rossbach
PlanetFigure Supporter
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2009
- Messages
- 688
Hello all,
In 2 weeks I am off to Bulgaria's Thracian plains were I seem to have lost (part) of my heart
. So in a way I thought it appropriate to take a closer look at Soldier's 90 mm Thracian gladiator.
As many of us will know Soldiers as an independent company sadly is no longer. Almost the entire Classical Antiquity line (done by Laruccia) is incorparated into the Masterclass range. But as far as I can tell only the 54 mm's and not the original 90 mm Soldiers series.
I made an inquiry some time ago about the 90 mm Thracian. I was interested in it but it looked rather stupid to put it bluntly. Someone here commented that perhaps is was an early Laruccia. Maybe the Maestro had a bad day. And I initially tended to agree.
But we could not have been more wrong.
For we were all mislead. By an evil that came to us in the shape of a not so well painted/photographed box art version. I stumbled on pictures of a glorious version done by Hardy Tempest. And my faith in the Lord (=Laruccia) was restored. So I decided to post a little review (while waiting for the right arm of Romeo's Provocator to dry under the drying lamp) with the purpose of pointing my brothers and sisters the way to the Divine Light.
What can I say: a perfect sculpt. Yes the figure is static and Pegaso's Thraex as well as the Provocator I am painting are much more dynamic.
But believe me that no one can tip Laruccia's gift for sculpting intricate details such as can be seen on the greaves and helmet. Overall a very athletic masculine figure with a face to match that seems to have stepped right out of a Macbride illustration.
Very different too from the 90 mm Mirmillo and Hoplomaco Borin produced many moons ago under the White Models label or the latest 90 mm Jula Mirmillo. These three all seem to have a BMI of well over 25 and urgently need a bra. Let It be clear that I DO like them. They seem to give us a more down to earth realistic picture of what gladiators probably would/could have looked like. And they are great sculpts in their own right.
Anyway: off to paint. Enjoy the pics. If you like Laruccia's 90 mm Thracian get it while you can. As I said it doesn's seem to be in the Masterclass range any longer. I got mine from Historex Agents. Judging by the smell and condition of the box it must have been on their shelves for well over a century. A sadly underrated figure so it would seem.
Pictures can be enlarged to screen size and well beyond that. The 2 pics of the painted up Thracian are by Hardy Tempest. I found them by 'googling' around. I enclosed them to show the figure's potential.
Cheers Paul
In 2 weeks I am off to Bulgaria's Thracian plains were I seem to have lost (part) of my heart
. So in a way I thought it appropriate to take a closer look at Soldier's 90 mm Thracian gladiator.As many of us will know Soldiers as an independent company sadly is no longer. Almost the entire Classical Antiquity line (done by Laruccia) is incorparated into the Masterclass range. But as far as I can tell only the 54 mm's and not the original 90 mm Soldiers series.
I made an inquiry some time ago about the 90 mm Thracian. I was interested in it but it looked rather stupid to put it bluntly. Someone here commented that perhaps is was an early Laruccia. Maybe the Maestro had a bad day. And I initially tended to agree.
But we could not have been more wrong.
For we were all mislead. By an evil that came to us in the shape of a not so well painted/photographed box art version. I stumbled on pictures of a glorious version done by Hardy Tempest. And my faith in the Lord (=Laruccia) was restored. So I decided to post a little review (while waiting for the right arm of Romeo's Provocator to dry under the drying lamp) with the purpose of pointing my brothers and sisters the way to the Divine Light.
What can I say: a perfect sculpt. Yes the figure is static and Pegaso's Thraex as well as the Provocator I am painting are much more dynamic.
But believe me that no one can tip Laruccia's gift for sculpting intricate details such as can be seen on the greaves and helmet. Overall a very athletic masculine figure with a face to match that seems to have stepped right out of a Macbride illustration.
Very different too from the 90 mm Mirmillo and Hoplomaco Borin produced many moons ago under the White Models label or the latest 90 mm Jula Mirmillo. These three all seem to have a BMI of well over 25 and urgently need a bra. Let It be clear that I DO like them. They seem to give us a more down to earth realistic picture of what gladiators probably would/could have looked like. And they are great sculpts in their own right.
Anyway: off to paint. Enjoy the pics. If you like Laruccia's 90 mm Thracian get it while you can. As I said it doesn's seem to be in the Masterclass range any longer. I got mine from Historex Agents. Judging by the smell and condition of the box it must have been on their shelves for well over a century. A sadly underrated figure so it would seem.
Pictures can be enlarged to screen size and well beyond that. The 2 pics of the painted up Thracian are by Hardy Tempest. I found them by 'googling' around. I enclosed them to show the figure's potential.
Cheers Paul
