Auxilia infantry and minor surgery

Spurred on by my uncharacteristically rapid progress with the Numidian cavalry, I decided to make the most of my mood and move on straight away to the second centuria of auxiliary infantry.

I want these to be a bit different to the earlier centuria, with the front rank armed with the gladius and the rear rank armed with javelins.

I substituted Gripping Beast’s metal gladius for the javalin as required, and removed the hilt and pommel where moulded to the figures.

Work in progress: Gripping Beast gladius replaces Warlord Games’ javelin.

Work in progress: The metal Centurio had his rather thin looking javelin (by comparison) replaced with a plastic one.

Hiatus …

After a long period where life just seemed to take over, I am ready to overcome months of inertia.

Spurred on by the coincidence of reading Mary Beard’s SPQR: a History of Ancient Rome, watching her BBC Two series Ultimate Rome: Empire without limits, and a visit to the British Museum, a vignette seemed to be the ideal project to get my juices flowing again. An incentive from Warlord Games prompted me to buy their Roman travelling coach, or carpentum.

I would unreservedly recommend Beard’s book. It’s beautifully written and very accessible without dumbing down.

In the blister: Warlord Games’ Roman traveling coach … my next vignette.

The first of the veterans …

I have decided to model a veteran century. The addition of helmet crests from the Warlord Games’ Praetorian Guard sprues and some ProCreate detailing will give this unit an individual appearance.

I have enough of Warlord’s metal attic helmets to give the Praetorians a different appearance too … but this is a project for another day.

Work in progress: Focale and mail hand armour fashioned from ProCreate. 

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 …

On the ‘bench’ …

With the completion of the Balaeres and the pack mules my work ‘bench’ is quite sparsely populated. I plan to finish this unit before beginning any others.

However … a delivery from Warlord Games has me keen to begin a couple of sculpting projects: pack camels based on a couple of EBob miniatures (which, you may remember, match Warlord Games’ dromedary sculpts … indeed, they were probably the basis for Warlord’s miniatures); and cloaks for my Praetorian guardsmen.

I am looking forward to seeing what I can achieve with these.

Work in progress: Titus Antonius Secundus’ centuria have the polystyrene workbench all to themselves.

Baggage train, another centuria, and Baleares

As the ox cart nears completion I started work on the pack mules. Meanwhile, the Baleares are primed and the latest centuria begins to take shape.

The baggage train will eventually comprise the ox cart, three pack mules and two pack camels. Bauede seem to be working on a Centurion’s tent and ’Roman supplies’ to complement their Legionary tent … I feel a camp coming on too.

Work in progress: It is important to knot the scale rope twice in order to prevent it unravelling … at a fair rate of knots … did you see what I did there?

Work in progress: Scale rope applied to the beam and shaft. Just needs shading and varnishing. I will varnish the rope first to prevent it absorbing the Strong Tone ink … the results of that might be a bit unpredictable.

Work in progress: The pack mules harnessed to one-another with scale rope. I made a nose band first, and decided to base before painting in order to fix the rope – I just thought it might be too difficult to do after painting. The tricky bit will be painting the based figures – I haven’t tried this before.

Work in progress: Titus Antonius Secundus’ centuria begins to take shape. Behind it are Decimus Livius Saturninus’ Baleares.

Three pieces near completion

Firstly, I have to say how much I like The Army Painter’s Strong Tone ink. With the demise of Citadel’s Devlan Mud I was worrying about a substitute which would give an effortless match to the shading I had done so far.

One of the things I loved about Devlan Mud was the way it ‘bronzed’ my gunmetal with aluminium dry brush armour. I had read that the Strong Tone dip worked well with bright colours – toning them down. I have to report that I found the application of Strong Tone ink to be easier than Devlan Mud – I just brushed it on quite liberally, and it seemed to pool perfectly. I am delighted with the finish: dark enough, tones down the colours nicely, and bronzes the armour just how I like it.

Let’s hear it for The Army Painter’s Strong Tone ink.

Work in progress: Another centuria nears completion … the first to be shaded with Strong Tone ink … all I had to do was touch up the flesh here and there (I tend not to do highlighting).

Work in progress: Auxilia command and ox cart. The ox cart is now laden. The base needs a little more attention (around the rear wheels), dry brushing (okay, so I do highlight my bases) and application of a few tufts. Then I will wrap the scale rope and varnish the cart.

Plodding along …

Progress can seem quite rapid when there are a number of units approaching completion at the same time.

Last night I fixed the scuta to the legionaries and did a bit of retouching. I hope to shade these fellows today, varnish them tomorrow and base them on Sunday. But the priority has to be the ox cart since it is part of an informal painting challenge over on Warlord Games’ forum.

Work in progress: Quintus Flavius Cerialis’ centuria ready for shading, varnishing and basing.

Work in progress: The command vignette for my auxilia and the ox cart. The load for the latter is painted and shaded and ready to load, but I will add this and the scale rope once the base is finished.

Step-by-step

Still no scale rope but I am pressing on.

I have based the figures and applied Vallejo Sandy Paste around the bases. I need to paint and finish the area around the oxen and drover before fixing the beam to the yoke, otherwise I will never get a brush in.

By the way, I meant this to be a new post, but ended up editing and re-publishing Friday’s … hey-ho.

Work in progress: I just love Sandy Paste …

I needed a centurio …

… for my forthcoming balearic slingers, so I made this quick conversion of a Warlord Games’ centurio.

I have just received my new recruits from the Balearic Islands: 24 slingers, Warlord Games figures. I am really looking forward to getting cracking with these. But I had a conundrum: command figures. A bit of advice via Warlord’s forum gave rise to the idea for the conversion. I wanted to give the centurio a bit of character and make him fit visually with the slingers, so I decided he should be bare-headed, directing their aim. He’s beginning to look quite heroic!

