Wargaming | Field of Glory
Seleucid

Posted 24 Feb 2009

I intend to supplement my Seleucid army with the appropriate figures to field a Early Successor (Ptolomaic) army and Later Macedonian.

Pre and Post 205 BC

The Seleucids are covered by two lists depending on the date.

Dates Field of Glory Companion List
323 - 206 BC 3: Immortal Fire: Greek, Persian and Macedonian Wars Early Successor (p. 47)
205 - 63 BC 1: Rise of Roman: Republican Roman at War Later Seleucid (p. 41)

My army is Later Seleucid and I wanted to understand the different options for the earlier period.  In fact there are very few significant differences.

Shield Colours

According to Head (1982)

  • Argyraspides = Silver shields
  • Chalkaspides = Bronze shields
  • Leukaspides = White shields
  • The main one is in the heavy cavalry; in 205 BC most of the heavy cavalry become heavily armoured Cataphracts.
  • The later army can also have a higher proportion of Superior Pikemen compared to Average Pikemen. In fact the later army can have more Superior Pikemen than average Pikemen!
  • Finally the later army has the option of more rough terrain troops, not particularly good ones, but more. Both armies have Thureophoroi or Thorakitai, Undrilled Medium Foot, and fair number of Light Foot Archers and Slingers. To these the later army adds Civic Militia Thureophoroi and Light Foot Javelinmen.

Here is the detailed comparison.

Troop Type Early Successor (Seleucid) Later Seleucid
Heavy Cavalry 4-12 armoured cavalry split between lance armed Xystophoroi (4-12) and light spear guys (0-6) 4-12 lancers split between Cataphracts (4-12) and the Companions who are like Elite Xystophoroi (0-4)
Galatian Cavalry None although could be included in "other irregular heavy cavalry" 0-4
Javelin Light Horse 0-8 Average 0-6 Taratines (Average) or Civic Militia (Poor)
Horse Archers either Skythians (Cv or LH, Bow, Swordsmen) or other horse archers (LH, Bow) 0-4 0-4
Arab Camelry 0-4 0-4
Superior Pikemen 0-12 Elite Phalangites 0-16 Argyraspides (with option of Roman Style impact foot from 166 BC)
Pikemen 12-48 Phalangites 8-32 Phalanx
Galatian Foot Warriors 0-8 0-6
Thureophoroi or Thorakitai 0-8 0-6
Civic Militia Thureophoroi (Poor) None 0-16 from 166 BC
Undrilled Medium Foot with Light Spear or Heavy Weapon (i.e. Thracian Rhomphia) 0-8 Thracian, Kappadokian, etc (also have Offensive Spear option before 250 BC) 0-6 Hillmen or Thracian
Light Foot 6-24 split between javelinmen (0-12), Archers (0-12) and Slingers (0-12) 6-24 split between Archers (0-16; also option to have these MF) and Slingers (0-16)
Other Javelin Light Foot None 0-8
Cretan Archers 0-8 0-6
Elephants 0-6 before 279 BC and 0-4 after 0-4 before 124 BC
Scythed Chariots 0-4 0-4
Massed Levies 0-8 0-12
Heavy Artillery 0-2 0-2
Fortified Camp 0-1 0-1

Wish List

To round out my Later Seleucid army I'd need:

  • 6 stands Cataphracts (Ct 4 figures / stand) - completing one BG and getting a second
  • 5 stands Slingers (LF 2 figures / stand)
  • 1 stand Archers (LF 2 figures / stand)
  • 2 stands Arab Camel Archers (Cm 3 figures / stand)

References

Bodley Scott, R. (2008). Field of Glory Companion 1: Rise of Rome: Republican Rome at War. Osprey.

Bodley Scott, R. (2008). Field of Glory Companion 3: Immortal Fire: Greek, Persion and Macedoniam Wars. Osprey.

Head, D. (1982). Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars 359 BC to 146 BC. Wargames Research Group.