Barca's lads are taking shape. I've painted 6 units (5 based, but not 'textured') with 4 to go. The unpainted units include 5 elephants, Spanish cavalry, Numidian cavalry and Celtic swordsmen. I'm going to enjoy painting the plaid trousers!
Colour choices are more slapdash than usual because I have very limited knowledge of the period. So if everything looks like something out of a sword and sandal epic, I make no apologies.
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| The heavies: Libyan Spearmen and Liby-Phoenecian Phalangites. What I like about these models is I can use them as hoplites. |
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| Spanish Scutari & cavalry with spears. The Scutari came with the heavier looking guys at the front (also swordsmen) so I figured they would be in the front, with the guys with small round shields (targes?) behind in looser formation ready to nip in to stick it to any unwary Romans. |
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| A better view of the cavalry |
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Last but not least Balearic Trance Slingers. They're not all grey-haired old boys, they're meant to have some sort of fur caps (in my imagination). |
After all the excesses of the SYW acquisitions, 10 units seems trifling.
These bases look great, Chris! Once finished, perhaps give them a trial run-out with Commands & Colors?
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon. I was planning on Basic Impetus (gridded). I might dig out one of your scenarios.
DeleteThese fellahs have been sat in a box for months. Ironically it took me ordering troops from another period to make me pull my finger out.
Chris
BI would be great too!
DeleteThey look great Chris. You can't go wrong following Hollywood when painting ancients. 😁
ReplyDeleteIt’s going to Victor Mature v Steve Reeves, Hollywood v errr Napoliwood.
DeleteChris
Nice stuff Chris...I have oodles of 10mm Romans and Ancient Britons sitting awaiting my attention when my friend and his wife depart these shores on Monday......until then, I will just have to carry on with the eating out and afternoon cocktails 🍸 that have become de rigeur in my life for the last three weeks 😀 😉
ReplyDeleteIt’s a hard life Keith. Glad you stepped up to the plate!
DeleteChris
PS love to see more of your Romans & Brits.
Looking very good indeed Chris.
ReplyDeleteCheers Richard.
DeleteSpanish had two types of infantry defined by their shields; scutarii (the big oval type) and caetrii ( small round) the latter are usually thought of as loose formation skirmishers while the scutarii are close order fighters.
ReplyDeleteNeil
Thanks Neil. That’s kind of how I based them but in the same units. Big fellahs at the front, little guys at the back in looser order to nip in and exploit gaps.
DeleteI assume as they only had melee weapons they wouldn’t operate on their own. Thought just occurred to me - are these the ancestors of those Spanish sword and buckler men who fought in the tercios? My mind turned to that scene in Alatriste were they crouch forward under the pikes and slash the French pikemen.
Chris
Chris,
DeleteHow ancient armies fought is probably too huge a subject for a blog comment!
Conventional wisdom is that foot and horse were of two types, those fighting hand to hand in the main battle line and those who fought from a distance, skirmishing with bow, sling or javelin in dispersed formations. Ancient Greek and Roman drill manuals are the main source, backed by battle accounts.
So your Spanish should be in two different units, fighting differently.
The Renaissance Spanish S&B men were nothing to do with ancient Spanish. Some think they were an attempt to reinvent Roman legionaries who fought thus against pike armed Hellenistics. Others argue it evolved from fighting Moors.
Neil
Thanks Neil. I’m intrigued to learn how blokes armed only with close order weapons skirmish. Do you know any online resources where I can find out more?
DeleteChris
Chris,
DeleteI suspect they are sculpted with the distinctive Spanish sword.
There were variations - one of which became the Roman sword.
Both Scutarii and Caetrii would be armed with javelins in addition to swords which would have been a better sculpting choice perhaps.
Descriptions are from ancient sources, Livy, Polybius etc who describe them as both in the battle line and skirmishers with javelin and sling in the case of Balearic islanders.
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/elite-iberian-warriors-falcata.html
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warfare_in_the_ancient_Iberian_Peninsula
https://miniatureaddiction.info/ancient-spanish/
Neil
Cheers Neil. It may be the sculpts. They are described as 'swordsmen'. There are packs of Balearic Slingers (also with small round shields), and there are packs of Spanish Javelinmen (with large ovoid shields and 2 javelins. It won't be the first time manufacturers get things wrong/not kept up with changing historiography.
DeleteI'll read the links with interest.
Chris
Nice work Chris. Did you snip them off strips or did they come as singles?
ReplyDeleteCheers Mark. They come in strips but in a forward-aft fashion, rather than side-by-side. Even the close order bods. Which is a faff.
DeleteThat’s why I mostly just get infantry marching for the SYW. They’re side-by-side.
Chris
They look good! As for reference, I have an Osprey book somewhere you can borrow if you like...
ReplyDeleteThanks David. That’s very kind.
DeleteIs it the one on the Punic Wars with both sides represented? I have that one.
Chris
Coming along very nicely indeed. I like the formations on the bases too , very effective visually.
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Thanks Alan. With the slingers, I wanted to create a bit more ‘movement’. Like the braver lads had pushed out in front.
DeleteChris
Excellent work there Chris! One ot the topics for conversation at the CWD show was the need to go for much brighter colours with smaller figures, so they look right when on the table. If not they can look a bit dull IMHO.
ReplyDeleteThanks Steve. Yes, it’s something that I’ve learned over time. If I did figures in ‘authentic’ colours madder red and Prussian blue can both look black on the table. Another example is I use gold and silver for bronze and steel respectively.
DeleteTalking of the CWD show, how did it go?
Chris
A great day out and a report is already up on my Blog:).
DeleteThese look great Chris. Your painting at this scale is quite wonderful.
ReplyDeleteRegards, James
Thanks James. I don't think I could do large scales. They're much less forgiving.
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