I'm gradually putting up images of armies I've painted on this Blog, and this time it's the turn of the Early Hoplite Greeks. I painted these about 3 years ago. The figures are Zvezda, which are really nice although they insist on moulding designs on the shields. So I carved them all off (adding a few more scars to my thumb in the process) and painted on my own designs. This is an Athenian phalanx, so I added a scattering of alphas and triskeles (the triple running leg design) on the shields to give a sense of this. The DBA list for I/52(f) gives options for LH, Cv, Ax and Bw, so I plan to get around to adding these eventually. I also want to make a camp perhaps depicting Miltiades arguing with his fellow strategoi prior to the Battle of Marathon. For now however I present the unwieldly beast of a phalanx with a couple of elements of Psiloi in support.
Here they all are:
The general's element is on the right. Most of the shield designs were sourced from Athenian red and black-figure pottery, and I'm particularly pleased with the hydra and pegasus here.
The thetes (poorest citizen class in Athens) run out in front of the phalanx to harass the enemy.
I don't have a historical opponent for this army, but Early Achaemenid Persians and Corinthians are on my list...
Hi Alan,
ReplyDeleteThey look brilliant! Those shield designs are amazing!
I've based up my Zvezda Greeks as an Athenian army as well, though I only took the pattern off the Spartan shields. 'Course, mine are still unpainted!
Well done indeed.
Nick
Thanks Nick! Perhaps one day they shall meet in battle....
ReplyDeleteMine would be the one that's fighting without paint!
ReplyDeleteNick
-1 on all die rolls?
ReplyDeleteNo, surely +1 - they'd be lighter on their feet after all! :-)
ReplyDelete