The Pewter-Pixel Wars

 Finally, a little bit of progress with my classical Greeks:

One stand of 15mm Spartan cavalry from Xyston.  These are on a super-size base - 80mm x 60mm - and are rated as 'Bad Horse' for Triumph.  Triumph has a few extra unit types compared to DBA; this would be Light Cavalry for DBA.  The base is not finished as I have yet to get an appropriate mat for the game, and I want to get some units painted before then.

Next element is some hoplites:

Fourteen hoplites for a Heavy Foot unit in Triumph, on a 80mm x 30mm base.  This element has a pair of the new thermoplastic figures from Plastic Soldier Company along with a dozen metal Xyston originals.

Slowly, but surely!

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 After a confusing week of work, I was not able to get much done.

Here is the mostly finished base of skirmishers for the Spartan army.  You can see the extras in the background; they will make up most of the next unit in time.  Eight is the typical count in a pack of Xyston miniatures and I painted them all, not realizing that only 5 were needed.  Oops.

The base is from Warbases - the order came in, quite quickly I might add - and it is coated with the following:

A thin layer of the Vallejo texture is applied.  After it is dry, 24 hrs or so, a slightly diluted mix of Daler & Rowney Antelope Brown is brushed on.

But now, I am stuck.

The next step would be drybrushing to lighten the top, some flock and tufts added, then done.  But, I am not certain what colors to use as I do not have a suitable table topping to play on.  A good mat is the goal, so I will have to take a look around.  At least the last steps are easy enough, but I want to make sure to match the base to the mat reasonably closely, just for my OCD tendencies!

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 2 posts in the same month - wonders will never end!  To be fair, this is a post for the 'sandwich crowd' 😄 and well as the beginnings of an effort for me to post more often.

Some small progress on the Greeks:

The first unit of skirmishers is painted and ready, except for a minor detail - bases.  So, after a bit of searching an order to Warbases was sent off.  I have a preference for their 2mm MDF bases for 15mm figures, and I intend to continue use of Litko 3mm bases for my 28mm efforts.

Also shown in the pic above is the first attempt at some Theban hoplites.  I will need to make spears (dory) for each hoplite as neither PSC nor Xyston provide them in their packs/boxes.  Another issue, hard to see above is an on-going test of primers.  Eventually, I will settle on one or two brands, but I am still searching for perfection.  Although I leave shields separate during painting for my 28mm figures, I think that it will be best to attach them prior to priming next time!

And, a bit more from the Pile of Possibilities...

One project that is waiting patiently in the background is my 20mm Spanish Civil War set-up.  There has been some work on it during my absence but I will need to do a thoroughly inventory to make a plan.

 I am fairly certain that I have enough (just barely enough 😁) tanks for both Republican and Nationalist forces, although none of them are finished.  Plenty of infantry, but I seem to remember that the Francoist forces were lacking.

And then, of course, terrain will need to be secured!

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 Hmmm, 3½ months between posts... the interval is dropping so that is good, right?!

Let's start with an old tradition around here, the painting table pic:

The table is filled with the usual medley of stuff.  By my count, there are seven different projects in the picture!  The biggest change from my typical work process is that there is much more organization in everything, from paints to the figures themselves.  I just need to sit there more often and get stuff done.

The 2nd Mantinea Battle Day project has taken a large step forward after languishing for too many months.  I have finally settled on a rules system for all of my Greek/Persian struggles, and that is going to be Triumph.  After reading through several sets, I find that Triumph makes more sense to me than other rules.  Triumph does use the 'standard' DBx basing system for the most part, so I can easily switch to other rules in the future if needed.  I am making one adjustment - the base sizes are going to be much bigger, using a frontage of 80mm.  This will give a figure density that, to me at least, is more pleasing to the eye.

The army lists for the Thebans and the Spartans have been sorted as well.  I used the description of 2nd Mantinea from Lost Battles as a baseline, and worked to adjust the army lists from Triumph (found online here at Meshwesh).  After a bit of translation - Triumph is a bit different in its descriptions of units - two lists were made that seem to be consistent with the battle.  The Thebans come out with a slightly larger force, which is suggested by contemporary writers, Xenophon and Diodorus, and modern historians.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that the basic lists from Triumph fit quite well with Prof. Sabin's analysis from Lost Battles.

Now comes the mustering of the units, with the PSC figures pictured above being amongst the first to answer the call.

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 Yes, it seems that my keyboard does work...

It has been a struggle to keep up with the plethora of social media these days, and blogs can be left behind in the process.  But, there is something enticing about blogs yet, and I am going to try once again to commit to a habit of posting.

I am reasonably certain that my audience here is not very interested in my return to 'the Games Workshop hobby' (sic 😅 ) so I will not clutter this place with that.  I have found an outlet for my GW stuff - Reddit.  Surprising with its callous at best attitude, I have found that many hobby subReddits are remarkably free of drama.  So, those pics will remain there.

Bringing me back to this blog are many other projects, including one that has been in the back of my mind for some time.  With this fine post on his blog, Prufrock outlines his plan for the upcoming Society of Ancients 2023 Battle Day - 2nd Mantinea, fought between Sparta and Thebes.  These fellows have been waiting in my Pile of Possibilities for some time:

Now, the Persians are going to have to watch this battle from the sidelines, but the Greeks and especially the Spartans are right on target.  And Xyston figures are wonderful.

