It was the unlamented Leon Trotsky who would exhaust himself trying to refute an argument and then adopt it as his own. Not quite as destructive has been my conversion to plastic Wargames miniatures. Gripping Beast are in my opinion the industry leaders at the moment. The price is about half of their metal cousins but I really do like using the medium. It’s much easier to glue/bond plastics and the bond seems stronger. My main concern was always the durablility but because I have been increasingly drawn to larger and larger bases, the miniatures themselves should not really have to be handled so “intimately”. The ranges available are increasingly rapidly. All the necessities of Late Roman warfare are now in place, heavy and light cavalry, barbarians on horse and foot, plus “dark age” skirmishers. Most recently cataphracts have been released and my first visit to Firestorm Games saw me pick up a box. The mounds are so crisp and clean. Don’t let cleaning up the sprues put you off, I usually do a box an hour. As the range has grown, the possibility for head and part swapping is immense.
I started on two boxes of Late Romans two weeks ago and just the basing remains to be done. I thought I’d post some progress pictures just to prove how easy the process has been. I don’t think I’m ever going to get to the top ranks of painters but I’ll be happy with masses of “toy soldier” quality miniatures. So elaborate brushwork is out but a clean , fast production line has been the aim.
First Sunday, just before church……take miniatures from lead pile and spray with Games Workshop Contrast primer. I would recommend making sure you get a good even coverage. The contrast paints need this base and it’s a pain to go back and touch it up later. Lots of shakes and short bursts of spraypaint. Sunday evening and some touching up but ninty odd minis are ready. Below you can see how the “paint” acts more like a wash, with some pooling. If this happens you can just even it out with a brush or remove the excess with some paper towel.
I cannot praise Contrast paints enough! One generous coat and great swathes of the model are done. Not prize winning but so quick! I put the same brown contrast colour over all boots, trousers and bows. Another shade took care of belts and spears.
Hopefully my photos show how the paint does the shading for you. I wanted very uniform legionaries so I disciplined myself to the usual restricted colour scheme. These are Palatina troops though so the border limitati can have more shades of brown. The central arsenals supplied these boys and so they are more uniform. That’s my excuse anyway!
Crac des Chevalier’s brilliant blog taught me how to do skin and I will never change. Medium brown base, Vallejo dwarf skin, followed by elf skin. It was only brass and oily steel and the army was painted. Ninety miniatures in two weeks has beaten all my records. It’s industrial in scale but if you want an army on the table, I think it’s the way forward! Basing and shield transfers await!
I very much hope you like them. These will hopefully be taking place in my first post – lock down game. The Caput Porci campaign was great fun last year and I may have to start collecting the Eastern Empire as well now that Aventine are producing some superb new minis.
All the very best
Mike
Despertaferres 
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