bench update 25 June 2023

Eurgh, all trimmed out. I've dug into recycling for a few more Atlantic Roman minis as I am leaning more and more towards using those as cavalry and LH, rather than Scythian conversion. 

bench update 18 June 2023

Trimming out the Thracians begins after I've laid out the resources, in minis, I plan to use. Alexander's Lights combine so well with the Alexander's Thracians that I think there was an organic plan. The only catch is that a different hand did the original sculpts, meaning the Lights have a slightly different look. To these I add Scythian foot (most of which I plan to use as mounted) and some Atlantic Roman minis. I have not decided about the mounts, I have plenty of Atlantic Greek mounts with no furniture and plenty of Atlantic Roman mounts with generic furniture.

I may yet add a mix of Hannibal's veterans. They have that "booted Gaul" look.

Switching to Thracians!

Today I used shears and brute force to pile up the Geometric Greek minis, then opened the next storage box of... those other Atlantic Greeks I have converted more than once and still haven't got a good fit for. I've decided I need to build Thracians and see which light elements will morph or be spare.

These are based around HaT's Alexander's Thracians so feature the Galati/Keltoi style shield in many cases. I plan to supplement them with lights from Orion Scythians or even Slavs, and the ubiquitous Alexander's Lights and even a few remaining Atlantic Egyptian stick-hurlers!

Story of unmotivation

Ah the old green and sawdust base. And a lot of red paint. Looking at this really drains my motivation. Especially as (a) Geometric Greek period is so unknown and (b) these figures aren't convincing in any given period.

I/22 NKE and I/34 Later Hittite

I have been over these two sides twice now, wondering what my original plan was. Where are the Egyptian spears? Where are the Hittite pikes? 

Frustratingly I have a memory of base-coated Hittite pikemen lying... somewhere. 

I've decided to leave both alone, noting that I may need to morph in some elements, especially for NKEs, who get to choose from Sherden (in the box) Libyans, Bedouin, or Nubians. I guess any 4Sp can be glommed from the early dynasty side.

I will have spare HCh once my Trojan War pairing is built (that's a long delayed project) so for now the Hittites will just borrow from the Mitanni, and vice versa.

Later Hebrew I/34b complete

This morning I put down a mix of PVA and ochre, and sprinkled rubbed sage and thyme on the result. 

This is the "b" configuration that results. Far left rear, mighty men wielding anachronistic axes masquerading as Ax.

I'm pretty happy about this because the extra chariots still fit in the same storage they used to!

bench update 10 June 2023

bench update 08 June 2023

I decided to get the LCh on bases then varnish and paint. 

If you look closely at the unpainted mounts, you might be able to see how "candle treatment" works on the raised fabric pattern Atlantic used on them. That's a technique i used some years ago when i was trying to create a distinct look for Hittite LCh. I used a sharp craft knife to get rid of remaining roughness yesterday. 

bench update 06 June 2023

Instead of throwing down a wargame as @NormanDean suggested I've spent a lot of today watching WW2's spinoff, the D-Day special, hour by hour coverage. 

Thanks to carefully reassessing my Hebrews I've decided to add the Later Hebrews I/34b list as a morph from the a list. (I may regret this as I run out of storage space!) All I need to add are two LCh and I already have a spare from the Hyksos, and plenty of spare parts I've been saving for Canaanites.

So otherwise, my existing Hebrews in their I/27 configuration:

These are a triumph of using seemingly useless extras: most of them began life as the "dying Trojan" mini from Atlantic Trojans!

The elements on left are the options for picked men/Ax(jav)/Ps.

Early Beds squared

I can field both a and b sides of i/6 Early Bedoiun, with the proviso that Caesar Miniatures did not do slingers, so I'm using their javelinmen. 

A side with choice of Ax or Wb General:

B side:

bench update 05 June 2023

Ready for basing: the HaT Taaishi are painted and varnished, and repainted with white because these days my magic wash varnish is based on Strong Tone, not the maple or walnut or whatever I finished the original Early Beds in. 

At foreground, the unpainted hand holding a 45mm wire which will become the general's foot signal staff. 

...And here's the result, Tuareg on left, standard bearer center. Tomorrow I will add the ochre paint to the Bedouin pair, and probably finish tufts etc.

bench update 04 June 2023

With the Hyksos fixed up and checked off against 3.0 list, I managed to squeeze them in with Libyan 7b. Libyan lights turn up in Hyksos lists, so that may work out. Storage space is terribly limited. I'm hoping to eliminate one of the various Greek boxes. As I say that I'm aware of the irony. I began Ancients in 1:72 only because I still owned those old Atlantic sets from when I was a kid. Each time I renovate, the old sets are less use.

Anyway today's project is the camelry for Early Beds, who need 2x3Cm, and iii/75 fanatic Berbers who need 1x3Cm.

This is work in progress.