Showing posts with label Late Romans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Late Romans. Show all posts

Wednesday, 16 September 2015

Arthur and Magnus Maximus at Partizan

Very belatedly, here are shots of the recent game on which the Newark Irregular boys and myself collaborated. Most of the miniatures, terrain and buildings are from Steve Jones and James Morris superb collections as seen in the WAB "Age of Arthur" book, with Scrivs, Mog and myself topping them up. The photos are from various contributors including Darrell Hindley, John Thompson and Ian Notter.


Above the whole table, which was L shaped and roughly 15' by 15'. In the foreground Magnus Maximus' Late Romans (left) fact a Pictish horde. 


Above Pictish reinforcements coming ashore with their village in the background. Below a couple of shots of the Pictish warbands.


The printed gaming mats proved very popular- so popular that four of the five used in the game were "spoken for" by the close of play. I have started importing them from Deep-Cut Studio in Lithuania, and they can be found in the BigRedBatshop, I'll have some desert ones too, shortly.


Below, Picts peer nervously out from their villages.


I made the heather- it is clump foliage glued to MDF with a dusting of pink flock. Cheap and effective and I'll make some more, also more gorse.


Romans drawn up in front of their camp. That's Magnus Maximus on the horse. Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of the Arthur vs the Saxons game, but here are some lovely shots of the village situated between the two games.



James' villa (below, one wing only) is stunning and packed with interior detail, too.


Below To the Strongest! action as evidenced by the presence of playing cards. The Roman unit with the blue shields and draco (bottom left) broke through the Pictish line.


Finally here's another shot of the lovely stand that the Newark Irregulars very kindly gave me; they formed the garrison of the Romans camp.


Many thanks again to the Newark Irregulars and to all my mates who helped on the day; it was a pleasure. Farewell to Kelham and onwards to the Newark Showground! Next year there should be space for a proper-sized table. ;-)

Wednesday, 2 September 2015

Maximus and Arthur


Newark Irregulars and BigRedBat proudly present...

Maximus & Arthur

Two battles from either end of the Arthurian era!


Around twenty years ago, we started gaming the Age of Arthur armed with Bernard Cornwell books, Foundry and Gripping Beast miniatures and boundless enthusiasm for an unpopular period. Games at Partizan always fired our imaginations. Our table this Sunday 6th September will feature two battles, separated in time by perhaps 150 years, featuring models from the collections of Steve Jones, Martin Hogg, James Morris and myself. I will be running the games using my ‘To The Strongest!’ rules. If you'd like to play (and haven't mailed me already) please drop me an email at the address on the left. We will run each game twice, AM and PM, lasting around 90 minutes or so. No previous experience of To the Strongest! is required.

Magnus Maximus against the Picts, c. 380 AD

Magnus Maximus, a Spaniard, was the first of a line of soldier-emperors to build upon a British power base.  In 383, he took an army from Britain, crossed to Gaul, and defeated and killed the Emperor Gratian.  Prior to his usurpation of the imperial throne, it is believed that he mounted a campaign against the Picts to subdue the area north of the wall, and it is this we imagine in this first game.  The villa is perhaps geographically unlikely, but nothing says ‘Fall of the Empire’ quite like a crumbling Roman estate…

Arthur against the Saxons: The Battle at Fort Guinnion, c. 530 AD

"The eighth battle was in Guinnion Fort, and in it Arthur carried the image of the holy Mary on his shield, and the heathen were put to flight on that day, and there was great slaughter upon them’ – Nennius

This game is a more conjectural affair following a traditional (if unprovable) theme of Britons vs. Saxons!  The warlord Arthur is giving battle to the invading Saxons of Cerdic somewhere in lowland Britain, near the Fort of Guinnion (forts and rivers being the most likely locations for battles in this period).  The Britons are bold, chivalrous and Celtic, the Saxons numerous, ferocious and unwashed: who will win?


The beautiful command stand above was painted by David Imrie and is the new pride of my collection! David used him as King Arthur, but I will use him as Magnus Maximus, the late fourth century usurper to the Western Imperial throne, who led the armies of Britannia onto the continent in an attempt to take Rome. David individually highlighted each scale on the barding... bonkers. I've merely rebased Maximus onto a round command stand as he will be a detached general in my rules.

