martedì 27 dicembre 2016

Aurelian 26 Dec, 2016

I bought Aurelian wargame book a couple of months ago but only in these days I have had the possibility to play it with a set of full miniatures painted.

I think that Aurelain, the Sam Mustafa's wargame, is a very interesting wargame system with a right equilibrium between the time necessary to play a game and the different army tactics that a player can use.

Nonetheless, even if I don't like a game that use cards, this play system that permits to discard the higher card score during the struggle increases the tactic in the game.

It is possible to find in internet, as open sources, four tutorial videos created by Sir Tobi here to understand better the game. Here the link: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E00VsoItWYc&feature=em-upload_owner

Below some pictures of a "solo battle" between two Roman armies.

The initial deployment. The table is my "training table" and so the scenario is not so rich as the ones of my club



Some images of the two armies waiting for orders




The Emperor and his command group



The strategy of the attacker was to outflank the enemy with the cavalry



In Aurelian shooting is a very expensive phase but sometimes it creates significant casualties 


The attack on the flanks is starting





Two times the outflank is repulsed. The struggle starts in the centre but it is too late for the attacker.




The final positions


Final score 2 vs 0: defeat for the attackers 

giovedì 15 dicembre 2016

La Piccola Armata a new address

Yesterday, after two years of odyssey, we set foot in the new Club house in Via Capelli, 43 (Turin).

In the past we obtained a kind of convention with the local Authorities but, after two years of non-sense papers, in September we decided to change road and to rent a new space.

The Club house is still a work in progress and many people worked very hard to create this new space but for the 35 members is a new hope.


I have to thanks for this to many people and in particular: Paolo M. Franco B. Riccardo M. Marco D. and Riccardo G.


sabato 10 dicembre 2016

Roman unit: Petulantes seniores

Yesterday night I finished my last roman unit. This is a very particular unit from my point of view because, for the first time, I can give a name to a miniature: the signifer.

The Petulantes seniores were an auxilaia palatina assigned to the Italian command. The pattern of their shields were relatively simple with a yellow ground and a blue twin-headed zoomorphic motiv. This pattern is frequent in Notitia Dignitatum even if with a different colors combination (ie Cornuti: Brachiati).

Below the Notitia Dignitatum in the Oxford version:


Here the free links to Notitia Dignitatum resources:

The Petulantes were of Germanic origin while the name means "headstrong"
Below a detail of my unit:


It is possible that Petulates fought in the battle of the Milvian Bridge for Constantine the Great. They are reported many times by Ammianus and during the 4th century they are part of Julian army. They are generally associated with the Celtae seniores.


They took part in the Strasbourg Battle and they received the order from Constantius II to reach him in the east. Unfortunately the troops revolted because Julian had promised them to keep near their families. It was the signifer of this unit to put a kind of crown (a torque) to Julian's head when he was named Imperator from his army.

The name of the signifer was "Maurus". Ammianus reported that later he became comes and that he was defeated by the "Succorum". (Ammianus 17-18. XX)


Considering that this unit was involved in Julian's proclamation I decided to paint the detail of their tunics (orbiculi and clavi) in purple even if no historical sources attested it. In the late Empire the purple was a color that only the Imperator could wear. My idea was to use this color for the unit only to indicate that they were a "choosen" unit.

Based on Ammianus's book with the Celate the Petulantes fought against the Alamanni near Sanctium in the Raetia while Julian was in the east.


If someone is interested to the Roman army of the late Empire  it is possible to find more details in these books:
- A companion to the Roman Army - Paul ErdKamp - Blackwell Publishing 
- The grand strategy of the Roman Empire: from the first century AD to the third - Edward Luttwak
- L'esercito romano vol III - Giuseppe Cascarino e Carlo Sansilvestri - Ed Il cerchio
- L'esercito romano vol IV - Giuseppe Cascarino e Carlo Sansilvestri - Ed Il cerchio
- L'esercito romano: da Augusto alla fine del terzo secolo - Yann Le Bohec - Ed Carocci
- 9 agosto 378. Il giorno dei barbari - Alessandro Barbero - Ed Laterza
- Le Storie - Ammiano Marcellino - Ed Utet
- L'arte della guerra - Flavio Vegezio - Ed Bur

Roman unit: Ioviani seniores

The Ioviani seniores were a legiones palatina under the Italian Magister Peditum command.

Their symbol was a red eagle on a blue background. Shield pattern that was similar to their twin unit: the Herculani seniores.

Below a detail of the shield as reported into the Notitia Oxford version:


Here the free links to Notitia Dignitatum resources:

Ioviani were a very important Roman unit



The eagle was a symbol of Jupiter (Iovius) but this unit was not dedicated to the god. Ioviani were a Tetrarchic creation of the last 3rd century part and they were enlisted by Emperor Diocletian. The original name of Diocletian was Diocle that means "the son of Jupiter".

Below some details of the command group



Many evidences for the Ioviani are reported in different places: Colonia Iulia Concordia (north east Italy), Arles (France) and Milan (Italy). The Ioviani seniores were involved in different struggles in particular during civil wars of the 3rd-4th century.

Below some pictures of the Ioviani against their twin unit: the Herculiani



If someone is interested to the Roman army of the late Empire  it is possible to find more details in these books:
- A companion to the Roman Army - Paul ErdKamp - Blackwell Publishing - The grand strategy of the Roman Empire: from the first century AD to the third - Edward Luttwak- L'esercito romano vol III - Giuseppe Cascarino e Carlo Sansilvestri - Ed Il cerchio- L'esercito romano vol IV - Giuseppe Cascarino e Carlo Sansilvestri - Ed Il cerchio- L'esercito romano: da Augusto alla fine del terzo secolo - Yann Le Bohec - Ed Carocci- 9 agosto 378. Il giorno dei barbari - Alessandro Barbero - Ed Laterza- Le Storie - Ammiano Marcellino - Ed Utet- L'arte della guerra - Flavio Vegezio - Ed Bur


Roman unit: Ballistarii

In the late Roman Empire the Ballistarii were indipendent units of artillery generally not associated to the legions as in the past. 

The Notitia Dignitatum reported at least seven units of ballistarii (from ballista= catapult) but they are considered pseudocomitatenses unit. It is possible that they are deployed as border forces.

Below some of my Ballistarii. A mix of Gripping Beast (plastic and not), A&A and Warlord miniatures



The purpose of an independent artillery unit was to permit heavy concentration of firepower in particular during the sieges.

The ballistae described by Ammianus seems similar to the cheiroballistra sculpted in the Trajan's column. 


(Wikipedia source)
Below some pictures of my war machines 




The manuballista is a Gripping beast miniature. It is no possible to find this kind of war machine intact but it was re-created based on some parts found in Romania (the Orosova fortress)

(Photo Baatz 1978)
(copyright Legio XV Apollinaris)