Contrary
to what I said earlier on this blog, the designer of this range of figures is
known (and I should have been aware of it since I was the one who interviewed
Tim Richards). His name was Steve Farmer and he worked for Mettoy
designing the figures that went alongside the Corgi range of model vehicles.
The Ancient range was released in 1973. I believe there may also have been a
Greek slinger and if I can find the box the figure I’m thinking of is in I’ll
tell you for certain.
The
Ancient World (500-320 BC)
AW/1 Greek javelinman [this figure is actually a spear armed hoplite]
AW/2 Greek warrior with short sword [Hoplite with cloak]
AW/3 Thracian Peltast [with oval “thureos” shield and rhomphaia]
AW/4 Cretan archer
AW/5 Greek cavalryman with sword
AW/6 Persian archer
AW/7 Persian infantryman (Cardaces)
AW/8 Persian slinger (Confusingly some PMD greek slingers - see later post - I have also have the code AW/8 on the base)
AW/9 Persian Anatolian spearman
AW/10 Dahae horse archer
(Javelins and spears were not included with packs)
AW/1 Greek javelinman [this figure is actually a spear armed hoplite]
AW/2 Greek warrior with short sword [Hoplite with cloak]
AW/3 Thracian Peltast [with oval “thureos” shield and rhomphaia]
AW/4 Cretan archer
AW/5 Greek cavalryman with sword
AW/6 Persian archer
AW/7 Persian infantryman (Cardaces)
AW/8 Persian slinger (Confusingly some PMD greek slingers - see later post - I have also have the code AW/8 on the base)
AW/9 Persian Anatolian spearman
AW/10 Dahae horse archer
(Javelins and spears were not included with packs)
Photos shows AW/5. His sword has been cut away, presumably to replace it with a javelin.
Excellent - nice little figure. I'm a big fan of Les Higgins and PMD - figures from these ranges form the main part of my Napoleonic armies, and also of my growing ECW armies.
ReplyDeleteBut what about the horses? I have hundreds of them, and I have to say they are disappointing - what went wrong with the horses? I understand that they are a beggar to cast, because you have to bend the leading leg to get them out of the mould, and the horse has something very like an alligator's head. How come the firm which produced such elegant, classically proportioned human figures produced such duff horses?
Discuss(!).
Cheers - always a good read - Tony
Thanks Tony. My own ECW armies also feature a lot of Higgins', alongside Hinton Hunt. Horses seemed to be a problem for a few of the old designers - Hinton's are much to small and short in the back, the original Minifigs (ignoring the later fat-bottomed variety)are too little. Generally there's a tendency to shorten the riders' legs too. The main problem I find with the Higgins' horses is their tendency to snap off the bases.
DeleteMust admit, horses were the major advantage Garrison had over the opposition. They were easily the best wargames horses of that era.
ReplyDeleteI agree the Garrison horses are better. The PMD sometimes look a bit out of proportion but you can always swap the horses.
ReplyDeleteFor the rider I must say it has great potential as standart bearer or some kind of sub officer when based togehter with some ordinary foot soldier. He migt also be used as spearmen or with some bended arm be used with the longer kontos type.