The centuries between 250 and 600 CE witnessed one of history's most dramatic transformations. The seemingly eternal Roman Empire, which had dominated the Mediterranean world for half a millennium, found itself besieged from without and fracturing from within. This was not simply the story of Rome's decline, but rather a period of extraordinary dynamism when the ancient world gave way to the medieval, when classical civilization collided with vibrant warrior cultures sweeping across Europe, and when the map of the continent was redrawn in blood and ambition.
For historians, the Late Roman period offers an endlessly fascinating tableau of military innovation, cultural exchange, and political intrigue. For wargamers, it presents something even more compelling: a wealth of diverse armies with radically different fighting styles, all clashing across landscapes from the mist-shrouded hills of Britain to the sun-baked plains of Anatolia. Imagine commanding the disciplined shield walls of Roman legionaries against the furious charge of Gothic horsemen, or positioning your Romano-British cavalry to intercept Saxon raiders landing on Britain's eastern shores.
This is precisely where miniature wargaming transforms history into visceral experience. By recreating these armies on your tabletop, you don't merely read about the twilight of Rome, you command it, strategize within it, and ultimately understand it in ways that no textbook alone can convey.
Historical context - The crumbling empire
To understand why the Late Roman period offers such rich wargaming possibilities, we must first grasp the monumental challenges that transformed Rome from an unassailable superpower into a fractured collection of struggling territories. This was not a sudden collapse but rather a slow-motion transformation that played out across three centuries, creating a military landscape unlike anything Europe had seen before.
The crisis began in earnest during the third century, when the empire found itself squeezed between external invasions and internal chaos. Germanic tribes pressed against the Rhine and Danube frontiers with increasing boldness, while in the east, the resurgent Persian Sassanid Empire challenged Roman dominance. Meanwhile, the empire's political structure was unraveling. Between 235 and 284 CE, Rome witnessed more than fifty men claim the imperial throne, most dying violent deaths within months or years of their accession. This cascade of civil wars drained the treasury, devastated provinces, and kept Roman armies fighting each other when they should have been guarding the frontiers.
The military itself underwent a profound transformation during this period. The classical legions of Rome's glory days, with their heavy infantry forming the backbone of military power, evolved into something quite different. Emperors like Diocletian and Constantine reorganized the army into mobile field forces backed by static frontier garrisons. Cavalry became increasingly important, particularly heavily armored cataphracts adopted from Persian models. The empire recruited entire barbarian tribes as foederati, allied warriors who fought under their own chiefs but in Roman service. This created armies that looked remarkably different from the legions that had conquered Gaul or defeated Carthage.
The western empire's borders became increasingly porous. In 410 CE, Alaric's Visigoths achieved what had seemed impossible for eight centuries, they sacked Rome itself. Britain, always a frontier province, saw the last Roman troops withdraw around 410, leaving Romano-British communities to fend for themselves against Pictish raiders from the north, Irish raiders from the west, and soon, Saxon raiders from across the North Sea. Meanwhile, the Huns erupted from the eastern steppes, their devastating cavalry tactics forcing entire Germanic peoples to flee westward into Roman territory, creating a domino effect of migrations and invasions.
Yet this period was not merely about Roman weakness. The so-called "barbarian" peoples were sophisticated societies with their own military traditions, often learned from generations of contact with Rome. Gothic nobles wore Roman-style armor and understood Roman tactics. Frankish warriors blended Germanic ferocity with Roman discipline. The result was a military landscape of extraordinary diversity, where a battle might see Roman heavy infantry facing Germanic shield walls, Hun horse archers circling Alan lancers, and Romano-British cavalry attempting to hold ground against Saxon raiders. For the wargamer, this diversity translates into tactical richness that few other historical periods can match.
The evolution of Roman military power
To appreciate the armies represented in this miniature collection, we must begin where Roman military tradition itself was being reimagined. The Late Roman army bore little resemblance to the legions that had conquered the Mediterranean world centuries earlier. Economic pressures, changing threats, and the simple reality of defending impossibly long frontiers had forced fundamental transformations in how Rome organized its military forces.
