Saka Light Cavalry

Saka Light Cavalry

Wednesday 13 January 2016

A Baccus 6mm Phalanx or Three

Strictly speaking it's eight if you include the ones I had already painted. I am now caught at the point where I need to either buy more and continue to grow the army or move onto the Persian opposition. At this point I am leaning towards the Persians to add another gaming option.

So another three blocks of Baccus pikes have been painted up. I got these done in a little under a weeks painting so they were quite a quick paint by my standards. Base coated in black with a dry brush of white for the leather armour to pick out the detail then on with painting them for real.

It's the first time I have painted three units of 96 figures at the same time but it was not as boring as I suspected and I will probably do the same again when I get more pike in stock. I pulled out one of my previous blocks so I could cut the pikes to the right length first time.

I did not worry about getting the length just right on all the pikes as I give them a trip once all are in place, I keep a bag of bristles I bought at the same time as the figures, I have far more than I need for the 20 blocks (I think) so should be fine as long as I don't loose them. I cut the pikes in batches splitting up the various stages of finishing making it a little less boring.

I continue to paint up my pikes with blue or red tunics but sooner or later I will have to select a third colour and probably a fourth to help show which division they belong to.

The blocks are eight figures deep with the front two with pikes slanted forwards. By putting on a 60x60 base and glueing the rear most figures on the back edge the pikes don't hang over the edge of the forward edge of the base. 

Each block costs £6.60 for the figures alone so it's not the cheapest option for a 6mm army but the result makes it worthwhile to me. Of course all the other units need a lot less figures so the overall outlay remains a lot less than other scales for comparable units.

All eight blocks together, the look I wanted to achieve is starting to come off. Obviously once on a proper table with other units they will really start looking the part. 

22 comments:

  1. Fantastic work. Good to see more and more people coming over to 6mm :)

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    1. Thanks and indeed we do seem to be getting more people trying to paint 6mm and finding it easier than they thought

      ian

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  2. Looking good Ian :)

    How long are the pikes/bristles? By my reckoning they should be about 20-25mm long, but the ones in your pics look a bit longer than that.

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    1. Good question Tamsin, just measured some and they are around 22mm (they are not grounded so come down to the waste) so are about right. Though I would not worry if they were a bit oversize as it adds to the effect.

      Remember before I cut back the first lot? They were huge LOL

      Ian

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  3. Wow they look great!!! I wish I could turn out that many 6mm in a weeks time. Great work!

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    1. Well they were easy batch paints so not so difficult (I also had a full day run at them on my day off from work)

      Ian

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  4. Mad, that'd kill me cutting and sticking all the pikes on!! But you've done a grand job on them!!!

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    1. Thanks Ray, helps when you play music as you work, kind of just get into a grove. Glad to finish them though

      Ian

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  5. They look superb, now onto the Persian foe!

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    1. I think you may be onto something there. Mind you I have but in 15mm

      Ian

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  6. That really was an awesome entry Ian - stunning work Sir!

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    1. Thanks Michael, really pleased with the response

      Ian

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  7. Look great to me.

    Cheers, Ross

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  8. Pike blocks look terrific and formidable.

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    1. I am hoping it demoralises my opponents before we even start LOL

      Ian

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  9. These are without a doubt utterly eye-wateringly awesome! So impressed with these.

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    1. Thanks Lee, fancy a game against your Romans LOL

      Ian

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  10. They may not be cheap - but they look like serious business.

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    1. Well compared to 15mm block of 24 figures which costs double that of the 96 figure 6mm block it's not really too bad. That is until you accept you would never go with 20 blocks in 15mm LOL

      Ian

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