Thursday, October 10, 2019

DBA Special: II/25 Bosporan


This is a 15mm army comprised mainly of old Falcon Figures Skythian (the ancestor of the contemporary range by Lurkio) horse and a mix of Xyston and Chariot (Magister Militum) foot.  There are also figures by Alain Touler, Gladiator, Minifigs, Tabletop (now Alternative Armies) and Old Glory.  Nearly all are personalised in some way, and there are a few Irregular Corinthian helmets swapped into the mix. And I've 'mixed and matched' the shields.

Anyway, who are the Bosporans?  Well, contrary to misconceptions, they aren't from the Bosphorus (but from the other side of the Black Sea). 

(A useful Map from Battles of the Ancients with my soldiers emerging ...) 

So, the Crimea and Kerch peninsula, modern Ukraine and Russia.  The coast was colonised by Greek seafarers, and the culture mixed Greek styles with Scythian and Sarmatian influences.  

I chose the later period of list II/25 to incorporate the Sarmatian troops.  I also opted for a 'Knight' general, making for 4 x 3Kn and a 3Kn Gen.  I took Auxilia rather than hoplites, and horse archers rather than Ps.  


(DBA Bosporans: mostly from the characterful, if 'old', Falcon range)

The Cavalry General seems to be the 'percentage player's' pick.  And the forum pundits also seem to favour hoplites to thorakitai (4Ax) but I think the Ax are more historical for the 'Sarmatian' period (likewise the general) - then again (with a gamer hat on), I like to feel I have something to challenge the occasional elephant or fight in  bad going.

(Scythian horse archers - inspired by the old 'Sarmatian head-hunting girls' meme) 

Greek and Sarmatian girls brandishing Roman heads.  


Those thorakitai/peltasts.  They should probably be a bit more coordinated but I'd always envisaged this would be a colourful army.  Hand-painted shields of course.  

(DBA Bosporans: mostly Chariot figures for this rag-tag contingent)

And there's an element of Psiloi that seems to have been a tad camera-shy.

The army is 'littoral' and at Britcon I borrowed a warship camp from my Marian Romans.  Instead of a camp, for this gallery, I have photographed a 'Confused General' Barker Marker which has been in the Bosporan box with them since Manchester.  I believe Simon Bargery did these (I won it in one of the DBA League events).  This is my take on the figure:

(DBA: Confused General Shows North-style) 


This is a good, balanced army and is enjoyable to play with.  I had a few rough dice moments at Britcon but still placed mid table.  So it is quite forgiving. 

It is a good historical opponent for Scythians, Sarmatians, Alans, Pontics, Romans etc.

At Britcon, I had to play with a less decorative version due to a number of constraints.  Here is how it emerged to completion:



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