January's New Figure Release (1 Viewer)

[Horus]

You seem to be a good source of stuff. Shouldn't those Dacians be holding the Falx with the cutting edge forward?

Yep you're correct about the Falx. I have a 54mm Dacian holding one correctly as you say. Shame TG didn't get it right, but it's not like they are still in the development stage where errors can be corrected and as these are the only Dacians that TG say they are releasing for the present. I hope they do change their minds on this, I guess the release selling out quickly might make them reconsider !

The Falx which with it's long curved almost hook like blade gave the Dacians a longer reach causing a huge increase in the amount of head wound / deaths for the Romans as it punctured their helmets like an old fashioned spike bladed can opener and led to the iron cross pieces being added to the Romans helmets for better protection for them from the Falx during Trajan's campaigns in Dacia.

Steve

 

[Gunn Miniatures]

Yep you're correct about the Falx. I have a 54mm Dacian holding one correctly as you say. Shame TG didn't get it right, but it's not like they are still in the development stage where errors can be corrected and as these are the only Dacians that TG say they are releasing for the present. I hope they do change their minds on this, I guess the release selling out quickly might make them reconsider !

The Falx which with it's long curved almost hook like blade gave the Dacians a longer reach causing a huge increase in the amount of head wound / deaths for the Romans as it punctured their helmets like an old fashioned spike bladed can opener and led to the iron cross pieces being added to the Romans helmets for better protection for them from the Falx during Trajan's campaigns in Dacia.

Steve

Yes well noted the angle of blade not quite correct although it could be flipped round just before the blade strikes. We have been asked already to make a B version of the kneeling Dacian with spear but with different hat and new paint scheme, so this could be a possibility. If this first batch sell then yes we will make follow-ons and I have to say they have sold very well so far but need to wait until the dust settles. By the way Decebalus the king, it is possible to swap his Carnyx for a spear so I will post pictures soon for viewing.

Best wishes
Gunn Team

 

[Horus]

Yes well noted the angle of blade not quite correct although it could be flipped round just before the blade strikes. We have been asked already to make a B version of the kneeling Dacian with spear but with different hat and new paint scheme, so this could be a possibility. If this first batch sell then yes we will make follow-ons and I have to say they have sold very well so far but need to wait until the dust settles. By the way Decebalus the king, it is possible to swap his Carnyx for a spear so I will post pictures soon for viewing.

Best wishes
Gunn Team

Despite the quibble over the Falx, since TG have been the only manufacturer to produce figures for our requests for Dacians, I for one will be supporting them by buying them when my usual dealer has stock in. I hope it proves to be a successful run for them and that they will be thus encouraged to dip further into the Enemies of Rome !

Steve

 

[katana]

The Falx is a two handed curved sword; much like a Japanese Katana. The spine of the blade is used to parry opposing blades in combat. Inspection of antique Katana will show cuts to the back of the blade where cuts were parried. Japanese sword polishers preserve the cuts as a sign of honor to the blade. The Flax spine would be presented to the enemy in leu of a shield and rotated for the cut. The Romans adopted the articulated arm guard of the Gladiators for the Legions in combat in Dacia, as the Flax would cut off limbs, split helmets and splinter shields. 10 legions were required to defeat the Dacians in the third Dacian War and loses were heavy.

 

[Gunn Miniatures]

Dear All
Apologies but we meant to mention in this last newsletter that some Persian enemies for the Spartans were on the way soon, trouble is it was a long day and an already long newsletter, sometimes things are omitted or just plain forgotten in the heat of the moment. Although the Persian army had something like 50 other ethnic groups within it there were obviously Persians within a largely 'foreign' army most of which had come from countries absorbed by the Persians into their empire.

Our first 'proper' Persians are going to be some heavy infantry being encouraged by Xerxes to go into battle and look something like the figure below, other fighting figures are to follow this year:









We have been asked for Immortals which as far as our research shows them being dressed in many different types of dress but would anybody find something like the below to their liking or not how they imagined Immortals to look?



The Persian is the one on the right of the picture as you look at it, in case anybody was not sure!

Best wishes
The Gunn Team

 

[Guest]

Great new figure, Spartan enemy, once again T Gunn pushing the toy soldier forward with great looking figure from a great era.

 

[mikemiller1955]

Dear All
Apologies but we meant to mention in this last newsletter that some Persian enemies for the Spartans were on the way soon, trouble is it was a long day and an already long newsletter, sometimes things are omitted or just plain forgotten in the heat of the moment. Although the Persian army had something like 50 other ethnic groups within it there were obviously Persians within a largely 'foreign' army most of which had come from countries absorbed by the Persians into their empire.

Our first 'proper' Persians are going to be some heavy infantry being encouraged by Xerxes to go into battle and look something like the figure below, other fighting figures are to follow this year:

View attachment 226107

View attachment 226108

View attachment 226109

View attachment 226110

We have been asked for Immortals which as far as our research shows them being dressed in many different types of dress but would anybody find something like the below to their liking or not how they imagined Immortals to look?

View attachment 226111

The Persian is the one on the right of the picture as you look at it, in case anybody was not sure!

Best wishes
The Gunn Team

thank you...
this is great news...
I need some Persians really, really, really bad...
hopefully you will put out in the next couple of months 12-18 Persians...
more would be fine too...^&grin

 

[Horus]

My opinion only and other collectors may well disagree with me about this !

When thinking about the opposing sides at Thermopylae, the first Persians one thinks about are the Immortals. I would say front ranks doing battle with rear ranks marching supporting. Immortals are what collectors are wanting along with a lot of casualties and then a good range of archers.

Then can we have Parthians / Sassanids to oppose the Romans please !:salute::

Steve

 

[sapper]

Congratulations to the Thomas Gunn team for addressing the needs of the Greek and Spartan collectors. The news that the Immortals will be produced is great news. I quite like the Persian figure you have made but the picture of the warrior next to the Greek looks outstanding. If you could come up with something like that would be excellent and would be the perfect match for the Spartans. Regards Greg.

 

[nysoldiers]

It might be helpful to look at the old "East of India" website. Their Persians and Allies for the Greek Wars were quite accurate and well done.
The figure with the large wicker shield is more in line with what many collectors want I believe. Cavalry and archers would also be quite useful
in any diorama.

 

[Gribeauval]

RE: Persians

The picture of the Immortal (standing next to the Hoplite) is a good representation of a "heavy" Persian infantryman. Most Persian infantry (including the Immortals) would not have this much armor. The figure represents a 'sparabara' "(spara" being the large wicker shield) or front rank spearman of a typical Persian infantry formation. There would be one more line of spearmen with the large wicker shield behind him, then 7 or more ranks of archers, with possibly one rank of spearmen in the rear of the formation. If melee combat was expected, there would be more spearmen behind the first two ranks, and these would have more traditional shields (such as shown on the Persepolis Staircase, or crescent wicker shields). This formation, adopted from the Assyrians, was the typical fighting formation of the Persians during the Greek wars.

The sample figure shown appears to be an subject warrior of the Persian Empire. Perhaps a Lydian? The Persians themselves mostly wore a soft cloth headcovering called the "tiara" (shown on the figure of the Immortal). He is a great figure, however, showing the exotic nature of the various contingents of the Persian Army.

It would be nice to see an Immortal Archer (whose spear would be stuck in the ground alongside him).