An Achaemenid Army Awfully Arrayed

 As a last task before setting off for the UK, I brought out all the Achaemenid troops to check how many needed repairs or rebasing, and to see where there were gaps in the array that might be good to fill over the next year or so.  Any necessary figures can then be bought in the UK.

The picture at the head of the article shows all the Persian troops (less one group of Kardakes that I only found after I had put the rest away again) plus some allies from Lykia.  There are some other troops painted up that can be used as Persian subjects - Kappadokians and Arameans being the main ones done so far - but the available table top was getting too crowded for these.  The picture below gives a general key to the different types of troops now available.

1 = Light Cavalry; 2 = Armoured Cavalry; 3 = Scythed Chariots; 4 = Satrapal Cavalry

5 = Royal Guard ; 6 = Lykian Spearmen; 7 = Eastern Spearmen, Javelins & Archers

8 = Archers, Slingers and Javelins; 9 = Armoured archers and spearmen;

10 = Kardakes; 11 = Takabara; 12 = Unarmoured spearmen/archers; 13 = Sparabara.

All the cavalry figures are in good condition but the basing needs work.  Two of the light units have already been put onto the new standard 60mm wide base for cavalry but all the rest need to be put through this change.  The satrapal cavalry will be done first as they - along with much of the light infantry - are still on very old card bases that I made before discovering MDF and these have been warping in Hong Kong's high humidity.  The main infantry units are good as far as basing goes, but a lot have suffered damage to spears over time.  Some replacement work and general touching up is needed.  The light infantry need most work.  This is not just a matter of rebasing but these were the very first Persian troops that I painted and the general quality of finish is way below the rest of the army.

As far as additions go, I think there is a need for more eastern style troops, particularly Bactrian cavalry, to serve Darius in campaigning against Alexander.  There are plenty of infantry for this later period, but not enough Sparabara for the earlier period of wars against the Greeks - and civil wars - in the 5th Century BC.  The only group of these that I have at the moment are Zvezda figures, which have too high a proportion of shield bearing spearmen to archers.  I may completely rebase these, using the spara carrying spearmen for the front ranks of three groups, and buy additional armoured archers to make up the rear ranks.

Darius leads from the front.  His scythed chariot is a Newline model.  The three behind are all from Zvezda

Horse Archers and other light cavalry, all by HäT except for the command group in front which is made up from two Zvezda figures.

Medium Cavalry, again all HäT with a Zvezda command base

Noble armoured cavalry.  These are a mix of HäT, Zvezda and Newline figures.

The Royal Guard or 'Apple Bearers'.  The command group is again by Zvezda but the mass of figures are from Newline.

Lykian spearmen, all from Newline with shield decals by Little Big Men Studios

Eastern levy spearmen, with archers and javelin men in the background.  Apart from one group of HäT archers, all the others are Newline figures.

Archers and Saka light infantry, badly needing a rebase and improved painting.

Two Hazarabam (units of 1,000) of Kardakes.  Both are of HäT figures.

A third batch of Kardakes, not shown in the top photograph.  These are again HäT models

Some more archers, with Takabara - lighter infantry with spears and javelins, bows and axes - behind.  All HäT except for a couple of Newline command figures with the Takabara.

An hazarabam of Sparabara, all Zvezda figures.  These will be divided up to make several units that better depict the early Achaemenid formation of a wall of the large rectangular spara shield carrying spearmen defending a mass of archers.