On the Painting Tray: May 2014

Seven elephants with Numidian mahouts, and 80 Caesarean legionaries, all by Companion Miniatures.  The elephants are unadorned, so no fancy blankets, towers or anything like that.  They will be perfect for Hannibal's less than brilliant elephant corps at Zama, although I would need a few more at one point.  The elephant body comes as single cast resin piece, with metal trunk, tail, ears, tusks and rider needing to be glued on to it.  I did have eight, but in their previous incarnation whoever packed the Companion figures I have didn't exercise great quality control, and one of the elephants is so badly mangled I can't use it.  But then I did get them for a very reasonable price, so I'm not complaining.  In fact, it's just as well that I had the extra parts for another elephant because some of those were missing from a few of the otherwise intact models. I hope that the new releases will eventually include these.

 I'm painting the legionaries for use as Gallic auxiliary infantry.  They are dressed in winter gear, with breeches and cloaks, and I'm using gladius-armed guys, the idea being that they have been equipped by the Romans.  There is a variety of headgear and poses, so they won't look uniform.  I will paint the cloaks with Gallic patterns, and I've avoided any pila-armed men so that they can stand in for early auxiliary infantry.  Command bases will be Roman officers with red cloaks.  I will also paint an extra command stand with an eagle so that they can morph into the Alaudae and be used as a legion too.  Shields will be plain red.

Caesar's legions will be a big project, and once it is done I will return to the Numidians so that I have enough for a full North African army for use in our campaign.  I know many players who have sizeable Numidian contingents for their Carthaginian armies, but I've never yet seen an entire army of them in their own right. Having said that, it feels almost reassuring to be painting Roman types again!