Manda’s (Amachan) Republican Roman Warband

That is the rocks and logs done on the Mediterranean photography base.

That is the acrylics done on the first set of Leves for my Republican Roman warband for SAGA: Age of Hannibal.

I made a decent start with the acrylics on the first set of Leves for my Republican Roman warband for SAGA: Age of Hannibal.

I making both a 160mm base and an A3 board for photography of miniatures with my Mediterranean basing scheme. Now the board won’t be used much in this project as SAGA doesn’t have units big enough for the most part to not fit on the base. Although a 12 model unit of cavalry might be required for that. To make the pictures with the model I will be using a backdrop from Jon Hodgens. I bought the PDFs for both A4 and A3 off of DriveThruRPG and printed the ones I wanted to use on matt A4 photo paper. The A3 ones will obviously be split in 2 as my printer does not support A3 paper. The A4 will be used with the 160mm base and the A3 with the A3 board.

To make these board I ordered some scenery bits from Fenris Games.

Here is the A3 board for as far as it is now. The 160mm base takes priority at this point due to this project being mainly focussed on SAGA and it not having large units.

At this point in time the 160mm base has been basecoated.

Getting back into this project and getting it up to date is honestly not very difficult as it is mostly up to date already. I have made some changes to the revised paint scheme and updated that to 2.1.

After successes with test models in the ‘Oiling Up’ Project I am ready to continue on with this project.

Due to my developments in painting using oils and enamels I am going to redo this project. Yes, that means I am going to strip all that I have done for this warband so far. You may have already seen a couple of them show up on this project blog. The bases I am going to use are somewhat different and also magnetised. The basing itself is going to look different and this will just blend it all together as a single warband. The shields will stay the way they are as they are already done with the nice looking LBMS transfers. They will be brought up to date and blended in with the new paint style. The new paint style will be as follows:

Primer:

All miniatures will be primed with AK Interactive Primer and Microfiller Grey (AK758) unless stated otherwise. For the silver shields will on the front be primed with AK Interactive Xtreme Metal Black Base (AK471) and those that will be fitted with LBMS transfers will be primed with AK Interactive Primer and Microfiller White (AK759) on the front.

Shading:

The basic shading for all miniatures will be 2 coats of AK Interactive Streaking Grime (AK012) letting that dry to the touch and then removing the majority of it using mineral spirits and a woollen dauber and cotton buds.

Basing:

For the basing I will use a basic structure paste mixed with a bit of PVA glue and sand to form the structure. I will add logs, rocks and tufts in there and then prime the whole miniature with the base. I will then paint the tufts using my airbrush with AK Interactive Acrylic Colors Grass Green (AK11140). I will then paint the base and the rim with Vallejo Model Color Iraqui Sand (70.819).

Then for the rocks I will paint those with Vallejo Model Color Basalt Grey (70.869). Once dry I follow that up with a dry brush of Vallejo Model Color Medium Sea Grey (70.870) and then quickly without cleaning the brush with a drybrush of Vallejo Model Air White Grey (71.119).

The logs I will paint with Vallejo Model Color Mahogany Brown (70.846) and the broken off exposed bits with Vallejo Panzer Aces New Wood (70.311) and when dry I will drybrush them with Vallejo Panzer Aces Old Wood (70.310).

I will then add a bit of a flock mix with thinned out PVA with water on the base before varnishes. The varnishes will seal it to the base.

After the varnishes the second stage of weathering for the miniature will be a coat of AK Interactive Earth Effects (AK017) over the bottom of the miniature and the base with my airbrush. I will let that dry to the touch and then use cotton buds and no mineral spirits to remove the majority of it.

Once that is all set I will put a coat of AK Interactive Moss Deposits (AK676) on the rocks, logs, tufts and flock during the highlighting & detailing stage. I will let that dry to the touch and rub the majority off with cotton buds again.

And then as the final stage I will brush on a layer of Vallejo Pigments Desert Dust (73.121) on the bottom of the model and the base and then with a wet brush with just water remove the pigment that got on the flock and tufts. And I will also paint the rim with a fresh coat of Vallejo Model Color Iraqui Sand (70.819).

