Tuesday 15 January 2008

Project 2 - Roman Civil War

Ok, this is straight nick from Iron_Mitten, so thank you.

I have from years ago 10 Roman Cohorts of 24 figures, painted and based (but not shielded) for WAB, so multiple and individual bases, with these are 16-20 painted Cavalry, around 60 Auxilia painted and 10 bolt throwers The unpainted are around another 24 cavalry, 60 Auxilia and 48 Preatorians.

All the Legionaires are painted in red and the auxilia are in blue, cavalry are blue with yellow shields. Each Cohort has an attached Scorpio bolt thrower with crew.

So following on from my query to iron_mitten they use WAB rules and have based their figures on 50mm frontage bases, close infantry 3 per base 25mm deep and Loose 2 per base 25mm deep, with skirmishers 2 or 3 per base 50mm deep base, Cavalry are 2 per base 50mm deep, while the army command are on a 50mm square, bolt throwers I didn’t ask, but assume a 50mm square, warband are 6 per base 50mm deep. This all seems to be a nice way to go forward.

I play a lot of different rules systems, from ‘command and colors’ board games to WAB and this basing system will fit in with all of these, also it will enable a quick playtest of the new ‘Field of Glory’ rules from Osprey.

So there are 3 Armies from different area’s of the Empire, one from spain, one from Rome and one from the East…. I need eastern auxilia, meh

Ok, so I don’t know everything I need to about Ancient Rome, History or Political or much at all, but I do know wargames and have run campaigns and with the new found concept of fictional History I recon I have some ‘wargamers’ licence on this one.

So I was thinking of an Army from North Europe/Britain, using Green as a colour, 3 Cohorts, with bolt throwers, some Auxilia and then warband allies, mebbe some Chariots and Cavalry. The second army would be from Rome, using the red painted troops, again 3 Cohorts, with bolt throwers, Auxilia and skirmishers, little cavalry but bolstered by the Preatorians. The third army from north Africa, painted in Yellow/unbleached Linen with Tribal Allies, Eastern Auxilia and mebbe an Elephant (woohoo), with a unit of blue Marines too. Now if I keep it Ancient Mythical I can use some slightly out of period troops like Spartans or Peltasts etc for auxilia/allies, like they are doing on the Hypoboria blogs.

Just remembered ‘The Lost Regiment’ series of books by Forschen, set on a different world where humans are plucked from our planet throughout history and settled as ‘farms’ for the flesh eating orcoids of the planet….. all nice and peaceful until the Americans show up!! Anyway, so I could transpose the action from earth to that planet, or not…. Ugh, brain hurt. Ooh Egyptians..!!!!

Figure first, then rules, then campaigns…. But am enjoying the background stuff too, bonus I guess.

Cheers Shaun

2 comments:

Bluebear Jeff said...

Hmmm, for fun (and monkey wrenches) an occasional random Barbarian attack on an army's "base" province could add some fun.

And Pirates in the Mediterranean could easily be a further complication.

No end of fun, eh?


-- Jeff

Fitz-Badger said...

Pirates of the Mediterranean, starring Johannus Deppius as Captain Passer*?
Opportunities for fun games indeed, especially if you dip into inspiration from Monty Python, Blackadder, Asterix, etc., maybe some auxilliaries from the ancestral tribes of the Skavenbergers and the Saxe-Nweilintzters?

*Genus name for sparrow