Once of our big plans for this year is to finish off the revamping and expansion of our Ancients ranges, and with the Dacians/Sarmatians all done last year, we've now moved on to the Greeks! These will be going into the drawer with the Dacians and we'll look at doing a large Ancients release in a few months time, once the Persians have been done as well.
In this batch we've got:
Armoured Hoplites (Bronze Cuirass) x 2 / Armoured Hoplites (Linen Cuirass) x 2 / Spartan Hoplites x 2 / Psiloi Archers x 2:
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7924/39956541303_0ff1aca534_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23SPHEx)AncGreek1 (https://flic.kr/p/23SPHEx) by Leon Pengilley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156736924@N08/), on Flickr
Psiloi Skirmiishers x 3 / Unarmoured Hoplites x 2 / Peltasts x 3:
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7895/39956541293_3e7cefb3c7_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23SPHEn)AncGreek2 (https://flic.kr/p/23SPHEn) by Leon Pengilley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156736924@N08/), on Flickr
EDIT:
We've had the shields altered on the Greeks to make them a bit bigger, thanks to Techno for the quick work on these!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48620079771_fa57f9da95.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2h5oBPr)AncGreekNewShield1 (https://flic.kr/p/2h5oBPr) by Leon Pengilley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156736924@N08/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48620221177_25098aed68_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2h5pkRt)AncGreekNewShield2 (https://flic.kr/p/2h5pkRt) by Leon Pengilley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156736924@N08/), on Flickr
Thessalian Light Cav x 2 / Thessalian Hvy Cavalry x 2 / Greek Light Cavalry x 2:
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7804/46196452434_6ec6291e32_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2dodTRd)AncGreek3 (https://flic.kr/p/2dodTRd) by Leon Pengilley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156736924@N08/), on Flickr
Mounted General x 1 / Command Group x 3:
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7808/39956541143_00350c8d58.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23SPHBM)AncGreek4 (https://flic.kr/p/23SPHBM) by Leon Pengilley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156736924@N08/), on Flickr
The sculpting list for the Persians will be going off to Phil this weekend so we'll pop up some pics of those when they arrive at Pendraken HQ next month.
They are rather splendid - especially the Thessalian cav which are not available anywhere else.
The shields do look a tad small on the hoplites though. They should be about 100cm diameter shouldn't they? I.e. over half the height of the chap carrying it.
Any more specific details in the ETA? :D
Fun, but must add my voice to reservations about the shield size.
I'll see what Leon says about the shields.
If necessary, I'll do them a different way, by making a new 'master' and getting Leon to cast me up a few.
With this lot, I looked at a particular piccy, and basically went on that pic's proportions for the shield.....making my own press flat mould out of 'Instant Mold'.
Is it just the Spartan shields that look a bit small ?.....I made everything the same size.
Cheers - Phil
A search for 'hoplon' should give some good examples for the shield. Shoulder to mid thigh (or knee) seems common. So these shields are on the small side.
That's aspis shield - hoplon is the panoply :D
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7851/46956334531_a262a77c1c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2exnujF)Hoplite 01 (https://flic.kr/p/2exnujF) by Zippee Jerred (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zippee/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4905/46956334671_df26f15286.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2exnun6)Hoplite 02 (https://flic.kr/p/2exnun6) by Zippee Jerred (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zippee/), on Flickr
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7859/46904304682_e4320122fc.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2esLPEj)Hoplite 03 (https://flic.kr/p/2esLPEj) by Zippee Jerred (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zippee/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4844/46956334461_8b5808e8cb.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2exnuit)Hoplite 04 (https://flic.kr/p/2exnuit) by Zippee Jerred (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zippee/), on Flickr
that said there's not that many images of an aspis with anything to easily scale against, above are the best I found with a quick google. I'd agree that the shields in the masters look just a little on the small side - they look earlier than the usual Classical - Persian War/Peloponesian War depictions. Almost like they are missing the rim. They should reach from chin/above shoulder to greave top basically
I'd also add that the hoplite spears look a tad short they should be 8-9 feet long. Overall the impression is rather more of a later Dark Age Germanic shield and spear figure dressed in classical gera - good for the Colosseum perhaps but not for Platea ;D
Fantastic sculpts, love the Thessalians and the movement n the cavalry in general. Unfortuanetly I am so heavily invested in 15mm after 40 odd years that it would be insance to even think of swapping to 10mm, despite I feel the tug of temptation . . .
