'Empire' From TeemuL: Pezhetairoi [Empire] (25 points)

 I make my life too difficult every now and then. For example when trying to decide which miniatures would qualify for "Submit a freshly painted figure (or figures) and/or terrain piece illustrating the rise or fall of an empire. The empire can be one from history, myth or fiction."

What actually is an empire? When that empire is rising or falling? What minis I have that could be used? I have old WHFB Empire minis, but when that Empire was actually rising or falling? Same goes for various 40K minis, which part of the timeline would be suitable for rising or falling? Horus Heresy, just before? Just after? 40K era after Guilliman came back? How could I justify random Space Marine or Astra Militarium minis to be from the rise or fall and not just generic?

Now, I don't have any Roman Empire era minis. Nor Holy Roman empire. Nothing from Klingon Empire. Or Galactic Empire. Could I just create an empire and a backstory? I guess so, but it would almost be cheating. If there are bonus points to get, I want to get them fair - You might remember how much trouble I saw to grab all these bonus points with Twilight Ringwraiths 4 years(!!!) ago https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2022/03/from-teemul-outer-ring-istvaan-v.html.

I almost gave up, until I started browsing through my collection of unpainted minis, when I found a box of Pezhetairoi, which was part of Warlord Games mystery box. Ok, I thought, Alexander the Great probably had an empire, could these fit... The answer came from the back of the box:"The Pezhetairoi (Foot Companions) built upon the success of the Greek phalanx – and improved it. Deeper formations were used, along with the sarissa, a pike much longer than the spears used by the city-states. Whereas the phalanx was the mainstay of Greek armies, under Alexander they were used to pin enemy units and hold them until they could be smashed by the Companion Cavalry."

Alexander the Great had an empire, and being victorious in every battle, his empire was in constant rise, until he died and everything fell, or collapsed. Pezhetairoi were a major part of his empire and one could say he made them what they were, underlining their importance for the empire and his success. At the moment I'm confident that I can claim the bonus points for Empire theme round and sleep without nightmares.

As I said these are plastic minis from Warlord Games (no longer available, it seems). The paintjob is part Contrast part traditional paints. Some parts of the clothes is just thin wash over off-white basecoat. My laid-back research is solidly based on the box art, lots of off-white, gold(ish) and red, with other colours here and there. The shields are hand painted red and then transfers added from the box. The base is sand, washed and painted in pale brownish colours and I forgot to add some self made tufts.

25 points for 5 minis in 28mm and what ever the bonus points for the theme round might be. And luckily I decided to paint 5 of these instead of four, so I can claim my third Squirrel (28mm Napoleonic British, 28mm Fantasy Dwarfs, 28mm Alexander the Great)