Gladiators Dust and Shadows part 5

 Dust and Shadows part 5

Another 3 completed, really happy with these chaps , again Black Tree Design miniatures. I hopefully will get close to completing the amphitheatre this weekend!

Gladiator Numidian 

Galdiator

Gladiator

 Cheers

Matt

Gladiators Dust and Shadows part 4

 Dust and Shadows part 4

Another 3 completed gladiators done for the collection, again Black tree design figures. Really happy how it is progressing, still have 16 to complete plus the spectators. I think I will complete the four on the table then switch to some other historical as I need a change. 

Galdiator, dust and shadows

cheers

Matt 

Gladiators Dust and Shadows Terrain Tuesday Arena build part two

 Gladiator Arena 

Terrain Tuesday 

Commenced work on my Gladiator arena tonight, as part of terran Tuesday builds. First I cut out a 600x 600 plywood tile, cut my supporting sides sides, then glued and stapled into place. 

My standard terrain boards are 600 x 600

I then worked out my arena size so I could duplicate it at the other end, plus a central piece can be added for chariot racing, and that way it will fit on my table neatly at one end for chariot games. 

Ruler as compass

I then drilled points into a plastic ruler, one end in screwed into a central point and the other points are worked out to make the circles which increase at 2cm steps . 

The Arena Base 40 x 45 oblong

Lower arena, sand will be used to level out the ground 

Upper arean piece, this will form the walls

I moved the edge in so I could add shops against the wall

The stairs and seating is laid out

Glueing and setting overnight on the first two levels 

I plan to add cardboard to the interior walls and steps , then the exterior walls, place rendered  decoration and possibly graffiti and some market stalls. Until next week!

cheers

Matt

Gladiators Dust and shadows part 3

 We are but dust and shadows

Another 3 completed, again from the Black tree design range of Gladiators, again no names as yet. I have found some suitable styrene  and card to make the steps and walls. Not decided if I will paint the exterior walls yet or add some mosaics or graffiti. 

Black Tree design Gladiators

cheers

Matt

Gladiators Dust and Shadows Part two

 Dust and Shadows part two

As discussed I have been painting more gladiators for my collection here are the first three, no names yet though! 

The miniatures are from the Black Tree range of Gladiators, a little fantasy is explored, they are still available I believe. 

Gladiators we salute you

cheers

matt

Terrain Tuesday Gallic Village and buildings Part 1

Gallic buildings

My next terrain project is to get back to building some ancient terrain, first thing to complete is some Gallic buildings that can be stand alone or part of my hill fort build.


Inspiration will be taken from our local museum and the archeological report from Moulay Gallic fortress, the oppidum / hill fort is about 5klm from our house.


When wargamers build typical Gallic building they predominantly build round ones, looking at the archeological report on the 60HA site at Moulay only 10% were round and mostly animal shelters, workshops or storage. The majority are rectangular and some are quite big and include a theatre /council amphitheatre in Greek style, and a shrine.

I plan to build a number of buildings for residential, central buildings theatre and shrine and maybe a workshops area and some farms on the exterior of the Gallic Oppidum fortress. 

typical Gallic buildings

artist impression of the workshops

Gaulois building typical at Moulay 53BC

Gaulois building typical at Moulay 53BC

Theatre

one of the buildings was a theatre or perhaps a parliament council, or sale yard, I want to add this model to my village.

Gallic Farms

Gallic Farm steas with it own boundary ditch and walls, these are all along the roads leading into the village along the route of the modern motorway

Gallic farm model

Gallic Head Hunter Shrine

Moualy does have a shrine but no evidence of a head hunter shrine as the current church is built over the site, the Diablintes and Cenomani may of taken heads so I will add one I think.

Gallic head hunter shrine near Tours

Stone pillars the heads were placed in the hollowed out pieces

Excited to get cracking on these!

cheers

Matt

Caesarian Roman Project Part 1 fort

Caesarian Roman Project 

Part 1 Fort/Encampment

One of my major projects this year is a Caesarian Roman army to match my Gaulois project from last year. My plans are to build 28mm Caesarian Romans additions to my current republicans, I want to do another legion.....either the 6th or 13th, I have purchased most of the figures but need a box or Warlord figures and some artillery additions.

When you play impetus you normally need a camp for your table that the enemy can assault and take, I like to build pieces for all of my armies normally with a small scene that tells a story. With that in mind I purchased some figures and the wall pieces from First Corps Miniatures to make this encampment, with legionaries replacing a wall section and digging the trench deeper as a new centurion has arrived "and we must keep them men busy".

Roman Marching Fort

Roman Fort, the walls are interlaced wood filled with earth

The Roman ditch workers, accessories scratch built

Roman soldiers digging

I do plan on adding the 6 remaining walls and four corner towers and two gates at some stage in the future to make a complete square marching camp for my Punic wars and Gallic Wars roman armies collection. 

