Thursday, 8 May 2014

Back to black

...instead of following through on basing the yellow shields, I decided to push on and finish the second, black-shielded legion. These figures are around half of them, and are the ones that came ready painted; they are the work of three painters, who I like to think of as the good, the bad and the ugly. The "good" ones in row 3 and 4 are more well-painted ex-Legatus Hedlius minis, and just needed shield transfers. The "bad" ones in rows one and two needed a near complete repaint. The "ugly" ones at the rear had just been blocked in, and look much better for a little highlighting.


I need one more session on this lot's shields, two more on the rump of the minis, and then I can think about varnishing and basing. It is going so well, in fact, that I have cockily decided to paint a cohort or so of archers to provide some fire support.

If anyone would like to see all of the completed minis together, then they will be at Partizan on 1st June, and at the Wargames Holiday Centre on the 28th/29th June, where I'll putting on four large games.

Monday, 5 May 2014

Painting progress...


A quick WIP shot of the first of the two new legions for Partizan. In a few days time, when they are flocked, I'll take some proper photos.

These are now based up as 4 units, each of 3 stands, together with the legion's command stand and a couple of singly based "heroes".  The new 8 figure 60 x 50mm stand is to become the standard for all my Romans.

Later in the year I will add a fifth unit, which can form the third line of the legion.  I'm currently painting the other legion with the black shields, which will make a great contrast.  

Friday, 2 May 2014

The varnished troops

Today I'm varnishing the first of the two legions for Partizan.  Tonight I'll highlight the metallics, and take them off the temporary bases.


A very superior matt varnish was recommended to me by ConflictinColour; Windsor and Newton Professional.  It comes in a silver can and is much better than their other product.  It's at least as good as Testors, and less than half the price.

Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Nuts!


I played a test game of my rules with Ian and Dr. Simon last night, but couldn't find my box that contains all the markers.  We had to improvise; we used coins for the victory medals, and Hazelnuts for the ammo markers!

We agreed that the Celts are somewhat overpriced compared to the Romans.  Today I've been tweaking the rules, and thinking about heroes... 

Saturday, 26 April 2014

Do I really sound like that?

Marvel to the sibilant tones of the eponymous Bat, 40 seconds in on this Beasts of War video of Salute 2014.  And note the themed T-shirt!


I think I deserve a certain degree of kudos for introducing the W40K crowd to the obscure 1st Century AD Roman military author Frontinus.  :-)  I was like a rabbit in the headlights.

Many thanks to Craig Cartmell for sending me the link.

Friday, 25 April 2014

Romans, Romans, Romans

Apologies for the recent lack of posts; I've been hard at the brush. 

I estimate I'm at least half way through my big Roman project, and on target for Partizan.  In the below camera phone photos, you can see that I've re-organised the part-painted minis into their respective legions. I am going to focus on finishing the yellow shields first.



I've been really enjoying this job, so much that I've ordered enough additional transfers from Steve at LBMS for a new legion, and for various extra units to increase the size of the other legions to 125 each. 

A couple of Victrix Steve's plastic peltasts have infiltrated the metal figures.  I'm painting them up as tests for a future project.

Sunday, 20 April 2014

A question of scale

Around two years back, I decided that I would adopt a smaller representative scale on my legions. With 100 men to a legion, as below, I'd be able to build enough of them to re-fight the larger Civil War battles to which I aspire.


For some weeks I've been painting legionaries, and I'm making really good progress on two new legions. New figures are rolling off the production line at a rate of knots. 

In fact I am making such good progress, that it has struck me that I could, potentially, increase the size of the legions to 125 figures each (a 1:40 scale). I'd only need to paint another 100 minis or so in order to bring my forces up to this revised strength, and then I would be able to deploy the legions in a triple line, rather than the double line above. At the same time, I could take the opportunity to re-base some of the older figures to my new, improved standard, 8 figures to a 60 x 50mm base.

This has to be done... after Partizan, perhaps for SELWG.