"Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire (1 Viewer)

egonzinc

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"Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

I'm posting this in the "General" area as it is made up of figures from various manufacturers.
The Cherusci are from John Jenkins. The Roman legionnaires are from First Legion's Glory of Rome range "Legio XIIII" figures, although I'm not representing that particular Legion.
Took advantage of their ongoing sale to get a significant group of these "cold weather" Romans. I just love the look of cold weather legionnaires. I had originally purchased 3 of these figures and once I saw the sale and put the ones I had side by side with the JJD Cherusci, I realized they were a very good match. Rounding out the pieces, the wagon with oxen and the Roman auxiliary archers are from Thomas Gunn.
The base is another one of my styrofoam textured bases. The slabs are one inch thick. Once I make the contour and glue with white glue, I also paint the edges to make the edges rock hard. Various coats do the trick.
In tis case there is no backdrop, only the trees and the reflections of the trees representing a forest in northwestern Germany (near present day Hannover).
As before I will post some of the WIP images of the base.
The evergreens (all but two of the trees) are from a bundle of Scenic Express. These come for model railroad scenery. You get a bundle of trees for $35. These come flocked and no flocked. I had used many of the not flocked before, so here I decided to use the many flocked trees I had available. I decided to re-flock them. Used Woodland Scenic's turf material in two tones ( Burnt Grass and Blended Green) for a little variety among the trees. Used the same Burnt Grass turf for the base after texturing the styrofoam, adding glue, then two different grades of ballast for texture and painting it with Tamiya acrylics(a 1:1 mix of Flat Earth and Buff). I paint it with the air brush(dilute the paint 1:1 with denatured alcohol). And later add some shading with a dark brown mix I also use for the edges of the textured base.
I drybrush hevyly along the way, even after adding the turf material.
 

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Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

I love it. Magnificent!
 
Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

awesome set up...
love the tree line...
 
Re: "Unconquered":Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

Some more images
 

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Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

And yet more images, love al the angles you can get with the iPhone!
 

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Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

And yet more angles!
 

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Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

And some more still... You can tell I like this set up! :smile2:
 

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Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

A few more and then tot he WIP images...
 

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Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

Here the WIP images of the textured base...
Three levels using slabs of styrofoam 1 inch thick.
Second image is of a piece of concrete I have used for over 25 years to texture styrofoam! One of my secret tools!
I then paint with white glue, and add fine and medium ballast for texture and variety.
Placed the wagon with oxen to get the footprint. In this case the wagon and oxen will be permanent as I decided to make the base dissapear.
 

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Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

FInal WIP images of the textured base...
 

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Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

One I left off, of the textured base with the glue applied. Gives a good idea of what I do with my "secret tool"...
Hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoy sharing them here!
 

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Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

Good choice picking up that TG oxen wagon, blends in nicely. Robin.
 
Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

good tip on the concrete chunk...
I use a wadded up ball of heavy duty aluminum foil...
I bet yours works better...
I just had cement poured for a fence...
I'm gonna save a chunk of that...
 
Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

I like your diorama very much, especially the setting. Looking at some of your dioramas in the past i've noted that you paint your foam bases with glue to harden the surface before painting. There is a product that I use that does a very good job and it drys pretty quick. It's used on walls before painting. I use my hands to smear the plaster on the surface of the foam very sparingly and it works a treat. A tub of this lasts forever but you must keep the lid on or it will dry out. Just a suggestion as i follow your dioramas and we have similar likes. I have the wagon as well but have used it in a Boer Zulu scene that will be completed soon. Regards Greg.
https://forum.treefrogtreasures.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=280160&d=1632188375
https://forum.treefrogtreasures.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=280159&d=1632188301
https://forum.treefrogtreasures.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=280158&d=1632187283
 
Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

I like your diorama very much, especially the setting. Looking at some of your dioramas in the past i've noted that you paint your foam bases with glue to harden the surface before painting. There is a product that I use that does a very good job and it drys pretty quick. It's used on walls before painting. I use my hands to smear the plaster on the surface of the foam very sparingly and it works a treat. A tub of this lasts forever but you must keep the lid on or it will dry out. Just a suggestion as i follow your dioramas and we have similar likes. I have the wagon as well but have used it in a Boer Zulu scene that will be completed soon. Regards Greg.
https://forum.treefrogtreasures.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=280160&d=1632188375
https://forum.treefrogtreasures.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=280159&d=1632188301
https://forum.treefrogtreasures.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=280158&d=1632187283

I'll check this material out! Thanks. It looks like a type of "spackling compound". Always looking for materials I coukd use for zimmerit paste for 1/6 vehicles. For strengthening the edges, I still woukd go with the glue as I'm just used to that process. When I was doing scenery for a midel railroad in the early 90s, I would use a spackling material. Those are tricky as there are some compounds that are mire lije plaster and work well and others that are of a vinyl material and do not absorb washes well, which was part of that process.
Fantastic scene with your Cherusci! I remember seeing it here and it inspired my set up. I had been accumulating JJD Cherusci figures and had no idea how I was going to dispkay them. I thought maybe JJD woukd release "cokd weather Romans". Then I noticed how well the Cherusci looked with the Furst Legion Romans and got a large group of them a whike back. With the lower prices on the FL, "pushed me over the edge"!
I also got a Gunn wagon for an in progress scene of Boers. But that will be a simple set up with Gunn ground matts. I would have preferred the wagon with oxen to have no base.
For my small Zulu group using Gunn figures (I also have a large Rorke's Drift set up with King and Country miniatures) I also went with a wagon, but went with a Britains piece.

Thanks for all the comments guys!
 
Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

good tip on the concrete chunk...
I use a wadded up ball of heavy duty aluminum foil...
I bet yours works better...
I just had cement poured for a fence...
I'm gonna save a chunk of that...

Definitely the concrete will work better! You can grind it into the foam and using different areas of the "rock" you get pkenty of variety. I used an edge of my rick to make wagon marks along the trail. It is a trade off with toy soldiers. You want texture, but not so much that the figures with their bases can't be displayed properly.
 
Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

Mate, Wonderful diorama !:salute::

Steve
 
Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

Correction. When I mentioned above a large Zulu Rorke's Droft set up, I mentioned King and Country and I should have said Trophy.
 
Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

Great landscape, impressive.
 
Re: "Unconquered" Cherusci and Romans battling in the northern frontier of the empire

Very impressive dio! Great job!

Mark
 

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