We have the remainders of three marching camps from the Gallic wars and Caesar's conquest of western Gaul within 40 mins of the Maison. Two in particular are impressive and were used by successive armies up to the early medieval period. One was located in 2010, the clearing of a forest found the remains of the walls and ditches, they suspect this was the fort that was sieged during Caesar's invasion of the west...... A guided tour is available to visit these forts, the Roman Museum and also wargame the Gallic wars at L'hotel de Hercé in our "Salon de Guerre". 

Full details are here

"walk the battlefield in the morning and wargame in the afternoon"

cheers

Matt

Republican Roman command II

 

 Republican Roman Command

Earlier last week I was getting a little jack of Medievals, tree renovation and Napoleonics, so I switched and opened up my project drawers and looked at my early republicans and decided to complete some more of my commands as I like to have spares in case of civil war etc for my early republican four urban legions. All figures are First corps figures except the dog who is warlord I think, decals VVV on the Roman shields, Impetus markers are Gallic pieces hand painted.

First up is a mounted Equites with his faithful dog, as a commander of my foreign and mercenary cavalry

A Simple legion commander base 

A foreign legion commander

Impetus disorder markers (as I like to do some every time I paint Ancient figures......)

and a supply train, more medieval than roman, a mix of brands and scratch built pack saddles

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

cheers

Matt

Aulerci Cénomani V Gaulois tribesmen

 Aulerci Cénomani V Gaulois tribesmen

More tribesmen, again I have tried to make them look a little different from their neighbouring tribe of the Diablintes. With this unit I am just short by two miniatures of the 300 figure mark for Aulerci federation army. Still need to add the remaining 80 odd figures to finish it off. Again all Victrix figures, I also started painting up a Warlord general who will be off the desk this week also. Thinking about getting some chariots for the northern part of the Federation for the Aulerci Éburovices (modern Normandy). I think the Nobles rode chariots into battle as a taxi rather than some wild charging beast that we all think of as wargamers. 

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

cheers

Matt

Republican Roman Command

I like to paint commands first when I start a new army, so I have some 28mm First Corps Republican Roman command to go with the upcoming Wargames Factory Caesarian Romans. A little small to match but ok until I pick up some Foundry or Warlord figures. One consul with lictor and standard and one foot tribune with standard.

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers

Matt 

Aulerci Cénomani I

 Aulerci Cénomani (Auerques Cénomans)

The next Gallic tribe I am beginning is the Aulerci Cénomani, the largest of the Aulerque tribal confederation, the Oppidum and the capital of the Aulerci federation was known as Vindinon, or Vindunum as mentioned by Ptolemy, today we know it today Le Mans. 

Vindunum is a Gallic word 'Vindo" white and dunum citadel fortified mount, or the White Citadel, it is thought from the latest archeology that the site may of been in the location of the current cathedral and Plantagenet city, south of the current city is Allones which had a sanctuary sites to the Gallic god March Mullo.

I plan to paint 80 miniatures for the tribe and will make them a little different. Miniatures as usual are from the Victrix plastics range

cheers

Matt

Sarmation Cataphracts

Sarmation Cataphractarii

One of my goals during lockdown is to complete my project drawers are part started figures in between painting my main projects, this last few weeks I have really put a dent in it emptying a drawer almost completely in preparation for my workspace rebuild and also start preparing to refill for next years upcoming projects.


I do plan to add at some stage some more Sarmations and build some German tribes to fight my middle imperial Romans, but for now these figures will join my Imperial Roman army.


The figures are from the warlord range, a bit of a pain as they are two part figures, but after pinning and adding green stuff I am quite happy with the results.

 cheers

Matt

Gergovie Oppidum Caesars defeat 52BC

Gergovie Gallic Oppidum

 On our holidays this year we had the opportunity to visit the site of Gergovie the 46 hectare Gallic Oppidum and capital of the Averni tribe. It is a very impressive site, set in the mountains of the Masif Central overlooking the Puys valley. The museum is excellent and has quite a good collection of artifacts and models of the city based on some archeological evidence of the battle. The site is huge and uneven so bring good walking shoes. Thought to be the first defeat of Caesar by the Gauls, in Caesars accounts 46 centurions died in the battle on the assault of the hilltop fortification of Gergovie. 

Map of the site of Gergovie with the gates maked with arrows, the southern gate has the square on the left for the entry, a lane still exists today so you can walk it back to the base of the mountain, a warning it is quite treacherous....

Caesars main fortified encampment occupied this hill controlling the entry to Gergovie, it was also the supply route for the city controlling the water supply, to the left was the river. Originally occupied by Gauls it was seized in a night raid by two legions.  after seizing the hill a Roman fortification was built. To the right they built a wall some 6klm long with forts along it and 2 legions  were stationed at both ends

This is the centre of the view, the Roman wall was built across the valley to the centre to join with the gallic settlement in the middle which became the main Roman encampment then to the right hill on which a third fortification was built. This is also the spur that the Roman and allied troops advanced up (photo from the lower Gallic stone and wooden wall) as you can see it is quite steep.

