Showing posts with label Palatina. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Palatina. Show all posts

Saturday, 11 January 2014

Martenses et Lanciarii Sabrienses


The Martenses are an auxiliary unit from the Magister Equitum's Gallic command. They are pseudocomitatenses; border troops promoted to join the field army. Both photos are clickable.


The Lanciarii Sabrienses are another unit from the Magister Equitum's Gallic Command, but of  higher status as, like the Herculiani, they are one of the dozen Legiones Palatina.

Both units are repaints of ebay purchases. They took perhaps 6 painting sessions each; I kept the basic colour scheme but did a good deal of overpainting.  I'm really pleased with the "wear" I painted on the shields, especially on the Sabrienses. The Gripping Beast figures are very nice; the large shields are excellent, and there are a huge variety of poses that I hope to use in future units.  They also work well, in terms of size  and style, with the Muskateer range.

Luke Ueda-Sarson has a fantastic site featuring the designs of the Notitia Dignitatum.  I have spent many happy hours clicking through it, and I would commend it to anyone who is researching a Late Roman army.

And finally, LBMS Steve has very kindly (and extremely promptly) created a beautiful new transfer for the Ioviani, the sister-unit of Thursday's Herculiani Seniores.  If collecting Late Romans, please go forth and purchase some, and then perhaps we can persuade him to make some more Late Roman designs!

Thursday, 9 January 2014

Herculiani seniores

The Herculiani Seniores (Herculians) were a Legion Palatinae (guard) unit in the Western Late Roman army, that were originally formed from the VI Legion, from Illyricum.  Brigaded together with the Ioviani (Jovians), who I will have to paint later on, they were usually in the thick of the fighting!  Please have a click.


I bought 18 on the minis on eBay, and painted 6 more to match, using the excellent LBMS transfers on the shields.  I've decided to stain and daub all my shields with mud, because I prefer an "on campaign" look.  

I have just consulted my Late Roman expert mate, who says they might well have retained an eagle standard; I'll remedy this a little later on!

PS I mixed in a few Crusader minis, to add a little variety.  Although slightly stockier, they fit in very well!

Saturday, 7 May 2011

Young Lions

This is a clickable WIP shot of the Leones Iuniores, my latest Late Roman unit (Auxilia Palatina).  The painting is just about complete, although they still need assembling, varnishing and basing.  These have only taken six (albeit rather long) painting sessions; I only started painting them on Monday!  I must be getting faster!


After these, I hope to knock up a few quick supporting units based around some Black Tree figures I bought painted on eBay, a few years back...  and I'll need to pause to make up a big batch of bases, as I'm almost out.