Tuesday, 1 September 2015

Equites Catafractarii Iuniores


This is my sister unit to last week's clibanarii; these are the Equites Catafractarii Iuniores, a Vexillationes Comitatenses unit under the control of the Comes Britanniarum. Unusually, I painted most of these myself some years back; I have just "tarted them up" a bit including rebasing and giving them new bling-y lances. They can deploy in line or cuneus.


Saturday, 22 August 2015

Equites Dalmatae Passerentiaci


The Equites Dalmatae Passerentiaci are a unit from the command of the Magister Equitum in Gaul. On his Notitia site Luke Ueda-Sarson suggests that Passerentiaci refers to a place, perhaps Passaro in Epirus - it might just possibly be a nickname "sparrows." Shaun Watson (Redzed) painted these for me, lovely jobs, except I hand-painted the shield designs based on Luke's page.

These chaps will be veteran light cavalry with javelin in TtS! terms and will likely get their first outing at Partizan in two weeks, when I am planning a big Late Roman game with various chums.

Friday, 21 August 2015

Schola scutariorum prima


This unit of late Roman guard cavalry were superbly painted by Shaun Watson (Redzed); I merely had to apply shield transfers and base. Most of the minis are Gripping Beast, and very nice minis they are, too. This is the first of four new Late Roman cavalry units for a planned game at the Wargames Holiday Centre in November.


Tuesday, 17 March 2015

Gratianenses iuniores


This is a regiment of Late Roman infantry known as the Gratianenses Iuniores, from the Magister Peditum's Italian command.  They are Auxilia Palatina- well hard!  The photo is clickable.

The minis are all Black Tree's painted by Shaun (Redzed), I merely did a little work on the shield designs, some weathering and based.  They came out really well and I'm shortly going to pick up some other units from Shaun to join my swelling Late Roman army.

In other news... mate Millsy is very kindly laying out the print version of  "To the Strongest!", which is coming on brilliantly and in the meanwhile I've been working on the army lists.   

Today I posted an updated version of the "Late Antiquity" army lists, filling gaps with new Herul and Later Visigoth lists. This booklet contains the Later Romans, Early Byzantines and their enemies. I've edited all the lists in this booklet to make them ready for the April release of v1.1 of the rules. These include changes included the return of the pila* (shock missiles) to baggage. You can download the lists for free from:


I also updated some of the Medieval lists.  Later this week I plan to update the lists in the "Rome's Empire" booklet.

*Shock missiles are like javelins but thrown as the legionaries (or Franks) charge into contact, potentially disordering their enemies.


Wednesday, 3 December 2014

Leones to Gratianenses

Last night I repainted the shields on the "Leones Iuniores" as the Gratienses, as discussed in a previous post.  I also took the opportunity to reduce the width of the rawhide edgings and to weather them.  Here is the before...


And here is the after...


I'm pleased that they look sufficiently different to warrant inclusion in my Late Roman army.  Proper photos to follow when they are based.

On the "To the Strongest!" rules front, I have added several new armies to the free spreadsheet of army lists, including Germans, Dacians, Sarmatians and a "Rise of Macedon" list for the Armies of Phillip II and Alexander.  It can be found here.  I am pleased to report that the rules are selling well!

Monday, 1 December 2014

More fun with the Notitia

I've been looking at Luke Ueda-Sarson's excellent Notitia Dignitatum site, which is the site for the Late Roman shield design alficionado.

The good news is that there is a similar design to my other unit.  I hesitate to copy images from the site due to copyright, but the Gratianenses have a very similar shield design to what I thought were the Leones Iuniores.  It turns out that, due to the failings of a copyist back in days of yore, the names of some of the units most likely have the wrong names.  My Leones Iuniores are, in fact, probably the Leones Seniores. The Gratienses probably aren't the Gratienses, either, but someone else!  It is all fearfully complicated.  However it means I can retain both units, and can probably "fix" all of the shields in an evening's work. Tomorrow evening's work!  

