The Radish Blog

[NARSES2]

Elephants can swim so the idea of a Carthaginian or Sassanid War Elephant being used in amphibious warfare is quite intriguing 

When I was actively wargaming I never got the hang (or the roll of the dice) when using elephants. My Sassanian ones would always end up routing back through my own infantry 

[Old Wombat]

Elephants can swim so the idea of a Carthaginian or Sassanid War Elephant being used in amphibious warfare is quite intriguing 

When I was actively wargaming I never got the hang (or the roll of the dice) when using elephants. My Sassanian ones would always end up routing back through my own infantry 

Never wargamed but from my MilHist readings it generally seems that head-on charges with elephants were only really successful for initial contact, after which any nation with decent commanders worked out how to counter them. After that they were much like ordinary cavalry, best used in flanking attacks to break up auxilliary units & archers, but much harder to stop once they got moving.


Mind you, I now have an image of waves of war elephants, with their trunks raised, rising out of the waters at Salerno or Anzio to do battle against the Romans.

[NARSES2]

Never wargamed but from my MilHist readings it generally seems that head-on charges with elephants were only really successful for initial contact, after which any nation with decent commanders worked out how to counter them. After that they were much like ordinary cavalry, best used in flanking attacks to break up auxilliary units & archers, but much harder to stop once they got moving.

Very much so and they needed to be supported but not by your best infantry in case they panicked. There are some engagements where they were very successful but that did tend to be early on in a conflict as you say.

One thing a lot of people don't realise is that Hannibal's were quite small. He used North African Mountain Elephants from the Atlas region and they were smaller than Indian ones. If you've ever seen footage of West African Forest Elephants it's reckoned they were about the same size. So no howdah, simply a rider and perhaps a guy with a pike. Sassanids used Indian ones.

[Radish]

Imagine MAMMOTHS......

[Steel Penguin]

Mimmoths are cutier   and can be house trained, 

[zenrat]

Elephant Seals?

Also imagining rastafarian war mammoths.

[NARSES2]

Elephant Seals?

I never realised how big the males were until I saw them in California. Massive  and looked really nasty beasts, wouldn't want to get any closer than I did.

[Rheged]

Imagine MAMMOTHS......

Indeed, or even MASTODONS!

[Radish]

See??   Great ideas.....

War Turtles might be good too.....

I shall ponder on ideas....

[zenrat]

Dugongs.

Not sure how good they would be in combat, I just like saying the word.

Dugong... 

[Radish]

Finally finished my Wounded Turreted Tortoise Being Helped in 1/35th. A winter scene, as the genetically-engineered Giant Tortoise can survive below-zero temperatures.
The tortoise has been wounded as Earth Forces resist Alien Invasion.

Next up, at last, is a 1/72 F-4G Phantom, reconditioned and flown by a Ghost, the Spirit of a Native American, as the Dead are revived to help the defence of Earth against Alien Invasion. More to follow.....

Both will feature on the GOTH display at Telford in November at SMW17......

[Radish]

Been painting......
Rocky Horror Show boots....it's The Picnic this coming weekend at Oakley Court hotel, where the film was made.
Lots of food, friends.....all rather fun in 5 Star surroundings. Spiffing.

[Old Wombat]

 

[NARSES2]

Enjoy yourselves Rad 

[Steel Penguin]

have a good weekend Rad     and don't over indulge in the bar tab competition .