Even more Pontic Photographs

Even though I've "finished" I photographed them again, hate my lack of photographic skills but love the fact that I don't live my life without a camera stuck to my face. I really like these figures and proud of the job I did on them. I paint them at about the same rate as 28mm and with the same level of skill. So they look pretty good in 15mm - might have to change the name of the blog.
The figures are base don 40x40mm bases and can be used in pretty much any system.
So I've photographed them again using a different, and much better lamp, a Habitat bargain and very bright. Seems to work.
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin

Armenian Javelinmen

The Armenians were allies of Pontus and acted as a buffer between Pontus and Parthian. Mithridates generally farmed his daughters out to his neighbours.

 Black Sea infantry

All the tribes around the Black Sea revered Mithridiates and formed a major part of all his armies and were there at the end as he planned an invasion of Rome through Romania and the Balkans. These will double as Gauls

Galatian Warband

The Galatians were a Celtic tribe who has occupied central Turkey. They were conquered by Mithridates, easy as they were constantly in a state of civil war. This could be more Gauls.

Basternae

The Basternae fought with Mithidates in his early campaigns and are bat crap crazy. More Gauls! I have the basis for a Gallic army.

Companion Cavalry

Being a Successor State and out of the way enough that they weren't constantly at war they had a Greek flavour, so these Companions were a classic heavy cavalry unit.

 Sarmatian Cataphract Cavalry

The Sarmatians were long standing allies and everybody loves cataphracts

 Sarmatian / Steppe Horse Cavalry

I have lots of these and the makings of a Sarmatian army

 Armenian skirmishers,bow armed

These can double as Sarmatians to complete the army

Armenian Slingers

A random small unit - can't think of anything useful to say

 Scythed Chariots

These were out of date when Mithridates used them in his early campaigns but they do look cool

Thueophoroi

The standard infantry. Couple of large units of these but a couple of bases of commanders to paint that I could add to give 4 smaller units

Pike Phalanx

Phalanxes formed the backbone of his early armies but when the Romans slaughtered them he changed them for imitation legionaries, didn't really help though

 An finally the generals

Thank you for reading, again

The Glorious Army of Mithridates VI

All summer I have been slowly, very slowly, painting my 15mm Pontic Army of Mithridites VI, scourge of Rome. Mithridates VI was spectacularly rich (his army dripped wit gold and jewels, ruled the Kingdom of Pontus in NE Turkey in 1st century BC and hated Rome, really hated Rome. With his exotic army of Successor style troops, Armenians, Sarmatians and Galatians he conquered Turkey, Greece and controlled the Black Sea.
He was terrified of being assassinated and took a dose of poison every day to build up his immunity. He was fortunate that Rome was in the middle of a civil war and unfortunate that when Rome got its act together he faced Pompey, Sulla and Marius, 3 of its greatest generals, who stomped all over him. Eventually he was betrayed by his son and killed himself. His legacy does live on in the flag of Turkey, symbol of Pontus was a crescent moon and a star.
The army is mainly forged in battle, fab figures, with some Xyston figs thrown in, also great but a little large and badly photographed.

It's a big army of 3 divisions 

Cavalry division of horse archers and heavy cavalry

The shock division of scythed chariots, Galatians, basternae and light infantry

Heavy infantry division of pikemen and thureophoroi with skirmishers

The generals

And now the units

Skythian horse archers - I have enough Steppe types for an army of their own

Companion cavalry

Sarmatian Cataphract cavalry

Scythed chariots 50:50 chance of being deadly or useless

Galatian Warband - deadly

Bastarnae - deadly and mental

Black Sea Light Infantry - space occupiers

Armenian Javelin men - more space occupiers

Light Archers

Slingers

Pike blocks - crammed these in with 8 figs per base

Thureophoroi - fairly good infantry

Overall it's big - 500pts in Hail Casear. it is my 2nd 15mm army but will lose against my 15mm WW2 paratroopers. Should get a battle in next month.

Talos

For those of a certain age Jason and the Argonauts opened up a wonderful age of adventure full of monsters and gods. The greatest of the challenges the Argonauts faced was the bronze guardian Talos, OK so it was the Children of the Hydra's Teeth but I haven't painted them.
This 95mm high model is from Steve Barber and was a joy to paint. Bronze green undercoat and then dry brush with dark bronze and light bronze until it looked fab. I then added some verdigris using bright camo green.

It was a beautiful model to paint and will fit nicely with my Greek mythology troops. Dragon Rampant is calling

Border Reiver 2018 and bored house guests

I've had friends up this weekend, did the Great Exhibition of the North tour and some antique shopping, more of that later. Managed to con them into a quick visit to Border Reiver. Not really their thing. The show looked pretty good with some nice games but it was a very quick visit. Bought what I wanted and some cheap stuff.
1st though the post man has been

Forged in battle pikemen for Pontus

Osprey roman book, enemies for Pontus

Forged in battle hellenistic officers for Pontus

Massive Talos, man of bronze from Steve Barber, for the sake of it

African Queen Steamer from Sarissa

More pikemen and some Cretan Archers from Xyston 

Picts from bring and buy. Bargain

Resin 28mm half track, £10

Romans from Col Bill. 

They have a scale issue being actually 15mm compared to my other"15mm" figs that are 18mm. May use double thick bases and see

Finally antique shopping

I bought this printers tray, nice wood with brass connectors.

Did this with it

Nice display for some of my figs