Pontic Greek Mercenaries

Pontic Greek mercenary slingers

Cheers
Matt

Leucosyri skirmishers

Also off the table this week are some Leucosyri hill tribesmen, the Leucosyri were termed White Syrians, and possibly settled in the Paphlagonia region by Alexander particularly around the Halys river, they were conquered by Pontus under Mithridates Ctistes (302–266 BC). I also have a spear block to do which will be an allied contingent of my Pontic army, I am yet to decide if i will issue them sparra, or a small sqaure sheild or perhaps even a round one. The Miniatures are from the Crusader Persian range and I hope I have done them justice.

cheers
matt

Pontic Pike

Well finally finished my first block of Pontic pike, only two more to go, I continued with the mythical beast theme adding Ceberus to the units banner, not 100% happy with the result as I tried to copy a ancient Greek vase of Hercules capturing the beast, it was depicted with one red, one white and one black head and body, as my feild was alradyred I decided to paint a yellow head instead. I probaly would of been better off just depicting the head instead of the whole body, at this stage it will stay as it is, I may revisit at some stage though.

All of my pike are with charged pikes so fitting them has proved a challenge, I have decided to add small rank numbers on the back in rank numbers and colours for each rank so placing them down come game time will be easier.

cheers
Matt

Pontic sythed chariot

Latest off the table is my Pontic four horsed sythed chariot, I can see it running down Romans, Celts and Greeks causing mayhem amoung undrilled troops at least! Although a one hit wonder in WAB I still had to have one! This is a lovely First Corps model which came out last year, somewhere at the back of my table is the yoke, when I find it I will attach the reins at some stage to finish it off, I also did think about adding some victims but decided against it. Some pike and more light infantry to come, later this week.

cheers
Matt

Sugar and Spice and all things nice Ticonderoga Moab

Well Australia's largest Sydney wargames convention MOAB (Mother Of All Battles Convention) has come and gone and its time to take stock of the purchases and sales.

I thought it was busier than most years on Saturday and Sunday, however Monday was quiter, talking to the trader the buyers seemed to have stayed away or kept thier money in thier pockets. I still however manged to pick up a few bargains, on the bring and buy I picked up the score of the show IMO 120 Perry and Foundry AWI figures for $65 I am still amazed by this now! I also picked up some 28mm Gripping Beast cathaginians and some A and A Late Roman infantry. On the Retail front I bought a bunch of Crusader Macedonians figs to flesh out some units I already have and add to some armies for variation, and a ECW building to add to my collection.

Between Scott, Nathan, Louis and myself we run a Ticonderoga participantion game, figs from Scots and my collection. We played the game each day to completion using British Grenadier rules. Enjoy the pics from Nathan. A mix of Front Rank, First Corps, Eureka and Conquest figures, terrain and table and barricades by me.

2011 expectations

As usual I make a list of projects that I would like to complete at the beginning of the year, as always I shoot for the stars and use the club calendar to prioritize my list. My list always needs to pared back a little, so I list all of my periods, then look at what can be completed before certain events.

Ancients
Romans
My Roman armies include Republican, middle and late, all have units to complete. The republicans require 12 cavalry and four maniples of Hastati and some artillery to finish them off, I have also toyed with adding more allied contingents. My Imperials have almost a whole legion in chainmail (all foundry) for the invasion of Britain to be completed, I am thinking of selling my warlord plastics romans (in segemtata)even though I like them and they fit my foundry figures for size, artillery and more cavalry to be painted for these also. After selling my Late Romans last year I have decided to rebuild another this year with A and A miniatures.

Pontus
My latest project and I am enjoying it emmensly, three pike blocks and a tonne of irregulars and lights to be completed for our Clubs annual WAB tourney in March.

Successor
I have a number of pike blocks to do and I will be able to use my pontic cavalry and light infantry for support.

Sassanids
Another half finished Army all A and A cavalry to be done along with two units of spear and two elephants and it will be finished!

Celts
A large amount of warlord plastics to be done at some stage, no great rush this year.

Medievals
Baron Wars

Greg and I are doing a demo game next year at Cancon and Moab so a lot of painting and buying to be done this year I have 134 cavalry and around 480 infantry to paint in the next 12 months! Research done just need to get stuck in! A lot of these will be able to double up for a crusader army as a boonus.

WOTR
not High on the list still have a bunch of infantry to do though!

Samauri
not high on the list as they are such a pain to paint!

Rennasaince
Italian wars
A few of the lads are getting into this period I have purchased a lot of figs just need to get cracking

ECW
A bit of cavalry and some more scot Infantry will finish of this four year old project, not high on the list though

Horse and musket
Jacobites
A project close to my heart, but way down the priority list at the moment, maybe a late in the year project, this is a 1 figure represents 10 so a huge number of kilts to be done, not my favourite thing to paint.

WSS and WAS
Greg and I have also started at 1 fig represnts 20 scale, this is for another demo game in 2013.

7YW
Our clubs main focus this year so we can all use our half finished armies and complete new ones. Again at 1 to 20 scale so regt from 24 to 32 strong.
French
My French will be my main focus this year, followed by my English and
Hanoverians.

AWI
Not high on the list but another 1 to 20 scale 28mm< i have always loved this period, some years ago I painted a yankee army and sold them this time I am doing
British and Germans!

Napoleonic
A main focus also for this year as our clubs Bi annual event the Australian Napoleonic Congress will be on again. My French need a serious boost and I will continue my german states with a two battalion strong Nassau contingent.

ACW
My Confederates are almost complete, another regiment of cavalry along with a dismounted contingent ,some guns, command figures and some wagons etc is all that remains to be painted.

WW1
I bought a lot of aircraft last year to play blue Max all assembled but yet to be painted.

Pulp
My Pulp adventiure this year will be a Snow adventure, so terrain and figures to be done, also maybe a aircraft of some sort.

WW2
A lot of work needed here including a tonne of vehicles and a lot of German 1944 infantry, a lot of Brits and american airbourne and complete some 1940 French and buildings.

Modern
A new project that is not very high on my list at the moment my Americans are awaiting Wartime minis new figs and someone to do a decent M60!

Fantasy
My two sons play warhammer and 40k so I have a Empire army to paint along with Elves, they paint thier own 40k figs. I also have two Bloodbowl teams to do, so we can play a leauge at home during winter.


Terrain
28mm ACW/AWI/FIW fences and buildings
28mm Napoleonic buildings and hedges
20mm buildings and pieces
28mm Pulp as required
28mm ancients buildings

Well quite a list, and it may need some paring down and to add to the list I have not mentioned my sculpting and commercial projects at all!

cheers
Matt



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GW Galloper Gun

Although Games Workshop comes in for a lot of bashing amoung historical gamers it does make some very fine models, every now and then I splash cash on some of thier kit, although these days mostly second hand items at bring and buys or on fleabay. Back in the late eighties and nineties I regulary played competition Warhammer on the Sydney circuit, before GW even had a shopfront in the country. I regulary placed in the top five with my Empire army, and played just about every month at my local club (Western Wargamers). I have had several armies during the years, Empire (some of the older metals are still in my Renn collection), Bretonian (some of the older metal commands are in my norman army and baron wars armies), Undead, and wood elves.
My painting style really developed during this time and still in some ways reflects the early GW style or base, wash, highlight. Late last year I purchased from a bring and buy, an Empire army and more recently High Elves which my two sons play with .....honestly :). I plan to paint both of these armies for them during the year fro them, so every now and then I will post them up here.

cheers
matt