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Warhammer Historical
El Cid by James Morris
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This is the latest supplement to the popular Warhammer Ancient Battles rules, and to say that they have been awaited with excitement would be an understatement. Certainly wargame manufacturers believe that this volume is going to spark a lot of interest in the period of the Spanish Reconquista, and Gripping Beast, Crusader, and Artizan Design have all produced exciting and excellent models representing the troop types and characters described in El Cid.
And has the wait been worth it?
I have to say, resoundingly, yes!
This publication is excellent, and superior in my own view to the very popular Shieldwall published last year. The format is familiar, Softback A4, 64 pages packed with historical info, rules, painting details and wonderful colour pictures of some superlative models.
The history of Christian Spain during this period is extremely complex, and I have had some trouble in the past trying to get the details straight in my own head. However the short overview given in the pages covers all of the salient points, which is a great help. Mind you the story of the Muslim kingdoms is hardly less problematical,, and then their applecart was totally turned over when the fundamentalist Almoravids crossed over from Morocco. All of this is covered in the text.
But it is the colour photography that makes this volume so impressive. The models used are of the very highest quality, the terrain is excellent, and you simply cannot fail to sit in stunned admiration of the work displayed in these pages. And the painting and modelling tips included in the text and supported by a series of step by step photos have even made me believe that just maybe I can produce some really special units.
El Cid is an essential addition to the bookshelves of any WAB gamer, more, it is recommended reading for any gamers with a general interest for the medieval period in Spain or the Mediterranean.
Price £15
JOS
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