The start of a baggage train

3rd Edition Warhammer Armies introduced me to the idea of a baggage train to accompany an army; the riff-raff hanging around for personal gain, the wounded and useless, the non-fighting (and from a gaming perspective - non-playing) characters could add so much flavour and character to an army and spawn a load of ideas about different scenarios. A defensive skirmish to protect the supply line. An ambush of an unsuspecting baggage train, the dawning realisation that a victorious army on the battlefield has been ultimately defeated because it no longer has it's baggage train... and so on.

So a few years ago I got hold of some ex-Citadel, now Foundry mules and quickly painted them up over the weekend.

To allow these models to be used in both city and battlefield environments (and to fit in with the two types of basing I have going on) I decided to go half and half. They can only walk to the right in a Mordheim/Frostgrave/Dungeon setting (cobblestones) and can only walk left on the battlefield.

Or perhaps they are saving wear and tear on their horseshoes by walking on the grass verge next to the road:

It always helps my motivation when painting to think of the miniatures backstory and how they fit into my plans. I currently only have a growing Nurgle army (and I want to do a Carnival/Calvalcade for their baggage - but that's for another day) so I tied these to my Mercenary contingent "The Blotted" and decided to do a little photoshoot where they are being escorted by the mercenary band. Perhaps these mules are carrying the loot and money earnt from another (successful?) venture and the vagabonds are protecting their haul.

Oh and here they are joined by an Otherworld Miniatures mule, in a slightly desolate town (more buildings needed...). The beginnings of a baggage train...?