Sunday 24 July 2011

British Army


I had forgotten how tedious it can be painting rank after rank of historical soldiers. Still, at least the Celts are colourful with bright striped clothes and decorated shields, to say nothing of trophy heads hanging everywhere. Celts are really the archetype Orks, heavy boozers, quarrelsome, violent, always up for a rumble anyplace, anywhere, any odds. They either fight in warbands or at speed, cavalry and British chariots and the tactic is to charge straight in and take a wild swing with an oversized slashing sword. The Romans by way of contrast were disciplined heavy infantry, well armed and heavily armoured, but the Celts usually had numbers on their side – assuming they could stop smashing seven bells out of each other first.
I have been rereading Caesar’s Gallic Wars and it struck me how like a Guard versus Orks the battles are and what a good 40K campaign Caeser’s conquest of Gaul, and his raids on Germany and Great Britain, would make.  Now there’s an idea.

This is the British Army in about 55BC, but it occurs to me that after the next round of spending cuts.......


A close up of Celtic shield decorations.

Models are plastic 28mm from Warlord Games and Wargames Factory.

Only three more warbands, a squadron of chariots and a couple of extra sub-generals to go.

5 comments:

  1. Hi John
    Going well though I see (however tedious).
    Does this mean I'll be seeing spare Roman Legionary heads on Imperial guard bodies?
    I suppose I shouldn't encourage such thoughts
    should I. On another tack quite closely related general, 3cohorts/4cohorts (depending on if I follow the proper organisation for the first cohort using 10 centuries and 6 for the others...anorak for Mr Murphy) and 6 cavalrymen and a ballista finished for my late republic/early Imperial Roman

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  2. The head swap had occurred to me. :)

    I think from memory it was eight centuries (80 men at full strength) for the first cohort and six for the rest.

    John

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  3. Hi John
    Doh Im going to have to cut the hood cord of my anorak in disgrace... (also reduce the first cohort to 16 figures)

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  4. Dear Shaun
    That would be the bejewelled battle anaorak with the "present from Bognor Regis" sticker on the back?
    J.

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  5. Your assessment of the Celts is pretty right on. Let me add that Celts were also very friendly, and loved being a free spirit, but as you said they usually didn't work or play well with others.

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