Very excited! ;D
I do agree with the others on the shields being a tad small. The sword the unarmoured hoplite is holding seems quite large too, most swords from the period were little more than a long dagger, around the length of your thigh from tip to pommel.
Regardless, excellent work and looking forward to the rest of the ancient ranges!
Have to agree about the aspis. Sorry Techno.
The aspis is not as other shields. The weight (about 16lb) is partially taken on the shoulder, the forearm being used to guide movement. There is also a distinct rim around the bowl shape.
(http://www.manningimperial.com/gallery/1171086323.jpg)
(Sorry again) Could the spear be looked too? Greek spears were double ended, with the "other" end having a sauroter (butt spike) on it. This shifted the balance point of the spear backwards allowing much more of the spear to be poked at the enemy. Those figures with the spear being used overhand need to have the spear moved forward, at least mid point, but up to 1/3 from the butt end.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Two_hoplites.jpg/240px-Two_hoplites.jpg)
Did a bit of checking (I still had my original shield 'master' on the desk) and from what's been said....I should have used the 'next size up' on my 'pastry cutter' circles.
The shield that's on the figures, at the mo', (if my maths is correct) is between 1 and 1.5 mm too small in diameter.
That's a b*gger.....I know when I put that particular size up on the wee figures, I thought, "Ooo..that looks way too big."
Hey Ho..I'll get Leon to send those back once I've got a new shield done.
Sorry
Saw somewhere that the average height for an ancient Greek male was about 162cm (5'4") so a 91cm (3') aspis would look big regardless :D
Remember not to give the Spartans moustaches :d
I give up.
See ya.
Maybe when a new range is being planned it might be an idea to solicit ideas from the forum members first so that the OCD perfectionists can get their ideas in first and thus avoid this sort of scenario in future. Personally I'm far more interested in Hellenistics than Classicals.
With Osprey's Men of Bronze launching this year, these are an excellent addition.
Quote from: Leman on 02 February 2019, 01:24:15 PM
Maybe when a new range is being planned it might be an idea to solicit ideas from the forum members first so that the OCD perfectionists can get their ideas in first and thus avoid this sort of scenario in future. Personally I'm far more interested in Hellenistics than Classicals.
Hah, you ask 5 wargamers what they want, you'll get back at 8 least different answers, all of which are totally contradictory, and non of which are even remotely commercial.
Quote from: Raider4 on 02 February 2019, 03:08:39 PM
Hah, you ask 5 wargamers what they want, you'll get back at 8 least different answers, all of which are totally contradictory, and non of which are even remotely commercial.
Only 8 different answers? :)
Still, having had the opportunity to give some input they can't moan later. And if they do then mummy and daddy did a lousy job in teaching good manners.
I've been away form Ancients for about a decade.
It's the acronyms that confuse me.
More abbreviations than the modern Military.
I don't think the comments come from a bad place; just a desire to see a good product.
The Greek shield was huge. It covered both the man and half the man next to him - it defined the Hoplite. In these figures, the shield is too small.
The standard of figures from Techno, and Pendraken generally, is improving all the time. I have waxed lyrical about the Korean range, and the new Napoleonics are excellent.
What I should have said is how much I like the light troops - the archers especially. I'm not a big user of Greek cavalry, but I shall be getting some of those Thessalian lights , and the command figures have personality.
Just a few tweaks required.
Quote from: Leman on 02 February 2019, 05:19:07 PM
Still, having had the opportunity to give some input they can't moan later. And if they do then mummy and daddy did a lousy job in teaching good manners.
Imagine the problem if Bricoles had been involved.
Quote from: fsn on 03 February 2019, 11:08:28 AM
I don't think the comments come from a bad place; just a desire to see a good product.
The Greek shield was huge. It covered both the man and half the man next to him - it defined the Hoplite. In these figures, the shield is too small.
The standard of figures from Techno, and Pendraken generally, is improving all the time. I have waxed lyrical about the Korean range, and the new Napoleonics are excellent.
What I should have said is how much I like the light troops - the archers especially. I'm not a big user of Greek cavalry, but I shall be getting some of those Thessalian lights , and the command figures have personality.
Just a few tweaks required.
Not one of the original critice, but I didn't see them posted in a negative manner.
One of the great advantages of new technologies like the Internet is the ability to quickly reach customers.
For some this simply means flogging a lot of units and paying their tax in Luxembourg.
Those of us involved in delivering something tangible have other advantages.
