Persia- Last of the Achaemenids

 

This is my Achaemenid Persian Army. That of Darius, King of Kings, King of Aryans and Non Aryans etc and so forth.  Darius wasn't a bad General and the Army was a good one. Alexander though, was something else altogether. Not to mention the first rate army he inherited from Phillip.

We might note Mithridates of Pontus claimed Achaemenid and Seleucid descent. It was still politically useful in his day and in his case true enough.

Lots of Greeks didn't fancy Macedonian rule at all. For some fighting for the Great King was lucrative and principled. The golden combination. I'm right and I'm getting rich. Once again the basing follows Civitates Bellantes, saving skirmish cavalry on single bases. Essex ones above.

Here are the Hoplites arrayed.  

The best ones are from Forged in Battle. 

Gladiator are nice but the spears are too short. 

The Essex ones are lovely, but spears need gluing, and don't have the right shields. Luckily Geoff at QRF sent me shields to enable  replacement surgery. Fiddly, but a good result. I'll refrain from further knowing one's arse from one's aspis jokes. 

With Forged in Battle you just need to paint them. Lancashire Games below. Not a bad Darius at all.  Nice light infantry too. They can also appear for some Diadochi Armies.

The Persians had one of those martial shifts that surprise. They abandoned mass archery. These are Old Glory Cardaces carrying both spear and bow. 

The shield is a bit odd, nearly an aspis but with an under developed boss. I'm going to treat them as Light Spearmen under Civitates Bellantes.  Although they have a bow case no arrows are visible. They should be quite capable and have high morale comprised as they were of the youth of the Persian nobility.

Old Glory Scythian nobles below. I should manage another base worth of these.

A few shooters remained either able to close fight or accompanied by close fighters. A debate rumbles on about who was who and did what, how. I'm not up to date with it.

Above, QRF Asiatic Archers. These ones are good for Pontic Armies too.

Above Old Glory Persian Archers and Darius in chariot from Lancashire Games. Body guards from Xyston, I have another six to paint. 

Old Glory Persian heavy cavalry above. Essex Kinsmen Body Guard cavalry next.  Bill Lamming sold me these at a discount from his shop. He was about to retire. How time flies by. These were painted decades ago when I still did the eyes.

The obvious thing to do with all these fellows is to get the Hoplites to hold  the Macedonian Phalanx and swarm the flanks. History tells us that was easier said than done. Fun to try all the same.

A Hellenistic Miscellany

 

Regular Readers might remember that I reviewed Simon McDowall's Civitates Bellantes rules for the Classical Period here.  Those of a certain age might also recall an influential magazine article on matters Macedonian. 

It said that if you owned 48 phalangite figures you could do any Macedonian or Successor Army. The trick was to add smaller units as required. Some of the smaller units (Cretans) would do for any army. Others (Indians) might give unique flavour. Dizzy days of Diadochi diversion indeed. 

Very sound as a concept. It works too. Except I never managed to get past sporadic bouts of purchasing and painting. Until now. I have the figures, I have the rules. Time to begin.

I decided to take the Civitates Bellantes basing suggestions to heart. Therefore, my pikemen would be 8 to a base in two ranks. I like the look of this. 

By way of comparison Roman legions are 6 to a base. Thureophoroi or formed archers 5 to a base. True skirmishers 2 to a base. Roman Velites 3 to a base.

This project will cover a fair spread of geography and history. Persia to Cisalpine Gaul and Spain too. Eventually it will include the Punic Wars and Mithridates.

 Here are some pic’s of a range of manufacturers phalanx offerings. All 15mm as usual.

Old Glory

These are their Macedonian Phalangites. I find the shields a bit big. If I was buying from them now I’d go for the Argyraspides pike men. All the same these are OK. You do need to drill the hands but the figures can take it. No breakages. Added Steel pike.

Frei Korp 15

Currently in the Wars in terms of availability. That said I think Geoff will sort it out and we can hope for a triumphant return. These are the original Macedonian Pike men. A mixture of helmets and slight pose variation. Open hands permit gluing a plastic brush bristle pike in place. I like these figures, lots of detail. True 15mm.There is a Seleucid pike pack too with trousers. You will also see newer figures with cast on pike. I don't have any.

Ancient and Modern

Ever Donnington to me. These are very good. Open hands permit gluing a steel pike in place. Bare metal to bare metal will prevent losing pikes. Detail is good as is figure variation. I think 5 variants are available. The same for the trousered Seleucids.

