Graeco-Bactrian

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Historical Overview Section

The Greco-Bactrian Kingdom (or Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom) covered the areas of Bactria and Sogdiana, comprising today's northern Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia, the easternmost area of the Hellenistic world, from 250 to 125 BCE. The expansion of the Greco-Bactrians into northern India from 180 BCE established the Indo-Greek Kingdom, which was to last until around 10 CE.

The Greco-Bactrian Kingdom was founded around 250 BCE when the Seleucid military governor of Bactria, Sogdiana and Margiana, named Diodotus (Theodotos), wrested independence for his territory from the Seleucid ruler Antiochus II, who was embroiled in a war against Ptolemaic Egypt:

Diodotus, the governor of the thousand cities of Bactria (Latin: "Theodotus, mille urbium Bactrianarum praefectus"), defected and proclaimed himself king; all the other people of the Orient followed his example and seceded from the Macedonians. (Justin, XLI,4)

Useful Links

User-contributed links about this army:

• Graeco-Bactrian (Tom Brake) DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• (Greco)-Bactrians DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• put the link text readers will see in here write some more detail about the link here

Tactical Tips

• One of its best incarnations is an an all mounted force. No elephants or foot, just Cataphracts, cavalry and LH
• If using Pikes, deploy the pikes as three groups of 8 to max out on tactical flexibility and increase unit count in this expensive army

Collecting and Painting the army

As far as colors/emblems, there is very little other than coins. Some show the ruler wearing a helmet/crown shaped like an elephants head with tusks and trunk. Hercules is shown on the back of some coins or Zeus. Maybe an elephant on the shield.

Allied Contingents

• Saka - Later Skythian or Saka : Date restrictions None Book: Rise of Rome Page: 60 - Up to 4 cataphracts or lancer Cv, loads of Bw/Sw LH and some irrelevant foot

15mm Manufacturers supplying figures for this army

You can see some of the figures in the Ancients Photo Gallery also on this site

Nearly all the following will also do an Indian range

• Essex Miniatures - large Macedonian, Hellenistic & Selucid ranges, plus 6 Bactrians and an Indian range too
• Donnington 60+ Hellenistics, includes specific codes for different successsor armies
• Xyston Some of their macedonians are creeping up the scale, but generaly OK to mix with others
• Museum Miniatures around 30 codes listed for various Hellenistic armies, but some codes are duplicated
• Gladiator Miniatures by Fighting 15's (Previously Black Hat) 54 codes in a range also including Greek hoplite armies
• Old Glory 15's, 9 Macedonians, 27 Successors,
• Magister Militum 19 Selucid and 9 Alexandrian codes, plus assorted allies/mercenaries
• Lancashire Games 14 Macedonian range figure codes
• Irregular Miniatures 26 figures codes for Hellenistics and Successors
• QRF Models 35 codes in their Feudal Castings range, including some excellent personality figures
• Tin Soldier 32 suitable codes in a Hellenistic range also covering Indians & Persians
• Minifigs 45 codes in their Hellenistic & Alexandrian ranges
• East Riding Miniatures (sell some Thracians that would fit, but no hellenistics as such
• Outpost Wargame Services 13 Macedonians
• Viking Forge 17 figure codes in Hellenistic & Alexandrian ranges
• Battle Line Miniatures 43 codes in their Hellenistic range, which also covers hoplite armies
• Isarus/15mm.co.uk 26 Selucid figures
• Warmodelling/Fantassin Have announced an Alexandrian range

UK Tournament Results with this army

2 / 20 Bactrian Greek Warfare 2008 15mm (RoR, IF, LT)
8 / 22 Graeco Bactrian Oxford Doubles 2008 (IF)
9 / 25 Graeco Bactrian Roll Call 2008 15mm (IF)
12 / 22 Graeco Bactrian Oxford Doubles 2008 (IF)
15 / 22 Graeco Bactrian Oxford Doubles 2008 (IF)
18 / 22 Graeco Bactrian Oxford Doubles 2008 (IF)
19 / 22 Graeco Bactrian Oxford Doubles 2008 (IF)
22 / 22 Graeco Bactrian Oxford Doubles 2008 (IF)
6 / 14 Graeco-Bactrian Roll Call 2008 25mm (open)
9 / 10 Greaco Bactrian Britcon 2008 25mm (open)
30 / 62 Greaco Bactrian Britcon 2008 15mm (open)

