Playing with Plastic

I've been messing about with Perry plastic Ansar tribesmen that I've been painting up as Arab allies for my Seleucid Raphia forces.

A bit of green stuff has been used on some of the less "Arab" looking figures (once I've removed their trousers!) to add the characteristic blanket wrap. Helmets have been pinched from some Victrix mercenary hoplites to give them a bit more of a Hellenistic look - remember, the rationale is that they've been bribed by access to the Seleucid armouries ;-)

Pink Pike Finished

Here's the new 32 together with the original 64, making a total of 96 in two units of 48.

I need to do the same to my other unit of 64 Aventines and upgrade the equivalent of three more units of Foundry for our Raphia game in June.

I've also taken the liberty of taking a shot with my favourite command base ;-)

First Batch of Pink Pike

This is the first half of the 32 extra Pink Pike required to boost my current 64 man unit up to two units of 48. It also means I can take the opportunity of adding a couple of more obvious command bases into the mix, as I did with the Blue Boys; these are in the second batch.

Still need to add pikes and shields, of course!

Seleucid Allies - first batch complete

Basing complete. Slightly more arid than my normal style, but I think it's appropriate for these guys. Still similar enough so they will mix with my slightly less arid standard.

I've gone for a double based look to these. It works particularly well for the Arabs; I don't think I'd have fit them on single bases!

32 more Asiatics to go and only 80 Arabs!

Some pike up next.

More Seleucid Allies WIP

First batch of Arab allies and Asiatic levy. Just need to finish off the bases and paint some more; another 32 Asiatics and a mere 80 Arabs...

Shields are the excellent Aventine thureoi.

Next project: more Pink Pike!

Aventine Hellenistic Generals

I've indulged myself over the last week or so and painted a couple of single figures for a change. Makes a real difference from batch painting.

My colour scheme for the Pyrrhus figure is completely bonkers and over the top, but probably isn't too far away from what might have existed; see the recent reconstruction in Ancient Warfare as another example.

Aventine archers completed

Spent a little time basing these up over the last couple of days. It never ceases to amaze me how different figures look when fully based rather than just painted.

Over view:




Plus a couple of closer shots:

Aventine Archers WIP

Didn't want to go too long between postings as last time (about four months!).

Here's what I've been working on.

I'm actually painting a batch of 16, but got bored and decided to finish the guys in red tunics rather than work through all four colours. The other colours are green, blue and yellow/brown. Once completed, I'll mix them up on the bases to give a slightly irregular look.

Also just spotted that visits have topped twenty thousand. Thanks for looking!

Successor Agema

Wow! Can't believe how long it is since I last posted! Time flies when you're having fun, I guess.

I started these just after our Heraclea game at Partizan in May. I've been distracted with several things since then, work not the least of them. These are once again Aventine figures and represent the Royal bodyguard unit of one of the strongmen who managed to carve out a piece of Alexander's Empire, or the successors thereof.

I've tried to paint the purple in a shade that matches the latest interpretation of what is believed to be what "Tyrian Purple" looked like. Might be a bit pink for some tastes!

Oh, by the way, I'm really pleased with these - I think they're some of my best work. Enjoy!

Thureophoroi Completed

Finally got around to finishing off the other dozen thureophoroi to complete a unit of twenty four (you know when you have that group of figures that keeps getting pushed to the back of the queue...?).

Here's the full unit. Couldn't resist painting a few in pink ;-)

Heraclea at Partizan

The boards and figures were loaded into the car and we made the trip down to Kelham Hall near Newark.

We'd met up with Keith and Adam from Aventine the previous evening for a couple of pre-game drinks and it was good to see them again on Sunday. Also taking part in the game were Simon Miller (AKA BigRedBat), his son Harry and James Symmons.

We used Hail Caesar, tweaked by Keith, for our refight. Keith was a real Saint over the course of the day; he was the only one of us with more than a passing familiarity with the rules and he was frequently called on to direct we no-knowledge Tyros!

Various people took pictures over the course of the day and I'm sure many of them will be better than mine! Unfortunately, the lighting can be quite strange in the building and some of the shots look to have been taken through the early morning mist! Quite atmospheric.. (no pun intended).

The quality of the pictures is a bit mixed, but hopefully will give you something of the flavour of the thing before far better photographers get to show off their snaps. Enjoy!

 Pyrrhic deployment, with pikes in the centre, flanked by Tarentine hoplites and cavalry and light infantry wings.

 Roman deployment, just after they've (mostly) crossed the river.

 Close up of the cavalry and light infantry on the Roman right during the initial stages of the river crossing.

 Roman left flank

 Pyrrhic right centre.

 Pyrrhic right wing cavalry

 Pyrrhic left centre

 Close up of left flank Tarentine unit

 Keith and Simon (L-R) get stuck in on the Roman left flank

Close up of the scene.

Overall, a great day in great company. Although we didn't quite play the game to a conclusion, we declared a Pyrrhic victory following some pretty freakish dice throwing over the course of the day...