What a great little figure. Thanks to Harold at Blackcat Miniatures for throwing this into my first order as a little extra. To me, he looks spot-on like George Lucas defending his vision of the Star Wars prequels. So I painted him as such, hence, the white hair. I guess I could have gone a step further (a step overboard) and replaced his swords with light sabers.
Ancient Romans had a fascination with dwarves, and kept them in their households when they could afford it. It was inevitable that the Romans would combine their fascination with dwarves with their lust for the games. Dwarves were armed just like any normal class of gladiator, and they were paired against other dwarves or against women.
This dwarf is armed as a dimachaerus- a two sword fighter. Very little is known of this class of fighter, but it must have been written somewhere since it is mentioned in many current texts about gladiators (including Junkelmann.)
Or maybe it was a class made up by George Lucas, so he could create some kick-ass jedi fights.
So this is the last of my first order of gladiators. I do have a captive who is bound by the hands, but I didn't prime him with this group. I'll prime him up when I get my second order. With this second order of gladiators, I plan on doing a lot more conversion work. I hope to be able to create a new provocator, another thraex, a dimachaerus (which I simply plan on converting by giving him a helmet), and- my most difficult conversion- a scissor. For the scissor, I will need to hammer out a crescent-shaped chopping blade as well as sculpt a jacket of chainmail. Not impossible, but not easy with my skills.
That is an incredible likeness, it's almost begging for conversion. Maybe put him in a brown cloak with an Ion blaster in each hand, Utinni!!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't think Lucas has ever been in that good of shape. Ever. Still the likeness in the face is incredible.
ReplyDeleteIt is George Lucas!
ReplyDeleteThanks again for more history- the note about the dwarves typical pairing made me think how insulted and mad they must have been being paired against a women! That's not very politically correct!
I have to ask... What terrain and/or accessories do you have planned for this project?
I don't have any plans for terrain for this project, but I do have a few small accessories lined up: Mostly a few bases, each holding a dropped weapon (and one with a thrown net for my retiarius). I also will have a few bases with either a helmet or a shield, the idea being (for one scenario) that arms and armor have been set about the arena floor for the gladiators to run after to begin the fight.
ReplyDeleteI also want to find figures to represent a couple more officials who would be present on or near the arena floor (including perhaps a couple fellows with a wheeled table that acted as a stretcher...at least according to Osprey.)
BUT I have thought about at least making a modular arena wall. It would be modular. I don't see it being too difficult to build, but it would take up space which is limited (even if the wall was in pieces).