French Tournament Results with this army

4 / 18 Graeco Bactrian Montivilliers 2009 15mm (RoR, IF, LT)

Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army
800 AP list used at Faenza 2010

• 4 LH, Bw/Sw
• 8 Pk
• 4 LH, J/LS
• 4 Cv Ln, Iranians Sup, Undrilled, Sw, lance, Armoured
• 4 more Iranians
• 4 LH, Bw/Sw
• 4 LH, Bw/Sw
• 8 Protected (ooh!) LF, J/LS
• 4 Cataphracts
• 4 Greek Lancers Drilled
• 2 Elephants
• 8 Pike
• 6 Superior Cretans

900AP List used at Burton 2009

• 4 LH Bow, Javelin Average
• 4 LH Bow, Javelin Average
• 4 LH Bow, Javelin Average
• 4 LH Bow, Sword
• 8 Average Pike
• 8 Average Pike
• 8 Average Pike
• 6 LF Bow Superior
• 4 Cataphracts, Undrilled
• 4 Cataphracts, Undrilled
• 4 Cataphracts, Undrilled
• 4 Cataphracts, Undrilled
• 4 LH, Javelins
• 4 Alled LH, Bw/Sword
• 4 Allied LH, Bow/Sw
• 1 x IC
• 2 x TC
• 1 x TC Allied

Used with a pike center and cataphracts on one wing, skirmsihing away the rest of the table with LH and LF. Some of the LH can flee off table, meaning nearly all the cataphracts and pikes need to be beaten to break the army.

Remember to leave a line before you copy the above section as a template for your own list

800AP List used at Montivilliers 2009

• 4 LH Bow, Javelin Average
• 4 LH Bow, Javelin Average
• 4 LH LS, Javelin Average
• 4 Cv Bow, Sword, Average
• 12 Average Pike
• 4 LF Bow Superior
• 4 Cataphracts, Undrilled, Average
• 4 Cataphracts, Undrilled, Superior
• 4 Cataphracts, Undrilled, Average
• 4 Cv, Lancers, Sword, Drilled, Superior
• 4 Cv, Lancers, Sword, Drilled, Superior
• 8 MF, Offensive Sp, Protected, Drilled, Average
• 1 x IC
• 2 x TC

Version with max cavalry / Cataphracts. IC to get 'Steppes'.

Warfare 08 2nd

• 1 Bactrian LH
• 2 Bactrian LH
• 3 Saka LH
• 4 Bactrian LH
• 5 Ally Saka LH
• 6 Ally Saka LH
• 7 Ally Saka LH
• 8 Bactrian Lancers
• 9 Iranian Lancers
• 10 Iranian Lancers
• 11 Iranian Lancers
• 12 Iranian Cataphracts
• A CinC IC
• B Sub General TC
• C Saka Ally TC

PBI +4 800pts

"Move First and flank march" PBI of +2 800 AP option.

• 1 lght horse lh unprotected Average Undrilled bow Light spear - - 4
• 2 lght horse lh unprotected Average Undrilled bow Light spear - - 4
• 3 lght horse lh unprotected Average Undrilled bow Light spear - - 4
• 4 lght horse lh unprotected Average Undrilled bow Light spear - - 4
• 5 saka lh unprotected Average Undrilled bow - Swordmen - 6
• 6 elephants el - - - - - - - 2
• 7 other lancers cv armoured Average Undrilled - lancers Swordmen - 6
• 8 other lancers cv armoured Superior Undrilled - lancers Swordmen - 4
• 9 other lancers cv armoured Superior Undrilled - lancers Swordmen - 4
• 10 other lancers cv armoured Superior Undrilled - lancers Swordmen - 4
• 11 Greek lancers Cv armoured Superior drilled - lancers Swordmen - 4
• 12 elephants el - - - - - - - 2
• TC TC - - - - - - - 3
• FC FC - - - - - - - 1

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