Winter kit for Early Imperial Romans.. also Opponent suggestions?

[rumacara]

Just a polite warning.
Stick to the topic witch is Romans in winter gear.

[Sir_Theo]

Thanks for all your advice everyone. I've put an order into Black Tree for some of the Auxiliaries.  I may return to for the Legionaries in the new year once things get going. Im considering Vitrix plastic Aux cavalry, I think even my rudimentary green stuff skills may run to cloaks.  I'll post progress when I've made any.

Now....when I start a project I like to do things in pairs. Suitable adversaries? From a brief look online available Picts seem to be from the Dark Ages rather than the Roman period. In Frontier Wolf the garrison was being hunted by 'Painted people' who I presume are Picts. Again any suitable figure recommendations? There seem to be loads of great Celt options.

[wmyers]

Most Pict figures seem to include a lot of bare chested figures. Not appropriate for winter.

While there isn’t a huge amount of separate information on tribes in the north, most seem to agree they wore the same clothing as those in the south, from what I have read.

Therefore, Celts wearing cloaks and armour might be best to give the appearance of cold weather gear.

Maybe the odd fanatic with a bare chest to give a sense of uniqueness.

[SJWi]

As well as Picts and Celts have you thought of Germans, and setting your games on ( or in?) the "Limes" of the Netherlands/Germany?  This would also allow you to buy one of the rather nice Roman Watchtowers that several manufacturers produce! The Foundry figures are superb if expensive, and Victrix produce a set of 60 figures for £38. Unfortunately the latter mainly seem to be bare-chested which may not fit in with your winter theme, unless you view them as the Germanic equivalent of Newcastle United fans.

       

[ichwillauch]

For opponents in a winter theme maybe the frostgrave barbarians might be useful

[wmyers]

For opponents in a winter theme maybe the frostgrave barbarians might be useful

That’s a good idea!  Mixing body parts and heads might make some very cool figures.

[Sir_Theo]

Great advice all, I think i know how I am going to proceed. Good thinking about the Frostgrave Barbarians, I've got a box of those I used on another project and I'm sure I could use some bits.

I will report back once the project begins in earnest!

[Sir_Theo]

While I'm waiting on my Black Tree Order I started on a couple of miniatures I already have. First off a Germanic Auxiliary Centurion by Aventine miniatures. Im still undecided on the basing (although Inhave sone ideas) and colour wise im just going with whatever I feel like- I generally paint sci fi or fantasy and going for some sort of accuracy is alien to me so no idea if its a likely combination!

[Fremitus Borealis]

You know, at the end, as much as we like to be accurate, colors are always going to be mostly guesswork. For what it's worth, my gut reaction when I see the image was "Ooh, that looks nice!"

[Sir_Theo]

You know, at the end, as much as we like to be accurate, colors are always going to be mostly guesswork. For what it's worth, my gut reaction when I see the image was "Ooh, that looks nice!"

I'll take it! Thank you! My first Aventine miniature, ill be buying more, lovely model.

[Fremitus Borealis]

I'll take it! Thank you! My first Aventine miniature, ill be buying more, lovely model.

Oh absolutely. They make some of the best models ever created (and are also a dream to work with)!

[Unlucky General]

I'll third that for Aventine. I have a sprinkling of them through my Caesarean legionary army and they are a delight - primarily becasue they are different. I don't wish to sound like a fetishist but I love painting their feet which I suspect are on the large side but like the rest of the model - they just take the pant so well. Great faces too.

[Unlucky General]

Regarding your approach for legionary winter kit, I just stumbled across the following hugely useful site. http://www.romanarmy.net/coldweather.shtml Hope it helps. It was an eye opener for me as a few sources make it clear that at least up to the middle Imperial period Roman thinking was that trousers were for Barbarians so it looks like they adopted other work-arounds.

All the best with it and I look forward to your results.

[Sir_Theo]

Thank you that is a brilliant link, some food for thought there. I like the idea of the puttees...

[rumacara]

Legio XXI Rapax reenactors.