AHPC 14: More Caesarian Legionaries

Building on last week's expansion of my Caesarian army, this week I painted another 2 units and a Commander.

The Command stand is a great Aventine sculpt - a Legate focused on Crushing His Enemies and Seeing them Driven before Him, for the Glory of Caesar!

These two units were prepared similarly to my submission last week - veterans with some mismatched gear and dynamically based on 120mm frontage. They are a mix of Warlord and Wargames Factory Romans (OOP) - the latter aren't nearly as nice but do the job for troop bases like these.

Our weekly Antipodean paint and chats have been great to build some momentum, catch up with a bunch of Aussie and Kiwi challengers, and see friends olds and new. However, Kent was even more helpful this week - while I was looking for tips for  the leopard skin pelt on the standard bearer, I stumbled cross his tutorial at his YouTube channel- thanks mate! Here is the full 30min video it is for those who seek to emulate him better than me!

I hope I haven't embarrassed your tutorial Kent!

Added to last week's output my veteran Legionaries look thus

All my Legionaries (just on a hundred fugures) massed up are starting to look imposing (I hope!)

I do need to go base and redo the basing on 3 stands though

Points Wise that is 25 x 28mm figs for a total of 125 points. No bonuses for hand painted shields last week so I didn't bother with any this week!!!  :-)  but I was quite happy with how the vexillum came out.

This entry is at the AHPC site here: https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/01/from-paul-og-more-caesarians-145-points.html

AHPC 14: Expanding my Caesarian Army

Our recent discovery of To The Strongest has reignited our slumbering Roman Civil War project. So I'm expanding my collection with additional Legionaries with more dynamic massed basing, starting with these.

Alan and I are both using 120mm frontages for consistency, though its less important in To the Strongest.

I really enjoyed building these and went for a veteran look with differences in equipment & tunic/shield colours while still being cohesive overall. These are Caesar's experienced men from the conquests of Gaul and Hispania, and now arrayed against the forces of Alanius Minimus! Naturally I completely overthought the whole thing and got lost in a myriad of now utterly lost detail, but I'm really happy with the final outcome. Hand painted shields for the Centurion and the Signifier, others are Warlord decals.

Wanting to use my already completed models (posted in in Jan 21 during AHPC Season XI), I've used my existing single based figures and reconfigured them onto 120cm wide bases, adding an extra 8 to get to 4 full units. I then hobbycrastinated (when you do some hobby things to avoid other hobby aspects you dont want to do) by stripping their old flock and experimenting with a new basing system, and also making a sabot base...before realising that this investment of time was probably not best done during the challenge! Again, the Centurion has a hand painted shield, others are decals.

Figures are mostly Warlord games with some Wargames Factory and a few metals mixed. LBM decals

In To the Strongest, Heroes can be assigned to units to boost them in the attack. I've added four to the force; a veteran Centurion, the infamous Pullo and Vorenus duo, and a certain senior officer (from WI's Giants in Miniature range - said officer is scheduled to make another appearance later in this army project...)

Really enjoying rediscovering this project. In summary, thats: 

• 8 single based figures
• 26 figs across the 2 new multi-based units
• 4 heroes 

Romanes Eunt Domus! 

But only the other ones, obviously...

https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/01/from-paul-og-romanes-eunt-domus.html

Return to Blood on the Sands

Today saw us return to the arena to fight our first bouts of Blood on the Sand for 2024 and what better time to start a campaign? The 4 of us rolled up our fighters and we got directly to the first Munus...and right into a heatwave to test our fatigue management.

Sapor the Murmillo (House Alanus) faced off against Tullus the Provcateur (House of Frankiatus) and showed his Tier 1 quality. After a number of rounds exchanging blows in the sweltering heat, Tullus appealed and the crowd were entertained.

Meanwhile, Suran the Threax (Ludus of Paulus Rufus) went up against Atellus the Murmillo (of novice Lanista Reillus) and quickly found himself on the defensive. 2 quick flesh wounds to the head saw Suran incapacitated and at the mercy of the crowd. The editor was merciful and the new Lanista exultant! However, Suran's medicae agree that the open wound on his scalp will likely impact him in his next match.

The second round of bouts saw some excitement as the long afternoon heat continued. The Provocateurs of House Alanius (Caratacus) and Paulus Rufus (Cestus) squared off and dove quickly into action; Caratacus scoring a quick flesh wound on Cestus before being neatly disarmed in return. Caratacus appealed to the crowd and was ultimately spared by the Editor for their displays of martial skill.

Meanwhile, Sinister the Hoplomacus (Lanista Reillus) found Corvis the Murmillo (Lanista Frankiatus) a challenging opponent. Sinister's spear thrusts were nothing to the nimble Corvis, who was similarly unsuccessful in his attempts to draw blood. After an exhausting dance around the arena in the heat, Sinister appealed to the crowd and but the Editor was less than amused, perhapos the heat had gotten to him too. Iugula! was the verdict and all Sinister won was a place in necropolis outside the city. 

A great way to start the 2024 Gladiatorial season, with a new player introduced to BotS and our first campaign underway. 

The first Munus saw 1 Victory by disablement, 2 by Missio and 1 fighter put to death. The additional context of developing one's fighters made a big difference to the immersive experience, and the decision of when to push your luck in the arena...and when not to!

Thanks to my fellow Lanistae for another cracking afternoon of gladiator fun!

AHPC 14: French Grenadiers

First post of the year and its great to be participating in AHPC 14 for my 10th Challenge! This year my target is a curiously specific 603 points, which is what I need to get me to 8,000 lifetime points.

"Mon dieu! Tre magnifique!" say the swooning Mesdemoiselles!

My Season 14 opening salvo is the start of my new Crimean War project. I'm starting with a French Brigade, and the Grenadier Garde is up first! As a larger, well equipped battalion it musters 36 Guardsmen and Officers. 

Allons enfants de la patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !

Why the red bases you might ask? Because they will serve on Mars for our Space 1889 VSF campaign first - obvious really! Once thats done I'll redo the bases for a more routine deployment to the Crimea.

Their features are wonderfully sculpted - doing them some measure of justice was a challenge!

Models are by Great War Miniatures, distributed via Northstar. Painted in classic triad style - no speed/contrast paints were harmed in the making of this unit. I also discovered a new technique for painting small buttons - a toothpick! (Thanks for the tip John, and for the emergency flag resupply!)

A Brigade Commander's view of their march to Victory!

So off the mark with a 36 figure mini-bomb @ 5 points each, plus 20 points for shelving in the History section.  You can see my entry at the AHPC blog here:

https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/01/from-paulog-vive-la-garde-200-points.html