The Army of Seleucus

Over the last year I have been putting together a 3d printed 28mm Greek Successor Army for ADLG. I chose the Seleucid Army as the basic design and to which I can add a variety of figures. The need to finish the army grew in importance when I entered the Beachhead 28mm ADLG competition with this army and its requisite 2 Elephants! The army was deployed in battle this last weekend and we didn't do well; coming away with two draws and three losses (but all 5 were very convivial and enjoyable games.)

I received a lot of positive feedback on the Army and interest on what files were used for the army. So I thought I would put together this page and describe the source of the figures, with links to the source of the files I used for you all to follow up on.

At the heart of any Greek Successor Army is the Phalanx, or pikemen block. I suppose if I am candid one of the reasons for printing the army was this set of files from Red Dawn retailing at $10. There is more than enough variety in the files for any wargamer with 4 different ranks, over 60 combinations of head types with helmets and beards or no beards etc, and 3 different torsos. I only used ranks 2 to 4 as rank ones spears were leveled horizontally which is not very useful on a wargaming table. I didn't print the spears, preferring instead for these homemade spears from broom bristles, courtesy of a garden broom from B&Q. 

These Peltasts are sourced from Atlantic Digital  ($10 in the Autumn Sale) As with the Phalangites above these files come with multiple heads, bodies, shields and arms etc. Some of the poses are really quite nice and dramatic. It also would be the work of a moment to use the Phalangites heads on these figures as well. I was in two minds whether to print the spears or replace them with my preferred broom bristle spears. In the end I used both, in part because I liked the the bunches of Javelins that the Peltasts are carrying.

Finding suitable Greek bowmen was a little challenge until I stumbled on the Bowmen of Misos range ($6.99) and Tempos the Bowmen ($2.99) from Legend Builds; both bought at half price in the Autumn sale. The figures are a little larger than the classic 28mm scale and one needs to shrink them a little. In doing so I decided to thicken their bodies a little as well to match the other figures. I was also able to edit the files and add heads from the Atlantic Digital Peltast files for added variety. Tempos and adding the Peltast file floppy hats make some acceptable Cretan archers. 

The Thracians with Rhompia and the Javelin armed Thracians were from Scropha ($5 each in the Sale). These are exceptional fine figures. Nice and dynamic. The Rhompia files include a Thracian liberating an amphora of wine! What is great that they reduce nicely to 15mm, which enabled me to supplement by 15mm Thracians to be able to field a Thracian army!

Now I know that this isn't a scythed chariot but it is a lovely model from Clynche Art. A snip at $12 with 50% off in the sale) It is again a little on the large size but I shrank it down the supported model to scale and it printed as a one-piece model.

After some experimental battles with my 15mm Seleucids I decided the Army needed some Thureophoroi deployed as Armoured Medium Spearmen. The challenge was where to get the models from. By luck I had already bought (in the sale again) some Greek Hoplites from Atlantic Digital for $15 with 50% in the sale. The bodies and torsos were fine, the shields weren't nor were the heads. The Heads were easy to replace where I used heads from the Phalangite range. Spears were easy, more bristles to cut of the brush head. As for the classic Thureos, the oval Greek shield (similar to the Roman Scutum) I sourced for free from 3D Breed's test prints.  

Now for the Xyystophoroi (ADLG Impact Heavy Cavalry) I found two sources I liked that went with the rest of the Army. The first was an exciting range of Greek Cavalry from Forged Path Miniatures at $15 (50% off in the sale). These are in the centre element and in the centre of the two flanking elements. The spears were a little generous, and were replaced with bristle spears, and the figures were shrunk down to size. The other Companion Cavalry figure is from Gadgetworks. Nice figures which I bulk out a bit by expanding the x and y dimension a little. 

The Light Cavalry with Javelins (aka bristle spears) were sourced from Gadgetworks. This was exceptional value for $10 (and again 50% in the sale) for 26 files including 8 horses, 3 bodies, 4 pairs of legs, many arms/weapons and 19 unique heads! Absolutely spoilt for choice.

These are the Scropha Indian Elephants. I have grafted onto the elephant models the upper halves of two of the Bowmen of Misos. At the back I have added the torsos and heads of the phalangites. For the arms holding the pikes I used on the right the original Indian spearmen's arms. On the left I have used two pairs of arms in a suitable position for the pike from the Mongol range from Productions Diratia. This was bought in the sale for my Steppe armies project at $30 in the sale. All of these were assembled on the computer in Microsoft 3D Builder and then printed as one item (less pikes).

The Generals were all from Games Mythology's Greek Fantasy range. I didn't shrink these too much as it is nice to have an imposing General figure in ADLG.  The CinC was provided by the Hipikkon command group at $5 in the sale.

Jason provided a suitably heroic wing commander ($3 in the sale).

The third of the commanders was provided by Hippeis ($2 in the sale). 

I thought some readers may appreciate viewing some of the processes. In this case the various components I gathered in Microsoft 3D Builder to design the Thureophoroi.

Here is a Thracian moved to Chitubox, which is first rotated,

And then supported for printing.

And a final point. Those of you who have explored some of the links and the 3D Breed site, might be wondering why I didn't source the whole package of figures from them. There are four reasons for this. Firstly I didn't spot the 3D site and its range until very late on in the build, secondly I had started multiple sourcing and liked what I was building, thirdly I was starting to assemble some nice unique pieces for the army. and fourthly the sale time on https://www.myminifactory.com/ is such excellent value for money!