From TeemuL: Sheated Swords and No Sandals! [Swords & Sandals] (60 points)

My first Studio visit on the Blue sector might be surprising, it is Swords & Sandals and not something related to Middle-Earth.There needs to be some challenges in this Challenge. I started painting some ancient Greeks (Classical Greek Phalanx for Hail Caesar from Warlord Games, or Classical Greek Hoplites. Or Ancient Greek Hoplites from www.immortalminiatures.com.) recently (Link to 2019) and they have been there in the back of my head ever since, but even though they were rather simple to paint, I remember there were some pain in assembling them, problems with transfers etc, and basically no need to paint them. But here is the next batch, 8 hoplites ready to make war against Spartans.

I read an old Ancient Warfare magazine in December and it was all about Peloponnesian War and that was kind of kick I needed to actually paint these - that, and the spot-on Studio location. In addition I bought a mystery box from Warlord Games last year and I got (among other things) a box of Spartan warriors for Hail Caesar, so if I paint both of the boxes, I have a nice start for a Peloponessian War project.

I used mostly GW paints on these, Kislev Flesh, Retribution gold, Ushabti Bone (spear shafts and some clothes) and some red and yellow for clothes. In the end the whole model was washed with Reikland Fleshshade, it provides a constant look on the model. I think this treatment means that the whole model is in the same light, if you know what I mean. The same effect can be done by drybrushing with the same colour, but I didn't do it here, they look good enough for me with base and wash. Reikland Flesh shade works nicely with reds, yellows, skin, bone, off-white, browns, gold etc. I could wash them all with separate wash, but it would be messy and the overall result would not be the same. It really gives some depth to the gold especially, but looks good on other colours, too.

They are transfers on the shields, now I knew how to handle them, so no major issues there. The groundwork is Agrellan Badland, almost dried before the photo session and some tufts. I used Agrellan Earth on the previous batch, but I have run out of it and wanted to finish these this week. They do not look that different.

And yes, the location is "Swords & Sandals", the figures are all barefoot and their swords are sheathed, but I believe this fits the location requirements.

8 plastic 28mm miniatures for 40 points

1 location for 20 points

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Hoplites are a great submission for 'Swords & Sandals' ,Teemu! I think your flesh recipe is excellent, and I also really like the warm tones you've achieved for your bronze armour.  I'm just about to re-read Steven Pressfield's 'Gates of Fire' and this entry really sets me up to get back into it. Well done!

- Curt