From SteveG: Scipios of Rome. 3 Generations in 28mm (60 points)

Multiple famous Scipios of Rome are well documented in the historical archives.  Here's the most famous few....

Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Asina, Consul 260 and 254 BCE

Earned the dubious title Asina ( female donkey) after his fleet was cornered and surrendered in 1st Punic War at Lipari, off Sicily. He was commanding an inexperienced fleet cornered by the more experienced sailor headed by Hannibal Gisco. After his later release he managed to be re-elected consul in 254 BC. Back in action he captured Panormus in northern Sicily and so redeem his reputation. But the cognomen " Asina" stuck :)

figure by Battlecat

I couldn't resist using a donkey transfer for his shield.

Publius Cornelis Scipio is best remembered as the father of Scipio Africanus. He first came to prominence early in the 2nd Punic war when his scouting cavalry skirmished w Numidians in northern Italy. He was wounded and assisted , or possibly even rescued , by his teenage son.

Once fully recovered, he was sent, along with his brother Gnaeus Calvus Scipio, to Iberia. Hannibal received much financial support from the mines there as well as many hardy infantry and cavalry mercenaries. As such the Romans wished to disrupt his war efforts in Italy by cutting off supply.

The brothers fought many successful campaigns over a number of years. They managed to get many cities to defect to their cause. In 211 they fought a series of engagements with Mago Barca and Hasdrubal Gisco. At Castulo , in central Iberia, the Carthaginians had then surrounded so Publius slipped out at night with 1/2 the army. He was possibly attempting to attack hsotile Iberians before they could join the Carthaginians. They clashed in a narrow pass. Numidian Cavalry soon added to their woes. It was all over when Mago and Hasdrubal Gisco brought up forces to attack their rear. Publius died from a spear wound to the chest. Little of his force escaped.

Gnaeus Calvus was now the next prey. He withdrew to the east but was caught up with by his 2 adversaries as well as Hasdrubal Barca. In the Battle of Ilorca his force built a stockade atop a hill and fought gallantly but were overrun by a larger force attacking form all sides. Gnaeus Calvus Scipio perished here just 1 month after his brother.

Publius Cornelis Scipio model with downed horse by Aventine. Covering hastati is plastic Agema figure.

Gnaeus Calvus Scipio is Agema w Aventine head. 

Publicus Cornelius Scipio (the younger) was present, with his father, from Hannibal's initial invasion of northern Italy. He is believed to have fought at the disastrous battle of Cannae. When his father and uncle died in Spain years later he petitioned the Roman Senate to send him as their replacement. His youth was against such an important command but due to a lack of other keen applicants and his family name he got the job. Quickly he earned a reputation for daring command as well as diplomat skills. He brought many Iberian tribes to the Roman cause. His conquest of Nova Carthago on the south east coast of Iberia was a masterful deception. With a large force attacking 1 wall he snuck another across a lagoon at low tide and caught the Carthaginians completely by surprise.

Later he visited North Africa and succeeded in bringing Massanisa and his Numidian Cavalry across to Rome. These were pivotal in his successful defeat of Hannibal's army at Zama in 202BC. Hereafter known as Scipio Africanus. Model is 3D print by ResinWarfare. Lovely model. The best Scipio Africanus 28mm mini I've seen.

Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus was the brother of the legendary Scipio Africanus. They served together in the Spain in the 2nd Punic War. He was elected consul in 190 BC, and later that year led (with his brother) the Roman forces to victory at the Battle of Magnesia against Antiochus III of the Seleucid Empire ( featured a few weeks ago). His victory earned him the title Asiaticus and spelled the end for the Seleucids. Figure is by Aventine.

After the successful conclusion of the 2nd Punic war, soon post Zama , Rome moved onto other area and the hugely truncated Carthage scraped by. In surprising time, however, Carthage began to recover and even begin to prosper. This sent fear into the paranoid Roman'. Cato The Elder was infamous for repeating the line "Carthage must be Destroyed" at every opportunity. His persistent genocidal rhetoric eventually triggered the 3rd Punic War. Despite stripping Carthage of most of its weapons in pre war negotiations the initial invasion was a complete flop due to Punic desperation. Aemlianus was the adopted grandson of Scipio Africanus . He fought in The Macedonian Wars at the decisive battle of Pydna. He was friends with the famous historian Polybius. Scipio displayed great personal courage in Spanish campaigns; in 151 he killed a Spanish chieftain who had challenged him to single combat, and at Intercatia he won the mural crown (corona muralis), which was awarded to the first man onto the walls of an enemy town.

