This is the first re-release of the metal range we acquired when we bought Immortal Miniatures. Deployed mostly as mercenaries, the Cretan archer is an iconic element of most Greek armies. Check the models out here…
Commonly deployed as mercenaries, Cretan archers are an iconic part of Greek armies. Despite their fame, almost nothing is known about their appearance or how they fought!
Xenophon mentions their shields (although we are not sure he is talking about the archers), we know they carried Scythian style compound bows. Later depictions in art show a head band, dagger or short sword and a small pouch carried on the chest (maybe for bow strings, thumb rings or other archery equipment).
As Crete is in the ‘cross roads’ in the Mediterranean we have chosen to depict them with a slight eastern influence in their appearance.
The Cretan Archers will provide able supporting fire for your Spartan or Greek armies. You can add more hoplites to either army with these excellent plastic boxed sets.
Wondering how to field the Cretans in your games of Hail Caesar? Salvation is at hand in the form of the Hail Caesar Army Lists: Biblical & Classical book. Containing 63 army lists it’s the perfect accompaniment to the Hail Caesar rulebook.
Tom Mecredy