Imagine my surprise as I opened up my long awaited order of 3D printed Elves to fulfil my stated aim to work on a unit of Elven Archers this week only to find that the batch did not contain any bases! 😢
What it does underline is the importance of reading what the eBay lot you are buying actually contains - my bad - so I am delaying that work for a week until I get some bases delivered.
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| Three stands of '30' 15mm Roman Soldiers, as supplied by Warlord Games |
Instead it gives me an excuse to start work on a batch of the Warlord Games Epic Hail Caesar miniatures that I have collected off the front of various Wargames Magazines. I have a frame of Romans and a frame each of Carthaginians and their allies.
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| Close-up of Roman Troop Type #1, armoured with plumes |
What is clear to me now is that I have to source a couple more Roman frames to enable me to field 3 units each of three bases, each frame contains one base of three different troop types / styles. |
| Close-up of Roman Troop Type #2, armoured with crests |
The types / styles are bases (unscientifically or for that matter historically) based upon armour worn and crests on their helmets.
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| Close-up of Roman Troop Type #3, largely unarmoured with plumes |
As many of you will know the Roman figures come in a special format such that you can represent a block of 30 figures on one stand, without having to paint all 30 figures! For more info see <here>.
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| Rear view of the completed stands. |
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| Close-up of Roman Troop Type #3, from the rear showing that they are mostly unarmoured except for a small chest and back plate. |
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| Close-up of Roman Troop Type #2, from the rear showing that they are armoured |
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Finally a close-up of Roman Troop Type #1, from the rear showing that they are also armoured
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Being an honest chap, I have consulted with my designated minion and confirmed with Martijn that these are the first such figures to be painted in these challenges and we have agreed a scoring regime for such stands. It respects the long running 1/2 points rule for prone figures but extends it to cover the front and back ranks of the triple Roman stands - so these each only score half points as the front rank only contains the front of the figures and the rear rank only contains the rear of the figures. One point is awarded for each of the head and shoulders of the middle rank giving a base score of 10 + (20 x 3 x 1/2) = 40.
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| Side view of the completed stands, showing that each has three ranks represented. |
This we agree is a fairer score than the potential 90 points for 30 x 15mm figures when over half are not really painted! Hope everyone is happy with this.Anyway on to how these were painted. The figures were left on their frames and undercoated in white. The base of relatively unarmoured figures were then given a coat of GS Skeleton Horde to give the appearance of a light brown tunic. Other Armoured figures were given a coat of GW Leadbelcher. Heads, arms and legs where painted with GW Darkoath Flesh. Once dry spear shafts were done in light yellow and shields in GW Mephiston Red.
Army Painter Hoplite Gold was used on helmets and the small square armour plates on the otherwise unarmoured figures. Plumes were painted with GW Black Templar, before all pieces were being removed from frames, touched up and then glued together, before a final wash of Army Painter Strong & Dark wash mixed 50/50 and then watered down.
After a matt varnish, the bases were painted with a cream hobby paints mixed with PVA glue and fine sand added.
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| Five Arthurian Heavy Horse, all Gripping Beast figures out of the box. |
The mounted Arthurians are again from the Gripping Beast Heavy Cavalry set and painted in much the same way as those posted earlier in the challenge. |
| Unit leader, standard bearer and warrior |
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| Two more Arthurian mounted warriors |
With the figures completed earlier in the challenge this makes six such figures, I'm in two minds if the mounted units should be 6 or 12 strong. Likely I'll initially settle for 6, but part of me wants to have equal numbers in the mounted and dismounted versions of a unit, in which case I can add more in the future. |
| Another view of the five completed figures |
This ECW Halberdier is a one off, Lowland Scot, with a very simple paint job but nonetheless effective in my opinion. |
| Covenanter Marker, with simple Hodden Grey uniform |
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| And another view |
This guy had been lying around my worktop for ages, having been missed at the time I was building my Covenanter Army. I'm pleased to finally get him done, now he'll be used as a marker of some description.Now for something completely different....
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| A very spikey and angry looking mutant to my eye! |
This Zombicide Mutant is a big old monster for a 28mm figure, standing nearly 5cm tall, I am taking the liberty of claiming Dante's Wrath Bonus for this guy. He looks pretty bad tempered and angry to me. He will join my other Zombicide figures and I'll have to work out a scenario to get them all on the table.
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| Rear view of the Zombie Mutant, showing his puss filled boils ncely! |
He came undercoated in white and I mostly used Speed Paints and Washes on him to get him done. The skin was basically GW Death Guard Green with sections done in Army Painter Algae / Gillie Green and then washed with AP Military Green. Pants are AP Rune Grey and the ripped shirt is white, washed in light grey an then highlighted again.
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| Another view |
A fun miniature to paint even though the subject is quite grim! Spikes are white, washed with GW Skeleton Horde and then dry prushed with Ivory. Boils are white, then highlighted yellow and then a red in wash is used to circle each to give a livid sore look. Blood is Red ink and GW Vampire Red.
Stop Press, my bases arrived yesterday so hopefully I'll get back to the Elves this week, but I also feel the urge to do more 15mm Carthaginians...