Saturday, 29 November 2014

You wait years for one Leones Iuniores to come along, and then two arrive at once!

Whilst I was finishing the rules, my very own Spanish ulcer started playing up very badly, and I've not painted any ancients for a month.

Now, however, I'm slowly recovering and am going to base some lovely figures I bought off Shaun Watson earlier this year.  First, though, I want to repaint most of the helmets in steel, and weather the shields, so I have mounted them on temporary bases to facilitate this.


Shaun's unit are the Leones Iuniores.  But, I hear you say, surely BigRedBat already owns a unit of Leones Iuniores? (below)


Shaun's are so much better painted than the above unit that I painted myself, however, I just couldn't resist them.  I'll have two, and probably sell mine later on.  Or just maybe, there is another unit with a similar shield in the Notitia... I do recall some similar shield designs.  I shall have to take a look at Luke Ueda Sarson's excellent Notitia resource.

To celebrate their unpacking I have loaded a free, illustrated Late Roman Army List for my To the Strongest! rules into my shop.  It can be downloaded from here.  

Monday, 25 August 2014

Legio Secunda Britannica


These are the last of the figures from Craig Davey, which I've supplemented and based to form the greater part of a Late Roman legion. The Secunda Britannica (or the Secundani) were the descendants of the old British II Augusta legion that had been based in Caerleon for much of its history. In the Late Roman period they may have been withdrawn to Gaul to deal with the various crises on the frontiers.


This legion has two units of accompanying light infantry, one of javelinmen and one of archers.



I really like the conversion that Craig did on the light infantryman, giving him the trumpet from a cavalryman. All of the shields are hand painted; I was reasonably successful at matching Craig's style. Later I will need to paint another 24-man unit, because I want the legion to be twice the strength of my auxiliary units, and a command stand.  This will involve a lot of work, on account of the shields, of which I can only paint 3 or 4 in an evening. With the new units and the cavalry I now have a quite respectable Late Roman army, and am going to spend a little time touching up the Picts who they will be fighting.

Saturday, 23 August 2014

Equites Honoriani Seniores


The Equites Honoriani Seniores are the first of four units of Late Romans that my friend Craig Davey very kindly sold me earlier this year, that I've recently based. The photo is clickable. 

The Honoriani Seniores are a vexillationes comitatenses cavalry unit, briefly discussed on Luke Ueda-Sarson's excellent Notitia Dignitatum site.  Their shield design features a pair of blue wolves (or bears). Some suggest that they may have been recruited from Taifals, a Germanic tribe defeated and settled within the empire.  They appear under the Gallic field army, but were seconded to the Comes Brittaniorum.

Craig did a lovely job on these, including hand-painting the shields.  They form a very timely reinforcement for my Late Roman army, which will be out for a run at the Wargames Holiday Centre next weekend, when they will (perhaps) be giving my Picts a good kicking.

Friday, 24 January 2014

Somewhere just south of the Wall

Last night a full contingent of the Muswell Militiamen gathered for a second game with my emerging Late Roman collection. The Picts have crossed the wall, and are threatening a fortified Roman town. The Roman field army formed up in a long thin line in front of the town's walls, leaving the town behind them un-garrisoned.  This latter was a decision that they would, all to soon, regret.


The Romans moved first and dashed forward, trying to take the ridge between the two armies. They only managed to get a toehold, though, before their movement activations ended. In the Pictish turn the northerners seized the rest of the ridge. They had a surprise up their sleeve, too; one of the stratagems they had drawn before the game indicated that one of their units, in this case the Saxon allied cavalry was off-table, lost. They diced to see if they would arrive, and where, and there was a collective drawing of breath as the cantered across the Roman baseline straight into the town, and commenced to loot the legion's baggage (below)! Presumably they had stumbled across an unguarded rear gate...



Above is a shot of the Pictish left, nervously awaiting the arrival of the Roman cataphracts, and below is the fighting for the ridge. Shortly after this shot was taken, the Roman unit in the right foreground had to turn around and march off, to attempt to assault and recapture their own camp!



Above, on the left flank, a unit of Roman skirmishers made skillful use of the terrain to hold up the advance of a Saxon warband (above), whilst a unit of auxiliaries contested a patch of newly-made heather with Pictish spearmen (below).