The product can be market tested at very early stages of development, and re-worked on the basis of testing and customer feedback.
It's generally accepted that changes are cheaper and quicker if applied early in the development process.
With this in mind, I saw the feedback as (This is going to sound terribly "big business") an opportunity to please the customer.
My disclaimer is that a few years ago, I made a shift from gaming periods that I found most interesting, to ones that provided a satisfying game.
I therefore have various partly complete armies which may or may not be completely accurate - and I'm not massively bothered by that.
I'd further suggest that we've all been there.
My Napoleonic dragoons were supposed to have different pocket orientations depending on their regiment number.
Could I find a manufacturer who made the range with vertical, horizontal and diagonal pockets? No.
But I digress.
I know there's a classical warfare Osprey due for release.
If the rules tick the necessary boxes, I'll be looking for figures, and it will most likely be this range.
Thank you to all involved in their creation.
As one of those 'critics' I can assure you the comments are made with the very best interests of PD at heart.
Far better to hear feedback at this stage of the process than post production - to be honest I thought much of the reason for posting 'greens' is to solicit exactly that sort of comment from the internet intelligentsia :D
And you'll note this hasn't been the type of wargamer inbred opinion argument based on hand-me-down BS pseudo-fact like Nap British fired 30 shots per minute. In fact it hasn't been an argument as no-one has jumped up and said 'no the shields are just right, look . . ." It's just a handful of people trying to be helpful.
To be honest I don't really understand why anyone would sneer at people offering advice and comment in a polite and positive fashion. Its as if the desire to improve the product was somehow seen as elitist and a sign of the commentators' mental illness. I'd have thought it basic good manners and courtesy. I mean what is the point of feedback that says "yeah those are nice" whilst not mentioning: except the shields are far too small / the helmets are 100 years out of date / that AFV had wheels not tracks / etc.
Of course being a jerk is being a jerk and being an unknowledgeable and incorrect jerk, loudly in public is just obnoxious. I see none of that here..
No...Zippee....
Proper helpful critiques are fine....(I truly don't feel insulted by those, at ll).....But when, as a designer, you're only able to charge 3 or 4 Pounds per hour....(And that's not because Leon's some sort of tight wad....He's not.)
I just lose the will to live...;.....Twenty years ago, I got paid a decent 'going rate'.....I don't make nearly a quarter/third of that rate, now.......So a lot of the time I don't know why I bother.
I can't make something that Michael Angelo might have made and charge 'Jack Poop'.
Every time Leon has to increase his prices, that's down to increases in postage charges....the price that he has to buy 'white metal' or the rubber for the moulds......NEVER because myself, Clibby and 'Mr X ' have said...."We want some more dosh."
Can you tell that 'I've reached the end of my tether ?'
I think folk have misunderstood the point I was trying to make -i.e. the input from the forum would be more helpful if it went in before the figures are designed, e.g we are planning to remodel the range of ancient Greeks. Anything we need to know/bear in mind before we start? Please input your ideas before the ....th of ........ Many thanks.
Responses: Don't forget that the hoplite's shield is huge covering from the neck to mid thigh. It was also held towards the left so that in a phalanx the left of the shield would cover the right of the next hoplite along.
......and so on. If people are keen on a new range and knowledgeable about it they would be only too willing, it would appear, to contribute their thoughts.
Time for me to apologise for going completely off on one, the other day.
Sorry.....I won't bore everybody will excuses......I'm just so bloody stressed at the mo'.
The Greeks going to need 'tweaking' was the straw that broke the camel's back......Especially as they weren't the simplest models to make, in the first place.
Sorry, again.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 04 February 2019, 01:29:51 PM
Time for me to apologise for going completely off on one, the other day.
I don't think any apologies are needed Phil. Life is obviously pretty tough right now on several fronts. All the angst and frustration has to come out somewhere or you go mad!
I like to think this is a safer place to vent feelings than many.
So, chin up matey!
I'd point out that pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel but in my experience it just turns out to be yet another train going the other way :)
Wot the Elf said.
:)
No apologies needed.
Hugs mate
I've no idea what size a Hoplite shield should be or whether both ends should be pointed. When I saw the pictures I thought "my word, they are nice."
Granted in an open forum where these are shown off before release and comment invited, sycophants aren't particulalry useful. If these have been caught before final production molds are made and are correctible, thats great.
As I am not an expert, the 1mm difference would not make an iota of difference. I suspect this would only be noticeable when held at the end of your nose and not from 3 feet away during a game. But I do understand some people have more exacting standards and a desire to have every rivet and button correct.
