These definitely are some very nice figures. I was gonna limit this formation to 19 but I'm thinking about adding 1 or 2 more rows. Your question about the placing of the shields is a good one. I have seen both methods used in reenactments where the overlap went from front to back and back to front. I have also seen some with no overlap at all with the center holding the shield square over their head with no tilt. However, from the limited info I have read about this formation it appears the way I have it is the more common method. Reason being that this was to prevent gaps in the formation and to keep the shields as close to interlocked as possible. The method I have displayed gives the soldiers in the center a means to see out of the formation and adjust to the pace or shorten up the ranks to maintain the shape of the testudo. If the formation was presented with the shield overlapping the shield behind it then the soldier in front of him and the soldier attempting to peer out would have to open up their shield sorta like a tulip opens in spring. This method is not really feasible and can easily disrupt the formation of the testudo. Not to mention the soldiers in the middle would be entirely blind.
