I'm working on the basing of these fellows today. First, I cut several hundred little pieces of plasticard and crazyglued a sufficiency of those on the Praetorians to cover the gaps left on the washers I'm using. Why am I using these metal washers you might ask? For their weight (so the minis will stand on an angled surface) and height (less than a GW or PP plastic base). Their only downside is the tendency to leave these gaps that have to be dealt with, and not always, as can be seen with the Thunderbolt Mountain High Elves. Back to the Romans then, after they dried, more or less, I used a 1:1 mixture of white glue and black primer to affix sand onto the bases. I had to be careful to go back over each and ensure I had removed any sand that covered the toes. Next I will paint the bases, black, followed by a dark earth brown, followed by a drybrush of bone. Then I'll flock them with GW flock, which the best I've ever found.
The next step on the shields completed, being a base of GW TinBitz. Next, painting the final metallic (brass, bronze or gold; I haven't decided yet) followed by another wash of white on the shield, followed by the application of the LBMS transfers, followed by painting the backs of the shields.
These are some of the units I have to add to the army. As you can see there are 3 more units of 24 Legionaries, 4 units of 20, and a unit of 17 skirmishing archers. So 171 miniatures, 51 of which are Foundry, the rest Gripping Beast. I also have a unit of camelry and 2 units of cavalry, and I'll be getting some artillery and an elephant or two. I'm obviously mad, but the plan is a unit a month and the entire army finished by year's end.
10 comments:
Keir,
Are these for WAB? Field of Glory?
Markus
Hey Markus, They're for Impetus, or alternatively WAB or FoG. I'd play Terry Gore's Ancient Warfare with them as well. But really, I'm just getting them painted for the sake and enjoyment of painting them, as the chances of a game over the next few years is pretty minimal. It's funny because I painted a Late Roman army over a couple of years in 2001-02 and I still have them and I'll keep them for my ever.
So, how do you plan to handle basing? I've seen people make template bases (like the display cases people for armies) with recesses for washers like you're using - that way, they can use the same figs for different games, and just need an alternate set of unit bases.
Yes, that's what I'm planning on. I'll look at Litko for that initially...I have no idea how much they cost but I remember an advertisement of theirs where they said they can do any basing configuration template a customer sends in. The other thing is that I could just use painted plasticard trays of the requisite size.
Is the idea to paint up the ancient Germans the next year? If I had more disposable geek income at the moment, you know I would be painting an opponent for them. Either way, the mere scale of the project alone is terrifying and impressive.
JET
Yes, I actually have a lot of work done on the Germans. All are on their washers, some have basing materials on them, all are primed, many are partly painted. I had to strip a good few of my Gripping Beast Germans as I discovered the Citadel flesh paint I was using was deficient. I didn't realize how bad it was until I picked up the Privateer Press fleshes, and then I also found that the bottom of the Citadel paint pot was filled with hardened material. I'm also using Rohirrim and Huns for the German army. It is a truly massive force.
I'll add pictures of the Roman cavalry and camelry contingents later tonight. I'm ordering the artillery from Warlord Games today.
Keir,
Is there a list somewhere with all the WAB lists - I mean, what's available to play?
I'm looking for a ridiculous project for when I have income again. Thinking Graeco-Indians in 28mm. Vendel, maybe.
M
Markus,
There are a lot of supplements in WAB and none of them contain a Graeco-Indian list. ;-) The Alexander the Great supplement ends at the Hydapses. There is rumoured to be a Successors supplement in the pipeline and I note that in the last 2 weeks both Gripping Beast and now 1st Corps have announced the release of Successor ranges. The figures both are showing so far look very, very nice. For Indians, 1st Corps are probably the best on the market right now. I have a Newline Designs army, but that range has since been withdrawn from production, and 1st Corps are probably superior.
There is a Basic Impetus Graeco-Bactrian list here:
http://www.dadiepiombo.com/vol3e.html
Cheers,
Keir
Keir,
Apparantly the WAB successers supplement will have a Graeco-Bactrian list, which can me morphed easily into a G-I list. Only remaining question is whetehr to go 28mm or 15mm with xyxton.
M.
Markus, My preference is 28mm. It's only my preference. I've seen what you can do with 6mm Indians, so I would think you can paint whatever you want (i.e. prefer.)
I remember at Britcon, 2003, the majority of tournaments and players had 15mm armies for DBM and to a lesser extent POW. I played WAB with 28mm, and those and the Warhammer ECW games were the ones I was drawn towards.
The conventional argument is that 15mm can give more of the feeling of big battle from a visual perspective. But then you have the big battalion players with their huge 28mm - or even 32mm - armies for Napoleonic or SYW gaming (or for the wars of the Republic Faltenstein) who would beg to differ.
I like 28mm minis and I'll always like them more than 15mm figures, as exquisite as Mirliton (or Xyston) 15's are.
Keir
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