Progress Update Legion XIII Gemina - 10/25/2011 

So it has been a year; a very chaotic tumultuous year. I have been painting a lot during my blog hiatuses, but I am back.

In the interim I have painted a complete WHFB Vampire Army, many, many Flames of War units, some 28mm US Airborne and a few other things (pics to follow this time).

As for my legion, a few things have changed. The name for one; I had decided on doing the VIIII Hispania before the movies Centurion and Eagle came out. They are both about the VIIII. Frankly, it took some of the uniqueness out of it. I changed the designation to the XIII Gemina. The XIII was one of the legions that Caesar crossed the Rubicon with, so I settled on that.

Tim, them call him...

 

Cohors I 20 Legionaries 100%

Cohors II 20 Legionaries 90% need base detailing

Cohors III 20 Legionaries 90% need base detailing

Cohors IIII 20 Legionaries 85% need shields and base detailing

Cohors V 20 Legionaries 0% TBD

Cohors VI 20 Legionaries 0% TBD

Cohors VII 24 Legionaries (Recuits) 90% need base detailing

Cohors VIII 20 Legionaries 0% TBD

Cohors VIIII 20 Legionaries 0% TBD

(Cohors X) 20 Legionaries TBD future order

Legio Eques 6 Legionary Cavalry 0% TBD

General 2 (foot / mounted) 20% base coats

Aquilifier 2 (foot / mounted) 0% TBD

Tribunes 8 (foot / mounted) TBD TBD

- - - - - - -

 Cohors I Velites 12 Velites 0% TBD

Cohors II Velites 12 Velites 0% TBD

- - - - - - -

Ala Eques Praetore 12 Roman Guard Cavalry 50% horses done, figures not started

Ala Batavi seniores 12 Batavian (German) Cavalry 35% horses assembled, figures not started

Ala I Gallica 12 Gallic Cavalry 50% base coats done

Ala II Galica 12 Gallic Cavalry 50% base coats done

Ala Numidia 12 Numidian Cavalry 90% need base detailing & shields

Ala Syriae dromedariorum 9 Dromedarii 0% TBD

- - - - - - -

Cohors I Batavi 30 Aux. Infantry 100%

Cohors II Batavi 30 Aux. Infantry 100%

Cohors I Syriae sagittarii 14 Eastern Aux. Archers 90% need base detailing

Cohors II Syriae sagittarii 14 Eastern Aux. Archers 90% need base detailing

Cohors Tunguri sagittarii 12 Western Aux, Archers 100% need movement trays

Cohors I Balaerica funditorii 14 Baleric Slingers 100%

Cohors II Balaerica funditorii 14 Baleric Slingers 100%

Cohors I Numidia sagittarii 12 Numidian Archers 0% TBD

Cohors II Numidia sagittarii 12 Numidian Archers 0% TBD

- - - - - - -
 Balistarii 1 Heavy stone thrower 100% done

Balistarii 1 Light stone thrower 25% on hold for bases

Balistarii 2 Ballista 25% on hold for bases

Balistarii 4 Scorpio 100% done



Tim, they call him...

Progress Update Legion VIIII Hispania - 10/25/2010

Legion VIIII Hispania - 10/25/2010
Cohors I	20	Legionaries	90%		need base detailing & shields
Cohors II	20	Legionaries	90%		need base detailing & shields
Cohors III	20	Legionaries	90%		need base detailing & shields
Cohors IIII	20	Legionaries	95%		need shields
Cohors V	20	Legionaries	0%		TBD
Cohors VI	20	Legionaries	0%		TBD
(Cohors VII)	24	Legionaries (Recuits)	45%		working on base coats
(Cohors VIII)	20	Legionaries	TBD		future order
(Cohors VIIII)	20	Legionaries	TBD		future order
(Cohors X)	20	Legionaries	TBD		future order
Legio Eques	6	Legionary Cavalry	TBD		future order
General	2	(foot / mounted)	0%		TBD
Aquilifier	2	(foot / mounted)	0%		TBD
Tribunes	8	(foot / mounted)	TBD		TBD
Cohors I Velites	12	Velites	0%		TBD
Cohors II Velites	12	Velites	0%		TBD
Ala Eques Praetore	12	Roman Guard Cavalry	50%		horses done, figures not started
Ala Batavi seniores	12	Batavian (German) Cavalry	35%		horses assembled, figures not started
Ala I Gallica	12	Gallic Cavalry	50%		base coats done
Ala II Galica	12	Gallic Cavalry	50%		base coats done
Ala Numidia	12	Numidian Cavalry	90%		need base detailing & shields
Ala Syriae dromedariorum	9	Dromedarii	0%		TBD
Cohors I Batavi	20	Aux. Infantry	0%		TBD
Cohors II Batavi	20	Aux. Infantry	0%		TBD
Cohors I Syriae sagittarii	12	Eastern Aux. Archers	90%		need base detailing
Cohors II Syriae sagittarii	12	Eastern Aux. Archers	90%		need base detailing
Cohors Tunguri sagittarii	12	Western Aux, Archers	90%		need base detailing
Cohors I Balaerica funditorii	14	Baleric Slingers	90%		need base detailing
Cohors II Balaerica funditorii	14	Baleric Slingers	90%		need base detailing
Cohors I Numidia sagittarii	12	Numidian Archers	0%		TBD
Cohors II Numidia sagittarii	12	Numidian Archers	0%		TBD
Balistarii	1	Heavy stone thrower	100%		done
Balistarii	1	Light stone thrower	25%		on hold for bases
Balistarii	2	Ballista	25%		on hold for bases
Balistarii	4	Scorpio	100%		done

