Best manufacturers for Late Roman / Romano-British minis

[Atheling]

Quick question: Footsore sell cav units in packs with both 3 (£11) and 4 minis (£14). I bought 2 packs of RB cav, got 8 minis, 6 distinct and 2 were repeats.

Is that the same for all their Late Roman and Goth cav packs?

Yeah, you just get an extra mini from the pack- which is three. So four mini pack = three plus and extra from the three available.

[Maniac]

Maniac. I've noted that 20x20mm is quite a tight fit even for some of the metal minis I've bought. They always seem advertised on a larger, round, base. Seems Saga is very dominant. What is the correct basing for systems like Hail Caeser, Swordpoint, Dux Britanniarum etc?

I cannot speak for the second two, but for Hail Caeser, there is no standard model count.  Bases generally have a guideline from x to y, based on the size of the unit.  There are recommended depths, but they are not required.

As an example, my Normans and Vikings are based to support a 160mm wide unit (8 men across the front, at 20mm per man), then two men deep.  My Greeks are based to face a club member's Romans/Carthaginians, 200mm wide, 8 men across, 3 men deep.  In practice I could play both against each other, with the caveat of no multi frontage fights.

I could, just as easily have 6 men vs 8 on a 80x40 base, and dynamically pose/base them.

[WorkShy]

Atheling: Thanks for confirming it's 3 poses not 4.

Maniac: Thanks. Seems 20mm square and 25x50mm for cavalry is ok then which is good since I won't need to rebase them to these round things Saga uses! I'm actually putting all the minis on individual bases and then mounting them on larger bases via magnets to try and retain some future flexibility.

All: what is a good varnish to use given I'm not using an airbrush yet? It seems the bloggers all want use to use airbrushes and not can sprays. Some argue you need to gloss varnish to protect then matt varnish to get rid of the gloss. Some use a satin varnish as a compromise. Very little consensus ... as usual ... but most are focussed on Warhammer 40k or AoS, not historical.

[Atheling]

Atheling: Thanks for confirming it's 3 poses not 4.

No probs, happy to help

All: what is a good varnish to use given I'm not using an airbrush yet? It seems the bloggers all want use to use airbrushes and not can sprays. Some argue you need to gloss varnish to protect then matt varnish to get rid of the gloss. Some use a satin varnish as a compromise. Very little consensus ... as usual ... but most are focussed on Warhammer 40k or AoS, not historical.

If you go to my article on varnishing three quarters of the way down the page here:
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=82845.135

Or on my blog here:
http://justaddwater-bedford.blogspot.com/2020/11/varnishing-dark-age-period-miniatures.html

You will see that I dust off the miniatures, seal all the paintwork with Humbrol DIY Gloss (now OOP but my guess would be normal Humbrol Enamel Gloss brushed on would be just as good  ), leave for a week then apply Winsor and Newton Professional Matt Varnish spray. They are the flattest matt results I have managed to get in many decades of painting. I don't own an airbrush co I really can't comment on how useful they are but I have definitely seen some beautiful results.

[WorkShy]

Atheling. If WN Pro Matt is really good, any reason why you wouldn't use WN Pro gloss varnish first and then their matt after? I ask since I've never used an enamel gloss varnish over acrylic and I'm trying to not spread myself too much over too many manufacturers. I don't use Humbrol for anything else.

Also reading your blog you mention possibly using MIG's Ultra Matt Lucky Varnish. How did that turn out? I've used their acrylic mud for basing and it's really effective (much better than Citadel Technical and possibly better than the Vallejo equivalents) but reviews on Britmodeller for the varnish are somewhat negative, albeit from 2018.

Thanks for the info.

[bluewillow]

I have a really wide range of figures in my late roman armies, one you have missed is A&A miniatures, a big fan of them , particularly the cavalry. I also have Footsore, Black tree, Westwind, Gripping Beast metals and plastics and some Foundry and Old Glory.

a number of them are on my blog
https://stormandconquest.blogspot.com/search/label/Late%20Roman

all the best with your project

cheers
matt

[Atheling]

Atheling. If WN Pro Matt is really good, any reason why you wouldn't use WN Pro gloss varnish first and then their matt after? I ask since I've never used an enamel gloss varnish over acrylic and I'm trying to not spread myself too much over too many manufacturers. I don't use Humbrol for anything else.

