and with a geometric design.

Incapacitated or wounded men could also be transported on a travois. The dead during a raid were retrieved if possible, but were often buried on the field in shallow graves or under rocks, the other warriors leaving whatever gifts they could to aid them in their journey to the faraway land. Blackfoot warriors had an unique custom of covering their battlefield dead with the bodies of their enemies. This was said to pay for those who were lost.

Buffalo robes were also a common painted item, and could be quite glamourous. Often the decorative designs painted or quilled on the robe proclaimed the status of the wearer. The typical man's robe of a northern plains Tribes was painted or quilled with a stunning "black warbonnet" pattern which consisted of concentric circles with numerous small radiating fugures each composed of two isosceles triangles and designated by the Indians as "feathers". In addition to what was called "the marked male robe", every warrior of note had a "war record" robe on which he pictured his accomplishments in raiding and war. In painting war robes, the figures are best described as naturalistic or realistic figures of warriors horses and buffalo and other animals. The style was always bold, simple , shown in profile and without background. A man either decorated his own robe or secured the service of a more skilled painter to do it for him. Robe painting has been called "more properly picture writing than art", and it should be remembered that simple pictorial shorthand served marvelously to tell those who were familiar with the language of the painted figures exactly what a brave man's claims to distinction were. It indicted with great economy the number of horses he had stolen from enemy camps on each war party, the number of enemy weapons or other personal equipment he had taken, the number of enemy he had killed or wounded, and the number of times he had served in the responsible position of leader of a war party or as a scout.

The War shield was one of the most important pieces of the warrior's paraphernalia. Although it could be punctured by a direct blow, a shield struck at an angle was tough enough to deflect lances, arrows or even a smoothbore ball at mid range. It was considered a most sacred and potent possession. Its painted symbols and the items appended to it had resulted from a vision, and in its manufacture and care the warrior bestowed intense selectivity, craftsmanship and thought. The decoration and painting of the shield was always accompanied by special ceremonies conducted by medicine men and proven warriors. A common Sioux practice was for the warrior to sit before the holy man and recount his coups with small sticks, dropping one for each coup, while the holy man painted on designs, prayed over them and sang war songs to affix their power permanently. These services were considered to be worth as many as two fine horses.

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
THE QUEEN'S RANGERS (1st AMERICAN REGIMENT) 1778-1783 - SIMCOE'S RANGERS

The Queen's Rangers came into being when Robert Rogers was authorized to raise a "Corps of Provincials" on August 16th 1776. Recruited originally from Loyalists in New York and Connecticut, its men were farmers and city dwellers with little military experience. They were a Loyalist military unit and were named for Queen Charlotte, consort of George III. The Queen's Rangers served as a light corps in the tradition of British Rangers during the war, operating on the flanks and in advance of Crown forces, manning outposts, conducting patrols, and carrying out reconnaissance and raiding operations.

Following an inauspicious start when it was mauled by an American surprise attack at Mamaroneck in October 1776, it participated successfully in various campaigns throughout the Revolution until the surrender at Yorktown. In a period of about a year, the Rangers had three commanding officers following Rogers. Major Christopher French reorganized the corps, during which process many officers and enlisted men were discharged. He was followed by Major James Wemyss in May 1777, under whom the unit increased in size and efficiency, participating in the Brunswick raid of June 1777. In the Battle of Brandywine, the command suffered the loss of one third of its number in killed or wounded, fourteen of twenty one commissioned officers were casualties.

Wemyss was wounded at the battle of Germantown. Major John Graves Simcoe succeeded him as commanding officer on October 15th, 1777.

It was under Simcoe that the Rangers reached the height of its efficiency. Starting as an infantry command, it gradually expanded and before its surrender at Yorktown consisted of eleven companies of foot, including riflemen, light infantry, grenadiers and a highland company, as well as dragoons, Hussars and some light guns.

Simcoe had advanced ideas regarding training and discipline. He advocated costant vigilance, physical activity, and endurance of fatigue. There was constant instruction in marksmanship, the use of the bayonet, open formations, and the use of ambuscades. Units were trained to seldom return by their outgoing route. Officers were selected on their ability to perform such duties, and promotions when they occurred were from within the corps. Regularity of messing and cleanliness were stressed, and officers were held responsible for the health of their men. Written orders were avoided when possible, officers met after parade and received their orders verbally.

A small number of Black Loyalists served in the Queen's Rangers, such as the trumpeter Barnard E. Griffiths.

After the war, the Rangers were removed to the British colony of Nova Scotia and disbanded.