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Author Topic: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC  (Read 5919 times)

Offline Corso

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 501
Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« on: June 05, 2020, 04:30:23 PM »
I was inspired about the title from the start of The Guns of Navarone movie, where the first airfield is listed as being ‘Somewhere in the Middle East’. The historical period is different, but not the location.

When Victrix released the first images of their Persians kits, I immediately liked them. While researching the late Achaemenid Persians, I discovered some curious things. They divided their empire in 20 major satrapies and many minor ones. The nobility vied for power and acted much like Game of Thrones – assassinations, betrayal, poisoners getting poisoned by their own poison, civil war……

So I put on the shoes of one of the many satraps, whose seat of power was in the Middle East. If he was wise, this satrap would strengthen his position by hiring mercenaries. Greek hoplites were the best heavy infantry available and recruiting them would establish a good base around which an army could be assembled. Rumours of a massive macedonian army invading Anatolia would have been a good reason to open the coffers. Hoplites could also serve as a more reliable bodyguard, obviously loyalty bought by hard cash.

This is the first group of hoplites done, one-third of a unit. I’m doing them for hail caesar. I have more hoplites in progress, another base and a command group base.

All models are victrix – hypaspist bodies and successor heads with LBMS shield transfers.

Offline Hammers

  • Amateur papiermachiéer
  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Elder God
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  • Posts: 16070
  • Workbench and Pulp Moderator
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2020, 04:44:01 PM »
Very nice. Who makes the shield transfers?

EDIT: Ah. LDMS.
« Last Edit: June 05, 2020, 04:45:52 PM by Hammers »

Offline aphillathehun

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 522
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2020, 05:05:05 PM »

Nice bases.  (Nice figures and nice bases, but I have a question about the bases ;))

You've achieved an arid but not monotone look to the bases.  Care to share the formula?

Offline Erik

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 443
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2020, 05:11:54 PM »
While we are picking your brain how did you achieve such great results with the shield transfers? I usually struggle with round transfers. They never attach all the way around.

Very nice looking miniatures.


Cheers

Erik

Offline guitarheroandy

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 985
    • Andy's Wargaming Blog
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2020, 06:37:03 PM »
Those are excellent!!

Offline Corso

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 501
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2020, 06:44:00 PM »
Thanks all

Aphillathehun - for basing, I glue sand and rocks. Painted the sand citadel Zandri Dust then drybrused Morghast Bone, Ushabti Bone and Flayed One Flesh. Rocks painted reaper hd Ashen Brown and drybrushed Ushabti Bone. Rim painted Rhinox Hide (citadel). Used a mix of the following tufts from gamers grass: Mixed Green, Autumn and Dry.

Erik - they're not easy! I centre the transfer, then dab a little water. After a while the paper slides. Now the difficult part - use a paper napkin to press the transfer moving from the centre to the edges. Water is squeezed out in this manner and they adhere better. Then once dry a coat of citadel lahmian medium to ensure it stays there and it also helps to minimise shrinkage.

Offline monkeylite

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 456
    • Moedlhafen
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #6 on: June 05, 2020, 07:33:37 PM »
Really nice, and brilliantly clean.

Offline Unlucky General

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Scientist
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  • Posts: 359
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2020, 09:45:36 PM »
Drool. I admire your brass/bronze work and will repeat praise of those beautiful shields. I also love your focus on one Satrap. Since going to Oman recently (got back before the world shut down) I've been dabbling with a similar focus on medieval/Arabian skirmish army. Nice to break out from our typical European focus.

Offline Jjonas

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 421
  • Ancient Modeler
    • Ancient Hellenistic Battles mostly
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2020, 10:24:44 PM »
Very nice job on always useful troops.
JJonas

Offline Vanvlak

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 5289
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #9 on: June 06, 2020, 05:18:59 AM »
Nice work - when do we get to see more?  :D

Offline Corso

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 501
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2020, 07:21:40 AM »
Thanks!

@UGeneral - the bronze was done by first applying foundry gold B over a white undercoat, recess shade of citadel agrax earthshade then highlight with foundry gold C.

@Vanvlak - soon  :D

Offline Atheling

  • Elder God
  • Posts: 11905
    • Just Add Water Wargaming Blog
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2020, 09:37:18 AM »
Excellent painting, especially on the bronze- superb stuff  :-*

@UGeneral - the bronze was done by first applying foundry gold B over a white undercoat, recess shade of citadel agrax earthshade then highlight with foundry gold C.

Made even more impressive that you got such good results from the Foundry Metallics  8)

Offline Corso

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 501
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2020, 10:46:55 AM »
Thanks Aetheling

I had experimented with foundry a couple of weeks ago, detailling in a workbench thread
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=124761.0

Updating that, I settled for various flesh, spearshaft, gold36, bay brown, conker brown and butterfudge triads and sand B and C, Black and a few others here and there. The rest I'm keeping them in boxes, found Reaper paints much better.  Especially for clothing.

Offline Atheling

  • Elder God
  • Posts: 11905
    • Just Add Water Wargaming Blog
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2020, 11:05:11 AM »
Thanks Aetheling

I had experimented with foundry a couple of weeks ago, detailling in a workbench thread
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=124761.0

Updating that, I settled for various flesh, spearshaft, gold36, bay brown, conker brown and butterfudge triads and sand B and C, Black and a few others here and there. The rest I'm keeping them in boxes, found Reaper paints much better.  Especially for clothing.

I found the Foundry metallics impossible to work with. They drove me crazy as I had to apply layer after layer just to get a base coat. Mind, that was well over a decade ago so their formula may have changed(?).

I usually use Vallejo Game Colour for my metallics as they have quite a lot of pigment in them (again, these are from about 15 years ago and still going strong).

I'll take a peek at your other thread when I get the time today :)

Offline Burnin Coal

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 552
Re: Somewhere in the Middle East, late 4th century BC
« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2020, 07:28:39 PM »
 :-* very nice indeed - lovely brushwork and great choice of palette...will build into a very impressive unit so I look forward to seeing more
Figures painted 2020 : 100

 

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