More Early Mycenaean Spearmen

 

Here are some more early Mycenaean spearmen that I've just finished painting. They're a mix of Foundry, Redoubt and Warlord figures. There are some later Foundry spearmen mixed in with these units but they are all armed with long spears and figure of eight or tower shields. We have a Trojan War Midgard game lined up tomorrow afternoon so these figures may see action then.

Later Mycenaean Chariot

 

Here's another later Mycenaean chariot that I've just finished painting. The chariot and horses are from the Wargames Atlantic plastic set Bronze Age Chariots, while the driver and warrior are by Wargames Foundry. You get three crew with each of the Foundry chariots, so I have a few spares to use for the Wargames Atlantic chariots. Below there's a comparison shot of Redoubt, Wargames Atlantic and Foundry chariots.

Trojan War Hero - Sarpedon, King of Lycia

 

Here's a Trojan War hero for Midgard Heroic Battles that I've just finished painting. He is Sarpedon, King of the Lukka (Lycians), who was an ally of the Trojans in Homer's Iliad. Figures are by Redoubt Enterprises who have an excellent Trojan Wars range. I already have Sea People Lukka and Pelset chariots and warriors painted that I can use for Lycians, as allies for the Trojan side. Homer has a great description of him in the Iliad when the Trojans storm the rampart to the Achaeans' camp:

But not even now would Trojans and Prince Hector

have burst appart the rampart's gates and huge bar

if Zeus the Master Strategist had not driven

his own son Sarpedon straight at the Argives,

strong as a lion raiding crooked-horn cattle.

Quickly Sarpedon swung his shield before him -

balanced and handsome beaten bronze a bronzesmith

hammered out with layer on layer of hide inside

and stitched with gold rivets on the rim.

That splendid shield he gripped before his chest

and shaking a pair of spears went stalking out

like a mountain lion starved for meat too long

and the lordly heart inside him fires him up

to raid some stormproof fold, to go at the sheep,

and even if he should light on herdsmen at the spot,

guarding their flocks with dogs and bristling spears,

the marauder has no mind to be driven off that steading,

not without an attack. All or nothing - he charges flocks

and hauls of bloody prey or he's run through himself

at the first assault with a fast spear driven home.

Homer Iliad 13.337-356 translated by Robert Fagles, Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1998, pp.334-335.

Irish Chieftain, Galloglass and Light Horse

 

Here's an Irish chieftain, some galloglass and light horse that I've just painted. The figures are by Redoubt Enterprises, except for four Perry Galloglass. A big thanks to Andy Grubb, the owner of Redoubt who included seven free additional figures with my order! They're excellent figures and I will definitely be ordering more as I paint up my Irish armies.

Two excellent new books on this subject have been published this year, both are beautifully illustrated and worth getting. The first is Of Kern and Gallowglasses Irish Armies of the 16th Century 1487-1587 by Robert Gresh published by Helion and Company. The second Galloglas From the Western Isles to Ireland by Dave Swift, Maximilian Bunk and Hagen Seehase published by Zeughaus Verlag.

Early Mycenaean Spearmen

 

Here are some Early Mycenaean/Minoan Spearmen that I've just finished painting. The figures are a mix of Foundry, Redoubt and Old Glory. The officer figure with the bronze shield in the centre, is Ajax from the Foundry Classical Heroes pack, sculpted by Alan Perry. This pack is based on the Trojan War heroes illustration on pages 6-7, in Peter Connolly's excellent children's book, The Ancient Greece of Odysseus. The back drop photo is the hill behind Mycenae.