Showing posts with label EIR2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EIR2. Show all posts

Friday, 6 February 2015

Benson Legion for the World's Strongest

I have been marking up tablecloths with grids for the World's Strongest tournament at Benson, tomorrow, and thought I'd lay out my new Roman army on them.  All the photos are clickable.


Above is the army; a mere 11 units, with 3 generals and 2 heroes (all I could fit into 120 points). On the left is the small cavalry wing with heroic general Maximus (no not that one!) and hero Longinus:


Next are two veteran cohorts painted by David Imrie, with another hero, Julianus, and a screen of Eastern archers.


The core of the force is three cohorts of legionaries, led by Tribune Marcus Flavius Aquila, and screened by slingers.


And last, but not least, two cohorts of auxiliaries; the prettiest units of the whole force, IMHO.


I'm very glad I laid these out; I've just realised that I've forgotten to get the C in C out of storage! Now I must dash, I need to grid-up two more cloths, sort out a couple more armies, boards and terrain and load the car for a dawn dash westwards.

Wednesday, 4 February 2015

Roman reinforcements for Benson

This week I completed enough minis to complete my second Early Imperial Roman army, for use at our TtS! tournament at Benson near Oxford on Saturday.  This army are mostly Foundry Perry minis, and smaller than my main EIR army; I call them EIR2.  They have all been bought painted or part painted on eBay and tarted up. They are based up either for use with my own "To the Strongest!" rules or with Impetus.  All pictures are clickable!


This is my favourite unit - auxilia.  There are minis here from three very competent painters, and my involvement was mostly on painting some shields and adding staining.


Above is a unit of legionaries by a couple of different painters.  This is the third cohort I have from this legion - I aspire to eventually field six or eight.


Above are some fairly generic slingers; these are more or less complete repaints.


The Governor, Aulus Paulinus, of course!  Below is a hero figure - Longinus a brave Roman cavalryman from the siege of Jerusalem. During a combat at range with javelins, Longinus, a cavalryman, leaped out from the Roman lines and charged the mass of the enemy. He killed one, pulled his spear out, stabbed another in the side, and then made his way safely back to his comrades.


And finally below is a Warlord Testudo that David Imrie very kindly gave me; I did just a little work on the base so that it would better match my minis.  


When I get a chance, I'll take a picture of the complete army with the units that I completed earlier.

If you are at a loose end on Saturday and fancy dropping in to say hello at Benson, or even trying the rules, please email me for details.

Wednesday, 29 January 2014

Veteran Ala


This ala of Roman cavalry will join the Impetus-based Early Imperial Roman army that I've building in spare moments between other projects.

I painted the Gripping Beast riders at least a decade ago, but they looked too small alongside the larger minis in my main EIR army, and consequently have languished unloved in a storage box for at least five years.  


They are, however, perfect for my new, smaller, EIR army. I decided that, just for a change, it would be fun to base them mostly on standing horses, and I found some foundry models on fleaBay.


I incorporated a casualty figure and a dead horse from the bits box; this poor wounded fellow is appealing to his colleagues for help, but they too busy, as preparing to charge.

I'm now past half way with this army.  A couple more elements each of cavalry and legionaries, and a general or two, should see it ready for the field!

Wednesday, 15 January 2014

Iulianus, Centurion.

I will need a few singly-based "hero" figures, to use with the rules I am developing.  This one is, I believe, a Warlord figure, from among the small collection that I recently bought off Saxon Dog. I've named him after Julian, a centurion who met his fate on the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem.  Lovely paintwork... and a suitable reminder of the heroism expected of the centurionate.

"But there was one Julian, a centurion, that came from Eithynia, a man he was of great reputation, whom I had formerly seen in that war, and one of the highest fame, both for his skill in war, his strength of body, and the courage of his soul. This man, seeing the Romans giving ground, and ill a sad condition, (for he stood by Titus at the tower of Antonia,) leaped out, and of himself alone put the Jews to flight, when they were already conquerors, and made them retire as far as the corner of the inner court of the temple; from him the multitude fled away in crowds, as supposing that neither his strength nor his violent attacks could be those of a mere man. Accordingly, he rushed through the midst of the Jews, as they were dispersed all abroad, and killed those that he caught. Nor, indeed, was there any sight that appeared more wonderful in the eyes of Caesar, or more terrible to others, than this. However, he was himself pursued by fate, which it all not possible that he, who was but a mortal man, should escape; for as he had shoes all full of thick and sharp nails as had every one of the other soldiers, so when he ran on the pavement of the temple, he slipped, and fell down upon his back with a very great noise, which was made by his armor. This made those that were running away to turn back; whereupon those Romans that were in the tower of Antonia set up a great shout, as they were in fear for the man. But the Jews got about him in crowds, and struck at him with their spears and with their swords on all sides. 
Now he received a great many of the strokes of these iron weapons upon his shield, and often attempted to get up again, but was thrown down by those that struck at him; yet did he, as he lay along, stab many of them with his sword. Nor was he soon killed, as being covered with his helmet and his breastplate in all those parts of his body where he might be mortally wounded; he also pulled his neck close to his body, till all his other limbs were shattered, and nobody durst come to defend him, and then he yielded to his fate. Now Caesar was deeply affected on account of this man of so great fortitude, and especially as he was killed in the sight of so many people; he was desirous himself to come to his assistance, but the place would not give him leave, while such as could have done it were too much terrified to attempt it. Thus when Julian had struggled with death a great while, and had let but few of those that had given him his mortal wound go off unhurt, he had at last his throat cut, though not without some difficulty, and left behind him a very great fame, not only among the Romans, and with Caesar himself, but among his enemies also; then did the Jews catch up his dead body, and put the Romans to flight again, and shut them up in the tower of Antonia."  

