Monday 9 January 2017

From LeeH - Macdonian Elephants (7 Points)

When Pyrrhus of Epirus deployed his Elephants against the Roman Cavalry at Beneventium in 275BCE it came as a terrible shock to the Republicans. The use of Elephants changed the course of the battle and arguably won the day for Pyrrhus. The Romans did eventually adapt to fighting these beasts but the fact that Hannibal was still using them nearly 75 years later showed that they were not entirely the one-use shock weapon that some historians describe them as.


Having painted these I am now convinced that I have used the wrong Elephant models for my Pyrrhic army. The models I have used don't have towers and I think they are actually the type used by earlier Macedonian armies (Poor research strikes again!). By the time of the Successor armies elephant crews rode into war inside wooden Howdahs, much like the later war pachyderms that I painted for my Carthaginians. Its entirely my mistake but these are what I have and these will have to do for now! I have found the right models and have now ordered them, so expect to see even more Elephants at some point later in the Challenge!


I have again resorted to dressmakers pins to make the Sarisa or long spear carried by the crew. Thankfully this time I managed to add them to the models without bloodshed!


Two war elephants and four crew won't earn me a massive amount of points but at least I can get something entered this week while I finish off other larger entries for next week.

MilesR: I always love a good war elephant and with this submission we get 2!  Great painting Lee and I also really like the clean basing and label - this entry will net you seven points (2 each for the Ellies, 2 for the 4 crew and 1 extra from me for the basing(.  I'm really looking forward to a group shot of the entire Pyrrhic army when you're done.

19 comments:

  1. Impressive these guys look bigger than they are, I would have guessed 15mm scale. the work on the Elephant's skin is especially good

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  2. I really enjoyed painting these. I have ordered some more elephants (the right ones this time!) so there will definitely be more on show before the Challenge ends.

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  3. Lovely Heffalumps Lee, very effective basing. iIRC Pyrrhus is often crediting for developing the tower, with the first evidence of these being some pottery from southern Italy dating from the Pyrrhic campaign. Good news is. You get to paint more of these lovely beasts.

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  4. Great work, although they do look a like you are punting with elephants

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  5. Nice work. I totally agree on the basing.

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  6. Elephants! Always love to see these in any scale. Great work.

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  7. Everyone loves elephants on the battlefield! great job on these and I won't hold the lack of towers against you.

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  8. nice work... looking forward to seeing even more

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  9. Great job love me some Elephant action, had 8 28mm ones in my ancient indian army back in the day :)

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  10. Wow. Lee, you are hitting this 6mm stuff right over the cheap seats. Your brushwork is so precise and smooth at this scale - it boggles my noodle. Great work.

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  11. Love the nellies, great skin tones on them

    Ian

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  12. Elephants measuring only 6 milliphants? Insane!

    And the Republicans were so impressed by Pyrrhus' elephants that they adopted them as their logo...
    ; )

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  13. Great stuff, love the pins!

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  14. I do love me a heffalump. No matter the scale they always look good. I love what you've done with these guys, well presented!

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  15. You really do some great 6mm painting!

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