Link Highlight: Plastic Soldier Review

My link highlight for today is a brand-new one: http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Index.htm

This is a web site that reviews the quality and historical accuracy of 1/72 scale plastic figures.

The site is interesting because, unusually for the web IME, it covers its subject quite broadly and deeply, with no errors I have been able to find. Actually, that may make it unique.

Of course, it is a niche site, but for me a useful one.

Back in the fall of 1997 I decided to build a diorama for Latin class showing the battle formation of a roman legion. To this end I bought a set of 1/72 Roman Legionaires from Esci http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.asp?manu=ESC&code=224 at a local hobby store and painted them.

This led to me digging out an old Atlantic set of Egyptians I'd gotten years before as opponents. That led to needing more Romans to fight them. That led to needing some additional barbarians for the other side (Esci). That led to needing cavalry for the Romans, as I did more research into the topic. By the time the first wave of interest faded several years later I had over 500 figures including two elephants and a 1/120 war galley, about a quarter of them painted.

College rather interrupted this military build up.

A month ago, I visited a new hobby store that had recently opened within easy walking distance of my apartment. There I found a reasonable selection of ancient-era figures, including some I'd been keeping an eye out for to rounding out the legion.

Addiction is a downward spiral. I've now visited another area hobby shop, buying figures at both, as well as investing in paint, and a new Osprey book on the tactics of the Roman legions. I've developed a TO&E for a model legion that will have 848 figures, including 745 men, 97 horses, and 6 ballista, and ordered or purchased almost all the sets needed to complete it. I've also aquired additional troops for the opposing forces, and investigated a new line of 1/72 galleys by Zvezda.

When I've got more complete units together, I'll post pictures.