E27 is already processing for a while, and (again) only 4 new sets in E28!

... and how about new ancient sets (2 missing Sassanid sets: Elephants, Cataphracts to 'complete' the range).

Maybe we will get them earliest in 2 year from now? or even later? or never?

... and how about other pending ancient sets?

In the past HÄT had a very good policy releasing new sets: always some sets from different era, ... and more than 4 sets!

I share the frustration, although I guess we should be thankful that HaT are continuing to design, produce and sell new sets at all - four is better than one or two.... or none!

Personally, I've had the Sassanids on a back burner for some time and have no near term expectations of the Elephants and Cataphracts appearing any time soon. I'll buy a couple of each of the new E27 sets and store them for the future, just in case.

I'm taking a similarly long view on the HaT SYW ranges, although probably less positive. I have sets of Prussian infantry still boxed and on sprues, which may yet be consigned to e-bay, since it looks unlikely that opponents (Austrians, Russians) are going to see the light of day in the next year or two. I have trusty 30mm SYW armies for the main combatants anyway, and I'll simply keep these in active use rather than the retirement/replacement that seemed on the cards a few years back. I'm not sure I can afford to wait for the remainder of the HaT SYW range.

HaT underwent a dormancy of approximately 2 years. It is the goal of current Hat to complete all the unfinished masters at a fast pace.

Thank you for the information.

I'm happy to know that you have a plan for producing sets which many have eagerly awaited for some time. I understand that it is difficult to run a successful business in these trying economic times, and appreciate your efforts to satisfy a group of customers which is very diverse in its interests.

Best wishes in the new year.

Well its been all talk and no action for a long long time. Pretty much given up on this company. I painted a huge number of Sassanid infantry then started waiting and waiting, Then I painted a huge Late roman army to pass the time and give the Sassanids someone to fight.... Still waiting and waiting. Its all talk so far as i can see. If hat is going to do an ancient army please release the whole thing at once or at least enough to make a playable force. How long will we wait for the elephants and Cataprachts another two ++ years! Assuming the other cav ever stop processing (? what ever that means) and ship. I've bought at least 100 boxes of hat products. Why do I even check the website any more? Forlorn Hope I guess

Buy the Goths and Huns, at least that way your Late Romans will have someone to fight. Years ago Ceasar Miniatures released Ancient Asyrians and I held off on buying them until I learned that Hat were also going to make an Asyrian range. So I ended up buying both ranges and even the excellent Siege Tower and Battering Rams. Now quite a few years on and there is still no viable enemy.

Best regards,

Malcolm

Would the Assyrian Allies work as their enemies?

The Caesar Mitanni, Hittites, Early Arabs, Hebrews and Egyptians as well as the Egyptians from Zvezda and Atlantic/Nexus/Waterloo 1815 are all suitable opponents for the Caesar and HaT Assyrians. I've done conversions of various HaT figures (Carthaginians, Persians and Roman Eastern Auxiliaries) into Syrian auxiliaries to supplement Hittites or to stand alone, as appropriate. The Assyrian Allies can likewise supplement the Caesar Mitanni chariots.

It would have been nice if Caesar had followed through with their plans for Babylonians to round things out. However, the difference between Assyrian and Babylonian armour, helmets and shields is minimal, as I understand it. Ergo, buy two armies, organize and paint them differently, as appropriate and shrug off the naysayers.

Hi, Mike,

I *think* the Assyrian sets are mostly suited to the Later Empire. So, strictly speaking, the Mitanni & NKE are not perfect matches, chronologically.

Now, that said (& I apologise for the pedantry), the Bronze Age is such a long & quite obscure period that "perfect matches" are few & far between & I think fudging the time lines is perfectly acceptable.

At the moment, we're using Mycenaeans (& Sea Peoples) against the NKE. AFAIK, there is very little evidence for Mycenaeans fighting Egyptians.

My pals are working on Caesar & HaT Assyrian armies so in the fullness of time, we will also have them fighting against Mycs & NKEs. At least they're all in the same 'Field of Glory' Army Book ("Swifter Than Eagles").

