Slings and stones! Funditores

Off the desk some Greek slingers that have been shelf queens for some time, decided to complete them and get them into the display cabinet before I started my Russian Napoleonics that have been glaring at me. 28mm Foundry figures, one face was miscast so I done the best I could without trying to rebuild it.
These guys are quite universal and will fit in any ancient army, Greek, Roman or Carthaginian

Cheers
Matt

Successor Impetus Army

Another resurrected project completed this year my Pontic army for Impetus, mostly plastic with a few metal units. With the closure of my photobucket account I only had a few photos of the army as it was sold.

A day for crows, Pontics whip Romans

Tonight Damiano and myself had a 400 point impetus game, I ran out my still in progress Pontics and Damiano put out his Romans. The extra 50 points makes a big difference as it allowed me to have three extra units in my Moab list, I opted for 1 Thracian, 1 Galation and a unit of slingers. Damiano picked two FL and a unit of archers.

We diced and I won and elected to defend, I placed my largest command on my right, made up entirely of infantry, FL javelin, FL Thracians and FP imitation Legionarys, on my left I set up the second command of two CP both impetuous, 2 large units of Galatians FP, two CL javelin and 1 unit of slingers. Damiano had on his left two FP A grade Legionarys, two S archers, one unit of CM, and 1  unit of Gladiators, and two FL javelin, on his right he had two FP legionarys, two FL javelin and Three S Archers.

The game started with me winning the command roll for both of my command in turn, on my right I advanced  and on my left I moved my CL forward, the rest of the command was already on opportunity. In Damiano turn he advanced both of his commands, but failed his second moves so everything become disordered except his archers in the middle and his FL light infantry on the fight flank who charged my CL, causing a casualty on one of the units who promptly retreated

 In the second turn Damiano won the command roll on the left and advanced with his two archers who fired within 6 but failed to any casualties, the Pontic javelin returned fire and promptly destroyed both archer units, he then filled up with a combined assault of FP legionaries and FL lights, amazingly the Romans were all repulsed with casualties, by the Pontic FL. I then won the next roll on the right and released my CP heavy cavalry into his lights destroying both units, I then moved my CL to attack his archers but they failed to do any damage, I left my Galations on opportunity, and forgot all about my slingers who were in ambush in the rough ground on the far left. I then won the next roll on the right and managed to roll off all of the disorders except one FL Javelin, they then all fired again into the Romans who were still disordered and each of them received casualties, the dice gods were with me! Damiano then activated his left command advancing his FP heavy legionarys and archers the legionarys again failed there second move (incredible for A Grade) and the archers failed to hit the Galations.

In the third turn I won the command roll on my left and fired both my CL light cavalry into the archers destroying one unit, I then launched my CP heavy cavalry from the flank destroying the remaining archer units ( destroyed as they were caught in the flank) and followed up into the flank of the legionarys, who after three turns of combat finally were destroyed, the general was killed on a 6 also, this destroyed this command, so effectively the game was over. On the right I won the command roll again and my javelin fired at the FP legionarys and the FL lights and managed to destroy both legionary units and one FL, and capturing the general also on the general chart. This ended the game effectively and Damiano conceded the game.

Pontic slave skirmishers

Digging though my lead pile the other night looking for some suitable figures for my entries into the "Wargaming Australis"  'Aftermath' a came across these figs which I started some time last year, so I dug them out, based them and painted on a simple cloth uniform, and added some mixed shields and javelins all in one night!

 I wanted them to depict the freed slaves from  any of the former roman cities when Mithridates freed the slaves who had killed their roman masters when he invaded Anatolia.

The figures are mixed Gripping Beast and a single Foundry.

cheers

Matt

Pontic Thorakitai (imitation legionary's)

After Mithridates VI armies battlefield failure against the Romans in the second Mithridatic War, it prompted a radical change in his army. He almost replaced all of his phalangite units with thorakitai. Roman authors thought he was copying the Roman method (as he had a number of Roman advisors), but thorakitai had existed in eastern armies since the 3rd century BC, normally guarding the flanks of the phalangites or operating as heavy skirmishers, fighting with a large shield, short sword, thrusting spear and javelin. Mithridates' primary reforms increased their numbers and the quality of training. The Pontic thorakitai, while giving a good account in battle, ultimately they were defeated by the legionary's led by Lucullus in the third and final war.


This unit will join my Pontic army and also be suitable for my other earlier Successor Army (Antiochus III the Great) as the thorakitai guard perhaps. As with the rest of my Pontic army I have continued with the Greek mythology for the unit, so this unit has a image of a Calydonian Boar on its shields (VVV decals) and on the banner (hand painted). The figures are from Gripping Beast veteran Carthaginians range, although I have added some roman pilums into the throwing hands (I may possibly go back and replace with just javelins).

cheers

matt

A Gruesome Collection

A gruesome collection of heads from the Foundry Thracian Collection, I will use it as a marker for WAB some time in the future!

cheers
matt

Leucosyri Hill tribesmen

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 have decided to give these guys the sparra, and will use them as a allied warband for my Pontic army, the figures are crusader miniatures.




cheers
Matt

Pontic General

The manufacturer is for this miniature is Xyston, I will be using him as a mercenary general for my Pontics.

Pontic casualty markers

I decided last week to do my casualty markers for WAB. When units are all cut down you are supposed to leave markers so the ground becomes literally "dead ground", and I always forget about this rule so I plan to go back and do some markers for all of my armies (and I may actually use those dead elephants I have!) not that my Pontic army wants to be all ridden down! Off the table this weekend I expect to get my next Pike block and some other bits and pieces, a customers order, some more Sassanids, more Pulp and some late Romans. The next thing to be done is work out which list to use from the Alexander book(probaly Persian).

cheers
Matt

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

Mithridatic Cataphracts

Pontus, my continued obsession with the east for the 2011 build list. Mithradates IV Eupator was Rome's biggest threat in the east from 120BC to 63BC. Mithridates is remembered as one of Roman Republic’s most formidable and successful enemies, who engaged three of the prominent generals from the late Roman Republic in the Mithridatic Wars: Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Lucullus and Pompey.
My Pontic army has now been completly purchased lead wise and all I need to do is put some paint on the figures, three pike blocks of 24 (two in trousers and armour, one in no armour (ex slaves), two units heavy cavalry both Cataphract, one Pontic and Cappadocian, two units of light cavalry, one Scythian and one Armenian, one four horse sythed chariot probably for the king himself!, Bosporan hill tribesmen warband, thracian mercenary light infantry, mercenary missile troops including cretan archers, Bactrian sligers, and finaly a Galatian warband (gaulish dressed types apparently!). I may add to the army some imitation legionarys (probaly cathaginian heavy inf figures)so the army can cover the whole period.

I have decided to use Greek mythology beasts for all of my unit standards for my pontic army, it is a chellenge freehand but I am happy so far at my first attempt, anybody guess what it is!!!!!

cheers
matt