And this should be the result of that:

Skin:

The skin will be done with Scale 75 Scalecolor Golden Skin (SC-19) either by airbrush or brush depending on how much skin there is on the model. The skin will then get a bit of a highlight with Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Light Flesh Tone (ABT135) and a shade of Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Warm Red (ABT025) if needed in the highlighting stage.

Hair:

The hair colour will be done on a roll of a D6 with the following chart:

1 Vallejo Model Color Desert Yellow (70.977)
2 Vallejo Game Color Beasty Brown (72.043)
3 Vallejo Model Color Cam. Middle Brown (70.740)
4 Vallejo Model Color Chocolate Brown (70.872)
5 Vallejo Game Color Charred Brown (72.045)
6 Vallejo Model Color Black Grey (70.862)

Metals:

For the metals I will paint bronze using Vallejo Model Color Bronze (70.998), Gold with Scale 75 Metal N’ Alchemy Elven Gold (SC-74) and iron/steel with Scale Metal n’ Alchemy Thrash Metal (SC-64). After the varnishes go on the model I will add a second coat of these metallics to make them metallic again. Doing this if any of it chips it will just show a dull version of the paint.

And then when it comes to the highlighting & detailing stage I will highlight the bronze with AK Interactive True Metal Brass (AK460), the gold with AK Interactive True Metal Gold (AK450), and the iron/steel with AK Interactive True Metal Steel (AK457).

The silver shields will be done with Greenstuff World Chrome Metal Airbrush (2455) and receive a coat of Alclad II Aqua Gloss (ALC-600-60) to seal them in. I will mask these off so they won’t get covered with any form of matt varnish.

Wood:

For the wood for spears I will use Vallejo Panzer Aces Old Wood (70.310) as that is a good representation of ash wood which is what they would most likely be made of. For the rest of the wood I will either choose or roll a D6 to pick one from the following list:

1-2 Vallejo Panzer Aces Old Wood (70.310)
3-4 Vallejo Model Color Mahogany Brown (70.846)
5-6 Vallejo Panzer Aces New Wood (70.311)

During the highlighting & detailing stage larger surfaces of wood will receive a coat AK Interactive Wash for Wood (AK263) with the excess wiped off with cotton buds once dry to the touch.

Leather:

Most belts and straps will be painted with Vallejo Panzer Aces Leather Belt (70.312) with Vallejo Panzer Aces Dark Rubber (70.306) being a secondary colour if there are a lot of belts and straps and I need to differentiate it a bit.

Other leather surfaces will be painted using either Vallejo Model Color Cavalry Brown (70.982) or Vallejo Model Color Red Leather (70.818) with the possibility of Vallejo Model Color Ivory (70.918) being used instead to represent painted leather.

Cloth/Dyes:

For any cloth, painted surfaces or other things using dyes I will use this chart to pick a colour from or I will let a D10 decide for me:

1 Vallejo Panzer Aces Stencil (70.313)
2 Vallejo Model Color Black Grey (70.862)
3 Vallejo Model Color German Cam. Med. Brown (70.826)
4 Scale 75 Fantasy & Games Goblin Flesh (SFG-24)
5 Vallejo Model Air Duck Egg Green (71.009)
6 Vallejo Model Color Yellow Ochre (70.913)
7 Scale 75 Scalecolor Sol Yellow (SC-40)
8 Vallejo Model Color Amaranth Red (70.829)
9 Scale 75 Scalecolor Cantabric Blue (SC-53)
10 Vallejo Model Color Flat Red (70.957)

Any natural undyed linen or wool will be painted using Vallejo Panzer Aces Stencil (70.313). Other colours may be used on special occasions like on characters, heroes or special units. Any cloth might get a highlight during the highlighting & detailing stage using an oil paint representing a similar and/or lighter colour.

