Available from 15 Cromrell Road, Shaw, Newbury, Berkshire, RG13 2HP, UK. Prices at tine of writing - Infantry 14pence, cavalry 28pence, camelry 32pence.
Well, errare humanum est but I will try to be intelligent about these evidently well researched figures, but I don't pretent "de omit re scibili et quibusdam allis" - "I know everything there is to know - and several other thinks." There are a great many of these figures so I may Just list them with the odd comment and draw as many as I can fit onto a page. The average size of the foot figures are 15mm from foot to eye. From beneath:the base to the top of the helmet or hate, they are nearer 20mm. They are all,' without exception, proportionally sculpted and well detailed. Casting is crisp and flash and ingetes minimal. Textures of hair and folds in costume look very natural - here goes - alea iacta est!!
XRC1. Western catafract, scale coat, leg & arm plate amour, Kontos,helmet
C1 & C5: Knotos meant "barge pole" referring to the kind of lance he carried. Ancient version of a tank on XRHl Catafract horse plate charnfron.
XRC2. W. Catafract, scale cuirass, leg & arm plate armour, Kontos, oval shield, C3 & C4: Fine detail. also on XRH1.
XRC3. Aiudlliary, scale cuirass, pteruges, spear/Kontos, oval shield, helmet, C3 C4 riding XRH4 Horse, leather strapping on neck, trotting C2/C4.
XRC4. Auxililary, officer, scale cuirass, pteruges, sword, oval shield, plummed helmet, C3/C4. Also rides XRH4.
XRC5. Auxiliary, mail coat, spear, oval shield, helmet, C2/C3 (37)(Please Note that numbers in square brackets refer to ref numbers in WRG book "The Armies and Ehemies of Imperial Rome."). The helmet has a plume; this and XRC6 ride XRH3 horse, caparison C4/C5.
XRC6. Scutarious, tunic & trousers, spear, large oval shield, bare-headed, C3C5 (38). Some fine detail on this - head looks slightly right; .
XRC7-Promoti/Dal tae, tunic & trousers, spear, buckler, helmet C3/5 (39) on JffiH5 horse trotting C3/5; spear overarm.
XRC8-Trooper, scale coat, spear, oval shield, spangenhelm C3/5(40) riding XRH5. =-Trooper, mail coat & hood, oval shield C3/5(41),long spatfia by left side.
XRC10-Trooper, mail coat, spear, oval shield, crested helmet, cloak C3/5(42).
XRC11,~Clban ius,mail coat, splint leg armour, Kontos, bow, buckler, helmet C3/5(43) on XRH2 half armoured horse, plate chamfYon, Byzantine looking chap.
XRC12-Trooper scale coat, trousers, kontos, oval shield, helmet, C3/5; nasal helmet with cheek pieces.
XRC13-Officer/General, Lamellar cuirass, waving sword, pteruges, trousers, decorated helmet, cloak C3/5. Nee pluribus imparl i.e. a match for anyone.
XRC14-Officer, mail coat, waving mace, oval shield, plumed helmet, cloak C3/5(49).
XRC15-Horse archer, tunic, trousers, firing bow, buckler, bare-headed(66). Tight curls as on Byzantine ivories.
XRC16-Horse Archer, tunic & trousers, loading bow, buckler, bareheaded C3/5(66); good variant to enliven your "cloud" of horse archers; i.e., some firing/loading.
XRC28--officer (not listed yet); lamellar armour, cloak, large oval shield, sword, trousers, simple helmet w/crown reinforcement running front to rear; looks slightly rat, a simple animating trick. Good! NOW, THE INFANTRY NINETEEN OF THEM! )W27-Legionary archer, tunic, breeches, firing bow, buckler, bare-headed X26). Bearded.
XBF28-Legionary archer, tunic & breeches, loading bow, buckler, bare-headed 23/5(26).
XBF"29-Archer, tunic & trousers firing bow, buckler, Persian hat C3/4. Archer, tunic & trousers loading bow, buckler, Persian Hat C3/4. XRF31-Archer, tunic & trousers, firing bow, buckler, cap C3/4(26a) Phyrigian cap.
