1:72 Parthian Light Cavalry

HäT 1:72 Parthian Light Cavalry

A set of plastic figures in 1:72 scale from the brand HäT. The package contains eighteen figures in six poses and fifteen horses in two poses. Fifteen of the figures belong in the saddle, three are on foot. A point of interest is a rider with an open palm into which a bow, a standard or drumsticks can be fitted, and a horse adapted to carry a pair of war drums. The figures are unpainted.

The real subject

Parthian light cavalry was the terror of Roman armies. Riders without armor showered the enemy with arrows from a composite bow and withdrew before it could come to close fighting. From this comes the term Parthian shot, an arrow loosed backwards over the horse's rump during an apparent flight. At Carrhae in 53 BC this tactic, together with the cataphracts, decided the destruction of Crassus's army.

Building and painting tips

Wash the plastic, dry it and spray it with a flexible primer. Decide about the rider with the open palm in advance; the part fitted into it changes according to whether you want an archer, a standard bearer or a drummer. Paint the clothing in varied colors, because Parthian cavalry wore colored trousers and tunics. Bring the horses together into two shades. Glue the arrows and bows on last; they are very thin.

Who the set is for

• for collectors of the armies of the ancient East
• for players of wargames who build mounted archers
• for builders of dioramas of the Roman-Parthian wars
• for completing the Parthian heavy cavalry of the same range

The figures are supplied unpainted and unassembled. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.