2018-09-01: Euphrat & Tigris

Lea had a school friend sleep over on September 1st (her parents were at some party or likewise for adults only), and we seized the opportunity to play a four player game of Euphrat & Tigris.

The kingdoms quickly spread throughout Mesopotamia.

I never controlled very large portions of the board (played the Bow dynasty), and during most of the game I was certain that I was way behind Lea and Anna, but in the end it turned out I won by a comfortable margin - I think it must have been due to me focusing on having my Leaders getting bonuses from the monuments, because it felt like I was having the living daylights kicked out of me...

Another Game of Euphrat & Tigris

After playing Splendor, I got my ass handed to me by Anna in our second journey to the Land between the Rivers.

Had I only joined our realms in my last turn, I could have snatched victory away from her, but I did not think clearly at that point - and you have to learn as long as you live!!

Summer Holidays: Passing Time With the Kids

Some days ago, I broke out this game that I bought some years ago at a sale.

First time I tried reading the rules back then was an evening after a long, hot, sweaty day, and I got confused and put it away.

This time, though, I sat down with Anna and Lea and we played through a game after a brief overview of the rules.

Everybody quickly grasped the concepts, and we had a blast building kingdoms and fighting 'wars'.

I managed to win a narrow victory, but the girls are actually quite good at boardgames, and the next time would not be an easy walk for me!

Half a Dozen Archers!

I have painted absolutely zip! today, but here is a group shot of all the archers painted so far.

Greek Archer #6 - Erastos

This guy is livin' on a prayer.

I think I shall have to put a darker wash in his eye-sockets, but otherwise he turned out all right, although like on the previous one, the wash pooled somewhat heavy on the lower part of the chiton.

Well, I am not going to do anything about the chitons right away - I really want the full dozen ready as soon as possible, so that I can turn my attention to some other projects!

Tomorrow much of the day will be spent on going to Odense and get some things I need before our vacation, and the mid to late afternoon Lea and I are at tennis team training, but I hope to paint for an hour or so in between.

Greek Archer #5 - Demetrios

Another archer checked off - although the wash did not work as well on this one.

I may have to repaint the lower part of his chiton (I may then also add som kind of stripe/muster to it), but for now it will have to do as it is; I still have plenty of archers to paint, and I would like them all to be ready by the end of next weekend.

Greek Archer Line-up

Nothing new finished, yet, but here is a status shot of my archers. I expect to have two more finished later today, but now I must drive to Svendborg to pick up Anna!

Greek Archer #4 - Galenos

With this one down, I have finished one third of my Greek archers.

The place where I broke the bow is visible in the pics - I shall smooth out the joint and repaint it tomorrow, when the poly cement has settled completely.

As mentioned earlier, my progress has been somewhat hampered by my recent involvement with the local sports club (repairing holes in tennis courts requires both skill and patience), but I still hope to be able to finish all twelve archers by the end of the coming weekend.

Tomorrow at 11 a.m. I have to pick up Anna in Svendborg - her school class is having an outing, first bowling a couple of hours, then walking to the beach at Christiansminde, and as there is more than a kilometer form the bowling alley to the beach, and her knees are not fully rehabilitated, I am going to drive her instead. I shall then have to check if they are going to be picked up by the bus at Christiansminde, else I have to pick her up there, too.

I hope to get some painting done before leaving home, hopefully all but finishing another couple of archers.

Greek Archer #3 - Basileios

Finished this guy earlier today - one fourth of the Greek archers now done!

I tried using a lighter flesh tone as base for the skin, and I think the difference shows - the skin gets a less orange-ish hue, and that was ome of the goals for this different approach.

The next archer has the flock drying on the base at the moment, and I hope to be able to post pics later this evening (unless I get too tired and go to bed, first).

Unfortunately, I was a klutz and somehow broke the bow on archer #4, so I had to repair it with some poly cement, and I ma not going to smooth out the joint until tomorrow, when I am sure the glue has settled completely.

In the meantime, you must  settle for the other pics of #3, placed below.

Greek Archer Command WIP - Ready for Sculpting

I have assembled the Greek command models a bit further (actually, the commander is all done), and all I now need to do is to sculpt the right hand of the standard bearer.

My progress is somewhat slower than anticipated, because I have gotten involved in the tennis department of the local sports club (Lea started playing last summer, and as I want the best possible conditions for us to play, and the entire tennis committee quit last winter, it was time for me to step up to the plate).

