First, day of the challenge found me sat at home looking out the window at thick fog, with nothing particularly to do, apart from sit at my painting station and start duabing paint on a few figures. The question, where to start with the girls - the hard-hitting but colourful nobles, the elite bodyguard, warmachines (slave drawn chariots), the tribewomen or the masses of humble pilgrims? As this a project over the next six months, where I'll be unable to set anything to one side to draw either breath or inspiration I've decided to get the boring rank & file stuff out of the way first - human pilgrims.
Rank and file month #1
Third Edition Warhammer states for Amazons, you should use Human stats, with no particular add-ons to give them a fravour for their enviroment. So here's my first ten figures:-
I'm not using Citadel 'C' series Amazons for pilgrims (as my pockets aren't that deep) but, Celtos female Gael warriors http://www.brigademodels.co.uk/Celtos/The%20Gaels.html, as they scale up pretty well with the originals, I like the figures and my take is - they're representing one of the out-laying settlements which have their own culture away from the temple, where they deal with the mundane as they see fit and only refer back to the temple to receive news, require help or their fix! I also don't have an issue with new alternative figures for Oldhammer.
Now, being humans, with the representative point values - this little lot with the musician is only going to come in at ninety nine points at most, with shield, light armour (this ones the stretch as they're not really wearing a great deal) and carrying a spear (5+1+2+1= 9) which, if, I continue on the same course will leave me well short of the thousand point target for the end of the challenge, thus as I tend the paint in batches I'll likely paint more than the required ten figures this month.
Here's a couple of close-ups so you can see just how heavy handed I am, on the table top from about three feet they look fine.
To make-up the points I've done another couple of batches from start to finish, here's the second batch.
All together with the first batch.
Third batch
With the other batches with a first coat of varnish, gives me a total of twentynine figures painted and roughly just under three hundred points (288) with banners and musicians.
All based up and ready to go.
The intended victims of my endeavors for next months challenge will be more pilgrims, this time utilizing Foundrys Amazons, these are much more Hellenistic/Greek looking, which will provide a solid spear block, they came with Spartan shield designs, which has to go, I'll try to mould designs or leave smooth to paint similar features.
Here's my attempts at altering the shields useing a combination of green stuff and liquid green stuff - the liquid didn't work so well, you can see the original design beneath. Overall happy with the results, but I really should have taken more time and worked on smaller batches rather than one big push, which would have given time to mould more shield designs and stopped the material going lumpy towards the end!
You can never go wrong with an Amazon army! Good job!
ReplyDeleteNo problem, I'm the only male in my home, even the cat and rabbit are girls, my wife a fencing coach and my daughters have represented England and Team GB useing various weapons,I leave you to draw your own conclusions as to where I get my inspiration.
DeleteLOL! I teach fencing too (although historical fencing) I am so happy to find more female fencers!
DeleteSmall world! I presume you mean with traditional weapons - interesting?
DeleteI love the unit's composition, lots of variety in there!
ReplyDeleteJust wait until I start painting the C series Amazons, repetitious mono-pose figures, only thing I can do is change the colour scheme for each figure!
DeleteOueff - that's some output for the month!
ReplyDeleteNumbers are usually not an issue for me, keeping going every month will be the issue, hence, getting a good point score now, so I can do the minimum later and still hit the target of a thousand points
DeleteThat is a lot of plaid to paint. And on some of those models, not a lot of plaid at all! :)
ReplyDeleteNicely done.
If, you look realy carefully, some of them aren't wearing plaid at all!
DeleteGreat start Paul - Love those Celtos minis and I'm looking forward to the spear block. Not that you need any more models for this challenge but have you ever considered the Tekumel range? I have a regiment of the Aridani Legion of the Lady Mrissa lined up for when I get back on to my Lustrian stuff. Lovely minis and highly recommended. Anyway hope you've stocked up on flesh coloured paint ;)
ReplyDeleteGet ye behind me Satan! Nice looking figures and the concept isn't beyond me adding to the pot, but as you say I've enough with what I have, one for the backburner. My latest purchase/addition are Lucid Eye, Amazon Warriors found at a reasonable price given their usual RRP.
DeleteNice - I've been eyeing them up myself for some time now. Along with the eye-wateringly priced Frazetta stuff!
DeleteWell, they've arrivedand their now all prepared and undercoated ready for a duabing of paint maybe next month!
DeleteNice first entry! At this rate, you will have a huge army at the end of the challenge.
ReplyDeleteThanks, nice to know my meager efforts are appreciated, as for a huge army at the end of the challenge - hardly, I'm from the 'Thantsants' camp, where things only count in large amounts - two hundred plus figures is a mere detachment!
DeleteImpressive start. I look forward to seeing the next part of the 'detachment'!
ReplyDelete