HHMODEL x HAOYUTOYS 1/6 Empire Series - Carthage Infantry Action Figure #HH18045

[Asta]

Oscan Mercenary, Zama 202 BC.

HMODEL X HAOYUTOYS: 1/6 Empire Series-Carthage Infantry
Barcode: 6974202930172
NO.HH18045

Configuration List:

-1/6 head Sculpt
-New Movable body
-8 Replacement Hands

Clothing:

- Jacket
- Pants
-Helmet (Metal)
-Wristband
-Belt (Metal)
- Shoe
-Armor (Metal)

Accessories:

- Long Sword (Metal)
-Spear
-Shield
-Round Platform



As posted by a member of the BBICN forum the following is the source material:

With a few adjustments, such as bare feet and ditching the bracers, he could look pretty accurate. The shield, however, looks under sized.

 

[screamingmetal]

Now this looks authentic!
First Bronze Age Warrior I've seen in 1/6.

 

[Asta]

Now this looks authentic!
First Bronze Age Warrior I've seen in 1/6.

For a Chinese team this is an unusually good effort. They actually worked from historical sources rather than a movie or TV series. Putting bracers on everything, however, seems to be something movies, TV or figure companies just can't stop themselves doing.

They also just announced a Roman cavalry standard bearer:

Spoiler

I'm tempted by this one too, since I have KP's auxiliary cavalryman.

I don't know what's up with all the yellow spots on his tunic. Mud splatters? I'd be tempted to repaint the whole tunic a darker red.


I think both of these figures have Tom Cruise inspired sculpts. lol


OneSixthKit has listed the Carthaginian:

https://onesixthkit.com/index.php?r...5GFHzxwzov1qglaP4kdkIJgp6SYm2Ndxi5Z7wEAZrtuw4

EDIT:

The source image for the cavalryman, with yellow spots!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippika_gymnasia

 

[Asta]

ZIP on the BBICN forum has updated the specs to indicate that the helmet, armour, belt and sword are all metal.

 

[Asta]

I found the book from which those images were taken:

This is the text that accompanies the artwork that inspired the figure:

The Osci (also called Oscans, Opici, Opsci, Obsci, Opicans, Ancient Greek: Ὀπικοί, Ὀσκοί),[1] were an Italic people of Campania and Latium adiectum during Roman times. They spoke the Oscan language, also spoken by the Samnites of Southern Italy. Although the language of the Samnites was called Oscan, the Samnites were never referred to as Osci, nor were the Osci called Samnites.

 

[Asta]

In stock at One Sixth Kit!

Wasn't expecting this so soon.

Already received a tracking number too.

 

[Asta]

My Oscan mercenary has already landed in the UK, despite the statement about no flights until 20th January.

This review from the BBICN forum is the first I've seen, and he seems to look very much like the prototype. Maybe even better as the armour looks smaller and better scaled:

 

[Chainedstream]

Wow, this Carthaginian looks amazing! Tempted to get one before it sells out...

 

[Asta]

Wow, this Carthaginian looks amazing! Tempted to get one before it sells out...

He's an Oscan mercenary from southern Italy, but yes he does look good!

A rare subject matter, and pretty accurate considering this pair of companies tend to make more fantasy inspired or less well researched figures, as with their gladiators.

The only amendment required is removing the bracers.

 

[Chainedstream]

I wonder, this figure carries a roman/italic scutum, a montefortino helmet which was used mainly by the Romans (and Celtic tribes) and his main weapon is a gladius, which also was mostly used in Roman armies.

Read somewhere, or viewed on Youtube, some of the Libyan and Carthaginian soldiers used looted Roman armor and weapons. This was also something which confused the Romans during the slaughter at Zama. Wouldn't a regular Carthaginian soldier use a falcata or a spear? If it's a hoplite, wouldn't they use a spear, a rounded greek shield?

Even though it's mostly a niche design with a somewhat loose connection to the Carthaginian army, its's a cool figure to have! But would probably prefer something less Roman, like a Sacred Band hoplite or a Libyan mercenary with a Linothorax. Wouldn't they have some kind feather or plume on top of the montefortino helmet?

