# Roman Space Marines



## Lord_Murdock (Jul 16, 2008)

Recently, I've been trying to model my armies in significant historic military stylings, like my communist guard army, or a Babylonian/Ottoman/Byzantine army (that'll be interesting...). Anyway, my next army of choice will be a Roman themed space marine army. So there'll be lots of spears and shields, but my question to all of you is, how should I make their helmet plumes?

Like this:










Any ideas? I'm thinking of just using greenstuff, but I want other people's input first. 

Also, to any historians out there, what else 'Roman' could I incorporate into my army? I'm thinking of making chariots of some kind to count as speeders (hover chariots maybe? :laugh.

Anyway, thanks in advance! I just bought a space marine commander yesterday, so I'll be building him as soon as I get enough info.


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## locustgate (Dec 6, 2009)

I remeber seeing a smurf with a roman style helm....can't remeber where. As for the hover charriot you could look at the demon chariots. Keep this updated I want to see it...also you could go with samurai.


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

My suggestions. Wheather these are any good will depend on what you are able to tackle as far as conversions.
CC weapons. Gladius. Short straight double edged blade.
Banded shoulder pads
Plumes and open face helmets. 
Sculpted muscular breastplates on champions like on the new BA.
My thoughts anyway.

One more thing, all marines should be armed in exactly the same way(As much as possible of course). The roman army was very regimented with regard to equipment.


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## 10228 (Sep 8, 2008)

Yeah the new Sicarius model has a helmet plume.

Greenstuff is probably your best bet, yes, I think there should be some guides floating around the internet actually.


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## GrimzagGorwazza (Aug 5, 2010)

Romans didn't really tend to use spears, they favoured the short sword over the reach of the weapon as a majority of their foot troops used to carry large towershields and in the press of the battle the battle longer weapons were hard to bring to bear on an enemy that is pretty much against your shield. Javelins however were commonplace and each legionare would have been trained in the use of javelins as thrown weapons and makeshift short spears if the need arose. 

Modelling your handweapons into roman style gladius' would look really effective, as would somhow encorperating the romanesque curved shield. The helmets might be easier to just trim from a historical model kit rather than sculpting though it comes down to preference.

What about giving your scouts gladiator style weapons and equipment? Tridents, nets, bolas, etc. They need to proove themselves in battle before they are accepted as full marines, this includes mastering some of the more obscure weapons in the chapters armoury.

As an afterthought you could also use Roman military ranks instead of the standard. 
The Chapter master = Legate(bare in mind that a roman legion tended to be a lot bigger then a space marine chapter, a legion would have included some 5120 legionaires.) 
??= Tribines (these were senior military advisors underneith the princeps though they rarely had any fighting experiance)
??= Camp Prefect (third in command of the legion, usually these were veterans which had fought their way through the ranks and had done their 25 year term of service, Each was responcible for a cohort of which there were 6 of in a legion)
Company commanders= Centurians (responsible for roughly 60 men they had an optio who was their second in command. Each ten man unit was in turn led by a Decurion. The Centurion of the First Century of each Cohort was called the "Pilus Prior" (The First Spear) )


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

Have a look at these shields. Very roman iconography. These heads are a bit more spartan than roman, but they might be handy.

There's a site on here somewhere with proper roman crests made to fit mk VII helmets. I can't find it at the moment, but I'll keep looking.


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## Lord_Murdock (Jul 16, 2008)

Hey, thanks everyone!

I think I solved my helmet problem, because I noticed that some eldar heads (dire avengers?) had crests I could use with a little trimming. So, I got 10 of them on ebay. 

I do like the gladiator scouts idea though. I may use that.

And... tower shields. Are there any good ones from warhammer fantasy? I seem to recall the tomb kings having something like that, though I could be wrong. Would I just be better off making my own?

Thanks for the input though, it's given me lots of ideas! :victory:


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## Viscount Vash (Jan 3, 2007)

Warlord Games do 20mm plastic Romans that may be if use for parts.

 *Warlord Games *.

Check out the *Testudo* for sheilds.

I did a tut on making crests ages ago that may help.  *Here.*

Look forward to seeing how the Eldar ones work out for you though.


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## Whizzwang (Dec 31, 2008)

Lord_Murdock said:


> what else 'Roman' could I incorporate into my army?


TOGA! ... TOGA! ... TOGA!


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

:training:

Large Roman Helmet Crests

Small Roman Helmet Crests

Greek Style Helmet Crests

Scibor stuff (including Roman tower shields)

Hope this helps

:drinks:


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## Lord_Murdock (Jul 16, 2008)

Oh wow, lots of sites lol.

However, I think I'm going to use these for my shields (Thanks, Viscount Vash!). Cheap and in bulk, just what I need for a space marine legion! 

Has anyone had any experience ordering from warlord games? Anything I should know before ordering? I live in Canada if it makes a difference.

Thanks for the advice though everyone. Now just to decide which space marine codex I should use...


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## mcmuffin (Mar 1, 2009)

Go for vanilla marines, they are the most regimented of all the marines, you could have sicarius with his cool helmet. you could take a bike captain and have it so that he is modelled on a chariot, in fact, you could model your attack bike as a chariot too, which is something i would like to see.


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## Scathainn (Feb 21, 2010)

An all-bike Chariot army would be massively cool...


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## humakt (Jan 2, 2008)

Interestingly, most romans helmets did not use crest till later in the roman era. Even then these were reserved for unit like the praetorian gaurd of officers, as they would have cost more money to produce. This isnt to say its not a good idea for you to do this as you really want the roman feel and not an accurate roman soldier.

The most easily recognised armour did however have a neck gaurd and cheek plates, and the chest plates were made up of segmented pieces of metal. I did a roman style marine army a few years ago. I made a converted helmet and body and then cast these so I didnt have to keep green stuffing a whole army.

Here is a quick link of one of the units I created (dont want to hijack you thread by inserting a pic)


>>Linky<<

I even tried to incooperate the leather banding that hung down the front of the legs.

Hope this gives you some more ideas, and I look forward to seeing your work on this.


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## Lord_Murdock (Jul 16, 2008)

Yes, an all chariot army would be cool. I'll definitely have to try something like that.

And thanks, humakt, that pic does help. I think I might steal a few ideas from that 

Also, I just ordered a ton of shields, so in a couple weeks I should be able to start work on this army.


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## Lord_Murdock (Jul 16, 2008)

Quick update: everything has come in! I've begun work on my first marine, so I'll post a picture of Roman Marine V1.0 sometime soon.


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## Sidran7e (Sep 24, 2010)

Try takng a look at urban mammoth's Junker Army, and Chapterhouse Studios Shoulder pads. They have some pads that are neat, and plate armor like.


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## Nelson01 (Apr 1, 2011)

That really looks amazing; you have designed it very well. I really loved it as it looks great and exactly look like how Romans used to use it for their wars. You can also check out some Viking helmets, they are also pretty good.


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## alien (Dec 2, 2008)

I made this some time ago. hope this help to take some inspiration.


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