Dumnonians UPDATED (x3): Ambrosius Aurelianus & Mounted Retinue

[Richard in Sachsen]

Thank you much

[chema1986]

Nice project and figures, mate

[Richard in Sachsen]

Thanks Chema

[Richard in Sachsen]

Updated with more Dumnonians in main text

[Jericho]

It's been a while since the last time I was on here, but damn!
You've been quite busy, haven't you?
With the Romans and now the Britons; and they do look great.

What game are you going to use them for?

And, as luck would have it, I just read a short book about the possible Irish influences in the Arthur figure, with the Dumnonian king Custennin (+-530AD) being the son of the Irish proto-Arthur, Muircertach Mac Erca. An interesting read.

[Maxromek]

Awesome job, especially on the plaids and tartans.

I have one issue though - the mud. I think you've overdone it with some of the riders. It really takes away from the painting.

[Richard in Sachsen]

Thanks guys,

@Maxromek: Thank you so very much, not just for the compliment but also the constructive criticism! I need more of that to help me improve my painting. And I think you are right about the mud and that issue had been lingering in the back of my mind. While I wanted a very muddy look, there are a couple of horsemen with plaids that you just can't see and it does take away. I need to tone it down a bit. I just got this stuff for the first time and have been experimenting with it and obviously over doing it a bit. But I really, really do appreciate the criticism and is why I post the pictures.


@Jericho: Thanks. Yea, been busy. We're probably selling the house in March and moving back to Weimar where we will be in a lot smaller apartment and I won't have the space. So I'm busting my butt trying to get some of the 28mm lead pile done before it goes into storage. But, there's still quite a few 15mm and 6mm to do but I'm saving those for the reduced space and taking advantage of the room I have now for the 28s.

They're based on trays for Hail Caesar as I figure that if I have a good size Hail Caesar army, I can play any game with them as most others require smaller units. I need some 40x40 trays for Comitatus and Swordppoint, for example. Dux Brittanicum and Dux Bellorum as well. Of course, Aetius and Arthur arrived last week and after a cursory read-through it looks exciting but I need to pick up Crescent and Cross as there are some new rules therein not covered by basic SAGA.

Unfortunately, I don't get much play around here. Everyone here is into Warhammer and Infinity and don't have much interest in ancients. But after we move, there's a club in Erfurt with people who do and it really helps that Basic Impetus, Hail Caesar, and SAGA are translated into German.

[Richard in Sachsen]

Some more Dumnonians, this time Arthurians

1.Wthyr ap Constantine Bendragon

Wthyr with comitatus Wthyr's shield is hand-painted but the comitatus guys are LBMS transfers. I will do an entire unit of both mounted (Footsore) and dismounted (Saxon) but still waiting on the Saxon miniatures to arrive





Wthyr's standard This masthead, I believe, is a Gripping Beast Dragon of Wessex that I used as one of the two Gold Dragons that Geoffrey of Monmouth claims that Wthyr made due to Merlin's prophecies. Gold thread from the local craft store holds the crossbar in place



"Spiritual Advisors" I saw this Merlin on Col. Bill's used mini site and snatched him up having loved John Boorman's Excaliber as a kid. Don't know who makes him, though.



Even the Bishop has dragon symbology, perfect fit!



Command stand





2. Arthyr & Companions

Arthyr and Caledfwich I used a Thunderbolt Mountain elvish sword here. I love Tom Meier's work and this sword is "otherworldly" enough without being too "high fantasy." I think it works well as Caledfwich. Used Vallejo silver, blue tone, and Vallejo liquid silver as highlights.

Arthyr is also influenced by Cornwell's version. Nevertheless, I found a plain silver shield very dull, if you pardon the pun. I almost went back to Geoffrey's description of a Virgin Mary shield but then thought that Roman leaf-patterned shields are attested to, so I attemted a leaf pattern in various tones of metal and silver.





Standard Bearer/horn blower



Cei





Command with Bedivere, Standard, Arthyr, Cei



3. Gawaine, Gareth, Gaheris

These three are actually influenced by Tom Steven's The Cauldron. I found the novel ok, but I liked what he did with these three knights - making them triplets, and his reworking of the Green Knight tale. Here, without giving too much away, the "Green Knight" gives his emblem to Gawaine as a magical protection against evil. All three brothers then carry the green pentagram on red fields on their shields with significance to the plot of the story.

I thought the pentagram was a nice pagan contrast to the many Arthurians with Christian symbology so that these three stand out a bit in the crowd.

Gawaine





Gareth



Gaheris



The Three Brothers

[Steve F]

Nice stuff, even if I can't pronounce half the names! (I mean, I can substitute "Uther" for "Wthyr", but is that right?)

"Spiritual Advisors" I saw this Merlin on Col. Bill's used mini site and snatched him up having loved John Boorman's Excaliber as a kid. Don't know who makes him, though.

Rogue Miniatures:
http://www.rogueminiatures.co.uk/index.php/sword-miniatures/jack-miniature-35.html

They also do an Arthur, a Morgana and a Mordred.

[Richard in Sachsen]

Thanks. Heh, yea, something about Old Welsh just makes me want to put my wellies on! But yea, Uther.

Thanks for the link, will check them out now.

[Jericho]

You, sir, are a painting machine 

[Richard in Sachsen]

Heh, thanks Jericho Trying to get as much as possible knocked-out before the house sells and I lose all this wonderful space.

[Captain Blood]

A very nice and well thought out collection 

[Richard in Sachsen]

Thank you Capt.

[Richard in Sachsen]

Another sub-Roman warlord done. This time: Ambrosius Aurelianus. These are all Footsore figures: Romano-British cavalry, Late Roman Cavalry Commander and the Late Roman General. I used them because I thought the whole retinue having fur collars on their cloaks was a nice unifying theme to the unit.



Since Aurelius means "the golden one" or "shining one" (I only know that because we named our daughter Aurelia) I decided to give him a sun motif. I really wanted to paint a personified sun, but that just turned out to be a happy face.

Standard Bearer. Here, too, I used the sun motif with religious iconography.





Second-in-Command.



Retinue








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