AHPC 16 - Jason and the Argonauts & The Children of the Hydra

 

For my first post of this years Challenge, I've gone back in time to Greece and its mythology.

I'd take a guess that 99% of the people reading this post has seen the 1963 Ray Harryhausen film Jason & the Argonauts and were in as much awe as I was watching it? My favourite scene was always, the fight with the children of the Hydra. So this for me was a good start.

"In the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, the "children of the Hydra" refers to the skeletal warriors raised from the ground by sowing the teeth of the slain Hydra, a magical defence King Aeëtes used against Jason in Colchis; they are a key part of the Golden Fleece quest, famously brought to life in the 1963 film by Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion animation, though the core idea stems from ancient Greek tales where sowing dragon/serpent teeth creates armed men."

I've wanted to do these for a long time, but these infact are not for me!!!

My nephew Zach, who's 10 is really into Greek Mythology, thanks to the Percy Jackson books and films.

So I thought I'd paint him up a few figures for Christmas and see if I can get him interested in wargaming??? My Mrs said don't go too mad and buy too much........well too late. 

He'll have these 11 figures and then hopefully help me paint up the last 11, more Argonauts and skeletons. Then the world is his oyster!!!

Laertes, Argus and Polydeuces

Jason, Melampus of Pylus and Augeias

I played around with how to paint the skeletons, in the end I painted them white and painted over a grey Contrast paint (sorry Ken), to give them that subtle shaded effect.

All of the figures are from Wargames Foundry, excellent Mythology range.

So 11 x 25mm figures @ 5pts each gives me 55 points! and all before Christmas day too!!!!

Merry Christmas 2025

Merry Christmas to all you luvvly readers of Don't Throw a 1

I hope Santa, brings you all the figures and goodies you want!

Ray

 

AHPC 16 - The Actual Plan

 

BigLee posted on his You Tube channels revealing our new joint project, we were supposed to do it at the same time, but he's a tart, after more clicks on his channel. So the Secret is out, our new project is The Russo-Finnish Winter War of 1939-40. 

Yes I know we've not even played a game with the Retreat from Moscow figures we painted up in the last Challenge, like we were supposed to. But what can you do? Its all just too shiny!! Anyway Lee didn't need a lot of persuading, when I suggested, doing another snowy period, so we could get to use all the snowy terrain we'd made, he fell in line the the poor baa lamb he is.

We were going to do it in a smaller scale, we looked at Pendraken, as they have a very extensive range, but in the end we stuck with 25mm. We went with Parkfield Miniatures luvvly range of figures. 

Now me being silly, thought Lee would wanna go with Chain of Command, but he preferred Bolt Action, as, he said they're an easier set of rules to get along with. I've never played Chain of Command and only had one game of Bolt Action, so I didn't mind.......that was until Lee gave me the actual reason!!!

He thought he'd get more hits on his channel if you did Bolt Action!!!! Now you really know why we call him a tart!

We are looking to do a rough 1000pt army each, which should be doable.....he says!

Also, as I previously mentioned, I'm going to start yet another new project. I've bored you all to tears over the years with all my Vienna 1683, Donnybrook figures, so now, I'm gonna try and do the same in 15mm!

In Barry Hilton's book A Taste for Victory, is a scenario for the relief of Vienna, which I'm going to try and get painted up as well as the Finns!
Here's the army list I'll be painting from, I have started already though, buying some Ottoman Cavalry at Partizan in October. Those are marked with XXX and will appear on my blog soon, when I sort some flags out for them.

 Ottoman Army under Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa Pasha

1st Line (Independent Commands)

Irregular Tribal Raw 12 figs

Irregular Tribal Raw 12 figs

Irregular Tribal Raw 12 figs

Irregular Tribal Raw 12 figs

2nd Line indie command

Timariot Sipahis Blade, Lance Drilled 6 figs XXX

Timariot Sipahis Tribal, bow/carb drilled 6f XXX

Timariot Sipahis Blade, Lance Drilled 6 figs XXX

Timariot Sipahis Tribal, bow/carb drilled 6f XXX

3rd Line indie commands 

Tufeckci/Sekban musket, loose Raw 12 figs

Tufeckci/Sekban musket, loose Drilled 12 figs

Tufeckci/Sekban musket, loose Raw 12 figs

Tufeckci/Sekban musket, loose Drilled 12 figs

Janissary Brigade & Brigadier

Janissary Orta All Musket Drilled/Elite 12 Janissary Orta All Musket/Flintlock Drilled/Elite 12

Janissary Orta All Musket/Flintlock Drilled/Elite 12

Janissary Orta All Musket Drilled/Elite 12

Reserve & Brigadier

Sipahis of the Porte Blade, Lance Veteran-Elite 6 figs

Sipahis of the Porte Blade, Lance Veteran-Elite 6 figs

Vizier's Guard All Musket, Flintlock Guard 6 

Great Gun Drilled 1 model 

Great Gun Drilled 1 model 

Holy League under King Jan III Sobieski

Polish Cavalry Brigade

Lipka Tartars Tribal Cav now Raw 6figs

Pancerni Bullet, armour Drilled 6 figs

Pancerni Bullet, Lance, armour Drilled 6 figs

Hussar Banner Blade, Lance, armour Veteran-Elite 6 figs

Polish Cavalry Brigade

Lipka Tartars Tribal Cav now Raw 6figs

Pancerni Bullet, armour Drilled 6 figs

Pancerni Bullet, Lance, armour Drilled 6 figs

Hussar Banner Blade, Lance, armour Veteran-Elite 6 figs

Imperial Cavalry Brigade 

Dragoons Regt Dragoons, Flintlock, Drilled 12 figs

Cuirassier Regt Bullet, Armour Veteran-Elite 12 figs

Bavarian Cav Brig

Dragoons Regt Dragoons, Flintlock, Drilled 12 figs

Cuirassier Regt Bullet, Armour Drilled-Elite 12 figs

Saxons Cav Brigade 

Dragoons Regt Dragoons, Flintlock, Drilled 6 figs

Cuirassier Regt Bullet, Armour Drilled-Elite 18 figs

Field gun 1 model

Lastly I will be returning to Donnybrook, with a few odds and sods that were undercoated in previous Challenges, hopefully there'll be more the 25mm version of Vienna 1683 and I have a few bits from the Retreat from Moscow project as well.

Well I think that's it??