HaT8082 [Early Imperial] Roman Legionaries

(Cover art reproduced, it might be said, without permission...nice picture though...)

(Scanned @ 72 dpi/100% - this is pretty much their actual size)

What you get.

The box contains 5 sprues with nine figures on each in eight different poses. They have separate shields.

The eight poses are:-

(Close up of the top half (Segmenta and Hamata (? - Mail))...)

• throwing pilum
• thrusting pilum
• 2 advancing with pilum angled forwards
• advancing with pilum angled backwards
• standing with pilum
• stabbing with sword
• advancing with sword held upright
• advancing with sword held level

(...bottom half (Mail, Scale and Segmenta)...)

(...and the shields in the middle.)

This gives you five of each figure except for the one advancing with pilum angled forwards which you get ten.

What are they like?

The figures are finely made with a variety of types of armour. This reflects the way Romans used equipment until it wore out which would have produced a lot of variation. All the figures have crests on their helmets but if you don't like this Hat have designed them to be easily removed. Despite the variety of poses all the figures look a little flat due to them standing sideways rather than face forwards. Whether this is due to the sculptor trying to make them easy to mould or to make it easy for wargamers to mount them on their bases I don't know. It makes them look like figures from a frieze very stiff lifless and formal. The seperate shields are well done with proper bosses in the center of the shields (unlike the Esci equivalent) and no decoration added which will allow you to chose the pattern you want. The Figure thrusting the Pilum has two pins for you to plug the shield on to, one at the front of the hand one at the side. This will allow you to make further variations in the way these figures look. Another simple but very effective idea from Hat like their recent berbarians with multi purpose weapons.

To sum up.

The figures are well made with plenty of variety. This is fine for diorama makers but personally I like my Romans looking like disciplined troops so fewer poses would have been welcome. The pin for the shield being at a similar height on all figures should help make them look slightly more uniform. Some of the poses are not to good, for example the stabbing swordsman holds his shield behind him leaving him defencless. The figure also holds his sword in a way that doesn't look right. The way that the figures are posed standing side on will make them easy to base which is a relief. Overall a usefull set but the figures look flat and the poses let them down.

[Thanks Stephen, much appreciated. (Personally, I like these guys better than expected - and I like my elements with a bit of variety!) If anyone want's to contact the author, please click here.]

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