Roman Onager

Years ago I purchased a "Roman Stone Thrower" in 28mm. It was a nice metal kit with seven or eight crew. The model seemed to be a medieval catapult with Roman crew. Over the years I would pull it out and work on it a bit, then put it back in the 'TBD pile'.

The stone thrower had wheels, which I have never seen any evidence for on a Roman onager and the crew were a bit chunky (think Michelin tire man).

During my recent painting spree I decided to take a look at the onager again. Sometime in the past I had assembled (mostly) and primed it and the crew. I was unhappy with the wheels... they weren't well cast and they seemed out of place to me, so I removed them. Removing the wheels lowers the height, which makes the crew a bit to tall and the winch 'wheels' sit on the ground. I used some balsa wood to make a frame to raise the onager back to the proper height, added a few details and mounted it on a base.

I decided to not use all the crew, while I am sure an actual onager had more than the five I am using, mounting more on the base made the whole thing look like a Chinese fire drill (chaotic).

This is a work in progress, I am still not happy with it, but here it is in all it's glory

From the left side


3/4 view from right front

Tim, they call him...

Crouching Romans

Here is a cohort I recently finished that I am proud of. The figures are made by Foundry and I was always intrigued by the crouching pose.

I originally had ambitions of making these guys into a testudo, but it occurred to me that I really liked the way they looked and they would be wasted as a testudo.

These guys were the first cohort I painted that kicked off my 'painting spree'. As I painted and organized them I hit a pretty big snag; they had no command figures!

I quickly scoured the Foundry site and found they don't make a crouching command. An email to them confirmed this. So I would have to make my own.

The Centurion was simply a matter of attaching a transverse crest.

The Signifer and the Cornicen were a bit more work.

First, I had to cut away and remove all traces of the gladius in their right hands. Both hands had to be re-oriented (bent) to accommodate the signum in one case and the cornu in the other. I had to rebuild the Cornicen's left hand with green stuff since he wouldn't have a shield.


Then I had to remove their heads and do a head swap for one with the animal pelts covering the helmets (wolves in this case). I spent some time researching wolves to come up with an appropriate color pattern (I will have to take a picture of the wolf pelts, they really turned out nice).

Lastly I had to modify a signum and cornu to fit and put the whole thing together. I am proud of these guys; they look nice and the conversions were not too difficult and have a lot of character.

Tim, they call him...

Roman Banners

I am trying to come up with some banners for my Caesarian Roman army. I want to give the cohorts a distinctive banner as well as something for the legion (besides the eagle). I have drawn up my current choices and options. I would appreciate any opinions or suggestions.

Click on the image above to enlarge it.

Tim, they call him...

Painting Log - October 12, 2010

Progress Update

Progress!

I am working on:

• 13 Eastern Auxilia Archers (in the 'touch up' phase, 'dip' and base detailing and they are done)
  
• Roman Catapult (I have to decide where this is going to go. It is a large model so I think I will spend some time detailing the base)
  
• Twelve man Roman cavalry unit (horses are at the detail stage and are based. Troopers need to be prepped and primed)
  
• My second 20 man Roman legionaire unit (need to attach the swords, 'dip' and do the bases)
  
• My third 20 man Roman legionaire (prep stage)
• My third six team SS-Panzergrenaider unit (base coats done, detailing work needed).
• My second six team SS-Panzer-pioneer unit (primed).

Tim, still obsessed they call him...