Graeco-Bactrian ?

[SJWi]

Jjonas, I'd agree with you regarding the Polemarch Persian cavalry. I hadn't seen them until I re-checked the range earlier today and was only looking on my i-Phone. IMHO
they are obviously by a different sculptor to the rest of the range and are inferior to both the Polemarch range and the Foundry/Casting Room figures.   

[AdamPHayes]

IMHO
they are obviously by a different sculptor to the rest of the range and are inferior to both the Polemarch range and the Foundry/Casting Room figures.

Wow that’s damning! Casting Room figures need to be seen before buying they notoriously vary from good to shockingly poor.

[Major Weenie]

Thanks for the helpful suggestions,

And the (many) links.

Old Glory seems to have the largest selection of figures which are "Almost There."
At least, "Almost Where I thought I Needed to Go" before I began the search.

However, OG always seems to have a number of figures in the bag afflicted with "Short Sword Arms"

I'll go have a look at some of the Plastic types.

My great concern is that this will morph into my quest to build a 'Gran Revolucion' Mexican Federale army.
And I started converting BoB Chinese and W.W.1 Italians into Federales by using putty to give them long trousers.
That's another project which remains "Ongoing."

Thanks Again !

[Fremitus Borealis]

Yay, I can finally post! (I got logged out, and password recovery wasn't working for several days!  )


Anywho, a topic close to my heart, as I've been (verrrrry slowly) building a Greco-Bactrian army over the past year. Afraid I don't have much to add at this point, what with all the awesome input so far! But I would just caution about being too wedded to any one individual take on what they would have worn. Remember that even in the much-better attested "western" Successors, we still only really have little snippets here and there about what any type of troop might have looked like; with the Greco-Bactrians, it's mostly guesswork. We mostly infer based on what related peoples are known to have worn, with tiny slivers of physical evidence added in : a belt buckle here, a vessel with some warriors on it there.

I'm mostly done with one unit of specific "Bactrian" phalangites, and they're a mix of everything: some pants, some long sleeves, short sleeves, different helmets, and so on. The one "drawback", I guess, is that they are the RAFM/Ral Partha "oldies": they are noticeably smaller than everything else available these days, and just that tiny bit of size difference adds to the painting difficulty (for my stupid fingers, at least ). But I do really like the mix of different styles together, and find it to be more "accurate" than 32 identically armored and perfectly matching soldiers   I will probably finish the unit up in the coming weeks and can share pictures here to show what I mean.

Although it's not specifically mentioned in many army lists I've looked at, I'm also slowly piecing together a couple of "non-phalangite spearmen" units for use with the Greco-Bactrian army as well, which is shaking out to be roughly one "more or less armored" and one "shields only" unit I also stole Adam's idea and have been likewise working on a "Bactrian Royal Guard" unit, which are basically hoplites... but cooler   I figure at worst all these lads can basically have similar stats to hoplites or other basic spearmen.

[Jjonas]

Wow that’s damning! Casting Room figures need to be seen before buying they notoriously vary from good to shockingly poor.

I can vouch that the Persian cavalry by Casting Room are top notch figures.

Victrix Companion officer takes on Bactrian Lord by Casting Room, with various Bactrians by Old Glory, Newline, and Foundry mixed in behind)

[Jjonas]

I'm mostly done with one unit of specific "Bactrian" phalangites, and they're a mix of everything: some pants, some long sleeves, short sleeves, different helmets, and so on. The one "drawback", I guess, is that they are the RAFM/Ral Partha "oldies": they are noticeably smaller than everything else available these days, and just that tiny bit of size difference adds to the painting difficulty (for my stupid fingers, at least ). But I do really like the mix of different styles together, and find it to be more "accurate" than 32 identically armored and perfectly matching soldiers   I will probably finish the unit up in the coming weeks and can share pictures here to show what I mean.

I still use my 25mm figures in games alongside their more well fed modern cousins. I have a Minifigs phalanx, and the Ral Partha hypaspist phalangite is still one of the best ever sculpted. I generally prop the old guys up on thicker bases, gives them a leg up.

As for being wed to a certain Bactrian look- I must agree. There is little to know about how gear was precured and doled out. The Western Successors had vast networks supplying equipment- even a lowly levy phalangite was probably more uniform and well equipped than Alexander's pikemen were (at least until the new uniforms and armor in India).

I would guess that except for household troops and guard units that gear would be whatever was available- old and new. So a mix of clothing and styles is certainly a style that makes sense.

[Major Weenie]

Finally resumed work on the project.

1.) Vitrix Companions as Generals and bodyguard 'Companions.'
2.) Vitrix Persian cavalry as 'Iranians'
3.) Vitrix Successor Pikemen, with the 'Persian' long trousers, as the Graeco-Bactrian pikemen
4.) Wondering about the so called "Mountain Indians"  These also appear in other 'Classical Period' Indian Army Lists.
      Perhaps similar to Lowland 'Bare Chested' bowmen?  The army lists indicate that they're armed with long spears,
      rather than javelins and long swords.

Any Suggestions ?
MW

[Jjonas]

Because other sources are scarce, folks turn to coins for inspiration:

King Eucratides coins show the exaggerated Boeotian helmets with reliefs. Cavalry with ceremonial peacock feathers:

https://www.historyhit.com/is-this-the-coolest-coin-in-history/

Nikonorov's "The Armies of Bactria 700BC to 450AD" ( Montvert Publications)  ripped off artwork:
https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2019/04/09/bactria-afghanistan/

The last image is what many identify as a type of "Mountain Indian" equipment. Note that these folks operated in areas like the Elburz range and the Hindu Kush and probably were similar to later Daylami style fighters.



Artwork from Ancient Warfare magazine:




Other stuff:

[Major Weenie]

Thanks,

The 'Mountain Indian' is sort of what I thought/hoped they looked like.

Although I would not have guessed 'Clean Shaven.'

Thanks again,
MW

[jcspqr]

Back in the day (90's) Corvus Miniatures had Bactrian specific phalangites and heavy cavalry (1 pose each only).  They were nice figures.  I lost track of them after they were acquired by Skytrex. 

Jim

[AdamPHayes]

Back in the day (90's) Corvus Miniatures had Bactrian specific phalangites and heavy cavalry (1 pose each only).  They were nice figures.  I lost track of them after they were acquired by Skytrex. 

Jim

I think the cavalry were by Essex Miniatures, same sculptor though....