Mortal Gods Game - Athens v Sparta

First game of Mortal Gods, two giants face up, Athens v Sparta. The Athenians form up into a phalanx while the Spartans contemptuously flood the flanks with their lights and hold the center with hard nut companion base of hoplites (see below, a bunch of Athenian hoplites run into a bunch Spartan mixed hoplites - helots - peltasts [the 'low point' scenario meant that a full three bases of Spartan hoplites was simply "too expensive" so the Spartan experimented with his force by mixing in some lights]): 

A lesson in hubris is dished out to the Spartans as the Athenian phalanx gives them a solid bloody nose and holds strong in the center (see below, one empty slot on the Spartan companion base of hoplites tells the story): 

The Spartan left flank attack on the Athenians is stopped cold by the intervention of the Athenian Hero (see below, he bounces the base of helots then tangles with the Spartan Logos): 

The Spartan Hero and Logos rage hard at the Athenian phalanx but the combined shield wall minimises the effect (see below, one Athenian hoplite falls but the "phalanx Mortal Gods special rule" saves several others from suffering the same inglorious fate): 

Having survived the Spartan central surge, the Athenian Logs decimated the Spartan peltasts on his right and then despatched the Spartan hoplites in the center, by a succession of individual Athenian hoplite activations, which serve to exhaust, damage and break the Spartan hoplite base):  

The Athenians take the central victory trophy of the battlefield. This is too much for the remaining Spartans who shamefully scattered and departed the battlefield under the dark cloud of Thanatos. 

Comments: Nice little warband game, certainly not a big battle as it stands but innovative and perhaps expandable. I like it and I will certainly play more. I do need to paint up my own Spartans,! Doesn't everybody?

All (Ancient) Greek to me! Mortal Gods - My Reboot

I purchased Mortal Gods a while back in pre-Covid days with noble intentions of painting up a warband or two of Ancient Greeks but alas it languished on the plastic pile of shame for years. No more. Their time has come (see link below for more details):

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/270626/mortal-gods-skirmish-games-in-ancient-greece

I have the basic boxed game set and have assembled the basic miniature (Victrix) that came with it, which is a start. Sadly (as of time of writing) the Athenian and Spartan "special" boxes are now hard (nay impossible) to come by, bar purchasing individual separate components by Footsore Miniatures, so it look as if I am "bog standard" Greeks - which is fine by me (see below, the starting point of Mortal Gods): 

Dusting off the Mortal Gods box from the loft, I chose into two opposing sides to paint up (see below, two Lochos and their respective warbands, I am calling one Athens and one Spartan [as per the figures look and feel] despite not having the "special" faction attribute cards): 

Given I was in the 28mm Greek "make it mode", I decided to also assemble the Warlord Games 28mm hoplite miniatures I acquired from a "CoW Bring and Buy" sale [although I mostly do the buying]. They fit in well alongside Victrix (see below, I hope to give Mortal Gods a run out at CoW 2026); 

The figures are PVA-sand based and "washed" brown (see below, they are now also in their Mortal Gods movement trays which are a nice touch to the game system): 

Starting with the light psilio slingers it is time to paint them in the Greek fashion (see below, I deliberately chose the "light forces" to get my eye in, I am also resisting the opportunity to use contrast paints but rather I am using Vallejo Game Colour with MiG Ultra Matt varnish to dull everything down): 

The slingers are coming along nicely (see below, in Mortal Gods a group of three figures together on a base are referred to as "companions" - not to be confused with "The Companions" of Alexander The Great): 

Light troops are based on circular bases (see below, they move together as one block in the rules, which cuts down nicely on the level of "fiddle" moving figures about, all told there are approximately 12 [small game] to 25 [medium-largish] figures per side in a typical Mortal Gods game): 

An unusual figure in "Greek" sides in Mortal Gods (yes there are rules for Persians), is the archer, although Athens has its special "Archer Marines" that can come ashore from triremes (see below, this chap is from Victrix): 

The lights for "one side" are done (see below, all possible types - one companion base of each comprising of (3) slingers, (3) javelinmen and the more useful (3) peltasts, but the the archer is a generally just a singleton [as there were just not that many archers in a typical warband], it does not attract the eros passion from the ladies):  

Time to move onto the hoplites, the sexy side of the warband (see below, the first companion base of hoplites is in the centre of the pack on a triangular base, but more on that later): 

A close up of some javelinmen (see below, a rather bedraggled and opportunistic set of characters who are best at throwing pointy things at and then running away [fast] from dangerous things or sneaking up on flanks or from behind): 

A closer "close-up" (see below, I took my time and really enjoyed doing these javelin man, but because there were no really hard or difficult areas to paint they were done fairly fast): 

Meanwhile, the hoplites were up next and the magic number of hoplites is nine (see below, three bases of hoplite companions can "join together" to form a "phalanx"- which is classed as a combat gift/skill, allowing the troops to absorb more punishment and perform more actions because of the trained cohesion of the troops - but the phalanx can only go straight forward or pivot [powerful but awkward to handle]): 

The basic painting is done, but I returned and experimented with the Little Big Man Studio shield decals (see below, I was really impressed with the results - once I got the hang of putting them on [I did use Micro Sol and Micro Set] and repainted over bits to blend it in to the figure):  

Finally these Greeks are getting dressed and ready for battle, let's do those hoplite shields next!

