Assyrian army

Assyrian army

Sunday 16 October 2016

1 shot wonders - the Syrian archers

Every Seleucid army army in the 70s had them - Syrian archers in large numbers. At different times they would be MI (Medium Infantry) , LMI (Light Medium Infantry), LI (Light Infantry) or Hordes.

So naturally I had a load. Since then I seem to have acquired a few more here and there...

So starting to put them together - relatively smallish units of LI, LMI and Hordes , but still got more to base.


These are my own 70s 'originals'. I picked them up quite late - my first levies were a load of long-gone 'S' Range Medes. As such they are not the first production models  - see the more delicate bows and dagger on the belt. Not sure, but don't remember if I've every repainted them, think this is the original scheme.
 

The ones I've picked up  since seem to be mostly the first production figures - thicker, cruder bows. I've so far mounted six bases each of LI and LMI. They represent figures bought from two different sources - some have darker brown bows and more decorated bowcases, but they mix well together.
 
 
 

At the moment I'm not sure which set to build up with my remaining figures - I could make the LMI contingent up to 48 strong, that would probably be the best option, but both LI and MI are 'good' options as well.

4 comments:

  1. Love these! They call Tony Bath's figures to mind but, being fully round, yours are even better in my opinion.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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    Replies
    1. They have given me many hours of pleasure (amusement?).

      A battle:

      OK, post midnight. Back when, every now and then would be more than one of us in a room with armies and time... this time, my opponent chose to use my Seleucids and decided on a double envelopment - so put a line of these Syrians in LI guise in the centre backed by Ellies. Phalanx and cavalry on each flank. looked horrified when I set up with all of my Achaemenids facing his left flank... so he decided to quickly send his right flank forces across to join his left flank in the hope of stopping my relemntless forward march...

      Only I expected him to do that and sent my cavalry rushing across his front in single file with the units of horse archers at the back firing at his ellies...

      Ellies went, took Syrians with them, 2nd move saw a sandwich of his his units marching across the front interspersed with my light cavalry...

      The battle didn't make 3 moves.

      Enjoyed that game. (Sorry Hugh).

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    2. Excellent! I remember my Late Romans taking on some Seleucids, wrg 5th c1980, (ah those were the days,) He had deployed with cataphracts on his left. I surprised him by deploying my cavalry reserve to face his weak left. He decided to counter by shifting his cataphracts but chose to go in between the opposing lines. On turn 2 my legionaries charged their flank, routing them through his phalanx. Game over.

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    3. Fun when that happens, isn't it?

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