Cohors I Numidarum

I have decided! My latest auxilia are Numidian.

A very quick internet search revealed discussion of a fragment of a third century Roman document from Egypt (Cohors I Numidarum and a Roman military document from Egypt). It is suggested that around 88AD Cohort I Numidarum Equitata was stationed in Syria. The third century unit discussed in the document included dromedarii. I don’t think it’s implausible that dromedarii were attached to the unit at the earlier date.

It seems likely (due to the low number of centurions) that the unit was a cohors quingenaria. Therefore I might organise these spirited equestrians with my dromedarii, and add a couple of centuries of Numidian infantry.

Equites Numidarum.

Numidians or Moors?

A couple of coats of Testors Dullcote and the figures were ready to fix to their bases.

I’m quite pleased with the way these fellows have turned out and I am looking forward to finishing the bases.

I thought to photograph them properly alongside a 1st Corps turma of Roman auxiliary cavalry. I like the difference in poses, and overall I think they look fine.

Now I have to decide whether these chaps are actually Numidians or Moors … Equites Numidarum or Equites Maurorum. There’s a fascinating article discussing their ethnicity here.

I’m thinking Moors …
 

Work in progress: auxilia turma …

Work in progress: Numidians or Moors?

Work in progress: auxilia turmae … Victrix and 1st Corps for comparison.

A pleasant surprise …

I spent a bit of time on my new auxiliary cavalry over the bank holiday weekend.

I have applied the Little Big Men transfers to the shields and shaded the assembled figures and horses. I thought to have another look at the size of the figures, and was pleasantly surprised (and relieved, if I’m honest) to discover that the Victrix figures are visually compatible with my 1st Corps figures.

The shields caught me out: I completely failed to notice that they are three different sizes … must be my age. Anyhow, the results are quite acceptable, but I will bear this in mind when it comes to preparing the infantry.
 

Work in progress: a couple of figures from my 1st Corps Roman auxilia turma and a Victrix Numidian.

Work in progress: ready for touching-up (once the chap on the left has had some missing shading added).

Work in progress: the shields look the part.

Size comparison

I have been thinking about preparing some size comparisons for a while, especially since I have often found them useful.

Here’s the first, a quickie in respnse to a comment on one of my earlier posts: a comparison of 1st Corps Early Imperial Roman auxiliary cavalry with Victrix Numidian cavalry. The 1st Corps figure is actually quite small.

Sizing up, left-to-right: 1st Corps and Victrix horses; 1st Corps and Victrix riders.

Just what I needed!

The Numidian cavalry really do seem to have galvanised me – I haven’t felt this enthusiastic for my project for quite some time.

Here’s the progress so far for this ten miniature turma. I have given the figures a matt ochre base in an attemt to give them a Mediterranean skin tone. The white horses will be finished as black, grey and bay pintos.

Work in progress: pintos next …

Victrix Numidians … and a conundrum

I thought to finish a couple of my new Victrix Numidian cavalry figures, but once I had primed them and blocked-in the main colours I had an urge to keep going.

So I assembled the remaining eight figures for the turma.

These are lovely sculpts: excellent detail and athletic poses; the additional left hands carrying individual and pairs of javalins require minor surgery to add but are worth the effort. I ran out of these, but a quick survey of the Numidian infantry sprue confirmed that some of the parts are common; these also yielded an unbearded head with a helmet for the decurio.

I am looking forward to working on these spirited figures.

I have been looking longingly at Victrix’s recent releases of Early Imperial Romans … they are lovely sculpts too, with lots of detail and imaginitive but realistic poses. The command figures look great. These figures appear to be taller than Warlord Games’ Roman legionary figures, but about the same height as the latter’s auxiliaries; the Numidian infantry I have scale in much the same way. I am considering buying the advancing legionaries and finishing them as Praetorians … then I can make an assessment of size.

