28mm late Achaemenid Persians

[Koroni2001]

Hi everyone,
Just finishing off my late Achaemenid Persian army which is foundry (saleh sculpts) and crusader miniatures. I’d like to add some variety to this -especially cavalry and would like opinions on ranges that may fit in with these two.
Eg new line designs, vendel, first corps, Essex miniatures - how do they fit in terms of size? Any photos would be appreciated.
Yes I also know Victrix are out there but they may be too large?
Thanks in advance
Peter

[Kugelfang]

I'm not generally a stickler for size differences but I am finding my old Vendel Greeks to be quite the hefty figures.

[SJWi]

Koroni, I don't have any photos of Vendel of 1st Corps Persians to show you but can agree with Kugelfang that from memory Vendel were quite chunky models. I do have some 1st Corps Imperial Romans and checking them against my Steve Saleh Foundry Persians I would say they are quite a bit smaller . More like the "old" Greek/Persian range still sold by Foundry. I think these 1st Corps ranges date back to the early 1990s when the figures size was still morphing from 25 to 28mm.

   

[SteveBurt]

The Vendel figures are big. I have Old Glory and Newline late Achemenids and they scale well with each other and Foundry, Essex and the like

[Emperorbaz]

I’d recommend essex for the excellent scythed chariots but for the cavalry the best fit is foundry’s other brand, casting room Minis. Some great heavy cavalry

[Koroni2001]

Thanks everyone for your comments.
I’ve used casting room miniatures for the cavalry ( really nice figures) and foundry saleh figures for the infantry. I’ve also used crusader miniatures infantry too.
From the comments provided, I won’t pursue vendel or the old foundry.
Any other ranges that may be compatible with what I have?
I’m only looking to have some variety..
And nice to hear from you Barry!!

[Emperorbaz]

My casting room cavalry

[Emperorbaz]

Hi Peter
The Victrix plastic infantry will fit in well with these.
Regards
Barry

[Mithridates1]

Peter

Not sure if you have seen Jeff Jonas' web site but would highly recommend it, excellent articles and very useful size comparisons.   In particular he covers options for Darius' chariot.

https://ancientbattles.com/

I do like the Casting Room range and would also suggest Victrix for their mercenary hoplites.   Not sure if you have seen Footsore Miniatures Mortal Gods range.   At the moment they are offering a 3 for 2 blister deal, amongst their Persian offerings are some useful figures, mainly for the earlier Achaemenids but including Egyptian marines for the later period.

You could also look at Tin Soldier.   Slightly short in the legs but paint up well.   I like the Essex armoured cavalry - armoured horses and riders are quite large.  The range does vary so the General is smaller by comparison.   Their early Saka armoured cavalry is also a good option for the armoured horse.

Our little group is having a Mortem et Gloriam game in a few weeks, pitting later Achaemenids against contemporary Indians so am behind the 8 ball getting things ready.......... 

I hope Victrix does bring out 'extra' heavy cavalry - have ordered some of their heavy cavalry and, if starting out now, would be using their infantry as well but have too many unpainted metals to justify this!   Be great if they manage a Darius and his 4 horse chariot.   

Best of luck with your endeavours

Garry

[AdamPHayes]

The Casting Room cavalry I have is quite slab-like, I think it will mix with Vendel cavalry quite well.

[bigredbat]

Seconded- the Vendel cavalry are size-compatible with Casting Room.  Wargames Atlantic Infantry work pretty well with these cavalry.

[trev]

Hi Peter,
 
First of all, please post pictures of what you have done so far.  I'd love to see them and hopefully it will inspire me to put some paint on a brush.

Next, I don't have any Saleh Persians, so I'm assuming they match the Copplestone sculpted Foundry Macedonians, that I do have.  If so, I have used my Mac figures to face off against my mate's Persians, which are a mix of Essex and Newline.  My Macedonians are Foundry and Crusader.  All of these manufacturers mix in fine.  The Newline foot troops are a little smaller and the style varies slightly between the companies but I don't consider it a problem when they're painted up.  The cavalry match even better.  The Newline Perian Cavalry are great, maybe not quite a nice as Saleh or Copplesstone figs but still nice.  I did buy a few Vendel figures but they were big, chunky and a bit stiff for my taste, so I didn't get more or paint what I had.  I wouldn't say they are bad scuplts just very different to my Macedonians.  The old Foundry Persians are small from what I know, so I didn't buy any of those.  I have some Victrix plastic Persian infantry that look to match nicely but they're still in the packets.  The Wargames Atlantic ones looks to match well too but I don't have any.   Casting Room looks to be a mixed bag, some nice some less so.  I don't have any to comment on size.

