The Didadochi

 

Mounted Pyrrhus of Epirus

Foot Pyrrhus

Here are some Successor command figures that I’ve just finished painting. The figures are by Warlord Games, part of the range they released for their Hail Caesar supplement, The Pyrrhic Wars. Above are mounted and foot figures of Pyrrhus of Epirus. The foot figure is the freebie you get when you order a hard copy of the supplement. Below is Antigonus Monopthalmus (the One-Eyed) and his son Demetrius Poliorcetes (the Besieger) with an attendant. The next figure is Lysimachus with his faithful hound Hyrcanus. According to Pliny the Elder in his Natural History, ' a dog, the name of which Duris gives as Hyrcanus when King Lysimachus' pyre was set alight threw itself into the flame' https://www.attalus.org/pliny/hn8b.html The final figure is Ptolemy I Soter (Saviour).

Antigonus Monopthalmus

Demetrius Poliorcetes with an attendant

Lysimachus with his
faithful hound Hyrcanus

Ptolemy I Soter (Saviour)

Hellespont 321 BC - Command and Colors Ancients Game

 

Initial deployment view from
Eumenes' cavalry on the right flank 

Initial deployment view from 
Craterus' cavalry on the right flank 

Pharnabazus's Persian cavalry attack Craterus' cavalry

Side view

Pharnabazus' Persian cavalry lose two
units and are forced to retreat

On Sunday Rick, Gary, Rob and I met down at Vikings Club in Lanyon for the monthly meeting of the Canberra Regional Wargames Group. We played a Successors CCA game, the scenario was the battle of Hellespont in 321 BC, Eumenes versus Craterus. We diced for sides, Rob and I commanded Eumenes’ army and Rick and Gary commanded Craterus’ army. This was a quite an evenly matched scenario, Craterus had the advantage in pike, while Eumenes had the advantage in cavalry. Craterus moved first and had five command cards and Eumenes had six command cards. The only change I made, was the addition of an extra commander, so there was one in each of the three sections - left, centre and right for both sides.

Pharnabazus' Persian cavalry attacked Craterus' cavalry on Eumenes' left flank. This didn't go quite according to plan and two units were destroyed and the remaining unit forced to retreat. In the centre Craterus' light infantry charged Eumenes' auxilia and the pike on both sides moved closer. Pharnabazus' cavalry tried again and charged Craterus' cavalry, killing Craterus and destroying his cavalry. The game was level pegging but would be decided with the pike in the centre. In the end Craterus' pike won a tense and hard fought game with 6-5 victory points.

A Greek priest examines the auguries

Light infantry charge auxilia and the pike close

Pharnabazus' Persian cavalry try again,
Craterus is killed and his cavalry destroyed

Eumenes' cavalry advance

The game is decided with the pike in the centre

Craterus' pike come up trumps with a tense
and hard fought win 6-5 victory points 

Hellenistic Sacrifice

 

Here is the Baueda Hellenistic Sacrifice set which I've just finished painting. The priest is a metal figure and all the other bits are resin parts which can be arranged individually. This is just the ticket to ensure the auguries and dice gods are on your side! I will probably use it as a camp for my Successor or even Republican Roman armies.

Macedonian and Successor Infantry

 

Here are some 15mm Macedonian and Successor infantry that I've just finished painting. The figures are all Xyston Miniatures with LBM shield transfers. The phalangites are unarmoured Leukaspides (White Shields) on the left, the elite Argyraspides (Silver Shields) in the centre and Chalkaspides (Bronze Shields) on the right. The light infantry are Cretan Archers and there is a group shot at the bottom.

Macedonian and Successor Elephants

 

Here are four 15mm Macedonian and Successor Elephants that I've just finished painting. In the photos above of early ellies with pikemen astride, the middle one is Xyston which I just painted, while the other two, by Gladiator Miniatures and Essex Miniatures, were done some time ago. In the photos below the later armoured Seleucid elephant in the middle is by Xyston while the other two are Forged in Battle. To finish there's a shot of my Seleucid Successor infantry and cavalry.

Pergamene Successors

 

Thorakitai

Companions

Thureophoroi 

Here's a real blast from the past, photos of Nathan Vinson's Pergamene Successor army I played in a WAB comp at the Goulburn Soldiers’ Club, way back in March 2011. Vinnie always has immaculate armies and photos on his Lonely Gamers blog. He doesn't seem to post on blogger anymore but still posts on his Elite Miniatures Australia website, which is always worth checking out:

https://www.eliteminiaturesaustralia.com.au/blog/

Foundry Thracians

Some other Successor game

Thracians again

Warlord Parthian horse archers

Seleucus, Antigonus and Charioteer

 

Above is a guest post by Garry of two Successor command stands he has just painted. The first is of Seleucus, a Relic figure with an Essex officer and Aventine standard bearer. The second is Antigonus, a Relic figure with a Relic shield bearer and Aventine figures for the rest. The banners are by LBM with some VVV stars.

This week I received my copy of the new GMT Games, Roman chariot racing game, Charioteer, see photo below. This looks interesting, I've read the rules, they're only eleven pages, not overly complex but use a  mixture of cards and tokens to race the chariots. The game comes with six plastic counters for chariots  but I will use the Steve Barber quadrigae I've been painting for Circus Maximus. Hopefully I will get to try this out soon.