28mm Greeks for Mortal Gods - Reminder to self (Kick Start This)

These are the Victrix plastic 28mm Greeks that came with the Mortal Gods game (purchased a while back) ... and they are good figures that need some TLC (see below, a pack's worth or hoplite mercenaries - for hire to the best bidder, good value "in plastic"):

The poses are good and warlike with plenty of character(see below, we are in the age of the plastic pack of forty, taking over from metal dozen for the same price - but does that mean mass resin is to follow?):

I am going to resist the temptation to DB'X' them on a base of four [as those games seem to be on the way "out"], but retain them as colourful individuals that can be hoarded together into an appropriate fighting mass): 

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More [Greek assembly] to follow, my ultimate aim is to get three figures worth of figures on the table .. but maybe not this year! 

Hoplite Stuff...

While rambling through the Web one day I found this: 

"We recreate and analyze historical hoplite warfare including the battle of Leuktra by using the awesome new steam game "Totally Accurate Battle Simulator"! Game Trailer: ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OuKjxAvD6w Alpha Sign-up: http://landfall.se/totally-accurate-b... For documentaries on classical antiquity check out this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list..."

https://www.karwansaraypublishers.com/awblog/the-value-of-simulating-ancient-battles/

So I decided to play about ... with a lot of 28mm hoplies and complete a set of Warlord Games 28mm hoplites I had hidden in a box .. the result was a lot of lining up of 28mm hoplites in various formations (see below, Spartan hoplites four deep - seen enfilade): 

A bunch of Greek (Spartan) boys in close shield wall self-protection mode (see below, seen head on - one long stretch of contiguous shields to pose and impenetrable wall  - this is the Mortal Gods size of forces, although no peltasts in sight): 

All my unpainted hoplites out on the table .. Athens (left) versus Sparta (right), with a few 'soft' slingers and 'peltasts' thrown in on the sides for goes measure - with an Athenian Strategos to the left hand side (see below, sorting out a dispute Ancient Greek style, Athens 4+ deep while Sparta is 3-4 deep): 

Now pool all these troops side by side (thinking Platea) and you have a eight rank deep mass of hoplites (see below, which gives a totally different perspective to a line of battle from than a four figure wide stand of hoplites in DBA .. one deep - moving this about is going to be a bit of a pain):  

Up close and personal - now that is going to be a very restricted view of the battle (see below, I also feared that they would fall over like dominoes - but they were quite solid and "locked together" - multi poses helping here):  

Next steps .. a spray can of primer and a bucket of dipping wash!

One from the "Memory Box": A Roman School Project

This was a school project my youngest son did when he was seven (or at most eight), it still amazes me as to how good he got it (see below, two of the most glorious Roman shields I have ever seen): 

Then, on his own initiative, his little inventive mind came up with this game based on the idea of "Escape from Pompeii" (see below, an old Soduku board turned into the streets of Pompeii complete with erupting Volcano in the centre!): 

The volcano action starts and the lava starts flowing, you are a legionnaire who has been tasked by his Centurion to go and rescue his family and take then down to a ship in the harbour to escape. Meanwhile, he (the Centurion) in stoic Roman fashion will steadfastly attend to his duties to the last (see below, the yellow counters are dangerous but passable lava):

Unexpected dangers await, such as escaped armed slaves from Ancient Briton that have to be dealt with in the traditional Roman Army way (see below, 28mm Warlord Games classic figures come to blows as the city disintegrates): 

The hand-to-hand battle continues apace as the lava flows (see below, this could be a classic lose-lose situation as the winner if he took too long would be covered in lava - nice! Note: The yellow lava can be circumnavigated by a "one time use of a shield" as a temporary stepping stone):  

A close up of the fist-i-cuff action (see below, figures two 28mm classics from Warlord Games, the Early Imperial Roman Legionary and an Ancient Briton - don't ask what the Briton is doing in Pompeii): 

Things are getting serious as the red lava (totally unpassable) starts cutting off the escape routes (see below. the legionnaire is about to lose a shield in a desperate attempt to escape):  

Success, the loyal Legionnaire finds his beloved Centurion's family cowering in a house, scared out of their wits. Heart-broken and tear-stained they hear of his fate but they are ushered to safety by the Centurion's trusted man who risked his life for them (see below, one of Rome's finest thanks the gods for favouring him as they board the boat [etched on the cardboard] underneath heading out of the harbour): 

Good family fun!

