I'll make a break from my normal box by box review, since the HaT range covers all the troop types needed for a Republican Roman and Carthaginian army to be built up. There are 8 boxes in the range, which I'll quickly list with the number of figures in each in brackets : Celtic cavalry (12), Carthaginian African Infantry (48), Carthaginian Spanish Infantry (48), Numidian Cavalry (12), War Elephants (6), Roman Cavalry (12), Roman Princeps & Triari (48), Roman Hastati & Velites (48). It's quite obvious that not many boxes will be required to produce a pair of DBA armies, and one box of each will also do pretty well for Warhammer Ancient battles armies.
A few comments in general about the HaT figures - they aren't the best plastic figures on the market - they just don't have the detail of the best of Italeri's recent releases. The foot figures can look a little flat. However, having said that, they are by no means bad. They have adequate detail - they will paint up fine, and look great on mass.
To start with the best - the elephants. They are, quite simply, wonderful. Buy a box, even if you don't use plastic figures. There are two poses of elephant, 1 pose of mahout, and 3 poses of figures for the howdah. No more conversion of Britain's zoo baby elephants to get something in scale for 20mm figures. It's all there, and it'll suit most elephant using armies of the ancient world. Continuing with the Carthaginians - the Numidian cavalry give two poses of horse (without saddles), and four poses of javelin-armed rider. They'll be useful for Egyptian armies as well, and can also be used as allies for the Romans : a useful set of figures. The Spanish infantry offer 12 variants of figure, are a mixture of the infantry of various Spanish tribes, along with examples of Balearic slingers (see plates D-F of Men At Arms number 180 for a good idea of what these figures look like). The African infantry are a mix of light infantry with large shields, heavy infantry and Numidian infantry. The Celtic cavalry give 4 rider variants on two horse variants, all high class warriors. Obviously useful for any Celtic/Ancient Briton army, as well as allies for either the Carthaginians or Romans.
The Roman cavalry box similarly supplies 2 horse types and 4 rider figures - three armed with long spears and the fourth with a sword. Nice, useful figures. The Hastati and Velites box supplies 8 figure variants, and a total of 16 velites and 32 Hastati. Supported by a box of Princeps & Triari, this is plenty of infantry for DBA or WAB. The different level of armour of the Hastati compared to the Princeps/Triari is quite clear from the figures.
All in all these figures are a dream come true. All the forces of the two armies are provided in these 8 boxes (another Roman box of artillery is available, but I don't have this). Not only that, but multiple variant armies can be made by letting the Romans have Numidian or Celtic cavalry. The Celtic cavalry are "loanable" to an ancient Briton Army, the Numidians - cavalry and foot - would grace an Atlantic figures Egyptian army (which just happen to have been re-released under the Nexus label). HaT really are to congratulated on providing a comprehensive set of figures for what must be one of the most popular army pairs of the ancient world. HaT are a little more expensive than other plastic figure manufacturers (around £4.50 a box), but if they are going to continue producing complete army sets like this then they deserve our support. Unless you really can't stand the thought of a plastic army.
[Thanks for this Jonathan and I agree with your comments concerning the elephants because I saw some while Kris Constable and I were at Sabre in Harrogate the other day and they are impressive. More reviews in Lone Warrior 133. Kenn]
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