Magni's Fan-art box

[flat thunder]

I've updated/fixed some design inaccuracies in my historical armour and weapons collection. Also added more uniqueness to my sets, it made them more "practical/historical" too. Though stuff like the banner and Kite shields may have to go in favour of 3rd-5th century stuff like Foederati spear with dragon banner.

These sets take from vastly different sources of armour styles like Tang dynasty lamellar, which is not at all what people like the Celts should be wearing, nor would they have Frankish gear lol, add to that a Nubian using a Hellenistic period silver shield while wearing Archaic period bronze muscle cuirass while standing next to a guy in Mycenean Dendra Panoply.

(Smaller resolution will always be included in further updates in case anyone wants to make their own versions.)

[tired fulcrum]

Beri nice, just looking at these gives me a shitload of ideas too bad I'm too lazy right now

[flat thunder]

Updated item and clothing sprites, some of these will be used for later (aka I've fucked up the Foederati sprites)

Focusing on late Roman and a few Greek army gear and armour for the next few sets. Planned items include:

late Roman crested helm, bronze squamata variants, shirts and pants (^ mostly done), cavalry and Roman round shields, painted spear variants, linothorax, muscle cuirass and Greek shield variants, Phyrgian helm variants, Byzantine cataphract armour and maybe bows/slings too (if you ask me they'd be accessible only in Spartacus war and as consumables, serving as trainers with limited uses per battle and only damage)

[flat thunder]

All progress so far for the new concepts, only thing needed now are maybe two or three variations for painted shields and spears, maybe some squamata+hamata mix before moving on to Greek sets, the pants and shirts will also have cloak variations so they may be done last.

[flat thunder]

Mostly made corrections to colours and proportions in this one, started forcusing in Greeco-Roman armours too (like Itallic style Corinthian helm) and making Linothorax variations. Skipped Hamata and Squamata because chain and scale are tricky to texture together for now.

Might make slow progress for the Greek armours since I want to make sure they're not all the same Linothorax but X before I go Byzantine. So I'll have to work with scale armour too which will be tricky, plus I need to rework the curved swords and heater shield into actual Romphaia or Kopis swords and Aspis shield variations.

[flat thunder]

I've been playing and modding Rome Total War (the original one) a lot lately and figured I might as well use the Diadochi Total War mod for inspiration. So expect a lot of Phyrgian, Thracian and Itallic helm variants lol.

Unseen I've also reworked a lot of the bronze age gear like the figure of 8 shield, also added a wip bronze age Mcyenean sword and tusk helmet but they may be the last of the set to be finished.

Kopis looks janky for now and so does the Rhompaia but eh, I'll work it out.

[flat thunder]

The classical Greeks and a very lost Diadochi-era Silver Shield from Nubia.

As you can see most of the time I've spent is on Linothorax and helmet variations, mostly focusing on plumes for Corinthian ones. The new helmets are the Illyrian and Thracian helmets, one of which does have a variant in the items file.

Here you can see just how many variations there are, with bright polished bronze as an option since the bronze bracers are, well, brighter than other bronze sets to say the least. Works well for officers if they have the scale-Linothorax with red tussles but might as well be consistent for now.

Kopis swords and shields have also been reworked, replacing the kite shield with both a tower shield and Boetian style shield, figure of eight shield also now has better proportions and a variant. Kopises are mostly based on some Kult of Athena swords, with the spartan Kopis based loosely on the 300 movie's sword.
I also remade my Tang dynasty lamellar since I lost that file and have now expanded it for future variants. Like not having shoulder or armpit armour.

[flat thunder]

While I may now return my focus to bronze age gear, I am also stuck on wether or not I want to make Republic-era Roman gear first. Like itallic helmet Triarii, Velites variations, gallic stlye Hastati and princeps. Might also make early legionaires because yes I am still addicted to RTw Diadochi.

There is also a lot of inspiration from Europa Barbarorum in these concepts, might even make a Druhtiz Herusku for gauls/barbarians to balance out the Romano-Greekness lately

[flat thunder]

The Aspis' size was bothering me and then I realised real ones covered nearly the entire body... so I resized them. Same logic for the Italo-Corinthian montefortino helmet and the Scutum shield. Proportions were off and the helmet-slits looked less like Corinthian eye-slits and more like a gaping hole. Also added a post-Alexander reformed Thureophoroi with optional Rhompaia

I also redesigned the shading for the Hamata and other chain mail sets. First ones looked too chaotic to register as chainmail without squinting hard.

[flat thunder]

Updated Velites, Hastati and Triarii to be more hisyorically authentic. Principes and early Legionaires will follow later. May have to abandon the bronze age and post-5th century armours.

