The Cavalry
The first group of 8 are the most beaten up of the pre-loved figures that I have. I decided a second rate Theme part-time regiment would be a good start to the cavalry contingent. Bows as an integral part of each cavalry regiment are most likely on balance with what evidence there is for this period. Two bases (4 figures) then as a back rank mainly shooting bows.
Lots of broken weapons so I added a spear, a mace, an axe and a standard pole to the figures and mended one of the bows. The other modification was to sculpt on neck guards to all the helmets. Quilted fabric was an easy finish for my skill set, so the majority got this. The more likely mail version was done (in a vague kind of way) on a couple for variety.
I have a variety of replacement shields available. The 9th. to 10th Centuries see the introduction of early kite shields to the Byzantine armoury but round shields were still the majority. For this unit though I decided to use some of the detachable shields supplied with the figures. The moulded patterns are mostly horsie-related but one of them is a sort of starburst pattern that that is not too dis-similar from typical Late Roman/Byzantine types.
The armour on these figures consists of a diagonal pattern scale or padded form in either long or short versions. The one exception is a pose in a shortish mail shirt with some sort of thorax armour on top. These work quite nicely as padded cloth armour (kavadion) with the thorax painted metallic as a lamellar klivanion. I also painted the long plain coats with an impression of padding. Most of the figures also have lower leg armour and bracers on their arms which can be painted as leather or iron. (I did a 50/50 split for these self-armed, provincial part-timers.)
The unit standard is a vandon banner which perhaps had a common symbol for each Theme and the individual unit identified by the colour of the triangular tails.
They have ended up looking a bit more uniform than I intended but with the cloaks in subdued browns I think they still have more of an ad hoc feel to the.
For the next group I will try a smarter scheme that could be a posh Tagmata guard unit.
