I am building a Byzantine army (10th century) and ran into an annoying problem (apart from the standards).  EMB03 which is supposed to be skutatoi archers. Skutatoi archers are supposed to be close order to fit in the units but they are modeled like skirmishers (one figure behind another instead of side by side) I ordered a pack twice to see if there was an error but they both were like that.  I really don't want to go through the process of seperating and filing down all those figures but I haven't found anything to use instead.  The closest I've found is Longbowmen in jack. Thankfully we're dealing with very small figures.

I believe that EMB03 is designed for close order basing.  The figures are cast as a column of 2.  The photo in the catalog shows 12 such sets across on a 60mm wide base.  

Skutatoi archers in the 10th century Byzantine army were a specialized part of infantry, integrated within close-order formations with other infantry types like peltastoi and skutatoi spearmen. They used powerful short composite bows and sometimes accompanied heavier infantry for support. Historically, these archers were arranged in tight formations, shoulder to shoulder, within chiliarchiai units of roughly 1000 men, consisting of mixed spearmen and archers in close ranks rather than loose skirmishing lines.

The issue with your model pack showing skutatoi archers in a loose, one-behind-another skirmisher formation does not align with historical tactics, which emphasize their role in close-order line formations with the rest of the infantry block. This formation was crucial for protection and battlefield cohesion, allowing archers to deliver volleys while maintaining defensive integrity. The difference in model poses could be a casting or design choice prioritizing variety or aesthetic over strict historical accuracy.

For modeling, since your skutatoi archers pack shows them as skirmishers rather than close-order troops, and alternatives are scarce, longbowmen miniatures used for other periods might visually approximate close-order archers if posed side-by-side. Given they are small-scale figures, slight conversions like minor reshaping or repositioning may be less problematic, but you can combine these with skutatoi spearmen models to maintain visual and tactical cohesion in your Byzantine army scene.Skutatoi archers in the 10th century Byzantine army were part of close-order infantry formations, arranged shoulder to shoulder within units called chiliarchiai alongside spearmen and other troops. They used powerful short composite bows and were integrated tightly into the formation rather than deployed as loose skirmishers, providing both fire support and cohesion on the battlefield.

The issue with your pack showing skutatoi archers posed as single-file skirmishers conflicts with their historical role and formation, which was close and compact. This might be a modeling choice prioritizing dynamic poses over strict historical positioning. Historically, skutatoi archers fought in ranks alongside spearmen, maintaining tight formation rather than spreading out.

For modeling, using longbowmen miniatures posed side by side can approximate the proper close-order archer look, especially at small scales. Combining these with skutatoi spearmen models can help maintain a coherent Byzantine infantry visual, reducing the need for extensive conversion or filing.

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https://www.medipakiet.pl/blog/cytologia-kiedy-warto-wykonac-badanie/

For very practical reasons, bowmen need to cast in files.  The only archers we ever cast in ranks are the Roman auxilia archers which are in a very passive pose which does not suit everyone.      The EMB03 figures are presented in exactly the same way as the 15thC longbow castings.

With regards to basing, if you cut the strip in half and base the resulting couples side by side, you get a close order unit.  If you look at this image:

The archers are in a 12 wide and two deep formation.  Exactly the same as their parent body: