1/72 Early Imperial Roman army - reinforcements (update 27/7/2025)

[Philotep]

Hi dear LAF members, I wish you all a Happy New Year.

This topic is dedicated to the building of a 1/72 Early Imperial Roman Army, first for DBA (because you only need 12 elements  ) then for l'Art de la Guerre - I was just offered the v4 for Christmas by my son, I must be ready soon.

The first figures are already painted, and glued on MDF bases, here you are:


The command element surrounded by legionaries and auxilia. The centurion is an old slightly converted ESCI figure, all the others are mostly Strelets - chunky style compared to ESCI, but perfect to represent heavy infantry in my opinion. All shields are hand painted (in case you wonder)


The auxiliary archers are a mix of Hät and venerable Airfix figures.


I had an old element of ESCI figures and decided to include it into the army, despite the very different sculpting.


The cavalry elements: Numidian Light Horse by Zvezda, Equites Alares by Hät.

Next steps:
- finish the bases in order to match a Mediterranean terrain
- add legionaries and auxilia for l'Art de la Guerre - about twice as many as for DBA for a 100 points ADLG army
- build and paint a camp
- paint a general on horse as commander of the ADLG army

More pictures and explanations here: https://philotepsfigures.blogspot.com/2023/01/early-imperial-roman-army-work-in.html

Of course I will also need to paint some opponents. The beginning of a Germanic warband can be seen in my introduction topic: https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=139431.0,
or here on my blog: https://philotepsfigures.blogspot.com/2018/12/early-germanic-army-complete.html

[DivisMal]

Awesome painting, Philotep! 

Will follow with interest. If you want ancient Germanic tribes as your opponent, it might be good to base the Romans on Central European bases. I.e. green, wet forest and marshland.

[has.been]

Lovely job so far. can't wait to see them finished.

[Golgotha]

Fantastic work very keen to see more.

[twrchtrwyth]

I like what you've done so far.

[Pattus Magnus]

Inspiring work there! The freehand painted shields are especially good- at first I thought they were moulded on patterns. I am looking forward to seeing the enemy force!

[Philotep]

Thank you all for your comments, really appreciated!

@DivisMal: I just wanted to create "generic bases" since most of my ancient DBA armies are settled all around the Mediterranean Sea. But I must admit that a Central European look would be great, since the most famous Roman campaigns of this period took place around the Danube. Now I'm in a doubt 

@Pattus Magnus: I must precise that the pattern is engraved on the ESCI shields (3rd picture, in the middle), not on the Strelets or Hät ones.

[Cubs]

Bootiful. I'm a big fan of using the 1/72 plastics and your paintjob on them is supoib!

[DivisMal]

Thank you all for your comments, really appreciated!

@DivisMal: I just wanted to create "generic bases" since most of my ancient DBA armies are settled all around the Mediterranean Sea. But I must admit that a Central European look would be great, since the most famous Roman campaigns of this period took place around the Danube. Now I'm in a doubt 

@Pattus Magnus: I must precise that the pattern is engraved on the ESCI shields (3rd picture, in the middle), not on the Strelets or Hät ones.

Totally understandable. But if you plan fielding those Imperial Romans in their full glory during the first couple of centuries AD, then most of the Mediterranean is already enjoying the Pax Romana. In Britain, Germania, Dacia however…

[LoxIslay]

Totally understandable. But if you plan fielding those Imperial Romans in their full glory during the first couple of centuries AD, then most of the Mediterranean is already enjoying the Pax Romana. In Britain, Germania, Dacia however…

To see Italiens freeze to death in good German/British/Dacian weather, is definitely a moral boost.

Great paintwork!

[Philotep]

Thank you very much for your comments!

@Divismal: I eventually decided to follow your advice regarding "Central European" base, here you are a test shot:



Nothing extraordinary, what do you think ? Any suggestion welcome before I paint the rest of them (and even after for the next armies) 

[DivisMal]

Looking pretty good! I would not do fancier things - you will want to have the bases represent Britannia, Germania and all those Danubian countries.

[LoxIslay]

Fits them perfectly! Nice to see your progress

[Pattus Magnus]

The basing looks good to me. It would be plausible to represent most damp climates.

[David H]

It just shows what you can do with 1/72 figures - great looking army 
I really like the hand painted shields too.

1/72 plastic really has come on a long way since Airfix!