As and when these are released I can see me dipping into ancients for the first time in 20 years or so.
Well done Techno.
As others have said venting is important and based on what you have mentioned in other threads you have every right to
Compared to what I have seen on other forums it was very mild
>:< >:< >:<
Quote from: mad lemmey on 04 February 2019, 05:11:10 PM
Hugs mate
I say, steady on old chap. We are British - stiff upper lip and all that.
Anything more than a hearty handshake is far too touchy-feely.
*puts raider in a bear hug*
Grabs ML and Raider.
<group hug> :D
OK, stop playing silly huggers.
X_X
X_X
I still feel guilty about going so spare....But thanks, guys. :-[
Should be sending the 'new' Greek shield up to Sir, sometime this morning.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: FierceKitty on 05 February 2019, 04:58:32 AM
OK, stop playing silly huggers.
Got to get a few extra posts somehow, you know.
Shield's on its way to Middlesbrough.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 05 February 2019, 09:55:23 AM
Got to get a few extra posts somehow, you know.
I don't think you cheat at all, Alexander. :)
(I STILL want to spell shield...'SHEILD' the first time I plonk in a reply.....(I mean...why ?)...I know the s*dding 'rule'......But every damn time I get it wrong. (Initially)
Cheers - Phil
Shakespeare and Jane Austen weren't good at spelling either.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 05 February 2019, 11:01:20 AM
Shakespeare and Jane Austen weren't good at spelling either.
HAH !!
I
like to
think that my spelyngs (Sic) aren't too awful (Sic), Alexander....
But s*dding he**.
Sometimes I wonder. X_X :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
If you ever get the chance......Give a listen to "Old Harry's game", written and performed by Andy Hamilton (with a number of other thespians)......Jane Austen is portrayed as a foul mouthed horror....I can listen to that over again..
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 05 February 2019, 12:12:21 PM
If you ever get the chance......Give a listen to "Old Harry's game", written and performed by Andy Hamilton (with a number of other thespians)......Jane Austen is portrayed as a foul mouthed horror....I can listen to that over again..
Agreed! Superb entertainment. I just love the bit where they all end up signing 'Abide With Me' in one episode. Cracks me up every time I hear it.
Quote from: Techno on 05 February 2019, 10:31:30 AM
(I STILL want to spell shield...'SHEILD' the first time I plonk in a reply.....(I mean...why ?)...I know the s*dding 'rule'......But every damn time I get it wrong. (Initially)
"I" before "E" except when ...
My foreign neighbor Keith, the financier from Leith,
fancies efficiently feigning the zeitgeist,
and in good conscience forfeiting
his ancient beige dreidel
by the glacier
at the height
of his reign.
Weird.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Don't you just hate 'rules'. ;D ;D ;D
Cheers - Phl
Quote from: Techno on 05 February 2019, 04:06:06 PM
Don't you just hate 'rules'. ;D ;D ;D
Cheers - Phl
Who mentioned WRG...
Nothing to do with the Greek sculpts.
But I can see a totally massive row coming between Von and I, and the 'social services/council' VERY, VERY soon. ~X( ~X( ~X( ~X(
It sounds as tho' they're going to try and take as much money from MIL....Do as little as poss, and expect Von and I to do 99.9% of the work.
They can (ahem) 'bog' off.*
Cheers - Phil
*...I'm sure you can all imagine the word I really want to put in, instead of 'bog'. :d :d :d :d...(But I'm supposed to be a Moderator, so can't use such a naughty word.)
Had similar struggles with Social Work here, Phil.
I don't recommend my route of collapsing in the middle of Cineworld's foyer, cracking my head off the tiled floor, spending the night in an overwhelmed A&E to be sent home despite a tendency to lose sight, balance and then consciousness without much warning.
Did focus the minds of SW wonderfully, however!
Quote from: FierceKitty on 05 February 2019, 11:01:20 AM
Shakespeare and Jane Austen weren't good at spelling either.
My spelling & grammar is atrocious
Take care
Andy
Von & I are getting far too close to that for comfort, Mike, I'm afraid. X_X
I'm determined 'to win' and not let the b*ggers grind us down, though.
They've been getting away with it for far too long, already.
