Arab roster proposal

[Giorgios]

Hey guys.

I thought I'd share this with you: the proposed Arab roster for the next campaign. This is still very much at WIP stage at this point, so I was wondering if folk here had any input.

For the Arab army, I'm largely using Hugh Kennedy's account of the army of the conquests. The Arabs will have eight basic units, plus an additional four AoR units. Their army will be primarily based on heavy infantry, which is something I as a researcher found quite surprising. All the evidence nonetheless suggests that cavalry did not become important to the Arabs until the later eighth and ninth centuries. Therefore, the Arab player will largely be fighting off Roman and Iranian cavalry with his own formidable heavy spearmen!

Here's the proposal: please comment and critique! In particular, my Arabic names may well be incorrect...

LIGHT TROOPS
Mawālī. Meaning "clients", these are a mixture of Arabs and non-Arabs, who have all recently chosen to follow Muhammad's teachings. They are light skirmishers, fighting unarmoured with javelins.
Murāmiya. Light archers, apparently very numerous in the early Arab armies. They used an s-shape Iranian style bow, with a range of about 250 metres.

INFANTRY
Muqātila. Standard Arab infantry, with iron helmets, shields and spears. The Syrian army at the Battle of Siffin in 657 is described as being outfitted with helmets (bayḍ), shields (daraq) and spears (rimāh). A description of a helmet seems to suggest a spangenhelm type, fitted together "like the bones of a skull", and fastened with nails. It's unsurprising, then, that the Arabs used the prevailing Roman and Iranian helmet type too. Shields, on the other hand, were apparently quite unlike Roman and Iranian examples, being circular and less than 1m in diameter for both cavalry and infantry.
Shurat. Probably originally a term meaning "choice troops", these are the heavy Arab infantry, with chainmail shirts (durū') and mail leggings (sūq min al-zard) in addition to shields, spears and helmets. By the later seventh century they had evolved into a sort of police force, but in the 630s and 640s they were clearly regular soldiers.
Qurrā’. Meaning "Quran readers", these are elite Arab infantry, fanatically dedicated to the cause, who fight with swords. They were not numerous, but played a very important role in the civil wars of the 650s. Their swords were straight, not curved, and the straight sword was called the sayf. "Traditional" curved swords of the sort one associates with the later Caliphate don't emerge until the end of the eighth century at the earliest. They may have fought unarmoured, but our accounts differ: some describe them being extremely heavily armoured in two coats of mail!
Haras. Generals' bodyguard. Surprisingly enough, early Arab generals seem to have preferred fighting on foot to mounted combat. These should be elite heavy spearmen or swordsmen. They would have had mail coifs or hoods, called mighfar to protect them from the worst injuries in battle. According to an admittedly late source of the early ninth century, the mighfar was worn beneath the helmet. The whole thing was sometimes given a silk cover.

CAVALRY
Mujarrida. Horsemen seem to have played a distinctly secondary role in the Arab armies of the seventh century, but they clearly existed. The Arab roster should therefore include a light cavalry unit, perhaps a skirmisher.
Mujaffafat al-khayl. Medium Arab cavalry: probably never particularly numerous, but in existence regardless. Mounted troops of the Shurat. The rider was armoured, but the horse probably never was in the seventh century.
Wujūh. Meaning "prominent men", these are the Arabs wealthy enough to be able to fight as heavy cavalry in the Roman or Iranian style.

AoR TROOPS
Asāwira. Elite Iranian foot archers, defected from the Sasanians. Only available for recruitment in Mesopotamia.
Jund Shāhānshāh: Elite Iranian heavy cavalry, defected from the Sasanians. Only available in Mesopotamia and Iran.
Indighār. Indian soldiers, defected from the Sasanians. Only recruitable in southern Mesopotamia.
Rumi. Heavy infantry, defected from the Romans. To use the same model as our Plumbatarii. Available in Syria and Egypt. These defectors probably explain the quick fall of Roman Egypt in 642.

[Ads1337]

Hi guys. I would first of all like to congratulate you all on the progress, I have been following this for some time and I am excited to see it so close to completion.

This is very interesting information regarding Muhammad's army, I would never have thought they would be predominately infantry based. Would they have had access to Bedouin riders and maybe Camels? If I recall correctly Mecca was a trade center for them. Would it make sense for recruitable Roman cavalry as well as infantry?

-Ads

[Giorgios]

Hi guys. I would first of all like to congratulate you all on the progress, I have been following this for some time and I am excited to see it so close to completion.

This is very interesting information regarding Muhammad's army, I would never have thought they would be predominately infantry based. Would they have had access to Bedouin riders and maybe Camels? If I recall correctly Mecca was a trade center for them. Would it make sense for recruitable Roman cavalry as well as infantry?

-Ads

Thanks for your post!

Regarding Bedouins: yes, they would have been present, but fighting on horses, not camels. Camel mounted warriors do not seem to have played any major existence in the rise of the Arabs. The major importance of the camel seems to have been to ferry troops from place to place, thus giving the Arabs a degree of manoeuvrability which their opponents lacked.

