From PeterB Barbarians, Greeks and Cowboys - 322 points

 

 My journey last week stopped off at my first blue studio, Arthouse. This week, a swift journey around three more blue studios bringing me closer to a full house.

Up until now I have mostly been painting individual models to match the studios, now the groups begin. These have been in progress since the beginning of the challenge, my inability to paint large groups of models without getting bored means I was using the age old method of awarding myself with a character to paint if I made progress on a group project.

So, first stop Fantasy. During lockdown, I went a bit hobby crazy and went all out with the Frostgrave box sets. I built a human fantasy army for Dragon Rampant with the Soldiers 1 and 2 and the Wizards plastic sets. I also bought two boxes of Barbarians and combined them for the beginnings of a Barbarian army. So, when they released a Female Barbarian plastic box set, I had to get them. Dragon Rampant uses unit sizes of 6 and 12 and there are 20 Barbarians in the box. Luckily I had already 4 Bad Squiddo Shield Maiden Archers painted up which match up pretty well, so from the box I made up 8 Archers and 12 Barbarians with two handed weapons.

The Archers

Barbarians with two handed weapons

I kept them all to the same limited palette of colours and then just mixed up where the colours went. They are all then covered in Coat D'arms dark brown Super Shader to give them that grimy unwashed look to match the rest of the army.

Next on our whistle stop tour, over to studio Swords and Sandals.  One of my other hobby addictions of late has been buying the blue book range of Osprey War game rules (including the aforementioned Dragon Rampant.) Another one of the books being Of Gods and Mortals. A game system where the various gods from history and mythology skirmish battle accompanied by their worshipers. A long time ago after being inspired by the film 300 (Yep, that long ago) I had bought some Spartan warriors from the War-gods of Aegyptus range but painted them up and did nothing with them. Now I could use them for a Greek warband.

So, I needed a God and few more Greeks. At the end of the last challenge I painted up the Greek archers from a Victrix plastics box-set. I have finally got around to continuing the project.

Zeus, from the North Star, Of Gods and Mortals range

Not including his wild hair, Zeus is actually about 50mm tall, so that he towers of mere mortals.

Unarmoured Hoplites

Yes, the shields are transfers, but I couldn't resist them. They look so good.

And finally for this week our last stop, the Westerns Studio. Well, I have been meaning to finish off the rest of my plastic cowboys from Great Escape Games.

Yes the guy on the far right has the same head as Dum Dum Duggan from the other week.

I promise that's it for this week. So, to the points.

20 x Barbarians @ 28mm. 20 x 5 = 100pts

1 x Zeus @ 40mm. = 7pts

24 x Hoplites @ 28mm. 24 x 5 = 120pts

7 x cowboys @ 28mm. 7 x 5 = 35pts

3 studio visits. 3 x 20 = 60pts

Total = 322 points.

You are whizzing about the studios on this post Peter.  I am loving the barbarians (does any one else sing the Beach Boys Barbara Ann when they say that word?). Using the limited palette but switching combinations works well.

I also really like Zeus with his wild hair -  but you got expect some static zaps when you chuck lightning bolts?  Nice work on the Hoplites and your shield transfers look awesome.  Plus a nice collection of Cowboys.