"Foot troops in Scythian armies help" Topic
7 Posts
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Prince Rupert of the Rhine | 23 Jun 2017 1:57 p.m. PST |
So I'm toying with the idea of a generic Steppe nomad army as opposition to my Hellenistic successor armies. The idea being that with a bit of morphing the army can stand in for Scythians, Saka, early Sarmatians or Parthians depending on the opposition.It's not a perfect solution but my budget doesn't stretch to making four armies with slightly different pointy hats :) I noticed from the limited info in my book collection that infantry were not uncommon in these armies. My questions are where did these infantry come from (natives, subject peoples, mercs) and how do you represent them in your games? In general these infantry seem to be archers or armed with javelins and light shields so are they skirmishers, battle line infantry or something in between? Any help gratefully received ta |
idontbelieveit | 23 Jun 2017 2:09 p.m. PST |
it will depend on what your rules author thinks of them. I think most sets I see give them skirmishing foot javelinmen and foot archers. |
dragon6 | 23 Jun 2017 2:31 p.m. PST |
They are subject peoples and fight in their native style. Lots of skirmishers and loose order types. |
wrgmr1 | 23 Jun 2017 3:45 p.m. PST |
According to the Armati 2 army lists, Scythians were mostly Cavalry, with bonus units of Light Heavy Infantry (Thracians) and skirmish infantry bow and slings. Parthians and Sarmations only had skirmish infantry, bow and javelin. |
Prince Rupert of the Rhine | 23 Jun 2017 11:53 p.m. PST |
Cheers guys, I'm planning to use Hail Caesar rules so I guess I'll class them as light infantry and Skirmishers. |
goragrad | 24 Jun 2017 1:46 p.m. PST |
DBA has them as AX, PS, BW, and H. I.E. light infantry, skirmishers, archers, and a large number of unformed infantry. As to ratios, at the Battle of the River Thatis, according to the Osprey Men-at-Arms on the Scyths, the Scythian contingent consisted of 10,000 horse and 20,000 foot. This force was supporting the kingdom of Bosporus in a dynastic dispute, so might not be typical. |
Druzhina | 24 Jun 2017 9:03 p.m. PST |
It is difficult to tell a Scythian Infantryman from a dismounted cavalryman unless he has a shield. Scythian Infantry in Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars by Duncan Head, illustrated by Ian Heath has a Skythian with shield based on a Scythian urn with warriors, Kul Oba kurhan, Crimea, 4th century BC, Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg Skythian axes can be seen on Greek ceramics, c.500BC. Infantry with shields are portrayed on a Scythian Gold Comb with Battle Scene from the Solokha Kurhan, Dneiper, Zaporozhye Region, late 5th-early 4th century BC, Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg See also Pazyryk Culture Wood and Leather Shields, 5th century BC, Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg mirror site: Ancient Illustrations of Skythian Costume and Soldiers Druzhina Scythian, Saka and Sarmatian Illustrations of Costume and Soldiers and Pazyryk Culture, Yuezhi, Parthians, White Huns, Hephthalites and Alchon Huns |
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