New Set Announcement: Thureophoroi!

Comments

Axel - May 8, 2021

> hugely oversized Victrix
I have no idea how many Victrix you actually own, but I have a copy of each of their ancient kits, and have kitbashed their Persians happily with those of Wargames Atlantic, swapping arms and heads. The number of heads in the WA kits is freakingly good, and compensates for Victrix lack of difference in style there. Wargames Atlantic and Victrix Persians happily mix and match on the same miniature and with different minis on the same base without visible problems.

I ope, and are actually quite sure, that these Thuereophoi will fit in neatly with Vs Macedonian and Greek ranges.

Marc - May 8, 2021

Looking very good so far.
How about going the easy route and repurposing several paarts of the set for a second set of Thorakitai?
These would complement each other nicely.

JT - May 8, 2021

I love this kit! I appreciate the messages of all the historical folks out there and I recognize their priorities. Oddly, I plan to use this awesome kit for fantasy skirmish. I like the cloaks, the weapon variety, and could do with some more head variety (in keeping with the historical aspect of the kit). Do what you will with the shield, I am sure it will look great. Keep up the good work.

Pierre Lerdou-Udoy - May 7, 2021

Long capes are bad weather cloaks, not very accurate. Greeks or Macedonians peasants and warriors wore instead chlamys, chlamydes… and Romans Paenulae. Cape is Hollywood bullshit. But Kopis and Xyphos for versatility : yes !!!

If the origin of such a shield is “gallic” (adapted from the shields of Keltoi, Galatoi), the hand grip was certainly horizontal, made for infantry hard close combat on a offensive and defensive way (raids, rapid assaults). It was certainly flat (or very slightly curved : in this case, no javelins).
Gauls, Iberians, Celtiberians, Celts from central Europe (Illyrian and Germans too) used this kind of shield (there’s a lot of archeological evidences).
Romans have adopted it in changing the shape (from flat to curved one, but the hand gripping system is the same).
You can see with advantage : Les umbos de boucliers de Gournay-sur-Aronde (André Rapin, pdf) or Le maniement du bouclier celte (J-F. Gilles, pdf). Schemas and illustrations are clear enough for you (that’s in french). Sorry, I don’t know any good studies in english.
You will then compare the shape and gripping system with a british celtic ceremonial shield found in the Thames : the Chertsey shield (now in the British Museum). Dimensions : 83,6 cm x 46,8 cm.

Be brave, and go ahead.

Brooks L Flugaur-Leavitt - May 7, 2021

This kit will likely be what convinces me to take the plunge into ancients! Until now I couldn’t find a good option for “generic” light infantry, but in plastic these will be extraordinarily useful!

A fun couple of bits to add (besides the usual head options) would be a couple of arms carrying scrolls, tablets, and amphorae for depicting officers, quartermasters, and looters.

Luke J - May 7, 2021

agree with most comments, as a rule of thumb for this sort of sheild it should go from Knee to Shoulder, maybe they are and theyre a little fat, or maybe their not and need lengthening.

on the victrix vs others issues, i do think victrix are the bench mark for quanity at price, but the static poses and models gets annoying, yes theyre great for bulking out a force but there are much nicer models out there, all about price and what you want to pay i guess.

I’m glad someone else is entering the ancients (Normans are not ancients) plastics game currently you have victrix or warlord, both are shockingly generic posed and very little variation available and no one does a plastic Thureophoroi or Thorakite kit. there is deffo a gap in the market for plastic ancients, especially none “hollywood” troops (phallanx, legions, generic gaullic mobs, hoplites etc.) theres lots of choice can’t go wrong with any, need some Thureophoroi, chariots (please some none guallic chariots), plastic cav (i do love the victrix plastic cav kits but they are the only ones available), none howdah elephants there is just nothing.

Luke J - May 7, 2021

agree with most comments, as a rule of thumb for this sort of sheild it should go from Knee to Shoulder, maybe they are and theyre a little fat, or maybe their not and need lengthening.

on the victrix vs others issues, i do think victrix are the bench mark for quanity at price, but the static poses and models gets annoying, yes theyre great for bulking out a force but there are much nicer models out there, all about price and what you want to pay i guess.

I’m glad someone else is entering the ancients (Normans are not ancients) plastics game currently you have victrix or warlord, both are shockingly generic posed and very little variation available and no one does a plastic Thureophoroi or Thorakite kit. there is deffo a gap in the market for plastic ancients, especially none “hollywood” troops (phallanx, legions, generic gaullic mobs, hoplites etc.) theres lots of choice can’t go wrong with any, need some Thureophoroi, chariots (please some none guallic chariots), plastic cav (i do love the victrix plastic cav kits but they are the only ones available), none howdah elephants there is just nothing.

Luke J - May 7, 2021

agree with most comments, as a rule of thumb for this sort of sheild it should go from Knee to Shoulder, maybe they are and theyre a little fat, or maybe their not and need lengthening.

on the victrix vs others issues, i do think victrix are the bench mark for quanity at price, but the static poses and models gets annoying, yes theyre great for bulking out a force but there are much nicer models out there, all about price and what you want to pay i guess.

I’m glad someone else is entering the ancients (Normans are not ancients) plastics game currently you have victrix or warlord, both are shockingly generic posed and very little variation available and no one does a plastic Thureophoroi or Thorakite kit. there is deffo a gap in the market for plastic ancients, especially none “hollywood” troops (phallanx, legions, generic gaullic mobs, hoplites etc.) theres lots of choice can’t go wrong with any, need some Thureophoroi, chariots (please some none guallic chariots), plastic cav (i do love the victrix plastic cav kits but they are the only ones available), none howdah elephants there is just nothing.

Rohan - May 6, 2021

Wonderful to see these figures on the line – very much needed for Ancient era gaming.

I agree with others – the shield should be slightly narrower & longer and not too concave. And please, please, please some transfers (?LBM) for those of us with shaky hands or time poor, especially in view of the fine historical designs in the Jeff Jonas article!

I definitely feel more heads would be an advantage – you certainly need more heads than body figures per frame to allow variation – perhaps 12 heads to six bodies on the frame. Bare heads, heads with greek hats & maybe even one with the kausia, and certainly Ascalon, Boetian and Pilos helmets. This allows a lot of kit bashing potential.

The sword to spear/javelin ratio appears about right, but what about some Kopis swords as well as the Xiphos swords illustrated?

Also if there was a separate spear(not javelins as the spear could just be cut short!) on the frame, then unwanted swords could be removed, the hands drilled out and spears added. Could also allow a falx to be incorporated and used in the same way.

Are 2 cloaks necessary? These would in all probability be jettisoned prior to combat anyway. That should free up space for the extra heads.

As for the javelins behind the shield – good question. Was the hand grip horizontal or vertical. I found useful discussion here <http://myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.17729.html>

I look forward to seeing the final product…then perhaps some Thorakitai?

Ken Eckhardt - May 6, 2021

Maybe the shield should be flatter and not so curved? For additional options I would like to see Kopis swords and Rhomphaia weapons.