Enyalios!

DBx Bases: 9/177 + 0/18
15mm Spears: 27/451
DBA Corps: 0/16
Saga Points: 2

Ok, so first batch of models – specifically the command elements and the elite hoplites. Originally, it was only going to be seven elements: C-in-C, 2 Sub-Generals, and 4 Elites. But after getting the minis worked out, and checking my forward planning, I realised I had a few hoplites left over, so I added the Mercenary officer I would also need.

But then I saw the officers I had left over and my eyes fell on one that looked very much like the Champion of Olympus model I had gotten as a promotion from Footsore a couple of years ago. And my mind started working…

Nine elements – usually enough for a decent chunk out of a DBA Corps, and I’m only getting started (what am I thinking???)

The painting itself also allowed me to confirm my paint schemes and colour mixing. I only had a few items that needed some custom work, such as the larger blue tunics/cloaks, and the Champion’s green cloak. If you get up close to them, the paint job doesn’t look the best, but I’m not a Golden Daemon contender – battlefield quality is Ok by me.

One thing I did work out with this batch was the mix of the grunt’s tunics for the entire army. I saw an article in an old White Dwarf once which said that it is possible to do a mixed colour army like the Brettonnians – the trick is to use the same palette of colours all the way through. So, if you use yellow in several places, make sure its the same shade of yellow – that should be enough to give some link throughout the army.

I knew there were several colours I wanted for the tunics on the grunts – blue (Vallejo 930 Dark Blue), mid grey (870 Mid Sea Grey), a blue-grey (816 Luftwaffe Uniform), and white (actually a very light grey so I can highlight with white). I knew the white would be a small portion of the tunics (since the Linothorax for the line Hoplites would also be the same white), but the rest? I eventually settled on groups of 8 (which worked fine, since Spear units have 4 models per base), with 3 Blue, 2 Blue-grey, 2 grey and 1 white per group. Add to that a mix of models per group, and whilst there was some variety for the lines, there would be a sort of uniformity amongst them.

The Champion’s element was a bit different, as his guards had white tunics – I figured that since the Champion himself had a white tunic, the guards would have something similar.

The Mercenaries, however, had completely different tunic colours. I’m thinking that when I get around to the Mercs, I’ll use some more cloth colours in there (tan, brown, green etc), but still keep to the idea of a limited palette to provide some uniformity.

The other big thing about the model – the helmet crest – was also a way to link the lines together. I was planning for my Athenians to all have blue crests, but I added some white stripes for the elites to mark them out a bit. The champion’s crests were all white, and the mercs – well, they all had Phrygian Cap helmets. The models I used for the mercs had already donated their heads for some head swaps, but I decided to use the caps as a way to show link across the base.

Finally, I worked out a few spear lengths – Xyston sells packs of spears made from brass rods 50mm long. Now that’s a bit too long for a Dory, but no so much for a Sarissa…

I eventually settled on 30mm long for a Dory, 20-25mm for a cavalry spear or for one used by a Thureophoroi, 15mm for a javelin, and, if I ever get around to doing some Macedonians, 40mm for a Xyston. Cutting the rods isn’t too hard – a bit of rolling it back and forwards under my hobby knife, and I can eventually snap the extra length off – the spares will be used as materials for standards, pins for heads and the like.

There was, however, one thing that got my goat up – this goon:

Whilst the other models in the set all had their spear relatively upright, the way this guy’s had was angled made things a heck of a lot more difficult (you can see the angle in the “Almost done” pic above). The models are already larger than expected as they’re “Heroic 15mm”, which mean that they’re actually 18mm tall, and there isn’t as much space to play around with on the base, unlike when I’m using minis from Essex. And the goon’s spear angle and base made situating them on the base as a group a bit more of a hassle.

So, lesson learned – I’ll be double checking all future models to make sure that sort of jiggering is not required.

On the 28mm side of things, it was a fairly straight forward job – mostly copying the scheme of the existing elites, and a few custom jobs for some new characters.

I was even able to find enough models in the 15mm officers to be able to recreate my 28mm heroes in 15mm scale

And so, just over a week later, I was done.

One thing you will note is that on the 15mm scale, the Athenians don’t have shield heraldry. My original though was that I could hand paint the devices onto the shields, but in practice, it turned out to be impossible for me – I just don’t have the skill in it. Transfers were the next option, but finding white and blue Little Owl devices in 15mm scale in good quantity is actually somewhat difficult. Veni Vidi Vici does have some on one of their transfer sheets, but its only two symbols to a sheet, and I’ve got over a hundred to do, so not really economical. And a custom run from them would cost at least £150, so, no. The Little Big Men transfers I’m using elsewhere are also not an option, as they only have two devices in black on white – useful for a hero and some standards, but not economical for the project.

*Sigh*

I guess they’ll just be left to their own devices for now…(yes, yes, yes, I’m finishing this entry soon…).

Nine DBx elements down, a full Hearthguard unit completed, heroes done, and a Tropharion completed for desert.

But I’m only getting started. Already have the next batch on the table, and its a bunch of regulars.