I wanted to create a few command bases specific to each unit of Unarmoured Skutatoi, of which I have two completed units and another on the way. The problem is, like most ranges of miniatures there is a finite number of miniatures, even in the extensive Aventine Early Byzantine range. I did however want the Unarmoured Command bases to consist of purely unarmoured miniatures to match the units with and preferably with a different look than the other Aventine Early Byzantine command packs.
The first base was simply a repositioning of the arm of the standard bearer from a miniature running forward from one of the Unarmoured Spearmen packs. After repositioning the arm, filling in the gap with ProCreate putty is was just a simple matter of adding a Draco standard I had ready and undercoated.
From a practical point of the command stands being moved around on the tabletop without the protection or larger bases or movement trays I have stuck with Draco Standards in all my command bases as opposed to hand painted banners. It would be soul destroying to damage and have to replace a hand painted paper banner after a game.
Command Base 2:
What we have in the image below is the basic look of the animated base. An officer and banner bearer charging forward, the officer barking out commands to to his subordinate. The bases are on 50mm diameter "rounds" and is enough space on the base so the miniatures interact with one another to my satisfaction.
And Coloured In:
The Running Unarmoured Skutatoi Base should sit well with the unit below:
Command Base 3:
The second conversion was a little more intricate. I had to clip off the banner from the hand and the side of the head before sawing the head off with a razor saw. During this process there is inevitably some damage that occurs to the torso of the miniature. I was pleased to note that by filing sway at any unwanted cuts I was able to limit the ProCreate stage to just adding a broach after re-filing the cloak back into a plausible shape. Next I took one of the spare heads from the
Aventine Miniatures BYZ12 Command Variation 1 packs, drilled heavily into the neck and glued the had into place. The pole for the Draco comes from an unwanted North Star Steel Spear pole, sans spearhead. It was then quite a simple job of just drilling and gluing the Draco into place.
And Coloured In:
Again, the Standing Unarmoured Skutatoi Base should sit well with the unit below:
Hi Darrell, lovely work as always. I have a question for you I have wondered about before - am I right in that you have a separate command stand for each unit, at least for this Byzantine army? Are these planned to be used as commanders in game, so there is a 1:1 commander to formed unit ratio? Or are they more just for aesthetic purposes, rather than having an in-game role?
ReplyDeleteThanks Charlie. The short answer is, it depends. I've based most of my miniatures up so that they approximately comply with various rulesets so I've got a wide range of options (I have rebased so many miniatures in the past- I never want to do it again).
DeleteThe Command Bases are required by some rules systems, or could be used to represent characters in a unit or a commander outside of any given unit.
Perhaps the most important thing is, as you noticed, that they're aesthetically pleasing and even if not necessary for any given ruleset, they look nice on the tabletop. Little vignettes of sorts.
I have plans to put on the Battle of Dara 530 and a few other early Byzantine battles with a mate at a show sometime. Of course, that depends on me being able to circulate in public again. I'm about to embark on the first of my Sassanid units, dug out my Normans to smash against those Anglo Danes; so will probably be "tidying" up the spare room at long last and getting some games in on my own.
Understood. It seems surprising to me that a ruleset would require as many command bases as that, but of course they can just be considered aesthetic extensions of the units themselves!
DeleteI have always quite enjoyed putting together vignettes type bases. Actually, I think I'm a little obsessed by it! LOL
DeleteGreat looking units.
ReplyDeleteThanks mate
DeleteI particularly like the second command base - the standard bearer really looks like he's unimpressed and would rather be elsewhere, which I imagine was how most felt on the field of battle.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rob. Now I think of it he does look a little recalcitrant! LOL
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