bench update 26 November 2023

I've become concerned about the ongoing tackiness of the spray base coat. At first I thought it was the soaring temperatures, but yesterday was cold and the problem remains. 

All I've done then, is touch up the grouted chariots, and put a shade of brown on four of the horses. I'll see how they shape up. Worst case, I have to strip everything. 

bench update 12 November 2023

The chariot parts fit ok but would probably have fit better without that coat of spray paint! Here, each assembly has had superglue run into the joins.

I've dry brushed the all-bronze with bronze, and the mostly-skin with flesh.

The spears straightened okay on the second attempt. One thing to note was that the spray paint became tacky again when soaked with boiling water. 

Caesar Mycaenaeans: Trying the Army Painter spray base

After my experience using Army Painter spray on the CMON undead hordes, which are a fairly hard resin, I have decided to try the same approach with Caesar Miniatures rather soft resin. So after a hot detergent wash, which (mostly) straightened out the minis, I sprayed one side, waited about an hour, then sprayed the other side. This is Desert Sand, a good leather/wood shade.

Not every piece straightened. The pikes, top left, are pretty bad. I can try once more, and if that doesn't work, I'll have to switch to wire.

I'm back

What was that, six weeks of painting CMON Dead or Alive zombies, aberrations and Survivors? Today I hauled out the Mycenaean Chariots. I haven't actually done anything mind you, but they are on the work bench!

A few extra pics

At rear, the 12 x 4Sp elements of the Early Hoplites and to the fore, various light options from the Thracians to mix with them!

These are the Thracians, barring the Thessalian-style CvGen option which is still housed with Later Greek Hoplites. The column to right appears above.

Another view of the Thracians, looking particularly at the 3Ax elements. It also shows how re-grouting over the previous basing came out. 

bench update 17 September 2023

Great, the 12 element early Greek Hoplites army is based up. Just need a nice day to spray anti-shine, and it's finished. 

For earlier and possibly Etruscan armies I'm floppily experimenting with the remaining Atlantic Greeks minis and Caesar Miniatures Mycaenaean vs Trojan minis. By good fortune, Caesar used various bronze age equipment to sub in for their fantasy minis. (I'm referring to the Mycaenaean etc minis of course.) 

Many of the bits are from the dark age or what DBA3.0 lists have as "Villanovan" which - being simply the name of the archeological dig - shows how little is known about the army or armies involved. So I hope to be able to cover at least two armies lists from the mishmash!

Greek/related project iv

Work on the book ii armies finished today as I put the final decals on the pretty - and based - Atlantic 4Sp elements. See the front rank of the previous blog update. These are aimed at morphing with book I Greek hoplites. 

The use of 15mm decals isn't my idea, I got it from wonderful minis by an Italian chap whose site I can't find now. But they really do make the minis. So I've ordered another such pack from Little Big Men Studios. 

I've also been cleaning up the heavier versions of the same Atlantic Greeks, ready to use in Geometric Greeks and morph with book I hoplites.