Hun Archer

 

This figure is the 'S' range Hun Archer coded AG 10 in the 70-71 catalogue and presumably the same model as AG 10s in the 72/73 catalogue. All the 'ancients' in this first 'S' range are coded 'A' for ancients, and the 'G' stands for 'Gaul' so quite why Minifigs chose to roll their Hun models in with the Gauls is a bit of a mystery. Having said that I'd be quite happy to be told he was a Gallic archer as there's nothing obviously Hunnic about him.

Neat little figure typical of the S range in size and detailing. Classic Minifigs archer pose. The bow is slightly asymmetric and one wonders why.

Markings on the upper surface of the base in the standard style AG 10. 

This fellow came along with a batch of PB range barbarians. Nice to have him, though I'll be lucky to find enough of his friends to make a unit. 

On the to do list

I've not managed to get much done for a few weeks, either by way of painting or updates for this blog, what with one thing or another, so I thought I'd share these few pieces I've painted as samples. Before starting on a new unit I like to paint up one figure first, just to work out what colours to use and whether there's anything I need to watch out for. Often I don't spot a mould line until it's too late - but if you know what to look out for you can make sure the rest get dealt with. Also, sometimes a colour doesn't quite work out, and you can correct it before committing to a whole unit. 

I've managed to get enough of the Successor Phalangites ready to paint a whole phalanx of 48 figures. Must admit the prospect is a bit daunting though - so maybe I'll leave this until I'm feeling brave. 

This one had suffered a broken butt (which as we all know is not something to be taken lightly) which I've repaired with a length of brass wire. Can you tell? A good layer of paint helps. 

The figure itself is modelled with what is intended to be a bronze breastplate, but I've painted it as a linothorax. I think it works pretty well and I prefer the look of it. The shoulder yoke isn't quite right for a linothorax - but we are dealing with 70s Minifigs so 'not quite right' is something we shouldn't worry about too much. 

The shield transfer is from the Veni Vedi Vici (VVV) range and fits the shield nicely. A couple of layers of gloss varnish helps to seat the whole thing firmly in place. 

This javelinman is actually from the later Minifigs range for Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars that appears in the 1978 catalogue. I'm mostly interested in collecting figures from the earlier ranges, but its quite common to find these later models mixed in with their earlier cousins and that is what has happened here. 

As with our phalangite this chap arrived with the back end of his javelin missing and I've replaced it with wire. I've also managed to photograph the model from the only angle where you can see I've not quite aligned it true. Ah well - close enough without replacing the whole thing - and I do like to preserve the original where I can. 

Briton slinger from the Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome range. This is the figure I stripped and photographed in metal a bit back. I wanted to paint it up to see if I could cope with the odd bit of paint that refused to shift. I worked over the casting with a big hat pin - one of the most useful tools in the armoury - just picking out the odd bit of recalcitrant paint from the detail. 

Seems to have turned out okay - though I don't really have enough Britons/Gauls to consider putting together a proper force just yet. 

And another slinger - this one is a Roman from the old A series 'S' range Ancients that makes a last appearance in the 1972 catalogue. As slingers go he's about as generic as you can get and I'm sure I can find room for the rest of his mates as part of several armies. 

Lastly we have a Carthaginian Cavalryman and once again I've chosen to paint his armour up as a linothorax rather than what was intended to be bronze.

This is a pleasing little figure and I was pleased with the way he turned out. I have a unit of twenty that I can add to my growing Carthaginian force - a mix of Carthaginians and Spanish. I never set out to collect Carthaginians but it seems to have just happened. Such is fate. 

I like painting white - it's interesting to contrast the different shades. Here the crest is a plain black/white mix whilst the shield is white with a touch of ochre. The only trouble with mixing paint - as I do all the time - is you have to try and remember what you mixed when it comes to painting a new batch of figures. Still, variety is the spice and all that. 

The shield transfer is from the Warlord Hoplite set and unfortunately you only get one of this particular design on the sheet! I may need to get a few more sheets if I want to have the same design throughout.

Macedonian Cavalryman

This figure is almost certainly the 'S' range Macedonian Cavalryman coded AMdC 1s in the 72/73 catalogue. Because cavalry figures don't have their codes marked they can be hard to identify, but this figure's open helmet suggests he is the Macedonian. All the 'ancients' in this first 'S' range are coded 'A' for ancients - so Ancient Macedonian Cavalryman 1.

