Aventine Hellenistic Command Stand & How-to Basing Tutorial

I've just finished the command group below, using figures from Aventine. There's a couple of senior officer figures from different command packs, supported by their shield bearers, who are phalangites equiped with spears for "detached" duty.

I've tried to tell a bit of a story with this vignette. Each pair of figures represent the two pike units I've been working on for what seems like forever; the pink pike and the red boys. The idea is that the two commanders for each phalanx are having a conflab. They may just be talking about what they've had for lunch - who knows! Shield transfers from LBMS. My favourite is the phalangite with his shield slung across his back, lugging his officers shield around as well!



I also took some pictures as I based these for those interested in how I do it.

Figures stuck to base and railway ballast (from model railway accessories) stuck to base in random areas using PVA.

Rest of base covered in ready mixed filler.

All painted liberally with cheap craft paint (Burnt Umber).

Base heavily drybrushed with Vallejo Flat Earth and lightly drybrushed with Vallejo Yellow Ochre.



Various tufts added...

Followed by two lengths and colours of flock.

Advancing pike batch two complete

Batch two is now finished. As you can see, the basic colours are the same as batch one, but with the red areas on the cuirass changed to add variety. The next batch will add more variation, but I'm planning to do some thureophoroi before I start them to give me a change.

The reference for this unit is the tomb painting shown at the end of the post.

I also seem to have obliterated my earlier WIP post somewhere along the way - must be more careful in future!