There comes a time when the past is revisited. Quite a few years ago I took on the task of building a, for lack of better words, “thing” made from cardboard and masking tape. The purpose for building such a “thing” was to get into it and race it against another “thing” down a training hill at a ski mountain. There were many other contestants all of which were there to win the trophy. Needless to say my first and only run down the hill went well but alas I did not win the prize.

Skip ahead quite a few years, I married have children and work for a game company producing something I never thought I would, historical war card games. Like most business, we have a lot of cardboard from the delivery of materials. A cardboard builders dream so to speak. You can now see where this might be heading, so on to the rest of the story. It was a bright and sunny morning and my wife informed me that we would be attending a 4th of July Festival, with parade and fireworks. Also as part of the parade there would be a bike decorating contest/mini parade for the kids. We did our research and asked plenty of people about the use of a battery power vehicle for the kids instead of having them ride their bicycles. No one could find any reason not to use it and some even said there would be others using them as well.

The building begins…With only two days time before the festival the idea hits me. “Build a tank and they will win it,” the voice says. So I think, cardboard, duct-tape, hot glue, paint. Perfect, I have plenty of cardboard awaiting recycling , grab some duct-tape and some hot glue and start. The exact design of the tank was a mystery but it soon took shape with a little tape here and a little reference there. What you see in the pictures is what came out of that bright and sunny morning. I think it shall be classified as the “M15ABradShermathing.” That “thing” won the kids 1st place in the bike parade as well as a ride on a 1951 fire engine in the big parade.

Brian Siebe, Production Engineer, Lost Battalion Inc

M15ABradShermathing Side View	M15ABradShermathing With Crew of 2

Aurelian was a man of low origins. His family was the Roman equivalent of share croppers. No doubt, he joined the army to escape the eternal drudgery of that life. He proved his mettle as a soldier in numerous campaigns and showed a special affinity for the cavalry.

By the time Gallienus came to power, Aurelian had developed such a powerful reputation that Gallienus named him dux equitum (Master of Cavalry). Most sources indicate that it was Aurelian’s cavalry that broke the back of the Goths at the Battle of Naissus.

But before we place him on too high a pedestal, it must be noted that at least one somewhat questionable source places him at the center of the conspiracy to murder his friend and benefactor Gallienus. This source, the infamous Historia Augusta, probably pinned the blame on Aurelian in order to keep the blood off the hands of one of the author’s favorites, Claudius II. Evidence of Aurelian’s relative innocence can be seen in that he supported Claudius as the new Emperor and served under him faithfully for two years before Claudius died an unexpected and untimely death.

Upon Claudius II death, Quintillus was proclaimed Emperor with the support of the Senate, a body that both Gallienus and Claudius II saw as an increasing danger to the Roman state. The army did not support this decision and proclaimed Aurelian, their most trusted commander as the ‘legitimate” ruler. Aurelian accepted this proclamation and led the troops against a rag-tag force fielded by Quintillus. He easily crushed the usurper and marched on to Rome where the Senate now had no choice but to confirm the will of the soldiers.

Aurelian immediately went to work restoring the Empire. Marching first to northern Italy, he expelled the invading Vandals and Sarmatians from Roman lands. The next year he was challenged by an invasion of the Allamanni which he defeat despite some initial setbacks.

With the West stabilized (with the exception of so-called Gallic Empire) he turned his attention to the East. Marching into the Balkans, he surprised the Gothic armies massing there, routed them and killed their troublesome King Cannabaudes.

Continuing eastward he led his veteran army into the breakaway Kingdom of Palmyra. Here, Queen Zenobia, one of history’s most famous warriors, had murdered her husband to insure the “kingship’ for her son and then proceeded to conqueror a number of Eastern Roman provinces including Egypt, the bread basket of the Empire. In a campaign lasting less than six months he forced the surrender of the warrior queen, capturing her when she attempt to flee to the Sassanids.

Now, our “Soldier’s Emperor” who used the motto, CONCORDIA MILITVM, (translations: “harmony between the soldiers") on much of his coinage, was finally able to turn his attention to the Gallic Empire. Claudius II had already taken steps to reduce the power of the usurpers in Gaul and the nominal leader of the faction had moved his throne to Britain. Ironically for a man so famous for his military prowess, Aurelian put an end to the Gallic Empire largely through diplomacy. He appears to have made a deal with Tetricus, the Gallic “Emperor” by which Tetricus abandoned his throne in Britain and returned to Gaul. However the rebellious Gallic legions could not be so easily turned, and furthermore could not be trusted to submit to Aurelian. So Tetricus led his troops against Aurelian but on the day of battle deserted to Aurelian’s camp allowing his now demoralized army to be easily defeated by the battle harden and extremely loyal legions of Aurelian.

Roman Coin with a depiction of Aurelian

One great irony in the life of Aurelian was the manner of his death. While leading a campaign to punish Shapur I, the Persian who had humiliated the Emperor Valens, a jealous aide (in the pay of certain Senators) forged a document indicating that Aurelian intended to purge some of his Praetorian Guards. Believing this forgery, in part because Aurelian had a reputation for severely punishing corrupt official and soldiers, the guards murdered him.

In Tyrants of Rome, Aurelian is rightfully the strongest rated military commander in the game. He is capable of using the games strongest Western legions and a welcome addition to the hand of any player lucky enough to control him.

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