Early Byzantine Skutatoi in Sheildwall Front Rank

My output of late has been slowed a little as I have been ill with some sort of cold (I hope!). I've been feeling quite under the weather but have had no fever, no asnomia and only a little bit of a sore throat. I have been coughing quite badly at times and said cough has been quite dry so I've been taking it very easy and taking no chances. There is no need for me to tell you that this has been a very worrying time for me as I am classed as vulnerable. I have finally received a Covid test today, which will be sent off at 4am when no one is around! Paranoid? Possibly, but why take any chances, yeah?

I am sure you did not pop over to the blog to hear about my health so here is the bit where I tell you what I have been painting. It is, of course, more of the beautiful Aventine Early Byzantines! I'm planning on building up a large Early Byzantine force (I already have well over 200 infantry so I really ought to be planning something big! The cavalry have not even been released yet so this army is going  to be a whopper!). The idea is to refight a number of important battles specific to the establishment of the Eastern Roman as a permanent regime; some they won and some that proved to be a total disaster. I have been specifically looking at Dara 530 CE, Solachon 586 CE (both against the Sassanians), with Yarmuk 636 CE on the cards too. I also plan Casilinus 554 CE along with Taginea 552 CE. As the collection mounts there might be a number of other engagements added!  

I have yet to invest in any of the beautifully crafted Aventine Sassanids as I am desperately trying to keep my focus on one major project at a time. As wargamers I am certain you can appreciate just how difficult that this can be in reality! I am allowing myself a couple of 'speed painted projects to run concurrently as a little bit of an escape from time to time.

These Skutatoi have been simly bluetacked to an old Impetus base I have not been able to base them properly as of yet despite the back rank being painted as they are standing hard waiting for their gloss coat to dry! Having discovered via a fellow Lead Adventure Forum member, Redzed, that leaving the gloss varnish to thoroughly dry out for a week reduces any speckling I have been steadfastly sticking to that regime. It has slowed things down a little but it has been absolutely worth it.  The second rank of Skutatoi are in standing poses but still in Shieldwall and with an extra rank of spear/command and archers to fit behind these bases they should be quite a spectacle when completed. Fingers crossed.