Tuesday, 12 October 2010

'Arfur Legion

I mentioned last week that I'd worked out that, with a bit of judicious juggling and outsourced painting, I could knock a legion of 240 recruits together.  My rationale is that the cohorts have been recently raised in a time of crisis.  The armouries have run out of mail, and are issuing shields in whatever colour and condition they have available, and many of the soldiers are in unmilitary whites and other colours.  I rather suspect that a lot of Civil War legions may have looked like this, especially when Pompey "stamped his foot".

I'm making good progress.  Below are the first 5 cohorts, less c 24 figures that are painted (by Nick) and almost ready to add into the gaps on the bases.  I'm freely mixing armoured and unarmoured Foundry minis, with a whole spread of helmet types, and even some Aventines.

Below are the first batch of 48 minis that Nick painted, together with some shields that I've painted them to match shields on some of the recruits I finished last year. 

My plan is to polish off these 5 cohorts over the next 2 weeks, and then complete the second batch of 5 cohorts in a similar manner.

Monday, 11 October 2010

Red Letter Day

I received a package today from Mike of Relic Miniatures in the USA, with some of his lovely generals (Military Man, and the Gallic chief).  I'm very excited by these models, and Mike has very kindly sent some more samples of his Tarentines and some very nice foot figures, too.  I promise I will take photos over the next few days. 

I also received some pics from Keith at Aventine of their own new Tarantines, which look fantastic; I've placed an order, and also ordered some of their new Spartacus range, too (mostly the cavalry). If you've not seen this latter range it is well worth a look as they are on the same Copplestone dollies as the Companion range.

It is amazing; a man waits 20 years for sone nice Tarantines, and then 2 great ranges come along at once.  ;-)

And finally, as icing on the cake my BTD Roman cavalry arrived; a complete order and within 4 weeks of placing it, which is a personal best for them.  Nice minis too.  I'll be back for more.

So excited have I been by the recent plunk of lead on hallway floor, that I placed an order in the Foundry 20% off sale, to celebrate!

Friday, 8 October 2010

Marlburian Digression

Tonight Ray Lucas kindly invited self and local gamer Nigel along for a 10mm scale Marlburian game.  I grabbed a couple of snaps of the splendid battlefield (but regret not having used a flash).  I was the Imperialists, defending some villages and a stream (foreground), whilst  French  General Nigel was busily outflanking me on my right.  We didn't get all that far, but it is safe to say I was fretting about my exposed wing.

I told Ray that I loved the way the minis were mounted in 6's on 20x20 bases, and that what he really needed was a big 5" hex mat to put them on!  He looked at me like I was a heretic. But I think those battalions would work superbly on some sort of grid using stripped down rule system and card activation.  Made me wish I owned a couple of armies myself, to experiment with.  I shall have to get him down for a C&C game....

Ray's Corporal John Marlburian rules are available on his website.

Saturday, 2 October 2010

Cunning Plan I

A few weeks ago Nick Speller sent me back 48 Caesarian Romans I'd posted to him back in the summer; he's done a lovely job on them.  I mix unarmoured and armoured minis, mount them irregularly on 60x30 bases, and use them as poorer quality legionaries, such as the Pompeians raised.   Here are some I prepared earlier.  

I've temporarily mounted these so that I can paint the bases, varnish and add shields.


I was planning to mix these with some figures Nick has painted before, to build 6 24-man cohorts.  However, I found myself going through my other units, and have worked out that if I cannibalise four smaller existing units and ask Nick to paint another 32 figures, I could put together an entire 240-man legion.  So this will need to be done... a package is winging its way to Essex and I've started retouching 16 figures in the background.

Monday, 27 September 2010

A Little Roman Camp- Completed

This is the 15mm Roman camp from 3 posts back, painted, stained and varnished.  The palisade is my 49th Birthday present to my friend Ian, and the tents my 50th. 


By coincidence, today is my own 50th Birthday, so Happy Birthday to Me!  I shall celebrate by starting to base a couple more units.

Sunday, 26 September 2010

Praetorian Horse

These horses are salvaged from an old cavalry regiment I have decided to renovate; they are from A&A. They are a little tubby, but I love the elaborate harnesses.  Strictly speaking, they are middle Imperial Roman horses, but I won't tell if you won't!  They are going to become the cavalry components of the two Praetorian cohorts I have planned for my EIR Army.

I will be using riders from Black Tree Design.  I have most of the riders I need, but have had to order the command minis from BTD themselves, who are far from being the speediest supplier of miniatures, gulp... this could considerably delay the unit.


I have renovated the bases, too.  It is very odd to see a nicely-based unit with no riders!

Saturday, 25 September 2010

Riders of the eBoii

I've just knowcked out a quick celtic cavalry regiment.  These were an impulse purchase on eBay; relatively poorly painted, they cost rather less than the cost of the metal from Wargames Foundry.


It took roughly a week to tart them up.  They will never look as nice as figures panted by Nick who has done most of my Celts, but I think they will look fine on the table.

Next I'm going to finish Ian's camp and work on some Praetorian Cavalry....