Design notes: Soissons 486AD
Franks v Gallo-Romans
The only source for this is Gregory of Tour's "Historia Francorum". He lived 538-594AD.
The Frankish army was comprised of two main groups. Clovis I commanded the army, and was leader of the larger Salian Frank contingent. Ragnachar was leader of the smaller group of Cambrian Franks.
I have distinguished between these two groups of Franks by giving the Salian Franks some skirmishers and Clovis I himself is represented by a mounted cavalry unit. Ragnarchar's Cambrians are all represented by foot soldiers.
Syagrius was the leader of the Gallo-Roman army, which was most likely of a similar size to that of the Franks. It consisted of Gallo-Roman infantry and cavalry, but also had recruited significant groups of Germanic and Alan mercenaries.
Army points for this scenario – Franks 1524, Gallo-Romans 1435.
Design notes: Tolbiac 496AD
Franks v Alemanni
Again, the only source for this is Gregory of Tour's "Historia Francorum".
There is very little definite information about this battle and some historians actually suggest 506AD as an alternative date, while others think that there were actually two separate battles of Tolbiac. We do know the Frankish invasion of the Alamanni domains was undertaken by two Frankish groups, the Salians led by Clovis I and the Ripuarians commanded by Sigebert the Lame. There had been a number of border incidents between the Alemanni and the Ripuarian Franks prior to this joint invasion.
The name of the Alemanni commander is not known. For the purposes of this scenario he is called Gibuld, who was the last known king of the Alemanni. It is thought that his successor, whoever that was, led the Alemanni army at Tolbiac.
There is a very important legend connected to this battle. Gregory of Tours records in his "Historia Francorum" that Clovis I, being hard-pressed by the Alemanni, called out to God for help. When his enemies fled the field he subsequently converted to Christianity in a ceremony at Reims at Christmas 496.
To reflect this legend I have represented this battle as an evenly matched encounter where the Alamanni were able to ambush the Franks at the start of the battle. I have also made it a "Kill the King" scenario to increase the likelihood of a leader death ending the battle very quickly.
Army points for this scenario – Franks 1384 Allemani 1308.
Design notes: Vouille 507AD
Franks v Visigoths
The sources for this battle are Gregory of Tours "Historia Francorum" again; Jordanes "The Getica" and Isidore of Seville "Historia de regibus Gothorum, Vandalorum et Suevorum."
Clovis I attacked the territories of the Visigoths, whose king was Alaric II. The Franks were now Catholics while the Visigoths remained Arian. Clovis and the Salian Franks were assisted by Chloderic, king of the Ripuarian Franks, and possibly by the Burgundians and Armoricans as well. I have chosen to represent all four contingents in this scenario.
Alaric's army combined Visigoths and "post-Roman" Auvergnat and Clermont soldiers, the last group being commanded by Apollinaris of Clermont. Gregory of Tours can be interpreted to give the Visigoths a larger number of archers (represented here by light foot skirmishers), while Jordanes suggests that Alaric's army had been weakened in the years leading up to the invasion by the movement of some noble Visigothic families to Spain. It is for this reason that the Visigothic army has fewer leader figures than the Frankish army.
Army points for this scenario – Franks 1537, Visigoths 1468 (amended for v3).
Any comments/suggestions are most welcome.
