lorica segmentata: colour???

Blathergut · Post by **Blathergut** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 9:03 pm

Anyone have any ideas on the actual colour of the stuff?

I've seen the bits found here and there...they don't suggest the high-gloss shiny steel of those hollywood knight flicks.

More of a chainmail colour? Can't see them roaming around in rusting iron. Had some thought they might have been plated...tin or bronze?

Starting the next painting project: early imperials...have pretty well max'd out the Mid-Republicans

(Am going to miss all those HF offensive spear troops!)

paulburton · Post by **paulburton** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 9:32 am

I would go with the usual chainmail colour (gun metal in more conventionally named paint ranges). My own Early Imperials are mail clad Augustans so I never went for Lorica Segmentata (1 did 1 cohort of Praetorians but rarely use them. Maybe I wil expand them into another unit sometime)

Blathergut · Post by **Blathergut** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 3:07 pm

I went with Liquites Metallic Antique Silver. No shine and nice surface effect.

deadtorius · Post by **deadtorius** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 10:15 pm

I think you should do a definite rust hue to them. That way I should be able to convince my own troops that your segmenta armour is not up to snuff and will be penetrated much easier by my sharp pointy pikes. better yet just drop the whole armour thing save yourself some points and make them unarmoured..... that saves the whole what colour of rust issue as well

tadamson · Post by **tadamson** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:53 am

They were hammered iron and we know that they were polished with fine sand the oiled. None of the samples recovered were tinned that I can recall.

So fairly shiny light metal. Pretty close to the TV/film versions.

aventine · Post by **aventine** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:13 pm

Give them a coat of silver and when dry use GW Badab Black wash, that should look good.

Keith