The most visible change was the dramatic rise of cavalry as a decisive arm. Where Republican and early Imperial Rome had relied on heavy infantry legionaries as their primary striking force, Late Roman armies increasingly fielded sophisticated mounted units. The cataphracts represent the apex of this evolution, heavily armored cavalrymen mounted on armored horses, wielding long lances that could shatter enemy formations. These units were directly inspired by Persian and steppe warfare, adopted by Roman commanders who recognized that mobility and shock power could achieve what traditional infantry increasingly could not. When you deploy cataphracts on your tabletop, you are commanding the cutting edge of Late Roman military innovation.
Alongside these heavy cavalry, Roman armies fielded horse archers, another adoption from eastern enemies who had proven their devastating effectiveness. These mounted bowmen combined mobility with firepower, harassing enemy formations, disrupting advances, and exploiting weaknesses without committing to close combat. The tactical interplay between cataphracts and horse archers created combined-arms doctrine that was remarkably sophisticated for its time.
Yet infantry had not disappeared from Roman military thinking. The Late Roman foot soldier, however, was a different creature from his predecessor. Economic realities meant that not all infantry could be equipped with expensive armor and equipment. This created a pronounced distinction between armored and unarmored infantry units, each serving different tactical roles. The armored infantry formed the anvil, solid, defensible formations that could hold ground against determined attacks. The unarmored infantry provided flexibility, skirmishing capability, and the mass of bodies needed to hold long sections of frontier or besiege fortifications.
The shield wall formation represents one of the most important tactical developments of this period. Where earlier Roman tactics emphasized the manipular system with its checkerboard flexibility, Late Roman commanders increasingly deployed their infantry in dense, continuous lines with overlapping shields. This formation was partly borrowed from Germanic opponents who had used it effectively for generations, and it proved remarkably effective against cavalry charges and in the grinding close-quarters combat that characterized many Late Roman battles. On your gaming table, positioning your shield wall units to anchor your line while cavalry maneuvers on the flanks recreates the essential dynamic of Late Roman tactical thinking.
The Wofungames full printed miniatures and your path to battle
Traditional miniature wargaming has always demanded significant investment in time and skill before a single game can be played. Building a Late Roman army typically requires months of assembling, painting, and basing hundreds of individual figures. WoFun Games eliminates this barrier through an innovative approach combining CNC-cut plexiglass with high-resolution color printing on both sides of each figure. Peter Denis's meticulously researched illustrations capture authentic period details that would challenge even experienced painters, from Pictish body decoration to Roman scale armor. The result is battle-ready miniatures that require only about 2 minutes per regiment to press from sprues and mount on bases, at costs significantly below traditional metal or plastic figures. This means you can focus on strategy and gameplay rather than spending months in preparation.
The Late Roman collection is organized around two comprehensive packs, each available in both 18mm and 28mm scales to suit different gaming preferences and table sizes. The 18mm scale works beautifully for large battles on standard tables, allowing extensive armies without overwhelming your space, while 28mm figures provide greater visual detail for those preferring the traditional heroic scale.
The Arthurian Age Full Pack contains 832 figures across 32 different regiment types, providing everything needed to field multiple complete armies from post-Roman Britain. In the 18mm version, these figures come on 16 plexiglass sprues, while the 28mm version uses 32 sprues to accommodate the larger figure size. The collection includes comprehensive Late Roman forces with 16 artillery pieces, 22 horse archers, 18 cataphracts, 21 light cavalry, and 18 heavy cavalry, plus diverse infantry including 29 unarmored infantry (variant 1), 29 unarmored infantry (variant 2), 29 armored infantry (variant 1), 31 armored infantry (variant 2), 35 skirmish infantry, 33 archers, and 41 shield wall figures. Romano-British forces add 18 heavy cavalry and 29 armored warband warriors. The pack truly excels in representing Britain's raiders and invaders, with complete contingents for Picts (20 mounted, 30 warriors undecorated, 29 warriors decorated, 30 nobles decorated, 30 nobles undecorated), Irish (21 mounted, 31 warriors, 30 upper-class warriors), Welsh (20 mounted, 30 warriors, 31 upper-class warriors), and Saxons (20 mounted, 31 warriors, 30 upper-class warriors), plus 32 barbarian British invaders. Command figures include 16 Late Roman Arthurian commanders, 16 Pict/Saxon commanders, and 16 Welsh/Irish commanders.