The game was very confused and very enjoyable.  The thin Roman battle line broke up very quickly (below), with several veteran legiones making for (and capturing some of) the Pictish baggage, whilst doing their best to fend off flank and rear attacks.  The Picts won by a fair margin, largely due to the instinctive looting abilities of their Saxon allies.




I've come away with a few more suggestions and rule tweaks, which I've been working on this morning. Mate Craig has very kindly sold me some beautiful Late Romans that I want to paint up before out next game, in a few weeks time, and I think we will play Longstreet again next week.

Wednesday, 22 January 2014

A modest Roman reinforcement

In last week's game, some concern was expressed about the relatively small size of the Roman Field army. For tomorrow's game a small reinforcement has arrived; the Equites Sagittarii Parthi Iuniores, a vexillationes comitatenses unit which has traveled all the way from Africa. 



This unit, originally formed of Parthians, would have spent its time patrolling the borders of the Roman Province of Africa against nomadic incursions.



Three of these A&A minis were purchased painted to a high standard, in an eBay lot I bought from the USA. I painted 3 more to match, highlighted and based. Later I shall revisit them, and add small shields, painted with the appropriate designs.

I bought a load of Muskateer Gothic horse this week. At some point in the future, it would be terrific to use them game the Vandal invasion of Africa...

Friday, 17 January 2014

Getting my Picts out...

Before 2005 I painted a fairly large Pictish army.  This has languished, unloved, in storage for the last 8 years for want of a historical opponent.  Happily, now that my Late Romans are quorate, they can take to the field again! I was pleasantly surprised to find that the painting is not as good as I do now, but not too shabby, either. The basing is similar to my current standard, and just needs a little TLC and tuftage to bring it into line.

Ian and Jay played a 100 point game using my rules.  I won't go through this in too much detail, because I hope to run a similar game next week.  A massed Roman attack in the centre, led by the elite Herculaini and Lanciarii Sabriences legiones, was inexorable and eventually split the Pictish army in two (below).  


The Picts were unable to capitalise on their superior numbers, but came close to winning, early on, when a warband broke into the Roman camp. Unfortunately these settled down to looting (=several failed activation rolls) and were eventually routed by a flank charge from some Roman archers.


Neither side's cavalry got into the action, except for one late flank charge by the Gentilium Seniores. Below is the only closeup I took of a Pictish unit, which gives an impression of what they look like; they are a mixture of Gripping Beast and foundry, with some Old Glory and a few conversions.


I'll take more photos next week, when I hope to have the terrain looking a tad more Scottish. The rules worked very well, we had a good laugh, and this morning I've been able to polish a couple of sections, especially terrain placement and fortifications.

Saturday, 11 January 2014

Martenses et Lanciarii Sabrienses


The Martenses are an auxiliary unit from the Magister Equitum's Gallic command. They are pseudocomitatenses; border troops promoted to join the field army. Both photos are clickable.


The Lanciarii Sabrienses are another unit from the Magister Equitum's Gallic Command, but of  higher status as, like the Herculiani, they are one of the dozen Legiones Palatina.

Both units are repaints of ebay purchases. They took perhaps 6 painting sessions each; I kept the basic colour scheme but did a good deal of overpainting.  I'm really pleased with the "wear" I painted on the shields, especially on the Sabrienses. The Gripping Beast figures are very nice; the large shields are excellent, and there are a huge variety of poses that I hope to use in future units.  They also work well, in terms of size  and style, with the Muskateer range.

Luke Ueda-Sarson has a fantastic site featuring the designs of the Notitia Dignitatum.  I have spent many happy hours clicking through it, and I would commend it to anyone who is researching a Late Roman army.

And finally, LBMS Steve has very kindly (and extremely promptly) created a beautiful new transfer for the Ioviani, the sister-unit of Thursday's Herculiani Seniores.  If collecting Late Romans, please go forth and purchase some, and then perhaps we can persuade him to make some more Late Roman designs!

