More Ancients From GrahamB ( 390 points)

 More ancients from the stash this week.  Firstly a unit of 32 Macedonian Pike Phalanx. The figures are Warlord plastics, including an officer and standard bearer from a box of Greek Hoplites.  The colour scheme is inspired by a unit in the Phyrric Wars Hail Caesar supplement.  I don’t know how accurate it is but looks quite striking to me.

Next are two units each of 8 Triari to boost my Republican Romans.  The front rank kneeling figures are 2nd hand from Renegade miniatures with the standing guys at the back from Aventine Miniatures.  These figures are destined to serve double duty as spear armed Italian allies to support my Republican Romans and Phyrric army’s.

Thirdly are a unit of 16 Foundry Spartan Hoplites.  Their spears are made from broom bristles.

Next is a small unit of 4 Tarentine light cavalry.  They were favoured as mercenaries and fought for several armies of the period.  The only thing that I can find to distinguish them from other Greco/Roman light cavalry is that they were early adopters of shields.

Finally 6 skirmishers from Victrix Republican Romans, in generic tunics making them suitable for use in several armys.

Totalling up there are 32 phalangites, 16 principe, 16 Spartans, 6 skirmishers making a total of 70 foot @ 5 points each and 4 cavalry @ 10 points each giving a total of 390 points.

I've been enjoying your ancients over the challenge Graham, and these ones are quite a treat.  That pike phalanx is lovely, I like the colour scheme and it looks right to me.  I also like how you've built your units to morph into other armies as needed.  IIRC, fighting in the Tarentine style came to mean carrying a shield while mounted and not all "Tarentine" cavalry came from southern Italy.  Bravo on this lot.  

 

PeterD

From RossM - The Last Post (Mixed scales 110 Points)

Challenge end always comes around too quick and I am never ready enough for it.

Firstly, a few thank yous

• To the Monday crew, awesome body of hobby painting and glad to have been a part of it
• Pete, thanks for organising the above crew and keeping us in line for posting. Superb job all round
• To everyone, thank you all. Its always a pleasuring sharing the darkest months of the year with so many fellow hobbyists. 
• Lastly, and by no means least, Curt, the Snow Lord. Thanks for creating the AHPC thirteen years ago. I've been involved over the last twelve of those thirteen. Looking forward to sharing in future events too. 

So, now to the posts for my last entry this year. 

Perry Wars of the Roses Man at Arms - 1 x 28mm infantry at 5 points

Northstar Miniatures - Cultist Guards - 2 x 28mm infantry at 10 points

Vikings - Foundry and Gripping Beast - 3 x 28mm infantry at 15 points

The figures painted for this entry are the two bare chested berserker and the rear most swordsman on the left stand.

Plastic Soldier Company Early Imperial Roman Cavalry - 3 x 15mm cavalry at 12 points

Forged in Battle Early Imperial Romans Cataphracts - 4 x 15mm cavalry and 3 x 15mm riders at 22 points 

Four horses and riders were painted from scratch and another three riders also made the pass. The problem is I don't know which are which other than all of the command stand was started prior to the start date of the AHPC XIII

Gladiator Miniatures Numidians light cavalry - 16 points

Opps! Where did the horses nose go?

Xyston Miniatures Thracians archers - 8 x 15mm infantry at 16 points

Rapier Miniatures Macedonian Phalanx - 28 x 6mm infantry at 14 points

Fiddly getting the single 6mm figures on the base in lines but worth it in the end. The ragged pikes work to my eye; perfection is too much at times and who really knows what massed sarrissa looked like. 

This completes my efforts for this year's Challenge leaving a few also rans in the sidelines that didn't make the finish line. 

The total for the above comes to 110 points with a running total for the challenge at 221 (44.2% of the challenge total). Fell short of the total  however, it always the taking part that counts for me!

As always, it's been a blast and looking forward to the lift off later this year!

Cheers for now, 

RossM

____________________________

What a wonderful assortment of figures to end your Challenge, Ross! So much to admire here. I always have a soft spot for WotR, so that single man at arms is a winner for me. But all of the rest is excellent as well. I especially like the Cultists and the 6mm pikemen. Excellent work.

Until next year, Ross.  :)

- Curt

From RossM: 6mm Greek Artillery (6 pts)

Second entry for this year's challenge and it is both small in scale and points; not that either really matter it's the fun of being that counts. 

The entry consists of two torsion catapults from Baccus Miniatures that evaded glued fingers and general mishaps in the prepping and painting. The catapults are four part kits and needed some help with blu-tack to prop bits up during drying. Still managed to have a bit of slippage on one but it's not the end of the world at 1/300 scale.

For the Challenge Points tally these net a hefty 6 points total which takes my running total to 14 (2.8 % of my challenge total). There are a few things in the pipeline that will improve that over the next few weeks. 

Anyhow, enough rambling and cheers for now!

Those are big machines even in a small scale.  I'd hate to be on the receiving end of what they're chucking about.  Four-part kits at this scale is pure torture so kudos for getting these up and running without damage to your digits.  Nice basing too.