Trends and fashions surely don’t affect us military aficionados? Well look again friends and companions, colour has come back. After years of Tolkien style gloom, ancient armies are sporting the latest in gaudy hues. I recall the late Terry Wogan lamenting the fact that the BBC experts were depicting computer generated dinosaurs in day glow warpaint. Elephant hide was no longer a guide, rather a 1970’s punk rocker’s wardrobe.
Who am I not to be swayed? Big mistake! I had a disaster with the new Game Workshop contrast paints. I loved their washes that I used on my recent camel armada. The contrast paints needed the right undercoat and I had already primed the Bactrians with car primer grey. When I used the contrast paints I thought they were far too watery. I prefer a more cartoony, block style of painting and I’ m not sure I pulled it off on these particular miniatures. The Aventine sculpts are of course amazing! The faces are great and the detail crisp. I just hope I’ve done theme justice.
Leisure centre blue I think was a mistake. Worse was the pooling of the GW paints that I should have avoided.
I wanted “mediocre” recruits and I think I achieved that! The drill sergeant needs to work on this formation. On a related point, nine figures I think is enough on a L’art de la Guerre pike unit.
Anyway the three units are complete. Half way through the Virtus army for the tail end of November. Keep tuned for details of holiday adventures, progress on Rebels and Patriots and my new must have ancient and medieval wargames rules.
Hope you had a great Summer, it ‘s the painting season again!
Miguel de Sanchez
Despertaferres 
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