Horses:

If I don’t have a specific colour in mind for the horse I will use the following chart to determine the colour of the horse:

1-2-3 Bay
4-5-6 Leopard
7 Tobiano (Brown)
8 Tobiano (Black)
9 Black
10 Chestnut

Horses will painted in the fur stage using oils according to the following schemes:

Bay
Fur: 3 Parts Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Dark Brick Red (ABT220) + 1 Part AK Interactive ABT 502 Oils Ivory Black (AKABT110)
Manes/Legs/Snout: Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Smoke (ABT005)

Leopard
Fur Black: Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Smoke (ABT005)
Fur White: AK Interactive ABT 502 Oils Titanium White/Snow White (AKABT001)
Snout: Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Light Flesh Tone (ABT135)

Tobiano (Brown)
Fur Brown: 1 Part Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Dark Brick Red (ABT220) + 1 Part Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Sand Brown (ABT245)
Fur White: AK Interactive ABT 502 Oils Titanium White/Snow White (AKABT001)
Snout: Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Smoke (ABT005)

Tobiano (Black)
Fur Black: Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Smoke (ABT005)
Fur White: AK Interactive ABT 502 Oils Titanium White/Snow White (AKABT001)
Snout: Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Smoke (ABT005)

Black
Fur Black: Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Smoke (ABT005)
Fur White: AK Interactive ABT 502 Oils Titanium White/Snow White (AKABT001)
Snout: Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Light Flesh Tone (ABT135)

Chestnut
Fur Brown: Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Sand Brown (ABT245)
Fur White: AK Interactive ABT 502 Oils Titanium White/Snow White (AKABT001)
Snout: Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Color Smoke (ABT005)

Bone & Hooves

Any bone and hooves will be painted using Vallejo Model Color Ivory (70.918) and receive a coat of Vallejo Game Color Sepia Shade (73.200) during the acrylic stage. During the highlighting & detailing stage they might get a highlight of Abteilung 502 Modelling Oil Buff (ABT035).

This is my work order on how I get through all the miniatures. Things need to dry/cure between each stage and that is why they’re split up.

Stage 1: Assembly.
Prep the base, seal the bottom of the MDF, drill a hole and glue a magnet in. Assemble the miniature and attach it the base, in formation if need be. And finally add my basing paste and any scenic bits I want in there.

Multi based models will only be assembled in sub-assemblies as in animal, rider and shield or any other forms needed.

Stage 2: Primer.
Apply a coat of primer with my airbrush.

Stage 3: Furs.
Any furs that need to be done with oil paints.

Stage 4: Acrylics.
All the acrylic basecoats to bring colour to the miniature.

Stage 5a: Assembly 2
Glue any shields to the model and attach riders to horses. And also apply a little bit of flock to the base.

Stage 5b: Multi Based Model Assembly
Glue the models to the base and then add my basing paste and details to the base. Prime the base by hand and then paint it like in the Acrylics stage.

Stage 6a: (Metal Miniatures Only) Gloss Coat.
Apply a coat of gloss varnish.

Stage 6b: Matte Coat.
Apply a coat of matte varnish.

Stage 7: Shading Part 1.
Apply the first coat of weathering and remove excess using mineral spirits when dry.

Stage 8: Shading Part 2.
Apply the second coat of weathering to the base and the bottom of the miniature and remove excess without mineral spirits when dry.

Stage 9: Highlighting & Detailing.
All the highlighting and detailing work with oils and enamels to enhance the miniature.

Stage 10: Final Touches.
A coat of pigment over the base and the legs of the miniature and then any blood, water or other effects that need to be added.

I love the satisfaction of getting a block of 28mm infantry lined up on 20mm square bases. This is a group of Leves (not Velites) which will be used as levies for my Republican Roman warband for Saga: Age of Hannibal.

I have also reversed my original basing idea for SAGA and now kind of use a different basing scheme that I am going to try to use across various historical or fantasy project. It should be in line with the Kings of War single miniature basing scheme with some variations where needed.

Don’t expect regular updates on this project yet, I have still got plenty that I want to get done first.

I have been struggling with massive disabilities causing me to not be able to paint or build miniatures. The major disabilities limiting my hobby are tremors in my right hand making it very unstable and lots of pain in my left which I was learning to paint with. I am getting physiotherapy to try and help me cope with the disabilities, but I am not sure it is going to solve anything. I do not know if I will be able to return to miniature painting and such and for now I am starting a new project involving LEGO, something I can do with my disabilities.