Kaustic Plastik 2018 PREVIEW! The Romans are back!!

Hi guys, for 2018 Kaustic Plastik has some nice surprices for all the history lovers.
We will release in the mid of 2018, 4 different Roman figures (!!!), one Auxiliary unit, one Centurion, one Legionary and one Heavy Cavalery unit.
Many of the items of this releases are totally new for Roman figures, and never released before!!!

It will be a great 2018 for this hobby for sure!!!

Please feel free to ask any questions!



And now, the list of the figures and items included in the boxes

KP13 – Auxilia Cohors (Auxiliary Unit)

- Head Sculpt
- KP04 Generation K Body (1 Set of Arms, 4 hands)
- Coolus Helm Type C (Schaan)
- Chainmail (PVC)
- Sword/Gladio (Die Cast)
- Dagger/Pugio (Die Cast)
- Light Brown Cape (Cloth)
- Brown long Pants (Cloth)
- Gaul style Sandals (Leather)
- Gaul style wrist torques
- Red Tunic (Cloth)
- Armored Belt/Cingulum Militare (Leather)
- Long Lance
- Oval Shield
- Deluxe Stand


















KP14 – Centurion

- Head Sculpt
- KP04 Generation K Body (1 Set of Arms, 4 hands)
- Roman Imperial Gallic Type E Helm
- Lorica Muscolata / Armour
- Bronzed Ocrae (Leg protections)
- Sword/Gladio (Die Cast)
- Dagger/Pugio (Die Cast)
- Pteruges/Leather Vest
- Red Cape (Cloth)
- Brown short Pants (Cloth)
- Closed Boots/Calcei (Leather)
- Red Tunic (Cloth)
- Red Scarf/Focale (Cloth)
- Two Leather belts
- Legionary Shield (LEG II)
- Deluxe Stand



















KP15 – Legionary

- Head Sculpt
- KP04 Generation K Body (1 Set of Arms, 4 hands)
- Coolus Helm Type G (Drusenheim)
- Lorica Leather Armour based on Robert von Spalart's drawing (1798)
- Sword/Gladio (Die Cast)
- Dagger/Pugio (Die Cast)
- Red Brown Cape (Cloth)
- Light Brown short Pants (Cloth)
- Sandals / Caligae (Leather)
- Red Tunic (Cloth)
- Red Scarf/Focale (Cloth)
- Armored Belt/Cingulum Militare (Leather)
- Leather wrist bands
- Pilum kit
- Legionary Shield with separate die cast Legions numbers in Die cast
- Deluxe Stand




















KP16 – Alae Quingenaria (Heavy Cavalery)

- Head Sculpt
- KP04 Generation K Body (1 Set of Arms, 4 hands)
- Niederbieber Type Helm
- Arlon Belgica Type Cuirass
- Bronzed Ocrae (Leg protections)
- Sword/Gladio (Die Cast)
- Dagger/Pugio (Die Cast)
- Light Brown short Pants (Cloth)
- Sandals / Caligae (Leather)
- Yellow Tunic (Cloth)
- Red Scarf/Focale (Cloth)
- Armored Belt/Cingulum Militare (Leather)
- Leather wrist bands
- Long Lance
- Oval Shield
- Deluxe Stand

Beautiful figures Fabio!
I'm sure the Centurion and the legionary with the leather Lorica Segmentata will be the hot sellers from this bunch.

Anyway, some very interesting pieces, like the aforementioned Lorica and the Cavalry's mixed armour, would love to have some background on them.

Instant purchase for me !!! thank you kaustic plastic !!

I really hope they start using limited plastic at certain key areas just for durability reasons .

What have the Romans ever done for us?

Please Kaustic Plastic , provide us with better hands for holding the shields . A left handed sheild holding hand would be great . Can you also provide a better strap on inside of the sheild to put the arm through before grasping the handle ? It will provide much better balance when in battle poses . Thank you .

KP has the Legionary as 1st century AD, which puts him into the realm of 'Hollywood'. However, there is evidence from the 2nd century for this type of armour in leather inspired by the Sarmatians.

The following link has grouped photographic evidence in handy spoiler tags. Scroll a bit down to Leather Lorica Segmentata:

https://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?topic=340082.0


It's a bit odd to have stated that the armour is based on von Spalart's eighteenth century coloured sketch, rather than primary evidence itself, albeit that the evidence is from the following century.











All that being said, KP's leather armour doesn't really match the leather armour discovered. So it's a bit of an anomaly with regards to the former historical aspect of their line of figures. If it's television/movie/fantasy armour then it doesn't belong.

The cavalryman is interesting.

Taken from the 1st century AD tomb relief at Arlon Belgica:

The relief from Arlon (see title page of this book) clearly shows the shoulder-guards of the laminated iron lorica segmentata – traditionally associated by scholars with legionaries or praetorians – being worn by cavalrymen over mail or perhaps leather armour.