Thursday, 9 January 2014

Herculiani seniores

The Herculiani Seniores (Herculians) were a Legion Palatinae (guard) unit in the Western Late Roman army, that were originally formed from the VI Legion, from Illyricum.  Brigaded together with the Ioviani (Jovians), who I will have to paint later on, they were usually in the thick of the fighting!  Please have a click.


I bought 18 on the minis on eBay, and painted 6 more to match, using the excellent LBMS transfers on the shields.  I've decided to stain and daub all my shields with mud, because I prefer an "on campaign" look.  

I have just consulted my Late Roman expert mate, who says they might well have retained an eagle standard; I'll remedy this a little later on!

PS I mixed in a few Crusader minis, to add a little variety.  Although slightly stockier, they fit in very well!

Thursday, 28 November 2013

Petulantes

These are the supporting archers of the Petulantes, a particularly famous Late Roman Auxilia Palatina regiment.


These (clickable) chaps are some of my favourite minis. I bought 8 of them from Saxon Dog around 2005. I don't believe they were actually painted by David, but understand he finished and perhaps based them. Whoever did them they were very nicely painted, and I learned a great deal about painting and basing from them (indeed, all my minis are based to a similar standard). As part of my Winter Offensive, I've painted 2 more minis to match (one is the officer), and tarted up the bases to my current standard.


At some point I will need to paint the rest of the unit, and the associated Celtae regiment. But there are lots of other units to finish, first! There is a real danger that I may soon have enough Late Romans, to be able to play a game with.

In other news, Graham at Scotiaalbion has been experimenting with my rules, and has made up some lovely cards featuring illustrations from Ironmitten's blog. I look forward to seeing the cards in action...

Saturday, 8 June 2013

More Revolting Goths

After a very long interval, I've completed a unit of Gothic skirmishers to go with the Gothic warband I painted last year.


These minis are a mixture of Gripping Beast and Black Tree miniatures.  Some have looted Roman shields (mostly from LBMS).  Interestingly, three of the miniatures (3rd, 5th and 8th from the left) have been in my odds-and-ends box since 2005, when I picked them up at the Bristol Tabletop sale, along with some Normans; I'd love to know who originally painted them!  The minis came out OK, but the basing came out particularly well, I think because I used static grass alongside the tufts, and sealed the lot with matt spray varnish.

Every few months I hope to add another late-Roman era unit to my slowly growing collection.  You never know, one day, I may even have enough for a game!

Monday, 22 October 2012

Revolting Goths


I've just finished painting my first unit of Gothic deserters, please have a click.

In all honesty I hadn't planned to paint a unit of Goths, but I was stripping apart my old Viking army in order to sell it, and discovered 16 bounty Germans hiding in the rear rank.  I couldn't resist adding a couple more elements and some lovely LBMS shield designs to round them off.  Most of the minis are Gripping Beast, with a few Black Trees amongst them.

They are destined to become enemies for my (alas so far largely projected) Late Roman army.  I like them slightly more from this angle, where it's easier to see the new shield designs.


Sunday, 21 October 2012

Chalons, 451 AD

Yesterday I played a fine game using the Comitatus rules, with their author, Simon MacDowell.  We refought the battle of Chalons as a rehearsal for the game that he has planned for the Society of Ancients Battle Day in Bletchley, next April 13th.  Simon was a generous host and I frothed over the miniatures in his display cabinets...

Simon has started to write the battle up here.  Rather than steal his thunder, I'll show some shots of his excellent miniatures.  These were 15's, but have more detail than many of my 28's.  I played the Romans, or rather the side that included a few token Romans amongst a host of Germans!  This unit were some of my Auxilia Palatina. 


Below is Flavius Aetius, last of the great Western Roman generals, and his Comitatus.


...and here is Attila, Scourge of God!


Unfortunately I forgot to take a closeup picture of King Theooric I, the Visigothic leader, who also played a siignificant role in the battle, but here he is, charging at the head of his Comitatus (left, below).  Simon had suggested that I hold him in reserve, but I preferred to use him in the manner of Theoden King, at the Pelennor fields...


The shields of the Visigothic foot, beyond him, are splendid!

EDIT- Simon McD reminded me that there is, indeed, a closeup of the impetuous Theodoric:-