"Gripping Beast Republican Romans" Topic

I received my pre-release packs from GB last night and thought I'd share my opinions here for anyone interested. So far they have seven packs available, Legionares standing, attacking, and advancing (each in pectoralis or mail) and a command pack.

They match up well size-wise with my Old Glory Etruscans. Both measured 24mm from foot to eyeball. The GB lads had a slightly more slender build and a pleasing graceful look. The poses all looked natural. The sculpting is exactly what one would expect from GB. There was minimal flash on the figures themselves, but some of the seperate shieds were heavily flashed and one was incompletely cast. This was no real problem as the kind folks at GB always seem to include plenty of extra accessories.

As I said, the sculpting is what one has come to expect from GB. That includes disproportionately small hands and feet. They also continue their use of the open-hand sculpt. This is more of a stylistic quibble, as I prefer solid hands I can drill out.

Overall I am quite pleased with them. I have been planning to do an early republic army for some time to complement my Etruscan force and I think GB will form the bulk of my troops.

You prefer hands to drill out? Can you elaborate why? Most gamers appear to prefer the opposite.

Best regards

Lon Weiss

Brigade Games

Give me open hands. I spent an entire day once drilling out the hands on some 30+ OG Spanish Pikemen. After that I have yet to return to paint those models. I think my pin vise never forgave me.:)

Cheers,

Kim

I like the closed hand as well. Sure, it is a royal pain in the ass to drill them out but once done I NEVER have spears pop out of their hands even when dropped or knocked over. In the long run it is the way to go.

Okay one more thing... this is provided that the hands/fists are big enough! Little hands/fists are certain trouble. Luckily OG's are big enough but I'm afraid that if GB were to sculpt closed fists there would be much cursing at my house.

Gripping Beast figs are among my favorite, but I too prefer to drill out the hands. Screw the pin vise doohicky and get yourself a cordless drill for heavans sake. I have drilled out the hands on hundreds of 25mm ancients and dark ages with little problems and the metal spears I make never come off.

I just finished a 500 + pc. Republican Roman army last spring, but I will have to get some GB anyway.
Need the Vendal Eastern Pikemen for my Selucid army. too as I can't resist new figs for armies I already have.

Go Beast!!!

Ragnar

I prefer drilling for one reason. Weapons don't pop out. This is particularly a problem with GB as their hands are unnaturally small. I'd rather drill it once than reglue many times. I also prefer to supply my own weapons so that I can use unbendable wire.

I prefer drilling.

I agree on the drilling. The extra time is worth never having to reglue and touch up

Hey Aaron how are they packaged? are they 4 packs of
different poses or are they 8 packs of the same pose?

They are in four packs of similar poses.

GB SMALL HANDS ? They are of the few manufactureres who make hands that are correct in proportion to the figures, I never had problems with the spears, instead of drilling try using a file.

Sorry, I think the hands are a bit on the small side. I still like the figures, it's just a minor gripe. I think their Rep Romans are the best out (almost out anyway) now. I do file out the hand, but the spears will still pop out occasionally if you game with the figures.

I found the best thing to do with the GB hands was to file them out and then model the ends of thumb and fingers as they all seem to be missing a knuckle. It takes time but not as much as drilling and my greenstuff fingers stop the weapons poping out.

With "open handed" figures I like to squeeze the hands shut around the weapon. A drop of cyano to secure and use a pair of soft nosed pliers to avoid damaging the sculpting. You can vary this by bending the thumb inwards to achieve the same effect.

I received some packs of the new velites from GB last week and I must say the hands are improved. These are top-notch figures.

Gripping Beast released a new range of Republican Romans

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