Is that it? No, lots more to come in terms of units and then on to specific Armies. 

Macedonian and Persian Light Troops

 

I’ve decided to press on with Ancients Project.  Today we see various light infantry to suit Macedonian, Persian or Successor armies.  Some of them could do service with the Romans too.  I’ve discovered I have loads of everything but not enough of anything.  Anyhow, let’s take a look.

 

Cretan archers from Minifigs, a combination of three codes.

Cretan archers from Xyston, sold as Macedonians I think.  The Kausa cap is a clue, still popular in Afghanistan because of Alexander's Army.  Would campaigning Cretans wear Macedonian caps? I think so.  Otherwise consider them Macedonians.

 

Greek Slingers from Minifigs, another combination of codes. 

Greek Slingers, a very pleasing Gladiator and Lancashire mix. Josef Ochman sculpts for both?

 

Cappodocian archers from QRF. 

These could serve with Darius or Antigonus or Mithridates, others too. Eumenes Diadochi? I do. Handy fellows. 

The pic' at the top of the page is everyone's favourite - the comparison shot.  Here it is again with notes. From your left looking right Minifigs, Minifigs, Xyston, QRF, Lancashire/Gladiator.  Side view same order.

Next it will be Peltasts, Agrainians and Tarkabara/Cardaces.  After that more Macedonians in the form of Yxstophoroi and Hypaspists.  Not to mention 50 more unpainted Phalangites recently discovered.  When I get to them I don't know.

I find painting works best when I’m motivated to paint something specific.  At the moment it is this period.  I have got a fair few done.  All to the good as other periods are jostling there way to the top of the painting queue.

Later Achaemenid Persian Cavalry

Here are my Late Achaemenid troops bought over the years from various outfits. My latest from Xyston above, I must get another 4 to complete the unit.

 Old Glory Persian cavalry above and both next below.

Not bad figures.

  Some Essex next.  I used to paint the eyes.

These ones came from Bill Lamming’s shop closing down sale.  If I recall right I also got some Battle Honours French Revolution figures.  That certainly dates things.  Another Essex unit.

I have some Scythians too from Old Glory, currently AWOL.   Once located they can join Darius.

The Cappodocian contingent from Old Glory.  I intend to add some Forged in Battle Cappodocian light cavalry to this bunch. They will then do nicely as Pontic cavalry of Mithridates.

I have far too may armoured units but I shall have to live with it.  Amongst the unpainted there are probably enough for another two units of ordinary troopers.  Between them and the missing Scythians that should do the trick.

 

Towards a Later Achaemenid Persian Army- Part 1

 

There comes a time in a man’s life when he looks to his Achaemenids. I was disappointed when I saw mine.  A mixture of old and newish, finished and unfinished.  It was a semi derelict project in desperate need of renovation.  Something had to be done, so I did it.

Where better to start than the essential Greek Hoplites.  The newest and the best of mine are from Forged in Battle. 

They came my way via a splendid ebay bargain.  They are a joy to paint.

Next, a mixture. Some Essex Hoplites with added QRF aspis shields.  The Essex ones come with a cast on non hoplon shield, no rim. So I cut off the originals. The clue’s in the name lads.

Gladiator Hoplites above and below as well.  Nice figures and correct shields.  The spear is way too short though. 

Back in the day the Gladiator Hoplites were,in my opinion, the best of what was available.  There is a Minfig officer in the next pic'.

There are enough of the above to provide a heavy infantry core for a Later Achaemenid Persian Army for use with Simon MacDowell's Civitates Bellantes (A sort of Classical Comitatus) or Piquet’s Pulse of Battle.

Of course, we would betray the spirit of the thing if we missed out on the four horsed scythed chariots. First QRF’s version, a good one I think.

 

I’ve had to use bigger bases to prevent the scythes getting knocked off. Of course my scythed chariots will also see service with Mithridates Scourge of the Romans.

 

Above and below one from Essex.  

Pleasantly, I found that most of my Persian cavalry were done and based needing only a tuft or two to cheer them up.  That may seem an odd thing to write.  Dear Reader, this project began 30 years ago.  We will see them all shortly.  

In other news I've finally learned to use my pin vise drill without snapping the bit.  As a result some very nice Xyston Satrapal cavalry are having their moment on the painting table.