Fireforge Games Black Guard (24) – 28mm Multi-part Plastic

This box set contains twenty-four multi-part plastic 28mm Black Guard infantry, engineered by Fireforge Games for the Deus Vult (“God Wills It”) series. Molded in high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) gray plastic, these figures represent the ‘Abid al-Bukhari—the elite corps of slave-soldiers who served as the backbone of the ‘Alawi sultanate in Morocco. The kit is fully modular, allowing for the assembly of a disciplined spear block complete with command elements for both historical and fantasy tabletop systems.

Historical Background:

The Black Guard, or “Slaves of Bukhari,” were a professional military corps assembled by Sultan Isma‘il ibn Sharif (reigned 1672–1727). Trained from the age of 10 in archery, horsemanship, and musketry, these soldiers were loyal only to the Sultan, bypasssing traditional tribal affiliations. At their peak, they numbered 150,000, serving as the elite pillar of Moroccan power and one of the most formidable standing armies in North African history.

Kit Tips:

• Basing Strategy: The included 20mm square bases are the industry standard for “Rank and Flank” systems like Deus Vult. For skirmish-based games such as SAGA: Age of Crusades, these models integrate perfectly onto individual round bases.
• Command Assembly: Each set includes specialized components to build musicians with drums and standard bearers, essential for identifying elite units on the battlefield.
• Modular Versatility: The multi-part HIPS plastic allows for easy kitbashing; the heads and arms are compatible with other kits in the Armies of Islam collection, allowing you to create unique variations of Moroccan or Andalusian infantry.
• Seamless Bonding: We recommend a high-quality liquid plastic cement (such as Tamiya Extra Thin) to create a permanent chemical weld between the modular arms and torsos, ensuring spears remain upright during intensive gameplay.

Black Guard Color Palette

• The Robes (The Primary): Historically, these units wore a variety of North African colors; for a striking unit, use a deep Blue or Green base highlighted with lighter tones to catch the sharp folds in the Fireforge sculpt.
• The Shields (The Wood/Leather): Use a textured Brown base with a dark wash to simulate the heavy hide or wooden shields characteristic of the corps.
• Armor & Steel (The Metallic): Apply a dark Polished Steel to the spearheads and any visible mail, followed by a black wash to add historical grit.