The Late Romans Enemies Pack focuses on continental threats with 347 figures across 15 regiment types, organized on 8 sprues for 18mm or 16 sprues for 28mm. Gothic forces dominate with 18 unarmored cavalry, 18 armored cavalry, 18 warriors with two-hand grip spears, 29 armored infantry, 29 unarmored infantry, 29 Frankish light infantry, 30 Frankish infantry, and 32 Frankish shieldwall figures. Hunnic contingents bring steppe warfare with 21 heavy cavalry, 19 armored horse archers, and 22 archers. Alan forces add 17 heavy cavalry, 20 light cavalry, and 29 infantry. The pack includes 16 commander figures for leading these diverse armies.
Both packs offer standard MDF bases (30x20mm for 18mm scale, 40x30mm for 28mm scale) printed with grass texture, designed to hold 2 strips of figures in 2 ranks for infantry and cavalry, or 1 gun with crew for artillery. Alternatively, the "No Bases" option provides only the figure sprues for those preferring custom basing solutions.
Recreating history - Battles and scenarios for your tabletop
The true test of any miniature collection lies in its ability to bring historical conflicts to life on your gaming table. The Late Roman period offers a remarkable range of engagement types, from massive set-piece battles that decided the fate of empires to desperate raids and frontier skirmishes. Understanding how to translate these historical events into playable scenarios transforms your collection from static display pieces into dynamic tools for exploring one of history's most turbulent eras.
The Battle of Adrianople, 378 CE, stands as one of the most catastrophic defeats in Roman military history and perfectly demonstrates the tactical challenges facing Late Roman commanders. Emperor Valens led a substantial Roman field army against Gothic forces that had been ravaging Thrace for two years. The Romans, confident in their numerical advantage, attacked before reinforcements could arrive, only to find themselves enveloped by Gothic cavalry that had been foraging and returned at the critical moment. Two-thirds of the Roman army was destroyed, including the Emperor himself. To recreate this scenario on your tabletop, deploy your Late Roman armored and unarmored infantry in the center, representing the legionaries who formed the initial Roman line. Position your Roman cavalry on the flanks, but keep them relatively weak compared to the Gothic mounted forces. The Gothic player should field substantial infantry forces with their shield wall units forming a defensive position, but the key to historical accuracy lies in keeping significant Gothic cavalry forces off-table initially, arriving as reinforcements at a predetermined turn. This recreates the tactical surprise that proved so devastating and forces the Roman player to decide whether to press the attack against Gothic infantry or preserve forces against the cavalry threat they know is coming.
Saxon Raids on Post-Roman Britain represent a different style of warfare entirely, one focused on mobility, surprise, and the clash between organized Romano-British defense and opportunistic Germanic raiders. Throughout the fifth and sixth centuries, Saxon war bands crossed the North Sea in increasing numbers, initially as raiders but gradually as settlers who carved out kingdoms from Romano-British territories. These engagements were typically smaller than continental battles but no less significant for the communities involved. A Saxon raid scenario works beautifully as an asymmetric engagement where objectives matter more than annihilation. The Romano-British player deploys defending a coastal settlement or villa, using their Romano-British heavy cavalry, armored warband, and Late Roman infantry units to represent the organized defensive forces. The Saxon player fields their warriors and upper-class Saxon warriors in a raiding force that must capture livestock, supplies, or prisoners and escape before Romano-British reinforcements arrive. The Saxons have initiative and surprise initially, but the Romano-British player receives cavalry reinforcements at intervals, creating a ticking clock that forces the raiding player to balance ambition against survival.