Most of the time for this set was devoted to the Montefortino helmet variations, legionaire and principes will also probably look closest to the in-game versions. So I might make Antisignati (elite Roman scouts) and Evocatii (retired and then re-enlisted vets) as the main focus of the legion armours (both of which are uniquely coloured blue in Europa Barbarorum).

[flat thunder]

Finished late Roman Republic army, Velite, Hastatus, Princeps and Triarius. Gave hastatus and princeps an oval shaped shield, though those were often used by cavalry by the time the early legions started forming in favour of the scutum or similar shields for most of the army. Triarii used similar shields but it felt right to give them a scutum to mimic early Itallic Hoplitai.

Most of the time yesterday was spent reworking chain mail (again) and making sprite fixes for the Greek and Roman swords. If I can find a way to make Evocatus or Antisiganti look unique in comparison to the others I might draw them. Until then I may start working on either the Aedui(Gauls) or the Ptolomies' native Egyptian troops.

[flat thunder]

Took quite a break, decided to make the Europa Barbarorum Antisignati with minimal effort

Also trying to decide if I want more historically accurate Roman shield designs, a bunch of the wips for today are all Polybian Legion related as a result of this. Imperial legion is pretty well-covered already so I may skip them unless I make a Dacian war variant for the legionaire. If all goes well the next troop will be an Evocatus with a cavalry shield and decorated lorica hamata.

Also most of the bronze age gear has either been done away with or transferred to a different project entirely: Sing 'o Muse. A gladihoppers fan art thing that's set in Troy.

[flat thunder]

Finished the Roman faction for now, moving on to a factiin entirely new to Gladihoppers: Persia. Or well, whatever's left of the Achaemenid-style military within Parthia. They will be the most bipolar faction aside from the Sweboz(Germans) I'm planning to do, since they will have extremely light infantry (even with elites) and yet have foot-cataphracts which will be even tankier than the Romans.

As for archers I plan on making them too with a twist on their concept if I was in charge: Trainers. They'll be trainers that have differing ranges and stuff and once consumed will have to be bought again(resupplied) per battle in Spartacus' War.

Closer look at the Dacian war legionaire. Ofc the manica would realistically be on the right arm only but eh, it looks cool and probably happened for soldiers who are rich and very scared of falxes

[open mauve]

Very nice work!

[flat thunder]

Light infantry Achaemenid Persian immortal is done. Now I'll just have to make a bow and quiver for him and the rest of the Achaemenids. Heavy infantry variant with scale armour will be next, I just tackled the hardest part first (multi-coloured clothing) as to not tire myself even if I do find the reference images amazing.

[dusk raft]

That's awesome !

[flat thunder]

Made some concept stances for the soldiers I've done so far, with stuff like javelins on shields and strapped shields + two handed weapon (Rhomphaia)

This also helps me decide on if the shields are scaled right. I personally think they work well for a game like Gladihoppers but most of these shields are either a little too wide or too short

The spears are all mostly shorter than normal but they fit the scale well for arenas, maybe longer versions can be made for if I can somehow recreate the Spartacus' War map

[flat thunder]

Persian immortals as light (maybe palace gaurds?) and medium infantry are done, well medium infantry is more based on popular depiction so I'll likely make a heavy inantry version in full body of scale armour.

I say this because most of the "historically accurate" depictions show them in scale armour, where unlike movies the leather backing don't show or don't cover spots. And they don't have the Greco-Roman style leather belt/thigh armour.

Oh, and they have big-ass square shields instead of the curved oblong shields of lighter infantry.

[dusk raft]

That is just eyes cleaner

Awesome work man

[flat thunder]

Finished Immortal heavy infantry, and finally gonna start making dedicated bowmen as the next full unit. Though I might make bows, quivers and sheaths/scabbards in the mean time, just so that I can showcase the projectile weapons and the melee weapons together

Here's the Immortal in a combat stance alongside the other soldiers thus far. He's the most protected in terms of area, though since his shield's made of wicker he also has a relatively weak shield compared to the Hoplitai or Legionary, especially once swords and axes start going around. It also means he'd be the slowest of the bunch and confined to having his shield facing forward rather than able to point downward.

[broken basalt]

This it art is too inspirational and clean looking

keep up the great work!

[dusk raft]

I agree

👌

[flat thunder]

Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to check out these concepts! Been a bit too busy to interact a lot, but from now on I'll try and take ideas as well if anyone has them.

Aside from that I took more looks at Achaemenid Immortals and a few of the cavalry within the Persian armies. Decided to add cavalry armour for the heavy Immortal as a variant just to emphasize his heavy role more, cus Persians and Parthians have the most well armoured elites in antiquity even when compared to Rome. Though I guess the reason the elite cavalry had more armour than the Immortals is because they're on horseback a lot more lol.

Also added the two-tone tunic and long pants as a resource because I forgot to add them to the items image.

