Lombard

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Historical Overview Section

In the spring of 568, Lombard king Alboin led his nation together with other Germanic tribes; (Bavarians, Gepids, Saxons and Bulgars) across the Alps with a population of around 400,000 to 500,000, to invade northern Italy. Soon Vicenza, Verona and Brescia fell into Germanic hands. In the summer of 569, the Lombards conquered the main Early Byzantine Roman centre of northern Italy, Milan. The area was then recovering from the terrible Gothic Wars, and the small Byzantine army left for its defence could do almost nothing. The Exarch sent to Italy by Emperor Justinian II, Longinus, could defend only coastal cities that could be supplied by the powerful Byzantine fleet. Pavia fell after a siege of three years, in 572, becoming the first capital city of the new Lombard kingdom of Italy. In the following years, the Lombards penetrated further south, conquering Tuscany and establishing two duchies, Spoleto and Benevento under Zotto, which soon became semi-independent and even outlasted the northern kingdom, surviving well into the 12th century. The Byzantines only just managed to retain control of the area of Ravenna and Rome, linked by a thin corridor running through Perugia.

When Alboin was murdered in 572 his successor, Cleph, was also assassinated after a short and brutal reign of just 18 months. This death began the "Rule of the Dukes", during which the dukes did not elect any king, until in 584 when threatened by a Frankish invasion, they elected Cleph's son, Authari. In 589, he married Theodelinda, daughter of the Duke of Bavaria who pushed for Christianization of the kingdom. On the foreign affairs side, Authari managed to thwart the dangerous alliance between the Byzantines and the Merovingian Frankish kingdom. When Authari died in 590 his successor also married Theodelinda, conquered Padua (601), Cremona and Mantua (603), and forced the Exarch of Ravenna to pay him tribute. A subsequent monarch Rothari is regarded by many as the most energetic of all Lombard kings. He extended his dominions, conquering Liguria in 643 and the remaining part of the Byzantine territories.

The next great schism came at the death of King Aripert I in 661 when the kingdom was split between his children Perctarit, who set his capital in Milan, and Godepert, who reigned from Pavia. Perctarit was overthrown by Grimoald, son of Gisulf, duke of Friuli and Benevento since 647. Perctarit fled to the Avars and then to the Franks. Grimoald managed to regain control over the duchies and deflected the late attempt of the Byzantine emperor Constans II to conquer southern Italy. He also defeated the Merovingian Frankish forces. At Grimoald's death in 671 Perctarit returned and promoted tolerance between Arians and Catholics, but he could not defeat the Arian party, led by Arachi, duke of Trento. Religious strife remained a source of struggle in the following years and the last Lombard to rule as king was Desiderius, duke of Tuscany, who ended all Byzantine presence in Central Italy in taking Ravenna. He foolishly reopened Lombards struggle against the Pope and entered Rome in 772, the first Lombard king to do so. But Pope Hadrian I called for help from Carolingian Frankish Charlemagne who won major victories at Susa, Pavia and Verona. Charlemagne then took the title "King of the Lombards" as well in 774!

Though the kingdom centred on Pavia in the north fell to Charlemagne, the Lombard-controlled territory to the south of the Papal States was not subjugated by Charlemagne, and the Duchy retained de-factor independance dispite - or beause of - being claimed by both the Franks and Byzantium. At one point in the reign of Sicard, Lombard control covered most of southern Italy save the very south of Apulia and Calabria and Naples. However its ruler Sicard unwisely opened up the south to the invasive actions of the Saracens as both parties in a civil war invited in large Saracen mercenary forces who later went onto rebel and sack large swathes of Lombard territory.

This pattern was later repeated when the Normans were invited in as allies - only to eventually take control of the entire territory in a gradual annexation taking most of the 11th century o be completed as a shifting melee of alliances, independant cities and small scale wars simmered the melting pot of Lombard Southern Italy down into one decisively Norman-flavoured stew.

Using the army in FoG

A massed lancer charge on one side of the table, with poor spearmen and skirmishing infantry blocking off the rest seems to be a common thread for Lombard armies. The big decision is on taking the unarmoured cavalry followers - which gives even more cavalry than the massed armoured ones!

UK Tournament Results with this army

User-contributed links about this army:

Allies

Lombards can take:

