converting victrix plastics into etruscans question

[summsi]

should I use italien allies with hoplite shields, or greek hoplites with italian heads?

a mix of both is not an option.

thanks in advance

[Easy E]

I think a key piece of Etruscans is the triple disc chest armor.  I think the Italian Allies box has a better selection of these bodies. 

Plus, I think shield swaps are easier than head swaps. 

[summsi]

I think the triple disc cuirass is used by samnites rather than by etruscans.

[Easy E]

Well as much as we gamers wish it were so, it didn't really work that way.  Ancient armies did not have "uniforms" and the people of the Italian Peninsula used a variety of armor and helmet types.  The Triple Disk, the one piece flat chest plate, the armored "collar", no armor, full bronze chestplate, and the linothorax were all pretty common amongst them. 

Etruscan

 
Etruscan


I think the key difference is with the "unique" style Etruscan helmets with the big fin that some Etruscan soldiers seemed to use.  After that, they pretty much armored up like tribes across the region.  In look there probably wasn't much difference between an Etruscan and any other soldier in Italy at the time.  Yet at the same time, no two soldiers in Italy probably looked the same either!

[Rochejaquelein]

Depending on the timeframe, they could look very similar to Romans but there's certain ways of making a unit look suitably Etruscan even to Hannibal's time and beyond. Etruscan centurions used a hand axe instead of the Roman vine staff. Etruscans were also commonly portrayed wearing a panoply of Greek style helmets in addition to the linothorax, especially with a composite construction integrating scale plates. An example from an Etruscan tomb painting is seen below.


I don't think the Victrix set has scale linothoraxes, but if you have a 3D printer, Wargames Atlantic has a full set of them as part of their "Greek Hoplite" STL.


I would also highly suggest getting the Osprey book on the Etruscans

[Corso]

You can use Victrix Hypaspists bodies (or any of their hoplites sets) with Etruscan heads from their republican cavalry set. Note that Etruscans did use thracian, calchidian and phrygian type helmets as well. You could also give them pila from the republican infantry sets - from that set you can also use montefortino helmets.

As yet, victrix has no kits with lamellar armour.

[Easy E]

I guess a big question for the OP is.... What Century are you going for?

[summsi]

of course the century could be very important and I would say about 300 bc

[sgzleada71]

https://footsoreminiatures.co.uk/collections/etruscans

These heads are quite good and can easily be made to fit Victrix or Agema Plastics

[Brewis]

Here they are, a good example of Etruscan Hoplites (1° class troops)

https://thunz.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/lesercito-the-army/

From 2° to 4° class are lighter armoured with square plate or triple disc cuirass

5° class have only tunic and javelins.

[Easy E]

Oh!  By 300 BC they were all pretty much in Linothorax and really looked liked everyone else. A controversial statement ahead, but you could probably just make hoplites and call them Etruscans at that point.  The way equipment and armor spread and got intermingled means it wouldn't really matter that much.  The only key difference would be a few armored guys with or throwing javelins.   

To me, Etruscans are much more interesting though if you call out their earlier "unique" characteristics that were a blend of Greek, Italian, and Phoenician styles.   

Here is how Warry's classic book on Ancient Warfare illustrates Etruscans.....



and here are Aventine's Late Etruscans....



and now some actual Etruscan art with soldiers....



and



Hopefully that helps a bit.



 

[AdamPHayes]

My old Etruscans were the QT Miniatures components, mixing Greek , Roman and Italian styles. Attic and Montefortino helmets seem to be the most common in later panoplies and images. I included quite a few vertical feathers as they seemed to be quite an Italian thing and relatively easy to add to figures.