Victrix Republican Romans in Chainmail

Now, although I don't post on many of my blogs very often that doesn't mean I forget about them completely.  The arrival of the new Victrix plastics for the Punic War period has got me interested again so I ordered a box of their new Republican Romans.  In fact, these are not the ones I ordered.  I ordered the ones with pectoral armour but would have bought these anyway so didn't bother to send them back.

I first saw the three-ups for these at Salute 2013 and I think they look even better as a finished product.

Now, as I have mentioned before I did build a small army for this period using Crusader figures.   Two small legions of 42 infantry figures each.  I am going to organise my basic units the same way as 12 each of velites, hastati and principes and 6 triari.  How many blocks of 42 will make a legion I am not sure yet.

Now, you always get a big box with Victrix and this is no exception  with no less than 60 figures included.  You get 36 legionaries, 18 light infantry (velites in my case as they will have shields) and 6 command.  However, if you want to make 3 musicians (for which the parts are included) you will have to sacrifice 3 of your legionaries.   I'm not sure yet how I am going to handle the command for my small units.

You get six of the main sprue which holds six legionary bodies and two light infantry.  There are eight scuta and two round shields; so you get a couple of spare shields to use as markers or some such.  There are 12 legionary heads and four light infantry heads, one of which is bare-headed.  There are 10 arms with pila, four with javelin but only enough spears for three triari.  This won't matter for me though as I will be able to use the ones from the other set with the pectorals when I get that.  There is one arm holding a sword and a number of swords and daggers in scabbards (although each legionary has them moulded on - the light infantry do not).

There are two command sprues.  Each has one standard bearer body a centurion body in bronze armour and two more light infantry bodies (which are different from the two  on the other sprues; so in total you end up with six of two bodies and three of two others).  There are five more light infantry heads and two officers heads (the standard bearer does not have a separate head).  There are also two wolf skin Velite heads and capes so you can only have four out of your 18 velites in wolf skins.  There are also four different standard bearer totems.  There are more arms with swords,  spear and pila too.

Compared to many Victrix figures these are easy to assemble because each figure basically has four parts: legs and body excluding right arm, right arm with weapon, head and shield.  Simples!  You have to be a bit careful when holding them as both the spears and helmet feathers stick up and are quite delicate (but not really delicate).  Feathers on these figures were always a nightmare on metal models for this period; either too chunky or two delicate and liable to breaking of.  Plastic really handles these well and they look just right.  I like my Romans standing to attention rather than the more action packed figures produced by the likes of Warlord Games but you can have your legionaries holding their pila overarm if you want, by the look of it.  

One thing I have noticed, which may be a slight problem, is that they hold their shield arms out to one side quite a long way.  Once you stick a shield on there may be some issues in getting them to rank up if you get the angle of the shields wrong.  If they hold their shields to the side that will work but they won't be able to hold them facing the front without them clashing with the figure to their left.

The velites are a bit more animated and should look very good too.  So, all in all these really are the early Republican figures I have been waiting for and have no hesitation in recommending them; especially at 60 figures for £30.  The allied legions are already out with the first Carthaginians not far behind.  I can't wait for some plastic elephants!