British Slinger

This is the British Slinger that first appeared in the Miniature Figurines 72/73 catalogue as PB 157.

Both PB ranges were based on Phil Barker's books Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars and The Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. This figure is taken from illustration 57 in the first edition of AEIR.

The code numbers for the AEIR range correspond to the illustrations in the book plus '100', i.e. illustration 1 is figure 101. 

The base is stamped PB 157 on the upper surface in the usual manner.

Whilst it's nice to see a slinger posed doing something other than slinging this chap does tend to look rather odd when lined up next to his fellows. Nice early 70s rock band haircut though. He would - of course - make a perfectly good Celt or German and more besides.

I struggled to strip the paint from this figure and have left it as you see it - with traces of stubbornness defiant despite all my efforts. 

 

Cataphtact Cavalryman

 

This is the Cataphract Cavalryman that first appears in the Miniature Figurines 72/73 catalogue as PBC 33s, and subsequently in the 75 catalogue as PBC 33. 

As with all the 'PB' range it is derived from Phil Barker's pair of books Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars and Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. PBC standing for Phil Barker Cavalry. This figure corresponds with illustration 33 in AMPW.

The mount shown here is the PBH 61s listed in the 72/73 catalogue Cataphract Half Armoured Cavalry Horse. The code 61 is stamped on the base in the usual way. 

As usual we have thick and thin versions of the lance - kontos - this being one of the thicker ones. 

This is a pretty common second-hand find because such cavalry were very effective under the then current WRG Ancient rules.  Everybody who could had them! 

Thracian Light Cavalryman with Sarissa

 

This is the Thracian Light Cavalryman with Sarissa that first appears in the Miniature Figurines 72/73 catalogue as PBC 6s, and subsequently in the 75 catalogue as PBC 6. 

As with all the 'PB' range it is derived from Phil Barker's pair of books Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars and Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. PBC standing for Phil Barker Cavalry. This figure corresponds with illustration 6 in AMPW.

The mount shown here is the PBH 65-217 which is listed as two different horses in the 72/73 catalogue: PBH 65 Cavalry Horse and PBH 217 Roman Cavalry Horse 1st and 2nd Centuries AD. The code is stamped on the base in the usual way. 

This chap is armed with the longest weapon I've ever seen on such a model. Not surprisingly it it often found broken and otherwise bent. One can't help wondering whether the reality was something more akin to the not-quite-so-long kontos - a weapon also held in two hands. 

Hannibal

I am almost certain this is the figure of Hannibal that appeared as part of the Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars range as PBP 7 - for 'Phil Barker Personalities'. 

The model is not taken from the AMPW book despite the code designation, but forms part of a small range of 'general' figures.

The figure appears in the Miniature Figurines 72/73 catalogue and the 75 catalogue under the same code. 

As a mounted model this figure carried no code, which makes it hard to tell the various mounted PBP models apart, so my identification is tentative. If anyone knows better please tell me! 

The horse is PBH 65-217 which served in both the PB range as a general mount. I don't know which horse came with the model as advertised and suspect it was pot luck! As far as I know Minifigs never made specific horses for the mounted personality ranges. 

It's a nice leader figure and would sit well at the head of a unit of Carthaganian Noble Cavalry. 

 

Dahae Horse Archer

This is the Dahae Horse Archer  that first appears in the Miniature Figurines 72/73 catalogue as PBC 7s, and subsequently in the 75 catalogue as PBC 7. 

As with all the 'PB' range it is derived from Phil Barker's pair of books Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars and Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. PBC standing for Phil Barker Cavalry. This figure corresponds with illustration 7 in AMPW.

The mount shown here is the PBH 65-217 which is listed as two different horses in the 72/73 catalogue: PBH 65 Cavalry Horse and PBH 217 Roman Cavalry Horse 1st and 2nd Centuries AD. The code is stamped on the base in the usual way. 

This model is essentially a 'Scythian' and as such a fairly common addition to many armies including Persians, Greeks, Macedonians and Successors. Not surprisingly it is a fairly common find, although often well hidden under layers of brightly coloured Humbrol enamel. 

A nice enough model, it tends to suffer from the classic Minifigs trait of horse archers in that he's shooting to his side. When arranged into a unit this has the disconcerting effect of making them look as if they are shooting each other rather than the enemy. 
 

Thracian or Thessalian Light Cavalryman

 

This is the Thracian or Thessalian Light Cavalryman  that first appears in the Miniature Figurines 72/73 catalogue as PBC 5s, and subsequently in the 75 catalogue as PBC 5. 

As with all the 'PB' range it is derived from Phil Barker's pair of books Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars and Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. PBC standing for Phil Barker Cavalry. This figure corresponds with illustration 5 in AMPW.

The mount shown here is the PBH 65-217 which is listed as two different horses in the 72/73 catalogue: PBH 65 Cavalry Horse and PBH 217 Roman Cavalry Horse 1st and 2nd Centuries AD. The code is stamped on the base in the usual way. 

As with all this range there is a thick and thin version of the javelins - this one being a thinner type. 

Unshielded cavalry like this are a feature of pre-Successor armies - notably the army of Alexander the Great - which served to make these forces less attractive to canny wargamers ever mindful of the extra combat bonus to be gained from a shield. 

