Roma Surrectum 2 Faction Preview - The Dacians

[Visarion]

Dacians indeed had warriors who wielded the two-handed falx with devastating effect on the Roman army as shown on the Tropeum Traiani.
Using the falx, the Dacian warriors were able to counter the power of the compact, massed Roman formations. During the time of the Roman conquest of Dacia (101-102, 105-106), legionaries had reinforcing iron straps applied to their helmets. The Romans also introduced the use of leg and arm protectors (greaves and manica) as further protection against the falxes.
Dacians used the falx and Thracians the rhomphaia since at least the 4th century BC!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falx

The Dacian falx came in two sizes: one-handed and two-handed. The shorter variant was called sica (sickle) in the Dacian language.

The two-handed falx was a pole-arm. It consisted of a three-feet long wooden shaft with a long curved iron blade of nearly-equal length attached to the end. The blade was sharpened only on the inside, and was reputed to be devastatingly effective. However, it left its user vulnerable because, being a two-handed weapon, the warrior could not also make use of a shield. It may be imagined that the length of the two-handed falx allowed it to be wielded with great force, the point piercing helmets and the blade splitting shields - it was said to be capable of splitting a shield in two at a single blow. Alternatively, it might used as a hook, pulling away shields and cutting at vulnerable limbs.

The Thracians also made use of the falx. They also used the rhomphaia, a weapon very similar to the two handed falx but much less drastically curved.

The two handed falx is clearly related to the Thracian rhomphaia. It is a derivative of both the sword and the spear, having evolved from a spear to a polearm before becoming more drastically curved to facilitate a superior cutting action. This drastic curve rendered the falx as a purely offensive weapon to be used against a broken or routing force. Typically, an enemy would be broken by a sustained hail of missile fire from javelin, dart, bow, sling, and stone throwing troops before being chased down and cut to pieces by the falx wielding troops.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhomphaia

Most rhomphaias were polearms, featuring a straight or slightly curved single-edged blade attached to a pole that was considerably longer than the blade. Some rhomphaias had short handles that extended to only the length of the blade. Although the rhomphaia was similar to the falx, most archaeological evidence suggests that rhomphaias were forged with straight or slightly curved blades, presumably to enable their use as both a thrusting and slashing weapon.

[vasiooo]

Where is the dacian falx
it a big mistake

[vasiooo]

they use this fomation in buerobisto era ,when the army was huge , most armys use hoplite formations
all is very acurated ,but where is the falx this is the bigest mistake of the mod and this faction

[tone]

Not shown here but will be present by release time.

By the way....where's the: "Thanks guys for all the work you've put into this. I'm really appreciative of all your hard work, but there's something I think seems to be missing, which is a Dacian falxman"??

[TOLAROscipii]

Thanks tone for all your hard work

.

[sithlord447]

while some newer people may not apreciate your work tone be sure all of us "regulars" sure do

[Dog Fart]

GIVE ME A FALXMAN RIGHT NOW!!!

Outstanding work btw, I think Dacia will be my first faction for RS2.

[tone]

They're certainly a load of fun, and an interesting position to be in strategically.

[Dog Fart]

I think I found a shurker in the Dacian army.

[Visarion]

will falxmen be effective against armour and Dacian cavalry fast moving?

[tone]

yes, all falx style weapons have some AP ability....and dacian cav have lower fatigue.

[Visarion]

That is great news! You guys never seize to amaze me! Dacians will be my first choice!

[Scarrus]

Really nice work

[tone]

Just a little shot of the updated Dacian heavy infantry - now armed with javelins and larger sica instead of spears - just a bit of further experimenting with bloom effects:

[Visarion]

Divine !!!

[DedlySerious]

Just a little shot of the updated Dacian heavy infantry - now armed with javelins and larger sica instead of spears - just a bit of further experimenting with bloom effects:

does this mean the elite hoplite unit is gone

[Visarion]

does this mean the elite hoplite unit is gone

There is no historical evidence that suggests Dacians having hoplites.

They where influenced by Celts, Iranians and later by the Romans in a larger percentage then by Macedonians and Greeks. Dacians had their own innovations as well! They had light infantry armed with slings and bows, medium infantry armed with a smaller spear, javelins and short swords and heavy infantry armed with a larger spear with an up to 50 cm blade. Many had the sica dagger or the sica short sword as a secondary weapon. Some had leather armour and others even had Iranian chainmail or scalemail. They used the beautiful forged Phrygian helmets with intricate motifs for further protection! There if contradiction between the part where Dacians were depicted as naked barbarians on Trajan's Column and the part showing the spoils of war! It is known that in ancient times Greeks and later Romans practised propaganda...

Only the elite infantry units where allowed to use larger variants of the sica that means sickle in Dacian language and was called falx by the Romans. The elite falxmen where armed with Iranian chainmail or scalemail and had the sica long sword (single-handed falx). The sica was considered sacred by the Dacians and had magical incantations and a blood channel deeply carved into their blades. Thie Dacian warriors where one with their swords. Some even carried spears or javelins. Another elite infantry was composed of men that wielded the two-handed falx and where not able to wear armour or shields. This were the obscure Daoi also known as wolf warriors because they performed sacred rituals to gain the skills of wild animals. They believed in immortality and death in battle was considered an honour by them!

The two formed in many cases an elite regiment. The Daoi, not having shields or armour, were protected by the elite falxmen from their flanks armed with long oval shields. Using their falx they cut through shields, helmets and even armour. Their blows where devastating, cutting entire limbs or even beheading an enemy if the wielder had enough strenght and experience! The very sharp tip of the falx was used as a hook to grab shields leaving the enemy infantry defenceless and was effective against lighter cavalry as well!

This can now be recreated!

This is much better for battle tactics! The units will be more flexible and the warfare will be similar to the ancient Dacians!

[tone]

Yeah, thanks to some input from Visarion, we've been tweaking some of the Dacian units a little.

There will be a two handed falx-wielding Daoi unit - it'll share a model with the bastarnae but have some variations - no suebian knot, but will have cloth hat and broad waistbelt. So we'll have both types of falx unit that are depicted on the Adamclisi monument.

[DedlySerious]

thank you for the detail visarion

[Visarion]

It was my pleasure!