10-25-2002, 03:37 PM
As of last weekend, reenactment season for us is officially over (we don't do Nativity scenes) until next Spring, and although there will still be much to do over the winter months in making/repairing full-size Roman gear, it is finally time to play with the "little guys" again, which I have had no time to touch at at this year.<br>
<br>
Busboy, sorry for not replying, I have just seen your post and inquiry to me now. For you and anyone else interested, here's the story about my legions:<br>
<br>
Actually there are THREE full size legions of approximately 5,000 figures each, and all with a cavalry compliment of 120 men each. There is also a 500 figure ala of numidian cavalry and a cohort of Eastern foot sagatarii based on the Airfix archer, but in over 15 different converted positions using a wide variety of figures.<br>
<br>
These legions were built not for my museum, but for an important Roman exhibit in Rosenheim in Bavaria, close to the Austrian border. I also supplied a number of full sized figures for this exhibition and there was a great collection of original Roman military equipment there, including objects from the Gutmann and Von Gravert private collections as well as Kalkreise. The idea was to give the visitor some concept of the Roman army lost in the VARUS disaster. The figures were "loaned" so now are back and arrayed in my wargame room.<br>
<br>
There are two legions composed largely of Punic War Hat figures, and one mostly from Esci legionaries. The cavalry are mostly conversions from the Hat Punic War Roman cavlary and Celtic Cavalry.<br>
<br>
I am able to do rapid conversions (changing heads, arms, torsos, etc) with a unique tool discovered in my reptile-keeping hobby. It is a hand held, battery operated device designed to melt the tips of the sharp claws of birds and lizards. At the push of a button you are able to create a tiny pinpoint of redhot heat ideal to permanently weld polyethylene figure heads to bodies etc, and much quicker and more securely than the traditional "pinning" method.<br>
<br>
This huge army was painted in a an assembly line method. First, the figures were all mass dipped in a special automotive industry primer designed to make enamels and laquers adhere to the painted rubber bumpers of certain late model cars. This amazing chemical allows you to paint your soft plastic figures with enamels and they will NEVER flake off! All of the figures were sprayed flesh first and then subesequent features were hand-painted on. Every figure has an inidividual sheet steel base covered with railroad grass flocking. All figures were then positioned in their units on thin plastic magnetic sheeting. This way individual figures and be easily removed when taking casualties in wargames. For wargaming, the units are reduced to 1/4 scale, so a century has 20 figures, and my three full scale legions are 12 wargaming legions.<br>
<br>
I have worked closely with HAT and first suggested and have helped devleop many of their ancient figure lines. I anticipate the arrival of many of the new sets to fill out my Roman Armies, and build a huge Germanic/Dacian army.<br>
<br>
Besides Romans I do many other periods in 1:72 and have collected these all of my life, since the third grade, when I first determined their superiority over bulky, impractical "big" (1/32) type "Army Men" . While I have some compatible metals, my armies are predominately plastic, which I greatly prefer over metal, particularly after discovering the ideal method to paint them. Anyway enough for now. I'll keep an eye on this category now, and will contribute from time to time. If you have any questions, drop me a line here.<br>
<br>
Dan. <br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>
<br>
Busboy, sorry for not replying, I have just seen your post and inquiry to me now. For you and anyone else interested, here's the story about my legions:<br>
<br>
Actually there are THREE full size legions of approximately 5,000 figures each, and all with a cavalry compliment of 120 men each. There is also a 500 figure ala of numidian cavalry and a cohort of Eastern foot sagatarii based on the Airfix archer, but in over 15 different converted positions using a wide variety of figures.<br>
<br>
These legions were built not for my museum, but for an important Roman exhibit in Rosenheim in Bavaria, close to the Austrian border. I also supplied a number of full sized figures for this exhibition and there was a great collection of original Roman military equipment there, including objects from the Gutmann and Von Gravert private collections as well as Kalkreise. The idea was to give the visitor some concept of the Roman army lost in the VARUS disaster. The figures were "loaned" so now are back and arrayed in my wargame room.<br>
<br>
There are two legions composed largely of Punic War Hat figures, and one mostly from Esci legionaries. The cavalry are mostly conversions from the Hat Punic War Roman cavlary and Celtic Cavalry.<br>
<br>
I am able to do rapid conversions (changing heads, arms, torsos, etc) with a unique tool discovered in my reptile-keeping hobby. It is a hand held, battery operated device designed to melt the tips of the sharp claws of birds and lizards. At the push of a button you are able to create a tiny pinpoint of redhot heat ideal to permanently weld polyethylene figure heads to bodies etc, and much quicker and more securely than the traditional "pinning" method.<br>
<br>
This huge army was painted in a an assembly line method. First, the figures were all mass dipped in a special automotive industry primer designed to make enamels and laquers adhere to the painted rubber bumpers of certain late model cars. This amazing chemical allows you to paint your soft plastic figures with enamels and they will NEVER flake off! All of the figures were sprayed flesh first and then subesequent features were hand-painted on. Every figure has an inidividual sheet steel base covered with railroad grass flocking. All figures were then positioned in their units on thin plastic magnetic sheeting. This way individual figures and be easily removed when taking casualties in wargames. For wargaming, the units are reduced to 1/4 scale, so a century has 20 figures, and my three full scale legions are 12 wargaming legions.<br>
<br>
I have worked closely with HAT and first suggested and have helped devleop many of their ancient figure lines. I anticipate the arrival of many of the new sets to fill out my Roman Armies, and build a huge Germanic/Dacian army.<br>
<br>
Besides Romans I do many other periods in 1:72 and have collected these all of my life, since the third grade, when I first determined their superiority over bulky, impractical "big" (1/32) type "Army Men" . While I have some compatible metals, my armies are predominately plastic, which I greatly prefer over metal, particularly after discovering the ideal method to paint them. Anyway enough for now. I'll keep an eye on this category now, and will contribute from time to time. If you have any questions, drop me a line here.<br>
<br>
Dan. <br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>
