A few 'S' Range Ancients

I don't particularly seek out the early 'S' Range Minifigs ancients - the first 25mm ancients range that superseded the earlier 1/72nd and preceded the 'PB' ranges. However, there were a few things that remained available, filling in gaps in the PB ranges, even once the PB range had otherwise supplanted the bulk of the 'S' range by the early 70s. 

There isn't a huge difference between the later 'S' range figures and the first batch of PB figures. Collections often contain figures from both ranges. 

I've taken a few pictures of some of my 'S' rangers. They show something of the evolution of the Minifigs style. I think they have a distinct charm of their own - especially the horses. 

The top picture shows a couple of pieces from my Seleucid army, resplendent in their original paint and basing - getting on for fifty years old now! The PB range didn't include much of a selection of officers or artillerymen - step forward the 'S' range Greek officer and this rather neat engine with crew.  

AGr 1s - Greek Officier, AR 20s and AR 21s Roman Artillerymen pulling lever and holding bolt respectively - what happened to the lever I don't know! I think the artillery is AFA 1s Ballista - happy to be corrected if anyone knows better-  on second thoughts it could well be Hinchliffe!  

These two pictures show a couple of the 'S' range cavalry. These are the separate horses and riders. The first of the 'S' range designs had one-piece castings - quite rare. On the left is the Greek cavalryman AGrC 1s riding the ubiquitous Light Cavalry Horse Galloping LCH 3s. On the right Roman cavalryman ARC 1s riding Ancient Cavalry Horse Trotting ACH 5s.

Minifigs horses of this era have the code numbers engraved under the base in a style similar to that used by Hinchliffe. To confuse matters, this can be quite difficult to read and some horses either have no code at all or just the letters 'MF'. Although there was a separate range of 'Ancient' horses (coded ACH 1-8) it's very common to find riders mounted on the Horse & Musket Period range of horses: Heavy cavalry horses coded HCH and Light cavalry horses coded LCH. 

Finally, a selection of infantry from the 'S' range. It's no easy task trying to identify each and every model from this range because figures were re-modelled without the fact impacting upon the catalogue lists. Some figures carry no code markings at all - others have the number stamped on the top of the base in the same style as the later PB figures. Who knows how many variants of any code were made? 

The slinger on the left is considerate enough to carry the stamped code AGr 9 on its rather unusual octagonal base. According to the 72/73 catalogue AGr 9s is a Greek Slinger with Shield so I guess this is a somewhat earlier version lacking said shield.  The Hoplite next to him carries no marking at all - but I believe we are looking at AGr 4 a Greek Phalanx Spearman. The 72/73 catalogue has AGr 4s listed as 'Receiving Cavalry' for which job this chap hardly qualifies! There is a nicely painted unit of these chaps on the Eastern Garrison website, whilst the Parum Pugna site shows an alternative figure with the same code.

In the middle we have another figure with no code number - but I believe it is an early version of AR 7 Roman Auxiliary Javelinman - a later version appears on the right hand side of our line-up. The latter bears the code AR 7 on his base. Whether this is the same as the AR 7s listed in the 72/73 catalogue I don't know, but it seems a reasonable punt. 

The figure second from right is AGr 8 according to the code stamped on the base. This corresponds to AGr 8s Spartan Hoplite Spearman in the 72/73 catalogue, and I imagine that's what it is. I have a few of these though not quite enough for a decent unit. Well not yet anyway :)