So recently I discovered the need to purchase some likely carts for the baggage train raid of  Dux Brittaniarum.  The scenario calls for three dark ages carts which was something missing from my and my clubs collections.  I should perhaps mention that I have a more than passing interest in driving two wheeled vehicles.  While most of my experience is with horse,  I have driven oxen as well.

I looked around and settled upon a pair from 4ground.  Unfortunatly,  I misunderstood the pictures and thought I had purchased three, so I am still in the market for another.  One of the reasons I decided upon the 4Ground models is because they do include the ox yoke which a few I saw did not.  As it turns out most of the oxen models are carved with the yoke so that wasn’t as important as I had thought.  I am generally happy with my 4Ground purchases however.  I ordered two through Nobleknight here in the U.S.

The first is sold as a roman ox cart and is complete with bows for a top.  I am thinking very highly of getting the third as one of these and leaving one as is and making a top for the other.

 

The other is sold as a Peasant’s Cart.  it is very similar to the first sans the roof bows.  in the picture you may notice that the ox yoke is missing.  That isn’t because it doesn’t come with one but rather that I haven’t glued them on yet.  None of these models come with oxen.  I am waiting to determine if I need the yoke or not.  I am very interested in the Perry Oxen set from their War of the Roses line.  That will give me two teams of oxen in yokes.  it will also give me a War of the Roses ox driver which will help with that period which is next on my agenda.  This peasant cart is so very useful.  I will be using it for Dark ages, War of the Roses, maybe for Spanish Civil War, certainly for cowboy games.  In fact the other wheels which are solid look very much like Mexican peasant wagons I have seen.

Both of these kits assembled very nicely and look pretty good as is.  i am planning on painting them, though I am still considering how to go about that.  A very nice thing about these kits is that they both come with options for altering their basic construction.  Open front or back, or possibly not open at all.  With roof bows or rails or without.  The peasant’s cart even came with a choice of wheels.

So, when I decided to talk about these fine little vehicles it made me decide to mention some other little projects along these lines.

This is also a 4Ground model.  A very useful cart design which covers a rather large period of time.  Newer in design than the others it would certainly be at home from at least the 17th century through to world war two.  Mine mostly sees action in Spanish Civil War and World War II games.  It really should probably be painted though I have been too lazy to do that.

 

These last two items are from Warbases.  The wheel barrow looks almost exactly like ones our wheelwright at work makes.  (I work for an 18th century living history museum for any readers who do not know).  The only difference is that ours at work have two bars on either side of the wheel instead of the one on this model.  This will eventually be painted a sky blue with a Spanish brown wheel as are many of the ones at work.  Maybe all Spanish brown.  The cart, these I think are just lovely.  I have already bought two of these and intend to buy more.  I am buying them for a Gangs of New York game I am working on and will eventually pain them and fill them with flowers or vegetables or whatever to line the busy Five Point Streets with.  These are great Street furniture not only for various Victorian or 19th century games but I think they would look great in World War II France or Belgium as well.

All of these models are very inexpensive and can easily be added to another purchase from any of these suppliers.   While the carts I first mentioned are specifically  to be used as game pieces, they are also useful as parts of barricades or to complete your terrain.  Well worth a few bucks here and there!

Cheers,

Ron