Looking from the south gate to the right you will see one of the hills captured then fortified by the Romans during the siege at the extreme end of the flank, this is the location that the 10th Legion advanced from to halt the fleeing Roman legions and the departure of the cavalry feint to the left of the Roman lines up the Rizolles ridgeline.

The Roman assault on the fortifications was carried out by four legions and all of the allied Gallic auxillia including the mounted allied Haedui (Aedui) cavalry (who had dubious loyalty after recently rebelling and were on the Roman right flank) meanwhile on the Roman left, a feint was made with more Gallic cavalry, mule riders dressed as roman cavalry and a legion of infantry toward the Rizolles ridge and the northern gate of the Oppidum. The Roman feint was meant to draw off Vercingetorix's cavalry who were on the Rizolles ridgeline defending the only supply route left open to the city. 

When the romans assaulted the fortifications they broke through the outer wall of stone and wood with ease, pillaging the gallic campsites and forcing the defenders back to the main walls. During the fighting Lucius Fabius centurion of the legio VIII is said to of mounted the walls near the South gate before being slain (by a women French legend has it). Marcus Petronius Centurion of the VIII sacrificed himself in front of the South gate to save other members of his maniple when they were surrounded. Gallic reserves arrived in time to save the gate from being taken.

 It is then thought that Vercingetorix lead the gallic cavalry from the western gate against the roman left flank of Caesars assaulting legions. Vercingetorix riding between the outer and inner wall pinning the romans against the walls. At this point the Roman Allied cavalry of the Haedui (Aedui) arrived on the Roman right flank, the Roman legionaries mistaking them as more Gallic cavalry broke and fled back down the mountain

Caesar he may of lost the entire four legions had not the reserve centuries of XIII lead by Titus Sextius the commander of the siege line walls in the centre and the 10th Legion lead by Caesar arriving on the left flank stopped the pursuing Gallic cavalry as the romans routed back down the mountain towards their own lines. 

In Caesars accounts he only lost 700 men and 46 centurions (1/3 of the centurions in the army), but modern scholars think including allies as many as 6000 perished.  After the defeat he withdrew his army and Vercingetorix followed him north trying to prevent his link up with Labineius legions fighting south east of Paris against the Parisi, Carnutes and the Aulerci tribe confederation. 

Caesar's army consisted of 6 legions during the siege 

1. Legio V (recruited in Cisalpine Gaul, possibly commanded by Quintus Tullius Cicero) 
2. Legio VI (recruited in Cisalpine Gaul, possibly commanded by Mark Anthony)
3. Legio VIII (highest casualties at the battle)
4. Legio X commanded by Caesar personally
5. Legio XI
6. Legio XIII (commanded Quaestor Lucius Roscius)
7. Gallic Auxiliary Infantry, Slingers and javelins
8. Cretan archers
9. Numidian cavalry ?
10. Balearic slingers
11. Germanic Auxillia and cavalry
12. Gallic cavalry (Aedui) plus other allied tribal cavalry

Averni

Scholars think the tribe may of had as many as ten thousand people within the walls and several thousand cavalry and infantry outside the walls (4000 is quoted)

Gergovie Oppidum Walls

The Gallic walls were a mix of stone and timber with an out and inner set of fortifications plus the use of the incline and cliffs made it almost impregnable on two sides, it was not some simple wooden and earthen fort we often think of when we think of gallic fortifications.

The walls of Gergovie with the outer and the inner walls

Cross section of a inner gallic wall

artist impression of the walls, interesting they think that the timber palisade leans inward

typical gallic construction of a Gallic Oppidum walls

Artist Impression of the South Gate that was assaulted by the Romans

Archaeological dig of the south gate 

Artist impression of the south gate, a typical pincer gate built by the Gauls, we have one also at Moulay capital of the Aulerci Diablintes 

a model based on the archeological dig of the site in the 1980s

profile of the outer wall

Onager balls, these are the earliest example of caesarean period ones.

Torsion Balista found in the stone walls

Art and weapons

I also was astonished at the beauty of some of the vases found on the site with typic Gaulois type artwork, they certainly were gifted artisans in metal, put the pottery was something new to me.

Astonishing piece of work this is 

Deer representations

great inspiration for painting shields 

common design in simple household pottery, I have seen these in Paris and Rennes

buckles and cloak pins

Helmet band in bronze

shield boss

Gaulois drinking bowl

Buildings and structures

I also was shocked by the round theatre found on a nearby oppidum, archaeologists date it to before Roman occupation, they are not sure if it was used as a parliament or as entertainment or both, perhaps not the Barbarians that the Roman propaganda machine places in front of us!

The Averni Theatre, Parliament entertainment or both?

Layout of the village

Market square

village houses

Farms

I will be using these building images for my Gallic fortress build 

I think it was well worth the trip, there is so much more to be discovered in the region and we hope to return soon and visit the Averni capital south of Clermont Ferand. 

cheers

Matt