"Best Opponent for Hittites?" Topic

Which historical enemy of the Hittites presents the best games, time and time again?

I think that would depend to a large degree on what rules you are using.

That would be Egyptians. Syrians probably come a close second.

The NKE were the only enemy where the result was a draw,ergo a close game, the only other enemy I know for sure they fought were the Sea Peoples.

The Hittites waged constant war with the Gasgan people that lived just north of the kingdom, but sad to say, almost nothing is known about them.
I think Khurasan is the only company that makes a range. link

It is probably true that NKE are the best opponent in gaming terms since both sides are so well-matched.

Someday fighting out the end of the Hittite Empire with Suppiluliuma II trying to hold out against Gasgans, Sea People, and Achaeans(maybe another group of Sea People). In the end Suppiluliuma II lost but he did do well under the circumstances, even managing to recapture Cyprus at one point.

New Kingdom Egypt vs Hittites is a classic matchup (like Romans v Carthage).

NKE, I would presume.

While the Hittites and the Egyptians fought one of the great battles of the ancient world at Kadesh they were more allies than enemies. I think more persistent enemies would be found in Syria. Various city states and such. Probably the two most significant and persistent enemies were the Mitanni and Assyrians. The Mitanni had a direct interest in Syria when the Hittites came out of Anatolia in the Syrian plains. Later Mitanni and the Hittites became allies in the face of a resurgent Assyria. The Hittites provided direct and indirect support to prop up the Mitanni Empire in its war against Assyrians. This ultimately proved unsuccessful and led to direct conflict between the Assyrians and the Hittites as the former pushed into Syria. The Hittites lost at least one major battle with the Assyrians. With the rise of Assyria the Egyptians and the Hittites made peace and become formal allies.

Since many modern archeologists say that Troy was in actuality a Hittite, not Greek , state; that would mean that Mycenaean Greeks could be an enemy.

I would put forth,
New Kingdom Egyptian
Mycenaean
Israelite
Canaanite
Assyrian

That would be Egyptians. Syrians probably come a close second.

I'd have to go with that too … And generally neither fared well vs. the Israelis …

The NKE is a good enemy, but most of the Hittite battles we play are against the Nairi (proto Armeninas) or the Barbarians from the north (mostly because that has a real nice ring to it, no?P.

The Hittites were an Anatolian kingdom, so most of their battles were with bordering countries. That these states are not famous doesn't make them any less real.

Mitanni and Assyria to the east. Lydia and the Achaeans to the West. Sea Peoples and northern Canaanites to the south. Various tribes to the North.

Egypt and the Hatti only crossed swords at the odd times they were both expansionist.

Mitanni with their massive Light Chariot arm.

More Hittites. Civil wars happen, even if they don't make it onto the history stelae.

Trolls, or whatever it was that attacked the imperial troops in the film Great Wall.

Dan

I like jefritrout's list.

NKE.

Egyptians are the obvious choice, but Mycenaean and Assyrian would be good as well.

Don't forget Mitanni

Egyptians, if only because Kadesh is the only battle we know anything to speak of tactically.

What I actually do have to face my Hittites is Mitanni and Syro-Canaanite, however. Started out with Mitanni and got the Syro-Canaanites and Hittites and enemies and allies.

Looking at the options.
NKE – good and varied infantry supported by light chariots so very different to Hittites and a good match.
Mitanni – probably very similar to Hittites with possibly more chariots so no real variety. In my personal opinion a below par match.
Assyrians – Similar chariots in this period but very different infantry being mixed spear/bow units so a good match.
Sea people's – A warband bunch of charging lunatics with a small number of chariots. Very different but possibly one dimensional in their tactics.
Gasgans – A hill people raiding style army. In reality the Hittites would have to fight in the mountains so didn't take that many chariots with them, not easy to replicate and if you fought on the plans the Gasgans would struggle, so not a great match.
Syrian city states – light chariots with some very low quality infantry, possible but not as good as other options.
Mycenaeans – Heavy chariots and good spear infantry, a good option and different enough to make a fun game.

In conclusion I would go with NKE not for historical reasons but for gaming potential. I personally have Hittite and NKE in 10mm and they match well. Having said that, I'm also building a sea people's army, because I like barbarian hordes. A friend has Mycenaean and they provide some good games.

NKE as both armies can use allies to get a great variation of of troops from neighboring empires

There's very little evidence that the Trojans were a Hittite 'state'. There is evidence that they had a treaty with the Hittites but that does not mean they were 'vassals' of the Hittites. In actuality, current archaeology is indicating that Troy might have been the center of a Luwian confederation throughout much of its history.

Having said that, the Hittites had many opponents – other Hittites in the later years of the Empire, the Gasgans and other 'hill' tribes, the Mycenaeans are also a great choice, the Sea Peoples are another great oponent, the Egyptians would provide an interesting oponent, as well as the rising Assyrians. Actually, I would pit the Trojans, or Luwians against the Hittites as well.