I'm currently retouching and basing Numidians and Thureophoroi, and won't have anything to show for a few days. So I've decided to show a few more command stands, this time from my Greek and Spartan armies.
This is King Agis, who commanded the Spartans at Mantinea (418BC). At this time Agis, who had earlier blotted his copybook, was under the supervision of ten advisors, called xymbouloi, whose consent was required for whatever military action he wished to take. Whether Agis was incompetent, or whether the council were slow to make decisions isn't clear, but a gap opened in the centre of the Spartan line and they almost lost the battle.
Nick Speller painted these for me; I've only depicted three of the ten advisors.
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Sunday, 20 September 2009
Just a few Numidians..
These are the majority of the Numidian and Carthaginian levies I am painting for Zama.
Greg has very kindly painted 160 (!) minis (the ones on the tray), but unfortunately they took a bit of a pasting in the post and will need a little tender working care to get them into the field. I retouched a dozen last night, though, and I think it'll be relatively quick; hopefully I should be able to finish about a dozen a night. As well as these, I have 28 more unpainted infantry and 24 mostly unpainted cavalry. Plenty to do...
BTW this is my 100th blog post- thanks very much to my readers!
Greg has very kindly painted 160 (!) minis (the ones on the tray), but unfortunately they took a bit of a pasting in the post and will need a little tender working care to get them into the field. I retouched a dozen last night, though, and I think it'll be relatively quick; hopefully I should be able to finish about a dozen a night. As well as these, I have 28 more unpainted infantry and 24 mostly unpainted cavalry. Plenty to do...
BTW this is my 100th blog post- thanks very much to my readers!
Saturday, 19 September 2009
Talk Like a Pirate Day!
Shipmates; avast! Cap'n Big Lee http://bigleesminipaintingblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/talk-like-pirate-day.html has remembered me that today be Talk Like a Pirate Day! Hoist the Jolly Roger! Splice the mainbrace! Oooh-argh.
Friday, 18 September 2009
My favourite troop type....
... are Thureophoroi. I don't know why this it, I just love them to bits!
My good mate Nick Speller has just sent me 32 beautifully painted Thureophoroi, which will enable me to expand my existing 4 units of 16, to 4 of 24 ( http://bigredbat.blogspot.com/2009/03/many-completed-thureophoroi.html )
My favourites are (very narrowly) the Foundry minis; there is something intangible about them that sets them apart, for me, even though the Polemarchs http://www.grippingbeast.com/shop.php?CatID=327 are more appropriate figures. The Crusaders I find just a little on the short size, and I'm not a fan of their crouching poses; nonetheless they are nice enough.
These minis will be in the big Zama game standing in as Carthaginian militia, alongside a similar number of proper Carthaginian minis. I hope to base these in 3 or 4 nights, then I'll get started on Greg's Numidians.
My good mate Nick Speller has just sent me 32 beautifully painted Thureophoroi, which will enable me to expand my existing 4 units of 16, to 4 of 24 ( http://bigredbat.blogspot.com/2009/03/many-completed-thureophoroi.html )
I thought people might like to see them before they are based, as they are from 3 different manufacturers and are a useful comparison of sizes. The first four are conversions from Foundry peltasts. The rest of the first and second lines are the new(ish) Polemarch figures, and the lower two rows are Crusader miniatures. Most of the shields are Old Glory from a grognard mate in California, but a few are Essex with cast-on javelins.
These minis will be in the big Zama game standing in as Carthaginian militia, alongside a similar number of proper Carthaginian minis. I hope to base these in 3 or 4 nights, then I'll get started on Greg's Numidians.
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Aventine Hastati Completed
Last night I finished the first of 2 units of Hastati. With the quicker painting method, and the red primer, they took 15 painting/basing sessions, comparing favourably with the 20-odd for the Triarii.
This is another unit that looks better from behind! I do like the active pose of these Aventine minis....and here they are with the earlier Triarii. I think the LBMS shield designs set them off, nicely.
Only another 80 minis to go to complete the legion! Gulp.
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
Aventine meets Gorgon
Hank at Gorgon Miniatures in the USA http://www.gorgon-studios.com/?page_id=2 has very kindly sent me a few more samples; this time of the new Etruscan range. I thought it might be useful to post a couple of shots next to the recent Aventine range http://www.aventineminiatures.co.uk/
Above are two of the Gorgon "second class citizen spearmen" Etruscans, flanked by two of the Aventine Volscians. I still know relatively little about this period, but what is apparent to me is that, as I had hoped, the two ranges are an excellent match for height and build. Indeed, at one stage, I got the minis mixed up and couldn't tell which range they came from! They come with a tidy rectangular shield (not shown), and are finely sculpted with very little flash, indeed.
Above are two hoplites and a phalangite; from left to right Foundry, Gorgon and Crusader (I couldn't lay my hands on a Crusader hoplite). It is a pity that the light was poor because I couldn't catch all the detail on the Gorgon Etruscan 1st Class hoplite figure. If you click, you still should be able to see the trim around the cheek plates on the helmet, and the scales on the composite cuirass are fantastic; the detail on this mini is exceptional. These figures can also be used as Greek Hoplites.
So I'm delighted with my new minis; thanks Hank! It's likely that the next year (post-Zama) I'll paint up some units of mixed Aventine and Gorgon minis.
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
Hasty Hastati 6 - Mostly there!
These chaps are getting seriously close to completion! I'm 11 sessions in and 3 more should finish them, including basing. This is rather faster than the Triarii and should enable me to finish one legion by Salute.
In other news... Greg has kindly offered to paint some more miniatures, Hannibal's Bruttian veterans from Southern Italy. These are going to be a mix of Aventine and Crusader miniatures. Also, I've identified the materials for the base boards and will get on with them once I've finished my dissertation.
