All (Ancient) Greek to me! Mortal Gods - My Reboot

I purchased Mortal Gods a while back in pre-Covid days with noble intentions of painting up a warband or two of Ancient Greeks but alas it languished on the plastic pile of shame for years. No more. Their time has come (see link below for more details):

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/270626/mortal-gods-skirmish-games-in-ancient-greece

I have the basic boxed game set and have assembled the basic miniature (Victrix) that came with it, which is a start. Sadly (as of time of writing) the Athenian and Spartan "special" boxes are now hard (nay impossible) to come by, bar purchasing individual separate components by Footsore Miniatures, so it look as if I am "bog standard" Greeks - which is fine by me (see below, the starting point of Mortal Gods): 

Dusting off the Mortal Gods box from the loft, I chose into two opposing sides to paint up (see below, two Lochos and their respective warbands, I am calling one Athens and one Spartan [as per the figures look and feel] despite not having the "special" faction attribute cards): 

Given I was in the 28mm Greek "make it mode", I decided to also assemble the Warlord Games 28mm hoplite miniatures I acquired from a "CoW Bring and Buy" sale [although I mostly do the buying]. They fit in well alongside Victrix (see below, I hope to give Mortal Gods a run out at CoW 2026); 

The figures are PVA-sand based and "washed" brown (see below, they are now also in their Mortal Gods movement trays which are a nice touch to the game system): 

Starting with the light psilio slingers it is time to paint them in the Greek fashion (see below, I deliberately chose the "light forces" to get my eye in, I am also resisting the opportunity to use contrast paints but rather I am using Vallejo Game Colour with MiG Ultra Matt varnish to dull everything down): 

The slingers are coming along nicely (see below, in Mortal Gods a group of three figures together on a base are referred to as "companions" - not to be confused with "The Companions" of Alexander The Great): 

Light troops are based on circular bases (see below, they move together as one block in the rules, which cuts down nicely on the level of "fiddle" moving figures about, all told there are approximately 12 [small game] to 25 [medium-largish] figures per side in a typical Mortal Gods game): 

An unusual figure in "Greek" sides in Mortal Gods (yes there are rules for Persians), is the archer, although Athens has its special "Archer Marines" that can come ashore from triremes (see below, this chap is from Victrix): 

The lights for "one side" are done (see below, all possible types - one companion base of each comprising of (3) slingers, (3) javelinmen and the more useful (3) peltasts, but the the archer is a generally just a singleton [as there were just not that many archers in a typical warband], it does not attract the eros passion from the ladies):  

Time to move onto the hoplites, the sexy side of the warband (see below, the first companion base of hoplites is in the centre of the pack on a triangular base, but more on that later): 

A close up of some javelinmen (see below, a rather bedraggled and opportunistic set of characters who are best at throwing pointy things at and then running away [fast] from dangerous things or sneaking up on flanks or from behind): 

A closer "close-up" (see below, I took my time and really enjoyed doing these javelin man, but because there were no really hard or difficult areas to paint they were done fairly fast): 

Meanwhile, the hoplites were up next and the magic number of hoplites is nine (see below, three bases of hoplite companions can "join together" to form a "phalanx"- which is classed as a combat gift/skill, allowing the troops to absorb more punishment and perform more actions because of the trained cohesion of the troops - but the phalanx can only go straight forward or pivot [powerful but awkward to handle]): 

The basic painting is done, but I returned and experimented with the Little Big Man Studio shield decals (see below, I was really impressed with the results - once I got the hang of putting them on [I did use Micro Sol and Micro Set] and repainted over bits to blend it in to the figure):  

Finally these Greeks are getting dressed and ready for battle, let's do those hoplite shields next!

A Napoleonic Trip to Portugal : Sharpe Practice

The Frenchman on the horse at the rear of the picture (see below) is the rather flamboyant deployment marker for the French forces. The French Commander Colonel La Panne had only recently arrived in Spain and was still getting accustomed to the rather hot climate. To his distress all of his classmates, the intelligent and ambitious ones, were seeking glory on the "enterprises of enterprises" in Russia. There it would be a much more sensible climate. 1812 was going to be a glorious year for the Emperor, one knew that he would confirm the place of France as the rightful superpower of the world. Yet, here he was in this hell-hole of a Spanish backwater. Rivulets of sweat poured down this face and again he dabbed his brow. Damn them, he knew the Portuguese were watching his every move, but he could see nothing of them (see below, like the books told him to do, skirmishers to the front and main body behind. Trouble is he did not know what. if anything, was hiding in the scrub ahead):   

