Drawings for weemadando

Havok · Post by **Havok** » 2007-07-20 11:42pm

More lunch time stuff for Wee. I'm getting faster since I've been drawing so much so I can get more detailed pics done.

What I've been thinking Wee, is that there are the musket soldiers and then the shield soldiers that form the testudo and even snipers (he's behind the big body guard guy) Different uniforms and helmets seperate them visually. I can't come up with a rank system that seems to fit. Any ideas?

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2007-07-20 11:49pm

DUDE! These things get better and better. The action captured in this scene is amazing!!! I love it. You should try and pull off an Elfquest thing!!

You should totally have swastikas on the Elephant troops, though. Ultimate Crossover.

The_Saint · Post by **The_Saint** » 2007-07-21 01:54am

Thinking on the concept of having multiple classes of troops...

Maybe musket armed troops could fall somewhere between Hastati and archers and be mixed in with standard sword/javelin armed troops (if they still exist)
for example:
A cohort is made up of a 50% mix of Shield bearing, sword/javelin armed Hastati/Velites and Musket armed troops.

I think more is needed in the realm of equipment lists. From memory the most basic Roman soldier (Hastati/Principes) were equiped similarily with a short sword, javelin and shield... If one replaces the javelin with a musket and equips the shield with a spike stand to hold itself up (as has been shown to be used with medieval archers) then I see no reason for multiple classes of soldier within one unit.

Unit forms on mass and advances to a certain range from the enemy, unit emplaces shield wall and loads firearms. Units then mass volley fire at the enemy (ala British Red Coats) and if the enemy has advanced close enough, sling/drop muskets and [taking up ones shield] advance with sword in hand.

As for the 'sniper' I'm guessing they would fall into the realm of auxiliae for some reason I mentally picture them with a long red or green cloak (the snipers not auxiliae)

Post by **weemadando** » 2007-07-21 02:42am

Havekoff. I love you.

This stuff is what I've been trying to visualise myself for ages.

What Saint said is pretty much what I'm thinking. Most units will carry shield + gladius and musket. They can then either form a testudo for offensive operations or set up the firing spikes with shields leant/strapped to them for firing cover for defense.

There's also fun things that I'm cooking up designs for like an armoured train and my favourite - the slave powered tank (think an upscaled version of da Vinci's turtle with cannon in it and a big slave powered treadmill/track system).

Ford Prefect · Post by **Ford Prefect** » 2007-07-21 08:29am

The_Saint wrote:As for the 'sniper' I'm guessing they would fall into the realm of auxiliae

This seems quite reasonable. Marksmen are more likely to be attached to other formations of troops on a case by case basis, I would suspect; if only the marksman's long-rifle with its rifling and robust scope might be fairly difficult to construct; though I've no idea just what the steampunk Romans are quite like in terms of personal weapons advancement.

Once again hav, fantastic.

Havok · Post by **Havok** » 2007-07-22 03:24am

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » 2007-07-22 03:26am

As much as it wounds me to see futuristic Romans overwhelming futuristic Samurai, it looks very good.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2007-07-22 04:16am

FOR THE EMPEROR!

Srsly, completely fucking awesome!

Ford Prefect · Post by **Ford Prefect** » 2007-07-22 05:36am

Man hav, that Odoshi looks bitchin'. I have to hazard a guess though; the officer appearing in the last three pictures is the same, yeah? I sort of cottoned on when I noticed the big Roman with the katana in the background.

Havok · Post by **Havok** » 2007-07-22 05:55am

Yup same guy. Hero of the Empire and all. Although these are for Wee, I've been drawing them with the thought that this is the guy the Emperor sends to either fend off serious intrusions or expand the borders a little. Maybe some diplomatic missions

Post by **weemadando** » 2007-07-22 06:08am

That's GREAT, but no one is fighting Samurai. Yet. They have to go through the arabs, mongols and chinese first. Then again, it could be an early expedition.

I like the idea of having this single guy in a lot of the art. I can work him into the campaign setting as some heroic (possibly demi-god) general and have a heap of fluff about him. Rockin'.