Don't know anything about the Oscan Mercenaries, will read the web and see what equipment they used etc.

 

[Asta]

I wonder, this figure carries a roman/italic scutum, a montefortino helmet which was used mainly by the Romans (and Celtic tribes) and his main weapon is a gladius, which also was mostly used in Roman armies.

Read somewhere, or viewed on Youtube, some of the Libyan and Carthaginian soldiers used looted Roman armor and weapons. This was also something which confused the Romans during the slaughter at Zama. Wouldn't a regular Carthaginian soldier use a falcata or a spear? If it's a hoplite, wouldn't they use a spear, a rounded greek shield?

Even though it's mostly a niche design with a somewhat loose connection to the Carthaginian army, its's a cool figure to have! But would probably prefer something less Roman, like a Sacred Band hoplite or a Libyan mercenary with a Linothorax. Wouldn't they have some kind feather or plume on top of the montefortino helmet?

Don't know anything about the Oscan Mercenaries, will read the web and see what equipment they used etc.

This is the source image that inspired the figure:

This is the text that accompanies it:

The Osci (also called Oscans, Opici, Opsci, Obsci, Opicans, Ancient Greek: Ὀπικοί, Ὀσκοί),[1] were an Italic people of Campania and Latium adiectum during Roman times. They spoke the Oscan language, also spoken by the Samnites of Southern Italy. Although the language of the Samnites was called Oscan, the Samnites were never referred to as Osci, nor were the Osci called Samnites.

 

[Victοr]

These always look cool froma historical standpoint, but the exposed joints just make them look like too much of a toy for me to drop the money on. Same with that Alexios figure from AC; I'd buy it as a Spartan, and while everything else looks high quality, the joints ruin it. The Pharaohs from TBLeague tempt me though. If they released any significant named people I'd be more tempted. But I saw a Caesar figure some time ago and it was like 300$. Come on, that's more than an HT.

 

[Asta]

These always look cool froma historical standpoint, but the exposed joints just make them look like too much of a toy for me to drop the money on. Same with that Alexios figure from AC; I'd buy it as a Spartan, and while everything else looks high quality, the joints ruin it.

The way I look at it is that it's a trade off. With seamless joints they're likely to tear if left posed, but with exposed you can safely pose and attempt to disguise them.

In the case of this figure the greaves pretty much cover his knees and the shield covers one arm, so that just leaves one elbow and wrist.

Most of my ancients are fairly well covered apart from some elbows, and the one general and Praetorian who have Kaustic Plastik's funny looking knees.

 

[Victοr]

The way I look at it is that it's a trade off. With seamless joints they're likely to tear if left posed, but with exposed you can safely pose and attempt to disguise them.

In the case of this figure the greaves pretty much cover his knees and the shield covers one arm, so that just leaves one elbow and wrist.

Most of my ancients are fairly well covered apart from some elbows, and the one general and Praetorian who have Kaustic Plastik's funny looking knees.

I suppose you're right, but it still irks me. Great display btw, they really do seem like an army.

I wanted the Pharaohs (and an Alexander if someone makes him at a high enough quality) to pose with Kang (maybe sneak one of my extra Doctors in the background), but with the awful casting choice I'm having my doubts if I'll even get him. I was planning to add Black Adam there too, for an Egyptian themed display of randoms, but it seems I'll have to drop that figure.

Still, if they were closer to the HTs in quality and not just in price, I'd love a "Conquerors" Shelf, with Alexander, Julius, Augustus, Napoleon and so on, but while the pics always look cool and I'm tempted by historical figures, they're too toyetic for me to really commit, especially with my relatively limited budget. I hold out hope that one day I'll manage to have a private collection of genuine relics, but it's a lofty dream...

 

[Asta]

The first thing that struck me when the postman handed me the parcel was how heavy it was.

After getting into it, the next thing that struck me was how similar the brown shipper was to those of CooModel/Pop Toys, with the black inked sketch of the figure on it.

But why would the CooModel/Pop Toys/CM Toys stable need another couple of names (HHModel/Haoyutoys) to cover figures that don't require licensing? Unless the HH/HY teams are connected in other ways.

