Early Republic Romans

[AdamPHayes]

Better off putting them on mutlti bases, but 20mm squares will at least allow them to look like they are close enough to be in a phalanx type formation.

[SJWi]

I think 25mm bases too large to represent "close order" infantry in a unit. Personally I use 1ps for my close-order figures but 20mm squares work just as well. The only problem now is finding a good supply of 1ps in our "cashless" society! I have a stock that will last new a few years but I know some mates struggle to locate them. If going 20mm square I would buy bases rather than make yourself. I used to make my own but found even the smallest deviation in marking or cutting them meant they might not fit. Round or square is pretty much a matter of personal taste unless playing something like WAB which seem to assume they fit snugly against each other. I find you need some room between figures to allow for modern sculpts' "dynamic posing".

Good luck.     

[DalyDR]

I've taken to using 3/4" (just under 20mm?) fender washers on which to base my 28mm figures, at least for the heavy infantry (using slightly larger sizes for lights and skirmishers).  You can pack 'em fairly tight together for a decent massed look, and the round base allows for a bit of rotation to facilitate fitting all those protruding spears/shields/etc. together.

[markw]

Thanks everyone. I think I will put an order in for 20mm square bases plus some movement trays.  I agree the 25mm round bases look great but a bit to much space when they are on movement trays.

[markw]

Better off putting them on mutlti bases, but 20mm squares will at least allow them to look like they are close enough to be in a phalanx type formation.

What multi bases would you recommend?

[Waffles_vs_Tacos]

I do 60x40mm for my 28mm with 6 figures (2 deep) per base and 3 bases for a unit. Calvary and warbands are 60x60mm.

I think 3 bases looks good so I cam do the middle base as a command, and 180mm frontage per unit is very doable on a 6x4 table for an ok sized game.

I base almost all my historical figures like this. I mostly play warlord games systems (hail ceasar, black powder, etc) for my historical gaming minis.

For me, 60mm bases look better than 40mm bases, and an 18 man unit is an excellent compromise in terms of looks, size, and playability.

[SJWi]

Mark, "Waffles" base sizes sound nice but I actually use smaller ones.  My original bases were dictated by trying to use Impetus which had 12 cm wide bases of various depths and a specified number or troops according to troop type. When I switched to TTS the Impetus base width was just fine to fit into a 15cm grid with some room to spare. I switched to sabots a few years ago so figures could also be used in skirmish games.  I use 12 x 6cm sabots for 10 close-order infantry, reducing to 8 figures for bow and javelinmen. True light skirmishers are on 12 x 3cm sabots and have 3 figures. This allows me to have 2 close-order units in a grid together with 1 skirmish unit, which is the maximum permitted under TTS. As I mainly buy metal I found this a good compromise between "the look" and the cost. One thing you need to be careful about is the "dynamic" posing of some ranges which can mean it can be a bit of a squeeze fitting figures onto the sabot.

If you want to see some of my bases pm me your e-mail and I'll send you some photos.       

[Rochejaquelein]

Hi, I should have given a bit more details about the period of the army. I will be looking at Rome expansion of Italy. The destruction of the late Etruscan and coming into conflict with the Greek colonies of southern Italy

I would say Aventine would be an excellent choice except for maybe the Triarii. I am by no means an expert, but from my own research on this time period, muscle cuirass and various kinds of linothorax alongside a round hoplite shield would be the norm until at least the Punic Wars. Another issue would be that the Romans would still be using Greek style swords like the xiphos or kopis during the 4th century instead of the gladius like the Aventine models have, but if the sword is in its sheath it might not be that big a deal. Even then, you can easily just turn a gladius into a xiphos by just shaving off part of the blade if you aren't too picky.

Aventine's Late Etruscan Light skirmishers are perfect leves.

Reproductions of Hastati of this time period look near identical to those of the Punic Wars, but I've seen ones where chest armor was less common. You could use Aventine's AL07 and AL08 packs to represent those without pectorals.

Principes could be made by just using Aventine's hastati and replace the javelins with spears. Agema Miniatures' plastic Roman kit has bodies wearing a subarmalis with pectoral armor on top. Not sure how historical it is but it looks neat.

No idea how to create Rorarii using Aventine

[markw]

Hi, thanks for the excellent response. I have ordered the new aventine allied romans for the core of the army. I have Agema  romans along with the Italian allies heads that they do. I will look at AL07/8 and also sort out bases.

[guitarheroandy]

I would say Aventine would be an excellent choice except for maybe the Triarii. I am by no means an expert, but from my own research on this time period, muscle cuirass and various kinds of linothorax alongside a round hoplite shield would be the norm until at least the Punic Wars. Another issue would be that the Romans would still be using Greek style swords like the xiphos or kopis during the 4th century instead of the gladius like the Aventine models have, but if the sword is in its sheath it might not be that big a deal. Even then, you can easily just turn a gladius into a xiphos by just shaving off part of the blade if you aren't too picky.

Interesting! I've been planning a late 4th Century Roman army and from my reading on the subject, the pre-first Punic War 'proto-Triarii' would 'probably' be in full-on hoplite-esque gear, with large numbers of scutum-wielding lesser-armoured types armed with proto-pila and various hand weapons - axes, early versions of the gladius, short spears and Kopis-type swords. Armour for these would be pectorals and linen-style hoplite armour or indeed no armour at all. I'm not sure how much credence to place on Livy's descriptions of rorarii and accensi or even whether the troop types were even really called hastati, principes triarii etc at that point or whether Livy used those terms because they were familiar to his audience.

Anyway, I'm planning a small force using the upcoming Victrix 'action-posed' Greek Hoplites with heads from the Republican Roman sets as the 'triarii', supported by a variety of pectoral-armoured scutum carrying Victrix Republican Roman/Italian chaps ('hastati and principes’) armed with a variety of spears, pila, javelins and swords and a bunch of javelin-men ('leves'). I'm avoiding mail entirely because although the Romans knew of it from Gallic enemies, it would have taken a while to be adopted and I rather like the idea of my force looking quite unique in Republican Roman wargaming circles!
 
One of the things I love about this particular period is the myriad ways one can interpret the sources and archaeology and come up with one's own take on the look and composition of a force! And of course then it's about how they might have actually fought in those early days while manipular tactics were still evolving. That's a massive thread all of its own!!

Hopefully we can get some pics of these painted Aventine, Vicrix, etc armies up here soonish, eh? 

[FifteensAway]

Haven't read the thread but the best 'one stop shop' is likely Forged In Battle but they are 15 mm.  And very nice figures.