Roman Assault Diorama
Dated: April 2, 2007.
By Mr. Leonardo Torricini
Italy
I used these toysoldiers for a small temporary diorama, they are a mix of conversions and pieces from many sets of different producers (Hat, Orion, Airfix, Esci, Zwezda), to make a first test of the position of some pieces for a bigger siege diorama, I haven't painted the shields yet as I still don't know whith what symbols to make them, it depends by who I'll choose for the sieged part.
In a recent documentary I've discovered that in the legions there was also some medics. So I worked converting some pieces to make dead, woundeds, soccourers and a medic.
Here's a quite curious aspect especially in the static modeling, I don't mean to criticize productions, or wreck the fun and mindless joyful aspect of toysoldiers with sad considerations, just a thought: there's plenty of choice in the wide variety of roman legionaries miniatures, but there's a lack or the even the absence (parform few exceptions for this historical period as for all the others) of dead and/or wounded figures. A bit strange...
It looks weird in the battle dioramas, How's that? Dozens, sometimes even hundreds of fighting figures, and no one laying dead or wounded, or at least the same dead or wounded figure repeating in some parts of the diorama, in the same positions. Luckily there are some poses that can already used without changes or just with little modifications, but is always possible to do something more and better.
Perhaps unconsciously we want to exorcise the horrors of war? There's no need to remind that the war is a bad thing, especially today with all the news from many part of the world, reminding us that war always means (but especially nowadays) the failure of intelligence and the triumph of stupidity. I think anyway that further the educational and correct aspects, it wold be an improvement of the quality of productions and of the realism of dioramas, if more figures of that kind would be available.
Anyway is just to use a bit if fantasy, to find the compatible existing figures that can fit for the needed position, and with some conversion work (much easier on resin or hard plastic pieces) we can avoid not only the repetititve poses, but even create new positions for any pose and pourpose.
It's a longer job compared to the only painting, but it can be well worth I hope, it will take some months (I have also many other things to do too) when the siege diorama will be ready I'll show the results.
Hoping you'll appreciate this test.
Greetings
Leonardo Torricini
Many thanks to Mr. Torricini.
