This list is for creating the Persian armies of Cyrus, Xerxes and Darius, the armies that fought in the conquests of Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Egypt, and Thrace and Macedon. It is also the armies that invaded the Greek mainland and fought the city-states at Marathon, Thermopylae, Plataea, and Mycale. The Persian army of this time was very diverse and made up of many nationalities. Its core strength was always the Persian and Median royal troops. Most of the other troops were conscripts and mercenaries.
Phalanx:
Greek mercenary hoplites fight in a special formation called a phalanx. To represent this, as long as they are in a unit of at least 16 models and have a rank bonus of at least +1, then the following special rules apply. As soon as a phalanx is reduced to less than 16 models or looses its rank bonus (including when attacked in flank or rear) then the following rules no longer apply.
Characters: The army may have a General, a sub-general, and an
army standard bearer.
Persian Troops: Up to 50% of the points value of the army.
Levies and Mercenaries: At least 25% of the points value of the
army.
Special Units: Up to 25% of the points value of the army.
0-1 Army General...................115 points
| Troop Type | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| General on Warhorse | 8 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| General in Chariot | 6 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 9 |
Equipment: Armed with hand weapon and bow. May have light armour at +3 points, thrusting spear at +2 points, javelin at +2 points. May ride in light chariot at +25 points, or on a Warhorse at +3 points. If on a Warhorse, the Warhorse may have horse armour (barding) at +4 points.
0-1 Sub-General...................105 points
| Troop Type | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| Sub-General on Warhorse | 8 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 8 |
| Sub-General in Chariot | 6 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
Equipment: Armed with hand weapon and bow. May have light armour at +3 points, thrusting spear at +2 points, javelin at +2 points. May ride in light chariot at +25 points, or on a Warhorse at +3 points. If on a Warhorse, the Warhorse may have horse armour (barding) at +4 points.
0-1 Army Standard...............75 points
| Troop Type | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| Standard Bearer on Foot | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| Standard Bearer on Warhorse | 8 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| Standard Bearer in Chariot | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 9 |
Equipment: Armed with hand weapon and bow. May have light armour at +3 points, thrusting spear at +2 points, javelin at +2 points. May ride in light chariot at +25 points, or on a Warhorse at +3 points. If on a Warhorse, the Warhorse may have horse armour (barding) at +4 points.
Special Rules: Army Standard
0-2 Persian Guard Cavalry...............22 points
| Troop Type | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| Guard Cavalry | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
Unit: 5-10 Guard Cavalry
Equipment: Armed with hand weapons and javelins. May have light armour at +3 pts, shield at +2 pts, thrusting spear at +2 pts, bow at +3 pts, horse armour (barding) at +4 pts.
Special Rules: Guards and units with barding count rank bonus of up to +1 when charging. Guards are stubborn.
Persian and Median Cavalry...........17 points per model
| Troop Type | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| Persian Cavalry | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Equipment: Armed with hand weapons and javelins. May have light armour at +3 pts, shield at +2 pts, thrusting spear at +2 pts, bow at +3 pts.
Persian Infantry
Immortals........11 points per model
Persian and Median Infantry........5 points per model
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
| Immortal | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
| Persian Infantry | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Equipment: Armed with hand weapons. May have thrusting spear and shield at +2 pts, or composite bow at +2 pts, or thrusting spear and composite bow at +3 pts. Any model may have light armour at +2 pts.
Special Rules: Models in unit may be armed with different weapon combinations. Archers in second rank may shoot at full effect as long as unit doesn’t move. Immortals are stubborn.
Shock Cavalry
Bactrian/Noble...........18 points per model
Shock Cavalry...........13 points per model
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
| Bactrian / Nobles | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
| Shock Cavalry | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Equipment: Armed with hand weapons and javelins. May have light armour at +1 pt, shield at +1 pt, thrusting spear at +1 pt, bow at +2 pts, barding at +2 pts.
Special Rules: Nobles and units with barding count rank bonus of up to +1 when charging.
Skirmish Cavalry
Scythians/Dahae...........15
points per model
Arab Camel Riders...........13 points per model
Skirmish Cavalry...........10 points per model
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
| Scythians | 8 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Camel Riders | 6 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Skirmish Cavalry | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Equipment: Armed with knife and javalins. May have bow at +1 pt. May have shield at +1 pt.
Special Rules: Skirmishers. Parthian Shot: The unit may make a normal move immediately after shooting. This is only allowed in the shooting phase, not as a charge reaction, and the unit may not march. Scythians/Dahae must be armed with bows. Camels cause fear in cavalry.
0-1 Unit of Mercenary Hoplites...........10 points per model
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
| Hoplite | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Equipment: Large shield, thrusting spear and hand weapon. May have light armour (+2 pts), or heavy armour (+3 pts).
Special Rules: Hoplites fight in phalanx formation. Mercenary Hoplites may not have a unit standard.
Levy Infantry...........3 points per model
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
| Levy Infantry | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Equipment: Armed with hand weapons. May have thrusting spear and shield at +1 pt, or composite bow at +2 pts, or thrusting spear and composite bow at +3 pts. Any model may have light armour at +2 pts. Shields may be replaced with spara (pavises) at +1/2 pt per model.
Special Rules: Models in unit may be armed with different weapon combinations. Archers in second rank may shoot at full effect as long as unit doesn’t move.
Levy infantry are subject to fear against all enemy units that they don’t outnumber by at least 2 to 1.
Light Infantry
Egyptian/Phonecian Marines...........4 points per model
Light Infantry...........3 points per model
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
| Marine | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Light Infantry | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Equipment: Armed with javelins and shield, or bow. Marines and light infantry may have thrusting spear at +1 pt, or double-handed weapon at +1 pt.
Special Rules: Light Infantry.
Light infantry are subject to fear against all enemy units that they don’t outnumber by at least 2 to 1.
Skirmishers...........3 points per model
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
| Skirmishers | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Equipment: Armed with javelins and shield, or bow. Skirmishers may replace javelins with sling at no additional cost.
Special Rules: Skirmishers
Chariots
Lybian Light Chariot...........37 points per model
Cyrus' Scythed Chariot...........37 points per model
Lybian Heavy Chariot...........83 points per model
Cyrus' Mobile Tower...........150 points per model
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
| Light Chariot | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| Scythed Chariot | 7 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Heavy Chariot | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
| Cyrus' Mobile Tower | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
Equipment: Light and heavy chariot crews are armed with javelins and/or bows, and light armour. Heavy chariot crew may have double-handed weapons at +10 pts. Cyrus' Mobile Towers crew are armed with hand weapons, bows and light armour.
Special Rules: Chariots. Cyrus' Mobile Towers are pulled by oxen and so do not cause impact hits when they charge, and charge at normal speed.