DBA Armies

II/47 EARLY GERMAN 115 BC - 250 AD

This list covers the German tribes from the first Roman encounter with the Cimbri and Teutones until the effect of contact with Rome on German military techniques had become significant. The origins of the Cimbri & Teutones are uncertain; some consider them to be “Trans-Danubian Celts”, others to be Scandinavian, while Julius Caesar twice called them “German”. The Germans destroyed four Roman armies before being crushed by Marius, but their most famous victory was at the Teutoberger Wald in 9 AD. Their defeats are less often remembered. The German tribes were more varied than previously thought, and it is now necessary to differentiate between 3Wb used to moving through woods or marsh and 4Wb toe-to-toe sloggers from more open farmland. Cherusci and Batavi specialised in ambushes from woods or marsh, led by group of heroes with improbably long spears, supported by unshielded skirmishers dressed only in a cloak and hurling sheaves of fire-hardened wooden javelins at a distance, but most tribes were known as stubborn hand-to-hand fighters in close formation with a light spear called a “framea” and shield and wore trousers and usually a shirt. Red and blue dyes are archaeologically attested for the better-off warriors, but commoners may have mostly worn un-dyed natural wool. Skirmishers were otherwise usually youngsters with javelins, but a minority could be older men with bows. References: Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome P. Barker, Ancient Germanic Warriors M.P. Speidel, Germania Tacitus, Votan J. James (novel).

II/47a — Armies of the Cimbri or Teutones 113 BC - 102 BC

List: 1 x General (Cv), 1 x cavalry (Cv), 9 x warriors (4Wb), 1 x skirmishers (Ps)
Terrain: Forest
Aggression: 4
Enemies:
Allies: II/11

II/47d — Other Batavian or Cherusci Army 115 BC - 250 AD

List: 1 x General (Cv), 2 x heroes with long spears (4Wb) or warriors (3Wb), 7 x warriors (3Wb), 2 x skirmishers with sheaves of fire-hardened wooden javelins (Ps)
Terrain: Littoral
Aggression: 2
Enemies:
Allies: II/47e or II/47f or II/47g

II/47e — Marcomanni Army of Maroboduus 9 BC - 19 BC

List: 1 x General (Cv), 1 x cavalry (Cv), 1 x cavalry (Cv) or skirmishers (Ps), 6 x warriors (4Wb), 2 x warriors drilled to “almost Roman standard” (4Bd), 1 x skirmishers (Ps)
Terrain: Forest
Aggression: 2
Enemies:
Allies: 0-2 of II/47d or II/47f or II/47g

II/47f — Suevi 115 BC - 250 AD

List: 19 AD - 49 AD : 1 x General (3Kn), 1 x Sarmatian cavalry (3Kn), 1 x cavalry (Cv) or skirmishers (Ps), 8 x warriors (4Wb), 1 x skirmishers (Ps)
Terrain: Forest
Aggression: 2
Enemies:
Allies: II/47d or II/47e or II/47g

II/47g — Other Early German Armies 115 BC - 250 AD

List: 1 x General on horseback (Cv) or on foot (4Wb), 1 x cavalry (Cv), 8 x warriors (4Wb), 1 x cavalry (Cv) or skirmishers (Ps), 1 x skirmishers (Ps)
Terrain: Forest
Aggression: 2
Enemies:
Allies: II/47d or II/47e or II/47f or II/47g