Byzantine Psiloi

Here are some psiloi for my Nikephorian and Komnenan Byzantine armies. The staff slingers, crossbowmen and archers are all Crusader Miniatures and the javelinmen are Gripping Beast. I have just received two heavy infantry units from the new Early Byzantine range by Aventine Miniatures. They are really great figures that I'm looking forward to painting and are Antesignani 'before the standards' infantry. However I still have heaps to do on the later Byzantines and I'm working on a unit of Varangian Guard at the moment.

Battle of Ad Salices - Dux Bellorum

View of the table from the Roman lines

View from the Goth lines

Roman left flank

Roman right flank

Goth left flank

Goth right flank

Goth cavalry charges 

Cavalry on the Goth left flank close

Then charge

Infantry advance

Cavalry melee

Last Sunday Craig, Garry and I met down at the Vikings Club in Lanyon, for a Dux Bellorum game with Late Romans and Goths, the Battle of Ad Salices in 377 AD. Craig and Garry were the Roman commanders, Richomeres and Frigeridus and I was the Goth commander Fritigern. Ad Salicum translates as towards the willows, hence the willow trees on the table. In our game after many rounds of close combat the Romans were able to wear down the Goth right flank and eventually it broke.

Goth right flank reforms

Goth infantry charge

Fritigern's Comitatus charge

Infantry slog it out

Skirmishers threaten a flank by the willows

Romans charge Goth warriors on the flank

Roman shieldwall wears the Goths down

Goth left flank survives another round of fighting

Goth right flank routs

Roman shieldwall wins the day

Goth left flanks remains

Goth Infantry 2

Here are some more Goth infantry. These are all from the Gripping Beast, Dark Ages Warriors plastic set, with LBM shield transfers. They are nice figures, easy to assemble and paint. My only gripe with them is they aren't armed with a seax, the standard side arm for Germanic and all Dark Age warriors. Anyway these figures will see action tomorrow as we have a game lined up at the club, the Battle of Ad Salices 377 AD with Dux Bellorum rules.