Hi Ernie!

Just wanted to say thanks for joining.  If you have a blog of your own, please let me know and I'll link back.  Cheers!

Quick edit: Ernie's blog is here: ancminis.blogspot.com

Raising Gaul

Finally finished:

Gallic auxiliaries for Caesar's legions.  These are by Companion Miniatures, and are supposed to be Caesarean legionaries in winter gear, with cloaks and breeches.

How they look from behind.  Those patterns probably added half as much again to the painting time.  I wanted something different  from the usual to male them visually distinct from the legions. The officers are Romans.

Add in an eagle cohort and a legate, and they magically turn into the Alaudae, Caesar's Gallic legion.  Here they are in triplex acies, from the viewpoint of the opposition. I deliberately composed these units of men with swords so that they could do double duty.  As auxiliaries, they would have spears and javelins, while as legionaries they would have pila.  I also left the shields blank. This way I can use them for both troop types.

A close-up of the legate and eagle cohort.  The mounted legate is by Crusader Miniatures, and there is a senior officer on foot in there somewhere by 1st Corps.  I want to have command types by different manufacturers to vary the look.

A final close-up of some cloaks.  The rank and file swordsmen come in two basic poses, with some variations on the cloaks and helmets.  I painted some of the helmets and some the metal on the scuta as iron, to mix things up a bit more.  I also staggered the figures on the bases somewhat, with the guys thrusting slightly forward of the others.  The overall look is supposed to be men on campaign.  The Gauls have been issued with basic Roman gear, but I still wanted them to have some local flavour.

Each legion will have eighty figures, and I reckon I have enough for a dozen.  Four more will be added to the Alaudae to give me a decent Caesarean force.  Two legions will have red cloaks, to represent elite legions such as the Ninth and Tenth, and the other two won't.  All will have red shields and white tunics, and will be based like this for more northern climes.  The others will face them in dire combat with red tunics, white shields and sandy-type bases. I'll be painting Romans for a while...

On the Painting Tray: June 2014

Finishing the Alaudae (80 figures).  Also starting a mounted legate for the same legion, plus maybe five casualty figures.  Then onto the first of Caesar's elite legions - another 80 figures plus legate.  That should keep me going for a while.  I really should also contribute to the Leibster Blog Award thingie that's doing the rounds again.  The thing is, I paint little and often, because I don't get much time in any one go at the moment; Leibster will require me to be able to sit at the computer for over an hour, which might be quite difficult to arrange.  Cathy needs it for her upcoming exam...