Centaurs Part 2 and Spartans

So far three centaurs are currently being worked on. They are made from a mixture of Perry medieval horses (the only ones I had spare) with the harness removed and Victrix plastic bodies for the human half.

The three Centaurs

Centaur 1

Centaur 2

Centaur 3, from the side showing the join.

These are still very much work in progress. Green stuff has been used to fill the gap between the human and horse halves. It has mostly been sculpted as some kind of cloth/shirt (although some pteruges have been done as well). I am unsure exactly why centaurs would need covering there but it helps me fill the gap and I find it a little easier than sculpting horse musculature! I'm not a very comfortable green stuff user but I think I've done a reasonable job with the cloth. It still needs a little smoothing out and tidying up here and there but on the whole is acceptable.

I have also added some longer hair to the back of the centaurs helmets. Centaurs are meant to be wild/barbaric creatures and are depicted with wild shaggy manes so I thought it was fitting that the figures looked the part as well.

The horse parts of the centaurs need to be dealt with as well. The tackle has only been roughly cut off/filed away so needs some more smoothing/green stuffing. That will take place tomorrow once the human half has dried.

Spartan Hoplites with Kopis and Xiphos.

Here is a little update on some of the Spartan hoplites. They are still being worked on but are not too far away from completion. A few more highlights and tidying up and they should be good to go. I need to look at the warbands shields. I am unsure whether to create the characteristic lambda myself or use commercial transfers. I will probably do it myself if I can resolve a few printing issues.

Completed Spartan Heroes and Skirmishers

A few pictures of the completed Spartan heroes and skirmishers. I have not done a great amount of wargaming related things today. The pictures show a the figures based and with a few more detail from the previous set.

Hopefully the foamboard and tiles will arrive tomorrow so that I can finish the temple roof. If not then the pedimental sculture (i.e. spare Greek figures) can be started. These thoughts of have lead to ideas for other terrain pieces. Ideally I would like a few (two to three) houses, some rocky out crops/hills, tree (for olive groves) and some dry stone walling. With these a few good games of Aristeia could be played and provide quality photographs. I'd like to try and get started on some of the more simple (namely the outcrops) when the temple is finished.

Speaking of Aristeia I am also currently working on the introductory/outline page. So, for those of you that are interested, you can get a feel for the basic ideas and what I am trying to get at with the ruleset. It should be up in the next few days.

Spartans

Steady progress is being made on the Spartan warband. It is however going a little slower than I anticipated, not that there is any major rush. It is however a little demotivating seemingly being stuck in the same place with little progress to show. So find below a few work in progress pictures of the skirmishers, hero and champion.

The Spartan Hero and Champions.

The Spartan skirmishers.

They aren't anything special to look at I'm afraid but some progress is better than none.

 Construction on the temple has begun with the stylobate being laid down. This is made from foamboard, it was originally going to be styrofoam but due to limitation (availability and price) this was changed. There is no stereobate below partly due to material constraints and the fact that it would limit the space and increase the height of the temple unnecessarily. The top shall be textured in the form of stone blocks/slabs and the Cella/Naos created.

The most difficult part I am envisioning well be the roof structure. The columns I have purchased are of the Ionic order. This is a problem as it means that a continuous frieze should be around the outside (above the capitals and architraves but below the pediment). It would be very difficult and time consuming given my sculpting ability to create such a scene. Instead I intend to mix orders and use the Ionic capitals but with a Doric entablature and pedimental sculpture. This is easier to create and the pedimental sculpture is far more striking and iconic. For the sculpture I have a number of spare figures that can be easily used.

Having had more of a read through of Broken Legions it seems like a decent enough system. A relatively standard skirmish game if I must say so but having an amount of customisability that is quite nice. There seems to be a distinct lack of ancient/late Bronze/Iron age skirmish games so it's worth a look if that is your jam.

Spartan Warband

Now that the Athenian warband is approaching completion, it thought it best to start on their Spartan adversaries.

The Spartan Warband

 The figures are made from the Victrix Spartan box with the skirmishers from the unarmoured hoplite set. Aside from the three heroes there are 10 sacred band and 4 skirmishers. The idea behind this warband is rather more elite in nature.The basic hoplites/warriors have had no conversions and are plain as you like, befitting the Spartan aesthetic.

The Spartan heroes.

The three Spartan heroes are bit more involved with a few parts kit bashed and joints cut and reposed. Still nothing over the top, just enough to give some flavour. All the figures still need to be cleaned up and based with a little greenstuff for gaps (and the leaders cloak) here and there. Hopefully this will all be done relatively soon! 

Painting is still continuing with the Athenians. Hopefully they'll be sorted in the next night or two and the transfered applied.