Successor or Italian Light Cavalryman

This is the Successor or Italian Light Cavalryman  that first appears in the Miniature Figurines 72/73 catalogue as PBC 36s, and subsequently in the 75 catalogue as PBC 36. 

As with all the 'PB' range it is derived from Phil Barker's pair of books Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars and Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. PBC standing for Phil Barker Cavalry. This figure corresponds with illustration in AMPW.

The mount shown here is the PBH 65-217 which is listed as two different horses in the 72/73 catalogue: PBH 65 Cavalry Horse and PBH 217 Roman Cavalry Horse 1st and 2nd Centuries AD. The code is stamped on the base in the usual way. 

This figure seems have been a staple in every army back in the day because it turns up frequently second hand. An absent minded chap could easily end up with fifty of sixty of them if he wasn't careful. Just saying. 

As with all of the spear and javelin waving models in this range there are thick and thin variations - the thinner ones being later as far as I can tell. This is a thin one. 

 

Indian Cavalryman

This is the Indian Cavalryman  that first appears in the Miniature Figurines 72/73 catalogue as PBC 29s, and subsequently in the 75 catalogue as PBC 29. 

As with all the 'PB' range it is derived from Phil Barker's pair of books Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars and Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. PBC standing for Phil Barker Cavalry. This figure corresponds with illustration 29 in AMPW.

There is a specific horse for this model but the mount shown here is the PBH 65-217 which is listed as two different horses in the 72/73 catalogue: PBH 65 Cavalry Horse and PBH 217 Roman Cavalry Horse 1st and 2nd Centuries AD. The code is stamped on the base in the usual way. 

As per usual we have thick and thin versions of the spear, this one is a thicker type. The thin ones are very delicate and likely to be broken if you can find them - easily replaced though. 

 

Carthaginian Noble Cavalryman

 

This is the Carthaginian Noble Cavalryman  that first appears in the Miniature Figurines 72/73 catalogue as PBC 45s, and subsequently in the 75 catalogue as PBC 45. 

As with all the 'PB' range it is derived from Phil Barker's pair of books Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars and Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. PBC standing for Phil Barker Cavalry. This figure corresponds with illustration 45 in AMPW.

The mount shown here is the PBH 65-217 which is listed as two different horses in the 72/73 catalogue: PBH 65 Cavalry Horse and PBH 217 Roman Cavalry Horse 1st and 2nd Centuries AD. The code is stamped on the base in the usual way. 

This figure is superficially similar to the S Range Macedonian Cavalryman and the same size - sometimes they can be hard to tell apart under a good think layer of Humbrol! 

Macedonian Cavalryman

This figure is almost certainly the 'S' range Macedonian Cavalryman coded AMdC 1s in the 72/73 catalogue. Because cavalry figures don't have their codes marked they can be hard to identify, but this figure's open helmet suggests he is the Macedonian. All the 'ancients' in this first 'S' range are coded 'A' for ancients - so Ancient Macedonian Cavalryman 1.

I've mounted him onto the ACH 5s - Ancient Cavalry Horse Trotting according to the 72/73 catalogue. It's a very generic beast that lacks any tack front and back - but I seem to have rather a lot of them.

The figure is basically a shielded Companion and so perhaps better suited to the armies of Alexander's successors rather than those of Alexander himself. It's a neat little figure who deserves a better horse - he would sit a PB mount quite nicely. 

 

Roman Light Infantry Archer later 2nd/early 3rd Centuries AD

 

This figure was sold as Light Infantry of the later 2nd and early 3rd Centuries AD Archer - which is quite a mouthful by anyone's standards. I have added Roman to a slightly more rational title because that is what it is - Minifigs taking it for granted that we already knew. It first appeared in the Miniature Figurines 72/73 catalogue as PB 124

Both PB ranges were based on Phil Barker's books Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars and The Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. This figure is taken from illustration 24 in the first edition of AEIR.

The code numbers for the AEIR range correspond to the illustrations in the book plus '100', i.e. illustration 1 is figure 101. 

The base is stamped PB 124 on the upper surface in the usual manner.

Although the cap has a vaguely eastern appearance the figure is in fact taken from a relief depicting western troops. Otherwise, it is rather standard fare in the usual purposeful Minifigs archer pose.

Dalmatian Light Infantryman

 

This is the Dalmatian Light Infantryman - Early 1st Century AD  that first appeared in the Miniature Figurines 72/73 catalogue as PB 108.

Both PB ranges were based on Phil Barker's books Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars and The Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. This figure is taken from illustration 8 in the first edition of AEIR.

The code numbers for the AEIR range correspond to the illustrations in the book plus '100', i.e. illustration 1 is figure 101. 

The base is stamped PB 108 on the upper surface in the usual manner.

This particular figure is based on a funerary monument and you do have to wonder whether the original would have worn a helmet. 

Interestingly, this figure retains the feed extension to the spear that was no doubt incorporated as an aid to casting. This plainly didn't stop the original owner starting to paint the model - although maybe it discouraged them from finishing because it was only half done when I acquired it. 

I don't know what paint was used but it certainly proved stubborn as you can plainly see by the traces left behind. I normally try to show examples that are either unpainted or cleanly stripped - but needs must.