Showing posts with label xiphos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label xiphos. Show all posts

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts

And gifted we have been! Skeletal Greek hoplites, once a niche filled only by Eureka Miniatures and a few one-offs from other companies, is now a thing and has allowed me to field an entire Undead Classical Greek army.

And the minis don't seem to stop coming. In the past few months, there have been some exciting new sources for undead Greek warriors and I'm heavily invested in all of them.

Warlords of Erehwon Skeleton Warriors
Warlord Games

These are not actually new figures, but rather a reissue of the old Wargames Factory plastic skeletons. The loss of these skeletons when Wargames Factory was bought out by Warlord was hard felt, as they were the only plastic skeletons out on the market without clothing or armor, and thus, excellent for use in conversions. Although unarmored, the weaponry was decidedly Greek, with a dory, xiphos or falcata. The shields were definitely hoplons. So they fit very well into a phalanx.

For years, Warlord has said they intend to re-release the WF skeletons, and now that time has come as they push their new Warlords of Erehwon game (written by Rick Priestly!) 



It never rains, it pours. Just as Warlord re-released its plastic skeletons, along comes Wargames Atlantic to release - yes, more Greek themed plastic skeletons. Mostly naked, these skeletons do come with some armored heads with transverse crests, along with hoplons, dorys and xiphos. There's even a goat head standard (or you can use the goat head for a beastman). Best of all, the sprues also contain longer sarissas and the smaller telamon shields so you can build a Macedonian phalanx as well!







Lubart is a company from Belarus which makes some very impressive figures with the 9th Age project specifically in mind. I've been following them ever since their, unfortunately, unsuccessful Indiegogo campaign raising money for "The Vermin Swarm" - a line of Skaven Ratmen. They have a unique perspective and designed the Ratmen with a sort of WWI vibe. I happened to really appreciate the vision and was sorry not to support them (hey - I don't play rats).

Similarly, Lubart's concept for the 9th Age Undying Dynasties doesn't take its inspiration from Ancient Egypt, but rather Ancient Greece. Which of course I think is fantastic, because I can't count how many Egyptian undead I have. But now I have more models for the phalanx!


Skeleton Warriors - Ranks 1&2
Lubart Miniatures


Skeleton Warriors Ranks 3&4
Lubart Miniatures





Undead Greek Warriors
Dead Through Time Kickstarter
Studio Miniatures

Lastly, we have some examples from Studio Miniatures' "Dead Through Time" Kickstarter. The renders are really nice, and if the models come out anywhere near as good, I'll have some more great undead for the phalanx - including a musician. The only issue for me is that they are zombies, instead of skeletons, but the rule of cool does apply here. I may not make full units out of them but will sprinkle them liberally through my phalanx. Plus I may do some conversion work to replace the heads with helmeted skulls to make them bonier.

The best part is, the KS did not only include Greeks. There are zombie Persians (companions for my sparabara unit), Vikings and Anglo-Saxons which I can use with my now viable Dark Age Anglo-Saxon/Danish Draugr army. Unfortunately, the KS did not accrue enough money to unlock the zombie Romans, Celts and Sengoku Japanese - but Studio promises that another KS down the line will be bringing these to life.

 



 







Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Wargames Factory - New Plastics

I just bought today a new set of plastic miniatures from Wargames Factory.  They came out with this set of skeletons a few months ago.


The general concept revolves around an ancient Greek theme, ergo the hoplon and xiphos.  Very evocative of Ray Harryhausen’s Jason and the Argonauts, which is kind of the gold standard in undead presentation.  






Back in the 8th century B.C. they didn't have CGI...

The figures in the set are in multiple parts, allowing for high customization like the GW or Mantic plastics.  However, since the torsos and heads of the figures are not armored, I am not planning to fit them in with the phalanx of Eureka hoplites in my ancient Greek brigade.  I think better to use them in a generic light infantry capacity, outfitting them as peltasts or perhaps with a mix of weaponry that can stand in any facet of the Legion.

Best thing about the Wargames Factory figs, $20 for 30.  Compare to the Mantic Skeleton Regiment: about $20 for 20.  Or better yet, the Warhammer™ Vampire Counts Skeleton Warriors: $25 for 10!  Great googly-moogly!