Cursed Legion project

[Relic]

Now that I've read the rules for SA and am eager to get the first games running, I needed to come up with a scenario that would start a campaign for my Threshold agents. I have not figured out yet all the details of the scenario but it has something to do with cultists (of course!), ancient sorcery, cursed artifacts and the undead!

Background:

The title will be as the title of this message "The cursed legion" and it refers to the roman legions that roamed Britain in the ancient times. A Roman legion were sent to wipe out Celtic priests and to retrieve a powerful artifact which was claimed to have powers that could be used to summon demonic powers from the void. Celts were expecting the Romans and butchered most of them. Rest of the surviving Romans were taken as hostages so the priests could use them as a sacrificial gifts for their gods in their rituals. The tale tells that the priests used the artifact tome to summon a great demon to serve their purpose but something went horribly wrong...

Now year is 1921 and the Threshold has heard of a cult in a search for an ancient tome, rumored to be a very powerful artifact with demonic powers, and in the wrong hands it would endanger the whole world. Not knowing much of the artifact or it's capabilities Threshold decides not to risk it and sends a small task force to counter the cultists, and to find out what the artifact is all about. Luckily for Threshold their agent network has found out where the cult is heading...

There's a little bit of the background and it might evolve some. First I started to figure out where I could get decent Roman skeletal miniatures. I looked a few (there are only a few) manufacturers and wasn't liking any of them. My bad luck continued when I noticed that Zvezda had discontinued their Cursed legion line :/. So I decided to make them myself.

I ordered GW vampire count skeletons, opened up a Warlord Imperial Roman Legionaries box and ordered a box of Kings of War skeleton regiment. With these I was sure to be able to build a group of 3-6 Roman skeletal legionnaires. When I got all the boxes and opened them up and compared the parts I realized that I had to chop up the romans for good since I could only use the torsos without hands/legs.

I also wanted romans skeletons with roman helmets and oh well that wasn't an easy task. Warlord Roman frame came with empty helmets so I took one GW skeleton head and sliced the face off and fitted it in the empty helmet. Then I chopped some skeleton heads, legs, necks from skeletal torsos, weapon parts and started to fit them in the Roman torso. It took a few hours to build the first one and maybe an hour and a half the second one.

I'm quite satisfied with the results since almost every part is separate and glued You can imagine my rage when I dropped those a few times and glued all the parts again . Now then I have 2 ready and I'm happy if I get 3 more...

some pics:
http://www.taistelutarvike.fi/blog/Blog_images/Roman_skeletons/Roman_skeleton_1.png
http://www.taistelutarvike.fi/blog/Blog_images/Roman_skeletons/Roman_skeleton_2.png
http://www.taistelutarvike.fi/blog/Blog_images/Roman_skeletons/Roman_skeleton_3.png
http://www.taistelutarvike.fi/blog/Blog_images/Roman_skeletons/Roman_skeleton_4.png
http://www.taistelutarvike.fi/blog/Blog_images/Roman_skeletons/Roman_skeleton_5.png
http://www.taistelutarvike.fi/blog/Blog_images/Roman_skeletons/Roman_skeleton_7.png

sorry for the quality. I need to base/prime them and start painting. After that I will get better pictures of them.

So... the project continues and more twists have already come into my mind

-Mika

[Belgian]

Awesome!

[Calimero]

Very cool stuff

[Centaur_Seducer]

The background story is really good and the supporting conversasions awesome
Keep us updated!

[einarolafson]

An interesting idea!! These Roman skeleton are great.

Regards.

[Uncle Mike]

Great idea! I've got stats floating around the shop for an Ancient Warrior...

[kidterminal]

Very nice conversions. Which skeleton set did you like the best?

Rob

[fairoaks024]

Zvezda do a set of 25mm undead romans actually called  'cursed legion' might save you a lot of heartache modding other figures

regards

jim

[Relic]

Thank you all for the supportive messages. I will continue the project today and I hope I'll get a few more done. I'm doing some background work to get the painting scheme right. Also I need to figure out how to do some serious weathering...the bones are veeeeery old so can't be too shiny . One thing bothering is the armor and the clothes since it's hard to make them look old / torn so I just think I'll leave them as they are. Answers to your questions below:

Jim:

Actually they have stopped the production a few years ago and you can only get them from ebay or other hobbyists :/. I saw a box on ebay but it was way too expensive. Also the scale is too small compared to Uncle Mikes minis for example. Not sure about that though.

Uncle Mike:
If you find the rules please let me have 'em I was planning to use the zombie rules but would be nice to have the "official rules".

Rob:
To do the conversion you really need both GW sets. The vampire count figures are "thinner" and have more details. The problem is that you can only use small % of the parts since most parts are sculpted with clothes / armor on that dont fit the purpose and are hard to file away. So there are mostly hands / great skull sculpts and a few leg sets to be used. Then the Tomb kings set that I bought has a great deal of parts but they are larger and less detailed. Skulls cant be used since they are way too big but legs are good and the torsos aren't too good either. So I like the Vampire counts skeleton set the most but couldn't do this without the tomb king set . Kings of war set has a few suitable skulls but in other ways was not worth the buy for this project. Did this answer to your question?

Now to convert!

[kidterminal]

One thing bothering is the armor and the clothes since it's hard to make them look old / torn so I just think I'll leave them as they are.

Well there are a couple of techniques you can try. One drill holes in cloth for tears; drill them larger than you want the tear. Use green stuff to sculpt the hole into a subtitle shape for your tear. You can try coarse sand paper to rough up the surface of leather armor & equipment. This may give a rusted look to weapons to (not sure haven't tried that). Use a sharp hobby knife to cut nicks in sword blades and gashes in breast plates & shields. You will want to use very fine sand paper to smooth out any unsightly tool marks.

Try these out on the spare skeleton torsos and let me know how you like them.

Rob:
To do the conversion you really need both GW sets...  So I like the Vampire counts skeleton set the most but couldn't do this without the tomb king set . Kings of war set has a few suitable skulls but in other ways was not worth the buy for this project. Did this answer to your question?

Yes it did.

Rob

[Relic]

Update!

I managed to construct the legions centurion. He has a big part of his skull smashed and  a huge hole in the shield where something heavy went through and hit his head. But once again he's leading his troops on the field of battle!

http://www.taistelutarvike.fi/blog/Blog_images/Roman_skeletons/Roman_skeleton_6.png
http://www.taistelutarvike.fi/blog/Blog_images/Roman_skeletons/Roman_skeleton_8.png
http://www.taistelutarvike.fi/blog/Blog_images/Roman_skeletons/Roman_skeleton_9.png

Now I'm working with another skeletal legionnaire so might get another update today...if I'm busy and wife lets me play with my plastic soldiers

-M

[abhorsen950]

Very nice work, the skeletons looks brilliant.

[fairoaks024]

nice, should look really good when you get them done and painted,

regards

jim

[Relic]

Now I finished one with a spear. Tomorrow I'll probably do one more and start painting.

http://www.taistelutarvike.fi/blog/Blog_images/Roman_skeletons/Roman_skeleton_10.png
http://www.taistelutarvike.fi/blog/Blog_images/Roman_skeletons/Roman_skeleton_11.png
http://www.taistelutarvike.fi/blog/Blog_images/Roman_skeletons/Roman_skeleton_12.png

[Uncle Mike]

Hey Relic,

I'm working from a pc and a mac book right now...the whole bloody thing is a mess really. Once I figure out how to do it, I'll send you those stats for the Ancient Warrior. Sorry for the delay...some days I hate computers...