Saturday, June 1, 2024

Wargames Atlantic 28mm Citizens/Gangs of Rome

       Every once in a while you come across a set of figures that you just know will more often used outside of the purpose intended by the sculptor. Wargame Atlantic's  Citizens Of Rome set is just one of those, the versatility of this set is near limitless. The way that the figures are broken-down and the vast array of options provided (which would be greatly expanded by access to even a limited "spares bin") mean that you are apt to see these lads popping up all over the Classical Ancients scene!

       The stated purpose is to provide minis for the fun and intriguing "Gangs of Rome" miniatures game which it will to perfection. The set is cast in firm, medium gray plastic with no flash and few mold-lines. The minis are sectioned at the waist and arms with the usual individual heads. Some will be unhappy about the amount of assemble required but it is crucial to creating the individual characters required by the rules. In addition it allows for a simple staggering number of options to create troops for your armies and unarmed figures as the innocent citizens of Rome.

front of the box, just another day in ancient Rome
 
the back of the box gives some ideas of posing and some nicely painted minis

 

the box with contents, five identical sprues

sprue, side A 
the longer you look at it the more options that you can see, Cretan archers, Gladiators, businessmen, slaves, workers, Spartacus's Revolt, any assortment of light infantry......
 
sprue, side B
.....as well as gang-members
 


deeply sculpted and cleanly cast these will respond well to the "shades and washes" style of painting

with the minis sectioned at the waist the freedom to pose your figure is greatly improved

there is a simply HUGE selection of heads, weapons and arms
additionally these are size-compatible with most of the other sets by Wargames Atlantic
 which makes the options of creative figure-building even wider
 
 the posing and proportions are very good, a tad on the muscular side,
 but survival in a street-gang in  ancient Rome probably weeded-out the weaklings early-on

the weapons options run the gamut from fists to pilum, 
with a terrifying array of stabby and smashy things in-between
 (as somebody that has taken a bottle to the head on occasion I do love the inclusion of an amphora!)
 
       Another great set from Wargames Atlantic! This company seems to move from strength to strength. Now what we need is the distaff side of things, can't leave the women out!  I can see these minis popping up everywhere from Biblical times to the Middle Ages in various permutations, and the donation of extra weapons to the spares bin will be most welcome.
 
Very Highly Recommended!

3 comments:

  1. Perhaps the "amphora" could double as the infamous chamber pot for staving Pyrrhus' skull in?

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  2. Always appreciate these reviews.

    I have already seen the "cloak arm" used with a renaissance body to make an assassin!

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    1. That would be a cool classical look. The "cloak arm" is a VERY common feature in the actual game (Gangs of Rome) figures. They have three different variations that I know off the top of my head without going through the actual figures. They use it for a cloak hiding a rock, a cloak with a knife being pulled out from under it, and with some modification as a gladiatorial net. Most of the "bits" on the sprues are clones of the various gang figures.

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