I shall be focusing on painting the Greek archers the rest of the week, but I may get a sudden inspiration for pulling out the greenstuff - I have never tried sculpting something as delicate as a hand, but I hope to be able to create something passable.

Greek Archer Command WIP

I am watching the World Cup in most of my wake hours (I sleep from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. when I come home from night watch), so progress is a bit limited, but I have glued the Doru to the standard bearer, and a sword hand to the unit commander.

Soon, I shall have to try my skills at sculpting a right hand for the standard bearer, but I think I shall add shields and remove the sword handle from the commander's scabbard, first, and also add a hair crest to the commander's helmet.

I may get some time in for doing some of this tomorrow, but Kevin and his brother are coming here to help me replace the window of the garage attic, so some of the afternoon will be used for that.

Greek Archer #2 - Adrastos.

I have changed the photos - the new versions are more in line with real life colours.

Here is my second Greek archer, Adrastos.

I (still) think I shall have to clean up the arrrow shaft - I did not notice that before looking at the picture - the camera really is more unforgiving than the naked eye!

Greek Archer #1 - Daimos the Sharpshooter

I have exchanged the original photos with some showing the colours a bit better.

He was speed-painted with my block'n'wash approach (same as my Vikings), only difference from earlier work is, I used Gryphonne Sepia instead of Agrax Earthshade - especially because the Greeks have a lot of exposed flesh, and I feared that Agrax Earthshade would look odd on larger areas.

For a speed-paint, I am pretty content with the outcome (I just spotted a couple of dots on his chiton, not covered by the wash - must be mended later), and it is fine for getting some models on the table. It will not win me any 'best painted' awards, but as I rarely, if ever. participate in conventions after Horisont died, it is of no concern.

I think I can churn out 2-4 per day when off work, and as I have the entire next week off, I may well finish the archers and get a fair few of the Hoplites done, too, before the summer vacation.

Below a couple of pics more.

Greek Archers and Hoplites WIP

Both the archers and the hoplites are now fully ready to get painted. Not all the archers are in this picture, as some have already been glued to cork handles, and are sitting on the pain(ting) rack

Greek Archer Command WIP

I added heads to the two command models, and I have realized that I do not need to use a wire spear for the 'standard', as each javelineer sprue has two Dorata, and I can just use one of those instead!

I have to clean up the helmets (again, too fiddly for handling on their own), and I am going to add a crest to the leader's helmet, if one of the provided ones seem to fit .

As the leader is going to wield a sword, I am probably going to remove the sword handle from his scabbard.

Greek Archer Command WIP

I have started work on the two command figures for when the Greek archers need them present (God of Battles, for instance).

I know, standards were not really used by the ancient Greeks, but for some Fantasy purposes, I need to mock one up, anyway.

I have decided to use the static pose for that purpose; I am going to glue an upright wire spear to his right arm, and then sculpt his right hand around it(!).

I am not sure if I can actually sculpt a lifelike hand, but we shall have to wait and see...

Greek Archers - Step by Step...

As I got them primed yesterday, I could paint the bases black this morning. As I use matt enamel, they have to dry properly, before I texture the bases with sand, but I may be able to do it this evening (if I can find the time - I have to drive Lea to a school class barbecue in Espe, and possibly also pick her up from it later, and there is also supper to prepare, football to watch, and a dog to walk...).

Greek Archers Primed

I pulled myself together after losing all the money I had previously won on freebets on the World Cup (both Germany and Brasil disappointed badly), and got the archers primed.

White primer, because I am going to speed-paint them with my block'n'wash method - that sould allow me to finish two or more per day, even with my limited hobby time.

Tomorrow I shall paint the bases black, and probably also glue sand on as texture, but we shall have to see about that last step before glueing them to cork handles; I am not sure how much time I am going to have tomorrow afternoon/evening, as we have some logistics challenges then.

Greek Archers Finally Ready for Primer

The world Cup is on, Denmark participates (first match won yesterday), and hobby progress is slow.

I put the last filler on the bases today, and applied Captain Blood's liquid poly cement filler method to the shoulder joints, and the whole unit (except the two command figures I have not worked on, yet) is now drying.

Later today, I shall dust them off and check for filler gone in places it should not have, and then maybe prime them (otherwise they will be primed tomorrow, but it would be nice to have them dry over night).

Greek Archers - Doing the Bases

I got the heads cleaned up, and I have now put the first helping of filler on the bases (including filling the holes in the washers) on 11 of the archers; the Sharpshooter lost his left hand when I handled him, so I poly cemented it back in place and it is now drying.