Originally Published on the Spanner and the Yank Web Site. Used by permission.

14 June 2003

Hät's box 8040 is part of their Ancients line, Italian Allies. Handy because they can fight on Rome's side or against her. The box ix 4 sprues of 12 figures each. 3 figures have large Hoplite shields, 4 tapered rectangular, 3 small round shields and 2 the oval. Four require a spear be glued in the hand, but the fit is tight and on two of these no glue is really needed. All the shields are molded on. There was little flash and a hobby knife or razorblade, or better yet, a hot pin, got rid of that quickly. The plastic is a very light tan and could be left for flesh if wanted. A flag is included and may replace a spear to make a command group figure. The plastic is fairly firm and takes paint well.

The individual figures are as follows:

A. Short skirts, 2 greaves, rectangular shield, pot helm with horsehair crest, thrusting overhand with long spear.

B. Short skirt, greaves, hoplon shield, 3 disc breast and back plate, helmet with side and neck pieces and feathered crest, thrusting over arm with long spear.

C. Short skirt, greaves, oval shield, bell cuirasses, helmet with neck piece and 2 feathers, thrusting or throwing javelin.

D. Short skirt, greaves, rectangular shield, front and rear square breastplate, pot helmet with horse hair crest and tow feathers, waving short spear.

E. Short skirt, greaves, hoplon shield, front and rear breast plates made to resemble the 3 disk style, helmet with side and neck pieces, horse hair crest, holding long spear in left hand, sword (leaf bladed) in right hand.

F. Short skirt, greaves, oval shield, 3 disk chest and back protector, helmet with side and neck pieces, 3 feather crest, kneeling with leaf blade sword.

G. Short skirt, rectangular shield, and pot helmet with long horsehair crest, striking overhand with long spear.

H. Short skirt, greaves, short bell cuirasses, hoplon shield, helmet with 4 feather crest, striking overarm with long spear.

I. Short skirt, greaves, smaller round shield, helmet with neck piece, 2 feathers and horse hair crest, striking over arm with long spear, and carrying javelin.

J. Same figure as I, but without greaves.

K. Short skirt, small round shield, greaves, muscle cuirasses, could be leather or bronze, helmet with neck piece and horse hair crest, holding spear or flag upright.

L. Same figure with rectangular shield.

For those not familiar with painting plastic figures my procedure is as follows:

Wash and rinse in warm water with dish washing detergent and an old tooth brush. This is to remove mold release. When dry I spray with a gloss polyurethane varnish. This stiffens the figure, and sticks to the figure. You can skip this if you want, I prime the figure with gesso, either black or white. Paint with acrylic paints. My personal preference is to then use an ink wash (by spraying with gloss varnish again the wash does not stain the paint after the varnish, just flows into the low spots). Wait a day to dry, wash with a brown ink, when dry spray with a matt finish.

Jim.