Hello all. This is my first post for this years Painting Challenge. This was such a great experience for me last year I am back for another go around. This year I am planning on painting the core of two armies. I am doing Mithridatic Ponts and Caesarian era Romans.
I decided to start with the Ponts. They are a mixed bag of Macedonian style successors with a strong Asiatic and Persian influence. My first entry is part of the pike block I am building for the 1st Mithridatic war. Like most successor style armies the Ponts were centered around the pike block. These guys are fun to paint but the big 32 figure units tend to wear the fun pretty thin.
The last 10 days was very educational for me. I learned that is a huge pain in the rear to paint pike when the pike is already glued in the hands of the figure. There is an obscene amount of "travel time" when moving from one figure to another.
I also learned that whoever came up with the idea of using steel rods to simulate pike is equal parts genius and sadist. Those dang things are really sharp but very durable.
By my count 3 units of 32 figures is 96 28mm figures which I believe is 480 points. I hope to finish the last three units in the next week or so.
Here's the class photo. The pikeman on the far right was not very attractive so the photographer partially excluded him.
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A pike bomb for Eric's first entry! Welcome and Wowza! That is a HEAP of dudes with long pointy sticks.
I love massed pikes, and these look absolutely terrific, but painting 96 very similar poses over 11 days is a bit of a slog, holy cow. The serried ranks of decorated shields look very impressive. Are the red and white ones decals or hand painted? They're great either way. I also like the yellowish spearshafts. They add a nice element of colour above the figures. Lovely.
Brillaint work Eric! Third place in the points standings on your first entry. Not bad for a new recruit! ;)
Wow! Just wow, Eric... Do you fancy doing some commission work, I have a few hundred Ancient pikemen I need doing within the fortnight? ;-)
ReplyDeleteThat's an amazing amount of painting for the last week and a half. I'm truly impressed. Very nice work!
ReplyDeleteA cracking first entry Eric! Somewhere Simon Miller is smiling... :-)
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about Pontics is the portability of units between different armies. Pike, horse archers, cataphracts, imitation legionaries, everything but elephants; nothing you can't use in any number of other armies of the later Hellenistic period.
ReplyDeletePlus the character of the Poison King himself; Mithridates VI is one of history's great antiheroes.
I look forward to seeing more of this excellent work, this is epic stuff!
Terrific 1st entry Eric!
ReplyDeleteFantastic entry, an epic start. Welcome on board
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a mind numbing bit of work. You really did an impressive job and they look outstanding.
ReplyDeleteAs opening salvos go, you just can't beat it.
ReplyDeleteI have a new favourite, truly excellent work
ReplyDeleteIan
Great 1st entry I love this period and played against many a pike block none as well done as these ones. Looking forward to watching the army as it grows
ReplyDeleteWow bravo!! They look great, especially en masse like that
ReplyDeleteA very pointy points bomb to start you off Eric - lovely work! :)
ReplyDeleteVery impressive all together! And I hope you had a nice lie down after all of these in one go....
ReplyDeleteThis is epic! Really impressive.
ReplyDeleteCan't go wrong with a phalanx, great colours!
ReplyDeleteWonderful submission - I too have many puncture wounds front metal pikes and lances. It's the price we pay for our hobby!
ReplyDeleteSuperb stuff ... I agree with Miles above... but the end result of the pain is worth it!
ReplyDeleteThat's really some impressive work Eric! Big pike blocks do look sooooo bad ass, especially when they're nicely painted like yours.
ReplyDeleteImpressive! One can never tire of looking at a sea of pikes.
ReplyDeleteChristopher
Now that's proper old school ancients! Takes me right back to WRG 6th Edition days. Love the shields. And kudos for fielding them en masse.
ReplyDeleteThat is a lot of repetitive painting work. They look terrific.
ReplyDeleteTruly Impressive
ReplyDeleteThat's a truly impressive points bomb there! I can agree on the sadistic nature of the invention of steel pikes for miniatures having cut myself one some in the past! Still I'd imagine it's less painful than the real deal sometime in the ancient times :)
ReplyDeleteWell done!
ReplyDeleteThis is truly the Challenge of the Pike Blocks! Cracking stuff I had the same question about the shields - if they are done freehand, then my hat is well and truly off to you, sir.
ReplyDeleteWowza! Very impressive entry and very well done!
ReplyDeleteI love the yellowish ( new) pikes and the sheilds, they look fantastic! Since you've paid the blood price, I'm certain they will be rock hard on the field too! ;)