Cheers - Somehow more angry than stressed. (Sigh)....and apologies again ,for going off on one, earlier in the thread
Good luck with the 'Social Work'
I had to bail one of the equivalent here up and point out that if anything happened to my farther in law I would do everything possible to ensure that they were held personally liable before they would assist in convincing him that some recuperation time in a rest home was the best course rather than sending him home with the same level of support that left him on the floor for 18 hours after a fall
Rant over
Very nice sculpts Techno. I like very much the pose and the various armour types, usefull to create a city state army where differents "panoplia" coexisted, based on different economic status between soldier-citizens.
Great job Techno my compliments. Bravo!
I need to find the right rules to play the hoplitical warfare now.
Leon what do you think about decals for the shields?
As always forgive my rough English.
Quote from: Kassad on 09 February 2019, 11:24:36 AM
Very nice sculpts Techno. I like very much the pose and the various armour types, usefull to create a city state army where differents "panoplia" coexisted, based on different economic status between soldier-citizens.
Great job Techno my compliments. Bravo!
I need to find the right rules to play the hoplitical warfare now.
Leon what do you think about decals for the shields?
As always forgive my rough English.
It's easier than you think to paint fancy Greek shield-fronts, especially if you let yourself use indelible felt-tip CD marker pens for details. If I can do it, anyone can.
Spartans - bronze face, big lambda (you can vary the colours a bit if you like)
Athenians - capital alpha; gorgon head (the reference is to the shield of their patron goddess, Athene); owl
Thebans - club of Herakles
Sicyon - capital sigma
There could be numerous dolphins, snakes, gulls, wine-jars - just Google some Greek vases and see how they did them (and remember you don't have to confine yourself to bronze backgrounds, though these look good too). More difficult are octopodes, horses, bulls, and Greek writing; these I downloaded and reduced before printing and glueing on.
http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,9532.0.html
Just as a note of caution I bought some of the lbms generic 10mm Greek shield designs for some newline figures and they are tiny. I think there meant for the centre of the Magister Militum really.
Quote from: Techno on 05 February 2019, 04:06:06 PM
Don't you just hate 'rules'. ;D ;D ;D
Cheers - Phl
Mrs Orcs says I am typical youngest child following the premise that " Rules don't apply to me" :)
Mark.
I'm sure I've mentioned before.
I was once described as the oldest 14 year old in the UK.....When I was 34.
Cheers - Phil
;D ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: FierceKitty on 09 February 2019, 11:37:38 AM
http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,9532.0.html
Thanks for the advise FierceKitty. Great paint job in your shields, really inspiring.
I cannot tell a lie - those ones were glued on. But the hand-painted gorgons were a pleasant surprise - they look pretty good. I'll ask the better half to take a picture tomorrow.
I once had a go at some Macedonian shields that had a face - not sure if it was Apollo or Alexander, but they came out alright. Admittedly they were 15mm.
Quote from: Kassad on 09 February 2019, 11:24:36 AM
Leon what do you think about decals for the shields?
We are going to talk to some decal suppliers and see if we can work something out.
We've had the shields altered on the Greeks to make them a bit bigger, thanks to Techno for the quick work on these!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48620079771_fa57f9da95.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2h5oBPr)AncGreekNewShield1 (https://flic.kr/p/2h5oBPr) by Leon Pengilley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156736924@N08/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48620221177_25098aed68_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2h5pkRt)AncGreekNewShield2 (https://flic.kr/p/2h5pkRt) by Leon Pengilley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156736924@N08/), on Flickr
Fab guys
:-bd
That's the stuff! :)
:-bd =D> :-bd =D>
=D>
:-bd
that's more like it - look the biz now.
Still need a thureophoros.
You'll have to ask that nice Mr Leon. ;)
Cheers - Phil
It's for the range, not for me. I've got some, converted from another range.
That'll be one for the Macedonian range I'd think.
Certainly useable there too.
Whatever happened to the unarmored hoplites?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Quote from: notmatthew on 18 May 2020, 02:31:01 AM
Whatever happened to the unarmored hoplites?
Slight change of plan with those, we're saving them for the later Macedonian range.
Nice figures, though as I have most of my ancients in 15mm already looks like I won't be rushing to get these. However still going to have plenty of Spanish Civil War and Colonial figures that I need from Pendraken.
Quote from: Leon on 18 May 2020, 04:45:19 AM
Slight change of plan with those, we're saving them for the later Macedonian range.
Out of curiosity when's this range planned for? I noticed the old Macedonian range has disappeared from the site with the new Greeks going up.
It'll be next year some time I'd think, just need to clear the decks a bit before we can get them scheduled.