Musings of a Friday

I missed last week's blog thanks to a sojourn to Shrewsbury for my wife's birthday, so apologies for that: but I shall make up for it today with some lovely images of new Atalantes miniatures!

Penda's Everywhere

Before I do that: Shrewsbury is of course in Shropsire, and that part of the world is awash with the dark ages. Wherever you go in Shropshire and Powys, there's history all around, mainly thanks to the altercations between the Welsh and the English. In Oswestry (originally named Oswald's Tree after that particular Northumbrian saint was strung up by Penda and Cadwallon), for example, there's the rather forlorn The Penda Retail Park. A retail park! This man killed kings! Princes! Women! Children! Dragons! Surely he deserves more than a retail park with a B&M, a Halford's and a Carpet Right? Right...? At least give him a TK Maxxx, or a Boots, or a Sainsbury's...! Sigh.

Poor old Penda. At least he's remembered in some form. I like to thank that tree is Oswald's, at least in spirit...

Pontesbury, where my wife went to school near Shrewsbury, was supposedly named after Penda; it means ‘Penda's Fort’. Pontesford nearby was also, presumably, named after him. A bit further east, Much Wenlock was built around a monastery founded by Penda's son. Near where I sit in darkest Nottinghamshire, King Edwin's Chapel (where Edwin, another king slain by Penda or Cadwallon) is commemorated. The church at Cuckney sits on top of over three hundred bodies, perhaps the result of Edwin and Penda and Cadwallon's skirmish.

That's just scratching the surface. Penda is everywhere, at least in Mercia. If you look. So look, people - dig into place names, and local history! Your ancestors deserve that, at least.

Enough of that tomfoolery: here's some lovely Atalantes to look forward to!

December's Doings

So we're almost at Christmas and this month's battle host will be for the Atalantes, those lovely Ancient Greek types. Both Rafael Callegari and Dray Win have produced some amazing miniatures for us this past year - but these, I think, really do take the biscuit...

Herakles, Heros of Ilios

Herakles is the Hero of all Ilios, a mighty champion of the Atalantes - and Rafael is currently working on his bronze pegasus, so watch out for news on that next week.

 

 

Olympia, Stratekorikolossos

Dray Win has been working on the 40mm female kolossi, the korikolossi, and the results are fantastic. Olympia is their leader and comes with spear or sword...

 

 

The Swift Ones, Korikolossos Unit

The korikolossi (with Olympia at the front) will also come with spear or shield, and they're a great way to get some very tough infantry into your Atalantes host! 

Next up for Rafael (after the bronze pegasus) is the Khalkotes, indefatigable warriors bronzed up by the magical smiths of Ilios - they may have lost a leg, or an arm, or half their body, but their desire to fight is indisputable. I've only got artwork right now, so let's remind ourselves what they look like:

They'll come with spears as well as swords, and also have a helmed / unhelmed option too.

That's not all for the Atalantes; there's the kerberokolossi, which will be a part of the host; there's the resculpt of Kyros, of course, and rumours of a unit of pegasus-riding Khalkotes, the pegaeus, start here. Ahem.

I'm not sure exactly when the unsculpted bits will be ready - to be honest, Rafael and Dray are working as fast as they can - but they'll be with you soon enough.

Gooodbyeee

More next week - until then, check out Quinn Colvin's rather exquisite work on the High King of Eriu, Conall Cóel...