Hi Everyone,
Here is my review of Steel Empire Miniatures of a 1/9 scale Mongol Warrior Bust, 13th to 14th century.
Please note this review is based on the product pictures for sculpted detail and historical accuracy. I did not purchase the bust, so there are
no detailed and close-up shots of the resin parts.
Detail of the release
Title: Mongol Warrior 13th to 14th century
Manufacturer: Steel Empire Miniatures
Scale: 1/9
Sculptor: 3D sculpted
Material: resin
Price from: ?
Steel Empire Mongol Warrior half figure bust kit is 3D
sculpted. The 3D sculpted bust was showcased on Planetfigure figure news on August
2, 2026 and was available in late August, 2026.
From the product shots, the Mongol Warrior is wearing the scale
and lamellar armour and helmet, carrying a sabre, quiver, bow case and a shield on his
back. He is ready to fire an arrow with his bow toward his foe.
Final thoughts:
I am excited to see a Mongol bust available in the figure
kit market. Unfortunately, this bust is full of inaccuracies.
1. Regarding Mongol bow and arrow:
A Mongol bow is a type of recurved composite bow made from
laminated horn, wood, and sinew. A wood or bamboo core is used to form the base
of the bow. Hardwood or bamboo syiahs are then glued on each end, and horn
strips are glued to the belly of the bow. The back of the bow is covered with
several layers of sinew and then a decorative and protective layer of leather.
Birch is a typical material for arrows. The normal length of an arrow is
between 80 and 100 cm (30 and 40 inches), and the shaft's diameter is around 1
cm (0.5 inches).
Mongol arrow fletchings traditionally used three feathers per arrow, though
historical burial findings prove they occasionally used four feathers, not as two as on the bust.
A Mongol archer would wear a thumb ring made from leather,
bone, horn, and in some cases silver to protect the thumb and draw the string
with his ring while the index and middle fingers reinforced the grip around the
string, a method sometimes referred to as the “Mongolian draw.” The Mongolian
thumb release was the arrow that was fired from the right side of the bow, not the
left side as with the Mediterranean finger release.
Rule on arrow placement: Arrows go on the same side of the
draw hand. If you draw with left hand, the arrow goes on the left; if you
draw with the right hand, the arrow goes on the right.
2. Regarding Mongolian Armour:
Most Mongolian armour was of scale and lamellar variety.
Most armour was made of hardened leather and iron, laced together onto a fabric
backing, sometimes silk. Mail armour was also sometimes used but was rare,
probably due to its weight and difficulty to repair. Mongol archers demanded that the armour be light enough so that when riding, it didn't interfere with their
mobility.
Conclusion:
Sadly, the bust's armour, helmet, arrow fletching, Mongol
bow draw, and sabre on the bust don't quite meet historical accuracy standards.
These inaccuracies seem to indicate that the sculptor may not have conducted
thorough research. However, if you appreciate the bust and historical accuracy
is not a major concern, you may still enjoy purchasing and painting it.
Thank you for looking!
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