Ancient Wargaming on a budget
My local gaming group mainly plays Sword and Spear, but the most popular Ancients ruleset at Cancon was DBA. As the same figures can be used for both rulesets I decided to start with DBA and then add to my collection until I can field a Sword and Spear army.
The periods that most interest me are the Punic Wars and Alexander the Great and his successors. I decided to start with a matched pair of armies from the Punic Wars - Polybian Roman and Later Carthaginian. I chose Irregular Miniatures models because the reviews were okay and they have an active Australian distributor (Eureka Miniatures).
Polybian Roman Army 275-105BC (listing II/33). This army is appropriate historically for battles both against the Carthaginians (II/32a-b) and also against the Later Macedonian (II/35) and Seleucid (II/19c-d) armies.
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DBA 3 listing/ |
Models required |
Irregular Miniatures |
|
1 x General (Cv) |
3 cavalry figures |
|
|
1 x equites (Cv) |
3 cavalry figures - Roman Heavy Cavalry |
3 x IRR-RC008 |
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4 x hastati/principes (4Bd) |
16 foot with pilum |
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|
2 x hastati/principes (4Bd), or |
8 foot with pilum, or |
8 x IRR-RC002 |
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2 x triarii (Sp) |
8 figures with spears |
8 x IRR-RC003 |
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2 x velites (Ps) |
4 figures with javelins and shields |
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A total of 6 mounted and 42 foot figures required which cost AUD$58 from Eureka Miniatures in 2016.
The DBA army list does not specify what the allies are. Referring to the FoG "Rise of Rome" gaming companion they could various forces including Spanish Scutarii or Italian javelin men (which are both figures in the Irregular Miniatures range). I went with Italian javelin men because the Carthaginians have Spanish Scutarii.
Later Carthaginian Army 275 - 202BC (listing II/32a). The army is appropriate historically for battles against Polybian Roman (II/33).
| DBA 3 listing | Models required | Irregular Miniatures |
|
1 x General (Cv) |
3 cavalry figures - Carthaginian or Ally Mounted General - Carthaginian Heavy Cavalry |
1 x IRR-RC073 2 x IRR-PC57 |
|
1 x Cavalry (Cv) or Elephants (El) |
3 cavalry figures - Carthaginian Heavy
Cavalry, or Carthaginian Elephant |
3 x IRR-PC57 IRR-RC075 |
|
1 x Elephants (El) or Light Horse (LH) |
Carthaginian Elephant, or 2 mounted - Spanish Light Cavalryman |
IRR-RC075 2 x IRR-RC066 |
| 1 x Numidians (LH) | 2 mounted - Moorish Light Cavalry | 2 x IRR-PR21 |
| 3 x Libyan or Poeni spearmen (Sp) | 12 figures - Libyan Heavy Infantry Spearman | 12 x IRR-RC061 |
| 1 x Spanish Scutati or Ligurians (4Ax) | 4 figures - Spanish Scutarii Infantry | 4 x IRR-RC067 |
| 2 x Gauls (4Wb/4Ax) or Spanish Scutati (4Ax) |
8 foot - Celtic Infantry clothed - Celtic Chief |
8 x IRR-RC081 IRR-RC084 |
| 1 x African or Spanish caetrati javelinmen (Ps) | 2 figures - Libyan/Numidian Javelinman | 2 x IRR-RC062 |
| 1 x Slingers (Ps) | 2 figures - Libyan or similar Slinger | 2 x IRR-RC064 |
A total of 28 foot, 10 cavalry and 2 elephants required and cost about AUD$83 from Eureka Miniatures in 2016.
"Start Ancient Wargaming Using DBA 3.0" describes the later Carthaginian army as "largely regular Libyan spearmen and Spanish and Gallic mercenaries. Cavalry became a mix of Poeni (Carthaginian citizens), Spanish, Gauls and Italians".
The Irregular Miniatures range doesn't have a listing for Numidian light horse but they recommend using PR21 Moorish Light Cavalry for Numidian light horse. FoG "Rise of Rome" suggests that the other Light Horse could be Numidians or Spanish.
