Fireforge Games- Plastic Byzantine Cataphracts!

I've griped about painting cavalry, yet I have no qualms when it comes to super heavily armored cavalry units. The bigger, bulkier, and badder, the better.
Hopefully these will tide me over while I wait for giant undead cavalry for Conquest or samurai from Fireforge!
Check them out here!
fireforge-game...

[@carlm5991]

Thank you again man for another awesome miniatures review. Really appreciate you taking the time to show us these new historical and fantasy plastic kits from manufacturers that are not GW. Yeah the horses are a little short in the neck, and their heads should be a little bit longer, but its not a deal breaker. Could maybe fix it with a little modding and basic green stuff work if it really bothered you. That SPQR ancient germanic cavalry guy was small in comparison, but supposedly that is how they really were. Julius Caesar mentions them in his writings, the Germanics' horses were rather small compared to the neighboring Gauls, but they were very brave and aggressive riders despite the differences in mounts.

[@ObscuritiesinMiniature]

Yeah, I'm always looking for interesting new historical kits- preferably in plastic! I wish I could get those Fireforge samurai sooner than later!

[@Castillo525]

Very glad to see this review, I was thinking of starting a Byzantine force painted in the medieval 2 total war style, purples and whites 🤣

[@ObscuritiesinMiniature]

Ooh, that will look nice! I haven't played Total War 2 yet, but I think I might have to take a look for some painting ideas!

[@Castillo525]

@@ObscuritiesinMiniature for being such an old game, its amazing! Also, stainless steel mod amplifies all of its good qualities, highly recommended ;)

[@mhovar101]

I am considering doing the same for an oathmark army

[@erichearth5061]

Fireforge does have a box of Byzantine spearmen, they look neat.

[@ObscuritiesinMiniature]

They do. I've already got some auxiliaries they did in plastic, so hopefully I'll post those soon!

[@jaelee1996]

I love Fire Forge minis. Their Roman line are fantastic.

[@paulwalker5221]

These are lovely minis I have several boxes and kitbashed one as Elven Knights using Elven helmets/heads. The biggest negative is basing the horses it was a little tricky as most of the legs need to be supported as they are all at different levels

[@ObscuritiesinMiniature]

I noticed that while filming. I'll be piling up sand around those spots to help keep them supported most likely. The more you guys mention Elf conversions the more I'm tempted, as these horses look like they'd really work well for it!

[@stoatnam450]

These look easy enough to turn into heavy Sahel horsemen, maybe some Malian knights with the right head.

[@ObscuritiesinMiniature]

Ooh, what a fun rabbit hole you just sent me down! I agree- the horses would work perfect, even the riders' bodies. Heck, if Fireforge wanted to whip up some resin heads for just such a thing they'd be pretty much good to go!

[@PhD777]

Very informative and enjoyable video! The green bases came with your Perry Light Horse. :) The big difference between the GB and FF Cataphracts is only 800 years! 🤪🎅

[@bobcrutch8905]

I fancy those as elven cavalry perhaps swap heads with oathmark elves and perhaps the arms

[@acarrot589]

Great idea!!

[@ObscuritiesinMiniature]

Agreed. Might try this when I can wrangle up a box of their lighter skirmish, non- archer cavalry. Koursores I believe?

[@ianlacey6588]

Going shopping today. Got a bead on a shop that purports to stick them. I know people who hate painting horse flesh. Wayyyuulll...there may be a solution.

[@charlesentrekin140]

Did you notice if they are planning the cataphracts with armor only on the front half of their horse, they were rear rank cataphracts and carried bows. I have a fire Forge Mongol Army that I absolutely love.

[@ObscuritiesinMiniature]

You'd want to look at maybe combining bits from both the Horse Archer and Koursores sets depending on how armored you want your riders to be. Both sets share the same horse frame, which has a basic horse with optional front barding. The Koursores rider frame is a bit like the Cataphracts with some different legs, shields, and armaments, while the archer frame obviously has the bows, but less armored troops.

[@charlesentrekin140]

@@ObscuritiesinMiniature just went through their website Page by Page and so they have quite a few Byzantine units. I have a very old book specifically on the Byzantine Legions and if he is to be believed just about everybody excluding the Infantry had bows. Quick trivia fact did you realize that some of their Infantry had spikes pounded into the ground and were chained to them. This was done to prisoners and if the byzantines won the battle they would be released. Of course if they lost...

[@paulwalker5221]

There are Koursores armoured cavalry by Fireforge in their Byzantine range on half armoured horses or unarmoured horses. The horse armour is an option you can add. These are nice minis again horses are a little tricky to base.

[@charlesentrekin140]

@@paulwalker5221 have ordered three boxes thank you, also horse archers oh, and of course cataphracts. Thank you. Already have my Western Romans, now it's time to build the Eastern Romans.

[@darklingeraeld-ridge7946]

Nice, but…. horses a bit short in the neck, no?

[@ObscuritiesinMiniature]

A bit, but it's hard to tell due to their armor.

[@PhD777]

Yes, necks short and heads small. Their caprisonned and unarmored horses that come with their knights and sergeants are some of their best miniatures.

[@caseyrogers7538]

Good review. I’d like to see how they scale against some Lord of the Rings cavalry models by Gw

[@ObscuritiesinMiniature]

I'll have to track some down one of these days. Size wise I think they work pretty well within both the realms of fantasy and history, with the exception of some of the larger outlying model lines (such as Conquest).

[@mary_1117]

Hi!!why do you Paint bizantine cataphracts? With light Blue and Blue colors

[@darthvaderbutwayshittier7054]

But when OD Cataphracts?

[@ObscuritiesinMiniature]

When I can finally get ahold of them!

[@astolbro7183]

Fireforge has always confused me their minis look very cheap and low detail and their prices rival games workshop I know that they have had trouble as a company in the past have they not thought that their minis are far overpriced?

[@PhD777]

They are rather plain, wearing sweater-mail and over-priced at retail. (Have painted 120 of their Crusader era knights and sergeants!) Prefer to find them (significantly) reduced on one of the FB miniatures sales groups or (on chance occasion) reduced and resold on eBay as I refuse to pay more than $24 for 12 of their mounted.

[@terrainaholic]

I'm printing some star wars fighters in I think smaller than x wing scale. I want to build Kamino and do dog fights with small 3 ship squads like in battle fronts fighter assault. I have 56 figs on the plate and it cost .79 CENTS!!!!!! This should be ILLEGAL!!!!! SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!