First look at Early Byzantines

We have been working away at the new range, Adam has a lot of bits done and we are approaching the completion of the Heavy Infantry. To keep you all up to date we decided to shown WIP on some of the infantry. The mail aventails etc. still need to be added. Archers for the rear rank nearing completion. We already have the heads and shields completed so just the officers to do.

Byzantine Heavy Infantry
Byzantine Heavy Infantry
Byzantine Heavy Infantry

8 thoughts on “First look at Early Byzantines”

  1. Very very nice, will there be slightly less well armoured second and rear ranks?

    1. Hi David, yes Adam is working on them along with the officers and archers.

      Cheers
      Keith

  2. These guys look really, really good and I’ve been waiting for a couple of years for them to come out. I’d like to build Belisarius’ African expeditionary force scaled down for the table top.

    I was curious, however, when the long mail coats were developed and came into issue. You comment says that the figures are for 516-695, but I was also hoping to use the figures as part of the Dalmatian forces of Marcellinus. Penny MacGeorge writes that “Although modern accounts assume that Marcellinus was an appointee of the western government, there is a possibility that Dalmatia was, throughout the period in question [Marcellinus 450s to 468], actually formally part of the eastern empire.” MacGeorge, Penny. Late Roman Warlords. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2002. p.32.

    I’ve had the idea of using Aventine Byzantines for his war band ever since they were announced as I hoped that they would be somehow distinguished from the western Late Roman lines currently out. And they are, by their mail coats. So I was just curious if the mail coats fit into the time period or is this an early 6th century development? I had in mind several what-if scenarios as in — what if Ricimer failed to buy off Marcellinus’ Hunnic mercenaries in Sicily and conflict ensued? Early Byzantine figures would be a fine way to differentiate between the opposing forces. They still may be, but I’d still like to know if the coats would be accurate for a few decades earlier.

    Thanks,
    Richard

    1. Richard

      We started with the longer/heavier armoured infantry first(Around the Battle of Taginae 552AD types), they would be a bit too late for what you want to cover. We will be releasing a lighter armoured infantry unit next, that would be more in line with what you want.

      Cheers
      Keith

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