28mm Late Roman Infantry from Wargames Atlantic

[AdamPHayes]

It is a period where we have actual examples of the shields (from Dura Europus) to go on. However on an empire wide level of procurement I doubt if there was a strictly adhered to standard.

[tin shed gamer]

  Duro is an absolutely fascinating site. It's very complex What's lost on most re enactors and war gamer's is location and context of items. One of the most important line's in the excavation reports is that. This site and artifacts give a fascinating insight into The Arms. Armour, and military organization of the Eastern Empire..It doesn't jump to the conclusion that one site no matter how rich in finds .Is representative of the Empire entire. It should also be remembered since the beginning of the Empire cultural and regional constraints such as climate have influenced the look of the standardized equipment of each legion relative to their garrisons and or deployment.
Much in the same way The Indian Army in 1930's Has both subtle and glaring visual and practical difference to the BEF in 1939.

Waffling aside If your buying figures with shields and transfers. Then the slightly bigger shields are going to make for prettier units on a table and from a greater distance.
It's only when you get close up. Things like helmets start to stick out like a sore thumb.

I'd whole heartedly reccomend you  just have fun with them. This unit is part of my late Roman stuff . It's deliberately inaccurate and no one has ever notice.

[AdamPHayes]

I'd whole heartedly reccomend you  just have fun with them. This unit is part of my late Roman stuff . It's deliberately inaccurate and no one has ever notice.

I am shocked to the core! 😳

[AdamPHayes]

Another rough comparison pic.



Left to right:
Wargames Atlantic with Wargames Atlantic Hedderheim helmet ~(3rd Century)
Gripping Beast with Wargames Atlantic segmented helmet ~(3rd Century - 5th Century+)
Wargames Atlantic with Gripping Beast ridge helmet ~(4th Century+)

The heads are interchangeable to my eye, just some minor neck surgery required to make them sit in the right place. Until seen side by side the slightly soft detail on the Wargames Atlantic figures was not obvious to me. Heightwise the Gripping Beast is 1-2mm shorter but compensated by the thicker base. (I have mounted them in the photo so that the bottom of the feet are about level.) They are all in a semi- crouch pose so it is not particularly jarring. They are very similar in heft/chunkiness, the Wargames Atlantic sculpts are slimmer and slightly longer in the arms and legs.

The vast difference between the two different sprues is the wealth of parts on the Wargames Atlantic frame and the exceptionally mean paucity of parts on the Gripping Beast version. The extra heads (particularly the pillbox caps and the Intercisa ridge helmets) will be very welcome for modifying the Gripping Beast figures. The heads are less cartoony and of course the armoured bodies allow a more sensibly equipped force for the 4th Century and beyond.