Early Unarmoured Byzantine Skutatoi

[Atheling_2006]

I have finished the brushwork and varnishing of the first eight miniatures, which amounts to one and a half ranks of four in the first Unarmoured Unit of Early Byzantine Skutatoi I have planned. Another unarmoured unit is slated in after this one.

I started these quite a while back but was quite seriously "distracted" by my Anglo Danes, an army of which roughly at about at the half way stage now. By applying my "Rule of Threes" (I know! Crazy!) the Anglo Danes have now been put to the back of the queue of my three ongoing projects remaining visible on the "To Do" shelf. I find that it very useful to have a visual reminder of what projects I have have been currently working on as this tends to stop me from straying into temptation when it comes to all things shiny on the 28mm wargames market! We have all been there!

That said, I have avoided repletion and can now present the first eight Unarmoured Unit Early Byzantine Skutatoi. On the painting table I have presently the next eight which includes the command. The command being among my favourites to paint as there are the rather juicy hand paint the banners and patches to paint which are always great fun. Talking of banners, I am beginning to run out of ideas for banners for this army and only have Theodora and Belisarius as images that are easily adopted for the Sixth Century CE. So, it anyone has any suggestions, preferably bases on 6CE Byzantine art, please let me know.

The army will be moving forward into the Heraclian era as I have plenty of infantry models that are suitable thanks to the substantive and beautiful Aventine Early Byzantine range, which has plenty of scope for later infantry types beyond the Justinian era.

[Essex Boy]

Very pretty.

The damaged shield is rather clever.

Iain

[MarshalNey]

Indeed! Very clever.

[Atheling_2006]

Thanks guys, the damages shield credits have to go to Steve of LBMS transfers fame.

Not a bad idea to paint a few on my Anglo Danes, where I have hand painted the shields. I'll give it a go

[valleyboy]

Nicely painted, the white looks particularly good - how did you do that?
Next question - the spear and hand union looks seamless - ? Glue ? epoxy .... and do you black line the join or something?

[Wg Cdr Luddite]

Huh. I only clicked on this because I thought it was Early Unarmoured Stukas.

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

I had a scooter-toy when I was little. I often wonder what happened to it.....

Excellent brush-work, young Athers.

[Atheling_2006]

Thanks guys- I think

Nicely painted, the white looks particularly good - how did you do that?

VMC Stone Grey highlighted up with VMC Off White with final highlight of VMC Matt White. If I was going to do them again I would have stopped before the last highlight as I think that VMC Matt White is too stark. That would be more inline with my normal practice.

Next question - the spear and hand union looks seamless - ? Glue ? epoxy

It's industrial grade superglue left a few days so that the join is stronger

.... and do you black line the join or something?

Only if I need to tidy up. I'm quite a neat painter but obviously that can vary from time to time.

[Shahbahraz]

Who knew Byzantines had access to Persil? Lovely work. Just ripe for cutting down by some Sasanian Asavaran.

[grizzlymc]

Huh. I only clicked on this because I thought it was Early Unarmoured Stukas.

Later, when they got armour and 37mm cannon, they were a match for any kind of cataphract.