  • Slav - Early South Slav (Not Serbian or Croatian) . Date restrictions: Before 650 Book: Decline and Fall Page: 18 - Mostly MF JLS (pre 850) or HF Def Sp (post 850). Some nice 4-strong Bw & LF BGs can bulk up army size though
  • Avar . Date restrictions: Before 650 Book: Decline and Fall Page: 28 - A Bw/Sw Cv & LH (of varying qualities) ally - always useful but be careful not to compromise your lancer punch. 558-631 also gives some rough terrain MF
  • Bulgar, Early . Date restrictions: Before 650 Book: Decline and Fall Page: 36 - Ln/Sword Bw/Sw cavalry, supporting Bw/Sw LH and optional L/S MF foot
  • Aghlabid - Early North African Dynasties . Date restrictions: From 776 Book: Decline and Fall Page: 54 - Loads of Sup Arm lancers, some JLS LH and a tidy block of Berber spearmen
  • Suebi - Early Frankish, Alamanni, Burgubdi, Limigantes, Rugian, Suebi or Turcilingi . Date restrictions: Before 650 Book: Legions Triumphant Page: 59 - 8 minimum HF Impact foot swordsmen make these rather uninspiring as an ally
  • Bavarian - Early Anglo-Saxon, Bavarian, Frisian, Old Saxon or Thuringian . Date restrictions: Before 650 Book: Legions Triumphant Page: 62 - 8 minimum HF Impact foot swordsmen make these rather uninspiring as an ally
  • Old Saxon - Early Anglo-Saxon, Bavarian, Frisian, Old Saxon or Thuringian . Date restrictions: Before 650 Book: Legions Triumphant Page: 62 - 8 minimum HF Impact foot swordsmen make these rather uninspiring as an ally
  • Gepid - Gepid or Early Lombard . Date restrictions: Before 650 Book: Legions Triumphant Page: 67 - Up to 18 lancer cavalry - and good quality - gives a lot more mounted clout to an army that already has too much. Mixing in the HF as well is just asking for trouble
  • Norman, Italo . Date restrictions: From 776 Book: Oath of Fealty Page: -
  • Frankish, Carolingian (Imperialists) : Date restrictions From 776 Book: Wolves from the Sea Page: 35 - Drilled (from 768-814) and undrilled lancers, and one rather lonely block of spearmen.
  • German, Early Medieval (Imperialists) : Date restrictions From 776 Book: Wolves from the Sea Page: 64 - Undrilled lancers, two blocks of bog standard Def Spearmen and 4 LF. Adds little to the main list

15mm Manufacturers supplying figures for this army

You can see some of the figures in the Ancients Photo Gallery also on this site. For later in the period look also at Franks, Normans and Early Crusader figures.

Image Image Image Image

Core Troops


Which troops are absolutely needed for this army, and what are your thoughts on how to organise, paint and buy them.

Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army
900 Point Lombard army used at Usk 2009. A match report of a game with this army vs Bedouin Dynasties is online here.

  • 4 Bulgar Average Undrilled Protected Bow Swordsmen Cavalry
  • 8 Ps (O) Bowmen
  • 8 Ps (O) Bowmen
  • 8 Ps (O) Bowmen
  • 8 Poor Defensive Spearmen, Undrilled and protected
  • 8 Poor Defensive Spearmen, Undrilled and protected
  • 4 Armoured Undrilled Superior Lancer Swordsmen
  • 4 Armoured Undrilled Superior Lancer Swordsmen
  • 4 Armoured Undrilled Superior Lancer Swordsmen
  • 4 Armoured Undrilled Superior Lancer Swordsmen
  • 4 Armoured Undrilled Superior Lancer Swordsmen
  • 4 Armoured Undrilled Superior Lancer Swordsmen
  • 4 Armoured Undrilled Superior Lancer Swordsmen
  • 4 Armoured Undrilled Superior Lancer Swordsmen
  • 1 x IC
  • 3 x TC


900 point Lombard Army

  • 1 LF Bowmen LF unprotected Average Undrilled bow - - - 6 5 30
  • 2 Follower Cavalry Cv unprotected Average Undrilled - lancers Swordsmen - 6 8 48
  • 3 Noble Cavalry Cv Armoured Superior Undrilled - lancers Swordsmen - 4 16 64
  • 4 Italian Militia HF Protected poor Undrilled - defensive spearmen - - 6 4 24
  • 5 Italian Militia HF Protected poor Undrilled - defensive spearmen - - 6 4 24
  • 6 MF Bowmen MF unprotected poor Undrilled bow - - - 6 3 18
  • 7 Italian Militia HF Protected poor Undrilled - defensive spearmen - - 8 4 32
  • 8 Italian Militia HF Protected poor Undrilled - defensive spearmen - - 8 4 32
  • 9 MF Bowmen MF unprotected poor Undrilled bow - - - 6 3 18
  • 10 bulgars LH unprotected Average Undrilled bow - Swordsmen - 4 10 40
  • 11 Follower Cavalry Cv unprotected Average Undrilled - lancers Swordsmen - 6 8 48
  • 12 LF Bowmen LF unprotected Average Undrilled bow - - - 6 5 30
  • 13 LF Bowmen LF unprotected Average Undrilled bow - - - 6 5 30
  • 14 Follower Cavalry Cv unprotected Average Undrilled - lancers Swordsmen - 6 8 48
  • 15 Follower Cavalry Cv unprotected Average Undrilled - lancers Swordsmen - 6 8 48
  • 16 Follower Cavalry Cv unprotected Average Undrilled - lancers Swordsmen - 6 8 48
  • 17 Noble Cavalry Cv Armoured Superior Undrilled - lancers Swordsmen - 4 16 64
  • 18 Noble Cavalry Cv Armoured Superior Undrilled - lancers Swordsmen - 4 16 64
  • IC IC - - - - - - CinC 1 80 80
  • TC TC - - - - - - - 3 35 105


Name of Army / Date

  • IC

2 * TC
5 * 6 Superior Armoured Undrilled Lance Sword Cavalry
2* 8 Poor Protected Undrilled Def. Spear HF
2 *6 Poor Unprotected Undrilled Bow LF (or MF)
1 *4 Average Unprotected Undrilled Bow Sword LH (or cav)
Not an especially clever 800 AP list, however the identical list can also be used for Northern Dynasties Chinese!
Include any notes you want here, including comments on how to use - or play against - the army.

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

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