I decided to start with the spearmen, since I'm rather fond of them. These consist of front-rank (with shields) and rear-rank strips. Clean-up doesn't take much time, though I lose a few spears despite my careful straightening efforts...
![Cleaned spearmen - front (left) and rear ranks (right) Cleaned spearmen - front (left) and rear ranks (right)](workbench/pics/anc/735440a.jpg)
I can't imagine trying to paint these while holding them in my fingers, so I glue them down temporarily to some Popsicle-type wooden sticks (which the local $1 USD store sells in bags).
![Spearmen on tongue depressor-type sticks Spearmen on tongue depressor-type sticks](workbench/pics/anc/735440b.jpg)
I then brush-primed the figures black...
![Spearmen primed black Spearmen primed black](workbench/pics/anc/735440c.jpg)
...and then drybrushed them white, so I could see the details.
![Spearmen drybrushed white Spearmen drybrushed white](workbench/pics/anc/735440d.jpg)
Next, I painted them in their basic colors - flesh, gray for the skirts, tan for the cloaks, brown for the spear shafts (for contrast against the tan and flesh colors), bronze for the spear tips and helmets. Then I applied a black ink wash:
![Rear-rank spearmen after ink wash Rear-rank spearmen after ink wash](workbench/pics/anc/735440e.jpg)
OK, I should have dusted the figures before I took the pictures! (I didn't even notice the dust until I took the pics - remember, these figures are only 6mm tall.)
![Rear-rank spearmen after ink wash (back) Rear-rank spearmen after ink wash (back)](workbench/pics/anc/735440f.jpg)
I like the way the ink is popping out the detail on the rear-rank spearmen - though, since they are in the rear ranks, they won't be as visible as the front-rank spearmen. However, the same process just doesn't seem to be working well for the front-rankers and their shields...
![Front-rank spearmen after ink wash Front-rank spearmen after ink wash](workbench/pics/anc/735440g.jpg)
My next experiment was to try painting the shields black (again), then drybrushing with several shades of light tan (trying to get more of a "natural hide" look to the shields):
![Shields after drybrushing Shields after drybrushing](workbench/pics/anc/735440h.jpg)
This looks very rough in the picture above, but maybe I'm forgetting this is 6mm scale - they look much better at "tabletop range":
![Front-rank figures at a distance Front-rank figures at a distance](workbench/pics/anc/735440i.jpg)
Or maybe I need a new technique?