Century Leadership Team (completed)

I've completed part of another Century Leadership Team of the 2nd Cohort.  Here a Centurion with cloak, an 8th Legion Vexillum standard bearer and an Optio are photographed.  This team will be organized around the second Century of the 2nd Cohort, 8th Legion.

Celtic Barbarians (started)

With the arrival of my two packages from England (Warlord UK - http://www.warlordgames.com), I've begun to think about how I'm going to model the enemy facing off against the 2nd Cohort, 8th Legion and other attached Roman forces.  I'm focusing on the Gallic Celts of what is today, France and Belguim (then known as Gaul).  The Warlord figures are mostly the plastic variant of 28mm and seem nicely made.  And numerous metal minis are included.  Overall they seem well done as minis and will match well with my excellent Roman minis from Aventine UK.

Here I'm cleaning the "flash" off of the minis and preparing them for primer.  Wasn't too bad overall; and much better than Foundry minis I've purchased which require a lot of cleaning and sanding.

These minis are two packs Warlord's Celtic "Line Breakers".  These figures represent the Berserker style of fighting common with Celts as they grow frustrated with the Roman army Shield Wall and attempt to break it through their brave leaping chargers.

A few of the Warlord figures are naked and I don't want naked enemy minis (no matter how true to life it might have been).  So with some Squadron Green Putty I've made loincloths.  A few of the minis needed extra attention for attaching the heads to the bodies; using a gap-filling CA glue along with some Green Putty this was pretty easy.  And I really like the idea of some customization with the figures.  For primer selection, I purchased Army Painter's primer in Barbarian Flesh color.

Praetorian Guard (pair completed)

Finished a pair of Praetorian Guards.  They are based on a 30mmx40mm Litko 3mm base.

Here a few shots of finishing up the basing and the completed Army Painter "Strong Toned" dipping.

Charge (photo booth version)!

First shots using the photo booth Santa brought me for Christmas.  Here is my first group of cavalry attached to the 2nd Cohort, 8th Legion.

Cavalry (part 2)

As I finish up 4 more cavalry, I have some pictures of the process.  Once the minis are painted, I spray with a gloss varnish to seal them.  I allow the varnish to dry for 3-4 hours.  Then I apply the Army Painter Dip.  I apply with a brush and then wash repeatedly with solvent to achieve the desired outcome.  This also ensures the dip flows into the creases.  The Dip takes a long while to dry and the tone of the dip fades a little as it does, which I like.  Then I glue to the Litko base and apply the ground plaster.  I use a mix of white PVA glue and matt medium and spread it with an old brush.  I apply super fine grit and then re-do any areas where the glue was too thin to hold the grit firmly after I tap the bottom.  After the grit I "paint" on glue and tweezer on static grass, tuffs and stones. 





Once all the glue dries I will apply a good coat of matt varnish or Testor's Dull Cote to remove all the "shine" and seal the static grass some (this prevents more from shaking loose later when the minis are being handled).  The base ground cover products are from Gale Force 9, Silfor and Army Painter; they are what I use exclusively.

Works in Progress!

I travel a lot for work, so I have several unfinished minis in progress at the moment.  I plan on finishing them up in the next day or two and then basing them.  In progress, I have a cavalry Bucinator (bugler) and rider; a Signum standard bearer for the 2nd Cohort; three Batavian Auxilia soldiers w/Pilum (one in chain mail and two in scale mail); a VIII Legion Vexillum bearer; a Cohort-level Cornicen; and  two Praetorian Guard soldiers.  

As you can see in the photos, my painting style tends to favor the main colors being painted on in 'blocks' first, then I go back and work my way through with the details.  Somewhere around this point I attach the shields (I have large batches of primed and wood painted shields ready, as you can see behind the horse soldiers) and paint/add transfer decals on them attached to the figure.  Then I go back through and do all the small touch ups and then they are ready for gloss poly sealing.

Commanders!

Here are the leadership teams done.  Bases complete and matte varnished.  I am happy with the overall finished appearances.

Tribune Optimus Buccina and his Signum standard bearer.  General Apollo and his two Lictors.

Legion commander Legate Felix and the Legion Eagle Aquilifer and Cornicen and Augusta Legion Vexillum standard bearer.