Ildigisal was an exiled Lombard prince who built an army from his own Lombard followers supported by Slavs and bolstered by allied Gepid troops.

Ildigisal’s main nemesis was Audoin, leader of the Lombards, who had taken the Lombard Kingdom from him by force. Upon the commencement of hostilities between the Lombards and the Gepids, Ildigisal joined forces with the Gepids in the hope that they would restore his throne. However he was forced to abandon Gepid territory and with his army attempted to join with Totila the Goth.

On the march he encountered a Roman force under Lazarus at Venitia, defeated them and returned to Slavic lands. He then saw service in Byzantium under Justinian who appointed him commander of a company of palace guards, the ‘scholae’ but with Goar, the Goth, he absconded from the service of the Emperor, gathered a force, crossed Thrace and defeated a Roman force in Illyricum (by guile, not battle). He once again sought sanctuary with the Gepids but died at the hand of a Lombard assassin.

Sources: Procopius, History of the Wars

Era: Triumph of Cavalry		Ildigisal’s Lombards 548 to 552AD	CR: H: 4 L: 4			BP: 2	Init: 5
Core
Number	Type	Description	Key	FV	PROT	Weapon	Cost
1	HC	Lombard (d)	X	5[0]0	+1	Lance	11
1	HC	Lombard (d!)	X	4[0]0	+1	Lance	10
1	LC	Slav	X	2[0]0	+1	Various/Bow	8
2	LI	Lombard Archers		3[1]1	+1	Bow	6
2	LI	Slavs		4[1]2	+1	Javelins	7
2	SI	Slavs		2[1]1	+2	Bows	2
Bonus:
1	HC	Lombards (d)	X	5[0]0	+1	Lance	11
2	HC	Lombards (d!)	X	4[0]0	+1	Lance	10
1	HC	Slavs (d!)	X	4[0]0	+1	Various	10
1	LC	Slavs	X	2[0]0	+1	Various/Bows	8
1	LC	Slavs	X	2[0]0	+1	Javelins	7
1	LC	Bulgars	X	2[0]0	+1	Javelins/Bows	8
4	LI	Slavs		4[1]2	+1	Javelins	7
1	SI	Slavs		2[1]1	+2	Bows	2
2	SI	Slavs		3[1]2	+2	Javelins	2
O
O		Gepid Allies*
1	HC	Nobles (d)	X	5[1]0	+2	Lances	12
1	HC	Retainers (d)	X	4[1]0	+1	Lances	10
4	FT	Warriors	X	5[1]1	+1	Spears	6
2	SI			2[1]1	+2	Bows	2
2	SI			3[1]2	+2	Javelins	2

Terrain:

Core: 1RG

Bonus: (Max: 2 ) 2GR, 1SH, 1RG

Notes:

Core: 97 Bonus: 152

All FV 5 HC are obligatory chargers.

*If any Gepids are bought all must be bought. Light troops from the Gepid package only count against the requirement for purchasing all light troops in order to acquire an extra light division if troops from that package are purchased.

List Author: O\'Cahan