"Julio-Claudian kitbash" Topic

I'm currently working on a proof of concept of kitbashing a few different plastic sets together to create Julio-Claudian legionnaires (say, Teutoberg Forest to the Batavian Revolt/Year of 4 Emperors). I was thinking of using Victrix Republican Romans or Warlord Games Cesarean Romans with green stuff cingulum belts and parts of Victrix's EIR set.

Besides using up my bitsbox, I was recently inspired by looking at the recreations of D'Amato's Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (Osprey) and I rather like the idea of a more irregular looking army.

1) I'm not the best at identifying helmets, but are Victrix's auxiliaries wearing coolus helmets? I was thinking about using some of these with the Imperial Gallic helmets in the EIR set to create a force more antiquated looking than Pax Romana styled legionnaires

2) How unrealistic would it be to have a few legionnaires wearing Montefortino helmets? I have tons of them laying about in my bits box and I know they would work for Teutoberg, but if they would stick out like a sore thumb for Claudius' invasion or Boudicca's Revolt, I think I'd rather not use them.

They look excellent! Variation still occurs even today in this world of mass production; one can only imagine how much variety might appear when one considers regional fabricae coupled with troops being required to purchase some of their own gear. On the issue of Montefortino helmets, I'm no expert, but I've heard that the Romans were reluctant to scrap items that were still serviceable.Maybe the old helmets would be turned in to be brought up to date?

@rvandusen I should clarify that the picture is not mine but comes from Victrix's website. I just posted it for reference to that kind of helmet. Thats a good point about reusing equipment. I remember in one of my Ospreys a photo of a 2nd century Roman helmet that got modified into a Intercisa style helmet almost 200 years later.

Armies are very, very reluctant to get rid of old kit – it was not, for example, until 1809 that French line infantry all got rid of bicornes and white coats – and in the Ancient world, I imagine a bunch as parsimonius as the Roman army would keep old kit for a long, long time

Cue the debate about the total lack of archaeological evidence for Sparta changing to pilos helmets. La la la, looking at you, Osprey.

Armies never through out expensive equipment. It gets used until it falls apart.

Looking at D'Amato and Sumner's "Arms and Armour of the Imperial Roman Soldier" I would have to say the Victrix Auxiliaries are not wearing Coolus.

The neck guard is too big and there wasn't the brow ridge as on these. I'm thinking more early Imperial Gallic so that would work

Not sure on the Montefortino. Comments on the Romans not liking to throw stuff away not with standing. Teutoberg Forest to the Four Emperors is sixty years. A lot of stuff will have fallen to bits before the Claudian invasion.

Montefortino would have been three generations (helmet wise) back behind the Coolus and Early Imperial Gallic, I would have thought.