This is where I am going to start up and finish the project...
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Scale: 28 mm This means contrast and clarity matter more than perfect realism. To maximise the "look" I'll want strong mid-tones, sharp highlights, and slightly desaturated shadows to keep the figures "readable" at arm’s length.
Palette logic: Each faction should have:
-
A core tunic / clothing color range
-
A leather / wood / metal tone
-
Accent color(s) to distinguish elite units and/or shield motifs
-
A shared Mediterranean base (warm earths, sun-bleached fabrics, oxidized bronze)
BASELINE MATERIALS VERSUS PAINTS
Material Vallejo Army Painter Reaper Bronze / Brass VMC 70801 Brass Greedy Gold 9054 Polished Bronze Oxidized Bronze 70897 Bronze Green glaze over Brass Hydra Turquoise wash over Greedy Gold 9222 Tarnished Brass + 9207 Pale Green wash Leather (light) 70875 Beige Brown Leather Brown 9062 Burnt Leather Leather (dark) 70871 Leather Brown Oak Brown 9061 Shield Brown Wood 70846 Mahogany Brown Fur Brown 9073 Chestnut Brown Linen / Tunic base 70915 Deep Sky Grey + 70976 Buff mix Skeleton Bone 9063 Linen White Flesh (Mediterranean) 70804 Beige Red + highlight 70928 Light Flesh Barbarian Flesh 9061 Rosy Skin
| Material | Vallejo | Army Painter | Reaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze / Brass | VMC 70801 Brass | Greedy Gold | 9054 Polished Bronze |
| Oxidized Bronze | 70897 Bronze Green glaze over Brass | Hydra Turquoise wash over Greedy Gold | 9222 Tarnished Brass + 9207 Pale Green wash |
| Leather (light) | 70875 Beige Brown | Leather Brown | 9062 Burnt Leather |
| Leather (dark) | 70871 Leather Brown | Oak Brown | 9061 Shield Brown |
| Wood | 70846 Mahogany Brown | Fur Brown | 9073 Chestnut Brown |
| Linen / Tunic base | 70915 Deep Sky Grey + 70976 Buff mix | Skeleton Bone | 9063 Linen White |
| Flesh (Mediterranean) | 70804 Beige Red + highlight 70928 Light Flesh | Barbarian Flesh | 9061 Rosy Skin |
My plan is to start with the skirmishers...
TROJAN WAR SKIRMISHERS — COLOR GUIDE (28 mm)
GENERAL NOTES
-
Lighting: Harsh Mediterranean sun — strong highlights, warm undertones, and dusty shading.
-
Skin tones: All factions are deeply tanned, reflecting lifelong outdoor life. Range from sun-bronzed to dark reddish-brown.
-
Metals: Bronze rules; iron is rare. Favor dull, oxidized, or green-stained finishes.
-
Weathering: Use Buff or Aged Bone drybrush for dust; fade cloth by mixing Buff/Ivory into highlights.
Lighting: Harsh Mediterranean sun — strong highlights, warm undertones, and dusty shading.
Skin tones: All factions are deeply tanned, reflecting lifelong outdoor life. Range from sun-bronzed to dark reddish-brown.
Metals: Bronze rules; iron is rare. Favor dull, oxidized, or green-stained finishes.
Weathering: Use Buff or Aged Bone drybrush for dust; fade cloth by mixing Buff/Ivory into highlights.
1. Achaeans (Mainland Greeks / Mycenaeans)
Theme: Wealthy, disciplined mainland warriors — ochres, reds, and polished bronze.
-
Tunic: 70818 Red Leather / 70981 Orange Brown
-
Cloak: 70913 Yellow Ochre or 70908 Carmine Red (add Buff for sun-fade)
-
Armor: 70801 Brass → highlight 70999 Copper
-
Leather: 70871 Leather Brown
-
Shield motifs: Red-white-black geometric designs, mythological images
-
Skin tone: 70804 Beige Red + 70818 Red Leather (1 : 1) → wash Reaper 9228 Chestnut Brown, highlight 70928 Light Flesh + base
Mood: Warm, authoritative, sun-burned leaders of the mainland.
2. Trojans
Theme: Refined Anatolian nobility — purples, blues, and ornate bronze.
-
Tunic: 70960 Violet / 70911 Light Orange Brown
-
Cloak: 70930 Dark Prussian Blue
-
Armor: 70801 Brass shaded 70897 Bronze Green
-
Leather: 70875 Beige Brown
-
Shield motifs: Blue-gold with eastern patterns (lotus, horses)
-
Skin tone: 70804 Beige Red + 70924 Tan Earth; wash Reaper 9235 Brown Wash; highlight Light Flesh + Tan Earth
Mood: Noble, dignified, burnished under Anatolian sun.
3. Thracians / Northern Allies
Theme: Rugged highlanders — muted earths, woven patterns, and rough bronze.
-
Tunic: 70988 Khaki / 70873 US Field Drab
-
Cloak: Striped or checked 70908 Carmine Red or 70902 Azure
-
Armor: 70878 Old Gold toned 70814 Burnt Umber
-
Leather: 70871 Leather Brown → highlight Buff
-
Shield motifs: Plain wood, painted rims
-
Skin tone: 70875 Beige Brown base; wash Army Painter Strong Tone; highlight Light Flesh + Beige Brown
Mood: Hardy, practical, wind-burned fighters.
4. Lycians / Anatolian Allies
Theme: Coastal desert dwellers — sandy cloth, turquoise accents, green-bronze gear.
-
Tunic: 70876 Brown Sand / 70912 Tan Yellow
-
Cloak: 70897 Bronze Green / 70965 Prussian Green (mix Buff for fade)
-
Armor: 70801 Brass + 70897 Bronze Green wash
-
Leather: 70871 Leather Brown → highlight 70913 Yellow Ochre
-
Shield motifs: Spirals or sun discs in turquoise-sand tones
-
Skin tone: 70924 Tan Earth base; wash 70822 German Cam. Black Brown; highlight 70913 Yellow Ochre + base
Mood: Weathered coastal veterans, sun-bleached and salt-crusted.
5. Islanders (Cycladic / Cretan / Aegean Allies)
Theme: Seafarers — whites, blues, and salt-stained cloth over dark, leathery skin.
-
Tunic: 70820 Offwhite / 70884 Stone Grey (glaze 70876 Brown Sand)
-
Cloak: 70902 Azure / 70904 Dark Blue
-
Armor: 70801 Brass with blue-green oxidation
-
Leather: 70871 Leather Brown + 70988 Khaki mix
-
Shield motifs: White-blue nautical (waves, dolphins, mythological)
-
Skin tone: 70804 Beige Red + 70818 Red Leather; wash Reaper 9228 Chestnut Brown; highlight Light Flesh + base (2 : 1)
Mood: Deep-tanned mariners, garments bleached by sun and spray.
6. Sea Peoples (Peleset / Sherden / Denye / Shekelesh etc.)
Theme: Mercenaries and raiders from across the Mediterranean — eclectic colors, feathered headdresses, worn leather, and darkened bronze.
-
Tunic: 70876 Brown Sand / 70913 Yellow Ochre / 70814 Burnt Umber variations between tribes
-
Cloak / Kilt: 70909 Duck Egg Green or 70897 Bronze Green for Sherden-style warriors; 70912 Tan Yellow + Buff for Peleset
-
Armor: Bronze or copper, oxidized (70801 Brass + 70897 Bronze Green wash); some iron pieces — 70863 Gunmetal Grey + 70814 Burnt Umber glaze
-
Leather: Dark, cracked (70871 Leather Brown → 70822 German Cam. Black Brown wash)
-
Shield motifs: Round or oval — rawhide or bronze-rimmed, patterns in red, black, and white
-
Accents: Feathers, cloth strips in bright red, turquoise, green or white to suggest mixed origins
-
Skin tone: 70875 Beige Brown + 70924 Tan Earth (1 : 1); wash Reaper 9235 Brown Wash; highlight 70913 Yellow Ochre + tiny touch of Light Flesh
→ Deep, sun-baked bronze with a dusty undertone
Mood: Nomadic raiders — diverse, fierce, scorched by sea glare and endless travel.
Optional Weathering
Effect Mix Recommendation Dust / Dirt Light drybrush 70976 Buff or Reaper 9064 Aged Bone Verdigris on Bronze Glaze 70897 Bronze Green + 70909 Duck Egg Green (1 : 1) Sun Fading Add 70976 Buff or Ivory to top-surface highlights Sweat / Grime Thin 70822 German Cam. Black Brown into recesses
| Effect | Mix Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Dust / Dirt | Light drybrush 70976 Buff or Reaper 9064 Aged Bone |
| Verdigris on Bronze | Glaze 70897 Bronze Green + 70909 Duck Egg Green (1 : 1) |
| Sun Fading | Add 70976 Buff or Ivory to top-surface highlights |
| Sweat / Grime | Thin 70822 German Cam. Black Brown into recesses |
Helmets
Boar’s-Tusk Helmet: Leather or felt cap with strips of boar tusk stitched on.
-
Bronze Cap / Bronze-reinforced Helmet: Simple bronze or leather-metal mix, emerging late in the Bronze Age.
-
Dendra-style Bronze Plate Helmet: Heavy bronze plate helmet associated with the full panoply, used by elite warriors.
Painting/Colour Scheme Suggestions
-
Use a warm polished bronze tone for the helmets (e.g., base metallic bronze + brown wash).
-
For boar’s-tusk parts: an ivory or bone colour, slightly weathered (sepia wash).
-
Leather bases: dark brown with lighter brown highlights.
-
Crest or plume (for elite/higher status): red or white horsehair or dyed leather strips.
-
Add wear: scratches, darkened edges, maybe slight green patina for bronze.
Historical Overview
-
Greek / Mycenaean helmet production in the 14th-12th centuries BC was evolving: organic materials (leather, tusks) still common, full bronze forms emerging.
-
Boar’s-tusk helmets are iconic of Mycenaean elite and referenced in epic tradition.
-
Heavy bronze helmets (like those associated with Dendra) would be rarer, probably for chariot crews or nobles.
Boar’s-Tusk Helmet: Leather or felt cap with strips of boar tusk stitched on.
-
Bronze Cap / Bronze-reinforced Helmet: Simple bronze or leather-metal mix, emerging late in the Bronze Age.
-
Dendra-style Bronze Plate Helmet: Heavy bronze plate helmet associated with the full panoply, used by elite warriors.
Painting/Colour Scheme Suggestions
-
Use a warm polished bronze tone for the helmets (e.g., base metallic bronze + brown wash).
-
For boar’s-tusk parts: an ivory or bone colour, slightly weathered (sepia wash).
-
Leather bases: dark brown with lighter brown highlights.
-
Crest or plume (for elite/higher status): red or white horsehair or dyed leather strips.
-
Add wear: scratches, darkened edges, maybe slight green patina for bronze.
Historical Overview
-
Greek / Mycenaean helmet production in the 14th-12th centuries BC was evolving: organic materials (leather, tusks) still common, full bronze forms emerging.
-
Boar’s-tusk helmets are iconic of Mycenaean elite and referenced in epic tradition.
-
Heavy bronze helmets (like those associated with Dendra) would be rarer, probably for chariot crews or nobles.