First impressions are very favourable. The detail in the metalwork is very crisp, and the research went deeper than I'd expected.

The back of the Montefortino helmet hadn't been fully shown in the promo images, but they actually sculpted the rising line of ridges on the neck gaurd, as on these examples:

The greaves are also designed better than on the likes of the old ACI figures, as they're shaped to grip the legs, since the real things were flexible and sprung onto the legs. There aren't any straps to secure them on the figure though, they just grip due to the shape.

They also have 'hammered' detailing, which the helmet and body armour also have to a lesser extent.

The sword, meant to be a wasp-waisted gladius hispaniensis, has a shiny iron blade of real metal, and is a particularly tight fit for the scabbard (which happens to be plastic, likely to reduce the weight being suspended on the leather straps).

The sword is a little short, and corresponds more to the much later Mainz Gladius.

The belt is fastened at the back by a thread laced through four corresponding holes on each side. Out of the box it's a bit too tight to push down onto the hips, so will need to be untied. I also want to raise the tunic over the top of the belt to shorten it, as in the drawing that inspired the figure.

The tunic itself has a fair bit of weathering on the skirt part.

Thankfully the shield is made of light plastic, unlike some of Kaustic Plastik's which were sometimes too heavy to hold. It's a bit too short versus the source image and details, as appeared early on, but about right in width.

The spear is very close to the quoted 2.5m length. It's made of a rigid plastic, with moulded butt spike and separate metal head. The head doesn't plug on straight though. Pushed all the way down it'll bend off to one side. The head seems true on the outside, so it must be the hole inside that isn't. I was thinking of gluing it into place, but white tack might be better as it's permanently adjustable.

Apart from the bracers, the only odd choice HH/HY made was sculpting socks inside the boots. While it does get cold in Italy and North Africa, especially at night, the socks (as worn by Romans in colder climates) aren't selling the idea of the North African setting for this Oscan/Samnite warrior.

Prior to the figure's arrival I went through my spares and picked a selection of fully sculpted feet to use on the figure. The pair I had that turned out to be the closest skin tone match were from a World Box AT012, which are pretty good as they have painted veins.

 

[Asta]

I opted to glue the spear head on, as it was the only way to get it to stay straight.

I'd forgotten this came with a base, and it looks identical to the one that came with my CooModel Gothic knight. Yet another similarity to the other group of companies.




I've finished setting the figure up, and I think the armour is still too big. You can adjust it to look the correct length at the front, but then it hangs over the belt at the back. However, I'm only interested in the front so it works okay.

In reality armour of this quality would've been handed down through the generations, so wouldn't fit every wearer the same as the first.

Overall I think this is a pretty impressive piece, with more historical accuracy than I'd have expected from these teams. Removing the bracers and boots was a simple fix, though it did require hot water to remove the hands and attach the feet.

The short shield is probably passable as not all examples are likely to have been identically sized, and it still looks the part.

 

[Asta]

I'll swap the base out for a regular oval one so he doesn't tower over everyone else.

EDIT:

 

[Asta]

Looking at him on the shelf alongside the other ancients I started to feel that he was too well built, too broad shouldered.

The body HH/HY used is very good quality. It's heavy, well sculpted and well painted with shading in the recesses of the muscles. It may well be from World Box, which would explain why the feet matched so well. But it's so well built it looks more appropriate for Conan the Barbarian!

I transferred him onto a TTM19 type muscle body.

It meant opening up two of the rings on the armour to remove it, and pulling the lace out of the belt. The TTM19 is a lot slimmer throughout, so it took a lot of futzing and some padding to get the belt, armour and tunic to fit.

I'm happy with the result as he now looks more realistic for the period. I also diverged from the source drawing and moved the sword to his right side so it wasn't hidden behind the shield. It may not be accurate, but it's the side Romans (who weren't officers) wore their sword, so as not to interfere with the shield while drawing it in formation.

(Forgot to press the cheeks guards in before taking the photos ).

The stock body:

 

[Asta]

 

[FlyAndFight]

It definitely looks better proportioned.

Interesting to see him barefooted.