At this stage I am considering replacing my Warlord Romans with Victrix figures … that’s four centuriae, just under a hundred figures, so I have decided to shelve the veterans for the moment and finish everything else I have. On the bench or in boxes and bags I have Victrix Numidian cavalry (10 figures) and infantry (24 figures), Warlord Games auxiliary infantry (24 figures), and a turma of 1st Corps cavalry (10 figures). The Roman travelling coach (carpentum) will become a camp vignette, parked with a Praetorian guarding it. Then I shall have another think about the Victrix offering.

Victrix’s first vexillum transfer set looks promising too … if the next one includes Legio VI Ferrata that would solve my various vexilum and signum needs.

Work in progress: Victrix’s rather lovely Numidian cavalry.

More vignettes

While I know I said that I would finish that century of legionaries before starting anything else, I have been giving some thought to a couple of new vignettes. I have been doing some research into the commanders of Roman units in Judea and Syria, thinking about who might command my desert frontier vexellation. I have also been thinking about expanding the baggage train.

I was considering using Wargames Foundry’s Vespasian figure as my vexellation commander, but, in truth, he looks way too senatorial. Legio VI Ferrata had a hand in making Vespasian Emperor in 69 AD, following the suppression of the first Jewish Revolt … so I came around to thinking he could legitimately be present amongst his loyal legionaries. This also gives me an excuse to have Praetorian Guard units.

My research revealed that Turranius Priscus, a prefects castorum (Camp Prefect), commanded a vexellation of Legio VI Ferrata during the siege of Jerusalem. I have decided to have a couple of figures representing Turranius Priscus and a mounted tribune. While about it I thought to make a vexillarius for my cavalry commander, Tiberius Claudius Maximus.

I have a couple of spare eBob camels which I want to convert into pack animals. I just need to work out what sort of load they might be carrying.

Work in progress: Warlord Games’ mounted legate, Wargames Foundry’s Suetonius Paullinus (who will become Turranius Priscus), and a 1st Corps’ tribune with Warlord attic helmeted head and a vexillum salvaged from an abandoned figure.

Work in progress: A pair of eBob camels and a converted Warlord Games’ ritual sacrificial figure, which came with an alter (now discontinued). Another application for the scale rope, I think …

I got all my toys out today …

I thought it might be a good time to take stock and also to show some of the things I have finished recently.

This represents about a third of the legionaries, half the auxiliary infantry (I want to add Eastern archers and another century of infantry), two thirds of the mounted auxiliaries, all of the supporting troops apart from the baggage train, (which is still very much a work in progress as it expands to include mules and camels). I will add a century of Praetorians and maybe some mounted Praetorians …

Apologies for the carpet and skirting board … decorating my house is another work in progress …

The Legio VI Ferrata vexillation in a defensive position.

The Tessarius gives orders to the watch on the right flank.

View along the defensive ditch …

… where the engineers finish the defensive wall …

… I Augusta Thracum knock their arrows …

… scorpiones determine the range.

My alter ego in broad stripe purple … I will name him in due course. The command group is in three parts to give more flexibility. The vexillum will get rub-down transfers in due course: I am still working on the artwork for these, which will be produced in opaque gold foil.

The first turma of I Thracum Herculanea supported by auxilia dromedarri.

Happy New Year!

Apologies for the lateness of the greeting: I have been a bit busy with work and life, and, as you will see, have made some progress with my miniatures.

Firstly, the first of the cavalry from I Thracum Herculanea are nearly finished. The unit is the first of two turmae: the second will be armed with lancea. 

I have a few units on the work bench, primed, part painted or nearly finished: a century of legionaries (all armed with pila); a century of auxiliary sagittarri; and a few command figures, including the various standard bearers.

Work in progress: My first turma of cavalry: 1st Corps figures. The decurio has a Warlord Games’ head and Milliput focale. The shield transfers are by Little Big Men Studios, but I plan to add an inscription to the vexillum: a pair of ‘I’s either side of the eagle and ‘TRACVM HERC’ below it.

Work in progress: The various standard bearers and the watch begin to take shape.

Work in progress: All very well organised – I really do work like this.

Wiki to the rescue …

I am just finishing my first turma of auxiliary cavalry (1st Corps figures). I was puzzled by an item of equipment carried on the rear of each figure’s saddle, and wondered how to paint this.

