Post Roman British

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Historical Overview Section (The army formerly known as Sub Roman British.)

The Foederate Roman departure from Britain followed a decline across the empire, as attacks from barbarian tribes ate into the manpower and resources of the Roman state, forcing a recall of troops to protect the center. The withdrawal was gradual, but many date it formally to 410. The archaeological records of the final decades of Foederate Roman rule show undeniable signs of decay across Britain as pottery shards are not present in levels dating past 400, and coins minted past 402 are rare. The garrison in Britain came under increasing pressure from barbarian attack on all sides towards the end of the 4th century, and "Roman" troops were too few to mount an effective defence. The army in Britain became a focus for rebellion, after elevating two disappointing leaders at the end of the 4th Century, finally chose a soldier, Constantine III, to become their emperor in 407. When he took his army across into Gaul he was defeated, and it is unclear how many troops remained or ever returned, or whether a commander-in-chief in Britain was ever reappointed by Rome. A Saxon incursion in 408 was apparently repelled by the Britons, and in 409 Zosimus records that the natives expelled the Foederate Roman civilian administration. With the higher levels of the military and civil government gone, administration and justice fell to municipal authorities, and small warlords gradually emerged all over a Britain which was still aspiring to Roman ideals and conventions. The change was not sudden however, and more recent scholars uphold a view - endorsed by this list - that there was considerable continuity from the British tribes in the pre-Roman and Roman periods to the kingdoms that formed in the post-Roman period.

The first wave of Middle Anglo Saxons were reputedly invited by Vortigern to assist in fighting the Later Pictish and Later Scots-Irish, however Germanic migration into Roman Britannia may well have begun much earlier even than that. There is recorded evidence, for example, of Germanic Roman auxiliaries being brought to Britain in the first and second centuries to support the legions, and when these new arrivals rebelled they plunged the country into a series of wars that eventually led to the Middle Anglo Saxon occupation of Lowland Britain by 600. Around this time many Britons fled to Brittany (hence its name). A significant date in sub-Roman Britain is the famous Groans of the Britons, an unanswered appeal to Aëtius, leading general of the western Empire, for assistance against the Middle Anglo Saxon invasion in 446; another is the Battle of Dyrham in 577, after which the significant cities of Bath, Cirencester and Gloucester fell and the Saxons reached the western sea. Non-Anglo-Saxon kingdoms soon began appearing in western Britain, largely based around Roman administrative structures, indicating further continuity, but also drawing on outside later Scots-Irish and Early Welsh influences as well. In the north kingdoms of the Hen Ogledd, the "Old North", arose, and fifth and sixth century repairs along Hadrian's Wall have been uncovered to further suggest a continuing Romanized influence.

King Arthur is a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historians.

Using the army in FoG

• The army offers an interesting take on the Foederate Roman and Dominate Roman armies from earlier books, with options to back up a pseudo-swarm of drilled javelin armed MF with cheaper blocks of undrilled foot, making the army potentially difficult to beat in rough or hilly terrain.
• The big disadvantage compare to Romans "proper" is the lack of an option to armour the infantry, which does make them vulnerable to shooting. Post 600 AD the fabric of the army changes to become a rather stodgy undrilled defensive spear force, which may tip the selection towards using them to support 18 superior cavalry, mixing lancers (in the Arthurian tradition) and javelin/spear armed cavalry capable of skirmishing.

UK Tournament Results with this army

Useful Links

User-contributed links about this army:

• Fanaticus Banner download page with useful banners for this army
• Roman Britain.org history site
• Postroman.org Web project focused on Britain, Ireland and the offshore islands between 350AD and 850AD.
• Sub-Roman British DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• Sub-Roman Brits Richard Moriaty's DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• Sub-Roman Brits Jake Rose's DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• Sub-Roman Brits Jeff Caruso's DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• Arthurians Paul Potters DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• Romano-Brits DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• put the link text readers will see in here write some more detail about the link here

Allies

• Dominate Roman - a very handy addition to give armoured foot, in smaller units as well, to open up th epossibility of getting round the enemy flanks.
• Saxons - Adding impact foot in big blocks seem to do little to improve most armies, and the same is true of this one
• Viking Allies - A smattering of armoured spearmen can toughen the line, but again the problems of combining the (might charge without orders) Vikings with the Defensive spearmen of the British could be challenging, without adding much to the tactical flexibility of the army.
• Welsh - More of the same as the early option for the Sub-Roman British. Maybe if you really want a cheaper sub general, and 4 more light horse.

15mm Manufacturers supplying figures for this army

You can see some of the figures in the Ancients Photo Gallery also on this site

The early incarnation of this army allows you to mix in late Roman auxilia from the Dominate Roman listing with less uniformed types moving towards Saxons and other Dark age foot. This listing therefore only references troops specifically listed as Sub Roman, Arthurian or Post Roman British

• Essex Miniatures
• Donnington "Arthurian" range
• Old Glory Arthurian British range
• Magister Militum (includes former Chariot ranges)
• Tin Soldier
• Outpost
• MY Miniatures
• Splintered Light Romano British & Early Saxon

Core Troops

The early period offers the best opportunity to make an attractive army, with units retaining the colourful shield patterns of the Late Roman era but also having the look of unkempt irregulars, and including a mix of other gothic/saxon foot to create a highly individual look and feel to your army.

For the more esoteric gamer, fielding the "Arthurs Companions" as Late Medieval Knightly figures allows an amusing "Hollywood" take on the Arthurian legend

Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army

Name of Army / Date
Arthurian Post Roman British, with 4 TCs

• Light Cavalry of Prescelly Mountains LH Unprotected Average Undrilled Javelins Light Spear - 4
• Archers of Anglesey LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Bow - - 6
• Archers of Anglesey LF Unprotected Average Undrilled Bow - - 6
• Spearmen of Sir Gawain MF Protected Average Undrilled - Light spear Swordsmen - 8
• Spearmen of Tintagel MF Protected Average Undrilled - Light spear Swordsmen - 8
• Spearmen of Camelot MF Protected Average Undrilled - Light spear Swordsmen - 8
• Spearmen of Lyonesse MF Protected Average Undrilled - Light spear Swordsmen - 8
• Spearmen of Sir Gawain MF Protected Average Undrilled - Light spear Swordsmen - 6
• Spearmen of Sir Percivale MF Protected Average Undrilled - Light spear Swordsmen - 8
• Spearmen of Sir Percivale MF Protected Average Undrilled - Light spear Swordsmen - 8
• Cavalry of Southern Logres Cv Protected Superior Undrilled - Light spear Swordsmen - 4
• Cavalry of Southern Logres Cv Protected Superior Undrilled - Light spear Swordsmen - 4
• Field Army Legionaries HF Armoured Superior Drilled - Impact Foot Skilled Swordsmen - 6
• Field Army Aux HF Armoured Average Drilled - Light spear Swordsmen - 6
• Equites Sagittarill LH Unprotected Average Drilled Bow - - 4

Remember to leave a line before you copy the above section as a template for your own list

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