Work in progress: Warlord Games’ plastic centurio, with a metal head swap, enlarged focale, and a parma, directing the aim of the slingers having thrust his gladius into the ground at his feet.

Magnificent beasts …

… that’s beasts … b e a s t s … 

This can only mean one thing: my scale rope is on its way, after ordering it almost a year ago!

Work in progress: North Star’s awesome oxen with scratch harnesses and
Wange yolks.

At last … progress

I had a bit of free time over the last couple of days which allowed me to get to work on preparing another century of legionaries.

When Warlord Games released the plastic scorpion battery with kneeling figures I had visions of kneeling legionaries armed with pila preparing to receive an assault. Followers of this little saga may remember that I used one of the kneeling figures from the scorpion battery in my medicus vignette. In due course Warlord released a set of metal figures in the required pose, and I have combined these with some of the plastic figures for the new unit.

Work in progress: The kneeling figures come with gladius, sling or pilum, but there were not enough of the latter so some major surgery was required to provide arms in the correct attitude. Pila are from the plastic legionary sets.

Work in progress: The century as I plan to base it. There is still some filling to be done … I think they will look pretty good when finished.

Reds and brushes

I have tried to use a range of reds to represent how dyes might colour different materials, eg wool or leather, or paint applied to wood.

I had a very old tin of Humbrol’s Authentics range British Crimson (MC5), sadly no longer manufactured. I was looking for a good match and came across an IPMS reference that suggested Humbrol matt 73 (wine). While researching a replacement colour I chose to expand my range of reds, and I am now using the following:

Enamel
- matt 73 wine
- matt 60 scarlet
- gloss 20 crimson

Acylic
- matt 174 signal red

Acrylic Authentic Rail Colours
- RC403 crimson lake
- RC423 carmine

Investigating reds

I have begun to use my new Windsor & Newton brushes. The Series 7 size 1 is an amazingly versatile brush, despite its size. I use it for blocking in and all except the finest detail. This is possible because of the very fine profile that the brush has – tipped with a small flexible point. In fact, I can imagine some folk being quite content to use this brush alone.

The Series 7 Miniature size 00 is the next most used, for getting paint into those otherwise impossible to reach places on a casting, and fine detailing. The Series 7 Miniature size 2 has been less used so far: it’s a funny stiff little brush – I am trying to work out what it’s really for.

I’m no sculptor …

… but I've been wanting to make this figure since stumbling over Ebob’s camels, which surely were the basis for Warlord Games’ dromedarii.

I bought the kneeling camel and a couple of walking ones. The latter will be pressed into service in the baggage train later. The figure started life as a Gripping Beast signifer.

Some of the detail is overscale, so I will rework this. Not too shabby for my first attempt though …

The mutt’s …

Firstly welcome to my new followers – I appreciate the interest of all my followers, of course. Thank you. 

I have just received some new brushes: Windsor & Newton Kolinsky sable.

Apparently these are the best brushes money can buy, variously and highly recommended by miniatures painters. These are my first – I will let you know how much I like them …

Windsor & Newton Series 7 number 1 and Series 7 Miniature numbers 00 and 2

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

Rebasing continues …

The rebasing has been a lot easier than I imagined it would be, and the result is certainly worth the effort and cost.

So far I have rebased two centuries of legionaries, the auxiliary dromedarri, one century of auxiliary infantry, two war machines, three scorpiones and a few other figures. The overall look is really good, and gives more of a diagrammatic feel to things.

Work in progress: The latest figures to be rebased: a century of auxiliary infantry, a ballista and an onagar.

Rebasing

My decision to rebase my miniatures looks as if it is the right one now it is underway: the figures have a much more robust feel about them.

I received laser cut MDF bases from Minibits and magnetic sheet for bases and lining box files from Tiny Troops. The figure that I thought would be trickiest turned out to be pretty easy: Tiberius Claudius Maximus and his dog, Max.

Work in progress: Robust basing for tough troops! Vellejo Sandy Paste will be augmented by PVA, sand, small stones and tufts of various types. The new bases should be better then my first efforts.

WIP: Oxen harnesses …

After a good look at just what I should be attempting to make, I have made some reasonable progress with the yoke and harness assembly for the ox cart.

There is a very good website, Roman Traction Systems, which provided the answer to the conundrum posed by the Time Machines Miniatures model which I am basing my ox cart on.

Link

The inspiration for my model: Time Machine Miniatures’ diorama.

I needed to make a pair of Wang yokes a bit like these, which seem to allow the oxen some independent movement.
Image: Roman Traction Systems

I have added the basic dorsal yoke and a buckle to the belly band. A couple of small rings connecting the breast straps to the belly band need drilling and sculpting.

The wooden bar has metal rings which attach to the dorsal yokes. I’ve ordered some scale rope to tie the bar to the shaft. All of this needs more finesse, of course.

More vignettes

I have had some more vignettes in mind for a while, and have finally got around to preparing the figures.

The first vignette is the Legio VI Ferrata vexellation command group. The vexillum will display the wolf and Romulus and Remus twins motif.

The second vignette supports the first, and is a pair of Praetorians and two lictors. The third vignette is a Tesserarius giving orders to a pair of guards.

Work in progress: Command group composed of Wargames Foundry and Warlord Games figures. The horse in the foreground is from Warlord’s Marcus Aurelius figure – I wanted to show off the lovely horned saddle.

Work in progress: Warlord Games Praetorian with Attic helmet; two 1st Corps lictors, one of which is now sporting a Milliput beard, and a Wargames Foundry Praetorian.

Work in progress: Two guards receive orders from a Tesserarius converted from Warlord Games Praetorian Centurion, with Attic helmet and feathers from their plastic Scorpions set.