(AP 2017) Saga Fall of Rome

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Well, this is the first time I will participate in the AP, and to be honest I won't be surprised at all if I show myself less than up to the challenge! Particularly given my tendency to leave for tomorrow what can be done today.

Anyway, my goal is to paint one 6 point warband, Late Roman, but that could pass as Romano-British in a pinch (or Romano-Spanish, Gaul... you get the idea). Later I pretend to paint a Visigothic warband, and as with the Romans that could make do as other Barbarians if needed. Not that I hope to have it started, not say finish, before the end of the year. There is a caveat, though, and it is that regardless that neither Western Roman nor Eastern Roman allow for mounted archers classed as warriors (Belisarius list does admit Hearthguard mounted and with bows) I fully intend to field at least one unit of Equites Sagitarii with composite bows.

The Roman Warband will be formed by:

Tribunus Marcus Vinicius (Warlord, mounted)
2 Equites Singularis (Hearthguard, mounted)
1 Equites Sagitarii (Warriors, mounted. Composite bows)
1 Auxilia Palatina (Warriors, foot; Spears)
1 Auxilia Palatina (Warriors, foot; Spears)
1 Sagitarii (Warriors, foot; bows)

It could represent a small detachment of the field army, with the mission to track and stop pesky barbarian raiders or settlers. It is a strong warband, with some heavy hitters and with a lot of flexibility thanks to the high number of Saga dice it generates. It is a grand total of 41 miniatures, and to accomplish the goal of having it ready before December 31st I need to paint 7 miniatures a month. I think it is doable. Even for me!

[LeadAsbestos]

Great project! What models will you be using?

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Great project! What models will you be using?

Footsore and Gripping Beast plastics, mostly. Not in the same units, though.

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Well, first miniature has been painted. It lacks the shield, though. I usually paint all the figures in the same unit in a row, and then I paint their shields. Tomorrow I will post the pictures of the progress, as soon as I figure how to download the pictures in my phone to the computer and then upload them in the forum!

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Ok, the project has evolved a little bit. From Late Romans I have changed to Romano-Britons or, to be more precise, Hispanic-Romans for late 5th Century. Reason is that I had a few Gripping Beast Dark Ages archers lying around and decided that it would be a good idea to incorporate them to my band. Being very generic, they can fit in many Saga Warbands, from the late 5th to the 10th Centuries... even later if I am not picky! Since I started this post, I painted 12 archers -all I had-, which is, for me, speed of light. I used a couple of heads from the Late Roman plastic set by GB, for some variety. Here is the picture. It is not particularly good, but neither my phone is an iPhone nor I am a gifted photographer either! I will take a better picture once the bases are finished [Edit: the photo was crap. I have deleted it; I will take a better one and then uploaded!].

Also I took some time to start with the first warrior unit (Footsore Miniatures). They are not finished yet, as I need to paint the shields.-well, not "paint", as I will use LBM decals!- and to correct some minor errors. And finish the bases, of course!

Overall, I am happy with my productivity this month. Besides these Late Romans cum Hispanics, I have found time to paint five 2nd Century AD auxilia (Aventine Miniatures) and eight Macedonian pikemen (Warlord Games). If I keep the rhythm I will be able to finish my project before the end of the year!

[Debrad]

looking really good

[OSHIROmodels]

They'll do nicely 

cheers

James

[rumacara]

A good start.
Let them come...

[Antonio J Carrasco]

This past week I have been busy giving the finishing touches and making the terrain for the unit of Archers. Figures are Gripping Beast plastics -generic Dark Ages Archers- with some heads from the Late Roman GB plastic set for variety. Pictures have been taken by my daughter, Guiomar, who is way more talented than her father with a camera!



Another angle:



Last photo:



Now I am working in the third warrior unit -I will use 16 Late Roman figures from Crusader, that I bought long ago already painted, to bolster the warband; thus I can focus in the new ones using Footsore Miniatures, that I like more than Crusader's range-.

[syrinx0]

Great progress.

[rokurota]

Very nice!

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Thanks, guys. Hopefully, I will soon update the progress of the unit. I have already finished a Warrior unit but for the shields, and will start working in the two Hearthguard mounted units soon. I keep the Warlord -and his faithful bannerman!- for the last.

I must say that I have slowed down a bit, as I wanted to give some finishing touches to a unit of EIR Auxilia unit (Aventine) which is part of another project that I have besides this: a warband for my own house-adaptation of Lion Rampant to Imperial Rome warfare. You see, most histories are about the big battles, but probably the experience of most legionaries and auxiliares -at least, when not fighting each other in some civil war- would be pursuing raiders, patrolling in both sides of the frontier, making raids themselves, ambushes, "pacifying" actions ecc, i.e. the kind of stuff for which skirmishes rules are designed for. And it is perfect as it allows me to justify to have several ongoing projects at the same time, which also has the added benefit that I can change between periods when I feel becoming to bore of painting always the same.