Meet Larry the Libyan

The Libyans, a Tribal coalition that the Egyptians fought in the western deserts, raided the nile valley and the delta with savage regularity during the New Kingdom.  They were of a very similar skin colour and probably ethnicity to their Egyptian neighbours.  One of the principal tribes, the Libu, gave their name to the whole people, and ultimately to the region too.  We have little idea of their histories or culture, but we have an excellent record of their appearance.  Many Egyptian inscriptions had detailed drawings of Early Libyans.  They had good reason to.

Early Libyan from the tomb of Seti I

Better still the Egyptians kept excellent records, and these same inscriptions, and various papyrus documents give us a wealth of detail.  The history thus recorded is of course biased.  The Egyptians provide the narrative for the Libyans, and it is a narrative that can only be interpreted through Egyptian culture.

The Early Libyans were ancestors of the modern day Berber, and like their descendants they adapted to the desert.  It was however a very different desert to the one we know today.  The desiccation of the Sahara began in the Bronze Age, and gradually worsened, turning the traditional nomadic grazing environment into a harsh unforgiving desert.  

The Tribes occupied two main areas.   A strip of settlements ran along the Mediterranean coast.  Mersa Matruh was an important trade port, and archeology has shown trade links with Crete,  and even a Mycenaean trade enclave on a small island in the port itself.  Bardia, Tobruk, Derna and even Benghazi had settlements, all small ports with trade.

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The other Libyan settlement was in the areas of the great oases running almost parallel to the west of the upper nile southward into the desert proper.  The nomadic lifestyle of the tribal herdsmen made them endemic raiders and plunderers, travelling across the region as nomads, but the oasis had semi permanent settlements because of the water sources.

My initial plan for my Libyan wargames army was to paint them dark skinned and use them as both Libyan, and Nubian.  I'm not sure how viable that plan is longer term, given that it has taken me weeks to experiment with a skin tone that I am happy with.  My initial purchase of these superb Wargames Foundry figures were of swordsmen, javelinmen and archers.  The Big Chief was also supplied with a Hittite Chariot that will serve as his command vehicle.  Eventually I will add a Sea People warband, either mercenaries or allies of the Libyans.

My Libyans based and grouped.

My Libyans muster a command pack, a pack of swordsmen, two packs of Archers, and a pack of javelinmen.  The command pack breaks down as eight figures in four separate sculpts.  Two chieftains with javelins pointing, two archers,  two swordsmen, two javelinmen.  The swordsmen, archers and javelin-men bulk out my groups to give me: a warband of twelve swordsmen, a group of 6 Javelin skirmishers three groups of 6 archer skirmishers, 4 command figures and a command chariot.  

Mighty Uriah holding his stave.

The Hittite chariot comes with three crew, but goodness knows how they fit in there.  I have painted Larry as my Libyan Chief, and done terrible things to his feet to get him to fit the car. Larry the lame would be about right for him, but that is no epithet for a brave Libyan warlord.  I also painted up the Hittite crew, (excellent figures in long bronze scale armour) with Uriah able to evict Larry as necessary.

Uriah nicks the chariot as Larry the Lame hobless along behind.

Basing this lot up I followed my ideas for “Chariot Rampant,” the hand to hand swordsmen, on pennies and the command and skirmishers on 2p coins.  It wasn't until I had done this that I decided I may need a second chariot, and almost certainly a group of 12 Sea Peoples, probably Sherden in their distinctive horned helmets.

The Libyans will find my Egyptians challenging opponents.  The fast chariots, the solid spearmen and the firepower of the close ranked bowmen represent a force that seriously over matches the Libyans.  However, with some Sea Peoples fierce foot, and their own warband swordsmen, the Libyans do have some options for rushing the Egyptian lines.  Add in some close terrain to channel attacks and give the Libyan skirmishers some refuge against the those rampaging chariots, and suddenly the Libyans have possibilities.

For the painting I decided that rather than a black undercoat I would go white, to give the colours some shine.  The skin tone problem that has had me gnawing my paintbrush was solved with a pot of Vajello tanned skin, followed by a dip.  I have to admit that, expensive as it is, I may be going back to army painter.

My intention is to complete the Libyans before moving on to the Egyptians, whom I see as a more difficult job.  I am also a good way through my amendments to Lion Rampant to make it Chariot Rampant.  That however may need some playtesting.

Uriah, waves his paintbrush

Happy with his pigments

His chariot looking pretty damn fine

But needing a dip.