On to Rome

My latest project is to paint up a force of Etruscans for Andy Hawes’ Dux Italica rules — an adaptation of Dux Britanniarum for the early stages of Rome’s conquest of Italy 4^th C BC which is still work in progress.

I start by kit-bashing miniatures from a wide variety of manufacturers including Footsore metals (including their separate Etruscan and Italian heads), Agema Roman Republican plastics, Victrix Greek and Italian plastics. These men will eventually become 2^nd Class hoplites with light body armour, long spears and aspis shields.

I paint them in two groups of six as I find that if I do too many at once I tend to skip over the details in my impatience to get them done. The shields include a number of Little Big Man transfers but most are hand painted. I think the hand painted ones look better but they are time consuming and I sometimes lack the confidence that I can pull it off.

The shields are inspired by the Giglioli tomb paintings. The uniform style with individual designs seem to me appropriate for how a man of rank might equip his penestes (vassals).

This is the finished unit from the front...

...and their leader. Both the leader and accompanying axeman are Footsore metal figures from their Etruscan range.

The backs of shields are shown in Etruscan paintings either in light blue, white or red. I decided on a uniform light blue in this case.

Most Etruscan warriors are depicted wearing red tunics but blue is also quite often shown. The man in the foreground (Footsore metal) is based on another Etruscan painting (see below).

White crests with red at the bottom also show up frequently in Etruscan art.

Next up is a unit of 1^st Class citizen hoplites. Again they have been kit-bashed from a mix of Agema, Footsore and Victrix, Greeks, Romans, Italians and Macedonians. I decided that these wealthy citizens should have more individualistic shield designs. Most Etruscan shields sported animal motifs along with some inanimate objects and a few geometric designs. Again a mix of transfers and hand painted.

Black seemed to be a popular shield base colour as depicted in this Etruscan vase. The keen-eyed will note that I have appropriated some of the motifs from this.