Sunday 9 March 2014

Jason and the Argonauts

Introduction

Once again, I've let my imagination run away with me.  A few months ago, Warlord Games had a sale on individual plastic sprues.  I bought some ECW cavalry to bolster my Witch Hunters, but I couldn't resist also buying some Ancient Greeks.  Since then, I've extended this set with a few metal models from Black Tree Design as well.  I can now present to you my latest project: Jason and the Argonauts!

The Good Guys

4 Heroes: Front view
4 Heroes: rear view
First up are 4 Greeks with swords.  3 of the 4 are in heavy, decorated armour; these are the main heroes Jason, Meleager and Augeas.  On the other hand, Iphitos is just dressed in a linen tunic.  I imagine him as the servant or camp cook who has grabbed a weapon when all seems lost (i.e. he turns out to be of noble birth after all!).


The next 4 models are minor heroes (or grunts, if you prefer!).  Amphion, Laokoon and Pheidippides are equipped in classic hoplite style, with large shield, long spear and sword.  Philoctetes is something of a rarity: an ancient Greek archer.  As far as I know, the Greeks looked down upon archery to some extent, yet had some renowned archers amongst their heroes (Odysseus, for example).  I've never really managed to figure this out...

All of these models are plastics from Warlord Games, apart from the archer (he's from Black Tree Design).  I'm a bit annoyed about the silvering of the decals on the shields, since I spent a lot of effort preparing the surfaces in the hope of avoiding that.  Still, these's not much I can do about it now...

The Bad Guys



The leader for the enemies of the Argonauts is King Aeëtes of Colchis.  I've used another model from Black Tree Design here: Aeëtes is a Greek civilian to whom I have added a simple crown made out of green stuff.  Obviously, he's something of an ascetic monarch.


Aeëtes himself doesn't look very threatening, does he?  Well, in the legends he was the one who sowed the dragon's teeth, each of which grew into an armed warrior to oppose the Argonauts.  In the 1963 film Clash of the Titans, these were depicted as skeletons in one of the classic Hollywood fight scenes: here.  My "dragon's teeth" are faithful to that vision!

These figures are old Games Workshop skeleton warriors.  Those that had spears have been used unmodified, but I've cut down the oversized swords and scimitars to something more suitable for the ancient world.  I've added shields; I thought that these came from Magister Militum, but they've reworked their website recently and I cannot find the shields on the new site.

Another part of any ancient legend is at least one huge monster.  So far I've just got the one: a cyclops.  This is another Black Tree Design model; he looks exactly like the Harry Harryhausen version from the film mentioned above.

I've photographed the cyclops besides Jason to give him a sense of scale.  This critter is big!

I couldn't really find an angle from which the cyclops' eye could be seen clearly.  I suppose that's because he's used to fighting creatures which are much smaller than he is, so he's always stooping and peering downwards.

What's Next

Now that I've got some basic forces, I need some terrain.  I have some broken fluted columns that I bought many years ago, so a classic ruined Greek temple seems like a good idea.  The good guys probably need a few lighter troops - maybe some slingers and/or javelinmen.  For the monsters I would very much like some harpies, maybe a brass bull and a hydra (Foundry, I'm watching you!).  Then some cliffs, olive groves, a labyrinth or 2, a few forbidden islands...

25 comments:

  1. A cavern, a ship, some cliffs, a beach and, and, and...
    I just love the argonauts ' idea and your off to a brilliant start. The individualness of the Greeks is great as are the skeletons, very true to the original film, even down to the hippy king.
    Roll on the retelling of the odyssey in wargame form, I say, if done with your usual panache it'll make for a great read and much titterring will ensue (thus sayeth the soothsayer).

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    1. So many good ideas, so little time! You've just reminded me that I need some maidens as well (and not just as trophies or objectives either: Medea and Circe were notable sorceresses).

      A soothsayer, you say? That's another character that I could add - with or without the curse of Cassandra! What about a philosopher as well (with or without barrel)?

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  2. I look forward to seeing this progress. I would suggest having a look at Crooked Dice "7th Voyage" terrain board as a good place to start scenery wise. You players will love it! A tremendous start to a new project I am really eager to see more.

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    1. Yes, "7th Voyage" would fit perfectly. I was also thinking of "Song of Blades and Heroes". Too many ideas!

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    2. Not the rules the 7th Voyage terrain board..... either rules will work but the terrain is just right for this.

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  3. Darn you, Hugh! Always a step ahead of me!
    Argonauts were a theme of last year's Salute and I was very disappointed when reading about the story in their magazine, as they have completely forgot about us!

    Argonauts are a huge thing here, as Jason is said to be the first citizen of Emona (Ljubljana). The Argonauts have slain a "swamp monster" (a dragon) right there, and established a town, because this is a hero's thing to do!