Hmmm...

Oh, I just had an awesome idea for picture. I'll PM you some stuff ASAP.

Manus Celer Dei · Post by **Manus Celer Dei** » 2007-07-22 11:03am

This is some seriously amazing work. Are you planning on writing fiction in this setting as well, to go with the rulebook?

I also like how most of the pictures are the perfect size to be a desktopo wallpaper

Post by **weemadando** » 2007-07-23 04:42am

There will be fluff in the rulebook.

andrewgpaul · Post by **andrewgpaul** » 2007-07-23 07:36pm

Couple of points ...

Firstly, depending on how advanced the muskets are (English Civil War-era, Napoleonic Wars, American Civil War?), those shields might well stop a musket ball.

Secondly, what's the premise? The western Roman Empire surviving an extra 1,200 years into the gunpowder age, or gunpowdwer weapons being developed in 200BC-ish? (going by the elephants in that one pic, I presume it's Hannibal's campaign in the 2nd Punic War)? Or is it a general quasi-historical-fantasy-steampunk mashup (with Carthaginians, early Imperial Roman legions, Samurai and Mongols, I presume the latter)?

Oh, and I should have said, the art is exceedingly cool in any case, and I'm not nearly as critical as this post sounds. Keep us informed of the book's progress, I may have to buy a copy

Zor · Post by **Zor** » 2007-07-23 11:52pm

Awesome. One thing that i always thought is that there is something very modern in the way that roman Legionaries look, the guns only make this more so. Keep up the good work.

Zor

Feil · Post by **Feil** » 2007-07-24 12:17am

Is it bad that the first thing I thought when I saw the third picture in the first post was "Why are the Daleks all clustered together?"

These are very good. Ink, or computer?

Havok · Post by **Havok** » 2007-07-24 12:56am

Feil wrote:Is it bad that the first thing I thought when I saw the third picture in the first post was "Why are the Daleks all clustered together?"

These are very good. Ink, or computer?

A)WTF is a Dalek?

B) You can draw on a computer?

Pencil and paper my friend. I darken them up a little after I scan them which is how they get the ink look.

Darth Fanboy · Post by **Darth Fanboy** » 2007-07-24 02:51am

Redleader34 wrote:This should have been 300.

This Is SPARTAA!!

I thought the same thing with the first couple of drawings. 300 Spartans with Blunderbusses versus the Persian Army!

edit: Yes I know they are not blunderbusses but that would be the ideal weapon because of their almost comically shaped barrel.

Lord Woodlouse · Post by **Lord Woodlouse** » 2007-07-24 11:15am

havokeff wrote: A)WTF is a Dalek?

One of these, with one of theseinside.

The Duchess of Zeon · Post by **The Duchess of Zeon** » 2007-07-26 06:12pm

Some of these look like they could be suitable as artwork for the sequels to an original alternate history novel that I've finished and am trying to get published. The reason they couldn't go with it is that the Romans don't have arquebuses over the course of it--just artillery and rockets. They dish it out like men anyway against the Egyptian Tercios.

Interested in doing anything for that setting? If I get published some of your work may end up as associated artwork, so it's a potential good deal.

TheMuffinKing · Post by **TheMuffinKing** » 2007-07-31 10:13pm

I finally got enough time to do up a trireme ironclad. I don't know if this is how you envisioned a Roman ironclad, I have several other ideas, but I hope you'll all enjoy its simple form regardless.

I'm thinking of adding way more decorative embellishments and eagles.

Havok · Post by **Havok** » 2007-07-31 11:08pm

Sweet Muffin!! You should make the front of the top deck an eagle head.

Ford Prefect · Post by **Ford Prefect** » 2007-08-01 03:33am

havokeff wrote:Sweet Muffin!! You should make the front of the top deck an eagle head.

Most definitely.

Post by **weemadando** » 2007-08-01 04:22am

I third that opinion. I love the classic trireme lines which is what I was after, but having the eagle on the prow would be awesome.

TheMuffinKing · Post by **TheMuffinKing** » 2007-08-01 03:45pm

Added an eagle head.