I'm not a fan of total outside period match-ups (eg Samurai Vs Normans)but ultimately how anyone games is the right way for them.

donald

How have I handled the problem of the Assyrians not having any traditional enemies? My first assumption back in the days when the Assyrian armies were running rampant and Nebuchadnezzar was destroying them most of their enemies wore similar battle dress which makes it easy.

From what is available at present, from Ceasar Miniatures many of the Hebrew Warriors look to be contemporary and in Arab Camel Raiders and Bedouin the double mounted Camel troops are fine but at only 2 to a box an expensive option. From Hat the Assyrian Allies are the best bet since these were conquered people pressed to fight for their former enemy. However, I would still like to see a different 4 horse chariot for these, rather than changing the crew figures of the Assyrian examples. Also the Egyptian infantry of this period were different from those of 400 years earlier and they were by now using 4 horse chariots. I am using the old Airfix Fort Sahara appropriately painted in sand/mud brick colour for this period (I know that the doors should probably be rectangular rather than arched but since this model can be used right up to WWI and probably beyond I overlook this minor detail.

Best regards,

Malcolm

I have enough unpainted sets that I am not clamouring for new ancient sets just yet (French infantry for my Naps though, now they are needed, and STILL not appearing...)

That's what I did. Bought enough to make an Assyrian and a Babylonian army to fight each other. Of course, I was doing DBA, so that doesn't take an enormous number of troups.

With the price of plastic it is also easy to make full sized wargame armies the big difference being all of the extra painting needed to complete them.

I would be for more sets from the Antike era generally, I cant say whether or not they would sell enough to justify them but there are many possibilities Neo/Babylonians/Hittites, Aramaeans, Medes etc.. perhaps a poll is in order....

In the meantime complete the Sassanids and give the late Romans a worthy opponent...

Assyrian allies work well for Uratians and Assyrian troops can double as Babylonian Household troops.The bulk of the Babylonian troops had a different dress and the greater part of their armies were composed of Chaldean and Elamites.

The Elamites also had unique chariots that looked more like battle taxis.

One day when all of the existing sculpts become a reality it would be nice to see some focus back into the biblical age. In the meantime I happily buying up loads of reissues.

Apologies to all. HaT underwent a dormancy of approximately 2 years. It is the goal of current Hat to complete all the unfinished masters at a fast pace.

Don't let it get to you. You've been much more responsive and informative than in the past. You're also more proactive, too. I don't know much about what was troubling HaT, but from where I'm sitting you're doing excellent work.

Bill

Thank you for the update, and your commitment to fast-tracking the sets currently in the pipeline. HaT certainly continues to have my support.

Very much looking forward to all the new releases.

Best regards,
Andrew

Looking at some of my army lists all you need for a basic Sassanid Persian army are the Clibanarii and Light cavalry. All of the extra's are optional. Looking at Sassanid Persian artwork the Clibanarii mounted on the fully caparisoned horses are from the early period and could do double duty if painted right as cataphracts.

Sounds encouraging, perhaps I'll buy a few extra sets of both the light cavalry and the Clibanarii when they come out. My late Romans need an enemy to reckon with....

Incidentally, on the 'Assyrian enemies' thread: there seems to be a lack of Egyptian chariots out there and in production/for sale at present. The Ceasar set (ie: not the single chariot Pharaoh set, but the set with two standard war chariots) seems to be generally unobtainable. No chariots effectively means no Egyptian army.

You could substitute the Mitanni Chariots which are very similar and still available...

There are a few discissions online about pimping up the old Atlantic chariots.

eg: http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=441622

Quite a few here, too. Personally I have a bunch of the original Atlantic chariots. I was planning to assemble them straight from the box, as I'm a wargamer rather than a dioramist, but I like the idea of relocating the wheels and axles. I do think they look much better than the old Greek chariots with their sloping, angular sides resembling no chariots I've ever seen pictures of, not even in movies.

I'd forgotten it was Caesar Miniatures which reissued the old Atlantics. Thanks for mentioning them, guys!

Bill

It wasn't caesar that reissued the egyptian chariots from Atlantic. That was done by Nexus, I believe and maybe someone else? Waterloo 1815?..

In any case, the Caesar chariots look nothing like the "one man fits" chariots from Atlantic.