Friday 10 February 2017

From MartinN: Balbus the Disfigured - Early Roman command stand (18 Points)

Finally I've made it! My first scheduled Friday-submission!

Well, life is rather busy around here with me being away on in-company training for much of the time as well as taking over new responsibilities in my job. Normally I would have planned to have more time for painting this challenge, but alas it was not to be. I'm rather sure most of you know such real live issues only to well so I stop blathering and will come straight to business.


I've always been fascinated by anything Roman. As a kid I loved to dress up as Roman centurion for carnival and birthday parties. Most of my friends preferred the more traditional cowboy or Native-American costumes though. This love continues to the present day and albeit not dressing up as Roman anymore I still read and watch anything vaguely related. So it's certainly of little surprise that I jump at any chance to paint up a few nice miniatures for this period.


The miniatures for this little command stand come from the excellent Aventine range of Early Republican Romans as well as Etruscans. The casualty though is from Armorum & Aquila miniatures and while a little rough in detail, still a very nice and atmospheric sculpt. The decals used are from the more than commendable Little Big Men Studios. What's a little odd about the commanders sculpt though is he's sporting six fingers on his left hand. It took me a while to figure out why I felt there was something odd with this miniature.


I had these cuties sitting in my lead pile for what felt like ages. Initially I had planned to paint them up for use with Impetus, but I prefer using 15's for games with largish formations. To this end I'll probably use these with SAGA or any other skirmish game. I think I'll call him (the commander) Balbus (latin for Stammering One). No idea when I'll come around to paint up some retinue for him though.


I want them to represent Romans from the early Republic, so arund about the time when they freed themselves from Etruscan rule and started to subjugate their immediate neighbours. While in Greece at that time large battles were fought with the well known Phalanxes fighting it out, battles in Italy still were fought at a somewhat smaller scale. Often these battles were nothing more than small skirmishes or kettle raids.

Three standing miniatures and a prone casualty should net me a whopping 17.5 points.


Welcome to the Friday Crew proper Martin! This command stand is stunning, even by the very high standards you've set with past entries. Colourful without being riotous, in your distinctive style, and the composition and basing are sublime. But six-fingered Balbus, now that is a mystery. 

I sympathise entirely on the life limiting hobby time, just look at my tally. Still, there's always the next Challenge, or the one after where we can hope to make better progress. 
17.5 points is not mathematically pleasing: I'm going to exercise my minion rights and call it 18. Let's just hope I've not overstretched my remit so much that judicial intervention is necessary. 

I'd be delighted if you had time to produce some more of the excellent Aventine Romans in this challenge, please?  

Phil

23 comments:

  1. What an outstanding piece of work!

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  2. stunning! I love your choice of colours and the crispness of your painting on these!

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  3. Great command base Martin, welcome to Team Friday

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  4. Six fingers, that's not disfigurement that's being genetically enhanced! Lovely work.

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  5. Absolutely gorgeous work, Nick! I'm very much of the same vein in liking anything Roman. I think it comes from watching all those Sword & Sandal movies as a kid. You have such clean lines, great blending and I like how you've kept the metalics muted. As 'sex' is 'six' in Lantin, you could call him Balbus Sex - Now, that sounds wonderfully rude. :)

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  6. 'I'm going to exercise my minion rights and call it 18. Let's just hope I've not overstretched my remit so much that judicial intervention is necessary.'

    Half a point? Ha! Compared to what DarthBrom dishes out on Thursdays you're well within the comfort zone. :)

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  7. Absolutely stunning work Nick and really enjoy the color combo's! I wouldn't object if you changed your mind on Impetus, but maybe I'll paint up a small Etruscan warband to oppose your Romans in a skirmish game....

    Christopher

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  8. Fab looking Romans, lovely work.
    Best Iain

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  9. Beautiful work! These would look great on the cover of something like WS&S.

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  10. ...and as for the extra finger, I think he's planning on giving it to the Etruscans.

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  11. Fantastic and inspiring work Nick! You guys have tempted me into ancients, and my credit card is melting as I type...

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  12. What a brilliant stand - wonderful palette and beautifully detailed.
    You deserve a triumph!

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  13. Absolutely glorious Martin! One of my favourite entries to date and there's been some seriously good stuff too.

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  14. Such sumptuous colours! Brilliant.

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  15. Amazing work here Martin! I love the overall soft palette you used here a lot of the colours come across almost as pastels, and such clean brushwork, really really nice!

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  16. Excellent work! This is a really great looking stand. As for the six fingered man, there was a Spaniard the other day asking about a six-fingered man...

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  17. Very impressive, Martin! The posing and clots are all well executed.
    I hope the six fingered man avoids capable Spaniards and gains a host of troops sometime soon! ;)

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