Rheged Beware... The Irish Raiders Are Here!

 Throughout this past winter, I have embarrassingly succumbed to the temptation of a host of skirmish rules sets, to some degree or other, but, in spite of these enticements, I have managed to press on throughout with my Irish Raider Warband for Dux Britanniarum. The final brush strokes were applied last week and all that remains now is the basing. Rather than present the warband in its entirety, I thought I would split it into two parts; firstly, the command and, secondly, the warriors who follow their lords into battle.

The command structure in the Irish Warband is a tad unusual compared to the British and Saxons. The Nobles are made up of a Status III Lord, with his champion of course, a Status II Noble and a Status I Noble, who commands the two groups of skirmishers in the warband.

The Lord of my warband is Donnabhan. He is 36 years old, with an average build. He has a reputation for being cruel and has a Lust for Power. Donnabhan is of the men across the water, an aristocrat born in the lands of the Britons. In wealth, he has a thief’s horde. 

My Status II Noble is Senach. He is 31 years old and also has an average build. He is an honourable man, a son of the sons of Mil Espaine, born from the line of Noah.

My Status I Noble, who commands the warband’s skirmishers, is Rechtabra. He is 21 years old and, yet again, of average build. He has a reputation as a good man and the constitution of an ox. He is a King’s Son and has joined Donnabhan’s warband to gain experience in the ways of the raid.

Finally in the command group is Donnabhan’s fearless Champion, Oengus and, although a champion is not technically a member of the nobility, I like to roll for a couple of their characteristics, just to give them a bit of a personality. He is 22 years old, tall and strong. Armed with sword and blackthorn shillelagh and carrying a shield of the Brethren of Donnabhan, he is clearly a man not to be taken lightly by the champions of the Lords of Rheged. 

So, that is the first part of my Irish Raider Warband. Basing Donnabhan’s warriors continues a pace and they should be ready to make their first public appearance in the very near future.