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Miniatures Adventure => Age of Myths, Gods and Empires => Topic started by: madaxeman on March 26, 2020, 01:33:31 PM

Title: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: madaxeman on March 26, 2020, 01:33:31 PM
With most of the world in lockdown, everyone's minds turn away from gaming and towards... painting and mail order!

For these chaps the mail order bit had been done during January in the Museum sale, making these figures pretty much the cheapest metal (or plastic - yes, I did the maths!) on the market right now, which is remarkable given they are the new digitally sculpted Museum Hoplites from their new "Z" range.

(https://www.madaxeman.com/15mm/albums/museum/Digital/IMGP3276.JPG)

The Museum figures can be bought with LBMS shield transfers - which you can only buy from Museum themselves. There are only 3 basic poses, but you can get (I think) 4 different states of undress for the men as well, which means there is more variety apparent from the back than the front.

(https://www.madaxeman.com/15mm/albums/museum/Digital/IMGP3273.JPG)

Museum also do a range of helmet crests - all of the helmets are the same across the figures (at the moment..) but you do hardly notice that - at least with my painting. I have given some of the shields a coloured edge to add a little bit more variety to the figures - once they are finished I might do a few more with bands of alternating light and dark for more interest too.

(https://www.madaxeman.com/15mm/albums/museum/Digital/IMGP3272.JPG)

The figures - and especially their shields - as pretty big, probably at the 16-17mm end of the scale without quite reaching "giant Xyston ranges" levels. That allows a 40x30 base to be pretty well filled with 7 figures (4+3), so I eked out 5 bases-worth from 4 packs, adding in this ex-Warmodelling brand mounted officer picked up at the PAW show in January to one of the bases to represent a unit with an embedded general.

A load more pictures on my blog at: https://madaxemandotcom.blogspot.com/2020/03/museum-hoplites-part-ii.html
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: rumacara on March 26, 2020, 08:48:41 PM
Very nice. :-* :-*
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: Shahbahraz on March 26, 2020, 09:09:20 PM
Nice work, the new Z range are certainly nice looking figures. If only I didn't have about 5 armies awaiting paint, and no opportunity to play. Even before the lockdown, I'm in a 15mm ancients desert.
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: OB on March 27, 2020, 08:36:01 AM
I rather fancied getting some of their Indians but was unsure how they would scale with what I've got.  Are you going to do your usual comparison pics?
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: madaxeman on March 27, 2020, 09:49:02 AM
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dFK8cvLhAVY/XnPBIOCiPaI/AAAAAAAADFw/5X4OBioUyKIGlDXq_8ravb-pFH9xCOL4ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMGP3247.JPG)

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0UUhT3S2VMU/XnPBIYZt4YI/AAAAAAAADF0/q3dfLsk7Yfw6yaaGKwC5rZPlbR5SufeugCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMGP3248.JPG)

Thats some next to Essex and Chariot
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: madaxeman on March 27, 2020, 10:03:33 AM
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QRAFC7k4j24/XnPBIjjfTKI/AAAAAAAADF4/M7dfTH9X6YsH4-NQb5fMunAigf--NjmvACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMGP3249.JPG)

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o0vEVuC5PaM/XnPBI0c_E6I/AAAAAAAADF8/cS1MN9KgR1oSv4k5jcaR6Il5GMH8cc_5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMGP3250.JPG)

Xyston
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: OB on March 27, 2020, 11:45:23 AM
That's smashing thank you very much.
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: rumacara on March 27, 2020, 11:46:53 AM
Great stuff. :-* :-*
Trying myself to paint some xyston hoplites.
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: mc_deli on March 27, 2020, 07:44:00 PM
I rather fancied getting some of their Indians but was unsure how they would scale with what I've got.  Are you going to do your usual comparison pics?
I got a load of Museum Z indians and Xyston indians recently, including chariots, elephants, Xyston's Porus etc. The Xyston are a shade bigger but I would happily mix the bowmen. It's not enough to notice with different poses and the look is quite similar. Elephants are the same size. The Xyston Porus character is a little large but that's "personality" - it's also a brilliant sculpt.

