Sassanians

[Arche Seleukeia]

Lovely 

[DalyDR]

And the last* unit!  This was the last one painted, and I think maybe the best work I did on this project.  I don't think the photo quite does it justice.  Anyway, some skirmishing horse archers.  They're on the newer horses GB now uses, and they're nice enough but I think perhaps a bit large for nomads' mounts, something a little more pony-ish might be more appropriate?  I added thumbtack shields to these figures and tried to paint them in a natural hide type color, loosely based on the colors seen on Persian gazelles, as using black-and-white cowhide pattern seemed like it wasn't a likely thing for them . . . ?





* I've got 10 or so of those veiled desert tribesmen from GB's discontinued "Desert Frontier" range that I might add, but I need to find some more of those rough hide type shields that some of them came with, as I don't want to use the more Sudanic (?) versions with which half came equipped.

[Shahbahraz]

Lovely stuff. I am just prepping some A&A Sasanians now, and these are a healthy dose of inspiration. As you might guess from the username, I have something of an obsession with the Sasanians, but this will be the first 28mm version I have done - definitely no globe hats though...  hope they turn out as nicely as yours.

[SJWi]

Chaps, I’ve followed this thread with interest. Great work. I too have a big GB Sassanid army, together with one of Aventine’s superb “command” elephants.

 I am just about to buy an Aventine 6th/early 7th century Byzantine army so I can fight the wars of Belisarius and Heraclitus.

[DalyDR]

And an overall (mediocre) army shot:





Plus a few goofs:

[duivelindoosje]

a huge inspiration, well done

[bluewillow]

Fabulous loving the clibanarii. What a fantastic looking army.

cheers
Matt

[timyeh]

I think you are too hard on yourself. Everything looks great especially the banners. I am now totally inspired to get my GB Sassanids out and paint them. 

[DalyDR]

I think you are too hard on yourself. Everything looks great especially the banners. I am now totally inspired to get my GB Sassanids out and paint them.

Thanks so much for the kind comment.  I actually think I do alright painting-wise, I'm generally quite happy with my results (I don't know about that one banner though . . .)  There are so many super-talented painters here on LAF that it can be a bit daunting, to my mind, to go ahead and share my own efforts.  If doing so encourages anyone else to forge ahead with their own project(s), that's an awfully good thing to have happen!

[arshak]

Very nicely painted army, and who does not love cataphracts??!!
Also nicely done standards, the senmurv is a very fine touch of class. Of course we do not have a lot on Sasanian standards, in particular if they used large flag-like ones, so we have to somehow take some license, but I would suggest to have a look to Sasanian glyptics for possible designs. Amongst the subjects used on Sasanian seals, devices normally described as monograms are common, and they could be a nice source for motifs. Some are very elaborate, some contain letters, some are very simple, going back to things similar to the so-called frawahr symbol, which is found occasionally on several visual media, most importantly on the caparison of Ardashir’s horse in the relief celebrating his victory over Artabanus at Firuzabad. Similar devices are at times visible on the dignitaries’ headgear, too (at Naqsh-e Rajab, for example).
At any rate, a search on the internet for Sasanian seal monogram should already give an idea, and then one can move from there…

[miros]

A fantastic army, I especially like your work on the shields and banners.

[Easy E]

Congrats on finishing a project!  Always a great feeling!

They look great!