Modeling Peltast and Light type Greek Troops for Miniature Wargaming
Friday, December 12th, 2008
Rules tend to treat Peltasts as troops that can throw javelins, evade, fight under the most desperate circumstances.
Peltasts are difficult to represent on the wargame table because most wargame rule writers tend to lump Peltasts together with light armed (such as psiloi) as one type. The nimble fellows shooting down Gauls in Greece are no different than Aetolian armored men fighting Seleucid phalangites in Egyptian service. They also seem ideal for taking on cavalry. However, I say that is not the case.
Peltasts seem to go through several changes throughout history, but game rules do not reflect that. They are no different than the Psiloi, light armed, with perhaps the exception the light armed are not shielded while the peltast is. War game rules tend to overvalue light armed. (more…)