Early Spartans finished

So that's 2 out of the 3 new units completed.

I admit I cringe when I look at the pictures in close up - my painting is definitely on a downward trajectory!

Next, the Athenian unit.

On the painting desk

Or  'How you can never have too many pointy sticks people'

First thing that I did once my new shed was operational was to cast a load of figures. Seemed like a good idea to start painting them...

First off the mark is a second unit of late Spartan hoplites

Another 2 units waiting in line

This lot are due to be completed as early Spartans - heavier armour, enclosed Corinthian helmet, bronze greaves.

While these will be later Athenians - light armour/jerkins, open helmet and boots.

Total of 72 new hoplites. Anyone who asks the question 'Why' just doesn't understand.

Army Review 2019 - the Greeks

Finally done.

There are a few 'restrictions' to this Review. Firstly, these are figures allocated to the Greeks. It doesn't include my Asiatic Greek hoplites - Ionian, Carian, other Asiatic. Those are part of the Persian forces. Nor does it include a load of figures allocated to the Atlantean army. Charles Grant collection are likewise excluded as I don't tend to think of them as being part of my armies - they're part of the Charles Grant Collection.

One other restriction, again as part of my allocation to specific armies. With the exception of the Spartan cavalry, all Minifigs cavalry are listed as part of the various Macedonian armies and only Garrison figures have been allocated to the Greeks. Some other Minifigs Greek cavalry have been allocated to Atlantis. To be fair, there's enough of the things to let me do that!

Hoplites plus cavalry and some of the peltasts.

The army set up including light infantry screen. All the light infantry with light green bases are ex-Harry. All but two of the cavalry units are 'mine'.

 

I put the artillery in front - Garrison crew, RAFM machines, not sure how old, 70s or 80s? - the crew are 70s, no idea when the machines date from. Most of my RAFM stuff would actually be from the 90s when they were imported by Robinson Imports(?) of Northern Ireland.

I haven't the faintest idea of how many of this figure I have - some as 2 to a base, some with 3. Including masses from Harry, loads of the Grant ones and mine I think the final figure is in excess of 300! Nowhere near that have been put to use.

Ex Harry cavalry, this lot have been converted from shielded to shieldless.

The front base of peltasts are survivors from the 70s. The next lot are Thracians converted by the simply expedient of painting trouser-legged Dacians as bare-legged. As far as I am aware this figure was never released by Greenwood and Ball.

And of course the obligatory photo of some that haven't been 'processed' yet.

So the army on display consists of 626 hoplites, 92 peltasts, 114 light infantry, 125 cavalry, 2 generals and 3 war engines - just under 1,000 figures covering roughly 4' x 4' of the table. 

Hoplites sorted

Which just leaves the various support troops and cavalry.

Front unit one of 'my' Garrison Spartan units not really a good figure as one version casts with very thin spears. Next unit ex-Harry  S Range Spartans. Shouldn't say it, but I prefer them to the Garrison Spartans.

Followed by one of my original early 70s S Range Greek units - the colours are my old Uni colours. Behind them are the unit that replaced it - Garrison hoplites. These should be a 24 and 48 figure unit respectively so a few figures missing.

Still working on some of these. To the left, figures bought off eBay to bring my original unit up to 48 but yet to be done, to the right a load of ex-Harry Garrison Spartans still to be based.

And as it stands with all the hoplites. Thebans are all ex-Harry Garrison Thebans. Next stage, start adding cavalry and supports.

Getting closer to the Greek Review

The line of march option may be the best way of doing some of these reviews rather than battle lines. Gradually building these up, so more units here - up to roughly 500 hoplites so far.

I've spread the cavalry across the front and back plus stuck a general in front.

Up to 3 columns so far, still plenty to go.

The front unit of the middle column. One of 'mine' in what was my standard 48 figure units.

The rest of the middle column units are ex-Harry and are all 24 figures strong.

These two are the only non-Garrison units - a couple of random Minifigs units to fill the ranks.

The front unit of the outside column is one of my 48 figure units. Behind this is one of my original units from about 1970. Finally, the last 4 units are all ex-Harry.

Still a few more Garrison units to go, then on to Minifigs. Then support units...

Late Greek hoplite army.

One of the things that has always been on my mind is the sheer number of figures Greenwood & Ball/Garrison could have made but didn't. Strangely (though perhaps not based on the knowledge in the hobby at the time) the 20mm Greek infantry were all early but most of the cavalry had shields - a very late feature.  So the obvious thing to do was take the later cavalry, turn one leg forwards, stick them on a base and call them infantry.