Flavius Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book VI


Friday, 27 December 2013

A belated merry Xmas, and some fine Romans!

Hordes of invading relatives have meant I've been unable to post, so can I belatedly wish all my visitors a very late Merry Xmas and a rather early Happy New Year! May all your dice roll 6's (except when you need a 1!).



I bought these superb miniatures off fellow blogger Saxon Dog.  A huge thank you to David for thinking of me! They are far better than I could ever paint... but I hope I've complimented them with this Impetus basing scheme. The minis are mostly Foundry Perry (but the casualties and standard might be Warlord). All photos are clickable,do please have a look; the details are stunning!


As with the previous units, I have done the first element in combat poses, and the second element advancing slowly, as supports. I'll do this with all the legionary elements, and deploy them in 2 lines on the table. For some reason I think of these bases as centuries rather than the cohorts that my other EIR collection is formed in. I love the grouping above, with the centurion looking over at the wounded legionary. Such a fine casualty figure.


I now have six elements of Perry Romans, and will add a couple more each month.


Impetus basing also works very well with the "To the Strongest" rules I intend to publish next year, and I'll be using these in photos to illustrate aspects of the rules.  I will need some foes for them, too...

Monday, 2 December 2013

Impetus gaining momentum


Some more Romans based for Impetus; again Warlords, from the small but beautifully painted army that I bought from David Imrie.  I went with a 4cm deep base, and a few more minis than others might use.


This is the 4th element, I hope to reach 10  by the early New Year... and I'll need to think about collecting a suitable army for them to fight.  

Saturday, 30 November 2013

Impetus Auxilia

I bought these (clickable) chaps off Saxon Dog, recently; they are from his Last of the Free! collection. I've re-based them for Impetus (and my own To The Strongest! ruleset), for my EIR2 project, which is really starting to roll along, now.


The paint jobs are beautiful, better than I could do, and I didn't touch them at all, except to muddy up the shields.  Which seemed almost criminal.  I'm also very impressed with these particular Warlord castings; so dynamic!  


I also have some archers, and two elements-worth of David's legionaries, which I hope to base next week. I'm ploughing on towards my 52 unit target for the year.  I'm currently at 41, but have a couple more close to completion...  

(Note to self- Base coat is Steel Legion Drab, highlighted with SLD + Buff Titanium and the lightest drybrush of Buff Titanium with a little SLD.  Shields are washed with Strong Tone, then stippled with SLD, SLD light tone and the very lightest drybrush of Buff Titanium.  After tufting, wash the bases with matt varnish with Army Painter Strong Tone ink added)

Monday, 11 November 2013

My fifth Blogiversary, and a new major project

My first ever blog post was on 8th November 2008, and I have realised that I have just passed my fifth Blogiversary! Since then, I appear to have made no fewer than 675 posts, and have had just over 570K page views. Can I offer a huge thanks to all of the visitors, who make this such an enjoyable activity! 


For my next major project, I've decided to assemble a second* Early Imperial Roman army from the delightful Foundry Perry range, based for Impetus (or my own "To the Strongest!" rules) on a 12cm frontage. Do 'ave a click!  I do like the look of Impetus basing.


With this army, I'm going for a deliberately wet, muddy look, based upon my impression of the opening scene of the film Gladiator.  All the miniatures will be pre-owned, purchased from eBay, and "tarted up" as described in my recent article in Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy Issue 69. I aspire to approximately 10 elements of legionaries, 6 of auxiliaries, 2 of Praetorians and 4 cavalry together with lights, generals and artillery. Even using pre-painted minis, this may take a little time...

*Ultimately there will also be a third, Aventine, late-Early Imperial army