Cretan Archers

This is the bonus battle group for my 7-day FOG Battle group painting self-challenge. It's a unit of eight stands of Cretan archers painted quickly and simply. I had intended on trying a darker color scheme, but after pushing myself outside my color comfort zone with the Gauls, somehow I managed to fall right back into place with this unit. I went a little too heavy-handed with the Citadel sepia wash, but once it was on it didn't want to come off all that easily so I left it as-is. There's a possibility I might go back and hit some highlights on these to bring back the brilliance of the colors and pick out some additional facial detail.

The Old Glory 15s Cretan figures are quite good - minimal flashing and three good poses. The Bows are proper ancient short bows and not just a simple curved bow. The only complaint I have with the figures is that the quivers seem too short for my tastes, almost cartoonishly so. I realize they're carrying shorter arrows, but on at least one of the poses they wouldn't even carry a crossbow bolt! Also none of the figures is carrying any sort of blade, sword, dirk, dagger or otherwise. It would be nice if they had a little something for when things get up close and personal.

This challenge was a fun exercise. It motivated me to press through what would have been a slow and difficult unit to paint had I been left to my normal schedule, and also motivated me to complete the week by pushing out this additional quickly painted unit for my upcoming Magnesia game later this summer. I think I may do this challenge again, next time I'm facing a unit that I find particularly challenging. Next up on the painting table, another quick unit - 6 stand battle group of Velites to add to my Magnesia army.