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CAMILLAN ROMANS

Camillan Roman is the name WRG uses for the Roman army from 400 BCE to 275 BCE, from the reforms of Camillus until the changes made in response to the invasion of Italy by Pyrrhos of Epeiros. The infantry at this time usually fought in three lines, the first of hastati armed with pila (a special roman javelin), sword, and scutum (a large oval shield), and screened by skirmishing leves, the second of principes with long spear, sword and scutum, and the third of veteran triarii armed as the principes. After the war with Pyrrhos the principes were armed as the hastati. After 105 BC the army was reformed again by Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Crassus and Julius Caesar, and eventually all Republican legionaries were armed with a pair of pila, sword and scutum.

The figures here are mostly Essex. A friend gave me some spare republican roman figures and I bought enough additional figures to make this Camillan force. It makes a good historical opponent for my Hellenistic forces and was quick to paint up. I also have extra figures which when added make it usable as later republican forces (one day when I get around to painting them).

The photo above shows my DBM Camillan army at about 400 points. The strength of the army is in its heavy infantry, its light infantry are poorly equipped, and its cavalry are not numerous. Historically the infantry usually fought in 3 lines. In points based games of DBM, deploying the principes in the front line with the hastati to get a respectable frontage is often more tactically sound, though not always. The triarii of the flank legions I usually hold in reserve, as they are especially useful against outflanking cavalry or enemy breaking through the main line. A small command of Italian allied cavalry is used as a reserve, or as an anti-skirmisher screen to clear the way for the legions.

This photo shows the 5 troop types that make up the Camillan Army. The Commander in Chief and bodyguard are mounted with the leves in front of him. To his left are the hastati, and behind them the principes and triarii. In DBM terms the generals and allied cavalry are classed as cavalry (O) and the leves are psiloi (I). The hastati are blade (O), the principes spear (O) and the triarii spear (S).

Command of an army was assigned to Rome's elected magistrates. Usually two consuls led an army each, but in national emergencies command could be assigned to a dictator and lieutenant. Unfortunately the duel commanders of a Roman army were often personal or political rivals, which did not help unity of command. To represent this I use an Ally-General option, which makes commanding the army more difficult, (though you get a few extra points of troops as compensation). Under the DBM rules he and his troops may refuse to engage the enemy all game if you are unlucky. Still it adds to the character of the army, plus I don't like Romans much anyway!

Here is a close-up of the Italian allied cavalry. The element on the left is a Tarantine light horse element. I have just discovered that they are no longer part of the official WRG Camillan army list, becoming obsolete when the revised list was released late 1998. I haven't used this army in a while obviously! Interestingly the city-state of Tarantine was originally a Spartan colony, and it was they who invited Pyrrhos of Epeiros into Italy to help them out against some 'barbarians called Romans'. Rome's bloody battles against Pyrrhos considerably enhanced Roman prestige.

Here are the baggage elements, some tents and wagons. I should make some ditch and palisade defences for these. The Romans credited Pyrrhos with teaching them how to lay out camps, a case of 'that which does not kill you, makes you stronger' perhaps...