XRF32-Ditto, loading bow (26a).
XRF33-Staff slinger tunic & trousers, staff sling, buckler, cap, C3/4(26a) it says. How can it be????
XRF34-Slinger tunic, trousers, firing sling, cap, C3/4(26a)
XRF35-Crossbowman, tunic, trousers, crossbow, buckler, cap, C3/4(26a), good an live" look.
XRF36-Praetorian/Legonary scale coat, spear, large oval shield, helmet, standing, C3/4(8). Pugo on his right hip gladuis (spatha really) on his left, solid citizen.
XRF37-Praetorian/lelonary thrusting spear overarm, advancing-dress & equipment as 36. A good moving pose; looks like XRF3(8).
XRF38 ..Legonary scale cuirass, pheruges, spear, large oval shield, helmet, standing (9).
XRF39-Legionary thrusting spear overarm, C3/5(9) otherwise as 38. Advancing, subtle differences - bespeaks careful research.
XRF40-German Auxilia Palatina tunic & trousers, large oval shield, beard, bareheaded. C4/5(22).
XRF41-Ditto throwing spear. 2-Auxillary/Limitarri: tunic & bracae, spear, large oval shield helmet, advancing C3/5. A good simple pose, spear vertical.
XRF43-Cornuti, tunic, breeches, spear, large oval shield, horned helmet, standing C4.
XRF44-Cornuti officer cuirass, sword, oval shield, horned helmet c4. Cloak, shield in the "open" position; i.e. hand in supination.
XRF45-Garnuti, Standard Bearer, standard (state which you require), crested helmet C4; also cloaked, looking one-half left.
STANDARDS
A selection of the latter includes eagles of different types, imagos, vexilla, labariun(large & small) & four different sorts of maniples (manipuli). Dragons & cofiortes standards. The three latter are particularly delicately modelled. Advise which standards you want. The range is not finished!!!?bre to follow
Now, Ancient Artillery & crewmen
I will add prices of individual pieces.
ARP 1-Scorpion Catapult C4th BC-Cl AD (50p); four bits to glue together, a - bolt is already loaded. Parts fit well together.
ART 2-Three span Catapult C2 BC-C2 AD (50p); four bits, one the quadropod and launch channel, another the torsion mechanism & bow arns. Third is the spanner. Finally the fine adjustment device. Clean casting.
ART 3- Carrobalista C2 to C5 AD (50p). In four parts; the torsion mechanism is much slimed down; otherwise, much the same size as ART 2.
ARP 4 Ivbunted Carrobalista on cart, two males (one pound); good value, mules have their ears back! Weapon's main "foot" fits into a hole in the cart floor. The "horse artillery" of the Romans.
ART 5-Onager with ladle (80p); Not for throwing soup over the enemy! A good solid bit of kit for kicking away" racks at people. The Onager was a wild ass good at kicking, of course.
ART 6-Onager with sling (80p); bigger versions were later called trebuckets. Probably they used the sling for a higher trajectory. Fine detail.
ART 7- 1 Talent Torsion Catapult firing stone ball (2.50 pounds); 12 parts and a nice diagram on paper to show how they all go together. Some fine detail.
ART 9-Crewman tunic, pointing;
ART 10-Crewman tunic, holding stone;
AR 11Crewman tunic, standing; ART 12-Crewman tunic, open handed. All crewmen are well detailed, wearing trousers, fine features. ART 11 has a mallet; all have swords.
STANDARD BEARERS
Interesting packets!
XRC17-27: So there are eleven altogether. These are not on the printed listing I HAVE, BUT ONE CAN SEE that all the cavalry units above have a standard bearer to fit with their uniform. All finely detailed and cast.
The whole of the foregoing body of figures give Ancient gamers (or Very Ancient gamers like me) a lot to smile about. A mass of Dark Ages figures still to come. Send for some samples. Donnington have main overseas suppliers in Australia, France, and German.
(Editor's Note: USA Supplier, I believe is WARGAMES - see address on back cover page.
COWABUNGA DUDE! i.e., good work, David!
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© Copyright 1994 Hal Thinglum
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