I could see that one detail was some kind of cup, pot, or ladle. But the item it rested on, which looked like the top of a czapka (a Polish lancer’s cap), was a mystery, until I discovered this on Wikipaedia, a detail from Trajan’s column:

I concluded that the rectangular item on the top left is a loculus, a leather satchel.
Image: Wikimedia commons

Not too shabby …

I have been working on these figures off-and-on for what seems like ages.

You may remember that I was finding the horses quite a challenge. Anyhow, with a long process of washes and shading, Howards Hues seem to do the job, giving good variety from the basic five colours I bought. All I have to do is repeat this result for my second turma …

Work in progress: My first equestrian turma is coming along nicely.

Ordered an OptiVISOR …

I thought to ease myself back into the groove yesterday: I retrieved my work-in-progress and settled to do some painting. I got out my venerable Daylight magnifying lamp, only to discover that the thread on the lock nut has finally given up. In fact the thread has slowly been deteriorating for ages, and, to be honest, I never really got on with the lamp, finding it somewhat awkward - not really very well designed.

So … I ordered an OptiVISOR. I have been thinking about getting one for quite some time. I’ll let you know how I get on with it – though I understand from posts on TMP that a period of adjustment may be necessary.

Meantime, I contented myself with working on the washes for my first auxiliary cavalry turma’s mounts. The colour and depth of the animal’s coats is now to my satisfaction. When the OptiVISOR arrives I will detail the horses and begin to make proper progress again.

Equine hues

I've been working on my first auxiliary cavalry turma, but I'm not happy with the colour of the horses.

I’ve been working up the colour with ink and paint washes, but the colours don’t look enough like the colours of real horses to me.

I read a few forum posts on the subject (on The Miniatures Page) but no-one was actually giving away which colour paints they used for specific types (eg bay, chestnut). By chance I stumbled on a reference to Howard Hues’ range of basic horse colours.

So I bought some.

The turma begins to come to life ... but the colours aren’t quite right. Hopefully Howard Hues will rescue the situation.

Work in progress ...

I've been on another roll, making quite a bit of progress with a number of elements of my burgeoning Roman cohort, though nothing is actually finished yet.

Work in progress: The two new dromedarii are ready for decals and shading.

Work in progress: The scorpiones are based but detailing isn't finished.

Work in progress: The medicus vignette is coming along. I really hope Warlord release a sprue of kneeling legionaries ...

Work in progress: My first turma of cavalry: 1st Corps figures with the addition of a Warlord attic helmeted head for the decurion.

Work in progress: Actually no progress to speak of, just four more standing archers ready to have their bows strung ...

First auxiliary cavalryman

I decided to start work on my first cavalry turma. These will comprise eight figures (at a figure ratio of 3:1) giving a slightly under-strength unit.

I have 16 1st Corps figures waiting to be assembled and painted. These come as a mix of spear- and sword-armed figures, with a preponderance of the former. I decided to have each turma armed differently, one with spears and one with swords.

I’m making the extra swords from arms left over from the Warlord Games’ dromedarii.

Carefully removing the hand, shaping the hilt, guard and pommel produces a passable result.

I've been on a bit of a roll ...

I've managed to put in a bit of time on the miniatures front and have now finished 2 centuries of legionaries and one of auxiliary infantry. I have also finished some vignettes: engineers, a ballista and the mounted Hold the Line figure (destined to command my auxiliary cavalry).

I've just finished priming another century of legionaries (all pila armed for a change), and I'm stringing bows for a century of auxiliary sagittarii – western archers to you.

Some of these are on the web site in various stages of preparation or finish. I'll sort out some photographs of the remainder as soon as I have a moment.

A Wargames Foundry figure overseeing the strenuous efforts of Warlord Games’ ballista crew.

Warlord Games’ Maximus Decimus Meridius destined to become the commander of my auxiliary cavalry: Tiberius Claudius Maximus … with his war hound, Max.

The signifer is a 1st Corps figure with a Warlord Games’ bare head.

Engineers are a mix of 1st Corps and Warlord Games