Seleucid Core Army Unit Designation Unit Size Tactical Usage Fight. Value Weapons Morale Skirm. Katalkoi 32 Phalanx Inf. 5-6 Pikes 0 - Katalkoi 32 Phalanx Inf. 5-6 Pikes 0 - Kataikoi 32 Phalanx Inf. 5-6 Pikes 0 - Bactrians 32 Phalanx Inf. 4-6 Pikes 0 - Peltasts 12 Light Inf. 3-6 Javelins 0 +1 Peltasts 12 Light Inf. 3-6 Javelins 0 +1 Persian/Arab Bows 16 Skirmish Inf. - Bows - 0 Cretan Bows 16 Skirmish Inf. - Bows - 0 Merc. Cav. 16 Heavy Cav. 4-6 Spears/Javelines 0 - Merc. Cav. 16 Light Cav. 3-6 Javelins/Bows 0 - Seleucid Empire Troops Four additional Units as desired from listings below. Each numbered listing counts as one separate selection. ** Seleucid Core Army Unit Designation Unit Size Tactical Usage Fight. Value Weapons Morale Skirm. 1) Heavy Cavalry 16 Heavy Cavalry 5-6 Bows 0 - 2) Arab Camelry* 16 Anti-Cavalry 3-6 Jav/Bows 0 - 3) Bactrians 32 Plahanx Inf. 4-6 Pike 0 - 4) Argryaspids 24 Heavy Inf. 5-6 Spear +1 - 5) Peltasts 12 Light Infantry 3-6 javelins 0 +1 6) Peltasts 12 Light Infantry 3-6 javelins 0 +1 7) Elephants 3 Terror/Missiles 5-6 Beast/javs. 0 - 8) Elephants 3 Terror/Missiles 5-6 Beast/javs. 0 - 9) Catafracts 12 Heavy Cavalry 6 Lance 0 - 10) Catafracts 12 Heavy Cavalry 6 Lance 0 - 11) 4-Horse Chariots 4 Shock/Missiles 4-6 javelins +1 +1 12) 4-Horse Chariots 4 Shock/Missiles 4-6 javelins +1 +1 13) Asian Horse 20 Light Cavalry 3-6 Bows 0 - * Camels are used against Ptolemaics only. ** Additional Units should be reduced to: 1 or 2 choices, against the Macedonian Successors given last issue. Additional Units may not be necessary at all, against the Galatians, also given last issue. Scouting Report: An embarrassment of riches in comparison with its Ptolemaic and Macedonian counterparts, this army is reminiscent of Alexander's, albeit with definite Eastern overtones. The Seleucids command a wide range of troops drawn from different parts of their extensive empire. The task of this army commander is to decide what type of a battle he wishes to pursue and to tailor his forces accordingly, properly combining with various arms into coordinated attacks, otherwise, they will work at cross purposes to each other and give one's opponent a fighting chance. Main Battleline: The core phalanx infantry, plus any additional phalanx or heavy infantry units selected, comprise the Main Battleline. Battleline units may deploy in ranks of 2 or 4, the Argyraspides may deploy into ranks of 2, 3, or 4. Bactrians may have their formations further modified (see optional rules below). SPECIAL RULES Army Composition Core army units represent those units who, because of their intrinsic capabilities and general availability, form the 'core' of each Seleucid army. To these units, the Seleucid commander must select from among available 'Empire Troops'three additional units, thus complementing core units with each other, often widely diverse force types, mixing and matching as seen fit. The Seleucid commander can thus create different types of Seleucid armies, i.e., standard phalanx, fareastern empire, cavalry-intensive, elephant or combined-arms oriented armies, each reflecting different types of Seleucid armies that actually took the field at one time or another during the Hellenistic period. Bactrians There is evidence to suggest that, before his death, Alexander was seriously considering adding Persian archers to his phalanxes in an attempt to integrate missile and shock power. While this experiment was never put to practical use, the Seleucid commander may wish to try this tactical innovation. To reflect this option, change the two Bactrian pike formations to reflect the following arrangement: three 'front' ranks of eight figures followed by a fourth rank of Persian archers. These archers may fire at any unit their phalanx front rank has a clear line of sight on, firing directly ahead only, over the heads of their comrades' intervening ranks. Casualties are taken normally, (i.e., a '6' to kill) and may be subtracted from enemy formations prior to melee combat, similar to Roman pilum combat. Note, however, that archers are not counted in figuring unit totals for purposes of morale. Thus the Bactrian phalanx would check morale as per a unit of 24 figures, not 32. Victory Conditions The Seleucids are defeated when any combination of 2 phalanes (or 1 phalanx and the Argyraspides) are broken. OPTIONAL RULE Seleucid Elephant Corps For its day the elephant corps as developed by the Seleucids constituted one of the most efficient and highly organized bodies of specialist troops available in the Hellenistic world. Reflecting this high degree of organization on the battlefield were specially designated elephant escorts, especially trained light infantry and skirmishers whose function it was to accompany the elephants into the fray, much as peltasts were trained to accompany cavalry formations, acting as a screen of protective soldiery to keep other light infantry and archers form harassing the beasts. Once in combat they might likewise aid in presenting a solid block of troops on one of the elephant formation's flanks so as to guard against the sudden arrival of enemy cavalry. To reflect the disposition of these forces in Seleucid battles wherein elephants are employed the following special rule is suggested. Players may employ this rule or not as they see fit. Agreement as to its use must be made prior to the game's beginning. Seleucid Elephant Escort In addition to any light infantry or skirmishers nominally employed by a Seleucid army, any army containing one or more elephant units may likewise add to its standard force composition one additional light infantry/skirmisher figure per elephant figure on the table. These figures constitute specially trained elephant escorts and must be placed adjacent to elephant castings arrayed on the board, one casting adjacent to each elephant figure employed. Once combat begins these figures must remain within 2 inches of a given elephant casting at all times. They may not attack as per standard light infantry or skirmishers however the first casualty recorded against an elephant casting results in the removal of its attendant escort figure instead. Tactica Guide to the Hellenistic World Part Two: The Seleucids and the Pergamese Seleucid Design, Opponents, and Painting Seleucid Army Lists Pergamene Design, Opponents, and Painting Pergamene Army Lists Back to Table of Contents -- Courier #56 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1991 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com