Ancients for SAGA. Victrix greek hoplite army completed 18/4

[Ogrob]

My regular SAGA opponent has been trying to get me to start an ancients force for ages. I initially started some Epirotes but hated both playing and painting them, so gave them away half finished. I also tried proxying Persians but found them so ridiculously strong that neither of us had fun.

Then when Victrix released their new Hoplite kit I convinced myself to give the Greeks another go. The newer Greek board from Age of Alexander seems more fun than the Graeculi I had played from Age of Hannibal, plus I figured out how to make a full army from a single kit.

I did some light converting to this Wargames Illustrated Leonidas and he got to be a test figure for my colour scheme. I probably won't play this force as Spartans, more likely Athenians, but it's nice to have options.


And then finished my first unit from the Hoplite kit. These are meant to be thorokitai mercenaries, so I've made a very simple kitbash with celt shields. They also get open face helmets while everyone else will get corinthian style. Using black speed paint on the linothoraxes as I can not stand painting white.


Two small observations as well: my painting light setup gives much better pictures than my photography setup. I'm just going to lean into it for now. Second, after all this wafting around I may have already settled on a second ancients force; Victrix dacians (plus some kitbashing) using the Thracian list in Age of Hannibal. While not accurate as Thracians, the dacians are similar enough that I am happy to use the battleboard for them. Then we can wait and see if they get their own board in Age of Caesar.

[Ran The Cid]

I like the look of the mercs.  The black is working for them and the bases are sharp.

[Ogrob]

Thank you! I am trying to step up my basing game a bit. I know tastes differ but I quite like a little diorama.

[Ogrob]

Second batch complete, these are my elite Hoplites, Hearthguard in SAGA terms. I wanted these to all wear muscle cuirass, but there is only one body with that per sprue. Was a bit of a challenge to pose all eight to look unique and different. I decided to build these with swords as if they are skirmishing rather than with spears and formed up. The bronze curiass, the swords and the helmet plumes will differentiate them from the upcoming 32 warrior-level hoplites.



Bases are done with Gamer's Grass temple basing bits (which I had to break up into smaller chunks as they are quite large) and Soil of Sparta flock blend from Krautcover. I have not added any grass tufts, almost feels like it is not needed.

[Basementboy]

Fantastic stuff! Love the free handed shields too, looking forward to the next batch

[Pattus Magnus]

They look great! I think you did pretty well with the poses and variety of helmets to disguise that the bodies are identical. I probably would not have noticed it, if you hadn’t mentioned it. The basing suits them quite well, too.

[Ogrob]

And next set. Nice to get to work with a bit more variety of bodies. Now I just have to make three more batches exactly like this one..... I will once again repeat my hate for the linothorax. Can I just have a set of greeks that are 50/50 bell cuirass and buck naked please?



What do you think?

[Basementboy]

I think they look great! Once again I love the free handed shields, really nice detail

[Ogrob]

While plugging away at the Hoplites, I managed to finish this Bad Squiddo Athena figure. She will give me another option for warlord, as the Leonidas figure posted earlier is a bit to 300. I'm also probably looking more at playing the athenians anyway.



Also quickly threw together three objective markers from the Gamers Grass temple bits that I had left.

[Basementboy]

Very nice!

[BillK]

Basing makes figures work. Every figure, or group of figures, is a vignette, so the tabletop becomes something to admire. Your basing embraces that concept, wonderfully done.

[Ogrob]

Thank you!

Speaking of basing, these got flock glued on last night and shields painted today. That is five out of seven planned SAGA-points painted and complete for this project.

[Easy E]

Very cool. 

[Sleepy Snoozy Skeletons]

That blue looks amazing with the black. They make a really impressive merc force, they'd certainly get my coin for looking sharp alone 

Victrix has been on an absolute run lately, I've ordered the Hoplite kit just yesterday actually. The Dacians are a fantastic kit, too. I've built a couple of them (but haven't painted em yet) and am pretty sure you're gonna have fun messing around with it.

[Ogrob]

That blue looks amazing with the black. They make a really impressive merc force, they'd certainly get my coin for looking sharp alone 

Victrix has been on an absolute run lately, I've ordered the Hoplite kit just yesterday actually. The Dacians are a fantastic kit, too. I've built a couple of them (but haven't painted em yet) and am pretty sure you're gonna have fun messing around with it.

Thank you! Victrix are indeed knocking it out of the park. This set has better spears than the sets released a couple of years ago (vikings, anglo-danes), should be a bit more durable. I have some spare dacians from kitbashing projects last year, but not sure when to start that project. I just ordered the armoured and unarmoured Saxons, so I think it is back to germanic migrations next.