Cut off and cut down!

Fighting spread out in front and in small groups, the light infantry were easy picking for lightning fast cavalry. This didn't change through out history in fact and was most noticeable in the Napoleonic wars.

Here, realizing he has been cut off, a Centurion barks the order to fall back, it will be the last he ever gives. The long slashing Spathas of the cavalry make short work of the tiny struggling knot of Auxiliaries. Way back in the formations, other men look on, powerless to help their beleaguered colleagues..

Auxiliaries prepare for war

Here a group of Auxiliaries swap their heavy throwing spears for the lighter, more accurate javelins of the light infantry. Working in small manoeuvrable groups, these men will get in amongst the tightly packed formations of the enemy and cause havoc.

Campaign News

With the campaign well under way, a decision has been made to reform some of the armies in the game for better play. A fantastic set of Infantry and Cavalry stats have been found on the Internet, that cover every possible troop type used in the Roman army and we have decided to use them, rather than the simple stat lines in the Warhammer rule book.
However, In these new stats, Auxiliary troops have to be either formed in close order or used as light Infantry, they can not do both. As most of my Auxiliaries are based in close order, It means I will have to paint up units of skirmishers from scratch to finish the armies.
As a painter, this doesn't worry me much and allows me time to add even more character into the existing Armies as they stand. It will see horse archers in the army of Syria and wolf cloaked Auxiliaries in the Army of the Rhine, not to mention moors in the army of Africa. The new skirmish units will be small at about twelve figures each, so hopefully play will only be held up for a month or so. However, the new stat lines and unit rules are worth the effort and the wait.

Light Infantry wanted! join up today and see the world....make new friends in foreign lands...Roman style!

A great Roman read

Here are some books worth reading If you like all things Roman. Unlike the fantastic Scarrow books, which are fiction at its best, these are written as descriptive histories. I prefer them slightly because of my lust for fact and knowledge over someone else's imagination. The first book is about Caesar's famous 10th Legion and is the only book I've read that got my blood racing, some passages were like watching a really good action movie. Great energy to be converted into painting figures.
The second is about the 14th Legion and its role through the civil wars up to the great victory over Boudicca and the Iceni in Britannia. I love these books and to me they seem to be made for war gamers with lots of details and facts, that leave you grasping for more. The author is Australian born Stephen Dando-Collins who has spent the last thirty years identifying and studying the individual Legions of Rome and this guy really knows his stuff!
To my delight there is a third book out now which covers one of my favourite Legions, the III Gallica.....a must have I think!

The last of the Dumnonii dress for battle!

Here are some shots of my latest sculpting attempts. To give the Dumnonii war band it's own look and character I've given them more bear and wolf skins. Only this time, to add a little more variety, I've given some of them cloaks with their animal pelts. This will give me more scope when painting them and gives great opportunity to paint nice Celtic patterns and the like. I've even given one some battle damage to add some character. With so many Celts to paint, adding little touches like these, will help me paint through the sheer quanity of figures to get to a finished unit.

The charge of the Dumnonii

In the late afternoon haze, after standing for hours taking both insult and injury, finally, the Dumnonii could take no more. With an ear shattering battle cry, the ranks of the Dumnonii burst open and poured their vengeance down upon on the enemy. For this was the unstoppable down hill charge of the Celts and all were swept before them. It was a day of great slaughter and blood shed and the Dumnonii would collect many a Roman head before the day was through.


Here Kircatius leads his people to victory over a force of Roman Auxiliaries.

The Dumnonii form up for battle

Here are some more shots of the Dumnonii. I've taken this picture from behind to show the bear skin cloaks I made and how they turned out when painted. Only the most brave and skilled hunters would carry such a pelt on their back and this would help mark him out as a superb fighter and huntsmen.

Here they are in their fighting ranks and as you can see, Kircatius is surrounded by standards and trumpets, there would be no missing him on the field of battle! Now all I need to do is another twenty or so and Kirk's war band will be complete.

Kircatius of the Dumnonii

Well the Dumnonii are taking shape and just need flocking to finish them off. Carrying on the huntsman theme of the Dumnonii, I have given the some of the warriors animals designs on their shields. One even has a fishing scene....he must be proud of his fishing prowess! The others carry mostly wild boar and stags with hunting dogs appearing in a few.
Another touch to single them out on the battlefield, Is the blue war paint across the eyes, which does actually work and makes them a little scary to look at. I took this idea from an old episode of 'Robin of Sherwood', a big favourite of mine and my friends. This final touch helps link Kirk with his war band, because the episode was a favourite of his.



The black shields were inspired by the tales from King Arthur and the 'Black shield Irish'. By giving them all black shields, the unit has a real sense of unity on the field. Just what you need to keep your men together when facing the might of Rome face to face.