Forthcoming competition

I am hoping to be able to go to a DBA competition in Alvechurch (West Midlands) in a few weeks time ... I have the time off work, I just need to work on getting a Visa from my wife! I am thinking of using this army, see how it goes ... I will keep you posted.

Then in June, the Portsmouth and Allied Wargames Society are having their Quarterly themed competition. From the list of allowable armies, I am toying with using Patrician Roman (thus the rush to finish this project) or possibly Alan, which I can knock together combining Sarmatian Knights with Hun Light Horse, both of which I have already painted, plus some of the Gothic foot from this project. Decision decisions!

Warband Complete

The last two elements of warband are complete, shown here as the front rank with the already completed elements behind. I like the variety of the figures - all from the same product code (Magister Militum DARK005). So, all the Foederati Warband I will need for any of the Late Imperial/Patrician lists.

One last element of Knights to paint, and that will be a 12 element Western Patrician Roman DBA army complete - albeit with some extra elements to do for the all-options version. Then a few more to be able to morph to an all-options Eastern version. Oh, and some more still to be able to morph to all-options Late Imperial. Best keep painting then!

Another element done

I have completed the second Auxilia element - colours the same as the first, so here is a pic of all the Roman regular foot completed thus far. Two more elements of Auxilia do for the all options Western Patrician. I think I will go for a different unit for those two elements.

...and just for the hell of it, another pic of the warband. There are two more of these elements to do too for the Western Patrician to cover all options. I think I will do those next.

Roman Reinforcements

An element of Catafractarii complete. I know that the Patrician list only includes 3Kn options, but I do like the look of cataphracts, and it would be a sin not to base thm 4 to a base - they would not look like a big solid mass otherwise.

I note from the DBM lists that Clibanarii are allowed in the Patrician Eastern list and that both Cataphracts and Clibanarii are included in the Late Imperial lists. Although I said earlier that this project is a Western Patrician I am hoping to paint enogh figures to morph all options for both Patrician and Late Imperial, so I will find a use for these guys somewhere!

The figures are Magister Militum SPQR63. I replaced the original kontos lances with wire spears for strength. Unfortunately in doing so, two of the riders' hands broke off, so they are holding their lances with stumps! (I decided against making new hands with Miliput ... just too fiddly). The shafts of their kontos are painted red - don't know if this is historically accurate, but it makes them more colourful.

Here is the Psiloi element - more foederati tribesmen. The figs are Magister Militum Goth Bowmen - DARK010

More Romans

So, here is the 3Cv general option. Painted in the colours of the Equites Batavi Iuniores. The stars are VVV shield transfers.
The Vexillum is supposed to be in the style of Constantine's Labarum.

The general and standard bearer are Magister Militum code SPQR51. The right hand horseman is actually an Essex Miniatures figure that I had in my spares box, but I find that Essex are very compatible with Magister Militum. His horse is Magister Militum.

This is one of the Auxilia units (4Ax) - a few more to paint, but I will get round to those later. Painted up as Auxilia Palatina - one of the Celtae Units. VVV shield transfers were used, touched in with yellow paint to brighten them. Figs are Magister Militum SPQR33.

Here are two elements of the Foederati Warband (4Wb) - Magister Militum Goth figures (code DARK0005). Two more to do for the Patrician West list.

The Light Horse element - Equites Sagitarii. Colour scheme was invented by me ... I like green! Again, Magister Militum figures, but I think these are an old out of production line.

The brushes have come out again

At last, I have managed to get the paints out again! ...And true to form, I have started on yet another project. This time it is Patrician Roman. I have had a load of Magister Militum Late Roman figures kicking around for ages, so I thought I would get started on them. The first few elements are now complete.

These first two pics are of the Blade element (Magister Militum code SPQR15). I bent the sword arms about a bit to inject a bit of variety in the poses, which I think has worked quite well.

They have been painted to represent the Legio Palatina "Herculiani Seniores". The eagles are VVV shield transfers.