It depends on the mini. Some minis have lots and lots of detail that require lots and lots of brush time. Some require lots and lots of coats, depending on how and how much shading and highlighting you want to give.

It also depends on your goals in painting. Are you striving to paint a 'sufficient for table top' mini (advisable if you're a miniatures gamer who needs to paint large numbers of armies at once. Are are you looking to create a trophy-case masterpiece?

It also depends on experience. As I've been painting over the past 3-4 years, I can now get a better-looking figure with a maximum of 1-2 hours brush time than I could have with 10-12+ hours brush time 2-3 years ago. For someone who's relatively recently starting out, your numbers don't seem unduly long--especially if you happen to be a bit of a pefectionist. You *will* learn how to paint better faster, the longer you do this.

One thing that I will strongly advise you is that, after you do decide a miniature is 'finished' that you stop there and don't look back. There is a temptation among many figure painters to want to continually keep touching up the same figure, "I could have done that better, or emphasized that more, etc.". Just don't. Just let it be-- and move on to new ones. (If you *really* feel the need to revisit a figure that you've already finished, buy another and pain it again from scratch.)

I think I'm a little of both...

I have been paintng since the late 70's, so my times are not typical (15 -30 minutes for a decent individual figure, no more than 5 minutes per figure on massed army troops) but yours seem too high. A friend of mine who paints can take that long, but he lays out complex designs in pencil on white primer than meticulously fills in with multiple different paints. Its a pain just watching him, though his pastel palette migh be part of the problem.

Wow! No kidding. Those are perfect.

I may have to place an order for then.

Unfortunately, it doesnt look like they have a U.S. distributor--- and it looks like they don't have a reliable online method of ordering either.

It looks like one has to *shudder* telephone or *horror of horrors* actually send a letter through the mail.

Anyone have any suggestions on good minis for Thardic legionnaires? Yes, I know, there are lots and lots of Roman legionnaires out there made by all the standard historicals manufacturers-- and some are quite nice.

But I was wondering if anyone had any specific thoughts on what might be good figures (manufacturer /line) for *Thardic* legionnaires, which probably look a little more 'medeival' and a little less 'Roman'. Maybe some 'late imperial legionnaires' or Byzantine troops rather than Republican Roman or early imperial legionnaires? Thoughts?

Oops, totally missed that one...



I think that Late Romans (hereafter "LR") would make very good Thardic Legionnaires, especially if you are using other early medieval figures for the feudal kingdoms (e.g. Normans).

Gripping Beast might be a good choice. Browsing through their LR range, I've noted the following:

- BIG shields (LR shield sizes seem to vary greatly between different manufacturers)
- pants and leather shoes (makes them look less "Roman")
- beards (ditto)
- no helmet plumes or feathers (ditto again)
- the unarmoured warriors could very easily blend in with other warriors from the dark ages

As a bonus, it seems they can be easily mixed with Gripping Beast's Arthurian range, which contains (among other things) a few nice character figures.

Damn, I need to stock up on GB figures... so far I've only got some of their Normans.

Black Tree Design also has a Late Roman line that is reportedly quite good, but they're in packs of 20, with 4 different poses each... ugh. And not even included in their current sale! Shame! The cavalry might be worth a try, though.

There must be a lot more more manufacturers, of course. After all, whenever new army lists for Warhammer Ancient Battles are published ("Fall of the West" in this case), everyone seems to come out with a matching line of miniatures.

As for Byzantines, I think Late Romans could in fact blend in better with Saxons and Normans. Byzantines look really quite different, with their lamellar armour and the eastern influences.

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Chris

I can see where you're coming from. The "old-style" helmets with cheek flaps are indeed a nice way to make Jarin look different from feudal troops (which would wear Norman-style helmets). I was approaching the "Thardic Miniature" issue from the "large shield" direction.

I'm wondering, though: how many Medium Foot (with mailshirt etc.) do the Jarin have, outside of Azadmere and Evael? There's Leriel and Gwaeryn, and maybe the odd Jarin rebel with a captured Ivinian mailshirt, but other than that?




Using Reconquista miniatures is an interesting solution. Swapping shields is easy and obviously works with miniatures from any period, so if your feudal troops are represented by, say, Early Hundred Years War figures, just give 'em tower shields and you're done.

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Chris

OK, if I've said it once, I've said it 1000 times, Thunderbolt Mountain Minis is the way to go!
Yes they are 28 mm, but they are to scale, meaning they don't have blocky big heads and hands with huge weapons. They look very proportional so when mixed in with 25 mm they seem to work. They are beautifully sculpted and are not too fantasy looking.
But what do I know

https://www.thunderboltmountain.com/index.php?cPath=25

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Richard Luschek
RPG Illustrator
http://www.richardluschek.com/

Thanks for that link Catfish! Those mini's are great! Just the thing I was looking for to use for some Sindarin. It even works that they are 28mm as I have the royal house and a few clans of Evale being almost of pure blood, hench being much taller than your run of the mill, blood polluted by human, common harnic elf.


Gothmog

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Ok, let me get this straight. These guys come in, trash the place, slap Agrik & Larani around, and the most intelligible thing they said was "Zog!"?

Ahhh yes the great figures supplied by Nic at Eureka. Damn nice chap and the figure ranges are i will admit excellent.

If memory serves me correctly they are true 28mm. I wouldn't mix them with Thunderbolt mountain though. i personally thing that although the Thunderbolt range is really nice the figures are all to small and look like children when compared to magority of other ranges.

I know the pirates Nic sells are abslutley sweet (though i have no idea new made the moulds for them) and very compatable with the old mithral range. which insidently i should add the GW LoTR figures are very nice as well.

Hey folks-- thanks for the tips on minis for Thardan legionnaires. Much appreciated.

Here's another-- potentially harder request. Anyone know of any good minis to represent Ivashu? Sure, I suppose any 'monster' mini could represent some kind of rare Ivashu. (I've actually thought that some of the Call of Cthulu minis could be used to represent some great, really, really strange Ivashu.)

But I'm more interested in folks thoughts on minis for the five basic Ivashu: the Aklash, the Hru, the Nolah, the Umbrathri, and the Vlasta.

I imagine that someone makes some Earth elemental minis that would be good fro Hru? And there must be some D&D small imps or such that would be acceptable for Umbathri, no? Suggestions for specific figures or lines would be appreciated though.

And what about the three others-- Nolah, Ivashu, and Vlasta? Any ideas for figures that look anything like those guys (er, I mean 'its')?

What do you (anyone) use for varnish, or a final protective coat?
Matte and Gloss suggestions please.

Also, have finnished my first 3 "Harnic" minis and tried to post some but, don't have a web page and therefore no URL.

Can anyone help?

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"Where death awaits you, with nasty, big, pointy teeth!"

Gloss has an unrealistic look, but protects from the rigors of gameplay better than matte.

I try to get the best of both by doing one gloss coat, then one or two covering coats of matte. The figures still end up a bit shiny, but I've never had a figure chip despite callous behavior from players (like a casualty pile!).

If you do this approach, be sure to do *thin* coats of each!

I for one have always gone with matte. It just looks better. I really worry about the apperance first, durability second. I don't like shiny minis.
Then I have a large board near by that I wave over my head when screaming at players for mishandling the minis. I have thought a gun or sword could be more effective at getting the point across, but I have stuck with the board. Did I mention it has a nail in it?

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Richard Luschek
RPG Illustrator
http://www.richardluschek.com/