House of Oscarus...humble beginnings. (Pontus fight, last page!)

[Elbows]

Just some added "tokens" I put together tonight. Sorry for the poor pics, was using my old camera.

The tokens are mainly for dropped weapons, thrown weapons, broken weapons etc.  I'll be adding a thrown net, and some more counters eventually.  I used some rather oversized swords from a Mantic sprue I had laying around, but they're close enough and more easily recognizable.  I also built a handful of palae? (the multiple of palus?).  They are the training posts at Gladiator schools.  I'll throw them on the board if I feel like gaming at a small training ground or ludus.  Some minor terrain to challenge movement a bit (or just place them off to the side for looks).

IMAGES MOVED TO FIRST POST

[Furt]

These are very nicely done and well executed.

I have done some of these for myself, but yours are much more interesting.

Really like the broken shields and the shafted weapons sticking in the ground.

Those pali?? are cool and useful for obstacles in BotS.

If you need a sica try bending a straight sword. 

[Elbows]

Yeah, I thought about making a Sica, but then I realized a simple sword will work for any of them (heck, including daggers).  I may eventually try to make accurate replicas, but I have no square parmas available etc.  I used my last trident, so I can't have a broken trident etc.  There will be a lot of double duty.  The blue Scutum which is busted on the right side of the picture will be replaced as I don't like it (found a use for my miscast Brigade Games shields though!).

PS: Furt, I went over to my brother's house (he had a baby girl two days ago) and he mentioned twice, without provocation, wanting to play "the gladiator game" again.   Unfortunately he'll be busy and I'm starting up work again soon, so my games will decrease, but you got him hooked!

[Furt]

Somebody really needs to make a 28mm sprue of common gladiator weapons and shields. I can't believe it hasn't been done yet.

Agree that tridents are scarce as well. Foundry used to actually give out retiarii in a pack without any tridents at all. 

PS: Furt, I went over to my brother's house (he had a baby girl two days ago) and he mentioned twice, without provocation, wanting to play "the gladiator game" again.   Unfortunately he'll be busy and I'm starting up work again soon, so my games will decrease, but you got him hooked!

Congrats on your new niece mate. A great sign your brother wants to play again! I'd conveniently lose his Negrix's character sheet though. 

[Elbows]

Oh, I will see the fall of Negrix...one way or another! (clenches fist)

[Whitwort Stormbringer]

Nice tokens - I think they came out really well!  I've thought about doing something similar, seeing how well yours came out now I'll have to.

I think it's "pali", not 100% on that, though.  Usually the "-ae" suffix is when the singular form ends in "-a", whereas the "-i" is for words ending in "-us."   This based entirely on observation, not any actual knowledge of the language.

[Furt]

Nice tokens - I think they came out really well!  I've thought about doing something similar, seeing how well yours came out now I'll have to.

The more I think about it, the more essential these types of counters become in a game comprising of basically only two figures. With some effort you can elevate the appearance of the game dramatically with simple additions like these - much better than cardboard counters anyway. 

[Elbows]

I like that the game is modular...heck you don't even "need" miniatures.  So you could print off some pictures of gladiators and print off a single page of hexes and play the game...or go as nuts as you want.  I do think it'll add a lot when needed.

[Mister Rab]

I think it's "pali"

Absolutely correct; palus is second declension so does become pali for the nominative plural.

[Elbows]

Good to know, thanks!

[Elbows]

So I had a random package show up in the mail the other day - it was my favourite set of Foundry gladiators that I had ordered a long time ago, but they'd been back-ordered.  I put them together and gave them a lick of paint.

I took down my lights and table, so I apologize for the less than ideal photos.

IMAGES MOVED TO FIRST POST

I took a Thraex for the set and decided I only have one Hoplomachus model (my favourite class).  I decided to modify this guy into another one, since the equipment is almost appropriate.  Simply added a spear and a small dagger in his parma hand.  I'm actually pleased with the quick hack job.  And now I have two Hoplomachii! (something I was upset to see is not in the new Paul Hicks groups!).  

Overall I definitely prefer the quality of the Foundry stuff.  Bigger, slighter more exaggerated details make them much easier to paint.  Belts/straps etc. are more defined.  I'll be picking up the last of the Paul Hicks stuff too I imagine, but I really enjoy painting the Foundry stuff much more.  There is a lion which comes with this set so I'll paint him up some time to try out the animal/beast rules for BOTS.

[Dr Mathias]

Those look great! I wasn't impressed with the pics I've seen of Foundry figures, these show them off rather well.

[Hu Rhu]

Excellent figures and tokens for dropped weapons etc.  I shall be 'borrowing' the idea but at 54mm scale.

[Furt]

Really nice. I must admit that although some of the Foundry gladiators are less than historically accurate they have some of my most favorite miniatures.That pack you just painted is the one Foundry pack I don't own myself.

The Hoplomacus is a great conversion and a perfect choice of figures too. 

The Myrmillo in the first pick is an actual scaeva isn't he?

[Elbows]

Yep, an actual scaeva.  This set is not too bad, but yes many of the Foundry are very questionable in regards to gear.  This pack is close enough for most.  One thing you'll notice is that you get random shields...many of which are small parmas, or inaccurate at best.  The warlord plastic romans shields have come in very handy fixing that.