Plodding along with progress on the Caesar's War project. The last two weekends have seen attention turn to the Romans.
While legionaries are plentiful, the light axillaries were looking a bit thin on the ground, as were extra command stands. The existing stocks were raided and extra command figures purchased. Sadly, the Freikorps 15 range which most of the existing Romans came from have been redesigned in many cases and the current website lacks pictures of the whole range. Rather than buy something blind, I had to hunt around to find who does suitable command figures.
There was not a lot of choice for Marian Romans. I ended up buying some of the Xyston figures as these had the correct standards if lacking in Centurions. While they are a bit larger than most, it was a case of make do.
I did find the last of the FK 15 Legionaries.
From the same range came slings and javelins (early unarmoured auxilia figures):
Some stray Minifigs Cretans were also enlisted:
Then the Legion command stands; each "Legion" will consist of a command stand, 4x stands of Legionaries, 1-2 x LI and possibly cavalry. So looking at available FK15 legion figures and existing command stands, another 5 command stands will give 8 Legions. With one eye on the Civil War, 2 were painted as "Pompeian" or "Optimates" and 3 as "Caesarian" or "Popoulares" using the schemes I had decided on long ago when raising 2x DBA armies; one in light purple and dark red/crimson the other in red, no doubt influenced by the maps in Terry Wise's Battles for Wargamers.
So the Optimate faction:
And the Populares:
When time allows they will receive some ground work and basing. There remains still some more bits to finish. Two more Legions need assembling from painted figures, there are more Germans and Celts to add as well as baggage / camps, villages, more trees to base, possibly ships and fortifications. Hopefully, leave in April will allow time to make a start on the actual campaign and battles.
Next weekend is Hammerhead. No doubt I shall bump into a few bloggers.
Coming along very nicely indeed. I do like a good Roman. In dbm they are hampered by suffering instant death to warband . We change this rule in our games otherwise the Romans die like flies. Can’t recall if the same happens in DBA…
ReplyDeleteCan’t go past a Roman imho, my favourites on the table. A heady mix of Airfix, Ladybird book , my dad taking me to Hadrian’s Wall and trips to the National Museum of Scotland in its old guise in Queen Street has left me with a life long interest in the Roman army in all its shapes and form. I look forward to seeing these on the table top…
Alan Tradgardland
Thanks Alan. I guess I've had an interest in Romans since childhood, although when I was old enough moved on to Alexander, Greeks, Persians and Hellenistics.
DeleteI retained an interest in Roman civil wars however, whether 69AD, Marius v Sulla or Caesar v Pompey.
Blades are the same in DBA - which doesn't really reflect what you read in Caesar IMHO!
Neil
Those are very appealing figures, charming in fact. It had never occurred to me to organise my Romans into mixed Legions. I tended just to group them by pose (they are largely Hat plastics) into a fairly random bunch of DBA elements!
ReplyDeleteThanks Martin. From memory, I built 2x DBA armies of Marian Romans and painted them in different colour schemes to differentiate them.
DeleteLater, I toyed with DBM (didn't last long - more complexity for little gain) and expanded by adding a command element and creating "Legions" of 11 elements, roughly 1 per cohort with a double strength first cohort.
Now, I want multiple "Legions" so have decided each needs its own command stand.
Neil
Mine were originally done as double sized DBA armies, but then I started adding extra bits to cover all the Republican Rome army options. Then I decided I needed Imperial Romans, and so it went.... I've got quite a few elements based with Legion standards, so I should maybe try grouping them differently.
DeleteMartin, I guess it all depends on what you want; it's really just aesthetics unless your command stand fulfils another function, such as pure command, otherwise it's just the same as any other stand.
DeleteEarly Republican Romans were organized around Consular armies with 2x Roman and 2x Allied Italian Legions, larger if more than one Consul of course. That would mean only 4 command stands typically.
Marian into Imperial Roman often had multiple Legions or included detachments from a different Legio (vexallation suggesting a flag) or had Legions of different strength.
I'm going down the route of multiple command stands to fit around the boardgame with a Legion being a distinct unit.
Neil
You have certainly been busy Neil… Lovely work indeed.
ReplyDeleteI too am a fan of Romans… I also blame Airfix… And the old Minifigs strip 15 mm.
I like the fact that they can fight all their neighbours and themselves…
All the best. Aly
Thanks Aly. I have been trying to work towards what I need for the mini- campaign, which means painting the missing bits. Of course that leads to digging out a load of old minis and revisiting old plans....
DeleteAt one stage that was a "known world" covering the Romans, allies and enemies circa 100BC.....
Trying to persuade the butterfly to go in one direction! ☺
Neil