I picked up the Carthaginian 28mm command pack at Historicon. These are Hellenistic figures, suitable for First, most suitable for Second, or Third Punic war.

1st group: Commander, Standard Bearer, Musician, Officer

The Commander is wearing a cloak and drawing a sword. He wears a scale corslet with an undergarment to which is attached pteruges. This to me means he's early First war, mail replaced scale by the Second War. He has well sculptured Attic/Thracian helmet.

The Standard bearer has a short Celtic mail shirt with pteruges, and greaves protecting the legs. Helmet is a short crested Italian Montefortino, what Simkins would call type 'b'. Standard is Tanith's moon disk, but no streamers. This could be added with dental floss later.

The Musician figure is speculative, as we have no record of musicians in the army, but still nicely done. He wears greaves which is his only armor and has a short cloak. The horn is a copy of the Roman cornu. Maybe he looted it?

The Officer commands African heavy infantry. He is wearing a beautiful sculpted linenthroax or linen corslet which could also be referred to as the spolis if it was made of canvas. This is more of a missile or slice type defense, being made of 8 to 10 layers worth of stiffened material. The corsiet would have value against the Spanish and Gauls with their slashing style, but less effective against Romans who preferred to thrust. He wears double rank of pteruges attached to undergarment. That's how we know he is an officer. Rankers would have the single pteruges attached to the spolis. He is armed with a Spanish style gladius, and carries a Greek aspis, or round shield, and wears a Hellenistic style Thracian helmet.

Group two

This group is more typical of the later second Punic war. In fact everybody but the Standard bearer is in Celtic mail. It is possible that the Standard bearers were exchanged and the mail wearing bearer belongs with this group.

The Commander: It is hot on the field and our commander has removed his Thracian helmet to point something out. He is wearing purchased or captured mail, but has removed the links to shorten the suit. Like most Carthaginians he is bearded with a shorn skull. He has a Spanish sword which is supported by strap rather then a belt, sign of Hellenistic influence. My one nitpick is his tunic is Greek and not Carthaginian.

Standard bearer: Whatever his commander has seen the Bearer wants nothing to do with it! He wears the old style corslet made of linen or canvas. He has the high domed Thracian helmet and wears greaves and carries a Spanish sword. The Standard is the Tanith moon symbol. Again the ribbons will have to be added. He also wears a Greek tunic.

Musician: This one is ready to blow a mighty blast on his Cornu. The face is beautiful, down to the sunken cheeks inhaling He looks Libyan with curly hair and African features. Again he has a short cape and wears a short Greek tunic like his companion.

Officer: This Carthaginian has be assigned to command Celts. He wears a crested Celtic iron bowl which the Romans later developed into Gallic type "f" helmet. He has a mail shirt, of the latest design without the mail shoulders to save weight. He wears the longer Phoenician tunic that has sleeves, and reaches almost to his knees. He still carries his Spanish short sword, but has it attached to a belt, a concession to his troops as well as the Celtic shield carried for defense. He wears no trousers, that would be too barbaric, and has greaves.

All the figures fit in with Foundry or other large 25s. Cost is 6.00 or 6.50. Figures are available through RLBPS in Rockford Il. E-mail is rlbpsb@earthlink.net Website is at www.ribps.com