F is for Fertile Crescent!

Well, sometimes a title just presents itself! Although geographically we're staying in the northern point really! And heading-off into the barren western reaches. Crescent's FFL and Arab Warriors, standard Crescent fare, with six-poses each of foot figures and three mounted.

The 'locals'; four firearms and two swords, the red plastic is a bit jarring, they would all benefit from paler washes, although some Arabians go with black or dark-[Malian]-blue (the Tuareg), so it's a moot point, but red's a bit too leery. Ideal figures for destroying (Timpo?) railways a'la the Lawrence movie!

Shield designs include a crescent-moon (of course!) and a hawk, the ruling classes of Arabia and the fertile crescent, and beyond to the 'Stans are known for their hawking abilities, so a nice choice, except Arabian shields tend to geometric shapes and/or ornate/fine calligraphy in worked metal!

The mounted chap with a shield, has exactly the type of thing! While Crescent aren't known for brittleness, I just didn't trust these chaps . . . and wasn't 100% confident of my abilities to get them back on their horses in one piece, so shot them separately for safety's sake!

La Légion Étrangère; As with the mounted Arab, the officers sword is rather truncated, I don't know if this was an early example of toy-safety, or a technical issue with cavity sizes or something, but both seem to be naturally stumpy? Paint is not the best, but Crescent's output never held paint well; the lack of chalk/talc in the plastic (reducing the brittleness) resulting in a smooth, shiny surface which sheds paint!

They were both painted once! Paint's good on the bugler, but I'm not sure what kind of note you'd get from his bugle with it's trumpet missing! Another one for the shopping list!, but at least the officers sword is a better length! The red plastic suggests they shared a tool with the Arab cavalry, but we never find them in blue! That's Crescent's mob of Beau Geste'esque sandmen - box ticked!