"What can I use for Bactrian cavalry?" Topic

Hi

After finish painting my Macedonian taxeis and with the Hetairoi almost done, I started to look for other units for my Imperial Macedonian Army. I was thinking to field at least a couple of units of Bactrian Cavalry. However I can't find any manufacturer that has a range for them in 28mm. I was wondering if someone could point me to some other figures that could be passed as Bactrians in a pinch. I was thinking Sarmatians and Early Parthians.

Bactrian local cavalry or Bactrian Greek?

If locals, Persians are basically the same. AMPW shows them with bow as well as javelin.

If Bactrian Greek, they are pretty similar to Companions. The image in AMPW is based on a coin of Hermaios and shows a short spear and bow. Earlier coins show a rider – the king? – in similar Hellenistic dress but with no bow or quiver – but no spear either. There are coins showing riders with xyston length weapons and no bow. This may reflect local use but unfortunately they are the Dioscuri and virtually identical images (or poor copies) are used all the way from Spain to the Indus, including in Rome.

Going by the coins, the main helmet seems to be related to the Boiotian but has evolved to be a bit different.

Once at least some of the cavalry get heavier with cataphract armour, then Seleucids are probably the best bet. I really wouldn't use Sarmatians. Early Parthians may be okay.

Wargames Foundry do some very nice Persians (in their Casting Room range) that might pass for the Persian option, above.

Some have part-armoured horses.

link

In the discussion on TMP on IDing this figure as a Bactrian Greek cavalryman -

TMP link

Gurkhan noted he had walked back from that illustration in his 2016 revision of AMPW and appears to have settled on the MPA-68 from Essex (in 15mm) as being appropriate -

Pretty much a standard looking Macedonian/Successor heavy.

In Alexander's imperial army I'd go with Persian cavalry I doubt they would look much different such a short time after the fall of the Persian empire.

Thanks for the info. It has helped me a lot. I had forgotten about Casting Room minis! Thank you, Simon.

I agree that in Alexander's army, they'd look much like Persians, but maybe carrying bows as well as spears. At

is a Bactrian head, wearing a cap similar to Persian styles. Don't put too much stock in the caption claiming it's a priest.

And "AMPW" means what?

AMPW =

Thank you!

These Vendel figures are what I used for Bactrians…

link

They were available from Sgt Major…

I really like the Wargames Foundry Persian horse archers. Most (all?) are split at the waist for ease of posing.