The Hunnic Invasions and the Battle of Catalaunian Plains, 451 CE, brought together virtually every major military power in Western Europe in a massive confrontation that halted Attila's westward expansion. This battle saw Roman forces under Aetius allied with Visigoths, Franks, and other Germanic peoples facing the Huns and their Gothic, Alan, and Germanic allies. The complexity of this engagement makes it ideal for multiplayer gaming or for showcasing the full diversity of your collection. The scenario requires deploying Hun heavy cavalry and armored horse archers as mobile striking forces that excel at harassment and refusing direct engagement, while their Alan cavalry allies provide additional mounted punch. The Goth forces fighting for the Huns anchor the center with their infantry and armored cavalry. The Roman alliance deploys Late Roman heavy cavalry and cataphracts alongside Visigothic warriors from your Goth collection, plus Frankish infantry representing the diverse coalition. The tactical challenge lies in the Roman player coordinating multiple contingents with different capabilities while the Hun player exploits mobility advantages to isolate and destroy enemy units piecemeal.
Pictish Raids Against Hadrian's Wall capture the grinding frontier warfare that characterized Rome's northern British boundary for centuries. Long after the Wall ceased to function as an effective military barrier, Romano-British communities in the region faced periodic raids from Pictish war bands emerging from the Caledonian highlands. These scenarios work well as defensive engagements where terrain dominates tactics. The defending player uses Late Roman infantry, archers, and shield walls to hold fortified positions, with limited cavalry for counterattacks. The Pictish player fields mounted Picts for mobility, backed by warriors with decorated or undecorated skin representing different tribal contingents. Victory conditions might involve the Picts breaching specific defensive positions or capturing objectives, while the Romans win by holding until nightfall or reinforcements arrive.
The Battle of Badon Hill, whether historical reality or Arthurian legend, represents the Romano-British resistance against Saxon expansion in the late fifth or early sixth century. Sources suggest a significant Romano-British victory that temporarily halted Saxon advance, and the battle has become synonymous with Arthur's greatest triumph. This scenario allows you to field your Romano-British forces at their most organized and effective, with heavy cavalry playing the decisive role that Arthurian romance emphasizes. Deploy Romano-British armored warband infantry holding high ground, supported by Late Roman archers providing missile support, while your Romano-British heavy cavalry positions for the decisive charge that breaks the Saxon assault. The Saxon player masses their warriors and upper-class warriors for uphill attacks against prepared positions, facing the tactical dilemma that historically determined so many battles: whether to persist against a strong defensive position or withdraw before cavalry exploitation turns defeat into disaster.
Begin your campaign - The twilight awaits
The twilight of the Roman Empire, from the disciplined cataphracts of Late Roman field armies to the fierce charges of Gothic cavalry, from the terrifying mobility of Hunnic horse archers to the desperate courage of Romano-British defenders holding their ancestral lands against Saxon raiders, this era offers gaming experiences that reward both historical knowledge and tactical creativity. With WoFunGames ready-printed miniatures, the barrier between inspiration and action has been removed. The armies that reshaped Europe are ready to march onto your tabletop, requiring only minutes to deploy rather than months to prepare.
Whether you choose to immerse yourself in the post-Roman British world with the Arthurian Age Full Pack available in 18mm or 28mm scales, or field the continental forces that challenged Rome with the Late Romans Enemies Pack in 18mm or 28mm, you are stepping into a gaming experience enriched by centuries of dramatic history. Visit WoFun Games to explore the complete collection, examine the detailed regiment options, and select the scale and armies that speak to your gaming vision. The eagles may have faltered and the empire may have fractured, but on your tabletop, history awaits your command. Choose your forces, deploy your armies, and discover why the twilight of Rome remains one of wargaming's most compelling periods.