"Mycenaean Warbands" Topic

I'm re-working my Mycenaean army for Hail Caesar and have reached what I think is a more difficult question than the chariot discussion (below).

Should the ordinary Mycenaean infantry be represented as Warbands or Medium Infantry?

By "ordinary" I mean the palace retainers and local contingents, "Defensive Spears" and such types, not elite troops such as the Palace Guard or Myrmidons (I have both of them, too).

On the one hand, Mycenaean society was organised around powerful palaces that could equip and administer armies. Archaeology suggests disciplined, well-equipped warriors rather than tribal mobs.

On the other hand, the heroic ethos and what we think we know of Bronze Age warfare suggest aggressive charges led by aristocratic warriors, which sounds rather like Hail Caesar's Warband characteristics.

I define a warband as an aggressive, more lightly armored melee troop type designed for rapid movement and close-quarters combat. They rely on ferocity over discipline, frequently hitting harder than standard infantry but possessing less staying power than heavy infantry.

So what do you think best represents the battlefield behaviour of most Mycenaean infantry?

Would you class them as Warbands or as Medium Infantry— and, more importantly, why?

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For me, definitely the latter. I just don't see the rank and file as being enthusiastic about getting stuck in, but they'd have staying power because they're all in it together and know if any run it puts all at risk.

I have opted for more of a skirmish level Mycenaean force than Hail Caesar calls for, so maybe my opinion doesn't count.

For what it is worth, my army has spearmen who form up more or less phalanx style as a central core. They have big shields, usually wear helmets, carry a long spear and a sword at their side, and are otherwise scantily clad. These sound like they would equate to your Medium Infantry. I saw them as part-time soldiers, reservists who would put in a day a week guarding the palace gates, then go back to working in their shops and fields.

Then, I have javelinmen to place on the flanks of the spearmen and skirmish in front of them. They wear helmets, carry smaller shields, and have javelins and swords. I saw them as disciplined and well-equipped, part-time soldiers, who usually work as craftsmen or farmers.

Your question is interesting. I guess my vote for both my groups is in favor of "Medium Infantry." I understand the idea of aristocratic warriors leading their followers into battle. I just don't see tribal type organization, except on the outskirts of Mycenaean society, where Greek-speaking, but less civilized groups might exist, and could be drawn in as mercenaries.

I'm going to go away and mull this over.

Grelber

Whatever encourages you to max out on the absolutely gorgeous Redoubt chariots is fine with me. Foundry is also fine, but Redoubt is better. Trust me on this. 👍

Plus Redoubt has formidable foot warriors. Name a Hero?

I've kinda faced this problem with some later Garlic hosts in DBA or DBM (e.g. Telamon). They weren't acting like impetuous warbands who could break a legion or shieldwall in a wild charge, but they weren't as fully trained and disciplined as civilized armies either. The available troop classifications (Ax, Ax(S), Bd) conferred the wrong extra traits.

I think the real solution in cases like these is a new troop type, with a medley of traits from two or more existing types.

Yellow, I saw what you did there. If it was a typo, it was a brilliant one.

LOL! Mmmmmm…. garlic.

Autocorrect is the bane of hummus.

*humanity

I think medium infantry is probably a better representation of the infantry in question.

I believe that a warband classification would be better for lightly armed 'normal' infantry, after all, these would be troops recruited from the areas around the palaces in the local towns and villages, i.e. part-time soldiers.

Could they be aggressive? Sure, why not? However, they would have to act like a warband instead of disciplined medium infantry.

Grelber
"I have opted for more of a skirmish level Mycenaean force than Hail Caesar calls for, so maybe my opinion doesn't count.
For what it is worth, my army has spearmen who form up more or less phalanx style as a central core"

That's interesting. If you're doing skirmish and that's individual figures, how many you reckon you need to make a playable phalanx? And you using cavalry at all?

The pike blocks are relatively small, hopefully providing some stability. Perhaps a shieldwall would be a better description, since they are only two ranks deep. I have a few chariots, but no cavalry.

The idea is that, at Agamemnon's call, the kings of Greece summoned their warriors and sailed for Troy. Most of the high value units, like heroes, heavy infantry and chariots would have gone overseas. Somebody had to stay home and deal with raids and border incursions, though.

Grelber

I've never thought of games with Mycenaeans fighting Mycenaeans – which of course happened.

Apart from other concerns I don't have the figures for two armies. So, my games are invaders/raiders attacking the Hittites or NKE.

I have units of Defensive Spears but most of infantry will be, I think, warbands – relatively undrilled, ferocious but lacking in stamina.

Tis, for me, fits the profile.

Grelber 11 Jul 2026 5:53 p.m. PST
"The pike blocks are relatively small, hopefully providing some stability. Perhaps a shieldwall would be a better description, since they are only two ranks deep. I have a few chariots, but no cavalry".

Just wondering how many men would make playing with a sarissa-phalanx worthwhile, as I'd like to. The pikes are there to break up opposition in solid formations. So your enemy needs some minimum critical mass to make it worth their while staying in front of you in a block, rather than just avoiding the phalanx. Having cavalry on your flanks or some terrain obstacles might stop your enemy getting around your sides. Otherwise, when faced with opposition willing to be a bit flexible, the phalanx are just going to drop their sarissae to face the threat.