*
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 11:16:58 AM

Login with username, password and session length

Donate

We Appreciate Your Support

Recent

Author Topic: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?  (Read 3785 times)

Offline Atheling

  • Elder God
  • Posts: 11905
    • Just Add Water Wargaming Blog
I'm thinking Crusader as they have the look of tallying with the "Franks" of the Crusades and would also not look out of step date wise with the Perry Seljuk range.

Opinions?

Thanks :)

Offline armchairgeneral

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Mastermind
  • *
  • Posts: 1731
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2019, 03:32:05 PM »
Although normally a big fan of Crusader Miniatures, I found their Byzantine foot disappointing and oddly smaller than their other Dark Age ranges.

When I then got some of the GB figures they were a clear winner for me. So much more character.

Since then I notice Drabant Miniatures and V&V Miniatures have very nice growing Byzantine ranges although higher postage being outside the UK.

Offline Atheling

  • Elder God
  • Posts: 11905
    • Just Add Water Wargaming Blog
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2019, 04:54:48 PM »
Although normally a big fan of Crusader Miniatures, I found their Byzantine foot disappointing and oddly smaller than their other Dark Age ranges.

I quite like the Crusader Miniatures range. By the time you have got Manzikert (1071) and the destruction of Byzantine's arguably finest field army under your belt, forward to Dyrrachium (1081) which is my long term goal, you could easily mix the padded and scale armours in the Crusader range in the same unit. The days of the Themata per say are a thing of the past.

When I then got some of the GB figures they were a clear winner for me. So much more character.

You make a good point. I hadn't realised they there was a choice of oval or teardrop shields. That makes all the difference  8)

Since then I notice Drabant Miniatures and V&V Miniatures have very nice growing Byzantine ranges although higher postage being outside the UK.

Both ranges are small, especially Drabant which I like a lot. Andy gave me some Saxons a few years ago and once they are painted up they fit very well with my Gripping Beast and Saxon miniatures Saxons despite being a little larger. As far as V&V go, I'm just not a fan of historical resin miniatures I'm afraid. Too flimsy.

Offline armchairgeneral

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Mastermind
  • *
  • Posts: 1731
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2019, 09:37:40 PM »
V&V look to be nice sculps but being resin would also put me off.

I believe the Byzantines used the oval shield until quite late so even into this period?

I thought the Byzantine army at Dyrrachium was mostly mercenaries? I keep hoping someone like Bad Squiddo will eventually do a Sikelgaita model who would be essential as one of the Norman commanders for this battle.

Really like the Aventine range so far. I suppose they are too early for what you want? Hopefully the range will soon expand into the later periods?


Offline Atheling

  • Elder God
  • Posts: 11905
    • Just Add Water Wargaming Blog
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2019, 09:55:26 PM »
V&V look to be nice sculps but being resin would also put me off.

Yep, one false move and snap!

I believe the Byzantines used the oval shield until quite late so even into this period?

Yeah, they did. The oval shield was generally earlier. Of course the change over would have varied in the different parts of what was left of the empire.

Really like the Aventine range so far. I suppose they are too early for what you want? Hopefully the range will soon expand into the later periods?

Yeah, they are beautiful models but way, way too early for Dyrrachium

Offline FierceKitty

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1718
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2019, 02:03:24 AM »
I use Magister Militum myself.
The laws of probability do not apply to my dice in wargames or to my finesses in bridge.

Offline Klingula

  • Assistant
  • Posts: 37
    • Klingula und 7 gnomov
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2019, 06:37:57 AM »
Just recently we had a battle between the Byzantines and the Sultanate of Rum. The army of the Byzantines is mainly Crusader and GB.



Two reports from the game to see the figures in on the table:
https://klingula.blogspot.com/2019/10/blog-post_25.html
https://electricalkandeyka.blogspot.com/2019/10/blog-post.html

Offline armchairgeneral

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Mastermind
  • *
  • Posts: 1731
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2019, 07:54:57 AM »
Nicely painted armies. Inspiration for my Byzantines which are still a while off being completed.

Offline Atheling

  • Elder God
  • Posts: 11905
    • Just Add Water Wargaming Blog
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2019, 10:01:41 AM »
Just recently we had a battle between the Byzantines and the Sultanate of Rum. The army of the Byzantines is mainly Crusader and GB.



