Preview: Steppe rosters

[il Pitta]

STEPPE ROSTERS

Ethnically the Steppes of Central Asia were always a quite fluid environment.
If the huge Scythian/Saka group is defined as Iranic or East-Indoeuropean, actually in their constant movement the tribes mingled one another, divided apart, and absorbed different elements: if the Iranic is surely the main elements, the Steppe tribes time to time absorbed sometimes Western Indeuropean, Baltic or even Turkish communities.
Actually that brought a very variegated physical appearance, that varied from blonde, fair-haired (e.d. more common between Sarmatic group) to dark hair and sometimes olive skin (more common between the Parthians, that on the other hand still have “Nordic” types between them).
Needless to say, Steppe peopkes had the best Shock Cavalry and the best Archers in the time period.
A constant training, especially in horse-riding shooting, made steppe peoples perfect archers, and the use of “bodkin-type” arrows (square section), that in the West would be extensively used only in the Middle Ages (e.d. English Longbowmen) compined with the use of the composite bow, made them quite lethal.
On the other hand, their infantry was one of the poorest, for training and morale: steppe people were not trained normally to fight on foot, and footmen were discarded as low-class citizens, without a horse, so almost lowlives.

[il Pitta]

SARMATIAN ROSTER
(Aszi, Sary Aszi, Raokhshna, Aw-ar)






The Sarmatians or Sauromatae (conventionally divided in Iaziges, Roxolani/Alani and Aorsi) were the Western part of the Scythian macro-culture.
They are recorded especially for the occasional presence of warrior women in their ranks, that spread the myth of the Amazons.


Sarmatian Levies
Sarmatian archers
Sarmatian Horse Archers
Sarmatian Skirmish Cavalry
Sarmatian lancers
Sarmatian Cataphracts
Sarmatian Cataphract Archers
Budini Hunters
Budini Skirmishers

Skythohellenikoi Warriors
Skythohellenikoi Toxotai
Hippotoxotai Skythohellenikoi
Skythohellenikoi Noble Riders
Keltoskythai Riders
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Roster in detail:


Sarmatian Levies

Footmens were quite uncommon among Steppe tribes, and moreover footmen that weren't bowmen.
These troops are bad trained and with a low morale, probably coming from the lowest levels of Sarmatian society or from warriors that somehow have fallen in disgrace.

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Sarmatian archers

As said before, footmen were quite uncommon within Steppe people. These bowmen probably are from low level of the society, recruited among the poor that cannot afford a horse, or have lost their.

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Sarmatian Horse Archers

Horse archers are the most common type of warrior within steppe cultures. Superbe riders and archers, they are well known to have the ability to shot a rain of arrows, both charging and retreating.
Their horses are known to be fast and stubborn, and both their bows and arrows are crafted to del a tremendous amount of damage.
Within Sarmatian society, women are known to accompany their men on the battlefield. In some tribes, even, they are granted the right of marrying only if they prove worthy on the battlefield.
Even within auxiliary sarmatian troops of the roman army, female presence is attested, like in the sarmatian numerus grave founded in Britain.

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Sarmatian Skirmish Cavalry

Less common than horse archers, horse skirmish javelinemen are however attested, expecially in the Sarmatian context, that more than other Steppe cultures develop the figure of mounted spearmen.

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Sarmatian lancers




Among scythian nations, Sarmatians were the one that develop more the figure of mounted spearmen, not only as the heavy armoured cataphracts.
Even if unarmoured, these mounted warriors are fearsome, combining speed and manouverability with a powerful impact power.

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Sarmatian Cataphracts

Sarmatian Cataphracts, expecially from the Roxolani nation, are recorded to be fearsome opponents by the Romans, that fought them both as allies and federates of the Dacian and as independants

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Sarmatian Cataphract Archers

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The Budini were a Baltic People living north from Crimea, ancestors of the Vadzalaizod (Votic people).
They are recorded are nomadic reindeer herders, with peculiar physical traits (red hairs and blue eyes).
They lived in the steppes around the city of Gelonus, that was anciently founded by greek colonists and had a mixed heritage of Scythians and Greeks.
(cfr. Herodotus, Histories, IV, 21)

Budini Hunters

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Budini Skirmishers

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The Sary Aszi, known as Siraces by the Greeks, were a sub-tribe of the Iaziges, and were known for their good relations with the greek colonies of Bosporus and their strong hellenization.

