An Army for Byzantium IV

 Tagmatic Cavalry

The next unit I decided to try was a more regular cavalry regiment, maybe even a Tagma contingent from Byzantium itself. The paint scheme would be a bit smarter than the border Thematic versions and the other modifications would be:

• Adding mail aventails to the helmets of all the riders
• Archer figure converted into standard bearer
• Standard bearer horse with upgraded barding
• Shields swapped out for buttons with Arab/ Persian inspired design.*

 

*This was apparently a thing, following the success of the Arab conquests. 

I was using new horses for this unit, and I considered briefly chopping up the models to give some variety to the ludicrous 2 supplied poses. Punted this to a future unit on time saving grounds.

 

As I don't dick around with sabot bases, I needed to drill out my preferred MDF to be able to superglue the studs on the horse models to the bases.

This seems to work quite well making the hole a close fit to the stud. What was less successful was the using the plastic cement on the seam on the rear of the horse. Rather than fill this area I decided to add a horse tack strap to the area to cover/distract.

The replacement shields were fruits of many patient hours with my accomplished crafter wife in shops providing all sorts of interesting materials. They looked bling enough to be carried by prestigious Tagmata guard  cavalry and being plastic easy enough to attach.

The figures chosen were mainly spear armed to speak to the purposeful nature of the unit. 

The standard is again an LBMS flag re-sized and with some painted details. The standard bearer is an archer with the right arm remodelled with some Milliput.