I've mounted him onto the ACH 5s - Ancient Cavalry Horse Trotting according to the 72/73 catalogue. It's a very generic beast that lacks any tack front and back - but I seem to have rather a lot of them.

The figure is basically a shielded Companion and so perhaps better suited to the armies of Alexander's successors rather than those of Alexander himself. It's a neat little figure who deserves a better horse - he would sit a PB mount quite nicely. 

 

Roman Cavalryman

This figure is the 'S' range Roman Cavalryman coded ARC 1s in the 72/73 catalogue, and presumably the same figure coded ARC 1 in the 70/71 catalogue and described as 'S' range. All the 'ancients' in this first 'S' range are coded 'A' for ancients - so Ancient Roman Cavalryman 1.

I've mounted him onto the ACH 5s - Ancient Cavalry Horse Trotting according to the 72/73 catalogue. It's a very generic beast that lacks any tack front and back - but I seem to have rather a lot of them.

Overall, this is quite a nice little figure that would serve happily as a late Republican or early Empire cavalryman.

 

A few 'S' Range Ancients

I don't particularly seek out the early 'S' Range Minifigs ancients - the first 25mm ancients range that superseded the earlier 1/72nd and preceded the 'PB' ranges. However, there were a few things that remained available, filling in gaps in the PB ranges, even once the PB range had otherwise supplanted the bulk of the 'S' range by the early 70s. 

There isn't a huge difference between the later 'S' range figures and the first batch of PB figures. Collections often contain figures from both ranges. 

I've taken a few pictures of some of my 'S' rangers. They show something of the evolution of the Minifigs style. I think they have a distinct charm of their own - especially the horses. 

The top picture shows a couple of pieces from my Seleucid army, resplendent in their original paint and basing - getting on for fifty years old now! The PB range didn't include much of a selection of officers or artillerymen - step forward the 'S' range Greek officer and this rather neat engine with crew.  

AGr 1s - Greek Officier, AR 20s and AR 21s Roman Artillerymen pulling lever and holding bolt respectively - what happened to the lever I don't know! I think the artillery is AFA 1s Ballista - happy to be corrected if anyone knows better-  on second thoughts it could well be Hinchliffe!  

These two pictures show a couple of the 'S' range cavalry. These are the separate horses and riders. The first of the 'S' range designs had one-piece castings - quite rare. On the left is the Greek cavalryman AGrC 1s riding the ubiquitous Light Cavalry Horse Galloping LCH 3s. On the right Roman cavalryman ARC 1s riding Ancient Cavalry Horse Trotting ACH 5s.

Minifigs horses of this era have the code numbers engraved under the base in a style similar to that used by Hinchliffe. To confuse matters, this can be quite difficult to read and some horses either have no code at all or just the letters 'MF'. Although there was a separate range of 'Ancient' horses (coded ACH 1-8) it's very common to find riders mounted on the Horse & Musket Period range of horses: Heavy cavalry horses coded HCH and Light cavalry horses coded LCH. 

Finally, a selection of infantry from the 'S' range. It's no easy task trying to identify each and every model from this range because figures were re-modelled without the fact impacting upon the catalogue lists. Some figures carry no code markings at all - others have the number stamped on the top of the base in the same style as the later PB figures. Who knows how many variants of any code were made? 

The slinger on the left is considerate enough to carry the stamped code AGr 9 on its rather unusual octagonal base. According to the 72/73 catalogue AGr 9s is a Greek Slinger with Shield so I guess this is a somewhat earlier version lacking said shield.  The Hoplite next to him carries no marking at all - but I believe we are looking at AGr 4 a Greek Phalanx Spearman. The 72/73 catalogue has AGr 4s listed as 'Receiving Cavalry' for which job this chap hardly qualifies! There is a nicely painted unit of these chaps on the Eastern Garrison website, whilst the Parum Pugna site shows an alternative figure with the same code.

In the middle we have another figure with no code number - but I believe it is an early version of AR 7 Roman Auxiliary Javelinman - a later version appears on the right hand side of our line-up. The latter bears the code AR 7 on his base. Whether this is the same as the AR 7s listed in the 72/73 catalogue I don't know, but it seems a reasonable punt. 

The figure second from right is AGr 8 according to the code stamped on the base. This corresponds to AGr 8s Spartan Hoplite Spearman in the 72/73 catalogue, and I imagine that's what it is. I have a few of these though not quite enough for a decent unit. Well not yet anyway :)