Sir William Douglas, Lord of Douglas and retinue

Sir William Douglas, Lord of Douglas 

This unit represents Lord Douglas and his retinue, the Douglas family were heavily involved in the politics of Scotland, either William the elder (longleg) or his sons Hugh or William (the bold) Douglas May of served at Lewes, but I am yet to find out conclusively.

Figures are a mix of Mirliton, Foundry, Gripping Beast, and Fireforge miniatures.

Cheers
Matt

John II Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and Lord of Lochaber and retainers

John II Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and Lord of Lochaber (died 1302) or John "the Black", he was present at Lewes, and stood by John de Balliol claim to the Scottish Crown.

The figures are a mix of Mirliton, Foundry, and Gripping Beast medieval ranges.

Cheers

Matt

John of Strathbogie, Earl of Athol

John of Strathbogie, Earl of Athol

Off the table for my Scottish medieval army, a mix of Claymore and one foundry and one mirliton miniature. Based for impetus, I intend to also use them for the 100 years war and the Scottish wars.

Cheers

Matt

Sexta Parthica

"The Devout Sixth" Sexta Parthica

In 296 the Sassanid King Narseh invaded Armenia starting a war with the Roman client King Tiridates III, in response Galerius (Diocletian son in Law) invaded Mesopotamia. Three battles were fought subsequently, the first two of which were indecisive. In the third fought at Callinicum, Galerius suffered a complete defeat and was forced to retreat to Antioch. Galerius then made preparations throughout the winter of 297 and invaded Armenia with 25,000 men.


Galerius supported by the Armenians inflicted a crushing defeat on the Sassanids at the Battle of Satala. Narseh’s wives, his sisters and a number of his children were captured along with huge amount of treasure. Eastern Mesopotamia was recovered by the Romans and Tiridates III was reinstated as the monarch of Armenia.

According to this treaty,  Five provinces beyond the Tigris were to be ceded to the Romans. One writer gives these provinces as Intilene, Sophene, Arzanene, Carduene, and Zabdicene; by another as Arzanene, Moxoene, Zabdicene, Rehimene, and Corduene. The semi-independent kingdom of Armenia was to be extended up to the fortress of Zintha, in Media. Persia was expected to relinquish all her rights over Iberia. Formal dealings between Persia and Rome would henceforth be conducted at Nisibis.

The Sexta Parthica was raised by Diocletian sometime after this war as a Limitanea Legio to garrison the new provinces possibly stationed at Cepha (modern Hasankeyf) or in one of the provinces east of the Tigris. Either in the late 4th or early 5th the VI Parthica was raised to the level of a pseudocomitatense unit in the eastern field army. By the 5th Century the Sexta Parthica was still a pseudocomitatense legio.

Sexta Parthica

The unarmoured unit is all Musketeer miniatures with hand painted shields, from the description in the Notitia Dignitatum.

cheers

Matt

Modern gaming pics

Some selected pics from the weekend games full report on my ww2 and modern blog 

Figures from my (Polish, soviet and American) Gregs (Brits) and Bruce (soviet) collections, a great day out playing Able Archer (Modern Rapid fire) lets just say Team Yankee Fail.......

My Polish Airborne assault 

Mil Mi2 1/72 model

cheers

Matt

Quarta Italica

Quarta IIII Italica only has one real references to its existence and a number of vague references;

The raising of novae Italicae suae ( a new Italica legion, next in line would be IIII Italica) raised by Serverus Alexander in Transpadana (Cisalpine Gaul) sometime between 222 to 230, presumably for the Campaign in Sassanid Persia and returning for the Alamannic invasion of Gaul.

During this period Gaius Lulius Verus Maximinus (commonly known as Maximinus Thrax as he was likely born in Thrace) was appointed a tribune in the IV Italica. The next reference is when Maximinus made his bid for the purple he referred to the Italica legion as his legion, and finally at Aquileia shortly before the death of Maximinus and his sons. The only certain reference is in the Notitia Dignitatum, when it appears as a pseudocomitatensis unit under the command of the Magister Militum per Orientem .

I have used Crusader miniatures for the Quarta Italica, like most of my pseudocomitatensis units they are unarmoured. My Roman army is almost complete two more units to go and I am done!

cheers

Matt

References

Notitia Dignitatum

http://www.uni-koeln.de/phil-fak/ifa/zpe/downloads/1999/126pdf/126228.pdf