More Gauls but this time with their Clothes ON!

Decently clothed Gauls (for a change) charging undoubtedly at a Roman line! (see below, another forty Gauls for the Romans to worry about):

Now the small matter of painting, or rather priming, dipping and then painting raises its ugly head!

All Greek To Me: 28mm Hoplites (Mortal Gods) For Athens or various non Thebes or Sparta City States

This is a long standing stop-start project for me (see below, adding to my 28mm hoplites for Mortal Gods, SPQRII or whatever else s out there for warband 28mm games): 

Besides they are very nice and strait forwards to make (see below, they look really nice): 

The need mounting on either circular bases or stands as my fat fingers keep knocking them over (see below, the dilemma is individual, individual on sabot or dense [as hoplites are wont to] on DBA stands? Answers on a postcard): 

These are the original Victrix ones that game with Mortal Gods (see below, large hoplon shield, armoured helm and long pointy spear - what is not to like): 

The 28mm hoplite figures come together nicely (or should I say history comes alive) when you can see a shield wall forming (see below, begging for the paint job to start): 

Thankfully they come with decals for the shields!

"Working on Something Quiet In the Background M'Lord" .. a bunch of Naked Gauls?

A picture says it better than a thousand words (see below, in their bare, naked plastic form - tooled up for action [er, going a bit Frankie Howard for my liking!]): 

Romans beware there are more of them coming (but this time partly dressed)!

Roman Thoughts ...

Similar to Bob Cordery I am involved in an Epic WhatsApp Early Imperial Army Roman campaign based circa AD 15 against the Barbarian hoards. This caused me to seek inspiration to "fall into character" as Rufus the Roman. Into the bookshelves and model projects along with wargaming associated paraphernalia (see below, a Roman Army recruiting freebie and vital wargaming supplies of digestive biscuits): 

An old school project from my youngest child was quite an impressive find too (see below, they may look big but their actual size is about 5" by 2"):

An "old" friend (circa DBA version 2 but still can field a variation of DBA version 3) of 15mm toys (see below, the tortoise in the background looks quite epic - I still have to paint an opposition army of Gauls to fight them with):

Like the rest of the wargaming community I am the proud owner of an army of unfinished Warlord Games a 28mm plastic Early Imperial Romans (a Starter Pack plus various sprues that were "on sale" at various times from their online shop and metal specialists [cavalry and later supplemented with some later plastic from Victrix] - although I still need to add a Scorpion bolt thrower) and this time a meagre bunch of Britons and Gauls as enemies (see below, plenty of Corona Virus painting potential there):

The latter 28mm big boys I were intended to be used with the acquired Impetus II rules - although I mat sabot the troops into DBA/DBM/DBMM bases for purposes of utility. 

Ares .. you are still are such a .. "B@$£@&d!" .. of a figure

My love hate relationship with this figure continues ... as per many of my other WIP figures I decided to give "Ares" a subtle "Brown Wash" .. after all he had survived the rougher process of being Airfix Acrylic Primed ... what could go possibly wrong (see below, and the fickle "gods of modelling" answered my insolent question - this is not a wargaming tabletop figure!):

Foolish modelling mortal. "Ha. ha, haaar!" ... insane laughter drifts off into the distance! To be continued!

Ares (from the Mortal Gods Starter Set)... you SoaB

It is a beautiful figure and it comes in many finely sculpted, finely balanced, fiddly parts. Mix that in with weak runny superglue and one of those uncoordinated days when you are just fingers and thumbs; then you could easily end up hating the world (see below, a part assembled Ares style Hero figure from Mortal Gods that stayed part assembled on the painting/assembly tray for quiet a long time - which is in stark contrast to the 20mm WWII Dicker Max German Assault Gun/Tank Destroyer that came ready assembled for instant play):

Ares with a head (see below, his arms are coming together as well):

Excuse the fuzzy picture as I was in much haste before I knocked him over and he disassembled himself again (see below, a lovely fighting pose, even if it does mean he takes hs own temple around wherever he goes): 

OK I may be bitter and twisted after too much time peeling superglue off my fingers (and yes I did wash the figure in hot soapy water first) but I have not dared undercoat him yet. I fear he will not be used tabletop, the Wargames Foundry and Victrix plastic figures shall do all the grunt work!