Wednesday 12 October 2011

In the Navy...

The next EIR Project I'm taking on, will be the first of the "small" 80 figure legions that I plan to use in my EIR campaign.  This lot are the first recruits for I Adiutrix (auxiliary, or assistant) Legion, which was raised in 67/68AD from marines from the Classis Misenensis fleet, based in the Bay of Naples.  Most of the marines would have been Egyptians, and very pleased with the opportuniity, as legionary salaries were rather more generous, than marine!  Presumably there was a citizenship in it, for them, too, and possibly a patch of land on retirement.  Highly motivated, they fought very bravely at Bedriacum, capturing the eagle of XXI Rapax.


These 20 BTD minis are a major repaint of an eBay purchase.  They painted up really easily in 3 evenings, and I'll rebase when the other 60 minis are ready, in a month or so.  Shields and transfers are on order...

My intention is to give this legion a very mixed look, as befits a newly raised legion in time of war, with tunics in white, beige and two shades of pale blue.  I'll mix in the oval shields and javelins that recent ex-marines might have used*, with rectangular scuta and pila, and hamata with segmentata. 

*The Mainz Principia reliefs depict what appears to be an unarmoured legionary light infantryman of Adiutrix I, with oval shield and javelins. 

7 comments:

Dan said...

looking good, they will be great when finished.

BigRedBat said...

Thanks Dan, I certainly hope so! It's going to be a big job.

Simon

Beccas said...

Great work.

legatus hedlius said...

Apart from their rather short legs I always liked the BTD EIR Romans...

This sonds like an interesting unit!

DeanM said...

Nice work; the BTD EIR look great. Best, Dean

BigRedBat said...

Thanks chaps. Many Btds are not bad, although some of the dollies are awful.

The next 20 are now well under way. They are wearing blue tunics and look a bit more "naval". I have a great idea for the standard...

AJ (Allan) Wright said...

These are some very smart looking chaps. Give them some equally neat shields and send them into the fray!