Force Focus: 6mm Seleucids (WMA) Pt 1

Trying to fit more content into this blog to keep you all interested I’m starting a few feature called “Force Focus”. Today I’ll be running through my Seleucid Army in 6mm, for use with Warmaster Ancients. This has been a long running project and some of the models here are the very first 6mm I ever put a brush to. That said, I’d be the first to agree that it’s hardly a force of epic proportions, nor could I say that the models featured are finished! I still have sand to add to some of the bases and most of them still need the metal sub-base adding (all of my storage trays are covered with magnetic paper). All that aside though, lets start the tour shall we?

The Boss

With neither name nor rank this poor soul obviously has great difficulty keeping the troops in line. Sadly all of my research into the Seleucids has been focused around the formation of a phalanx and how it was broken down, so ranks of commanders or likely names has never been a priority until now, where I really should know better. When I do part 2 of this Force Focus I’ll be kind and give him a name!

The front 2 models, commander and aide, are from Baccus 6mm (AGR13 – Greek/Hellenistic Generals) with 2 Rapier Miniatures Heavy Cavalry to the right of the photo as a bodyguard. I’m not a huge fan of the lip of the model base being visible through the sand but that’s something I’m looking to correct in the future (makes note for future article!). Overall I’m very happy with how the stand turned out, even at a really close photo taken with my phone.

The Phalanx

Moving onto the core of any Macedonian/Successor army, the phalanx. The first 3 units of these are by Rapier Miniatures and somewhere in there are first 6mm models I ever painted. Also in there somewhere are a stand that I painted with Dr Mike (famously of Dr Mike’s SMS Painting Clinics) at Wolverhampton Military Model Show coming up on 2 years ago.

I do like these models, though I have now switched over to using the Baccus 6mm pikemen for my units. The reason being that the Rapier models are a little broader than I’d like and the thickness of the metal bases causes problems. That said, if I did any 6mm skirmish with individual models on bases, I’d probably opt for these as they have more prominent features. This leads me nicely onto…

Not the best photo in the world. That I will grant you. From this angle it’s a sea of pikes and shields, but lets be honest, from the front it should be!!! Those quick to counting will tell that there are more of these fellows on a base. Rapier are 6 deep and 3 wide – a total of 18, these are 8 deep and 4 wide – 32 men to a 20mmx40mm base! The lines where the basing strips meet really aren’t noticeable from a gaming distance but the edges need some filler applying and then a quick dab of paint to finish them off. Like most things in this army, they’re ALMOST but not quite finished.

Some things worth noting on these models. The front 4 ranks are the advancing post and are in various stages of lowering their pikes. The pikes are pins, cut down and glued into the hands. PRO TIP: Don’t grab these from above, they are VERY sharp! Aside from the danger and potential use as a weapon against irritating opponents, the use of pins makes for a) straight pikes b) slender pikes c) realistic looking points. Before part 2 I’ll finish off those unit, tidy up the base and add the metal sub-bases and THEN I’ll photograph them from an angle, which is where they really shine.

Conclusion

So, for part 1 that’s it. Without realising it I’ve pretty much covered all the melee infantry so part 2 will probably be the cavalry, followed by part 3 covering the missile troops (who might have sand on their bases by then… but that might be asking too much!).

Today’s post doesn’t count as part of the 1 post per week I’m aiming for so tomorrow I’ll put up my usual update. As a sneak peak I can say it involves no painting and no gaming… but an awful lot of scheming!