As I've previously mentioned, I'm painting a Ptolemaic pike phalanx for our Raphia game, at Partizan in June. This is, I hope, going to be a very large phalanx, indeed, and I expect that it will occupy the bulk of my painting time for the next 5 months.
I'm currently painting pikemen in batches of 18. Some almost finished miniatures are at rear left, and a big batch of primed minis are in reserve in case of bad priming weather. I'm also incorporating a few minis from eBay purchases.
I find I can prepare, paint and base 18 miniatures in around a week; it dawned on me that my 4-deep phalanx is only growing at a rate of 1 centimetre of width each day. :-(
I'm also a bit worried becuase I'm part way into the project, but at some point in early January a new publication is coming out on the Ptolemaic army, and there is a danger that I might find I've painted them all wrong. Gulp.
21 comments:
Looking mighty fine!!
Thanks Ray. It's an odd project, because I'm painting pretty much the same thing, over and over, and consequently I'll have less to post than usual.
Cheers, Simon
That's the way to do it. I have been doing mine in batches of 16. Another lot on the painting table.
Eighteen a week is about par for the course, though I admire your discipline doing large batches- four at a time is the limit of my concentration. Have you tried a dark brown undercoat, it seems to work well with bronze & flesh.
Looking good though, regards HGA.
Hi Simon, I tried 24s, but that was a bit too much like hard work!
HGA, I found it hard to paint the white linothorax on over the brown. Also wasn't pleased with the quality of the brown primers, especially the Army Painter.
Cheers, Simon
Lets face it, Army Painter primer has the sticking quality of teflon. A good soak in degreaser and Vallejo Charred Brown works much better.
Hey, nothing wrong with a centimeter a day. In a little three months, you'll have a meter of phalanx.
HGA, the thought of hand priming 500 pikemen was a little daunting! Especially as I'd have to paint on 500 sets of pteurges on the linothorax ;-)
FMB, yes but it is such a slow business... I wish I could paint a bit faster.
Cheers, Simon
Don't wuss out on me now... :-)
Regards,
Craig
Fear not, Craig, I shall not wuss! :-)
Keep chipping away Simon, looking good. ( This is going to be amazing ! )
I am really looking forward to seeing this finished. Five months of painting at the speed that you paint, this is going to be very impressive and perhaps the first 28mm 500 figure pike phalanx?
A Merry Christmas to you Simon.
Pat.
Hi Pat, and a Merry Xmas to you, too!
I do have just over 500 phalangites planned, but I'll probably need to get a couple hundred part-painted for me in order to meet the deadline, as there are elephants and cavalry to do, to. Gulp.
Cheers, Simon
That's very impressive and I know that you will reach your target, I look forward to seeing finished army on the battle or should I say the pictures. Such a shame there is an ocean between us would love to actually see the action. Have a great Christmas
Cheers
Kent
Hi Kent, yes it is a shame that we all live so far apart. But dont worry, bags of photos to follow, along the way!
Simon
500 figures???!!!
12 a week is three times my full speed average so I wouldn't be worried that you are slow! All the same figures is certainly a mental challenge, though.
Happy Christmas!
18 a week is quiet good if you ask me!
And I have no doubts that your colours will fit. And after all... After all this time who is to tell for sure!
Thanks chaps!
500 is an awful lot... but I have around 100 mostly done, and plan to get 1-200 blocked in for me, so I just need to finish and base them.
I do want to see this new book before I paint too many more. Very keen to see what they make of the peltasts, who may have had a different equipment to the other troops.
Merry xmas, all!
Cheers, Simon
Very nice, I only do my pike in batches of 8 , so 2 bases worth.
Hi Kroesus, I usually do at least a dozen, now; sometimes I don't base up until I have 48 or 96 minis ready painted.
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