Sharp Objects

Here's a project that I finished a while back but never had time to photograph. This is my fleet of scythed chariots; the Mark I's (venerable Vendels) at the rear and the Mark II's (lethal-looking Gripping Beast Polemarchs) to the fore. I'm very pleased with them.

I assembled them - no mean task! I made the whips from plastic rod. Shaun McTague painted them all, he did a splendid job with the red and the gold. I based on my wobbly-edged bases.

All the models are intended for the Ipsus game that I plan to run at various shows in Q3 and Q4. I fully suspect that they will last for less than 90 seconds! I'd have done better building wrecked chariot models, at least they'd be there all game. ;-)

In other news, I've just published an updated version of the Medieval army lists. If you bought the lists before you should have received a download link.

There are now 108 lists in the Medieval Army List eBook, and around two third of them now include historical background material. I've also started to include photos of my favourite wargames figures painted by my favourite wargames artists. If you'd like to buy a copy you can find it here.

Overkill!

I'm plugging my way through assembly and basing for Salute. Above are four Polemarch chariots that I've owned for a decade, and which have only just made it to the painting table, and below are four vintage Vendel chariots that I am in the process of refitting. All of the chariots were assembled by me and painted by Shaun McTague, who did a splendid job on them.

  

Above is a closeup of a Polemarch. These models are festooned with lethal spikes and scythes- they look really deadly, and the detailing of the cabs is excellent. Below, the vintage Vendels have far fewer sharp edges but retain a certain charm. I had to give one some Footsore horses. I still need to add scythes to two of the Vendels and whips to all eight crewmen.

So, I hear you say, why so many chariots, when they have a shorter lifespan than the mayfly? Well, there were 120 at Ipsus, so eight models doesn't seem excessive. Moreover, I already had them in the Lead Mountain. These are, of course, for my Salute Ipsus game, on which front I am making steady modelling progress.

Send us some more!

Here's another part of the Salute project. I have owned two old Vendel scythed chariots for some years but recently decided that I need a few more, and so here's a picture of the BigRedBat coach works. I have assembled cabs for two more Vendels and four newer Polemarchs (super models, festooned with blades!). Shaun McTague has painted all the horses for me, I just need to do a little snagging and assembly, and he can then paint the cabs for me, too. I've also prepared some Batbases with magnets and top-notch chamfering.

The title of this post comes from an incident at the second battle of Chaeronea in 86 BC, when the Romans"after repulsing (the chariots), clapped their hands and laughed and called for more, as they are wont to do at the races in the circus" (Plutarch, Sulla, XVIII.2-3). 

New Polemarch Scythed Chariots

Jim at Polemarch very kindly posted me these pictures of his new scythed chariots, which I believe  will soon (but I gather not quite yet) be available via Gripping Beast.  They had a gratifying number of points and sharp edges, which is very nice as some previous scythed chariots have tended to be rather blunt instruments!

I shall be having at least a couple, once they come out.  I don't yet have a Seleucid army but I do aspire to a Pontic...