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Author Topic: Ether Drake's Late Romans/Arthurians Project (Update 9/8/19)  (Read 8706 times)

Offline ether_drake

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Ether Drake's Late Romans/Arthurians Project (Update 9/8/19)
« on: March 10, 2019, 01:50:52 AM »
After years of obsession with the classical period I have jumped onto the Dark Ages bandwagon. After buying a bunch of Vikings in a bundle deal, I lost interest, consigned them to the lead pile (for now) before discovering the pathos and drama of the Late Roman period. Nothing like the collapse of an empire to fire my inspiration.

My first real project is to assemble a Late Roman/Arthurian British force for Dux Britanniarum. This forms a core that can be easily expanded for 6-point SAGA games with the addition of a few more figures.

I've just completed two units of Warriors for my army, the first fully finished figures for this project. I even gave them my first freehand shields, and what an enjoyable process that was.

Here are the desperate dozen ready to face the long war of attrition with the invading Saxons. The shield designs are derived from those of the Exculcatores iuniores Britanniciani in the Notitia Dignitatum. Lacking any suitable commercial transfers my only option was to paint my own. No regrets.









More details on the shield design process are on the blog: https://etherdrakecave.blogspot.com/2019/03/exculcatores-iuniores-britanniciani.html

Next on the paint queue are my Elite, Nobles and Archers.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2019, 05:04:05 PM by ether_drake »
Blog: Ether Drake's Cave

https://etherdrakecave.blogspot.com/

Online Codsticker

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2019, 02:11:24 AM »
Great first post! Nice work on the shield designs- very well done.

Offline Belisarius

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2019, 03:41:59 AM »
Beautiful painting , especially the shields. 👍

Offline jambo1

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2019, 08:33:06 AM »
Super work and a very interesting period to game. :)

Offline Hu Rhu

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2019, 08:56:10 AM »
Nice paint jobs.  The shield designs are great. You'll enjoy playing Dux Brit, my mate and I are in the fourth year of the campaign after many a raid and battle.  Hopefully I will conquer a province shortly.

Online Silent Invader

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2019, 08:56:50 AM »
Great start!  8)

I have a similar project that is in its early stages.
My LAF Gallery is HERE
Minis (foot & mounted) finished in 2024 = 0
(2023 = 151; 2022 = 204; 2021 = 123; 2020 = ???)

Online OSHIROmodels

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2019, 09:45:37 AM »
Lovely work  :)

I think the hand painted shields you've done are better than transfers as they each have their own little individuality which transfers can't give  8)
cheers

James

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Offline ether_drake

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2019, 03:46:14 PM »
Thanks everyone.

I think the hand painted shields you've done are better than transfers as they each have their own little individuality which transfers can't give  8)

That's a very good point. Thanks. I considered adding some cuts to them but I rather like the comic book brightness they currently have.

Nice paint jobs.  The shield designs are great. You'll enjoy playing Dux Brit, my mate and I are in the fourth year of the campaign after many a raid and battle.  Hopefully I will conquer a province shortly.

My group had our first test game of Dux Brit last month. It was really fun and I hope that we stick with it. The test game made me realise that armies will generally grow quite slowly during the raiding stage of gaming and the numbers of figures are really quite manageable as a result. Has that been your experience?

Here are some pics from that trial play:









I have a similar project that is in its early stages.

Look forward to seeing it.

Offline Hu Rhu

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2019, 07:25:46 PM »
Nice shot of the game.


My group had our first test game of Dux Brit last month. It was really fun and I hope that we stick with it. The test game made me realise that armies will generally grow quite slowly during the raiding stage of gaming and the numbers of figures are really quite manageable as a result. Has that been your experience?


Yes the numbers of figures grow quite slowly. Usually it takes a quite significant victory to gain a couple of figures and a very few times you are rewarded with an extra unit.  As I said we have been playing for about 4 campaign years with around 20 raids and battles and my forces have grown by only a total of 3 units.

It make the initial outlay both in cost and painting very affordable and the small increases easy to manage.


Offline aircav

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #9 on: March 10, 2019, 07:44:45 PM »
Cracking stuff 👍👍👍👍👍

Offline ether_drake

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2019, 04:04:54 PM »
Nice shot of the game.

Yes the numbers of figures grow quite slowly. Usually it takes a quite significant victory to gain a couple of figures and a very few times you are rewarded with an extra unit.  As I said we have been playing for about 4 campaign years with around 20 raids and battles and my forces have grown by only a total of 3 units.

It make the initial outlay both in cost and painting very affordable and the small increases easy to manage.

Unfortunately, I got a little excited and splurged on reinforcements a little too early! No matter, they'll find use for SAGA.

Offline ether_drake

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #11 on: March 14, 2019, 04:07:25 PM »
Made a bit more progress on some Elites, additional Warriors, Archers and my Lords.



I was going to leave the archers' tunics plain, but now I'm thinking they may look better with the decorative patches common to Late Roman tunics. Any thoughts?

Offline sir_shvantselot

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2019, 09:54:07 PM »
Some
Beautifully painted stuff here.

Online Silent Invader

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2019, 10:52:30 PM »
Great work but I can’t deny I prefer Late Romans with the tunic insignia   :)

Offline Captain Blood

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Re: Late Romans/Arthurians Project
« Reply #14 on: March 16, 2019, 12:00:07 AM »
Can you play Dux Brit as a straight set of game rules as with Sharp Practice etc, or do they only work as a campaign system? (I’m not really one for campaigns which carry on from game to game to game ;))