SAGA: Ages of Ages

The Greek Cities in Age of Alexander include options for Thebans.  The list I went for was shaped by the models I already have and so I’ve gone for:

Warlords on foot
2 units of 12 levy javelins
2 units of 8 hoplite warriors to make a single Oblique Phalanx
1 legendary unit of 12 Sacred Band of Thebes

This is a good list that provides a line of battle that counts as 5 units which is pretty good on the battle board.  I’ve played them a couple of times and they’ve come up short against Greek Successors.  Charging a large pike block is a fool’s errand, even when the Sacred Band hit with a very powerful punch having Agression 2 so 24 dice in combat before modifiers or Battle Board abilities!  I need to screen the main battle line better with the Levies if there is a good shooting unit on the opposition.  The Successor opponent had Cretan Archers which are nasty when facing a slow oponent like a hoplite line of battle.

Theban Sacred Band by Warlord Games, formerly Immortal miniatures.

King Arthur and standard bearer by Footsore Miniatures and Games.  Swapped the standard bearer’s shield for a Celtic one by Warlord Games.    Went with Zealot Yellow Speedpaint as the basis for the yellow cloak and then highlighted up to match the colour on the shield transfer from LMBS.

Belisarius by Footsore with a Byzantine standard bearer by V&V.  Icon on the banner by LMBS.  I worked quite hard on the colour blending effect on the standard bearer’s shield.  I’m not sure it shows in the photos but it looks quite good irl.

Final couple of units ready for the Late Romans.  Four Cataphract Hearthguard.  Great value, a single sprue of Gripping Beast plastics with a spare Sassanid horse for the fourth rider.

8 warrior horse archers.  Again Gripping Beast plastics.  These were originally painted lime green which I’ve replaced with a more conservative blue.  Shoulder pauldron transfers from a LBMS 15mm Arthurian Banners sheet.

These are tricky to play in the game with those bows only having a range of M so plenty of additional movement needed to get in and out of range as they aren’t up to much in combat.

The first mercenaries have arrived, the Sea Wolves.

Wargames Factory plastics now sold by Warlord Games. Assembled and painted by my mate. I’ve given them a slight refresh and added some LMBS Jomsviking transfers and banner.

In game they can be taken with almost every faction.  They add some much needed expendable umph to your attack plans.

Given the figures I’ve got the list is:

Warlord on foot, 4 Cataphract HG, 4 Mounted HG, 4 Foot HG, 8 Mounted Warriors Composite Bows, 18 Levy, Manuballista (converted from 6 Levy) = 6pts.  Options include Sea Raiders, Hun Nomadic Horsemen and a Bishop.

Rebasing and shield transfers for these:

I’ve got a choice of Manuballista.  Unfortunately only allowed one per warband.  Foundry Late Roman miniatures.

Sassanid forces are already done following my Spring Clean Challenge this year.  The basic 6 points are:

Mounted Warlord on barded horse

3x 4 Hearthguard Cataphracts

2x 8 Mounted Warriors with composite bows

1x Elephant

This basic list can be easily buffed using some of the elite options offered by the Sassanid list.

Swap out 1x Hearthguard to upgrade the Warlord to carry the Derafsh Kaviani which was the Imperial warbanner.  The existing warlord model can become a Personal Champion.

Upgrade 1x Hearthguard to Pushtigban, the Guardians of the Emperor.

This takes the list to 8 points and I’ve got options to add or swap a unit of Nomadic Horsemen using the Hun models in the Swordpoint army.

I’m given to understand that from chaos comes order.  Let’s hope so…

On the table is my 3/4 done Warhammer Ancients Arthurians, some Late Romans and First Crusade I got from a mate, bags of Picts, Scots and Irish metals and a part planned box of plastic Irish.  Oh and in between are the Rorke’s Drift buildings I was supposed to be finishing this weeked 😀

The plan is to put 6 point warbands together for as many forces as I can for AoI and AoV.  So far the long list is: Late Romans, Britons (Arthur and Vortigern), Picts, Scotti/Irish, Alt Clut/Gododdin/Welsh, Sassanids.

I’ve started stripping them off their square bases (as nature intended) and mounting onto the more lovely rounds (as nature intended for skirmish games).  Here we have Arthur’s warlord base and some hearthguard.