It is becoming ever clearer that this mass-produced, economic and effective defence was also issued to some auxiliary units. We should bear in mind that the ringmail which scholars have traditionally ascribed to the auxilia took much more time to manufacture, and would have been significantly costly.

Click to expand...

Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (1) 31 BC–AD 195, Raffaele D'Amato (Osprey Publishing, 2016)

Very cool, thanks for the info.
And it's especially interesting to see the often maligned wrist guards on those cavalry men.

Kuat of Kuat said:

KP has the Legionary as 1st century AD, which puts him into the realm of 'Hollywood'. However, there is evidence from the 2nd century for this type of armour in leather inspired by the Sarmatians.

The following link has grouped photographic evidence in handy spoiler tags. Scroll a bit down to Leather Lorica Segmentata:

https://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?topic=340082.0


It's a bit odd to have stated that the armour is based on von Spalart's eighteenth century coloured sketch, rather than primary evidence itself, albeit that the evidence is from the following century.


All that being said, KP's leather armour doesn't really match the leather armour discovered. So it's a bit of an anomaly with regards to the former historical aspect of their line of figures. If it's television/movie/fantasy armour then it doesn't belong.

Click to expand...

The thing I'm getting from the leather lorica segmentata is the fasteners are so robust that if such a thing did exist, it wasn't made from soft flexible leather but at least from hard thick boiled leather. The heavy fasteners needed to keep the thing together and on the body. As nice as that leather lorica segmentata on the figure looks, I think it would be more accurate to make it from a hard plastic painted to look like boiled leather similar to the lorica muscolata on the Centurion.

abake said:

Very cool, thanks for the info.
And it's especially interesting to see the often maligned wrist guards on those cavalry men.

Click to expand...

I think it's more of a wide bracelet that some of the auxilia are depicted wearing. But a bracer might be acceptable wear for non-citizen troops. Archers, for instance, are depicted wearing a single bracer.

screamingmetal said:

The thing I'm getting from the leather lorica segmentata is the fasteners are so robust that if such a thing did exist, it wasn't made from soft flexible leather but at least from hard thick boiled leather. The heavy fasteners needed to keep the thing together and on the body. As nice as that leather lorica segmentata on the figure looks, I think it would be more accurate to make it from a hard plastic painted to look like boiled leather similar to the lorica muscolata on the Centurion.

Click to expand...

The design itself seems to be just an invention, rather than based on a find. The only actual leather segmentata found, as on the previous page, was of a much more simple construction.

I used to regard KP as being generally reliable in terms of authenticity, and that has been their selling point over companies such as ACI who were mostly content just to make things from TV and film.

There' a post on OneSixthWarriors that's even more critical:

shazzdan said:

The first one is brilliant. The leather armour on the next two never existed historically. The main proponents of this leather fantasy are Dr. D'Amato and the Ars Dimicandi reenactor group. The last one is based on a dodgy interpretation of some sculptures.


All of the shields are well done.


The interchangeable heads on the pilum is a clever idea.


Please please stop putting leather wrist bracers on these figures. They are a Hollywood invention.


If anyone wants historical accuracy, stick with the first one; it is definitely the best one.

Click to expand...

However, I'm happy with the cavalryman as it seems a reasonable interpretation of the evidence.

Here's how the Osprey book illustrated him (choosing to go for cloth over chainmail):

Guys... I'm quite surprised many of you are arguing about the quality of my research.
Kaustic Plastik work with a Team of archeologist and we are the only 1/6 company in the world that sponsor archeological digging in the Italian territory.
I even personally help archaeology team in digging as volunteer.
Please don't give lesson of history to me.


The leather armour is based on the sculptures of Portonaccio tombs (where I live) but we love to give homages to Spalart's work because it's a book that many of us(ancient history researchers) remember in the most 'romantic' view. Anyway we have so many historical evidences of leather armour, from sculptures, tombs and paintings.
There are even parts of leather found Egypt.
All what we used are based on scientific research and official published in archaeology books.
Wrist bands are based on a sculpture too. And if you watch carefully it's the Arlon tomb that somebody posted here (it's obviously a wrist band!!!)

In the last 10 years I proved ALWAYS to be the only company that take it very seriously thr subject.
My company is not based in China but in ITALY , in Rome actually.
So what many people read in the books or forums I see with my own eyes every day of my life in the last 45 years.

It would be helpful, rather than cite a 1798 coloured sketch, to instead cite a piece of primary evidence that depicts this particular design of leather armour.

The fragment that I discovered posted earlier matches that of the carvings in the same post.

I'm buying the two auxilia, but leaving the centurion because I prefer Artorius. Plus I also have his armour on the two Praetorians.

screamingmetal said:

I think if I buy any of them, I'll sell the crappy helmet and try to find something that looks better and more in scale.

Click to expand...

