Late Roman Cavalry - Schola Scutariorum Clibanariorum

 

Above are some Late Roman cavalry, the Schola Scutariorum Clibanariorum, from Gripping Beast's Late Roman Cataphracts plastic set. These are based on the illustration in Andrey Negin and Raffaele D'Amato's Osprey book Roman Heavy Cavalry (1). The shield design is based on the versions in the Notitia Dignitatum but as Luke Ueda-Sarson points out on his site, these are not definitely identified with specific units:

http://lukeuedasarson.com/MagisterOfficiorumE.html

Below are Late Roman command figures by Footsore Miniatures and two Late Roman scorpions with crew by Wargames Foundry.

Huns versus Foederate Romans Mortem et Gloriam Game

Above are some Late Roman commanders that I've just finished painting. The figures are by Footsore Miniatures with LBM shield transfers and saw action in a game last night down at the club in the photos below. Dean, Rick and I played a 7,000 point (Magna) game of Mortem et Gloriam (MeG) with Huns versus Western Foederate Romans. I commanded the Huns and Rick had the Late Romans. Dean very generously and patiently, guided us through the game, as it was Rick's first game and my second, and he also tweaked the army lists. Dean is the owner of Olympian Games and is the Australian agent for MeG and runs all the local competitions.

We stuffed around a bit sorting out commands but eventually got down to it and the Hun invaders were able to make some double moves early on. The Roman Equites block charged the Hun and Ostrogoth cavalry. In the centre the Frank and Burgundian infantry charged the Roman Legionaries and Auxilia and were met with a hail of darts. On the Huns left flank they charged the Roman Foederate cavalry, while the Roman horse archers attempted to charge the Alan horse archers. Back on the Hun right flank the Ostrogoth cavalry broke and their commander was killed, while Attila himself was wounded. At this point we ran out of time but the game could still have gone either way.

Thanks to Dean and Rick for a fun game. It was great to have Dean explain the rules and I certainly learnt a lot, enjoyed it and look forward to my next game!

View of the armies deployed from the Huns' left flank

View of the armies deployed from the Huns' right flank

Hun & Alan horse archers

Huns make some double moves

Roman Equites, Legionaries, Auxilia & Foederati

The armies close

Ostrogoth cavalry

Hun nobles & horse archers

Roman Equites block charge Hun & Ostrogoth cavalry

Cavalry align on the Hun's right flank

Charges in the centre and on the Huns' left flank

Roman horse archers fail to contact the Alans

Ostrogoth cavalry break