My project for the last six months (a WILD guess on time) is nearing completion. As usual with any project, I set up and take photo's as I can't wait the final few days for the last couple of bases.
My love of the ancient world surges forth from time to time while usually just bubbling along beneath. I teach Persepolis at work, have read Herodotus over many years and recently gobbled up Lloyd Llwellyn-Jones book on the Great Kings. All this made me enthusiastic to paint Achaemenid Persians. In wargaming terms, these are an interesting choice as they're a bow army in a period with few all shooting forces. I also had many bases in my Diadochoi armies that would slot in - saving some painting. A friend of mine, Ian, is has committed to painting hoplites too adding a historical opponent.
Above is one cavalry wing. I have 8 bases of heavy cavalry and 4 of medium cavalry. If I put all on, I can make up a decent Late Achaemenid list too. I painted various coloured Persian 'bonnets' to mark some as elite, ordinary and mediocre if needed.
Next are my immortals. I think I will change the basing to get 8 per 40x40 mm base. This will reduce to only 3 units but they are expensive in terms of ADLG points and, as elites, shouldn't be too numerous - despite Herodotus' idea of 10, 000.
Next the colourful Sparabara. These have spear in front rank and bow in the second. I decided to paint in different colours to mark units from among the 23 (or more) subject peoples of the empire - as listed on the Behinstun Monument. Reliefs carvings about Persepolis also emphasise the cultural differences which could be represented by bright colour changes. Not a true uniform but I tried to use a simple colour scheme with some variation to represent different groups within an army.
Next the Bactrian elite LC. These are xyston while most of the army is Forged in Battle. This creates some size differences but this is unavoidable due to not needing the larger number of miniatures that come in the Forged in Battle boxes for all units. One xyston pack here was enough.
A already had scythed chariots for my Mithridatic army so ...
Behind the chariots are some assorted units ... two of mercenary Greek peltasts and two of assorted Persian bowmen. Just some cheap units to flesh out the line. I intend to pick lots of miniatures - especially in my Later Achaemenid force - and just see what happens. (I'll lose, I imagine.)
The other cavalry wing. More of the same but I failed to mention my 4 bases of javelin LC. These represent arachosians or paphlagonians or something similar. Plenty of such troops for the Persian king or satraps to draw from.
Behind the front sparabara line - all used in an Early Achaemenid force - stand my heavy options. I recently painted the Apple-Bearers on the end of the line but the 4 units of hoplites come from my Macedonian army. May need 4 more one day if I ever put both forces on the table.
And lo! The Great King, the King of Kings, the King of Anshan, the ... I had great fun painting this miniature chariot. Lots of bright colours. I was well into the painting before I remembered the Alexander mosaic from the House of the Faun in Pompeii. Could have used that colour scheme. Oh well, I imagine if little Tutankhamun can have 4 or more chariots the Great King can have as many different ones as he pleases.
In the background - no, not the house - are one of two lines of light foot - 4 bowmen and 4 javelinmen. These give further options for skulduggery from the scrub or screening the scythed chariots.
Oh, I forgot to put an elephant in the photo's too - I've got two that will do - but only need one.
The view I'll get most games. Funny, you rarely see the front of your army ... and this is frequently the best modelling, painted and decal-ridden part. The above looks suitably colourful but will never be on the field together as those troops were not found in the same period armies.
One eastern satrap urging on the cavalry.
Back to those heavy cavalry. I really hope their numbers and mobility will win many fights on the wings.
Hand painted Apple-Bearer shields. I found I could do an eagle - despite not being particularly prominent in Persian art. The more common lions or fantastic creatures were beyond my ability with the brush. Although, Ahrua-Mazada does have splendid eagle wings while hovering above the king.
Ah, King of Kings ... no more running away like Issus please.
Again, my hand painted shields - this time on my Immortals. I did like this design - taken from a border in a Persian palace.
This Immortal shield design was inspired by the 'evil eye' charms so prevalent in the Middle-East.
I purchased some turquoise paint (or emerald I think is on the bottle) just because it looked nice. I finally found a use for it. To my mind this suits Persia as their massive empire had access to many different colours from the purples of Tyre to the blue stones in Afghanistan. Again, I have no direct archaeological reference but its within plausibility (and it looks good.)
And there we go ... only 2 bases of kardakes (or Later Achaemenid medium swordsmen infantry) and my single base of satrapal cavalry elite guards - to be complete. These are being painted now.
Combined, this gives me a hugely varied army that should be fun to play. Will they be effective? Well, the Madaxeman just got quite a few wins with the Early Achaemenid ... but he can actually play ADLG. Not sure I'll do the same - but my army will look GREAT even when I lose!
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