This is the best message today!
Mate can you kindly tell me the source of your assumptions?
Our 'crappy' helmet are the only one that have the correct size.
The Roman helmet was big enough to be dressed with an under helm made in leather, that defend the head from the hits.
You know, metal in direct contact of your skin it's not the best idea ever if you are in a
Real fight
I suggest you , next time before trolling me so much, go in some museum and give a look to the size of an actual Roman helmet

Kuat of Kuat said:

It would be helpful, rather than cite a 1798 coloured sketch, to instead cite a piece of primary evidence that depicts this particular design of leather armour.

The fragment that I discovered posted earlier matches that of the carvings in the same post.

I'm buying the two auxilia, but leaving the centurion because I prefer Artorius. Plus I also have his armour on the two Praetorians.

Click to expand...

Guys really? We are at this point? I have to prove that the design is correct?
Guys buy some books and start to study SERIOUSLY Roman history.
This is very very very sad.
It's this the status of this hobby right now?
Honestly if we are at this point I prefer say goodbye to all of you.
Honestly it's far enough for me.
So.. goodbye guys.
For the future if you are interested in our items visit our Facebook page, becuase this will be my last post here.
Good hobby to all of you.

Kaustic Plastik said:

This is the best message today! 
Mate can you kindly tell me the source of your assumptions?
Our 'crappy' helmet are the only one that have the correct size.
The Roman helmet was big enough to be dressed with an under helm made in leather, that defend the head from the hits.
You know, metal in direct contact of your skin it's not the best idea ever if you are in a
Real fight 
I suggest you , next time before trolling me so much, go in some museum and give a look to the size of an actual Roman helmet 

Click to expand...

Yes, they don't look oversized on the figures.

They're just very heavy on the poor little mites!

Kaustic Plastik said:

Guys really? We are at this point? I have to prove that the design is correct?
Guys buy some books and start to study SERIOUSLY Roman history.
This is very very very sad.
It's this the status of this hobby right now?
Honestly if we are at this point I prefer say goodbye to all of you.
Honestly it's far enough for me.
So.. goodbye guys.
For the future if you are interested in our items visit our Facebook page, becuase this will be my last post here.
Good hobby to all of you.

Click to expand...

I don't see what your issue is.

As an individual and a company you pride yourselves on historical authenticity. In the past you have either shown primary examples, or cited a reference to one as you do with your helmets. So yes, it would be helpful to prove that the design is correct. After all, a true historian doesn't simply take the word of another without recourse to the evidence.

One of my 1st Class BA (Hons) was in history. I know the process.

I've searched over the years for evidence of leather armour designs but haven't seen one that matches the one on the legionary.


You're naturally very passionate about your company and its product, but I'm sorry to see that you get angry and leave when you can't or won't provide the evidence. It must be easily to hand since I'm assuming you used in the production of the figure itself.

Kuat of Kuat said:

I don't see what your issue is.

As an individual and a company you pride yourselves on historical authenticity. In the past you have either shown primary examples, or cited a reference to one as you do with your helmets. So yes, it would be helpful to prove that the design is correct. After all, a true historian doesn't simply take the word of another without recourse to the evidence.

One of my 1st Class BA (Hons) was in history. I know the process.

I've searched over the years for evidence of leather armour designs but haven't seen one that matches the one on the legionary.


You're naturally very passionate about your company and its product, but I'm sorry to see that you get angry and leave when you can't or won't provide the evidence. It must be easily to hand since I'm assuming you used in the production of the figure itself.

Click to expand...

My reaction and decision (that doesn't change but I like to give explanations), it's not specifically linked to your post, but the general attitude of the posts in this thread.
Here we have person that call my helmet 'pieces of crap'.
When are actually totally craftmade in Italy, with the finest metal available in the market, made by a master jewellery artisan, with a finish of artisan elctro coating.
It's sad, it's offensive and honestly I'm very tired of the 'new' attitude of this hobby.
So once again, goodbye.
If you like to share and discuss evidence of my research write on my email (you can find in my site) and I will be happy to share with you all my bibliography evidences.
Regards

Kaustic Plastik said:

My reaction and decision (that doesn't change but I like to give explanations), it's not specifically linked to your post, but the general attitude of the posts in this thread.
Here we have person that call my helmet 'pieces of crap'.
When are actually totally craftmade in Italy, with the finest metal available in the market, made by a master jewellery artisan, with a finish of artisan elctro coating.
It's sad, it's offensive and honestly I'm very tired of the 'new' attitude of this hobby.
So once again, goodbye.
If you like to share and discuss evidence of my research write on my email (you can find in my site) and I will be happy to share with you all my bibliography evidences.
Regards

Click to expand...

Yes, I wouldn't describe any part of your product as "crap".

My interest is in authenticity.

Thank you for the offer. I've just started looking in more detail at the Portonaccio tombs. I have a copy of Graham Sumner and Raffaele D'Amato's Arms and Armour of the Imperial Roman Soldier, Volume 1, which discusses leather banded armour on a 2nd Century AD cavalryman.