"Victrix - New Gaul Previews " Topic

Victrix announced two new sets of Gauls

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Amicalement
Armand

I had to laugh "Naked Fanatics" then "Highly detailed models"!

More great stuff from Victrix !

Can someone remind me, were there many historical references to naked fanatics? Enough to warrant units ? I would have thought that common sense would pretty quickly tell you at least some covering in battle was essential ?
:)

Besides individuals fighting naked the Gaesatae were mercenary bands made up of landless young men recorded by Greek historian Polybius as fighting against the Romans naked.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaesatae

There is a suggestion that when the Romans recorded people fighting 'naked' they actually meant 'without armour' not 'without clothes'.

It seems to be interpreted in different ways by different historians.

However, the idea of a stark bollock naked warrior with spiked white-limed hair showing contempt for both elements and enemy is certainly more dramatic!

don't forget the tattoos and woad. ya gotta show off da tats.

Being pre-Victorian (nor American) they may have not been quite as prudish as modern man. And cloth fragments in wounds would fester, so maybe naked wasn't such a bad idea sometimes if the weather allowed it…

I assume these will work for naked warriors of other periods with only minor change of equipment – just a new haircut (or headswap)…

Looking forward to these. Though fighers in trousers are highly welcome, too (at least from Victrix these are the first, afaik).

I'm learning about this period, so bear with me:

Cerdic: Don't we have quite a bit of evidence of at least some Gauls fighting naked (in its traditional sense)? Surviving art seems to suggest it: the "Dying Gaul" is the obvious example, but there are numbers of other representations of naked Gallic warriors, some of which appear in the Osprey books. Sounds like historical revisionism to me; and of course it's always fun to lean to the dramatic, if in doubt!

Mick: Did the Gauls tattoo themselves? I thought it was only paint! Must look into this…

Sorry to hijack the thread. The figures look nice!

Glad you like them my friend!. (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Gone Fishing – Well I've no idea, really. Just picked up a few bits here and there! It seems to me that most of the information about ancient Celtic/Gallic peoples is derived from Roman sources. And the Romans never did anything just for PR reasons, did they!

Bottom line is that wargamers should build their Ancient Gallic army how they want. If anyone quibbles about something on the tabletop just say 'OK, prove it'.

Well said, sir! I plan to have numbers of naked chaps, historical or not! I'll remember your advice.

Agree. Victrix is releasing two boxes of Gauls, one of naked warriors and one of clothed. If you don't think Gauls fought naked just buy the regular warrior box. Personally, I might buy them whether or not I believe they really fought naked. I just wish Victrix plastic releases do well enough that some day they release cataphracts (useful for Seleucids, Parthians, and/or Sassanids).

I assume these will work for naked warriors of other periods with only minor change of equipment – just a new haircut (or headswap)…

It would be also possible to convert them into not-quite-naked figures by sculpting some clothes on (loincloth, kilt, shorts, swimming pants, mankini etc.).

And Perry is releasing plastic Zulus next week. These along with their Mahdist plastic box have good conversion potential for the ancient gamer. The Mahdist, for example, make nice pre (and post) Islamic tribal Arab foot.
Victrix psiloi are also very good conversion material.

I will be interested to see the actual Victrix Gallic sprues.

… mankini …

Now thats a frightening thought – a horde of Kazakh berserks in mankini.

Another scary prospect is a unit of Zardoz exterminators, though this would also require sculpting on boots and adding spare weapons (Gun is good!) from a modern or SF plastic sets.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand