Lohwand: The Legions of the Tharkallan Empire, Part 2

XForce 60 mm Early Imperial Romans

Expeditionary Force (or XForce) is a manufacturer of 54 mm and 60 mm plastic figures based in Singapore. Their range is quite impressive and is expanding rapidly. The 60 mm ranges include Ancients and now WW2. It is the Ancients that I am interested in to build forces for my Lohwand campaign.

I am using the Early Imperial Romans for my Tharkallan legions, as I blogged about in a previous post. Since then my first order has arrived: a sampling of Legion II Augusta, the command box, a cavalry box and a box of Scorpio bolt throwers.

In the picture above are the figures from two Legio II boxes and some of the figures from a command box. The bases are 3mm MDF cut 5" wide by 4" deep. I've been toying with organization. I am planning to drill holes for magnets and then put steel paper on the bottom of each figure base. I wouldn't have to fix the figures on the base permanently if I do this. The problem is I would likely need to leave the base un-flocked, perhaps just painted green and I am not sure if I want that look. I know it is a "Toy Soldier" aesthetic but I am used to flocked bases that blend with the ground cloth.

I might be able to dress the base up leaving room for the figure base, either tracing the outline exactly or allowing sufficient extra space around it. I have yet to verify how regular the XForce bases are. i.e. do they use a standard base size and shape for all their 60 mm figures? 

The figures arrayed above are set up in one layout I am contemplating. I am trying to replicate the tactical deployment of an EIR Century, which I will then use to represent a cohort in my games. I'm struggling to determine where the command elements stood during battle, however.  Here I have the Centurion in the first rank, right-hand file, the Aquilifer in the center of the front rank, the Optio (2IC) behind the ranks keeping order and discipline, along with the musician and Signifer. The Imagifer (when I get one) I am intending to place with the Legate commanding the legion. I'm just not confident I've got it right. Maybe the Signifer and the Aquilifer should be swapped out?

This would, I think, be the 1st Cohort, which should be double strength. So maybe the Signifer goes with one half and the Aquilifer the other? Would either of these two standard bearers really be in the front rank? The other cohorts would just have Signifers. 

Note that I am not intending to build a full ten cohorts! I think what I will do is build three or four for a couple of legions at least to start, maybe expanding to cover all the XForce options. (I have to also consider the Auxilia!) I will use this organization, or something similar for smaller games, but for really large battles have each base of six figures represent a cohort.

I haven't seen the contents of the Auxiliary Infantry box yet so I'll have to leave the planning on hold for those.

EDIT: Osprey is having an ebook sale - 40% off general history and games (inc wargames and Frostgrave) until August 31st, 2020. I picked up some and then splurged and bought a regularly priced book about the Roman army (not sure of the actual title).

Skimming it last night seems to indicate that I have the Centurion placed correctly, and the Optio, and that the Aquilifer and Signifer do go in the middle of the front rank. The Aquilifer (i.e. Eagle Bearer) would replace the Signifer in the 1st Cohort. Still not sure about where to put the musician, but I am thinking behind the ranks with the Optio as I don't think he could fight very well while carrying that horn.

Also, it suggests that not all legions had double strength 1st Cohortes. This I will have to research more. If I do use a double strength 1st Cohort, it will be two times the illustrated organization with a Signifer in the second century. My thinking being that the Signifer is displaying all the honours and awards granted and while guarding the Eagle is a great honour the men would still want to display all their achievements.

Lastly: I need to double check my spelling for all these latin terms! 

Roman Society, by Donald Dudley

What I is reading...

Looking for useful tidbits to help my flesh out the Tharkallan Empire for my Lohwand campaign. Its an old book, published in 1970, purchased at a book sale to raise money for the local symphony last year. I came away with 3-4 boxes of books. :-)

Lohwand: The Legions of the Tharkallan Empire

Legio II Augusta

Equites Singulares

Scorpio Bolt-shooters

All of the above are 60mm scale Early Imperial Romans by Expeditionary Force, Singapore, otherwise known as XForce. These figures are a large part of the reason I wanted to get into large scale gaming. If XForce didn't exist I might not have bothered. Or, at least, had I given it a go, the Lohwand campaign would have been many times more difficult.

The Tharkallan Empire in my campaign has always intended to be a Roman inspired force, but I have waffled between Empire or Republic. These figures are Early Imperial Roman so I think I am going to end up with the Tharkallans resembling the legions of the Principate, at least in part. 

I did have a list of Tharkallan Legions named after gemstones, but now I'm not sure I like the idea. The original intent was to make the armour the appropriate colour as indicated below, as if it was lacquered:

The Carnelian Legion - Orange or Red/Orange

The Obsidian Legion - Black

The Sapphire Legion - Blue

The Topaz Legion - Golden Yellow

The Emerald Legion - Green

The Amethyst Legion - Purple

The Ruby Legion - Red

XForce makes five different designs of legion figures, including the Praetorians. And then there are the Auxiliary, making six options. This is another reason XForce attracted me to the scale and range: the variety. Each of those options could be used to represent a legion. To start the ball rolling I've ordered Legio II Augusta, which I intend to use for the Carnelian Legion. Assuming, of course, that I stick with those names.

To be at least semi-historical there should be ten cohorts with the first cohort being double strength. I am waffling between one box or two representing a cohort. I think two is probably better. However, I am not going to collect twenty boxes of each of the variants! (Not unless I win the Jackpot anyway.)

So, probably, a legion of the tabletop will be assumed to only be part of the force, the rest distributed in garrisons around the place. Again, probably, a first cohort with maybe three boxes (so not quite double strength) and then two other cohorts of two boxes each will be a field legion. That might be a reachable long-term goal. It might also allow me to field multiple legions on the table at the same time which would be visually appealing. 

Each legion would also have a command element. I think during the Principate the Romans were lacking in cavalry so maybe a single unit (two boxes) per legion. Would they be uniformed to match their legion, I wonder? This may be one way the Tharkallans differ from the Romans. Hmmm...

Lastly, each legion would have support from a pair of scorpio bolt-shooters. Luckily, that is a single box from Xforce. 

Lohwand: The Year of the Comet

Animation of the path of the Neowise Comet

Created by Phoenix7777

(Source: Wikipedia)

Last night I came up with a timeline for the Tharkallan Empire. Of course, I hadn't really considered a dating system or calendar for the Lohwand Campaign, but last night the "Year of the Comet" came to me - inspired by the old movie of the same name, I suppose. I had "Year 0" - the current year, the starting year of the campaign. Only "Year 0" is useless for relating to all the nations. However, a significant event that applies to all, that would work. And so campaign year 0 is now "The Year of the Comet".

The Year of the Comet

By Tharkallan reckoning the Cometes Draconis was first observed during the Summer Solstice of the 605th year of Imperial Splendor. The Court Magisters could find no record of the celestial body in the Imperial Library in Thark, and nor could the Magisterial Council of Arolanit, though their records purportedly go back over two thousand years. As such, its appearance in the heavens was taken as a momentous event. The Imperial Astrologers declared that the comet, with its long red tail, foretold an era of great prosperity and wealth. The Emperor himself pronounced its name: the Cometes Draconis.

The siting of the comet was not restricted to the Tharkallan Empire, of course, as it was visible all across Lohwand, both in the North and in the Southlands. Each nation observed its approach with wonder or fear in accordance with their own legends and culture. Each nation was affected in a different way as a result; for one, each giving the comet a different name. How the phenomena affected the nations of Lohwand will be explored in detail as each nation is fleshed out more fully.

In the Empire, despite the celebrations in Thark and the buoyant spirits of the Imperial Court, in the provinces of Voria and Bisset, less than 500 tsan* distant, people were looking skyward and making very different prophecies!

* a tsan is approximately 1.33 km. Its actually a Tsolyani unit of measure, from the Empire of the Petal Throne (Tekumel). I've decided to use it rather than miles or kilometers. For one thing, nobody on Lohwand has heard of Napoleon!

Lohwand: A Tharkallan Empire Timeline

The Year of the Comet?

(Neowise Comet, Source: News18.com)

The Provinces, in order of incorporation into the Empire:

Jharkor: 605 BP, 0 AF;
Dharjiin: 590 BP, 15 AF, (15);
Dharijor: 563 BP, 42 AF, (27);
Doblian: 482 BP, 123 AF, (81);
Dorel: 390   BP, 215 AF, (92);
Bisset: 275 BP, 330 AF, (115);
Voria: 205 BP, 400 AF, (70);
Kostaddi: 125 BP, 480 AF, (80); 
Karasal: 120 BP, 485 AF, (5);
Nemedia: 60 BP, 545 AF, (60);
Filkhar: 15 BP; 590 AF, (45);
Granbreton: 7 BP; 598 AF, (8 );
Arolanit: 5 BP; 600 AF, (2);

Current Year: 0 BP; 605 AF

BP = Before Present; AF = After Founding

So the current year is '0' - in My Reckoning, the "Year of the Comet" perhaps? - and in Tharkallan reckoning it is the 605th year of Imperial Splendor.

Lohwand: The Tharkallan Empire - a First Look

The Tharkallan Empire 

(in red)

The Tharkallan Empire is meant to be the main evil protagonist in the Lohwand campaign. In my Mind's Eye it is a mix of Early Imperial Rome, spliced with the Lunar Empire (from Greg Stafford's Glorantha), and Michael Moorcock's Melnibone. You can see that reflected partly in the naming of the provinces. The capitol city, Thark, is located in the province of Jharkor. Where did I steal that name I wonder? ;-)  

I was initially tempted to call the provinces Satraps or Sultanates, but decided that I am going to have enough of those elsewhere in Lohwand, so I went with boring old "Provinces". Each province is ruled by a Provincial Governor. I'm thinking that they will be subdivided into Prefectures, ruled by Prefects. 

Borrowing again from Glorantha, I decided that six of the provinces are considered the "Heartland Provinces", that is, where the so-styled Tharkallan peoples originate from. I've worked out a bit of background to the empire. For example, I know that the provinces, in order of incorporation into the Empire are:

1) Jharkor;*

2) Dharjiin;*

3) Dharijor;*

4) Doblian;*

5) Dorel;

6) Bisset;

7) Voria;

8) Kostaddi;*

9) Karasal;*

10) Nemedia;**

11) Filkhar;

12) Granbreton;

13) Arolanit.

* considered “Heartland Provinces”. Originally consisting of just the first four regions; Kostaddi and Karasal were added after they were taken in consideration of those regions being part of the “Ancient Homeland” of the Tharkallan peoples.

** First of the Ilmioran city states to come under the Tharkallan yoke. The province is completely absorbed into the Empire and the citizens little or no memory of their former independence.

Arolanit is the last province to be incorporated into the Empire; I mean, of course, "most recent" as the Empire has a voracious appetite for conquest and is continually seeking new territories to conquer. The province held out so long in no small part due to the powerful sorcerers who reside there. Now, the survivors serve in The College of Magic, part of the Tharkallan order of battle. That, or they are languishing in the dungeons far beneath the Imperial Palace. Some might have escaped of course, but that hasn't been determined yet.