[flat thunder]

Quick update before I go radio silent and start churning out variants. I'l check opinions later if y'all think the bows and dagger sheaths are properly sized (just, nevermind the peasant levy having a gold dagger).

[dusk raft]

The dagger sheath are a bit too long

[junior violet]

how did you pose on pixel studio

[flat thunder]

I draw body parts in seperate layers (background arm, legs, chest, head, foreground arm) and modify them as needed. The poses are stiff and can't be rotated.

[junior violet]

oh

[flat thunder]

I'll probably export all the finished pieces onto my laptop and finish complex poses there with GIMP or something.

Pixel studio doesn't really have any tools for stuff like rotating finished images which is sad.

[junior violet]

oh

[flat thunder]

I took a break after finishing a few clothing variations for the archers (because imma be 100% real they barely have any armour variants) and reworking a few items. Bows and stuff too aswell as a reworked "average" Spartan soldier in the 200's B.C.E (Perioikoi/Non-citizen) which are the soldiers with basically no armour except their clothes, stylish red cloak, Pylos helmet, an Aspis shield and a drive to bash their heads through a wall.

Will post pics after the final two bow variants are done (I've done like 5 or 4 total lmao sorry) and when the few daggers are fixed too.

[flat thunder]

Almost done with the Achaemenid Persians, and honestly their roster is big enough that I may not need the Parthians as they do already have heavy cavalry . And not including the peasant levies (which I am unsatisfied with their colours for now) they're definetly the most varied troop in terms of variants, I still am working on more medium infantry(axemen) with gambeson-like armour so they're pretty solid already.

Aside from thst most of the work has been downsizing alot of armour pieces, making colour corrections to be more historic, reorganizing roster lineups and a bunch of clothing.

I had to remove the Persian heavy infantry and replace it with the heavy cavalry option as it looked too similar to be justified as a variant. Which I may do for the Spartan cavalry (the guy with two feather ornaments) unless I make him a new linothorax and loincloth, he does have a pretty cool helmet after all.

The Macedonian/Hellenic period troops like native pikemen and Thureophoroi/Rhomphaioi have been pushed forward too. Just to mirror the progression of the Romans. Perioikoi are above the Boeotian style soldiers with scale linothorax just cus they're cooler ngl. I mean they fight with barely any armour and still manage to pull out a couple W's.

Poses for archer

[junior violet]

How do you do the textures so well on mobile?

[dusk raft]

Reference / if you don't have Reference just try to mix colors to see if they blend well or not

[junior violet]

Oh ok

[flat thunder]

Achaemenid Persians are finally done. As promised they have mostly light infantry and only really one heavy infantry, though I guess the Sparabara shield-bearer and the light armoured Immortal are medium infantry. Still itching to make proper Parthian heavy Cataphracts though since most of these soldiers are only in clothes or a thick padded gambeson (if you trust the Greek artwork that is).

Most of the work was also done with cleaning up weapon sprites, coloured variants for clothes, a bunch of reorganizing and prepping for the Celts to get their turn. Celts will probably be the lightest but also most damaging faction in all, as chainmail would be very rare for them as I don't think they had the same gambeson-like armour as the Persians. But they will get a ton of axes and skirmishing gear even cimpared to Romans.

[flat thunder]

A few item sprites glitched so, yeah... no clue if any of the armour sets glitched so best of luck to me in making sure

[open mauve]

looking good!

[flat thunder]

Sorry for the late reply but thanks! I've tried to keep to the original art style as close as possible while being respectful to the actual history. Mostly because I'm kinda motivated to finish 4 factions and then try and make a recreation of Spartacus' war but worse (considering my baby skills) if possible.

Once BoD drops that game will be my target for fantasy designs, if I can even get close to the fantastuc art is at that point.

Also: Celts have been started finally. There will at most be 2 chainmail variants and the one here is either gonna be the warchief or a noble guard depending on if i can make cloaks and horned helms work. Light infantry may now get some hardened-leather scale armour, or that may turn into bronze/iron scales for noble guards since I struggle to find historically leathered Celts. Expect a ton of furs and bronze though!

Some time also got consumed by the fact I randomly started designing an Eastern Roman soldier from the 400's C.E and once again fixing the at this point cursed Greeks, I forgot that their dory 6spears had bronze tips for their bottom portions, also fixed the shirts finally but nobody will notice so eh.

Here's the two new additions in combat stances.

[dusk raft]

That's wonderful

[flat thunder]

Celts are ALMOST done, need just one last light infantry (probably a javelineer) and maybe rework the two medium infantry. They have the most damaging weapons by far even if they are cheap, since clubs are scarily strong against thin armour or if it just hits right. Axes are also a thing they have in spades too so javelineer may get a two-handed ax even if that's largely inaccurate.