In other news... Greg has kindly offered to paint some more miniatures, Hannibal's Bruttian veterans from Southern Italy. These are going to be a mix of Aventine and Crusader miniatures. Also, I've identified the materials for the base boards and will get on with them once I've finished my dissertation.
Sunday, 6 September 2009
The Eponymous Bat
I realised on Saturday that it is exactly 5 years since I launched the Bat that gave me its tag name, and I thought it might be fun to give him an anniversary outing on the blog.
"Batty" was built (over a period of 3 months) for the Berkeley HoTT contest in 2004. He represents the feared Crimson Bat, Weapon of Mass Destruction of the Lunar Empire.
The base he flies over is 6x10 cm. To keep him upright, I cast the core of the burning cottage of solid lead; a hundred or more little lead men gave their lives to keep Batty in the air. The crewmen are mostly Ral Partha 28s. His illuminating eyes were LEDs taken from MacDonalds toys.
He doesn't get out much, but has featured in a number of games at Salute over the years...
BigRedBat's Littlest Invention
I thought I'd share my sole contribution to human knowledge with the readers of TMP and the WAB Forum!
Have you ever experienced problems getting your LBMS transfers to stretch over curved shields? Do you sometimes suffer from air bubbles and creases? If so, what you need is the hi-tech, patented BigRedBat transfer applicator!
Alongside the partially painted shields, you can see a small lump of bluetac, covered with clingfilm. After completing all the stages in the LBMS instructions for applying the transfer*, simply press the shield into the lump and hold it there for 10 seconds or so. The bluetac takes on the shape of the shield, and forces the transfer into contact with it, stretching the transfer to fit the shield. It's particularly useful with curved shields, such as hoplons, and has eliminated the creases on my shields. The clingfilm prevents the shield from sticking.
Available from all good stockists of bluetac!
*I'd strongly recommend the suggested step of varnishing the shield before applying the transfer- it makes for a much better contact.
Friday, 4 September 2009
Hasty Hastati 4
This is just as well, because 160 beautifully painted minis thunked onto my doorstep this morning from Greg; vive la France! This means I now have rather more than 200 minis that I need to base for Zama; at least 3-4 weeks work. Gulp.
In other news, I've been fretting about how I'm going to (cheaply) make an 18' long table. I was planning to re-use Greg's excellent Dwarf Mine boards; but I have, instead, decided to make a new terrain that I might be able to adapt for future C&CA games. My latest idea is to go for a very thin (10mm) foam layer stuck to 9mm MDF boards. But MDF Comes in Imperial sizes, and foam in metric; I'll probably need to get the MDF cut specially. All needs careful thought...
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Numidians- hordes of them!
http://gloarmy.blogspot.com/2009/09/peau-de-vache.html
Greg (above) has finished the second lot of 80 Numidians which look splendid! The photo is clickable, and well worth a click, too. Together with the 80 city militia he painted before, and my own cavalry and elephants (links to a few, below) they will give us the majority of the Numidian minis we need for Zama, next year.
http://www.displacedminiatures.com/BigRedBat/image/2331/21989/
http://www.displacedminiatures.com/BigRedBat/image/2331/22808/
Meanwhile I'm painting my Aventines. Over the last 2 nights I painted the flesh tones; no photo today. I'm trying to simplify my painting technique because I have so many figures to paint. I'm 5 days in and estimate the unit will take about 15 days overall to paint and base, which is pretty good, at around half the time I spent on the earlier Triarii.
Greg (above) has finished the second lot of 80 Numidians which look splendid! The photo is clickable, and well worth a click, too. Together with the 80 city militia he painted before, and my own cavalry and elephants (links to a few, below) they will give us the majority of the Numidian minis we need for Zama, next year.
http://www.displacedminiatures.com/BigRedBat/image/2331/21989/
http://www.displacedminiatures.com/BigRedBat/image/2331/22808/
Meanwhile I'm painting my Aventines. Over the last 2 nights I painted the flesh tones; no photo today. I'm trying to simplify my painting technique because I have so many figures to paint. I'm 5 days in and estimate the unit will take about 15 days overall to paint and base, which is pretty good, at around half the time I spent on the earlier Triarii.
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
Greg paints my Numidians
http://gloarmy.blogspot.com/2009/09/peau-de-vache.html
Greg is doing sterling work, painting my Numidian infantry! Can't wait to base them.
Greg is doing sterling work, painting my Numidian infantry! Can't wait to base them.
Monday, 31 August 2009
Hasty Hastati 3
Saturday, 29 August 2009
Hasty Hastati 2
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.

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
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
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!
The first 3, below, are the less satisfactory in my view.
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!
Saturday, 22 August 2009
Aventines sorted!
I'm back from hols and managed to do the finishing touches on the Aventine Etruscans, which is just as well as another 40 or so just arrived!
I'm really pleased with them. You can see I'm going with a horse theme on this legion.
They actually look better from behind, where you can see the detail on the armour. Pics are clickable.
Shortly I'm going to start a unit of Aventine Principes. I'm particularly pleased with these latter, because Keith and Adam apparently designed them after I suggested that I'd need some for my Allied legion. They are tidy little minis, in animated attacking poses, and should be a relatively straightforward paint.
I'm really pleased with them. You can see I'm going with a horse theme on this legion.
They actually look better from behind, where you can see the detail on the armour. Pics are clickable.
Shortly I'm going to start a unit of Aventine Principes. I'm particularly pleased with these latter, because Keith and Adam apparently designed them after I suggested that I'd need some for my Allied legion. They are tidy little minis, in animated attacking poses, and should be a relatively straightforward paint.
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