17 March 2024

AHPC 14: Roman Baggage elements

Yes I know I said I had submitted my last post but I got home from my travels early enough to get these baggage elements finished before I departed again.


First up is this Centurion's Tent by Debris of War. A lovely one piece resin model, it really sets the Camp scene well. The design is of leather panels stitched together with goat skin reinforcing over the seams


And if you are setting up the Centurion's tent, then it needs supplies- in this case a wine cart! This is by War Bases and comprises a mdf wagon, metal oxen and a resin insert for the wine amphorae. I added the grass to give the impression of straw packing around them


https://warbases.co.uk/product/roman-wine-cart/


How thematic that my last post was dated on the Ides of March!

10 March 2024

Legion: Life in the Roman army

Last weekend during a fleeting visit through London, I got to attend this excellent special exhibition at the British Museum. Even better, I got to do so with my friends Ashley (of Paint it Pink blog fame https://panther6actual.blogspot.com/) and Susan.

I really enjoyed the very impressive collection, probably enhanced by my recent Caesarian Army project!


This did give me a quick fright; the saddle horns are bronze, which is not what I painted my recent cavalry. I was bemoaning this (and the inevitable repainting I would need to do) to Ashley when we read that they were originally leather covered - phew!





And this is the only surviving example of a scutum - rather remarkable ghiven how many must have been made.
Details of the paintwork




This was interesting - now I need to find a 28mm version! 



Cataphract armour



Give me back my Legions Varus!


With a lovely lunch to replenish afterwards, and a spot of shopping at Orc's Nest to procure a few treasures, it was a really nice day. And yet, despite all the pics I took of of antiquities we didnt get a pic of us together!

Thanks ladies for a great day out!

03 March 2024

AHPC 14: (almost) Last Submission

I'm away for work now so this was my last submission for AHPC 14.

Despite having planned (and acquired models) for tribal warband allies for Caesar, I recently discovered that in fact... I cant under the army lists! Oops. An emergency resupply of legionaries was required.

So here are two more Legionary units, using 1st Corps models and taking me to a total of 10. Frustratingly, these are smaller sculpts to the rest of my army, more true 25s really. That said, they look good on their own bases and their poses give them a different look to my other troops. Shield decals by LMB Studios, and 2 fancier ones were hand painted for the Centurion and his Signifer to mix things up.

Another Command Figure to take charge on the wing, a Warlord sculpt this time. Nicely detailed but  more statuesque and fancy in style, as befitting his rank. Maybe a wealthy Senator's son spending time with the Legions to further his political career back in Rome after the campaigning season.

Ave Caesar!

Next a pair of Lictors, destined to accompany Caesar on my army's command base. I got the General's famous white charger done but sadly ran out of time for the man himself and really didn't want to rush such an iconic figure. So here they are, albeit unbased - mea culpa!

Their broad flat features and big noses are very Wallacus and Gromitus!

And finally a Hoplomachus for my gladiator ludus, filling a gap in my retinue. This style of fighter was modelled on the Greek Hoplite and was distinguishable by his spear, small shield and greaves. Traditionally, a Hoplomachus would be paired to fight either a Threax or Murmillo.

I've gone all-in with the Hoplite style and am very happy with how he turned out with the matched red and white apparel.


That's 22 completed figures @ 5 points each (110) and 2 more unbased @-25% (7.5 points) for a total of 117.5 points. Added to my tally of 882 gets me to...999.5 points for the challenge. A mercy bonus opoint from the minion for the hand painetd shield squeaked me the the line and thats AHPC XIV complete foe me!

https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/02/from-paulog-last-hurrah-legionaries.html

18 February 2024

AHPC 14: Allied Gaul Cavalry

Gallic Cavalry with attached General and retinue

These two units are Crossing the Rubicon for me - I just don't do units of cavalry for any period, so these took some working up to. But at last, here are my Allied (Mercenary) Tribal Cavalry to fight for Caesar!

Look at those great Gallic moustaches!
Having procrastinated for years, these brought me real joy and I did the models in a weekend, including hand painting all the shields. These aren't anything special, but they are special for me - I even tried a dappled grey for the Chieftain as a stretch goal. To be honest, it took a few goes.

I've done something a bit different with the basing too - I wanted to depict them as a thundering mass of terrifying horse flesh bearing down on the trembling legionaries of Pompey Magnus. So they are on deeper bases to give them space for dynamic placement, and I chunked one of them up with even more figures to depict the attached General and his retinue.


I bought the figs second hand, and while I'm certain the Command figs are Crusader models, I'm not sure about the rest.  All are metal though, so these bases have a very satisfying heft when you pick them up :-)

AHPC is about pushing oneself, either in productivity or new styles, and these Cavalry models have certainly taken me out of my comfort zone and helped me round out this Army project. 

https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/02/from-paulog-allied-gallic-cavalry-132.html