The bronze armoured guy is inspired by Helvetii Mori Gaesum and the guy with a proper warhammer is a Goidilic Ordmalica from Ireland. So the two medium infantry guys are not actually Aedui but other mercenary Celts. Might make more swordsmen and axemen variants even if that won't be properly shown on the roster.

[dusk raft]

This should become a mod in the game fr

[flat thunder]

I've been planning on doing either a mod or just a recreation of arena mode with these sprites if I can figure it out, though my dream would be making Spartacus' War but with new mechanics

Archers being a one time use trainer-type npc that needs re-supply (aka buying again) to be used again is my top priority. They wouldn't be actual fighters just npc's

Second priority would be heavy infanyry having slower recover animations/movement, and shield shapes sometimes forcing you to use stances like the Persian tower shield which won't be able to bend down like the others, can still use lower body strikes though.

[dusk raft]

👏

[flat thunder]

That aside the Aedui are finally done. They ended up having the most balanced roster even if they lack heavy infantry. They have two skirmishers, ax and javelin; three double handers, one with possibke small shield, and one with an ax; and a spearmen with swords.

Don't mind the guy in bronze armor and chainmail he's a test unit for possible general bodyguards, aka they can't be moved away from generals and will always foght before them and likely have better defence stats.

Ginna make praetorians, spartan guard and such for the rest

[broken basalt]

Maybe archers could have a separate tab like infantry units and they stay at the very back of the battlefield and can be killed during the intermission when another melee unit comes in

Anyways ignoring that, looking forward to the mod!

[dusk raft]

I love that idea, but they would be very op if they shoot in straight line, wouldn't it be better if they shoot upward and the arrow has a chance to land on someone and it will do a lot of damage if it successfully land on someone

Example

• chances of landing on someone 20%

• chances of landing somewhere randomly 80%

[broken basalt]

Thats sounds like a decent alternative and the rng could also apply for stomache bows since they shoot straight so they have a chance to miss or bounce off armour

[dusk raft]

Bouncing off armor sounds like a perfect idea

The greater the armor the more chances of arrows bouncing off

Hopefully Antlers see our thoughts and make it in BOD

[flat thunder]

The bodyguard units are now all done! The Greeks have Carthaginian/Seleucid Cataphracts, Romans have a Praetorian with an attic helmet (and lorica musculata under the clothes). Achaemenids have a Parthian Cataphract (can also be an archer). And lastly the Aedui have the previously mentioned Irish mercenaries.

Progress has been glacial due to a very busy week but I've finally finished the general's bodyguards. I also made the canvas larger to fit the new assets and not be as cluttered but eh.

If I have time I'd likely try and make bare-bones copy of Gladihoppers or mod it using these. But if not I'll probably move on to the medieval era, from the fall of Rome to 1066 for Europe, likely Tang or Yuan dynasty China (Mongols included) and India likely from the 10th century to the 18th since that has the most wacky medieval style armours.

[round jacinth]

you will update this to the game?

[broken basalt]

no, they will mod it

[round jacinth]

and where i could find the mod

a suggestion when you make the blood you could make parts of the bones like at sight or something like that

[round jacinth]

...

[flat thunder]

Might have to make the sprites lol, RTW has spoiled my brain and I don't understand a thing about PC Gladihoppers yet so I might finish the Franks:

Roman Cometatensis-Germanic-Spearman-Frankish axe thrower-Frankish Noble Spearman-Norman Knight

I would try modding the files again when I get the proper mondset for it, this is what happens when I get excited and realise idk what I'm doing in the slightest. For now it's on the back burner (I will probably figure it out, probably, I'm just stupid at the whole modding thing without guides).

[round jacinth]

it looks god

[flat thunder]

After a very long hiatus I am starting to work on my early medieval Gladihoppers.

Factions this time around (hoping):
Late Romans (mostly eastern)
Sassanid Persians (for real this time)
Vandals/Saxons (still skirmish heavy)
Huns (mostly lancers probably)

[flat thunder]

Made some Roman ridge helmet variants. Will probably use right-most variant because it has the most accurate silhoutte, but the others will likely be used to make 5th century Kataphraktos helmets.

[flat thunder]

Some progress, working on Germanic Foederati

[open mauve]

nice!

[dusk raft]

Noice

[broken basalt]

Nice

[umbral scarab]

noice

[gilded iron]

nooice

[flat thunder]

I Have been gone for too long so I've decided to revist my Bronze Age arsenal. Might make a new thread because this would actually be about the Trojan War and its characters instead of general troop types (maybe one alongside each leader).

Here we have our first Mycenean and first Trojan base designs.

These specific sets may later evolve into Menelaus and Hector because that's who I thought of while designing them.

[flat thunder]

Achilles representing the myrmidons, after I finish creating Rhesus, Paris and Odysseus I may finally make that dedicated threaf

[flat thunder]

Rhesus, king of Thrace in his golden armour (which actually has a galloping horse on it that we can't see much).