Later Carthaginian Army 201 - 146BC (listing II/32b). The army is appropriate historically for battles against Polybian Roman (II/33).
| DBA 3 listing | Models required | Irregular Miniatures |
|
1 x General (Cv) or General (Sp) |
3 cavalry figures, or 4 figures |
1 x IRR-RC073 + 2 x IRR-PC57 4 x IRR-RC061 |
| 1 x Cavalry (Cv) | 3 cavalry figures - Carthaginian Heavy Cavalry | 3 x IRR-PC57 |
|
1 x Numidians (LH) or Poeni spearmen (Sp) |
2 mounted - Moorish Light Cavalry, or 4 figures |
2 x IRR-PR21 or 4 x IRR-RC061 |
| 6 x Poeni spearmen (Sp) | 24 figures | 24 x IRR-RC061 |
| 3 x javelinmen (Ps) | 6 figures | 6 x IRR-RC062 |
A total of 38 foot and 8 cavalry.
Alexandrian Macedonian Army 359 - 319BC (listing II/12). The army is appropriate historically for battles against Later Achaemenid Persian (II/7)
| DBA 3 listing | Models required | Irregular Miniatures |
| 1 x General and Companions (3Kn) | 3 cavalry figures - Macedonian/Hellenistic Companion Cavalry | 3 x IRR-RC044 |
| 1 x Thessalians (Cv) | 3 cavalry figures - armoured cav with spears | |
| 1 x light horse (LH) | 2 mounted figures - Hellenistic Light Cavalry Javelinman | 2 xIRR-RC043 |
| 1 x Hypaspists (4Ax) | 4 figures - Macedonian Hypaspist | 4 x IRR-RC034 |
| 6 x phalangites (4Pk) | 24 figures - Macedonian/Successor Pikeman | 24 x IRR-RC033 |
| 1 x psiloi (Ps) | 2 figures - Javelins, Archers or Slingers | 2 x IRR-RC036, RC035 or RC037 |
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1 x Greek hoplites (Sp) or Thracians (3/4Ax) or Bolt shooters (Art) |
4 figures - Greek Hoplite Infantry 3-4 figures bolt shooter |
4 x IRR-RC031 |
A total of 38 foot, 8 cavalry and a bolt thrower.
Alexandrian Imperial Army 328 - 321BC (listing II/15). The army is appropriate historically for battles against Republican Indian (II/1), Mountain Indian (II/2) and Classical Indian (II/3a).
| DBA 3 listing | Models required | Irregular Miniatures |
| 1 x General (3Kn) |
3 cavalry figures - 1 x Hellenistic Mounted General - 2 x Macedonian/Hellenistic Companion Cavalry |
1 x IRR-RC051 2 x IRR-RC044 |
| 1 x Companions (3Kn) | 3 cavalry figures - Macedonian/Hellenistic Companion Cavalry | 3 x IRR-RC044 |
| 1 x Asiatic light horse (LH) | 2 mounted figures | |
| 6 x argyraspids and phalangites (4Pk) | 24 figures - Macedonian/Successor Pikeman | 24 x IRR-RC033 |
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1 x Bolt shooters (Art)
or elephants (El) |
bolt shooter elephant |
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| 1 x Thracians, Illyrians or Agrianians (3/4Ax or Ps) | 2-4 figures | |
| 1 x archers or slingers (Ps) | 2 figures |
A total of 30 foot, 8 cavalry, elephant and a bolt thrower.
Later Achaemenid Persian Army 430 - 329BC (listing II/7). The army is appropriate historically for battles against Alexandrian Macedonian Army (listing II/12)
| DBA 3 listing | Models required | |
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1 x General in 2-horse chariot (LCh) or General on horseback (Cv or 3Kn) |
2 horse 2 crew chariot 3 cavalry figures |
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| 2 x Persian, Median or Bactrian cavalry (Cv) | 6 cavalry figures | |
| 2 x light horse (LH) | 4 mounted figures | |
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2 x armoured horse cavalry (3Kn) or mercenary hoplites (Sp) or Kardakes (4Ax) |
6 cavalry figures 8 figures 8 figures - Achaemenid Persian Kardaka Infantry |
8 x IRR-RC098 |
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1 x scythed chariot (SCh) or mercenary hoplites (Sp) |
scythed chariot 4 figures |
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| 1 x archers or slinger (Ps) | 2 figures | |
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2 x kardakes (4Ax) or takabura (3Ax) or mercenary hoplites (Sp) or Saka horse archers (LH) |
8 figures - Achaemenid Persian Kardaka
Infantry 6 figures 8 figures - Greek Hoplite Infantry 4 mounted figures |
8 x IRR-RC098 8 x IRR-RC031 |
| 1 x subject conscript masses (7Hd or Ps) | 2 or 7 figures |
A total of 51 foot, 23 cavalry, a two horse chariot and a scythed chariot.