The Humbrol Enamel Gloss is the toughest and most protective varnish I have come across. I've only ever used Winsor and Newton Professional Gloss Varnish spray on paintings. Basically I just tend to go with what works for me based on my experience when it comes to painting miniatures.

Also reading your blog you mention possibly using MIG's Ultra Matt Lucky Varnish. How did that turn out? I've used their acrylic mud for basing and it's really effective (much better than Citadel Technical and possibly better than the Vallejo equivalents) but reviews on Britmodeller for the varnish are somewhat negative, albeit from 2018.

Actually not too well. I struggled to brush MIG's Ultra Matt Lucky Varnish when diluted and couldn't get a flat matt finish unless I used the MIG neat which left some speckling/frosting. It might go on better with an airbrush but as I've never needed one I don't own one.

There is another company which produces an excellent brush on flat matt but after buying some of their varnish I discovered to my horror that they had produced a book on "Painting the Holocaust"!! Way, way out of order IMHO and that's me being very polite. 

[Maniac]

Atheling: Thanks for confirming it's 3 poses not 4.

Maniac: Thanks. Seems 20mm square and 25x50mm for cavalry is ok then which is good since I won't need to rebase them to these round things Saga uses! I'm actually putting all the minis on individual bases and then mounting them on larger bases via magnets to try and retain some future flexibility.

All: what is a good varnish to use given I'm not using an airbrush yet? It seems the bloggers all want use to use airbrushes and not can sprays. Some argue you need to gloss varnish to protect then matt varnish to get rid of the gloss. Some use a satin varnish as a compromise. Very little consensus ... as usual ... but most are focussed on Warhammer 40k or AoS, not historical.

Just a note on Saga, it is semi base agnostic as well.  You can freely mix square/round bases with no issue.  In fact, my Late Roman cav is all on 1.5" fender washers, with infantry on 1" fender washers.  They can mix in just fine with 20mm squares with no real issue.

[Aventine]

Re matt varnish, I have been using AK Ultra Matte Varnish with an air brush and find it great even over transfers. I use it straight from the bottle.

Cheers Keith

[WorkShy]

Re matt varnish, I have been using AK Ultra Matte Varnish with an air brush and find it great even over transfers. I use it straight from the bottle.

Cheers Keith

Thanks for that recommendation.

Regarding your miniatures. Is it possible to buy packs of the AVS30 shield? I can see on your site links to buy the AVS31 (seems to have some darts on the back) and AVS34 (compatible with Footsore transfers). I can also see some transfers for the AVS30 but not the actual shields themselves. Do the shields have any detailing on the rear? I can't find a picture of the back of the shield.

For 5th century Roman or Romano-British armoured units, what packs might be compatible from your Early Byzantine range?

Thanks

[Atheling]

Quick question: Footsore sell cav units in packs with both 3 (£11) and 4 minis (£14). I bought 2 packs of RB cav, got 8 minis, 6 distinct and 2 were repeats.

Is that the same for all their Late Roman and Goth cav packs?

I believe so. Why don't you email them to check?

[WorkShy]

I believe so. Why don't you email them to check?

You confirmed that earlier (see below). Not that I mind double confirmation ... double thanks in return!
I did email and Footsore confirmed that the Late Roman, Saxon and Goth were designed as three packs and it's only the later Irish, Pict, Norman that are four.

Yeah, you just get an extra mini from the pack- which is three. So four mini pack = three plus and extra from the three available.

[Atheling]

You confirmed that earlier (see below). Not that I mind double confirmation ... double thanks in return!
I did email and Footsore confirmed that the Late Roman, Saxon and Goth were designed as three packs and it's only the later Irish, Pict, Norman that are four.

That's useful to know. I hadn't realised the Irish, Pict, Norman were geared more towards four mini's. Possibly aimed at Saga?