From LeeH - Polybian Legion and Carthaginian Elephants (140 Pts)

Way back in the sixth Analogue Hobbies Winter Challenge I painted a Polybian Roman Army. I'd always wanted to expand it with more Hastati, Principes and Triarii but as with all good intentions it never happened. So three years after I first started this army I am finally getting round to expanding the ranks of my Romans. 

I had planned to paint these one group at a time but after working through masses of Zulu's last year that felt a bit lazy so I have done the whole lot as one entry. As you'll probably notice the last rank (the veteran Triarii) are just two bases. That wasn't intentional, I had ordered a pack of 96 figures, enough for four bases, but was only sent 48 and didn't realise until I was ready to start. My wife gave them to my for Christmas so when they arrived over a month ago I just handed the pack to her and didn't check my order. Rather than delay working in these I decided to paint what I had got for now and worry about the two missing units later. 

 

I made a concerted effort to paint and base them exactly as I did the first legion. The only exception for this second legion was giving them a different colour banner. When I put them side by side with my 'old' bases I was amazed how well they matched up. I always keep a painting diary when I start a new project and I was able to refer to those old notes when I started these new models. Just to prove I have indeed painted these (not just rephotographed the minis I did three years ago!) here they are side by side... Two legions separated by three years. 

And here is a picture of them deployed for battle in a pattern approaching the Quincunx formation with the seasoned Principes covering the Hastatii in front and the veteran Triarii at the back covering the Principes. I was a bad day if the Triarii were ever called into action because that meant the front two ranks had been beaten and fallen back. 

I've also completed some more Elephants for my Carthaginian army. I painted four of these back in Challenge VI, basing them in pairs. Almost from the moment I finished them I wasn't happy with the way they looked, and felt I ought to have more per base. So this time around I have bought another four Elephants and combined them with the four I painted back in 2016. Thankfully I was able to remove the originals without damaging them and now that they are mounted four per base I am much happier with them. 

The colour is a shade darker on the four new Nellies but its close enough. The finished bases look a lot more intimidating and much more how I envisaged them three years ago. 

240 infantry, four Elephants and 12 crew should net me 134 points and propel me a significant way towards my modest target.

From DaveD 

I just love your 6mm projects Lee . there is just something about the mass effect of really well painted and consistently based armies - and these are cracking - I have have topped you up to 140 points for the extra size of the elephants - and i do like seeing elephants in a submission - nearly as good as camels.