New Osprey on Thermopylae

I got my forthcoming publications catalogue from Osprey yesterday and there is a new book on Thermopylae coming out in November! Excellent! This will keep me focussed!

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=S180X

Wish I knew how to paint that nice chequered effect on the helmet crests!

More Spartans

I've just finished another three Artizan Spartans. These are the four from pack SPA002: spearmen underarm. They work well as ranks behind the overarm poses. I have carried on painting the shield blazons but switched to red for what's supposed to be a boar, a crab and a galley. Quite tempted to do the man who had a life sized fly painted on his shield!

I have now painted one each of the eight hoplite poses available (there are two of each pose per pack). Armoured Spartan hippeis (equivalent of Sacred Band) hoplites are a staggering 29 points each in WAB. So the points value of the 9 I have painted (with the officer) is 266! If you include the army general, which you are supposed to do in the key guard unit, you can add another 157 points to that. Over 400 points for 10 figures!

I've easily got enough Spartans to finish a unit of 16 but a unit of 20 would be nicer. Just think how many Persians I'd have to paint to balance them out, though. Maybe it's time to do a few generic City State hoplites to oppose them or be allies!

Another Spartan Officer

I've finished another Spartan officer and this picture gives a better idea of the new Vallejo Bronze colour I am using instead of the Games Workshop Golds. It is much closer to the ancient bronze weapons I have seen in museums.