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Monday, November 26, 2018

Assyrian Spearmen from Black Tree Design

Another round of units for the Assyrian Wars project makes its way across the painting desk.  Having returned to this project after nine months of focusing on 15mm output, I find myself looking into The Lead Pile with thoughts of pushing more Biblical lead into the painting queue.  At present, five units are in various stages of completion including an Egyptian chariot.  
Off the workbench today is a dozen Assyrians.  Spearmen are BTD Assyrian Elite Guardsmen as described on the BTD website.  While there are no photos of the Assyrian infantry on the BTD website, the sculpts are excellent and paint up rather well.  Command are Foundry.  Today's recruits are the second such unit fielded thus far in the project.  Rather than use the shields that come standard with the BTD figures, I opted to use Newline Designs' Assyrian shields.  I just like the Newline Designs shields better.  Luckily, Newline Designs sells the shields separately and accompanied a recent order.  
In addition to the large number of finished and yet-to-paint Assyrians, a few Egyptians, Hebrews, and Judeans await in The Lead Pile.  A steady parade of unpainted Hittites have been arriving into The Lead Pile too.  At some point, I plan to begin a collection of Hittites to face off against either the Assyrians or Jake's Egyptians.  That point, may still be a long way off. 

51 comments:

  1. Another very pleasing addition to your Assyrian forces, which are becoming immense! By all means, paint some opposition for the Chariot armies, and then set them out on the filed of battle for a game!

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    1. Thanks, Peter!

      Yes, getting the collection out onto the gaming table ought to be a priority in the New Year.

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  2. They're really great looking figures - nice lamellar armor, helmet, coned shield and they just look appropriately "brutish"! :)

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    1. The figures are well-sculpted with excellent detailing. Mean looking guys, for sure.

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  3. Excellent Assyrian guardsmen Jonathan!

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  4. These are really engaging figures Jonathan and the basing is very nice too!

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  5. Did you pick up more figures from their current sale?

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    1. I actually exhibited some restraint this time and bypassed the sale. It was very tempting, though, and nearly changed my mind more than once.

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  6. They look really nice figures to work with and give a good effect. I like biblicals, the first time I ever visited a wargame club at a late teenager, a pipe smoking member sat me down to a DBA game, giving me a Hebrew army and the whole thing drew me in closer to wargaming. It always fascinates me how people can press the right buttons often without perhaps realising their impact on the other person, a good reason to always give another person the tools and inspiration to grow.

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    1. The BTD figures are quite nice. I have many of their ranges and am pleased with most of them.

      You are spot on regarding some seemingly trivial event having a profound effect upon a person. I wonder if your introduction to the hobby story is universal? I had a number of events helping to steer me into wargaming but I think I may have been predispositioned to the hobby. Thanks for sharing your story, Norm.

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  7. Nice to see the assyrians back on the painting table, I picked up a small unit at the weekend , although they are more likely to turn up as mercenaries for the Persian rather than another new project

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    1. Yes, very good to see this project back on the painting table. I really enjoy painting these Biblicals although assembling chariots is not so much fun.

      I look forward to seeing your Assyrians come off your workbench.

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  8. A nicely staged unit. They look quite menacing.

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  9. Great looking Assyrians and an army I always wanted.

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    1. Thank you, Robbie! Who says you still cannot have an Assyrian Army? As quickly as you built your Waterloo force, Assyrians should be a snap!

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  10. Very nice. I particularly like the paint you've used on the helmets.

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    1. Thank you, Aaron! The helmets may have been given a craft paint platinum color.

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    1. Phil, you are very kind and always supportive. Thank you!

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  12. Lovely looking Assyrians, they look great! Looking forward to the Hittites too!
    Best Iain

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    1. Much appreciated, Iain! I look forward to tackling some Hittites too. Orders from Foundry and Newline just arrived in-house.

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  13. Great stuff, I agree we should look into getting these onto the table. I would like to get the Egyptians fielded at some point, hopefully before you start and finish your Hittite project. I pulled out some Old Glory light cavalry yesterday to add to the queue.

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    1. Thanks, Jake!

      We will get our armies onto to table some day. Until then, I still have plenty of Assyrians to work through before I turn toward Hittites.

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  14. Again, wonderful stuff.

    Impetus basing seems to be the most efficient way of getting figures in the 'spear level' mode on the table.

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    1. Thanks, Greg! I agree. Impetvs basing is an efficient and handsome way to go.

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  15. Excellent looking Assyrians Jonathan. BTD have some nice figures, lots of variety within ranges in terms of poses etc too.

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    1. Thanks, Mark! Yes, BTD offer many good ranges of figures.

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  16. Another lovely looking unit Jonathan...
    Excellent choice of colours...


    All the best. Aly

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  17. Very nice work Jonathan. Beats me how you manage to churn out so many figures and yet keep the standard so high.

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    1. Much appreciated, Mike!

      As for productivity, I try to paint a little, several days a week.

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  18. Looks really good! I love a big block of spearmen. 😀

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  19. Another great looking unit Jonathon.

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  20. The Black Tree do indeed look really nice. A nice blend in with Foundry. Will seriously need to look into black tree. They did get negative press but seem to be ok now.

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    1. The BTD Assyrians fit in well with the Foundry Assyrians.

      I have always had good service from BTD USA. Delivery can some times be slow following one of their big sales but I always get my order filled.

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  21. Black Tree offering good sculpts again. Liking these Jonathan. You've done a great job with all the brightly coloured tunics and shields.

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    1. Glad you like them! As they say, "there are more where these came from!"

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  22. Excellent painted beardmen!!
    Great job Jonathan!

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