Pimpin' Yo Chariot

 As I've been building my elfin army during my extended plague lockdown, I've been wondering about cavalry. Cheap alternatives are non-existent. I've found some very nice metal figures but the Australian Dollar and the cost of getting them here is exorbitant. I can afford it but I just can't justify $100+ for six figures. It goes totally against my wargaming sensibilities. So I needed to look for alternatives.

I decided to make some chariots. I looked around for a while but couldn't really find what I wanted. I saw a nice Warlord Games, Egyptian Chariot Regiment. But I would have to get them from the UK and the cost would be huge again and I might have to wait months at the moment due to the post.

Anyway, I found these 4ground Egyptian Chariots. Each pack had two chariots for $9 AUD. So I ordered two packs. 

I had six horses still on their sprues from a Perry plastic War of the Roses or Hundred Years War kit and I decided to use these. They had saddles and reigns but they'd work okay after trimming the saddles a bit.

I used Oathmark Elves for the crews. I decided these would be light chariots and I'd make them into missile platforms. So I made up some figures to fit. I had to make the archers using all the same pose because fitting them into the chariot was going to be a real squeeze. At least the driver/shield bearers are all slightly different.

So I then came the painting. I decided to give all of the actual chariots the same colour scheme. However, I gave each set of horses individual panoply with matching quivers for the arrows.

Putting the things together was pain in the arse. I made the reigns out of wire by twisting two strands together. I then had to thread them though the hand of the driver and fit them to the yolk. Then I had to maneuver and set the crew so that both both figures fitted into the back.

After a lot of super-gluing, swearing and a few touch ups they were done. As far as I'm concerned they came out pretty nice and I'm really happy with them. So I now have a mobile element for my elves.