Or, welcome to my Sumer project.
After a bit of a break here's a wargaming post for a change.
Having pretty much finished this phase of the Chinese project (need to get French & Taiping Rebels) I've taken a break and gone for something a bit different. I've long been a fan of the Hat plastic ancient ranges. I like their 4-sprue set up that guarantees at least 4 figures of each pose the same in each box. I also like their systematic approach to periods, and their totally usable figure poses.
I've long had a hankering for a really early army, and as a present to myself I decided to get stuck into the Hat Sumerians. After all, you get 92 poses in an infantry box. All in, two large-ish armies suitable for AMW come to c£30, as the figures are currently discounted at Hannants. I could probably have got away with £20, but I wanted a decent range of chariots options for my armies so I doubled my original order from 2 to 4 boxes of chariots. Gotta love those donkey carts (even if the donkeys are a bit tall).
I've done a trial paint job on one "battle cart" and one foot unit with large shields.They're done in my normal style with white undercoat this time and Ronseal varnish as per usual.
I may tweak the paint scheme as I go along, but I like the look of them. They're very simple, in a palette of shades of brown with a bit of grey mostly, which offsets the red of the chariot nicely.
I thought this was going to be a straight forward paint-from-the-box project, but I didn't count on the fact that I wargame with an expert in Biblical history and warfare, and also a modelling super detailer.They've both made some helpful comments that may extend the project slightly
Regardless of these concerns I'm pleased with where I've got to so far. They're intended for using with AMW or DBA if needs be (nothing too clever) and I may put my own set of rules together later in the year.
Overall, however, it's been good to lose myself in some painting and get away from R27s, IHT205's and P1612(W)'s for an afternoon.
After a bit of a break here's a wargaming post for a change.
Having pretty much finished this phase of the Chinese project (need to get French & Taiping Rebels) I've taken a break and gone for something a bit different. I've long been a fan of the Hat plastic ancient ranges. I like their 4-sprue set up that guarantees at least 4 figures of each pose the same in each box. I also like their systematic approach to periods, and their totally usable figure poses.
I've long had a hankering for a really early army, and as a present to myself I decided to get stuck into the Hat Sumerians. After all, you get 92 poses in an infantry box. All in, two large-ish armies suitable for AMW come to c£30, as the figures are currently discounted at Hannants. I could probably have got away with £20, but I wanted a decent range of chariots options for my armies so I doubled my original order from 2 to 4 boxes of chariots. Gotta love those donkey carts (even if the donkeys are a bit tall).
I may tweak the paint scheme as I go along, but I like the look of them. They're very simple, in a palette of shades of brown with a bit of grey mostly, which offsets the red of the chariot nicely.
I thought this was going to be a straight forward paint-from-the-box project, but I didn't count on the fact that I wargame with an expert in Biblical history and warfare, and also a modelling super detailer.They've both made some helpful comments that may extend the project slightly
Regardless of these concerns I'm pleased with where I've got to so far. They're intended for using with AMW or DBA if needs be (nothing too clever) and I may put my own set of rules together later in the year.
Overall, however, it's been good to lose myself in some painting and get away from R27s, IHT205's and P1612(W)'s for an afternoon.
They look almost wooden compared with more frequently seen "action" figures, but that really suits the period to my mind. Lovely stuff.
ReplyDeleteClive
I prefer "regimented" or "formed" rather than "wooden". The modern trend for multipose figures waving their arms all over the place irritates me. Having done a bit of re-enactment I can assure readers that even in a musket unit if everybody doesn't do the same thing at the same time it gets down-right dangerous to your own side.
DeleteI bow to your preferences. I suppose I really meant that the poses reflect the images you see in Sumerian art, and so are very much of the period. But I agree with you on the "Mum ... over here!" thing. Some small variation is fine, but they all really should be concentrating on the task in hand. Incorporating a cudgel-wielding NCO in your units should encourage such focus - as it did historically!
ReplyDeleteI agree that the poses look like the Sumerian reliefs, which is another reason I like them. The variation that manufacturers should make, but never do, is in height and equipment. I like Irregular's stuff where he does the same figure but in a very slightly different pose or equipment mix.
Delete