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This month - Marian Romans
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- Published on Sunday, 13 September 2009 08:13
- Hits: 1449
Bit strapped for cash at the moment, so I am trying to concentrate on painting some of the inevitable lead pile that all wargamers have. Although this month, its not the lead pile, but the plastic pile. Specifically in this case some of the Wargames Factory Ceasar's Legions. I bought these over a year ago now when they first came out because some friends from the States were coming over so could bring them (at the time they hadn't announced any UK distributor).
My first reaction, like a lot of people's was disappointment - the plastic was very shiny and the detailing was fairly poor. This was their first kit and they obviously had a fair bit to learn (it appears from other reviews that they may have). However I gave them a quick spray with black paint and a lot more detail appeared at that point, so I painted a couple and then moved on, mainly because I couldn't decide whether to base them for DBMM, WAB or skirmish use.
A year later and I have decided to bit the bullet and do them for DBMM. Initially I thought this wouldn't be possible because they were such dynamic figures, but some judicious placement of the shield army so it hangs right down and gluing the shield on so that it is held with the correct horizontal grip means that they do now fit on 20mm deep bases and the shield position looks really realistic - from the front you can really see how well protected from missiles they were.
Painting has been in super-speed mode. Drybrush of Boltgun Metal for the mail. Tallarn Flesh for the flesh, with a crude highlight of Dwarf Flesh. Mechrite Red for the tunic, again roughly highlighted with Blood Red. Scorched Brown for the belt and scabbards. Dwarf Bronze for the helmets. Then a wash of brown to bring out the detail. The shields have been the worst bit - I find the style of sticker they use very difficult to position exactly right and impossible to adjust once it has partially stuck - at some point I will re-do them with proper LBM transfers.
Size-wise they are a very good match for my Gripping Beast Polybian Romans (although I know these are at the small end of modern 28mm). And at 60-odd pence a figure it is hard to argue with value - certainly a good set of figures to quickly and cheaply build an army that no-one is going to look too closely at.