Late Imperial Roman Army V2.0

Here's my Latest Late Imperial Roman Army. 

I sold off the Late Eastern Roman army I had posted previously, so this is its replacement and is definitely for keeps.

I've painted up all the elements for both Eastern and Western variants of the DBA II/78 army. I've also painted up a fast blade element in case I want to use the army as Middle Imperial Roman.

The units' shields come from the Notitia Dignitatum. The unit names are on the picture descriptions.

Most of the figures are from Essex Miniatures. The army is made up of a combination of completely new figures and fully refurbished old ones.

(Click on the pictures to enlarge them)

If you like these posts, why not  

"Like"

Wargrunt Art on Facebook for updates

Just click here

Here we have all the figures from both the Eastern & Western armies arrayed:

The Eastern army:

The Western variant:

The CinC - Cv 

(Scola Gentilium Seniorum - Guards)

The Cavalry - Cv. 

This element is compulsory for the Western army but optional for the Eastern.

(Equites Batavia Iuniores)

The Clibanarii - 4Kn

Both element are compulsory for the Eastern army 

The Westerners only have an option for one.

The element on the right originally had horses with frontal armour only. I replaced them with fully armoured horses as there isn't any evidence for half armoured horses in this period.

 (L-R Equites Cataphractarii, Equites Persae Clibanarii)

The Cataphracarii - 3Kn

Only for the Western army.

I've gone for the regular Roman cataphracarii but they could have been more exotic barbarians

(Equites Armigeri - Velexalito Comitatensis)

The Legionaries - 4Bd

All three elements are compulsory for the Easterners 

while the westerners must have two with an option on the third.

(L-R Legiones Palatina: Undecimani, Daci & Scythae)

The Auxilia - 4Ax

The Eastern army has two compulsory elements of Auxilia

(Auxilia Palatina Tubantes)

While the Westerners must have three elements with a further two being optional)

(L-R Auxilia Palatina Falchovarii & Auxilia Palatina Regii)

 

The Archers - 4Bw

This lone archer element is only available to the Eastern army

(Auxiliarii Sagittarii)

The other Archers - Ps

These are the alternate bowmen for these armies

Two for the West and one for the East

(Auxiliarii Sagittarii)

The Warband - 4Wb

These Goths / Franks are only available as an option for the Western army.

The Light Horse - LH

The Western army must have both of these javelin armed riders, the Easterners just one

(L-R Equites Scutari Seniores, 

Equites Sexto Dalmatae Passerentiaci)

The Horse Archers - LH

One element of these is compulsory 

for the Eastern army and optional for the Western

(Comites Seniores)

The Bolt Shooter - Art

This element is optional for both armies

The Lanciarii - 3Bd

I painted up these guys in case I want to run the army as Middle Imperial Romans (II/64ab)

It's an optional element for both Eastern & Western armies

(Lanciarii Lauriacensis)

The Baggage Camps

The first baggage camp was inspired by these two pictures: 

A section of wall from Pompeii 

and a reconstructed Roman garden.

I look at it as being my 'Home' camp - appropriate when playing the defender.

This more bucolic scene of supplies being foraged while under armed escort is my 'Away' camp 

So, there we have my Imperial Roman army. I'm pretty happy with how they came up. Now it's on to the Visigoths.

Featherstone Factor: 55 - Holy crap they’re good! 

Or at least they used to be…

Donald says that the Roman armies of Marius, Caesar and Augustus were the bee's knees. However (there had to be one) by the end of the 4th century CE the barbarisation and deterioration of the legionary infantry - including the replacement of the pilum for a pike (!) and the forced, but logical, increase in cavalry numbers due to hordes of restless horsemen, meant it was down the gurgler for the legions.

What’s this Featherstone Factor all about?

Find out here.