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Hoplite army

I already teased in  my 2024 roundup that I was working on an Athenian hoplite army. I’m now a fair way into what will be my largest army to date. I’ve finished 48 hoplites, 12 archers, 12 slingers and 8 cavalry, for a total of 80 figures. I’ve still got another pack of 48 hoplites to go, but I think I may take a little breather and paint something else for a little bit.

All figures are from Victrix. Assembly is rather complex, with each figure consisting of a separate body, head, arms, shield, spear and sword. Just assembling the hoplites took four or five hobby sessions. These hoplites are from the older Victrix kit. I really like the sculpts, but there could have been a bit more variety in the head sculpts. I would also have liked some more heads with Corinthian helmets. Both of these problems are solved in the new kit, however. I did pick up a spare sprue from the new kit on Ebay, just to add in some alternative head sculpts.

Victrix Athenian hoplites
Spikey phalanx!

Shield transfers are from Little Big Men Studios, bought through the Victrix website. These are a little different than your average decals and are more like vinyl stickers with a paper backing. The instructions tell you to paint the shields white before applying the transfers. Not sure if this is absolutely necessary, but I did it just to be sure. 

You cut out your transfer, peel off a protective layer to reveal an adhesive layer, stick the transfer to your shield and then use some water to remove the paper backing on the front of the transfer. There are places online that do a better job of explaining the process, but I’ll just say that the process works pretty well. I don’t think you can use decal softener with these transfers, but I didn’t feel I needed it on these models.

Victrix Greek light cavalry
Light cavalry

I mounted the figures on 60 x 30 x 3 mm MDF bases from Sarissa Precision. They don’t seem to warp at all, even with the copious amounts of watered-down wood glue I used to keep the basing materials in place. I mounted 4 hoplites, 3 light infantry or 1 rider to a base. The MDF bases are more than deep enough for the figures, but getting 4 hoplites to fit side by side on a base took some planning and cutting the plastic bases to fit. The end result is a very nice looking - if I do say so myself - phalanx. Anyway, here are some pictures and the paints I used (all Vallejo).


Hoplites

Skin: Sunny Skin Tone 70.845 mixed with a bit of Flat Red 70.957 over Medium Fleshtone 70.860

Linothorax: White 70.951 with details in Flat Red 70.957, Medium Blue 70.963, Medium Fleshtone 70.860 or Flat Earth 70.983

Leather and back of shields: Leather Brown 70.781

Helmets, greaves, spear shafts and shield edges: Gold 70.996 with Umber Walsh 73.203.

Spears: Gunmetal Grey 70.863

Victrix Greek slingers
Greek slingers

Archers and slingers

Skin: Sunny Skin Tone 70.845 mixed with a bit of Flat Red 70.957 over Medium Fleshtone 70.860

Clothing: Flat Red 70.957 over Leather Brown 70.781, Flat Earth 70.983 over Leather Brown 70.781, 


Bonewhite 72.034 over Flat Earth 70.983, White 70.951 over Neutral Grey 70.992, Neutral Grey 70.992 over Dark Blue Grey 70.867 and, because I forgot the last paint scheme halfway through: Dark Blue Grey 70.867 over Black 70.950


Cavalry

Horses: Flat Earth 70.983 with Bonewhite 72.034 manes with brown wash, Black with Medium Sea Grey 70.870 manes with black wash, Leather Brown 70.781 and black manes, drybrushed grey

Victrix Greek archers

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