Two reports from the game to see the figures in on the table:
https://klingula.blogspot.com/2019/10/blog-post_25.html
https://electricalkandeyka.blogspot.com/2019/10/blog-post.html

I popped over to your blog for a better view and it is a really lovely looking game  :-* :-* :-*

If I was to be hyper critical I'd say that the i would have replaced the Gripping Beast Seljuk Turks with Perry Mini's Seljuk Heavy Cavalry , packs MA2, MA6-14 as the kontos was an anachronism by the time of Dyrrachium. Of course this is a very minor quibble- the game looks beautiful:) 

Offline Atheling

  • Elder God
  • Posts: 11905
    • Just Add Water Wargaming Blog
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2019, 11:16:37 AM »
I use Magister Militum myself.

I'm not a fan of their mini;s to be honest.

Just recently we had a battle between the Byzantines and the Sultanate of Rum. The army of the Byzantines is mainly Crusader and GB.



Two reports from the game to see the figures in on the table:
https://klingula.blogspot.com/2019/10/blog-post_25.html
https://electricalkandeyka.blogspot.com/2019/10/blog-post.html

Offline aphillathehun

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 522
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #10 on: October 26, 2019, 02:12:34 PM »
Quote from: Atheling
I popped over to your blog for a better view and it is a really lovely looking game  :-* :-* :-*

If I was to be hyper critical I'd say that the i would have replaced the Gripping Beast Seljuk Turks with Perry Mini's Seljuk Heavy Cavalry , packs MA2, MA6-14 as the kontos was an anachronism by the time of Dyrrachium. Of course this is a very minor quibble- the game looks beautiful:)

Life is too short to clean Perry metals....

Offline aphillathehun

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 522
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #11 on: October 26, 2019, 02:17:24 PM »

Have you looked at the Old Glory Byzantines?  They do different packs with different amounts of armor on guys for the foot, including peltastos with padded armor.  I'm not a fan of their cav from this range.

The Crusader mounted are glorious, but I'm not sure how well they line up with the Komnenan period cav.

I wonder whether there is a way to make late Byzantine cav starting from the Aventine Steppe Nobles?  I imagine the Byzantines should be a little more regular looking, and I don't know whether there are byzantine style heads that would go on those figs....


Offline Atheling

  • Elder God
  • Posts: 11905
    • Just Add Water Wargaming Blog
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #12 on: October 26, 2019, 05:18:31 PM »
Have you looked at the Old Glory Byzantines?  They do different packs with different amounts of armor on guys for the foot, including peltastos with padded armor.  I'm not a fan of their cav from this range.

It's not that I don't appreciate the suggestion but unfortunately I'm really not a big fan of their Byzantine range.
The Crusader mounted are glorious, but I'm not sure how well they line up with the Komnenan period cav.

The 'old' Ebob horses make all the difference. They were on license for many a year and used by Musketeer, Artizan, Crusader and Gripping Beast. Probably other too.

I wonder whether there is a way to make late Byzantine cav starting from the Aventine Steppe Nobles?  I imagine the Byzantines should be a little more regular looking, and I don't know whether there are byzantine style heads that would go on those figs....

It was the Seljuks they had as allies at Dyrrachium.

I'd like to add, that going on the majority of the soldiers from the Ospreys (which I own) the Crusader and Gripping beast ranges are looking like an excellent match.

« Last Edit: October 26, 2019, 05:31:09 PM by Atheling »

Offline Klingula

  • Assistant
  • Posts: 37
    • Klingula und 7 gnomov
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #13 on: October 26, 2019, 05:52:56 PM »
I popped over to your blog for a better view and it is a really lovely looking game  :-* :-* :-*

If I was to be hyper critical I'd say that the i would have replaced the Gripping Beast Seljuk Turks with Perry Mini's Seljuk Heavy Cavalry , packs MA2, MA6-14 as the kontos was an anachronism by the time of Dyrrachium. Of course this is a very minor quibble- the game looks beautiful:)
Thank you very much 8)
I actually used Perry figurines from all of the sets listed. But the figures from GB, holding spears with two hands, look very beautiful. I couldn't get past them  ;) lol

Offline bluewillow

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2280
  • Bluewillow- Matthew Williamson
Re: Best Range of miniatures for the Byzantine army of the Komnenian era?
« Reply #14 on: October 26, 2019, 08:53:31 PM »
Eureka miniatures have a range too, part of the 100 club, I painted around three hundred of them for a customer last year.

Should fit and exactly what you are after, options for five types of shields, four types of infantry, five types of cavalry with plenty of horse options too. Quite a complete range, only the vangarians are missing.

Painted samples here on my blog.
https://stormandconquest.blogspot.com/search/label/Byzantine










Figures here
https://www.eurekamin.com.au/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=Byzantine+&x=13&y=5

Cheers
Matt
« Last Edit: August 03, 2021, 06:37:48 PM by bluewillow »