As for Roman cavalry: I think infantry would be better, simply because we know cavalry was so generally unimportant in the armies of the Rashidun and Marwanid Caliphs.

[Ads1337]

So, would the Bedouins be gathered under Mujarrida or be another AoR unit?

[romano britones]

Thanks for your post!

Regarding Bedouins: yes, they would have been present, but fighting on horses, not camels. Camel mounted warriors do not seem to have played any major existence in the rise of the Arabs. The major importance of the camel seems to have been to ferry troops from place to place, thus giving the Arabs a degree of manoeuvrability which their opponents lacked.

As for Roman cavalry: I think infantry would be better, simply because we know cavalry was so generally unimportant in the armies of the Rashidun and Marwanid Caliphs.

So Arab armies will be able to recruit some Roman units? Also won't this be set during the same time as End of antiquity?

[Giorgios]

So, would the Bedouins be gathered under Mujarrida or be another AoR unit?

They'll be subsumed into the other units, yes, unless someone can come up with some good reasons against doing this.

So Arab armies will be able to recruit some Roman units? Also won't this be set during the same time as End of antiquity?

Yes, they will. And correct: the Caliphate campaign will probably be a third sub-campaign, released at the same time as EoA, and using the same units and map, only with a slightly later start date.

[Ads1337]

Other than variety, I can think of no reason. I would 'assume' they would be more mobile in the desert, maybe faster or with more stamina due to living in the Saraha. Also lighter armored; but not knowing anything about the rest of the Arab cavalry, or anything 'Arab' in general, I cannot really advise. But, if I am correct in that they did not convert to Islam until later (my memory is dusty), they could be available to other factions? The Arabs fought against the Berbers etc. didn't they?

[karaislam]

i had done an arab roster for the end of antiquity mod.

will u use my units or u ll make the new ones?

[Alkimachos]

i had done an arab roster for the end of antiquity mod.

will u use my units or u ll make the new ones?

Caudillo i think it's your man about this to ask...

[karaislam]

u know i retired the modding.i made those units for caudillo87.if they are suitable for ur mod as well, from my point of view u can use whatever,however u want to.but caudillo87 can say the last word.u are also a good friend of me and my greek neighbour.

[Darios]

Will the Persians also be playable in this campaign or will it simply be Herakleios going one on one against the heirs of Mouamet?

[Alkimachos]

u know i retired the modding.i made those units for caudillo87.if they are suitable for ur mod as well, from my point of view u can use whatever,however u want to.but caudillo87 can say the last word.u are also a good friend of me and my greek neighbour.

Thx for your kind words. Probably you will see your units in the game. We'll see...

Will the Persians also be playable in this campaign or will it simply be Herakleios going one on one against the heirs of Mouamet?

They'll be playable as well.

[Mausolos of Caria]

That is very interesting news about the early Muslim armies. Does that mean you will restrict the number of cavalry units the Arabs can recruit, or will you make it like one us to wait 10 turns (e.g.) after recruiting them until the next unit is available?

Anyhow I look forward to that campaign as well and to save the Roman provinces in the East

[Giorgios]

Other than variety, I can think of no reason. I would 'assume' they would be more mobile in the desert, maybe faster or with more stamina due to living in the Saraha. Also lighter armored; but not knowing anything about the rest of the Arab cavalry, or anything 'Arab' in general, I cannot really advise. But, if I am correct in that they did not convert to Islam until later (my memory is dusty), they could be available to other factions? The Arabs fought against the Berbers etc. didn't they?

I think you're possibly getting Bedouins and Berbers confused here. The Arabs certainly fought the Moors as they moved into Roman Africa in the 680s. The evidence suggests that after the failure of the revolt of the Exarch Gregory in the late 640s the province of Africa was largely neglected by Constantinople, and shrank to just a coastal strip, as the Moors increased their wealth and sophistication. These Moors then put up quite a stubborn resistance to the Arabs, fighting sometimes on behalf of the Romans, and sometimes on their own terms. Their resistance probably delayed the conquest of Africa by 30-40 years.

That is very interesting news about the early Muslim armies. Does that mean you will restrict the number of cavalry units the Arabs can recruit, or will you make it like one us to wait 10 turns (e.g.) after recruiting them until the next unit is available?

Anyhow I look forward to that campaign as well and to save the Roman provinces in the East

I think it'll be a combination of high expense and low replenishment rates for Arab cavalry. Of course, should the Arabs conquer the northern reaches of Iran or onto the steppes, they'll be able to recruit decent AoR cavalry from these regions, as they historically of course did.

[Ads1337]

I get that they are deferent people's, I just don't think that being a Bedouin would make you Muslim at this point. I guess they would be kind if stuck in between so therefore could be on either side, making them useful AoR units. I have not done any research into this, just strikes me as logical.