From 150BC Rome invaded Carthage and besieged the city. After 2 years of indecisive combat he was given full African Command and in the spring of 146 it fell to his final assault: after six days of street fighting the citadel was captured and Carthage was destroyed. He later defeated the stubborn Celtiberians with the siege of Numantia in 132 BC. He was active in Roman politics championing Italic allies rights and came into conflict w Tiberius Gracchus. In suspicious circumstances he suddenly died when he was due to make a speech on the Italian question in 129BC. So ending 3 generations of remarkable Scipios of Rome !

Model is a Victrix Roman w Aventine head.

Scipio Amelianus- 3rd Punic War

S.Asiaticus

Warlord Games metal

 

Hastati by Battlecat.  

From Millsy:

Great stuff Steve. Loved the potted history behind your submission which capped off some wonderful modelling and painting work. The armour on Scipio Asiaticus is particularly impressive!

I count this as 8 x 28mm foot and 2 x 28mm cavalry (including one "dismounted") so that's another 60 points for your total. Nice one mate.

Cheers,

Millsy

From NoelW: Guardroom (80 points)

“You don’t want to follow Gnawbone into there,” says Merlissa, trying to hold them back. “It’s the Guardroom.”

“And what will we find in there?”

“I’ll give you three guesses.”

Elfbow considers thoughtfully.

“Antique halberds and quaint Swish stripy uniforms for us all to dress up in?”

“Guards, Tinkerbelle! Guards!”

“Definitely what it looks like,” says Getrude, as Gerald forces open the door. “They look like guards to me. Rows and rows of them.”

“Gnawbone may’ve put on a little weight. And height. But even with a shiny blue sword and a handful of mad orcs, he surely doesn’t stand a chance against that vast array of spears and shields.”

“Perhaps someone should explain that to him. Because he’s charging straight at them, like a bargain hunter on Black Friday.”

“I’ve never seen human skittles before…”

“He’s carving through them like a hot starlet through teenage fanboys...”

Leading his herd of scruffy goblins, who don’t seem all that aware of how outnumbered they are, but nevertheless continue to beat a rhythm on their drums that Gene Krupa/Ginger Baker/Dave Grohl (delete according to generation of upbringing) would be proud of, Gnawbone sweeps the horde of invading guardsmen before them.

“With that new improved Gnawbone ahead of us, these scurvy Challenge Islanders don’t stand a chance!” exclaims Titchy, “we simply have to tag along behind, and the treasure will surely be ours.”

“Gerald thinks we should lend a hand,” Getrude says, edging towards the fray. “Gerald reckons those bronze-header warriors could benefit from a tap on the noggin.”

“Gerald should keep his opinions to himself. Hold her back, Elbow.”

“Oh, yes, that’s right. Give the elf the impossible job of restricting the insane woman with a homicidal cudgel.”

But already it’s all over bar the shouting. And, in a moment, the shouting is over, too, as the last of the armed guardsmen flees the chamber pursued by an orcish rendition of “Another one bites the dust.”

As the last stunted goblin departs in embiggened Gnawbone’s wake, complete silence emerges from the chamber beyond.

“Tell me,” says Elfbow, “What kind of silence would you say is the kind of silence currently emerging from the chamber beyond? It wouldn’t. by any chance, be a deathly silence?”

“Woof!” suggests Scruff.

***

My guards are 12 Republican Romans, to be added to my gradually growing Punic collection. They’re Victrix figures: a little fiddly to put together, but nice models and quite decent to paint. Shields are by Little Big Men – I could never create something like this freehand, so there’s not much point in trying.

Score: 12 x 28mm figures: 60 points

Guardroom: 20 points

Total: 80 Points

1 Squirrel point

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Another fantastic tale from Noel. And some smart-looking Romans to illustrate it. I don't think anyone is going to top that write-up today (unless you have another entry lurking in your pockets).

Tamsin