They approached the nondescript scrap of scrub and the danger seemed to have passed. Then it started. Seemingly harmless clouds of white smoke appeared to his front from the scrub. Birds flew up into the air. The smoke grew cloud grew and obscured his front, musket balls whizzed by like angry swarms of hornets. At least his skirmishers, the Voltigeurs, handled themselves well, taking this "shock" in their stride, they were his best trained troops. They could fight and fire like demons under the experienced eye of Big Pierre - he called their mechanical actions Sharpe Practice (see below, at least La Panne's men seemed to be more numerous that these Portuguese, but worryingly they were matching Big Pierre in his professionalism):     

To La Panne's horror a regular line of brown clad infantrymen approached in line to the sound of a monotonous drumbeat. The sound rolled down towards them, for a moment he thought we was back in Austria fighting Grenzers. The moment passed as a crackle of gunfire swept into the French skirmish line and brough La Panne to his senses. His skirmishers were looking a tad ragged now. Big Pierre was shouting encouragement but twice as much fire was incoming than outgoing. La Panne barked orders to hasten his own troops forwards, but his boys could barely keep stride and keep their lines properly dressed. To ask for more much speed would be asking for chaos (see below, march to the sound of the guns and into the smoke):  

The French were being badly pressed and losing the firefight. With two units to fight Big Pierre could not bring either unit under telling fire and his best was to "hold his ground" - to the Portuguese this was good sport, they were dropping Frenchmen (see below, then suddenly the Portuguese skirmishers to the right withdrew after being caught by an accurate volley, briefly they was a ray of hope, but then a second unit of Portuguese skirmishers now appeared to Big Pierre's left, curse these phantoms):    

Big Pierre's skirmishers dropped back to reform behind the main French Line, they were a sad and bloodied sight. The two regular formations faced off against each other. Crashing volleys spoke out across the battlefield and brave men dropped dead while others fought off the shock and confusion of battle. The French had won the better position through Big Pierre's bravery, it provided a small difference in cover, but the Portuguese Line unit outshone its French counterpart. It seemed to fire three volleys to La Panne's every two. The men were beginning to buckle and also the Portuguese skirmishers had rallied quicker than the French. La Panne cast an anxious look at his second formation of French Line down in the valley, they would not get to him in time. It was time to retire (see below, there are more holes and more shock on the French forces, with great difficulty La Panne escaped, even if his forces were depleted they would still be useful): 

Musing in the cool of his tent, after touring the charnel house that the Regiment called a hospital, it was clear that his opposition was well drilled in the art of war. Old Sergeants shook their heads in disbelief and told him that the Portuguese were different this year. They now "meant it" when they came to fight, the British had instilled some of their "Iron" in the Portuguese bellies. La panne ruminated that he had truly missed the boat when he missed a posting to Russia. If he was not careful Spain would be his grave.

Another good outing for Sharpe Practice. I am getting rather fond of this set of rules. I need to start painting my own Frenchman now!

Recon Modern Skirmish Rules (Vietnam)

Courtesy of eBay (while buying something else for another member of the family) I spotted a little known rule-set (Recon) that would pair with a speculative buy (Advanced Recon) I had bought ages ago - once upon a time in the late part of the twentieth century [aka certainly pre-2000] - from a game shop that has long since closed (see below):

Thus the wargaming circle is complete - aka  "I knew I had a reason to buy it". The US printed 'Advanced Recon' meets up with a copy of a UK licensed print copy of 'Recon' by the now defunct Platoon 20 figure manufacturers [once based in Northern Ireland]. Th extra bonus is that I have a collection of Platoon 20 Vietnam figures seeking a game (and I am pretty sure that the "Platoon 20 moulds" live on under the wing of another manufacturer). Again game-wise methinks this could be a 2020 affair but watch this space.

NATO Ground Crew 1/72 Impulse Purchase

Life is full of strange connections so my motto is take them when they come and work to your advantage. I was out on a "first stage job interview" and was mulling over on how I thought I had done when I passed a "toy shop", Saw it and thought "What the heck I will treat myself" (see below, good result):

And was glad I did! Nice little combination of Cold War NATO lightly armed NBC guards and rear echelon types, useful for modern Chain of Command or Black Ops (Osprey Rules).