More legionary replacements ....

Another small party of replacements with supplies are on their way to the legionary headquarters...

[new items: Legionary with mule - Ebay purchase - slight touchup and base re-done; Legionary with pack pony - made up from a spare legionary and an old metal horse - with load scratch built from spares]

Patrol returns .....

A small body of roman legionaries return from a patrol to the legionary headquarters

[first attempt at representing a roman road - using some cut up sandstone acrylic floor tiles from Homebase - looks nice so will cut up the rest of the pack;  for wider roads will double up the sections]

Legio X: Detachment of 1st Cohort

The detachment of the first cohort which will act as HQ staff and commanders body guard for the vexilliation to be sent to Botulinum is under inspection.....

[New items: 3 modified Timpo Toyway legionaries and a spare Whittesly Miniatures standard bearer, form the front rank of the detachment]

Legio X: Second Cohort

The second cohort of the roman legion on the march and deployed .....

[Finally got round to painting these chaps. 

Officer is from Irregular Miniatures with added shield; standard bearer is a metal figure with plastic shield; rank and file are Call-to-Arms heavily modified with my home made pilum and shield design stick on labels

Two more cohorts of these left to paint.....]  

At the Legionary fort .....

Officers discuss the progress of preparing a detachment of the legion to be sent to Botulinum..

 New recruits and replacements are directed to their barracks...

The first century of the 1st Cohort on parade....

[new items:
photo1 - all from Whittlesey Miniatures, the legionaries on guard have Toyway Heriocs square shields and my home made pilum.
photo2 - 3 legionaries in marching order and officer from Whittlesey Miniatures.
photo2 -  eagle bearer body Whittlesey Miniatures, with New Hope design velite head/wolfskin.]

Chariot racing at the 'Circus Minimus' ....

The Circus Minimus on the outskirts of Botulinum, facilities are very basic - a new central reservation has been finished - the governor has more work planned. The crowd await the start of the race.

 Gauls and Romans mix in the crowd; Queen Gargamantua, Obelix and Asterix are there,

 

The governor in his own enclosure, looking rather grumpy, his chariot (Red) has been drawn in the outside lane, with the gauls chariot (Green) on the inside lane.

 And they're off, the chariots move off jockeying for position .....

 On the turn during the first lap, Yellow has the edge....

At the end of the first lap Yellow is still in the lead with the gaul's Green chariot in second....

 After the turn Yellow is out in the lead....

On the turn during the second lap, Yellow still has the lead ...

Yellow is still out in front as he starts his last lap,

The Gauls chariot makes a last attempt to catch Yellow.....

but can't catch him Yellow romps home to a win with the gaul's pipped at the post by Blue

Official Result:
1st - Yellow - local magnate - Ludicrous Sextus
2nd - Blue - local magnate - Nortius Maximumus
3rd - Green - the Gauls entry - Queen Gargamantua
4th - Red - the Governor's

The governor is not in a good mood, his chariot made a poor showing and came in last a fair way behind the Gallic entry. The Queen is in a reasonable mood - she didn't win but came in ahead of the Governor's entry.

---oXo---

Rules for chariot racing (very simple !)

General

Rules are designed for 54mm 2-horse chariots with a single driver.

On the race course, there is a nominal racing lane for each chariot which is 3 inches wide. A chariot may change racing lane to get the best line/overtake.

Each race is over 3 circuits of the race course.

Initiative

Before each move throw 1D10 for each chariot. Highest moves first, then next highest etc..

Movement

Throw 1D3 + 1D6 + 1D10, total is maximum movement in inches for the chariot.

Then apply penalties:

-3" to change 'racing lane'

Notes:

You cannot change racing lane on the first move.

Legionary mascot ...

[ new item: dog and handler from Rose Miniatures.

As an aside, the first cohort of legionaries have made it to the painting table ...]

The gauls racing chariot ...

Queen Gargamantua ( of the Queriates tribe) and her daughters, checks out the chariot and horse team they are entering for the races at Boutlinum. Asterix and Obelix think it is unbeatable...

[ new items: racing chariot for the gauls, Italeri quadriga horses; Atlantic chariot; modified Marx driver]

Relaxing after dinner ....

The owner of one of the villas near Botulinum relaxes with his wife after their meal .....

[ an attempt at a roman interior - using my 28mm bedroom palace walls (just alright ?) and a printed mosaic for the floor. 
new items: lady and gent on couches - from Atlantic 1/32 greek life set, a nice Ebay find - these were already painted, some touch in was required and I repainted the lady's dress]

The Governor's chariot ...

The governor has made a short ride to check on the progress of his chariot; the chariot racing season starts soon and he want to ensure his entry will be in tip-top condition.

The governor watches the chariot being put through its paces  ....

 [New items: 
Legionary holding horse - Timpo Toyway Heroic figure with an oddment Del Prado horse.
Chariot - egyptian Atlantic chariot; modified Marx charioteer, horses from Italeri quadriga set.]

Archers inspected .....

The Legate commanding the legion is due to inspect the auxiliary cohort of archers,  their commander gets some of the men out for some practice....

 The Legate arrives ...

 and watches the full cohort at drill and target practice ....

[new items: first photo - 6 more archers and a standard bearer - converted Timpo Toyway Heroics; second photo - Legate on foot from Blueline repainted]

On the way to Botulinum ...

The commander of the nearest legion journies to Botulinum by chariot to discuss the unrest amongst the local tribes with the governor.

[new items: chariot and chariot driver;  the chariot is a modified one I bought off Ebay - the only thing I did was to swap-out the body of the chariot with one from a Italeri quadriga and put it on a new base; the driver is from the same Italeri set with his whip replaced with a piece of thin black model railway layout wire]

Roman survey team ...

 Obelix: Oooh romans ! can we go and beat them up ?

Asterix: No we haven't time, leave them be - we'll be late for the feast, lets get back to the village

---oXo---

A roman survey team is at work in the valley near the cross roads of two trackways ....

 

Officers watch the surveying team at work ...

Pole guy: What ?

Surveyor: A Little to the left

A closer look at the surveyor with his groma ...

 [new items: Officer with gold helmet and large plume; Roman legionary with grounded shield (Timpo Toyway Heroic); Surveyor and Pole guy - converted Marx figures- the groma is made from a cocktail stick and tile spacers with thin wire for cords]

In Botulinum (and elsewhere ..)

Two members of the local council of Botulinum meet and get into a discussion about what to do about the unrest amonng the local gallic tribes, while their wives have a nice chat ...

---oXo---

Meanwhile Woudicca, the eldest daughter of Gargamantua (queen of the Queriates) returns home to inform her mother that two minor tribes, the Constipates and Incontinentes, have pledged their support for a possible uprising.

[new items: Top picture - four civilian from Atlantic; Bottom picture the female warrior at the front - an Ebay purchase already painted, manufacturer unknown.]

Mounted legionaries

Mounted legionaries getting in some riding practice....

 The legate commanding the legion makes an inspection ....

[new items:
Legate - Italeri Fabri; Mounted legionaries - conversions using Call-to-Arms romans, Timpo Toyway Heroic Romans and Italeri horses.]