"New Plastic Early Imperial Roman Renders " Topic

From Vitrix…

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Amicalement
Armand

Oh dear, got to have that marching pose!

Yes marching poses are what we want – and those are ace!

How historical is the pose in the first and third images? The pilum wasn't a thrusting spear. Surely the most efficient grip would be with the weapon held facing downward ready for the throw. As depicted the legionaries would have to reverse their pila at some point before contact, so what would be the… point? And they're advancing, so they can't be preparing to receive cavalry.

How historical is the pose in the first and third images? The pilum wasn't a thrusting spear.

Not usually, though it could be used as one – most famously at Pharsalus, where some of the infantry were specifically instructed not to throw their pila. That said, it is still a pretty niche application, as you say.

It is an arm option. You don't have to use it. If you look at the images on the face book page you can see Pilums shouldered and Pilums at the ready.

It is a pose that looks nice. It is a couple of arms in the set out of numerous other arms. Some people would like the dramatic pose it gives, others don't.

Steve.

No trousers!
For a change of their other renders…

They look good- especially the handy marching pose, which I don't think I've come across in many ranges. The cheek guards still seem somewhat over-large, though.

Lovely and I do prefer the trouserless look(um, that sounded odd) but why do one set with braccae and the other without?
"All those without pants, stay here…all those with pants…attack!"
People with want to mix and match these sets on the tabletop and for that having them all in the same uniform would be better in my opinion. Still lovely figures.

I am happy with the cheek guards. Looking at a lot of re-enactor images and picking up a few helmets and trying them on. Most helmets I have viewed and held have various differences from maker to maker and group to group. There is a pronounced flare at the back of the cheek guard to deflect cuts to the shoulder. In reality they should be a little longer at the bottom, but we needed to shave a bit off to enable the heads to rotate on the necks. Compromise is always needed and you are looking at them 15 or more times bigger than they actually are.

The main thing that has stood out from the renders is that we have made the shield a little short. We did not pick this up with the more dynamic poses but stand out on more upright poses. It should come to below the breast from the floor.

The trousers dilemma! We left the trousers off the second marching set as this is the more rigid formal pose that a lot of customers want. For some reason a lot of gamers think of Romans like robots. Everything must be the same. In reality Roman troops were probably far from total uniformity in their dress and equipment. So you have the more dynamic informal wear in one set and the more rigid formal dress in the other set. Of course as usual by trying to please all we please no one!

Personally I would mix up trousers and no trousers in the same unit quite happily. Or if you want variety leg swaps are very easy with plastic. A lot shorter than typing this message!

Steve.

Happy you like them boys!. (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

I like both sets exactly as they are. Hoping for manica and greaves variants:) against the dacians
And hopefully there is still the plan for the scorpions and the mule carts.

I'd like to see similar marching poses for the late Republican sets too. Or even later Imperial troops with hamata. Be nice to have those options for my own collection(s).

I think I can see what you mean Steve, the later versions of the Imperial Gallic helmet(2nd century) did have a more pronounced flare to the cheek guard.These figures look good, can't wait to see the final version.

Steve,

Top marks for owning up on the scutum! I thought they were a bit short as soon as I saw them. Then I thought "Nah, you're just being picky, it's probably the photos".

Great to see a manufacturer with an eye for the details.

As for Roman uniformity – people forget legionaries had to buy their own kit, it must have led to some variation, along with supply.

That said I think a lot of us harbour that ideal of the 'killing machine' that had barbarians fed in the front and corpses appear out the back.

Any chance of a unit of Cybermen? :o)

I hope there is a position that allows the shield to face forward. I assume the active poses are for skirmish games (one figure per base) and the marching poses are mostly for gamers who deploy multiple figures per base (such as DBx and similar). Shields facing partly or fully to the side can be difficult to rank up.

By the way, I noticed that Victrix has released their Successor pikemen, Macedonian pikemen, and Macedonian hypaspists. Their ancient plastic ranges are beginning to look quite impressive. I can't wait to see their first cavalry release.

Great to have you come on here and explain the issues Steve – and congrats on a fine set of sculpts!

The helmets look very good and victirx made a very good decision with this design.
THere are so many different variants in the imperial period.
And thats only this one we know, there may be many more.
Only some examples:
Imperial gallic H
link
Imperial gallic G
link
Imperial gallic C
link

Well done victrix!

Hans Gruber,

For the marching/advancing set you have two arm options, to the side and to the front and also the shield can be rotated on the fist for more angles so you will be fine ranking them up.

Julian is holding off from a full announcement on the Macedonians until the end of the week. Just waiting on the stock to arrive from the Factory.

Thanks for putting those images up VonMoltke. It demonstrates the variations very well. Also from type to type there are variations in the way it is made by metal smiths. I was looking at a row of re-enactors, 8 in a line and all had differences to their helmets. The shape of the embossed eye brows, the shape of the ends of the cheek guards etc…

Steve.

I am amazed, I never noticed the cheek guards before, the design could be either the G/H helmet. It looks a very accurate representation.I can see I will be buying a few of these.

If you Google Image, Imperial Gallic Helmets, its easy to see the dammed things were indeed pretty flappy and you can see originals as well as repros at the same time.

Glad you like them too …

Amicalement
Armand

At the top of their game with these. Brilliant.

I absolutely agree, top drawer stuff!
I've ordered some Macedonians to keep me busy for now.. 8-)

Cheers

SP