New Newline Designs - Thorakitai

In June I received some lovely samples of some brand new Newline Designs 20mm Hellenistic Thorakitai. Filling in a much needed troop type in this scale, not only for Newline's comprehensive 20mm Ancients range but for 1/72 in general, those looking for Thorakitai to work along side their plastics will find these useful. Along with the African Veterans which can easily be used as imitation legionaries or more armoured Thorakitai with greaves these brand new Thorakitai represent the line art shown in Duncan Head's classic Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars - showing a thuroes bearing spearman with a mail shirt that lacks the reinforced shoulder yoke. 

When I received these in June they were a much needed tonic, with the way the last year and this year had been going. I immediately cleaned and prepped them. I used bristles to make the spears and the swords - I was aiming for a Kopis like sword. As ever they painted up remarkably easily, undercoated in black then dry brushed in an appropriate metallic, it didn't take too much effort to block in skin, tunic, straps and helmet. I've tried to show some versatility in the two poses offered spearmen, Javelin and sword armed warriors here. 

I was hoping this would prompt a break in the dry spell of painting but so far it has not been the case. The ongoing issues mentioned elsewhere have been very draining and I'd rather get back into painting when i have the time, energy and patients to enjoy it again. Even getting a chance to sort this blog out has been difficult. These are on my Newline shopping list again once I have the opportunity to stock up on these I will be doing so.

So here we have a impromptu diorama of possibly Ptolemaic soldiers moving through an oasis, or along the Nile. Of course are useful for any despotic Hellenistic Dynast. 

Thorakitai Advance

In the dark days before discovering Newline (a long time ago now) I was hunting for thureophoroi, I grabbed a few Hat Thracians that had suitable figures and to get them in strength would leave lots of spares, I needed to secure a source of dedicated thureophoroi. I got hold of some Xyston thureophoroi, sold as 15mm they seemed about 18mm, I contemplated using some creative basing to incorporate them or to simply change to a more common scale of ancients as I  really liked the Xyston miniatures. I then came across the Newline with their comprehensive selection and would be a closer match to the plastics I already had so the Xyston's ended up in a drawer.

What I loved about Xyston's figures was the helmets which were interesting and varied, I thought the size of their heads were roughly the same as Newlines so I thought while I was doing head swap conversions I could create a unique unit of Thorakitai using the Xyston heads and the Newline Designs 20mm African Veterans advancing. I missed the faces on the Newline figures but those heads were used on the Cretan Archers and now I have spares for future conversion ideas. The command figures remained unchanged.

I experimented a bit with the painting, I dry/over brushed the helmets with Vallejo Silver and used Agoras Dunes Contrast paint to give them a bronze tinge this was also applied to the greaves. Its an effective way todo metallics and something to consider for future projects. I also applied Contrasts to the shields again more of an experiment but I'm pleased with their turn out.

I got the railway background out to do some photos so I redid the last thorakitai conversions and attached below. I also got some pictures of  the Moria Goblins finally so that will be a post at some point. I've also had a bit of solo gaming in so once written up there will be some posts on Strength & Honour, Dominion of the Spear and Lost Battles. On the miniatures front I'm preparing some Celtiberians for now but time at the desk is very sporadic and progress slow. I could also pick up some plastic sets that are part built but I'm into ancients currently. I'm wanting to pursue Punic wars campaign so expanding armies for that is a goal as well as expanding armies for Hellenistic states namely Ptolemiac troops for Raphia.     

Lancers of Pergamon

It's been good to get the new hobby room partially functioning. Still a way to go but I have been able to at least get the last bit of highlighting and basing done on these 20mm Maccabean Heavy Cavalry from Newline Designs. They are lovely sculpts that have a great Hellenistic look and as such I am using them to represent Eumenes II's cavalry at Magnesia fighting on the side of Rome against the Seleucid king Antiochus III. 

I ended up using only the leader from the command set the standard bearer and musician are unarmored and wanted to keep the unit all armoured troopers. Thus one of the troopers was bodged to carry a small flag detailed below with an imaged based on a design found on coins from Pergamon. 

I fancied trying out the Vallejo Oxford Blue shade which is more of a toned down purple shade, very pleasant to look at so the unit, which is more than likely overly uniformed for the period, is themed around that shade. The only other thing to note with painting is my first outing with Citadel Contrast paints. I tried Skeleton Hoard on a couple of horses and on the white linen armour, Apothecary White. I found them very useful additions as shades especially so with the white shade. As a light grey wash on top of the Vallejo white it shaded the white areas very nicely which is fantastic as white is a nightmare to deal with. The best thing about the white contrast is that the white base-coat remained bright white, so I look forward to getting more uses out of it. I have since grabbed a few more contrasts I think they will be useful additions to the paint rack. 

I have another post in mind about the basing format but the method for the materials was straight forward. Being cavalry it was easier to apply the ready mixed filler, paint it and apply static grass. I added a few tufts of pre glued clumps of static grass, again something I may get a bit more of a variety in stock.

Overall I am pleased with their turn out and particularly like these sculpts. A second unit pack is set aside which will be used as shielded Hellenistic cavalry. I was thinking of  painting the scalemail as quilted linen armour which would make them good as Ptolemaic cavalry. I'm not sure what I'll be moving onto next. There's loads to crack on with but the desk is still not set up properly and there are bits and bobs that are yet to be located and found. However broadly speaking I was to crack on with rebasing, I particularly want to get the Romans sorted, which may result in painting the remaining Mid republican Roman figures first. There is a part painted unit of Seleucid companions of which I can not find their prepared shields and 3 Scythed Chariots than need painted and assembled. So I may chip away at these various tasks. There is still the matter of the Lost Battles report, I found the notes so might still do a brief AAR when I get a chance.But until then here are many photographs of these Lancers.