On the downside the Xystons have needed more prep and the Museum Z Greek peltasts (BAS02) - at least the ones I got  - are poor casts lacking detail and to be avoided. I got something from every Z Indian except the cataphracts and they've all been fine.
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: D. Brownie on March 30, 2020, 10:23:19 AM
Just arrived Museum hoplites so I'm going to post some comparisons.
General considerations: good quality in details even if not so vivid as in xyston, very hard metal alloy, spears and shields integrated, only a little bit smaller than xyston.
So, even considering the price, I'm more than satisfied.
here commanders. From left 2 xyston, 2 dwarfy hellenistic officers by Essex and the 5 from Museum.

Then musicians: the same 2 xyston commanders, 1 Essex, the 3 from Museum.
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: D. Brownie on March 30, 2020, 10:40:06 AM
Here peltasts from 2 packs (8 different minis - 4 with pelta, 4 with round shield).
Quite smaller than xyston peltasts (the 2 at the right and left). Some little face details are lost, but not a big problem when painted.

Then archers: xyston, 4 kinds of Museum with no shield and Magister Militum.


Then slingers: xyston, 4 kinds of Museum with no shield and Magister Militum.


Then camp followers and a Xyston commander.
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: D. Brownie on March 30, 2020, 11:17:14 AM
In the end hoplites. There are many types with different Armour and helmet, all in 3 positions (standing, attacking and kneeling).

From left: xyston commander, “300 style spartan", body cuirass transverse crest, body armour normal crest, skirt and high crest, linen cuirass, other 2 poses of body armour and 2 Magister Militum hoplites.
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: DivisMal on March 30, 2020, 11:45:22 AM
Thank you for these very useful comparisons!
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: mc_deli on March 30, 2020, 09:43:00 PM
Brilliant photos, very useful, thanks
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: wmyers on April 08, 2020, 04:21:28 AM
As someone who is only starting to explore 15mm (okay, getting into the scale - like I need another but I’m starting to see the great advantages of the scale!), what is the measurement to the eyes? 

I know it’s SUPPOSED to be 15mm but they are clearly all different sizes ...
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: D. Brownie on April 08, 2020, 10:08:13 AM
Museum Miniatures from what I see are about 15,5/16,5 mm from under the foot to the eyes... Depending on the position if more static or not I think... Together work well
Standing Xystons are about 17mm
Essex I think are more true 15mm...
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: D. Brownie on April 08, 2020, 10:17:21 AM
Furthermore I saw this morning good news from Z range...
Regarding Greek bronze age cavalry I suppose mycenean, and I was very sceptic about it but in some forms seem it existed....
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.academia.edu/1532320/Horseback_riding_and_Cavalry_in_Mycenaean_Greece&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiS2NPby9joAhWXFcAKHS3oBOMQFjAAegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw37IKtIEtkezWNklNFjC4sH
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: DivisMal on April 08, 2020, 10:23:35 AM
Furthermore I saw this morning good news from Z range...
Regarding Greek bronze age cavalry I suppose mycenean, and I was very sceptic about it but in some forms seem it existed....
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.academia.edu/1532320/Horseback_riding_and_Cavalry_in_Mycenaean_Greece&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiS2NPby9joAhWXFcAKHS3oBOMQFjAAegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw37IKtIEtkezWNklNFjC4sH

Totally oot, but I dave to say this: Awesome. That paper is written by a very good friend of mine. He‘ll be delighted to hear that we miniature grognards use it to justify Mycenean cavalry!
Title: Re: 15mm Museum Z-range hoplites
Post by: D. Brownie on April 08, 2020, 01:20:17 PM
Very interesting article! Awesome is learning new things having fun ;)

Regarding Museum Miniatures Dave made the "300 style Spartans" I asked for...
and now regarding pikemen (it's not me the first comment)

I think I have not to say anymore :)