Successor Armies

[club]

Getting into DBA and Hail Caesar I have decided to create a Successor Army in 28mm, specifically aiming for the army of Antigonus I - arguably my favorite historical figure.

For miniatures, I was able to grab the Warlord Games Successor starter army for a killer price and sent in an order to Aventine Miniatures for some Thracian Peltasts and (what will be) an Antigonus I commander and bodyguard. After doing some additional research, I didn't find much on what Antigonus' army alone would have looked like, but a lot of information on his dynasty's armies. So I figured the most accurate way to paint them up would be to emulate what part of Alexander's army would look like, along with what Macedonian Military settlers would look like, with the occasional local phalanx, cavalry, or (armored?) Indian elephant unit.

I would love to see anyone else's Successor or Macedonian army in any mm size if they have one for inspiration! Any suggestions on how you have painted or would approach a near-immediate Successor army of Alexander's as well as any other manufacturers that would compare in size/quality for specific units or miniatures is welcome (though I think I may stick with Aventine and Warlord).

Of course, I'll post pictures of my painted army when it's done in the painting thread

[Cyrus]

Hi Caleb

A good resource for painting inspiration on Macedonian and Successor armies is Jeff Jonas' site:

https://ancientbattles.com/index_01_AncientBattles.html

The best 28mm ranges are Foundry, Aventine, Warlord and Victrix. For books there's quite a few that are handy but here's a start:

Duncan Head's WRG book Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars
Jeff Champion's Antigonus The One-Eyed
Nicholas Sekunda's Macedonian Armies after Alexander, The Army of Pyrrhus of Epirus, The Seleucid Army, The Ptolemaic Army
Bob Bennett & Mike Roberts's The Wars of Alexander's Successors (2 volumes)
David Karunanithy's The Macedonian War Machine

I hope that helps. Like a lot of gamers I have a blog which has photos of games and units, here's a link to some Successor heavy cavalry I painted a few years ago:

https://bucellarii.blogspot.com/2018/05/successor-heavy-cavalry.html

[Duncan Head]

I don't have a Successor army except for the 25mm Seleucids I started about fifty years ago and haven't taken out of their box in more than twenty; but here is the unit of Lykian hoplites I painted up for the Paraitakene BattleDay a few years ago. There's an article about them in Slingshot 320 with some more photos.

The figures are War & Empire. One pack of unarmoured hoplites, one of Lykians from the LAP range, spears cut away and replaced with wire.

Edit: Also serves as an exhibit of photography with bad lighting as per another current thread...

[Prufrock]

Sounds like time to venture into the Big Red Bat cave!

https://bigredbat.blogspot.com/search/label/raphia%20phalanx

As a mere mortal, my own Successors are 15mm Xyston figures, augmented by Old Glory 15s cavalry and skirmishers. Originally bought in numbers sufficient to do Magnesia, I've since expanded so that I can do Gaza, Paraitakene etc. Still about four pike blocks, some lights, and the prodromoi from where I want to be, but a Successor army is a lifelong project, I think!  Good luck, and enjoy

[club]

Hi Caleb

A good resource for painting inspiration on Macedonian and Successor armies is Jeff Jonas' site:

https://ancientbattles.com/index_01_AncientBattles.html

The best 28mm ranges are Foundry, Aventine, Warlord and Victrix. For books there's quite a few that are handy but here's a start:

Duncan Head's WRG book Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars
Jeff Champion's Antigonus The One-Eyed
Nicholas Sekunda's Macedonian Armies after Alexander, The Army of Pyrrhus of Epirus, The Seleucid Army, The Ptolemaic Army
Bob Bennett & Mike Roberts's The Wars of Alexander's Successors (2 volumes)
David Karunanithy's The Macedonian War Machine

I hope that helps. Like a lot of gamers I have a blog which has photos of games and units, here's a link to some Successor heavy cavalry I painted a few years ago:

https://bucellarii.blogspot.com/2018/05/successor-heavy-cavalry.html

Thanks! Looking through Ancient Battles has definitely given me some inspiration, they have some really well-done models and guides to say the least. And the fact they have an Antigonus army is even better!

I have read Jeff Champion's Antigonus the One-Eyed, it is excellent. It was that book that made me admire Antigonus. Though, the other books I will have to add to my already extended book reading list (maybe one day I'll complete them all!)

Your Seleucid cavalry looks great! Hopefully, I can paint to the same standard.

[club]

I don't have a Successor army except for the 25mm Seleucids I started about fifty years ago and haven't taken out of their box in more than twenty; but here is the unit of Lykian hoplites I painted up for the Paraitakene BattleDay a few years ago. There's an article about them in Slingshot 320 with some more photos.

The figures are War & Empire. One pack of unarmoured hoplites, one of Lykians from the LAP range, spears cut away and replaced with wire.

Edit: Also serves as an exhibit of photography with bad lighting as per another current thread...

I will have to find that Slingshot article for sure. Love the Lykian hoplites! I've always been a fan of creating historical units that are from specific regions other than the typical or popular ones.

I would post the first miniature pictures I ever took, though they were so bad I deleted them a while back, so at least you keep yours! 

[club]

Sounds like time to venture into the Big Red Bat cave!

https://bigredbat.blogspot.com/search/label/raphia%20phalanx

As a mere mortal, my own Successors are 15mm Xyston figures, augmented by Old Glory 15s cavalry and skirmishers. Originally bought in numbers sufficient to do Magnesia, I've since expanded so that I can do Gaza, Paraitakene etc. Still about four pike blocks, some lights, and the prodromoi from where I want to be, but a Successor army is a lifelong project, I think!  Good luck, and enjoy

All I can say is wow. You weren't joking about being a mere mortal in comparison! Seeing the Raphia Phalanx they put together is really a feat.

That sounds great. Both manufacturers I have looked at, though unfortunately been sticking with 28mm (for now). Doing historical battles does sound enticing though... how have they been?
But I couldn't agree more! Just being this short of time into it, it's obvious there are numerous routes you can go down with endless customization/specialization. Exciting to say the least!

[AdamPHayes]

The Parakaitene games at the Battle Day gave a great example of the sheer variety of troop types available to the aspiring Successor general.

In our Piquet game we had 40 units of 28mm figures on the table. Represented were pikes, hoplites, levied foot, Indians, light infantry, Tarantines, cavalry of many other types and elephants. At least a dozen figure manufacturers were utilised (Foundry, 1st Corps, Vendel, Navigator, Corvus, Victrix, Gripping Beast, Bronze Goat amongst others.) Variety is the spice of life...

[Imperial Dave]

not sure if covered elsewhere but wondered if this was of use?

https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/recommended-books-reading-guides/

[Chuck the Grey]

Great link Dave, thanks. I would also recommend The Macedonian Phalanx by Richard Taylor since Rich seems to be reluctant to mention his book.

[Imperial Dave]

Great link Dave, thanks. I would also recommend The Macedonian Phalanx by Richard Taylor since Rich seems to be reluctant to mention his book.

he is a bit shy with that kind of thing....

[Mark G]

Until you mention something he disproves in it

[Imperial Dave]

 

[RichT]

Shyness sells no books (though I'm not sure what does)

[Mark G]

Golf, cats, hitler.

Top three book subjects in the UK, last time I checked.

Hence "golfing for cats" with a picture of hitler on the cover, for a comedians book a few years ago