Triarii

The Elite range has only one Triari pose - and it's a bit limited. Basically a guy kneeling down. Then I noted that the hastati and principes figures were equipped very similarly, the only point of differentiation being that they were armed with a pilum rather than a hasta (or "spear"). I am going to try arming some hastati with the hasta to make up the second and subsequent ranks of my triarii.

As I hope you can see in the accompanying picture, they make a convincing shieldwall together.

Looking at the picture, I wonder how the guy wielding his weapon overhead might look.

I've another two dozen on order from Elite Australia at the moment, so I ought to be in a position to perform some experiments soon.

Ranking Up

It's a fairly fiddly business with the Elites. You sort of need to offset them from each other a bit. The miniatures' poses are a bit too deep to get them to rank up easily.

Elite Miniatures republican Romans

I've gotten around to painting up some of Elite Moiniatures Rebublican Romans.

This is the beginning of my first unit of hastati or principes.

Names, names, names...

Now see here you fellows, I'm looking for a name for my General.

Gn. Biggus Dickus comes to mind, but that's dreadfully immature....

Any suggestions?

You don't have to be serious, you know.

Oh, also, I need a name for the leader of my Gallic noble cavalry. Something ending in "-ix" might just be appropriate.

Roman Sexuality

Interesting article I found on Wikipedia.

Adult content, I think.

Elite Miniatures Republican Romans

Not a bad little range this.

I ordered and received samples from the range and my first impressions were “very nice”. They figures have the characteristic “Elite” look to them, are well-sculpted and cast and, well, Nathan from Elite Australia is always a pleasure to deal with.

The range is limited. For example, the only Triarius figure is kneeling “at the ready”. Nonetheless, there are two figures that can be used to represent hastate or principes in mail, while there is another hastatus/principes depicted wearing the pectoral/breastplate who could be enrolled to add some more variety.

See also the useful Penal Legionary figure who could be used as either a Velite variant or as an unarmoured hastate/principes. I wonder also if he might not be used as a Marine.

All figures are supplied with head variants which serve to break things up somewhat, also.

There are useful mounted Consul and Cavalry figures (one of each), but you might want to consider buying in cavalry reinforcements from Ist Corps or a similar supplier. Considering the lineage of Elite miniatures, perhaps the old Hinchcliffe range might also provide as well.

The Elite Celt range includes useful figures for Roman Allies or Enemies – I have some of their armoured cavalry on order and expect to take delivery in a day or two.

WABBY thoughts on the Legion

I'll probably fall for the most available option and go for WAB as my rule set for putting Romans on the Wargames table.

To that end I'm thinking on how best to represent the legion organisationally.

If I was to break the legion down to what to me seems like a nice, manageable 1:20 figure ratio, I'd come up with something like this:

Velites - 30-60 figures (depending on your source material!)
Principes - 60 Figures
Hastati - 60 figures
Triarii - 30 figures
Equites - 15 figures

Each group is divisible by three you'll note, so in terms of actual units, you could have:

Velites - 3x10/20 figures
Principes - 3x20 figures
Hastati - 3x20 figures
Triarii - 3x10 figures
Equites - 15 figures

That's between 225 and 255 figures. Not an unmanageable amount, I think.

This leaves out Italian Allies, Gallic Noble Cavalry and Gallic Warbands, of course. At this point in time I'm starting to think I may have to buy the WAB "Hannibal and the Punic Wars" supplement and perhaps even this one when it becomes available.

I ought at some stage do a points breakdown.