Despite the fact that this blog has been dominated by the F&IW, my primary historical interests lie in the Classical and Hellenistic periods, particularly around the rise of the Roman Republic.
I started gaming this period in DBA and DBM with a 15mm Carthaginian army, then started painting 28mm fantasy for Hordes of the Things. And ever since I have been collecting "naked lead" in both scales thinking I might someday make a commitment to one scale. . . a commitment, of course, dependent upon Roman miniatures I could "love."
The Xyston Romans convinced me I could commit to 15mm, so I started collecting Greeks, Persians, Macedonians, Indians, more Carthaginians and Romans. . . but couldn't quite let 28mm alone, being a fan of the Foundry Greeks and Macedonians, their later Achaemenid Persian sculpts and their wonderful Caesarian Romans. And of course, collected all of them, too.
I found myself wishing the Foundry Caesarian Romans were earlier Republican Romans, then realized I could make them so by adding feathered plumes (from Crusader Romans) and greaves from the Foundry Centurian models to create Princepes and Triarii. Hastati and Velites would require a bit more sculpting prowess, but were manageable, too.
So this Labor Day weekend I painted to a serviceable wargame standard a 15mm Xyston Princeps and a 28mm kit-bashed Foundry Princeps to put them side-by-side for comparison. I thought it might make my commitment to one or the other easier. . .
What do you think?
