Monday, 31 August 2009

Hasty Hastati 3

Here are the Aventine hastati after the second painting session:-

And here they are again after the third (retouched reds around pectorals (thanks Keith!), painted iron and started flesh):-

They are coming on very nicely, and happily rather quickly!

Saturday, 29 August 2009

Hasty Hastati 2

I've decided I'm going to tackle this unit with a different technique, partially using washes; more like Greg's method. In a long session 1 last night, I blocked in the red tunics, the black primer for the chain, the pectorals, pila shafts and some of the straps.

Thursday, 27 August 2009

Spartan Command Stands

These are the other minis that came, mostly painted, with the Tegeans. The first I've based as Cleombrotos, the unfortunate Spartan commander at Leuctra (unfortunate to experience Epaminondas' innovative tactics, that is!). The accompanying trumpeter is a Bronze Goat mini painted by my mate Nick Speller.


This second is an interesting piece I've called Sphagia, after the Spartan practice of sacrificing a goat in sight of the enemy shortly before battle. It's intended to be used as the Sphagia marker with the Polemos rules once I can get enough minis together to try the rules out.

Tardy Tegeans

These Spartan allies have been on the painting table for a while, delayed due to a shortage of Dullcoat. Their genesis was a unit of 20 Spartans I bought on eBay. By adding 8 figures, replacing shields, retouching and rebasing I managed to carve a unit of 24 out and a couple of command stands (which I'll post tomorrow). I'm rather pleased with them.

Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Hasty Hastati

I'm about to start my second unit of Aventines, this time Hastati. I spent far too long on the previous Triarii at 3 weeks, and have decided that I need to get this lot finished in around 2 weeks. To this end I'm going with a red primer, as I used with the Galatians back in the Spring- I'm hoping this will save me a few days! Also the figures are much less complex to paint than the Triarii.

The Aventine figures again prepped very quickly, having very little flash. I'm not a great fan of attached spears, but the hands are open and do provide a firm cup into which to glue them into (unlike some Gripping Beast figures, for example).

I'm finishing basing the Tegeans (from July) tonight; Hastati painting starts tomorrow...

Monday, 24 August 2009

Zama Paintathon II

That Frenchman is at it again! He's currently painting 70+ numidians for me. I'll post an update when they are finished...

(Photo "borrowed" from http://gloarmy.blogspot.com/)

Sunday, 23 August 2009

A Tale of Two Salehs

I've picked up a number of character figures by Steve Saleh recently, and thought it might be useful to do some comparison shots. I should apologise that some of the bases aren't perfectly lined up; this was challenging as some of the minis are rather "deep" and wouldn't stay in place.

The first 3, below, are the less satisfactory in my view.

I was particularly disappointed by Caesar, which I'd hoped would be a splendid mini; unfortunately he just doesn't look like the portraits of the general that I've seen. There is something I don't quite like about the legs, either, and he is the ghastliest sword I've ever seen on a historical miniature. That'll have to come off if I paint him. Overall I don't think it's as nice as Copplestone's Tribunes in the Foundry range; he's just not imposing.

The Arminius figure I like rather more, but does he look like a 25 year old Roman Equestrian and Auxiliary commander? I think not. Even if depicts the General later in life, I can't see why he'd be so scruffy and poorly dressed. He is, however, in other respects a rather nice figure that I will use, but not as a general.

I'm also rather unconvinced by the Antigonus One-Eye/Mercenary General figure in the middle. That is, again, a massive sword by Macedonian standards, and his stance is very wide. I think Antigonus would be better depicted by a mounted figure, so I'll do a conversion or see what Polemarch come up with for mounted minis. And BTW where have those Polemarch cavalry got to? They seem to have deserted Antigonus, rahter like his son's horse did at Ipsus.

The minis in the second picture are, IMHO, much better. Marcus Calvinus is quite the finest Centurion I have seen; he'll be Primus Pilus for my EIR legion. The figure is beutifully detailed and very imperious.

The Persian I reviewed early this month; he's a great mini.

Finally Babastus is a figure full of character. My only (mild) reservations about him are his slightly strange stance, and the rather crude scythe, which could have been done better; couldn't cut much mistletoe with that! I may give him a spear, instead.

All three of the above are available from http://www.gorgon-studios.com/?page_id=2

Sooo... I reckon from the six sculpts there are three really great minis, and three somewhat flawed ones. Steve is an excellent sculptor, but it seems to me that he approaches some tasks with more passion than others, and tends to give the less successful ones big swords. That Centurion is bloody marvellous, though!