This army was done primarily because I wanted a few mercenary Hoplites in my Late Achaemenid Persian army, and for some reason it was cheaper to buy the whole Xyston Aitolian army than to buy a couple of packs of Hoplites. I also like the Aitolians because although they weren't all that warlike, they constantly kicked butt! It had a lot to do with heavy and formed troops trying to battle light skirmishers in the rough, mountainous terrain of Aitolia.
The figures are excellent. This is my first Xyston set and it totally lived up to its reputation. The figs are very well sculpted, and have a lot of character! Not only that, but the figures are pretty historically accurate, which isn't always necessary, but is nice ;) The only gripe I have about the Aitolian army pack is that the psiloi aren't exactly what they should be. Ideally, they would have all been the shepherd types throwing stones and javelins. There were a lot of Thessalian Javelin types thrown in there. Otherwise it is rock solid!
Posted: Mar 2, 2009
The complete 15mm Greek Aitolian Hoplite army. This army was great really, as it gave me the
opportunity to paint some hoplites, but didn't force me to paint too many :) Composition wise
it is good for me... However I was a little disappointed in the figure make up. It seems like
Xyston took the time to make sure that all of the hoplites were the unarmoured type, but didn't
bother to make sure all the psiloi were the classic Aitolian shepherd types. Oh well, it is
still pretty cool! Ancient Greece, here I come!
Posted: Feb 23, 2009
This is the General element, supposedly a spear element. I put some extra time into snazzy
outfits for these guys. I imagine they would have shown off their gear. The shields are also
pretty snazzy, as I put some extra time into them. Some of the best 15mm shield designs I've
done to date! They were fun to do!
Posted: Mar 2, 2009
For the 15mm greek hoplites I really wanted to create something cool! I tried to out do
make these the best shields that I've done, and I think that I succeeded. Those shields are
tiny, but just as much effort as a large shield I find, and so add a lot of time to the
painting of the figs... Among these shields, I have no favourites as I am equally happy with
all of them!
Posted: Mar 2, 2009
More greek hoplite spearmen. Again, I went all out with the shields. These shields are the
more classic symbols. The pegassus, the lion head, the flying boar (I had to do a flying
pig!), and the scorpion. Aside from the shields, I like the character of these figs. I imagine
them as mercenaries just starting out... They killed a few Athenians and took their shields
and some helmets... And once they oust the Athenians from Aitolia, they are off to offer their
services to the mighty Persian empire!!
Posted: Mar 2, 2009
This elements of greek holite spearmen is a bit more well off than the others, all having
helmets.. but still no armour though. The shields are the cream of the crop as well. For the
spearmen, I wanted to do all the iconic shield designs, and so I had to do the famous monster
face shield. Turned out extremely well! The ship was another image I wanted to do (and it
continues the ship theme that I started with my vikings, although it out does them I think...
compare here). When I originally did the
research on imagery of ships in ancient Greece, I noted they were often depicted beside
dolphins, and so I painted a little dolphin on their as well. I am happy with that sheild.
The eye was another common theme, apparently the idea came from Thrace, but I imagined that it
was taken from the Egyptian eye, and so painted it more in that style. Finally, the bull, which
is my least favourite sheild of the bunch!
Posted: Feb 23, 2009
These are some of the very first naked figs I have ever painted! Not a breast, vagina or penis
graced my collection before these guys! In the end, it wasn't as good as I had anticipated ;)
These are your typical naked Greek ancient Javelinmen. They would be pretty common in most Greek
armies of the period, although maybe not Aitolia, they still fit with their bright colours.
Posted: Feb 23, 2009
Another few Javelinmen. That one naked guy on the right there I had the fortune of painting
three times for this army!
Posted: Feb 23, 2009
Here we have yet more Thessalian Javelin throwing types. Again, this was one of my first penises!
Some nice figs, even if they don't make too much sense in Aitolia. Still, I'm not unhappy!
Posted: Feb 17, 2009
These Aitolian psiloi are based specifically on a battle between Aitolia and Athens, when the
latter invaded the Aitolian mountains. Basically, the Aitolian Psiloi (pictured above), chased
the rank and file Athenians into a forest. When the Athenians refused to come out, the Aitolians
burnt the forest and destroyed the choking and routing Athenians. Thus, for this stand, there is
a burnt tree and the foliage is a little burnt as well. The psiloi on the stand are the classic
Greek Psiloi with their animal pelt as a shield and their undyed wool tunics and hats. Long live
Aitolia!
Posted: Feb 17, 2009
More classic Greek Psiloi, wearing the animal skins and undyed cotton tunics of your
average Greek shepherd. I decided that one of the animal skins would be based on the
young deer look, with the spotted fur. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but on some of the
Greek pottery of the period spots were depicted on these fur cloaks.
Posted: Feb 17, 2009
More of the classic Greek psiloi, more or less. The fig on the right there is a
more generic javelin type, but it works with the right colour scheme! Again with the
burnt tree.
Posted: Feb 17, 2009
Some more Greek Psiloi, but these are the Thessalian Javelin variety. Perhaps they are
good fits to the Greek Psiloi, but for an Aitolian army? Not so much. Still, they're fun
to paint, so I won't complain too much!
Posted: Feb 9, 2009
These were pretty fun to do and fast to finish. Not sure if the skin tone is a little
too dark or not... I figure they Greeks would have been outside a lot more back then.
These Xyston figs are nicely done, but what I can't figure is why a Athenian and Lakedaimonian
rider would work together fighting for the Aitolians :) Okay, okay, I know the greeks from
the period all dressed pretty similarly, but still!
Posted: Mar 2, 2009
Here is a collection of the 15mm Greek Hoplite Aitolian shields that I did for the army.
These are my best 15mm shields to date, hands down.
Posted: Mar 9, 2009
A pretty simple little ancient Greek camp. It
isn't super complex, but it will do the job,
and it's small and harder to capture!