Thracian cavalry

As I'd hoped, my earlier experiment with pre-producing horses en　masse enabled a unit of Thracian cavalry to be churned out quite quickly. The horses were spray-painted a straight brown, black, white or grey, then given a wash or two of various darker shades using Future/Klear. Some were also dry-brushed (the greys) or given a highlight (to add variety to the browns).

The riders were undercoated white, with their skin done in three shades, and the other colours were blocked in. The riders were then affixed to the horses and given my own version of 'the dip' (a mix of two acrylic stains, one clear and one brown). This didn't do much here because the figures do not have many folds in their garments (though it did do a good job with the commander's pteruges), but it adds another protective coat and helps a little with facial features. After that I highlighted the armour with a yellower bronze, & did a bit of extra stuff here and there. All they need now before basing is two coats of Klear/Future and a spray of matt varnish.

So, here they are, whipped out in three nights and hopefully onto the table within a week. Rough and ready though they paint jobs are, I'm feeling pretty happy to have regained a bit of enthusiasm for the task...

There is one thing that's bugging me about them: they have some strange kind of ring below the neck (currently painted bronze), but it looks more like cloth than a torc. I'm not really sure what these are supposed to be. I may do some more research and colour them differently depending upon what I can find out, but then again I may just leave them be. No one's going to notice anyway, apart from me!

I can feel a Commands & Colors game coming on this weekend...