With the issue of figures, scenario, and a deadline solved, the next hurdle is a set of rules.

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Small slivers of progress:



The above pic is a handful of pikemen for my 30 Years War project, Khurasan originals are the three groups from the right, and the two on the left are from Khurasan's Testudo range.

I am not certain, but these figures might be the first of my French troops.


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As the Testudo 30YW pikemen did not come with pikes, I had to find a supply of weapons for the figures.  So, I turned to an old method of mine, by using plastic rod for the pikes.

Way back on this post on my blog, one can see how I used the same technique to make the spears for my Tékumel figures (and some of those pics are better!)

First off, some raw material:



This package dates back to sometime in 1999...


And, some processing:



The rod is cut into 50mm lengths by just rolling the edge of the knife blade on it, then snapping the rod at the cut.


After a few minutes of cutting:



Next, the business end of the pike takes shape.  I place one end of the rod into some pliers with a flat tip, and give it a good squeeze, and then trim the flattened part to make a point.



This poor pic shows the three stages:



The point is approximately 2mm in length.  Very simple, very easy.


With a bit of super-glue, the troops have a new weapon:



The 1mm diameter rod fits in very well.  Now, to prime and paint...


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Well, the first handful of 15mm figures from Khurasan arrived late last week.  I was a bit anxious about these, as I have not purchased 15mm figures for a long time.  But, these did not disappoint.  Here is the first pack:


This is the Rear Rank pikemen pack from Khurasan's own line of 30YW figures.  Each square in the pics above and following is ¼", making these figures on the large side of 15mm, or 18mm.  There are three different poses in the pack, and pikes are included.  Those pikes are very finely cast, and just about 2" in length overall.  Nice figures!



This is one of Khurasan's Testudo line:


Unarmored pikemen.  These are also about 18mm in height, with three different poses.  No pikes are included, however.



And, the second of the Testudo packs:


Armored pikemen.  Again, these are 18mm, with no pikes.  This pack has four poses, however - the top two ranks look very similar, but have different helmets.



I did not take a direct comparison pic!  Perhaps, I will get one after they are painted, as bare pewter is not too photogenic...



First off, I rather like both lines of figures.  Size-wise, they appear to fit in with each other well.  Style-wise, the Khurasan originals are from the earlier portions of the conflict, while the Testudo figures are later.  I do not think that I am going to follow that too much, but I have yet to find a suitable battle to provide a framework for the army compositions.  The lack of included pikes in the Testudo line is slightly more problematic.  At this stage, I think that I am going to replace the Khurasan pikes with plastic rod, so all of the pikes look similar.


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What happens when your lovely wife is sick and unable to get out for a week-end, you feel a bit under the weather yourself, there are plenty of miniatures to paint on or under or near your desk, and your bookshelves are full?

In true Larry Leadhead fashion, one should always plan another project!

In my defense, I have been considering this for a long time, and it might not work out at all.  But, the household CFO has given a small purchase the stamp of approval, and I am striking while the iron is hot  -  30 Years War in 15mm.

The figures, for this test order at least, will be ordered from Khurasan, with a pack coming from their own range and a pack from their rejuvenated Testudo line.

As always, the real problem with this project will be rules, as it is with almost all of my projects.  That will be the next item on the agenda, as buying miniatures is easy...


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A good way to start off a new year is to take a peek at what is lurking on the hobby table:


Much of the usual suspects - Huaxtec, Scots, orcs, Shén, and the addition of a few Reptus from Reaper Miniatures that suddenly caught my eye (plus the need to clean up some of the off-camera shelves of stray packages like those bases!)  I am replacing square bases with round for just about all of my figures.  The Huaxtec are almost done, but two tasks are stalling the process - the shields need to be painted; and I am a bit reticent to test the fastness of the ink used for the tattoos when I clear-coat them.  The deed needs to be done, but I am not brave enough yet!


Here is another pic that relates back to my previous post:


A boxful of 15mm miniatures.  I need to sort these fellows out, and then they will be listed as For Sale.


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After my last post, I did not expect to go this long without some sort of progress...  So, I am poking around the 'Net for inspiration and appropriate miniatures.

As 15mm seems to be riding a new wave of enthusiasm, miniatures will not be too hard to find.  So, the key for success will be in the rules.  I am thinking that Impetus is not quite the set for me, and I am therefore looking at replacements.  DBA/HoTT are good candidates, and well as Chipco's Fantasy Rules!, and maybe even MAYHEM.  Each has its good and bad points.  I prefer the basing of the latter two - they use 40mm squares - to the WRG style, but DBA/HoTT are played locally on a regular basis.

It is still my plan to make historical and fantasy armies, maybe even set it up so they can morph between the two genres as appropriate.

Nothing is set in stone yet and options abound.  As the budget for this project is at $0 for the moment, I intend to write up an actual plan and see how that goes.  Might even bring the lovely wife into it as well with her own army...

3 months between posts is too long.