[Mausolos of Caria]

I think it'll be a combination of high expense and low replenishment rates for Arab cavalry. Of course, should the Arabs conquer the northern reaches of Iran or onto the steppes, they'll be able to recruit decent AoR cavalry from these regions, as they historically of course did.

Thanks for your answer, that sounds about right. That AoR cavalry should work well to represent the Arabian expansion. It will e very interesting to see how they'll behave on the map.

[Muāwiya]

Hello, first i should thank all the guys who made that mod , it will be amazing.

You can use " Rumat " instead of " Muramiya " , and i have to say that Rashidun Islamic armies were composed mostly by tribal units (the Qurashids , The Amerids ( Banu 'Amir) , Banu Tamim , Kindah , Himyar , Banu Assad ..) , it's the caliph Umar who created those modern units.

It's my pleasure to help you on family trees or general names and the characters .and sorry for my bad english , i'm a north African Arab , and my 2nd Language is French ..

[Giorgios]

Hello, first i should thank all the guys who made that mod , it will be amazing.

You can use " Rumat " instead of " Muramiya " , and i have to say that Rashidun Islamic armies were composed mostly by tribal units (the Qurashids , The Amerids ( Banu 'Amir) , Banu Tamim , Kindah , Himyar , Banu Assad ..) , it's the caliph Umar who created those modern units.

It's my pleasure to help you on family trees or general names and the characters .and sorry for my bad english , i'm a north African Arab , and my 2nd Language is French ..

You could be just the sort of guy whose help I need, Muāwiya!

I got the name "Murāmiya" from Hugh Kennedy's excellent book on the armies of the Arab conquerors and the early Umayyads. The quote I took it from is below:

The importance of foot soldiers is emphasised in the account Abū Mikhnaf gives of the encounter between the forces of ‘Alī and the Khārijīs after he returned to Iraq. The Khārijīs, who numbered about 2800 by this stage, began the battle: they marched against ‘Alī, who sent forward his cavalry in front of the foot soldiers and arranged his men in two lines behind the horsemen, placing the archers (murāmiya) in front of the first line.

Why would you suggest "Murāmiya" is incorrect?

Kennedy's book agrees with you in that tribal ties were clearly very important in the 630s and 640s, but I can't see too much evidence that different tribes fought in radically different styles, so I think for TW purposes we can fairly safely divide our units in terms of arms and equipment, rather than by their tribal identity. If you have ideas for how we could include the tribes, I would like to hear them, though!

Are my other Arabic names correct or incorrect?

[Muāwiya]

Hello , Giorgios.

Yes , That unit is called Rumat , the single Archer is called Rami , and i think " Muramiya " is incorrect , i have never heard that term, for the names of the other units , they are correct.

But i think that Qura'a are not always a military unit , because the job of Qura'a was , before the Ridda wars (632-633) , to teaching Quran to the muslim children , they were a military unit in battle of Yamamah , and all of them are killed in that battle , they just respond to the call of Jihad. You can add The Rammahun (Lancers) , they had a big role specially in Irak Foutouhat.

And for the other units, everything is right , good job.

I have mentionned the Tribal units , because they had a role in the Arab-Sassanid Wars , or the Arab-Byzantines , at the Caliphate of Abu Bakr , The Rashidun Army was composed by only the Qurashids , and Banu Thaqif , Ansar , Banu Abd-el-Qays , Banu Shayban, you can see that those tribes were with Abu Bakr in Ridda Wars , and not with the Rebels , and even that the rebels reconverted to Islam , Abu bakr has forbid them to engage in the Army , but after his death , they have joined the army, In Omeyyad Era , some Caliphs favoured The Yemenis Arabs in their Armies , Muawiya Ibn Abi Sufyan , his son Yazid , Marwan ibn Al Hakam , Abd Al Malik Ibn Marwan , but others caliphs prefers the Mudharids Arabs , Al Waleed I (705-715) , Sulayman (715-717).

i've seen that the faction of Imamate of Yemen in BC mode will be composed by tribal units , so can you make it ? i think just 3 tribal units will be useful..

So regrettable that they have not translated Ibn Al Athir and Ibn Khaldoun , Ibn Hazm , books in english yet ..

[Brivime]

Women also fought in the Arab armies they were mainly archers who stood behind the lines and killed those who retreated.
Also Abyssinian Javelin men would be a nice addition.

As for heavy troops you should have Jundi armed with Shamshir swords and small round shields.
They'd wear white robes with a leather lamellar vest and wear turbans wrapped around dome helmets or as a scarf covering the whole face around a dome helmet.

In addition you could add some Ansar - Ansar were a tribe called The Helpers who fought in the early Arab armies. You should give them chainmail hauberks and the same dome helmets.

For more Light Units you could use the Muhajirun which were another tribe like the Ansar called The Emigrants, you should make them more lightly armed than the Ansar and perhaps give them spears instead of swords and just turbans. Beige robes would be good for them and an iron breastplate like this:



As well as the plates and lamellar you could have (for early units) just a leather vest that would go over the robes and the same turban and dome helmet.