Monday 18 January 2016

From IanW 15mm Persian V Macedonian Cavalry (144 points)


The first of these could just as easily been my nostalgia round entry as I have painted up my fair share of Persian heavy cavalry in my time. All the Persians are the old Chariot Miniatures figures before they became Magister Militum, so they really are old school.

Pics will be a bit hit and miss as we have snow and so outside shots are no go. These will act as two units of Persian heavy cavalry in both Hail Caesar and Field of Glory with a total of 24 figures.

My original plan was to paint up the cloths with patterns but in the end went plain as the rest of my army are mostly single colour tunics etc. Besides switching colours all through the painting process was already enough for me :-)

I did do a different pattern on each of the bow cases but that was really the limit. I was already looking at the other cavalry with an eye to get them in for today as well.

I still found time to have a little fun, anyone spot the birdie? I was lucky enough to get two days off this week so used them mostly for painting these guys up.

Next up are someone to fight them, these twelve can be used as Agema or Companions at a push. My Persian army is really as complete as it should be, I can add a few units for the sake of it but don't need to. My Macedonian (and offshoots) still need more options, especially cavalry.

I bought these at Triples last year with the intention of painting them up soon after purchase but they slipped out of my mind until I was prepping for the challenge and added them to the clean up pile.

Compared with the Persians they were a quick paint, I will be buying another unit or two of cavalry at Triples this year probably basic companion cavalry, hopefully I won't wait nearly a year to paint them.

So 36 15mm cavalry should score me a respectful 144 points and get me within ten of my original target, oh so close LOL.


Ian I nearly did a spit take with my Sunday morning coffee when I first saw the post.  Then I realized that these were not 6mm figures, but 15mm.  This reduced my reaction from "Egads man, what wizardry is this" to "geez I wish I could get these results".  Anyway, as someone whose painted up a lot of figures from the this era, I say these are excellent!  I am looking forward to seeing more of these horse boys.  
I very much like these proper old school armies you building.  None of this cross dressing robotic stuff  or trying to compensate for shortcomings by building impossibly large SF tanks that you see these days, but real armies that you would see in Charles Grant's or Featherstone's books.  
I had some Chariot figures from their French Revolutionary range and really enjoyed painting them.  I hadn't realized their fate, but its great to know that they still exist.
I particularly like the Agema with the face masks and horse armour, likely too heavy for Alex's time but great for the early successors.  I can imagine Antigonus One-eye or Eumenes of Cardia fielding both the Agema and the Asiatic cavalry in the same force.  
I will also note that you seem to have traded one form of insanity for another.  Not content with individually mounted pikes in 6mm hands, you are simultaneously building the same armies in two different scales.


33 comments:

  1. I hear you - You think "checks would be nice..." then your eyes say no! Beautiful work.

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    1. Thanks Pat, I know what your saying lol

      Ian

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  2. I hear you - You think "checks would be nice..." then your eyes say no! Beautiful work.

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  3. I'm loving these ancients submissions - great work.

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    1. I may even get round to a pike block as well, maybe.....

      Ian

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  4. One of the great things about the challenge is to see all manner of things that just do not appear at the club you are in. I have always steered clear of Persians for fear of painting them. As I look at these I feel I should now embrace them instead.

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    1. If you do a google search you might decide to stay clear, some really intricate work out there

      Ian

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  5. Replies
    1. Thanks Tamsin, it's been a welcome break from 6mm

      Ian

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  6. Replies
    1. Thanks Adam, I think this is about where you slip away from me as I can't keep to your pace :-)

      Ian

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  7. great paintwork !

    oldies but goodies figures !

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    1. Thank you, I still think Chariot remain close to the top in 15mm Ancients

      Ian

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  8. > you are simultaneously building the same armies in two different scales.
    That way lies madness. My kind of madness to be fair. Wonderfully colourful work Ian...

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    1. I know, at least it's the only ones I am doing in two scales IF you ignore the fact I also have the ECW in 15 and 6mm, though I am not painting any 15mm at the moment

      Ian

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  9. Very nice indeed, base work really adds to the Cavalry

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  10. Replies
    1. Cheers Lee, working on the next bonus round now

      Ian

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  11. Very nice work - I really like the Persians

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    1. I still have enough for three more bases so need to buy one more pack to do another unit. That's post challenge when I also pick up some more Macedonian Cavalry

      Ian

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  12. Fab work Ian! Those cataphracts are awesome.

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    1. Thanks, as I am doing the various Macedonian and Seleucid options I can use these guys a lot

      Ian

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  13. They have grand color and detail, Ian! Looking very, very good!

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