I always liked the perhaps apocryphal story of a Spartan Hoplite complaining to his mother that he hadn't killed anyone in a certain battle because his opponents spears were longer than his. The game old bird replied "well, you should have got closer". Nice work Simon & good luck with Raphia Regards HGA.
Thanks very much, everyone! I'm very pleased with the new basing, although I might later revisit the rear bases and replace the few remaining standing figures with miniatures in attacking poses...
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Spartans loved to provide a terse "laconic" reply to any question. One of my favourite examples (from Wikipedia) is from the time of the invasion of Philip II of Macedon. With key Greek city-states in submission, Philip turned his attention to Sparta and sent a message: "If I win this war, you will be slaves
forever." In another version, Philip proclaims: "You are advised to
submit without further delay, for if I bring my army into your land, I
will destroy your farms, slay your people, and raze your city."
According to both accounts, the Spartan ephors sent back a one word reply: "If." Subsequently, both Philip and Alexander avoided Sparta entirely.
The above (clickable) photo is of a unit of Spartans I've just expanded and re-based. Most of the minis were excellently painted by my friend Nick Speller. Their previous basing (by me) never really worked; they proved very challenging to rank. I got around this by increasing base depths, and multi-basing into 8's. This unit includes all the miniatures in attacking poses, and will form the right hand unit of the phalanx.
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I've now completed this mini-reorganisation of my Spartans, and now have three units of 36. Sometime post Raphia, I'll add another unit. Now I'll get back to the men with longer pointy sticks...
14 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formI always get excited to see Greeks arrayed so spectacularly as this. Great work!
11 December 2012 at 19:11
Great looking Spartans Simon.
11 December 2012 at 19:15
Those are really nice looking.
11 December 2012 at 19:20
Wow, gorgeous unit. Well done sir!
11 December 2012 at 21:50
I always liked the perhaps apocryphal story of a Spartan Hoplite complaining to his mother that he hadn't killed anyone in a certain battle because his opponents spears were longer than his. The game old bird replied "well, you should have got closer". Nice work Simon & good luck with Raphia
Regards HGA.
11 December 2012 at 23:15
Great looking Spartans!
12 December 2012 at 00:32
Lovely, and that basing really suits them.
12 December 2012 at 02:31
Wonderful spartans!
Phil.
12 December 2012 at 15:47
Thanks very much, everyone! I'm very pleased with the new basing, although I might later revisit the rear bases and replace the few remaining standing figures with miniatures in attacking poses...
12 December 2012 at 16:01
Amazing unit!
12 December 2012 at 17:45
Excellent looking unit, really need to get my Greeks completed.
12 December 2012 at 19:54
Fearsome fighting figures! Like the way your work is evolving. And I lived the story. If, indeed.
13 December 2012 at 10:24
Thanks again all.
There is something rather splendid about the Spartan red and bronze...
I am now back on Raphia, painting phalangites, like a good boy.
13 December 2012 at 10:48
Yes they look great now Simon, well done.
13 December 2012 at 22:58