Skythohellenikoi Toxotai

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Hippotoxotai Skythohellenikoi

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Skythohellenikoi Noble Riders

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Skythohellenikoi Warriors

As said, within the Siraces hellenic influence was strong. Furthermore, in the plains north from Crimea, in the lands of the Budini, laid Gelonus, a former greek colony whose people had an ancient hellenic heritage.

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Keltoskythai Riders

In the plains of Sarmatia, Pannonian Celts and scythian peoples intermingled, giving birth to small communities of mixed heritage.

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[Thesban The Great]

As the Steppe tribes are my favourite factions, these are beautiful units! +rep

[il Pitta]

Thank you!

[il Pitta]

DAHA ROSTER
(Daha, Parni)


The Dahae were part of the Saka family. Their lands border south with the Seleucid empire, and they are noted both as mercenaries and enemies of the Seleucids.


Dahae Levies
Dahae Archers
Dahae Horse Archers
Dahae light cavalry
Dahae Noble Horse Archers
Dahae Cataphracts


Parthian Empire Reform (only for Parni faction)



Parthian Thyreophoroi
Parthian Archers
Parthian Asbaran Archers

Parthian Asbaran Cataphracts
Parthian Camel Cataphracts
Parthian War Elephants
Parthian Armoured Elephants

ACCESS TO SELEUCID NAVAL ROSTER
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Roster in detail


Dahae Levies
As for the other Scythian-Saka-Sarmatian nations, infantry was quite uncommon among Dahae.
Infantrymen were low-level citizens, so poor that they couldn't afford a horse, and being the horse so important in Scythian society, they could be more or less equiparable to a servile census.

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Dahae Archers

Little more prominent that simple infantrymen, being without a horse, nevertheless these archers are cunning and lethal.

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Dahae Horse Archers

The most common type of Saka warriors, these mounted archers from distance are really a killing machine.

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Dahae Light Cavalry

More uncommon than Horse Archers, these mounted javelinemen are nevertheless an agile opponent, less fearsome form distance but better equipped for close combat

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Dahae Noble Horse Archers

The nobles of the Dahae, as for Scythians and other Sakas, are accustomed to fight as mounted archers

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Dahae Cataphracts

Heavy mounted lancers are another trademark of the steppe people.
Even if fair more uncommon than mounted archers, these heavy horsemen are the cutting edge of the steppe armies.
After the mounted archers have harassed the enemy with their rain of arrow, these armored riders charge with the intent of breaking the already weakened enemy formation.

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Parthian Empire Reform (only for Parni faction):


With king Arsaces I of Parthia, in 238 B.C. the Parni tribe of the Dahae conquest the Satrapy of Parthava, that rebelled from the Seleucid empire, and put the basis of the Parthian empire.
The Parni partially adopeted some aspects of the Seleucids and the Persians, the latter being nevertheless distant relatives.


Parthian Archers

Infantry units are less scorned in the Parthian context. Even if they still less trained than mounted ones, they are better than all other Steppe counterparts.

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Parthian Asbaran Archers


Keeping high their steppe tradition, these archers are fearsome, and the term "Parthian Shot" became common to define the ability of shooting arrows on horseback wile retereating

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Parthian Asbaran Cataphracts



Even heavier than common Saka cataphract, these mounted lancers wear impenetrable armors

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Parthian Thyreophoroi


Having assimilated some of the military tradition of the Seleucids, the Parthians had probably the best infantry within Saka cultures.
Not very effective or reliable if compared to western infantries, nevertheless it could count on a better training and equipment than its othe Saka-Scythian-Sarmatian counterparts

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Parthian Camel Cataphracts

named only at the Battle of Nisbis in 217 AD, nevertheless the use of Camel Cataphracts among the Parthian is attested, a product of the intermingling od Middle-East and Steppe Cultures:

Herodian IV.14.3 - Nisibis::

"Meanwhile Artabanus was upon them with his vast and powerful army
composed of many cavalry and an enormous number of archers and
cataphracts who fought on camels, jabbing with long spears."

