Corvus

25mm Macedonians figures

By Lance McKenzie

Corvus Miniatures, of Britain, has released a fine array of 25mm Macedonians most of which are of the Alexandrian era. The listing is very complete for those wishing to field an Alexandrian army, but also includes a few troops for successor armies, such as Bactrian phalangite, and armoured peltast, and an eastern phalangite. The figures are cleanly cast and of good metal quality. In size, they are compatible with most other 25mm figures, being smaller than Essex, but larger than Ral Partha. There does seem to be some size discrepancy within the line, though. The phalangites and mercenary peltast are nearly as large as Essex, and a few of the riders seem large for their mounts. Several nice horses are available, and can be ordered separately from the riders, thus allowing for mixing and matching within a unit. Detailing is very good, especially in clothing folds, but it does seem a bit shallow on the cuirasses of the phalangites and hoplites. Most have separate weapons which are well-done, especially the belly-bow and sarissue. Normally, I consider alloy pikes impractical, but these are so well-done that it would be a shame not to use them. I recommend clipping off the shaft just below the tip, drilling it out with a pin-vice, and replacing the shaft with brass or piano wire. In general, poses are adequate. The companion is not very active, but the slinger pose is highly realistic. Standout figures include the hypaspist, the Bactrian phalangite, and a personality figure of Alexander. This figure of Alex is easily one of the best 25mm figures, in my opinion, on the market. He is depicted bare-headed, sharply reining in on his mount, while looking over his left shoulder and drawing his sword as though to lead the companions into the fray. By combining a very active, yet realistic, pose with excellent detail and proportioning, the designer has created in this figure the epitome of what a 25mm figure, especially a leader figure, should be. These figures are available from Wargames, 1410 Promenade Bank Center, Richardson, TX 75080.

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