Infamy, Infamy

Some people, mainly those of us who are Followers of the Lard, have eagerly been awaiting the arrival of ToofatLardies new rules for large skirmish games set in the Julian and Earlier Imperial Roman periods. Well, the wait is over. Advanced orders are now being taken over on the TooFatLardies website.

The image shown above is the actual artwork for the official rulebook, painted by famous military artist, Chris Collingwood. It is an image called "Breaking the Line AD 73" and represents a battle from the period when Petillius Cerialis campaigned in northern Britain against the Brigantes, Parisi or Carveti in that year. 

All advanced order entries will be entered into a draw to win a signed copy of a highly limited edition print, one of only 10 produced.

You can read all about the rules on the Lard Island blog;

Infamy, Infamy! is a game that will, ultimately, be divided into three parts.  This is the first rule book which covers Rome’s conflicts with the western barbarian between 60 BC and AD 100.  Covered in the rules are lists for Late Republican forces that can be used for Caesar and his campaigns in Gaul and Britannia and against the German tribes raiding across the Rhine.  The Early Imperial Roman lists are perfect for the conquest of Britannia under Claudius and the continuing campaigns through to Agricola’s conquest of the North and beyond.  The British lists cover the period from Caesar’s invasions through to Mons Graupius, including lists for Boudicca’s revolt.  Gallic lists cover the classic period of conquest of the Gallic Wars with the Belgea and Aquitani represented and make every effort to reflect the more advanced culture of the Gauls. The Germans, on the other hand, are the ultimate Barbarians, with lists for the tribes of the Rhineland and those of the dark forests of Germania Magna and for the Batavian Revolt.

I now need to actually make a start on my Victrix Early Imperial Roman Auxiliary Infantry and Cavalry for my planned force, which will represent troops of a Cohors Equitata Quinquagenaria, a mixed auxiliary force of both foot and mounted troops, of the kind that was widely used in the Principate across the Empire, and which was stationed along or near the limes, the borders of the Empire.

Recruited from the peregrini, that is non-citizens living inside the empire, the Auxilia became increasingly important during the 1st and 2nd centuries, with auxiliary cohorts forming at least half of the empire's fighting power in the 2nd century.