    Then they took the river towards the Adriatic coast and landed in Nauportus (Vrhnika), that happens to be my hometown and uses Argo as a coat of arms. Argonauts took their ship apart here and carried it on their shoulders to the sea. True story.

    That can surely help you with the ideas for the board? :D

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    1. Wow, I had no idea that there was such a connection. I'm delighted to find out! Now you can tell me whenever I make a mistake with this project :-) .

      Hmm - I wonder what an ancient swamp monster/dragon would look like? It could be similar to the hydra? I've seen several models of the hydra, but none which I liked especially. I think I would try to avoid the look of the classic "medieval" dragon, though.

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    2. Well, that's but one version of the legend. In Salute's magazine, they describe the journey by Pindar's Pythan 4 where they went from Greece to Colchis and from there through Turkey, Arabic peninsula and even Egypt back home. Then there's a version by Herodorus of Heraclea, where they came home the same way they went there. And they even mention the story where they'd even pass America :P.
      "Our" version is by Pliny the Elder if I got the name right. The idea is, the Argonauts couldn't return the way they came from as they were chased by the bad guys. So they've sailed upstream on Danube river, followed Sava river and made their way following Ljubljanica river all the way to it's spring in Vrhnika. As said, they took the boat apart here and carried it 12 days to the Adriatic sea :P. While being there, Jason smacked a falling boulder and left a fist print in the wall, if you feel like building terrain:
      http://kraji.eu/slovenija/vrhnika_mocilnik_izvir_ljubljanice/IMG_4875_mocilnik_izvir_ljubljanice_jazonova_pest/eng

      As for the dragon, google Ljubljana or Zmajski most, lol. If I were you, I'd go with one of the Reaper Bones dragons, but they might be the "medieval" ones you don't want. Hydra sounds a lot better.

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  4. They look great Hugh! I had no idea of that legend was so closely linked to your country either Mathyoo. I second Clints suggestion of 7th Voyage!

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    1. Well, Clint was suggesting that I look at the terrain board on the 7th Voyage forum. That's a good idea, though I think that 7th Voyage would also be a good ruleset for an endeavour like this.

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  5. Great looking figures, love the details!

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    1. Thanks, Phil. There's so much more I'd like to do with this project!

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  6. This looks like being an awesome project, Hugh. Kudos to you for getting it started. I'm immensely looking forward to watching this project develop.

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    1. Thanks, Bryan. I really am very over-committed to my multitude of projects now :-( .

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  7. These look very cool. I really like how the Greeks look. The cyclops makes me think of watching the Harryhausen movie the first time. Ahh good times!

    Very excellent start! I can't wait to see more.

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    1. Yes, Harryhausen creatures in movies are definitely fond memories for me too. Also I grew up reading all sorts of myths and legends: Greek, Egyptian, Norse...

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  8. Nice Greeks. I know what it means to resist the call of shiny minis and potential stories. So far, I am resisting this call better this year than last year.
    About the Greek reluctance to bow and arrow it is because it is seen as an unfair weapon and not heroic. Odysseus is a tricker rather than a hero in the Greek sense, which explains why he is good at it.

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    1. Yes, but didn't Heracles also use a bow on occasion? With poisoned arrows, no less. Nobody would accuse *him* of being a trickster, I think - Heracles is one of the most straightforward lumps of muscle in the business!

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  9. I think the Ancient Greek attitude to archery is something like this.
    It's for Cowards, women and children - unless you have some kind of mega-bow that nobody else is strong enough to string - and then it's manly.

    The whole "Big is better" theme was probably a big draw for tyrants like Dionysius the elder of Syracuse and Philip of Macedon. (If those heroes can have a big bow, then a tyrant like me deserves a ballista).

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    1. Hah, you could be right, Steve. I hadn't thought of it that way!

      Mind you, even as a kid I was puzzled when Heracles used poison arrows. Seems very underhand to me. I suppose that if you're the biggest, baddest hero of them all then nobody is going to tell you not to!

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  10. Those are great looking models and a fun idea! It reminds me of those old Sinbad movies when I was a kid. Good work!

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    1. Even though the cyclops comes from Greek mythology, the Harryhausen version pictured above appeared in one of the Sinbad movies! Sinbad and the Greek heroes are very close in spirit, if somewhat separated in time and geography.

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  11. excellent battle report.
    Forget the foundry Hydra and use the Papo one : for 10 euros you can get a wonderful monster. See mine right here :
    http://chti-reanimator59.blogspot.fr/2013/11/apres-de-nombreuses-lectures-des.html

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    1. Wow, that *is* a nice hydra! It's quite large, though?

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    2. The archer is a 28 mm Foundry so that's give you a good comparison scale for the beast.....

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