And now for something Completely Different

 

   

Yes, I got cajoled into another side project.

James wanted to do another 15mm Project, one in pre-gunpowder times, and after a little too-ing and fro-ing, we settled on the Biblical Near-East, and the might of Assyria versus the rebellious confederation of Babylonian, Chaldean, and Median forces.  I got the latter team; prone to getting smashed for fifty years straight, but ultimately coming out on top.

Only 15mm he said, shouldn't take very long, he said.

Actually that was true.  Even with it only being a side hustle, I got my forces assembled and ready in just over four months:

Every nation under the sun!

The core infantry

Lydians and Cavalry

Chariots, obviously

All told it's a little over 200 pieces completed.

We've elected to stick with Hail Caesar, and each base will represent a single unit, with numbers of models further identifying small, standard or large units.  The only real exceptions being that 4-horse chariots need a big ol'e base all to themselves, and to get the impression of a phalanx over without destroying every spear tip, I put the Lydians in three ranks rather than two on a cavalry sized base.

I even knocked up a couple of regionally appropriate houses.

Neat!

Illustrations for the period show a mix of courtyarded buildings, and flat roofed houses with what appears to be reed thatch and a slight lean to the walls.  So I replicated one of each, more than enough for a typically barren ancients battlefield.  The courtyarded building has enough roof space for a standard infantry base.  The hut roof is made from cheap bandage soaked in watered down PVA!

As to the minis, well it may be 15mm, and a quick paint job, but I still indulged in some detailing and fancy effects.  This unit of spearmen includes some rough blending on the shields for example.

And daisies!

All the models are Essex Miniatures.  Solid stuff, and they cover everything you need.

Our first battle is actually scheduled for Early next month, so maybe we'll see pictures of both sides soon too.  It's going to be a mid-sized game, but I can already imagine expanding my forces to a more old-school sensibility.  I'm wondering if two bases per unit wouldn't be more appropriate....

Jeez, will the hoarding never stop?!

...
   

Through mud and blood, for Turnips...

..

I got introduced to the weird world of Turnip28.

And momentarily I dismissed it.

But under the first impression, the soil was good.  After a little more investigation, I discovered a fascinating world of kitbashing, freeform creativity, in a bizarre post-apocalyptic, post-Napoleonic world.  The opportunity to build skirmish sized forces using the contents of my extensive bits box eventually proved too much to resist.

Consequently, I am here so far; the bulk of two different regiments: 

Chaff of the 51st Parchdale

A Stump Gun of the 27eme Oignans Blanc du Pied

Fodder and a Toady for the 27eme

Rootlings of the 27eme

Grogs of the 51st

Bastards [Heavies] accompanying the 27eme

The models above feature a range of parts from more or less every Perry & Victrix set I've ever bought, alongside some Fireforge & Northstar bits, as D&D Cannon barrel, bits of wood, card, sprue, lots of Greenstuff, grass tufts, UV-cured resin, and foraged roots and plants from my local woods!  When the rules are simply make what you like to no more than a general theme, the world is your oyster.  It's like 40k back in Rogue Trader times!

As to the painting, we are in rather more uncharted territory.  

The paint palette here is very limited.  I chose to try a thing called the Zorn palette; in essence restricting yourself to an extremely limited range of colours; in fact ideally only four: Black, White, Red and Yellow.  Other than metallics and weathering that is all I used; except that the 27eme got a small amount of Prussian Blue added, as that is one colour the other four cannot make, and I did add a basic Green for doing the foliage.

It is remarkable what you can achieve this way, and tonally it pulls everything together.  But what really kicked it up a level into a 'Grimdark' look, is Oil paint.  Everything was finished with a number of oil washes, which can be applied and then selectively removed to give a subtle, grimy look.

Nonetheless, I've ended up, after all my griming, dusting, and weathering, with what for the genre are still rather 'Poppy' models.  Not as grim as many.  But they've been a fun diversion.

Another 20 or so models and I 'll have two full forces.  Some of the remaining pieces will be rather more wacky; but that therefore means they'll take rather longer to finish.  Still maybe in the new year I can actually put them on a table...

Something to work towards.

..

Malian Ton-Tigi

 Just a quick post to show off this model.  Mainly so I can get the picture out into the accessible world and to spur me to give more details in due course!

Safe to say this is a substantial scratchbuild/conversion!

More later...

Remembrance Day

"Lament"

We who are left, how shall we look again

Happily on the sun or feel the rain

Without remembering how they who went

Ungrudgingly and spent

Their lives for us loved, too, the sun and rain?

A bird among the rain-wet lilac sings –

But we, how shall we turn to little things

And listen to the birds and winds and streams

Made holy by their dreams,

Nor feel the heart-break in the heart of things?

Wilfred Wilson Gibson.

1918.