Seleucus vs Chandragupta Maurya

[Jjonas]

They are a small business and recently one of the owners suffered a personal loss. Maybe if this important to you, you would offer to help fund the development. Maybe set up a kickstarter with their permission.
Some miniature companies are using those methods to fund projects.
Or even a go fund me.
Good luck. I hope Aventine does at some time find the time and space for more Indians in their catalog.

[SJWi]

Pollard, I won't be asking again. The feedback I got was t GG shat the sculptor hated doing them. I also doubt the commercial viability of Indians in 28mm as they are a very £££ expensive army with all those elephants and chariots. My big gripe is the lack of "earl" Arabs who are allies/opponents of both the Byzantines and Sassanids. I was told a few packs were planned but that idea seems to have gone.
Having had exchanges with Keith at Aventine I know that have a pretty full list of things to do including refurbishing older ranges. This latter point is to be applauded it means top-notch figures.
IMHO Aventine produce some of the best quality, beautiful sculpts at reasonable prices on the market.

[pallard]

SJWi and Jjonas
You are both right. I would not try to fund the range as there would be more important ones to my mind if I considered this ( and I don't have the money for that anyway). This would be indeed an expensive army. I would rather second the early Arabs point. And yes I do think that Aventine miniatures are absolutely first rate and available for their quality! By the way, what would you like as the basic light horse figure, a javelin man or an archer? The sources mention both if I remember right, and that in any equipment they were most feared by their neighbours.

[Tim Haslam]

Yeah, leave Aventine be, they do a brilliant job, top quality sculpts at a decent price.

Indians would have been nice, but we’ve got the Blitzkrieg ones to go off plus all the older ranges.
I’ve seen the Blitzkrieg versions in the flesh, they are really nice.
If I was to start an Indian project today from fresh, this is the route I’d choose.

[Aventine]

I have been reading all the comments above and can state that the issue is our lack of interest in the Classical Indians, we are asked repeatedly why we don't do them and I reply that Adam has no love for them and couldn't get motivated to start them let alone finish them. As a very small setup(just Adm and myself both in our 60's) we have to do what we can rather than what some wish for. The Indian crews came about as a small addition to the elephants rather that the start of a range. As a small insight as to how long a range takes us to complete, the byzantines took over 2 years to do and involved a huge amount of mounts. Indians would be another huge undertaking and expense. It would be feasible to do infantry and cavalry but chariots and more elephants would be a big one and I just cannot get Adam interested.

We had to take the older ranges down for improvement and remoulding, they need to re-appear now and that is what we are working on.

Thanks for the support and kind words.

Keith
Aventine Miniatures

[Jjonas]

Hi Keith-
Sorry this topic turned from praising Indian armies to bashing Aventine (well sort of

All I can say is your 28mm resin elephant with metal crew will be seen in the article in WSS 121. I hope to do a more robust review here shortly and then post the results here and on the website.

It is fairly clear that interest does not match return on investment for both models of Indians and gaming them- especially in the realm of “gods own scale” 25-28mm. The other thing is the lack of interesting diversity among Indian troops, except for weaponry and silly shield shapes (from surf boards to bells and weird drink coasters).

One thing I can say with no reservations is the Aventine resin elephants are superior. The Indian crew and equipment are superior.
So thanks for that.

[Jjonas]

I guess everybody will choose their own favorites. Here is the Aventine. Start at the best, and then the rest.

[SJWi]

Jonas, excellent work. by the way I hope nobody interpreted my commentary about Aventine and an Indian range as implying any criticism of them.  Personally I couldn't see any commercial rationale for anyone producing Indians, as they have to be one of the most expensive armies to buy in 28mm. For my favourite ruleset TTS I reckon a small army would set me back well over £300.

I have always found them an excellent company to do business with producing some of the best figures around at very reasonable prices.

'Nuff said.....

[Jjonas]

Here's something for sculptors who might wish some variety in their Indian offerings.

Few look at the early sources. They stick to Sanchi stupas and that's about it.

Duncan Head delves into reconstructing some of Porus' infantry look in:
Ancient Warfare Magazine Vol XII.2 - Wild Allies and Enemies
- Duncan Head, 'Infantry archers at the Hydaspes - Coined Indians'.

He uses the Alexander Medallions as a source, and others, for reconstructions of the cross belt harness* and the different hair bag covering, as well as a proto turban. Plus this reconstruction makes the super long double handed sword a less likely encumberment for an archer. *Some sculpts make the sword strap the cross belt.



https://media.biddr.com/media/img/auction_lots/533/542667.jpg

[pallard]

Neither did I mean to bash anybody, the least being the two gentlemen at Aventine. I have been a customer on a modest but regular basis with them, and I shall be clear: their service is first class, they are very nice people to deal with, they make their best to satisfy customers,and I just love their figures. Can I be less bashing?
Philippe

[mc_deli]

All good here! On with the battle

(Other scales are available... in 15mm we are blessed with very good figs from Xyston, Museum and a few smaller ranges and related figs from e.g. Khurasan. Between Xyston and Museum there is everything you could wish for and look great together. The old Museum range even has a warwagon. If you want later Indian troop types then in the old Essex and Donnington catalogues there are naptha throwers and the like. Really, all the Xyston and the best codes of the Museum Z Indians are stunning figs in the right hands;) )

[Jjonas]

Seleucus not liking what he is seeing...

Foundry, Relic, and even a Vendel miniature.