This lot have been on a number of posts as individual units but this is the first time I've actually put them all together on one table.

The army in column of march led by cavalry then the Spartans. OK, army perhaps not totally accurate, but...

The column - I haven't included any of the light infantry in these photos. Perhaps later... a couple of hundred slingers, archers and javelinmen would have certainly added to overall look but missed the point of mainly showcasing GC3/5 and their infantry derivatives.

In line of battle, right flank 'medium' cavalry, left flank the lights.

Medium cavalry GC5 - this is the figure most of the infantry are conversions of. Cavalry are perhaps a bit over-represented in relation to the number of hoplites I have here, but when 'other' hoplites are included, not as much.

The Spartans - the 16 figure Hippeis plus a 24 figure Spartiate unit. Will probably add a second 24 man unit later - part of the plan. The Hippeis unit is based on GC3 rather than GC5.

Standard 'line' units, useful for any nation or as mercenaries. This lot would expect to spend most of their time in the Persian army.

Boring Thebans, again will probably add a second 'line' unit plus a 'Sacred Band' unit later.

And finally the light cavalry for those times when they need lights instead of mediums!

Being silly - phalangites.

Just that - being silly. Normally phalangites would be spread over several armies but couldn't resist this. This lot are totally unsorted and 'unprocessed'. So it's a mix of bases, lots of figures with no sarissa, lots 'missing' on the grounds I've just collected together the 'main' boxes...

Numbers. Harry originally sold me 250, but he had 400. When they arrived he'd sent... 400. Not all are here though. Add the 150 or so Garrison conversions I was building up - another 50 strong unit had been prepped ready for painting, cancelled when Harry's figures arrived. Then the original Macedonians and Seleucids from my 70's army.

OK, what's actually here? Lot's missing, the troops mustered have a 35 base frontage. 4 to a base, most units 4 deep, others deeper. Total about 600 phalangites (my total force is about 750-800). Total length 84"/7'.

These pictures aren't really good - but they look spectacular on the ground.

Some Minifigs Alexandrian phalangites with thinner pikes next to the start of my converted Garrison units.

The 3 units of Garrison conversions - left flank are Asiatics with trousers painted on, middle standard phalangites, right flank 'elites' - G16 Boetian pike with a longer pike!

Mainly Minifigs Successor phalangites. The unit with the bronze shield are Garrison conversions credited by Harry to Ray McGarry

 

Continuing the Harry component.

The 2 right hand units are from my original 70's army - the Alexandrian phalangites are from a 48 strong very early PB unit with the telegraph pole pikes, about 1972/3, Trivia re the extreme right Hinchliffe unit - mid 70's entered them as part of an army in the Ancients section painting competition at the National Wargames Championships and it won.  Wouln't win today and besides unkind people could point out that it was the only entry...

Army Review 2019 - the Celts

Being one of the smaller armies it's one of the easiest to sort a Review.

It's currently a 4 part army. The first 3 are all ex-Harry. The Minifigs infantry and cavalry have all been rebased and include some remedial work on the cavalry. About 30 of the infantry were actually painted by me - originally sent to Harry then came back to me when I bought the army. This part of the army (and chariots) have already been shown here. The Garrison infantry have yet to be rebased. The chariots were ex-Harry but unpainted - so they have been painted and based by me.The final component are the recently purchased ones. 

This lot form a smaller force than originally bought from Harry as many figures  have been 'purloned' by other armies - for example, the Dacians and the Atlanteans.

The army...

Cavalry are Minifigs but mounted on Garrison horses.

Minifigs chariots, Garrison infantry. A few Garrison figures aren't there - some cavalry and infantry archers.

Minifigs component mounted as 3Wb - The Garrison figures will probably be mounted as 4Wb.

New' figures - the cavalry are probably the most useful part.

Limited reinforcements 2 - Palmyra

Palmyra isn't a 'proper' army yet. I've got the odd unit - for example, these cataphracts , but it's definitely a 'work in progress'.

A couple of recent purchases have got them a bit closer though.

Most recently, this batch of infantry archers.

Not painted to a brilliant standard, but workable.

Don't know if they've been 'dipped', if so not a very successful job.

 

A cavalry unit bought before Christmas - listed as Palmyrian and I'm not about to argue.

Better paint job than the archers which is good...