15.2-3:

"The barbarians caused heavy casualties with their rain of arrows and
with the long spears of the kataphraktoi on horses and camels..."

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Even if not so common, the use of war elephants among the Parthian is already attested during their battles against the Seleucids, when the latter strike back trying to re-conquest Parthava satrapy

Parthian War Elephants

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Parthian Armoured Elephants

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[il Pitta]

TOCHARIAN ROSTER
(Yueh-Chih)

The Tocharians were and Indeuropean people that lived between China and Russia.
Their physical appearance (red hairs were common), and some aspect of their material culture (e.d. the use of tartan cloth) make archaeologists of the ’30 (and fanatics nowdays XD) mistake them for Celts.
Actually they were a West Indoeuropean people that had moved East probably in the Bronze age.
They were also known as Yueh-Chih or Yuetzi.
Strongly influenced by Masgut (Massagetae) and other Saka-Scythian steppe cultures, during the II B.C. they were pushed westward by the Chinese and by Turkish tribes, and they invaded around 140 a.C. the hellenized Baktria and the Maurya Empire.

Tocharian Mummy

Tocharian "tartan" cloth


Tocharian tattoos on mummy and preserved Tocharian hat



Tocharian Levies
Tocharian Archers
Tocharian Horse Archers
Tocharian Light Cavalry
Tocharian Noble Horse Archers
Tocharian Cataphract

Kushan Empire Reform


Kushan Swordsmen Kushan Spearmen Kushan Horse Archers
Kushan ArchersKushan Noble Spearmen Kushan Noble Swordsmen Kushan CataphractsKushan War Elephant
Kushan Armoured Elephant
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Roster in detail:


Tocharian Levies

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Tocharian Archers

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Tocharian Horse Archers

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Tocharian Light Cavalry

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Tocharian Noble Horse Archers

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Tocharian Cataphract

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Kushan Empire Reform

The Tocharians, known by the Greeks as the Asii, invaded the lands of Baktria and of the Maurya Empire 140 a.C. circa.
While many Baktrian Greeks fleed south-east, mantaining the Indo-Greek kingdom, the Indians were more or less totally subdued in their north-western domains.
The invaders mingled deeply with the Indians and with the Indo-Greeks, giving birth to a totally new and unique civilization.


Kushan Swordsmen

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Kushan Spearmen

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Kushan Archers

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Kushan Horse Archers

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Kushan Noble Spearmen

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Kushan Noble Swordsmen

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Kushan Cataphracts

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Kushan War Elephant

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Kushan Armoured Elephant

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[skysyk]

Playing parthia finally looks interesting. Nice roosters! Will kushan empire be payable?

[Iutland]

Tocharians/Kushan is an emerging faction but is playable in Custom Battle. I think they will be playable in the Emperor campaign once we modify it ;-)

[il Pitta]

ACH!
Sorry Black9... I'm not practical of forums -.-
I deleted your comment by mistake -.-... my fault... sorry again

[Black9]

ACH!
Sorry Black9... I'm not practical of forums -.-
I deleted your comment by mistake -.-... my fault... sorry again

Hahaha it's not a big deal, you can make it up to me by giving me a test version of 0.7.

[Iutland]

Hahaha it's not a big deal, you can make it up to me by giving me a test version of 0.7.

Very droll ;-)

It is planned for release on monday, which is thankfully ahead of schedule, and it only needs to go through the final verification steps before preparation for release.

[Black9]

Yay! I'm calling in sick to work

[skysyk]

Damn I am on holidays till Tuesday so I won't be able to form the kushan empire myself? What a shame :/

[Black9]

DAHA ROSTER
(Daha, Parni)

Will the Parni (Parthia) be changed to a Nomadic faction group or remain Eastern?

Damn I am on holidays till Tuesday so I won't be able to form the kushan empire myself? What a shame :/

You might be able to play them in the IA campaign!

[Iutland]

Parni is Nomadic and in the Emperor campaign they will probably be Eastern.

[Black9]

Parni is Nomadic and in the Emperor campaign they will probably be Eastern.

That's great news, thanks!