15mm Illyrian Noble Cavalry? A question.

[Richard in Sachsen]

Hello all,

I am trying to find some 15mm Illyrian nobles (Late Republican/Marion period) and I'm turning up nothing so far. My Illyrian infantry and Light Cavalry are OG15s but I'd prefer to use a different line of figures that would blend in with them well size-wise. Magister Militum may be too thin, as well as Essex, but perhaps not necessarily so - I'm not sure.

If I need to use proxies. Some of the figs I was considering were FiB Thracian Heavy Cavalry or Xyston Southern Thracian Heavy Cavalry. What about Xyston Cappadocian Nobles?

I'm not sure if Thracian heavy cavalry, or even Cappadocian, would work for Illyrian Nobles, so I thought I'd throw up a post and ask for suggestions.

Thanks all in advance for your assistance and ideas

[delbruck]

I don't see any Illyrian cavalry in the Baueda Roman range. I think the Illyrians were under heavy Celtic influence, so you might consider Gallic cavalry. Otherwise, I might consider using Thracian, Italian, Greek, or even Iberian cavalry.

The Xyston Thracian are really nice, but I am not sure of size differences - since some of their figures got really big for a period of time. I believe the Cappadcians are quite large; Thracian, Greek, and Romans smaller. Not sure a out Gauls and Italiotes.

[julesav]

For the era you're considering I think the Illyrians were pretty well Hellenised, so I'd use Greek cavalry options

[Richard in Sachsen]

Thanks guys, for the advice.

I didn't realise the Illyrians had a heavy Celtic influence, that's interesting to know. Looking at my generals again, they do seem to be fitted out in quasi-Greek gear and armour.

Greek heavy cavalry is then probably the best way to go. Interestingly not Thracian. The Field of Glory army list, which I use to build my 15mm armies, doesn't mention Illyrian nobles but L’Art de la Guerre does. Thus my question as no one seems to make Illyrian nobles, per se.

Thanks, I'll start looking at Successor heavy cavalry units. I guess the question now would be: Agema or Companions?

[delbruck]

One further comment, since you mentioned the nobles are for ADLG. In these lists there are no native Illyrian light horse, so I assume their Noble MC is their reclassification of other lists LC. You might also consider using Tarentine cavalry for nobles, since most cavalry were probably shielded by the 1st century BC.

In addition, you could probably use Roman, Greek, and/or Hellenistic officer packs for the army commanders. Any spare figures could be mixed in with the noble cavalry (or vice versa).