Classical Indian Army 500BC - 178AD (listing II/3a). The army is appropriate historically for battles against Alexandrian Imperial Army (listing II/15)
| DBA 3 listing | Models required | |
| 1 x General (El) | Elephant | |
| 2 x Elephants (El) | 2 Elephants | |
|
2 x 2-horse 2-crew chariot (LCh) or 4-horse 3 or 6 crew chariot (HCh) |
2 chariots | |
| 2 x cavalry | 6 cavalry figures | |
| 3 x archers (3Lb) | 9 figures | |
| 1 x javelin (4Ax) | 4 figures | |
| 1 x leview (7Hd) or wild tribe archers (Ps) | 2 or 7 figures |
A total of 22 foot, 6 cavalry, 2 chariots and 3 elephants.
Later Macedonian Army 260 - 148BC (listing II/35). The army is appropriate historically for battles against Polybian Roman (II/33) and Seleucid (II/19c-d).
| DBA 3 listing | Models required | |
| 1 x General (Cv) | 3 cavalry figures | |
| 1 x Greek or Galatia Cavalry (Cv) | 3 cavalry figures | |
| 1 x Greek or Illyrian javelin armed (LH) | 2 mounted figures | |
| 2 x Brazen Shields (4Pk) | 8 figures | |
| 4 x White Shields (4Pk) | 16 figures | |
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2 x thorakita or thureophori (4Ax) or 2 x javelin men (Ps) |
8 figures 4 figures |
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1 x Cretan Archers (Ps) or 1 x Thracians (4Ax) or 1 x Galations (4Wb) |
2 figures 4 figures 4 figures |
A total of 46 foot and 8 cavalry.
Seleucid Army 204 - 167BC (listing II/19c). The army is appropriate historically for battles against Polybian Roman (II/33) and Later Macedonians (II/33).
| DBA 3 listing | Models required | |
| 1 x General (3/4Kn) | 3 - 4 cavalry figures | |
| 1 x cataphrachts (4Kn) | 4 cavalry figures | |
| 4 x phalangites (4Pk) | 16 figures | |
| 1 x elephants (El) | Elephant | |
| 1 x scythed chariot (SCh) | Chariot | |
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1 x thureophoroi (4Ax) or 1 x Thracians (3Ax) |
4 figures 3 figures |
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1 x thureophoroi (4Ax) or 1 x Galatians (4Wb) |
4 figures 4 figures |
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| 2 x Asiatic archers and slingers (Ps) | 4 figures |
A total of 35 foot, 8 cavalry, an elephant and a chariot.
Seleucid Army 166 - 64BC (listing II/19d). The army is appropriate historically for battles against Polybian Roman (II/33) and Later Macedonians (II/33).
| DBA 3 listing | Models required | |
| 1 x General (3/4Kn) | 3 - 4 cavalry figures | |
| 1 x cataphrachts (4Kn) | 4 cavalry figures | |
| 1 x militia cavalry (LH or Cav) | 2 - 3 cavalry figures | |
| 4 x phalangites (4Pk) | 16 figures | |
| 1 x imitation legionnaires (4Bd) | 4 figures | |
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1 x thureophoroi (4Ax) or 1 x elephants (El) |
Elephant 4 figures |
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| 1 x thureophoroi (4Ax) | 4 figures | |
| 2 x Asiatic archers and slingres (Ps) | 4 figures |
A total of 32 foot, 11 cavalry and an elephant.
| Close Combat | Movement | |||
| Troops | vs Foot | vs mounted | GG | BG/RG |
| Cavalry (Cv) | +3 | +3 | 4 | 1 |
| Light Horse (LH) | +2 | +2 | 4 | 1 |
| Elephants (El) | +5 | +4 | 3 | 1 |
| Spears [all solid] (Sp) | +4 | +4 | 2 | 1 |
| Pikes | +3 | +4 | 2 | 1 |
| Blades - Solid (4Bd) | +5 | +3 | 2 | 1 |
| Auxilia - Solid (4Ax) | +3 | +3 | 2 | 2 |
| Auxilia - Fast (3Ax) | 3 | 3 | ||
| Psiloi [all fast] (Ps) | +2 | +2 | 3 | 3 |
Rear Support Factors
Flank Support