Command Elements for Fields of Glory

While at Nashcon I heard a lot of good things about Fields of Glory (FOG) so I thought I would change some of the basing arrangements of my large big battle DBA Persian and Macedonian armies. The only significant lack I had was command elements, which are separate in FOG, whereas in DBA they are incorporated into a regular element. I found some Foundry packs on clearance at Nashcon, so was able to get many of the extra figures I would need. I also need to finish up a few light Persian troops and some Macedonian pikemen, but hope to have the army ready to go by the summer break. My idea was to be able to play FOG or BBDBA once I get the additional troops done.

I have tried to incorporate mounted and infantry elements in the command stands as this mix of troop types helps to distinguish them on the field. The cavalry commander is an older paint job, done with a fair amount of drybrushing. The infantry are new paint jobs done by using washes and some deliberate highlighting.

Finding appropriate Persian figures has been a real challenge, as most are made for the Xerxes / Marathon period and not for the armies of Darius which fought Alexander. Essex makes the nice commander with the standard. The horseman is from Old Glory and the swordsman is from 1st Corp.

I love this figure on horseback, but every time I pull him out I want to repaint him, but so far I have resisted the temptation to do so.

I rather like the way this element turned out. The horseman in back looks as if he is keeping an eye out for his commander and I just like the dynamic of it.

A view from behind.

Not a great example of photography, but I also put together a few markers with casualty figures for disruption status. I'd love to get some of the Foundry Persian casualties, but at $20+ for five dead folks I think I'm going to have to pass.

Alexandrian Macedonian 25mm BBDBA army

The Alexandrian Macedonians were my first Big Battle De Bellis Antiquitatis (BBDBA) army. It all started when my local hobby shop decided to not carry Foundry miniatures and put their remaining stock on clearance. Over the course of the next year I kept buying all the "World of the Greeks" range that I could, supplementing with Old Glory, Essex and Navigator when I couldn't get the Foundry equivalent at an affordable price. The results are shown below.

The pikes advance. Eastern Phalanx and old veterans take to the front

Lots of pointing things on which to impale yourself

Navigator (I think) later Thracians w/ spear or rhomphia

Old Glory peltasts - Normally I like Old Glory, but these were some of the ugliest figures I have ever purchased. By doing a lot of transplant surgery, hacking off limbs and heads, I was able to assemble about half a bag of what I thought were acceptable figures.

Nicely painted shields though!

The Peltasts

The Hypaspysts - probably they didn't have uniform shield designs, but this helps to distinguish them on the miniature field of battle from the pikes

The Greek and Macedonian Cavalry

The knight generals and companions

The artillery and camp followers

Note the unlucky fellow with the arrow in his chest.

The light horse