As I am without any discretionary funds at the moment, and with a desire to paint up something 15mm, I am going to dig through my 15mm figure stash and come up with something to work on, just to see if I can paint this size of figure to my liking.  I know that there are some Landsknechts (Essex) in the box somewhere, and some late Middle Ages from Rank & File, among others, which is helpful as I am leaning towards a medieval project more than the classical ancients.

Pics, hopefully, will appear shortly...

It has been a while...

Despite my affinity for 28mm, I am reconsidering 15mm mostly due to cost and space.  Money is tight at the moment as is space for games.  Also, 15mm looks better in a mass-battle aspect; 28mm nails it for skirmishes.

Along with this, the rest of the project is up for reconsideration also.  Greeks/Persians are still a possibility, but I am also thinking about Successors, Romans/Gauls/Pontics, Late Romans, and 13th century medieval.  Rules are another aspect up in the air; there are many possibilities and I can not rule out the chance that I will want to paint up some fantasy armies as well!

So, hopefully much to blog about.

I am finding lately that no gaming plan goes unaltered after I start it... and this one is no exception.

I have found that I really do not like to paint 15mm minis. I had not painted any for many (10+) years but I thought to give it a go but it is a struggle. My wife pointed out to me that I was 'avoiding' the 15mm's, and mentioned that I had tried to paint 6mm and 10mm minis in the past - at least I tried, but 25mm seems to be the winner. And it has the approval of the missus which actually is a big benefit! There are some pros and cons in the switch however:

PRO:

1. No duplication of effort in the minis for the skirmish and mass battle ranges - I intend to use these minis for both.

2. No duplication of effort for terrain of different scales.

3. Hopefully 1 and 2 will mean a bit less in monetary outlay!

CON:

1. Mini selection will be more important - the 15mm minis were more forgiving in their appearance for specific HC details.

2. Bigger surface needed for mass battles.

So, more info later as I continue to peruse mini selections...


On a brighter note, I have doodled up some preliminary drawings of a HC naval vessel...

I have always been a bit of a butterfly when it comes to projects. Most all periods of history fascinate me, and unfortunately that makes it hard to narrow down a project and keep focused. Take this post from Jet at Geektactica - lovely stuff there. Makes it hard for me to keep to the Greek/Persian project. So, I am also thinking about a 13th century set! The pertinent army lists would be Feudal French, Imperial German, and Communal Italian.

Previously, the rules for Impetus Fantasy were only on eSnips. They are now (as per this post on the Impetus forum) available through Hotfile - see this link


UPDATE (10-2011) - Basic Impetus Fantasy is now here as per this post on the Impetus forum.

UPDATE (10-2013) - Basic Impetus Fantasy is now on the main Impetus site - download it here.

UPDATE (07-2015) - Basic Impetus Fantasy is now available at Wargames Vault - get it here.


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Although it is more to support my Half Continent project at Threwdish Ways, I have ordered a small quantity of bases for Impetus from Litko. These are a mix of 3mm thickness plywood: 80mm x 20mm, 80mm x 30mm, 80mm x 40mm, and 80mm x 60mm. I did order enough to have just a little something to start my project here!

But, what is my project for this blog? I am going to start with Classical Greek topics, both the wars versus the Persians and the struggles between the Greeks themselves. This is going to be a slow-burning project, as I am still amassing research materials. I have a few books, and some other rules - mostly for inspiration. Obviously, the minis will be 15mm but what manufacturers? That remains to be seen...

Here is a pic of the basic color scheme I intend to use for the Boschenberg units:


The belts, sash, vest, baldric, and musket are not done yet, but this is the general theme. I have discovered one useful piece of info - sometimes it is better to prime in black (these were primed with a light grey primer - Reaper Master Series Brush-on Primer) !

I also need to order bases...

On the left I have added a series of links for Impetus-related information, including free downloads.

After quite a delay, I have taken another small step towards getting my first unit done.

One of the important parts of a soldier's harness (uniform) in the Half Continent is the baldric, as this is an important means of identification for the soldier. The baldric is tinted in the colors of his realm's mottle - a specific combination of colors and patterns unique to each realm. The baldric on most Half Continent troops runs from the right shoulder down to the left side of the waist. In my limited searches, I did not find any 15mm (or even 28mm) minis with such a baldric. So, I need to make my own.


Here the troops, the first battalion on the left and parts of the second battalion on the right, with their new baldrics. I made them with blue/green two-part epoxy - the same material that is used to sculpt most minis. I had never used the material before but it is not hard to use at all. It is a bit sticky but I found that if I left it cure somewhat it is much easier to use. Using just a pea-sized bit of epoxy, I rolled it out between a small piece of waxed paper to flatten it, then waited a few minutes for it to start to cure. Then, I sliced strips off the 'pancake' of green stuff and stuck it to the mini. Easy!


If you look closely, you will see that over time the baldric is more defined. The minis on the left of the pic were first, and are not as good as the later troops.


The drummer did not need a new baldric, as the strap for his drum is just perfect. Now, I need to let the epoxy cure for a day or so, then the real fun begins - painting! But, I will need to decide what realm will have the honor of the first unit...