Victrix have teased some cavalry, they may be out now I haven't looked, but I don't like their cavalry much.  the men often look too big.

See here for pictures of our games
https://thebitsbox.blogspot.com/search/label/Macedonians

Another option that I don't have any of, but that look promising, are the Crusader Persians. If they match the Macedonians from Crusader they should go well with the 'newer' Foundry figs.
https://www.crusaderminiatures.com/list.php?cat=1&sub=54&page=1

One more source I have just remembered is Polemarch from Gripping Beast
https://www.grippingbeast.co.uk/shop.php?p=category_products&category=115&page=2

Last I was considering using some Celt or German unarmoured cavalry from crusader for extra variety.  With head swaps or a bit of conversion and painted in Persian style I think they would pass muster.  The tousers and long sleeves are similar in style.  The swords might be too long.

https://www.crusaderminiatures.com/prod.php?prod=665
https://www.crusaderminiatures.com/prod.php?prod=899

If you're feeling adventurous maybe some dark ages figures might serve as a base for kitbashing or conversion.

https://www.crusaderminiatures.com/prod.php?prod=993
https://www.grippingbeast.co.uk/GBP03_Dark_Age_Warriors--product--3276.html

I hope that helps with some ideas.

[Jjonas]

"Eg new line designs, vendel, first corps, Essex miniatures - how do they fit in terms of size? Any photos would be appreciated."

Cavalry is quite troublesome in 28mm scale. As stated above I agree that Casting Room will work with Vendel (which are now available in the uSA as Thistle & Rose).

In this image you can see old Foundry along with Newline Designs on Vendel armored horses.
https://ancientbattles.com/Alexander_WSS/Killing_Alexander_WSS_2021/WSS_Alex_JJ_001.jpg

This unfinished section has some other angles of the above. Including a Casting Room officer.
https://ancientbattles.com/Alexander_WSS/Killing_Alexander_WSS_2021/Killing_Alexander_title.html

This image shows Vendel light cavalry mixing it up with Tarentines by Relic.
https://ancientbattles.com/Early_Successors_Armies_JJonas/Early_Successors_JJ_MSJ_2020_015%20small.jpg

I use Old Glory mixed with Newline for my Bactrians, they are ok but smaller than Casting Room:
https://ancientbattles.com/Persians/PC_02.jpg

As we get further away from Persians it gets harder. Scythians are easy as there are many suitable figures of high quality.

But what of all the myriads of units of ethnic cavalry regiments? Babylonians, Tapurians, Cappadocians, et al? To be frank I use my old MInifigs for these because at least they are AMPW designs.
1st Corps Persians are of, a bit small, but useful as the also-ran cavalry. 1st Corps Persian horses have excellent details, and make great mounts for Newline figures whose horses can be a biot stodgy. I also don't get too blinked over the bows. The later cavalry seem to have left them in camp, but many Persian figures have their bowcases and quivers. Its too pedantic to leave them behind since WYSIWYG is hardly ever perfect.

Good luck with your quest.  Plastics seem to be going the route of generic Persian cavalry with no real thought of how to change the headgear and armament for the regional troops. But some intrepid folks have started making resin head additions for Footsore and Victrix hoplites, maybe they will make a set of Babylonian heads, or Syrian styles someday if profitable.


Newlin Designs Bactrian:

[Fremitus Borealis]

Love the painting on that "Bactrian", Jeff. Is that one of the ones listed as "Persian heavy cavalry"? Pretty sure I have some of their "Cappadocians" lying around somewhere. I'll paint them up some year I always marvel at how sometimes companies will get super-specific on the regionality, and other times it's just kind of generic.

[Jjonas]

These are indeed the Persian Heavy cavalry. The Cappadocians have the same body with cloaks and their regional soft caps. I use these as Bactrians and Persians without too much heartburn