Summer Read: SPQR by Mary Beard

My latest summer read (or rather listen to, at odd moments of the day such as dog walking and driving in the car) was Mary Beard's SPQR as background material for an unexpected wargame project with a friend who is taking up the hobby late in life. I spied Command and Colours in his games cupboard (I do know him as an active RPG fan) which led to a few leading questions and he revealed all. Then from board games he independently took the plunge into 6mm Baccus Late Republican Rome. I clearly have some catching up to do. Ancient Rome was an area I always wanted to dig deeper into, I have sated my Greek knowledge with books and extended DBA armies, but have only tinkered at Rome. I spied Mary Beard's SPQR book on his shelf and thought that a good supplement to by Osprey's Enemies of Rome compendium (see below, narrated by a voice actor but good nevertheless): 

Boy these Romans are a funny lot, indeed what constituted being Roman seemed a flexible definition in itself. Background done, it is time to move onto some physical armies. I am aiming at some Spanish (Numantines) and Pontics to fight my friends Late Republican Romans. We have ducked the Punic Wars for the moment, but doubtless we will come back to them in teh future. 

Roman Thoughts ...

Similar to Bob Cordery I am involved in an Epic WhatsApp Early Imperial Army Roman campaign based circa AD 15 against the Barbarian hoards. This caused me to seek inspiration to "fall into character" as Rufus the Roman. Into the bookshelves and model projects along with wargaming associated paraphernalia (see below, a Roman Army recruiting freebie and vital wargaming supplies of digestive biscuits): 

An old school project from my youngest child was quite an impressive find too (see below, they may look big but their actual size is about 5" by 2"):

An "old" friend (circa DBA version 2 but still can field a variation of DBA version 3) of 15mm toys (see below, the tortoise in the background looks quite epic - I still have to paint an opposition army of Gauls to fight them with):

Like the rest of the wargaming community I am the proud owner of an army of unfinished Warlord Games a 28mm plastic Early Imperial Romans (a Starter Pack plus various sprues that were "on sale" at various times from their online shop and metal specialists [cavalry and later supplemented with some later plastic from Victrix] - although I still need to add a Scorpion bolt thrower) and this time a meagre bunch of Britons and Gauls as enemies (see below, plenty of Corona Virus painting potential there):

The latter 28mm big boys I were intended to be used with the acquired Impetus II rules - although I mat sabot the troops into DBA/DBM/DBMM bases for purposes of utility. 

DBA Version 3.0: You Tube Video of DBA Battles - Romans v Germans

Another good Tony Aguliar DBA Version 3.0 Rules run through:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyif3W22r9Y

I do have the Early Imperial Roman in 15mm but I will have to get those nasty Germanic Triblesmen (Warbands - with rear support).

Notes: One rule that came apparent is that in DBA Version 3 rear supports do not die if the front element is doubled in combat. A Warband with rear support was doubled (in fact it happened twice) and the rear element lived on to fight another day! Also "you do not have to pursue Psilio" - that was an old DBA 2 trick!

15mm Early Imperial Romans (4): Lights and Wacky Things

When all is said every DBA army needs is light troops. Obviously suffering from a bit of a chill by the way in which they are hugging their cloaks here are some slingers:

Camp followers, who at a push could double as a Psilio.

Then there is the odds and sods variants that cover all those little tweaks of campaign history. Archers (nice for shooting horses) and a Warband (divide and conquer amongst the enemy tribes as is the Roman way):

There is also the definitive models which mark the DBA army's technology. For the Roman, for me at least, it is the Scorpion artillery piece:

Then there is the plain "wacky" which makes you wonder 'why' - but you still find yourself drawn to paint it. The "tortoise" .. can I use it as a camp? From the front it is impressive:

From the side, it needs a little more protection :(

Remember I did it because it was there. All in all that is my Early Imperial Roman lot! Whew!!! I don't think I'll ever make it to a DBM or Fields of Glory Army list with the Romans.

15mm Early Imperial Romans (3): Mounted Troops

Albeit that the Legionaries were the heart and soul of the legion and the Auxillia could be relied upon to do whatever, whenever without asking questions, the ladies always had an eye for a young man on a horse. Hence we have an over the top display of Roman horsemanship, please note the General's stand in the center, "On my command unleash Hell!":

Scouting ahead of the Legion comes the Light Horse:

Finally a wanton spare in the wanted attention and rather than leave a single Roman figure untouched, knowing full well that it would be a decade before I returned to add or finish the hangers on to this army (by which time the Games Workshop paints would have been well and truly dried out indeed) "Roman on Horse" was commissioned and painted.

A fine fellow he looks too, useful as a messanger or a DBA campaign Roman Army map marker.

Next "Lights and all the other Wacky things" :) 

15mm Early Imperial Romans (2): Auxillia and Foot General

All good legions have heroic foot Generals, the bring and buy purchase gave me the option of several command stands complete with Legion Banners, trumpets and "significantly" pointing generals:

However for those times when a DBA battle calls for a more earthy, grim Centurion as General (or rather commander):

Following in the footsteps of the Legions of Rome we have those of the conquered who aspire one day to be called as Roman through their faithful (unflinching and unquestioning) service. These come as two types the 4Aux:

The there are the 3Aux, as I have an eye to be versatile to cover the Middle Imperial Rome period too, and a partial eye for a DBA campaign where (as a special) I was going to allow cavalry to dismount and fight as foot (in the badlands of Thrace).

Next come the mounted elements :)

15mm Early Imperial Romans (1): Legionaries

My span of wargaming covers the beginning of BC (or the more politically correct BCE - Before Common Era) to future CE (Common Era) 2000+, so to flesh out my other (non-WWII) periods here comes the Romans.

Standing adroitly to attention are the Legions of Imperial Rome, part of an ongoing project to map the Rise and Fall of Rome and her enemies in DBA Armies. Therefore may I present my DBA army of II/56 Early Imperial Rome. The figures are from Warrior Minitures, true to 15mm scale, what they lack in variety of posture they make up for in atmospheric pose.

Romes Imperial Legionaries, more than I need for the DBA army, but they came as a job lot from a wargames Bring and Buy stall:

Seen here in a close up, yes I have been experimenting withe the macro function on my camera :)

"Generals and Auxillia" to follow next :)